The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has posted two new resource documents for recipients of test orders under Section 4 of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). The August 5, 2022, policy document entitled “Policies Regarding Manufacturers and Processors Subject to TSCA Section 4(a) Testing” provides two policies: The August 5, 2022, policy document entitled “Removal of Certain Companies from Seven TSCA Section 4(a)(2) Orders Issued in 2022” states that although EPA’s...
By Lynn L. Bergeson and Carla N. Hutton The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on August 1, 2022, a 15-day public comment period on two additional peer review candidates for the external peer review of the Biofuels and the Environment: Third Triennial Report to Congress (RtC3). 87 Fed. Reg. 46958. EPA previously requested comment on an initial pool of 20 candidates announced in a May 9, 2022, Federal Register notice. EPA states that after considering public...
Bergeson & Campbell, P.C.’s (B&C®) August 3, 2022, webinar “TSCA New Approach Methodologies” is now available for on-demand viewing at https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/recording/8166994675079284995. During this one-hour webinar, panelists shared a comprehensive review of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) use of New Approach Methodologies (NAM) in evaluating chemicals under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). Kristie Sullivan, MPH, Vice President of...
August 5, 2022
USDA Will Propose to Codify BioPreferred® Guidance
By Lynn L. Bergeson and Carla N. Hutton According to an item in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Unified Agenda, which was published on June 21, 2022, USDA intended to publish in June 2022 a proposed rule that would codify BioPreferred Program guidance. According to the item, USDA expects this action to reduce burden on both it and the applicants by reducing requirements, clarifying requirements, streamlining the application and certification process, and...
August 4, 2022
DaNa Publishes Research Spotlight on Three-Stage Model for the Formation of Micro- and Nanoplastic Particles
The German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) project (DaNa4.0) is addressing the question of whether new advanced materials, including nanomaterials, can be harmful to humans and the environment and how humans and the environment come into contact with these materials. DaNa has published an August 2022 research spotlight on a “Three-stage model for the formation of micro- and nanoplastic particles.” The paper, “Degradation of low-density polyethylene to nanoplastic...
August 4, 2022
NTP Publishes Revised Technical Reports on the Toxicity Studies of Perfluoroalkyl Sulfonates and Perfluoroalkyl Carboxylates
On July 28, 2022, the National Toxicology Program (NTP) announced that the following revised Technical Reports on the Toxicity Studies are available on the NTP website: According to NTP, transcription errors were identified in these reports, and an audit was conducted. NTP revised and republished the reports with an appendix that identifies the corrections. NTP notes that the final tables are available in the Chemical Effects in Biological Systems (CEBS) database....
The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) published a report on July 28, 2022, entitled Persistent Chemicals: Technologies for PFAS Assessment, Detection, and Treatment. GAO was asked to conduct a technology assessment on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) assessment, detection, and treatment. The report examines the technologies for more efficient assessments of the adverse health effects of PFAS and alternative substances; the benefits and challenges of current and emerging...
August 1, 2022
NIOSH Publishes Technical Report on Occupational Exposure Sampling for Engineered Nanomaterials
On July 29, 2022, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) published a Technical Report: Occupational Exposure Sampling for Engineered Nanomaterials. Since 2010, NIOSH has developed guidance for workplace sampling for three engineered nanomaterials: carbon nanotubes (CNT) and nanofiber (CNF), silver, and titanium dioxide, each of which has an elemental mass-based NIOSH recommended exposure limit (REL). NIOSH has also developed a practical approach to...
Since the U.S. Supreme Court issued its blockbuster ruling in West Virginia v. EPA, 597 US _ 2022 WL 2347278 (June 30, 2022), many are asking whether the Court’s amplification of the “major questions doctrine” (MQD) might be used to seek to limit the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) authority in implementing Congress’s 2016 amendments to the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act (Lautenberg Act). The...
July 28, 2022
NNI and EPA Will Hold Webinar on SBIR/STTR Funding Opportunities for Water Nanotechnologies
The National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will co-host a webinar on August 25, 2022, on Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) funding opportunities for water nanotechnologies. Small businesses and academic researchers will have an opportunity to hear from some of the federal agencies that fund water technologies, with a special focus on investments in nanotechnology-enabled solutions. The...