Blogs

By Lynn L. Bergeson    On January 11, 2022, the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy (EERE) announced that seven research and development (R&D) projects were selected to receive $13.4 million in funding for R&D projects to advance next generation plastic technologies to reduce the energy consumption and carbon emissions of single-use plastics. The selected R&D projects, led by industry and universities, will focus...

On January 10, 2022, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced it is opening a 60-day comment period requesting public comments on the sixth proposed rule in an ongoing series of revisions to the pesticide crop grouping regulations. EPA states it is proposing revisions to its pesticide tolerance crop grouping regulations, which allow the establishment of tolerances for multiple related crops based on data from a representative set of crops. EPA proposes to amend the...

On January 11, 2022, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced it is implementing a new policy regarding the evaluation and registration of new conventional pesticide active ingredients (AI) to comply further with the Endangered Species Act (ESA) (ESA Policy). EPA also issued a Question and Answer document regarding its ESA Policy. Effective immediately, EPA will evaluate the potential effects of new conventional AIs on federally threatened or listed endangered...

On January 20, 2022, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced it is extending supply-chain flexibilities for registrants of certain conventional and biopesticide products to alleviate a supply-chain issue facing the pesticide industry. This is an extension of EPA’s July 2, 2021, action when EPA implemented supply-chain flexibilities that allowed registrants to substitute a combination of pre-approved alternate inert ingredients for inert ingredients derived...

The March 1, 2022, deadline for all establishments, foreign and domestic, that produce pesticides, devices, or active ingredients to file their annual production for the 2021 reporting year is fast approaching. Pursuant to Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) Section 7(c)(1) (7 U.S.C. § 136e(c)(1)), “Any producer operating an establishment registered [under Section 7] shall inform the Administrator within 30 days after it is registered of the types and amounts of...

On December 9, 2021, the American Chemical Society (ACS) announced the 2022 Green Chemistry & Engineering Conference’s (GC&E) lineup of symposia accepted to the conference. The symposia focus on the 2022 GC&E overarching theme: “Thinking in Systems: Designing for Sustainable Use.” This theme will explore how green and sustainable chemistry and engineering contribute to the development and commercialization of products for sustainable use. Accepted...

The National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI) will hold a webinar on “What We Know about NanoEHS: Nanoinformatics and Modeling” on January 31, 2022. NNI states that nanoinformatics and modeling support and crosscut all areas of assessments of the environmental, health, and safety aspects of nanomaterials (nanoEHS). The expert panel will explore how progress in nanoinformatics and modeling has impacted the safe and responsible development of nanotechnology. The panel will be moderated by...

By Lynn L. Bergeson  On December 22, 2021, Cargill announced an agreement with Croda to acquire the majority of its performance technologies and industrial chemicals business in Summer 2022, pending regulatory approvals. This investment includes biobased and renewable technologies used in the automotive, polymer, and food packaging industries, as well as production facilities across Europe and Asia. “The bioindustrial space is a priority for Cargill, as we strive to support our...

On December 9, 2021, the American Chemical Society (ACS) announced the 2022 Green Chemistry & Engineering Conference’s (GC&E) lineup of symposia accepted to the conference. The symposia focus on the 2022 GC&E overarching theme: “Thinking in Systems: Designing for Sustainable Use.” This theme will explore how green and sustainable chemistry and engineering contribute to the development and commercialization of products for sustainable use. Accepted symposia include a session...

By Lynn L. Bergeson  On January 13, 2022, the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO), in collaboration with the Algae Foundation and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, opened the AlgaePrize competition for high school through graduate students in the United States. This new prize focuses on the development, design, and invention of algal technologies to help reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions through algae commercialization. During the...

The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) recently published ISO/TS 21357:2022, “Nanotechnologies — Evaluation of the mean size of nano-objects in liquid dispersions by static multiple light scattering (SMLS).” ISO states that the standard provides guidance and requirements for the determination of the mean (spherical) equivalent diameter of nano-objects (i.e., particles, droplets, or bubbles) dispersed in liquids using the SMLS technique. According to ISO, the technique is...

By Lynn L. Bergeson  On December 23, 2021, DOE issued a Request for Information (RFI) on the scale-up and demonstration of renewable fuels. In the RFI “Overcoming Barriers to Renewable Fuel Scale-Up and Demonstration,” DOE expresses its wish to obtain input from biofuels producers and technology developers regarding their readiness to scale process technologies to pilot- and demonstration-scale sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), renewable diesel, and renewable marine fuels....

By Lynn L. Bergeson  On December 28, 2021, EPA announced that it will hold a public virtual meeting to discuss biofuel greenhouse gas (GHG) modeling. EPA is soliciting information on the current scientific understanding of GHG modeling of land-based biofuels used in the transportation sector. According to EPA, the information gathered during this meeting will be used to inform current and future EPA actions, including the method for quantifying GHG emissions under RFS. Of particular...

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on January 13, 2022, that it is accepting public comments on candidates under consideration for selection as ad hoc peer reviewers assisting the Science Advisory Committee on Chemicals (SACC) with its review of the Draft Systematic Review Protocol Supporting TSCA Risk Evaluations for Chemical Substances. This comment period follows a previous 30-day call for nominations that ended on November 17, 2021. EPA will use comments on the...

The European Commission (EC) announced on January 14, 2022, that it adopted a ban on the use of titanium dioxide (E171) as a food additive. The ban will apply after a six-month transition period, and beginning summer 2022, this additive should no longer be added to food products. According to the EC, titanium dioxide “is used to impart white colour to many foods, from baked goods and sandwich spreads to soups, sauces, salad dressing and food supplements.” The...

On January 11, 2022, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) released the report of its Scientific Integrity Task Force on protecting the integrity of government science. According to OSTP, the scientific integrity principles and best practices identified in the report “aim to ensure that science is conducted, managed, communicated, and used in ways that preserve its accuracy and objectivity and protect it from suppression, manipulation, and inappropriate...

By Lynn L. Bergeson  EPA Office of Inspector General (OIG) announced the availability of its FY 2022 oversight plan on December 14, 2021. According to OIG, the plan reflects the priority work that the OIG believes is necessary to keep EPA, the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB), and Congress fully informed about issues relating to the administration of EPA programs and operations. The planned oversight projects concerning Ensuring the Safe Use of Chemicals...

In December 2021, the German Environment Agency (UBA) published a document entitled Risk Governance of Advanced Materials: Considerations from the joint perspective of the German Higher Federal Authorities BAuA, BfR and UBA. The document summarizes the current activities, considerations, and recommendations of UBA, the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), and the Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (BAuA) aiming to establish good governance of advanced...

By Lynn L. Bergeson  On December 29, 2021, the Kentucky Commissioner of Agriculture, Dr. Ryan Quarles, announced that eligible Kentucky companies can now apply to the state’s Renewable Chemical Production Program. This program provides tax credits for capital investment, job creation, and the production of more than 30 chemicals derived from biomass feedstocks. These chemicals are limited to building block chemicals with a biobased content percentage of at least 50 percent,...

Bergeson & Campbell, P.C. (B&C®) is pleased to provide our Forecast 2022 to readers of the Biobased and Renewable Products Update, offering our best informed judgment as to the trends and key developments we expect to see in the new year. Global and national policy reforms continue to focus increasingly on a circular economy as a critical part of addressing climate change. In 2022, industry stakeholders can expect the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to...