On March 2, 2018, Lauren M. Graham, Ph.D., Manager of the Biobased and Renewable Products Advocacy Group (BRAG®), presented “Advocating for Commercialization of Biobased Products” at the 2018 Advanced Bioeconomy Leadership Conference (ABLC2018). Dr. Graham presented as part of the “Federal Perspective & Programs Forum” alongside four other panelists. Dr. Graham provided an overview of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) regulation impacting...
By Lynn L. Bergeson The National Science Foundation (NSF) awarded Grow Bioplastics, a University of Tennessee student start-up, a $225,000 Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant. The funding will support research and development on new biodegradable plastics from lignin. The biobased plastic will be used for agricultural applications, such as plastic mulch. Grow Bioplastics’ biodegradable film can be plowed into the soil after each use, offering a solution to the...
By Lynn L. Bergeson On March 1, 2018, the European Commission announced the approval of a €4.7 billion Italian support scheme for the production and distribution of advanced biofuels, including advanced biomethane, for use in the transport sector. Under the scheme, producers of advanced biomethane and biofuels will receive a premium to compensate for higher production costs compared to fossil fuels. The scheme will run from 2018 until 2022 and will be financed by transport fuel...
By Lynn L. Bergeson On February 25, 2018, the University of Illinois announced that the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) awarded a $10.6 million grant for the Renewable Oil Generated with Ultra-productive Energycane (ROGUE) project. The project is a collaborative effort between researchers from the University of Illinois, Brookhaven National Lab, University of Florida, and Mississippi State University. ROGUE aims to transform sugarcane and Miscanthus into sustainable sources of...
On March 6, 2018, in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) filed its Principal Brief in the litigation case that petitions for review the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) Inventory Notification (Active-Inactive) Requirements final rule (EDF v. EPA, No. 1701 (D.C. Cir.)). EDF’s brief includes, among other required statements, a statement of the issues, a statement of the case, a summary of...
On March 7, 2018, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released a draft Strategic Plan to Promote the Development and Implementation of Alternative Test Methods to reduce the use of vertebrate animals in chemical testing, fulfilling another milestone under the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act that amended the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). Under amended TSCA, EPA is required to develop a strategy to promote the development and...
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) published a Federal Register notice on March 1, 2018, announcing that it will hold a public hearing on April 11, 2018, to receive comments about CPSC’s agenda and priorities for fiscal years (FY) 2019-2020. CPSC’s Fiscal Year 2019 Performance Budget Request to Congress states that CPSC “will continue supporting nanotechnology research, coordinating with other federal agencies to extend limited...
March 5, 2018
EC Committee Begins Public Consultation on Certain Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer and Sodium Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer
On March 2, 2018, the European Commission (EC) Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) began a public consultation on its preliminary opinion on certain styrene/acrylates copolymer (nano) and sodium styrene/acrylates copolymer (nano). The EC received eight notifications of cosmetic ingredients containing the copolymers in nano forms. According to the preliminary opinion, the EC has concerns over the safety of the use of sodium styrene/acrylates copolymer (nano) and...
On February 28, 2018, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the availability of three Group B -- Antimicrobial Efficacy Test Guidelines, under Series 810, Product Performance Test Guidelines. The guidelines provide recommendations for the design and execution of laboratory studies to evaluate the effectiveness of antimicrobial pesticides against public health microbial pests. 83 Fed. Reg. 8666. The three final guidelines are: OCSPP 810.2000 --...
March 2, 2018
EU Launches Antidumping Investigation On U.S. Bioethanol
By Lauren M. Graham, Ph.D. On February 20, 2018, the European Commission (EC) issued a notice of initiation of an expiry review of antidumping (AD) measures applicable to imports of U.S. bioethanol. The AD duty that has been in place since 2013 was set to expire on February 23, 2018. The European Renewable Ethanol Association (e-PURE) petitioned the EC on behalf of producers representing more than 25 percent of the total European Union (EU) bioethanol production to review the AD...