The Danish Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published on March 6, 2015, the following reports concerning nanomaterials: Survey of products with nanosized pigments — Focusing on products exempt from the Danish Nanoproduct Register: The main focus of the study is on paints, wood preservatives, glues, and fillers, as well as on colored textiles. According to the Danish EPA, the survey contributes to the overview of consumer products with nanomaterials on the Danish market and is...
The Advanced Bioeconomy Leadership Conference (ABLC) is underway in Washington, and the discussions and presentations have been lively. At the opening "Policy Outlook" forum Wednesday morning, Biofuels Digest Editor Jim Lane welcomed the leaders gathered, including more than 130 C-level attendees, and introduced the heads of the "7 families" on the dais representing the key trade groups involved in biobased policy, one of which is the Biobased and Renewable Products Advocacy Group (BRAG®). In...
On March 2, 2015, the winners of the 2015 Bio Business Awards were announced at the World Bio Markets (WBM) event in Amsterdam. The awards are designed to reward innovation and leadership in the development of sustainable and renewable fuel and chemical solutions. Malaysian Biotechnology Corporation was named the WBM Industry Champion 2015, DuPont's Sorona Fiber won an award for Breakthrough Biobased Technology Platform, and Elevance Renewable Sciences won the Biobased Product Innovation of the...
Last week, EPA unveiled the new Safer Choice label. According to the EPA website, a product with the Safer Choice label means that EPA scientists have reviewed every ingredient in that product to ensure they meet the rigorous health and environmental criteria included in the Safer Choice Standard. Companies wishing to learn how to qualify for the Safer Choice label should visit EPA's Resources for Safer Choice Product Manufacturers.
March 13, 2015
GOP Presidential Hopefuls Discuss RFS At 2015 Iowa Ag Summit
On March 7, 2015, the 2015 Iowa Ag Summit brought together several Republican Presidential hopefuls to discuss agricultural issues, including the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), in the United States. The potential candidates present at the summit included former Governor Jeb Bush (R-FL), Governor Scott Walker (R-WI), Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX), Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC), former Governor George Pataki (R-NY), former Governor Mike Huckabee (R-AR), former Senator Rick Santorum (R-PA), and former...
March 13, 2015
New Bipartisan TSCA Legislation Introduced In Senate
On March 10, 2015, Senators Tom Udall (D-NM) and David Vitter (R-LA) introduced the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act, a bipartisan bill that would reform the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). The bill has 15 co-sponsors -- seven Democrats and eight Republicans. The bill builds on the proposed Chemical Safety Improvement Act offered by Senator Vitter and the late Senator Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) in 2013. According to the overview provided on Senator Udall's webpage,...
On March 2, 2015, European Union (EU) Ministers approved a Directive previously approved by the European Parliament with regard to genetically modified organisms (GMO). EU Directive 2010/0208, entitled Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Directive 2001/18/EC as regards the possibility for the Member States to restrict or prohibit the cultivation of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in their territory, will allow individual Member States to determine whether...
On March 1, 2015, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released the 11th Annual Report on EPA’s implementation of the Pesticide Registration Improvement Extension Act (PRIA 3) that is required under Section 33(k) of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA). This annual report details changes in processes, practices, and policies for Fiscal Year (FY) 2014 that ran from October 1, 2013, through September 30, 2014. The report is divided into different...
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued an updated schedule for the Pesticide Registration Review program that sets forth a timetable for opening dockets for the next three years, through end of fiscal year 2017 (September 2017). Through the Pesticide Registration Review program, EPA reviews all registered pesticides at least every 15 years, as mandated by the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA). Following the newly issued schedule, all...
On February 24, 2015, the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) announced $5.2 million in funding that would go to the design and construction of a pilot scale biofuel production facility in Perth. The company in charge of creating the facility is Renergi, a startup established in 2012 with the goal of commercializing a suite of energy technologies that were developed in Curtin University's Fuels and Energy Technology Institute. The production facility will contain a 100 kg per hour biomass...