Bergeson & Campbell P.C. (B&C®) Managing Partner Lynn L. Bergeson contributed a chapter to the recently published book Nanotechnology: Delivering on the Promise, a two-volume American Chemical Society (ACS) symposium report that discusses advances in nanotechnology and the value of precautionary risk management. These volumes cover advances nanotechnology has made with materials, energy, electronic devices, agriculture, and biomedicine, as well as the regulatory response to these new...
December 7, 2016
Oscar Hernandez and Jim Aidala Quoted in “Risk Limits Under New Toxics Law May Continue Past Practice”
On December 7, 2016, the Bloomberg BNA Daily Environment Report quoted Oscar Hernandez, Ph.D., Senior Regulatory Chemist with Bergeson & Campbell, P.C. (B&C®), and Jim Aidala, Senior Government Affairs Consultant with B&C, regarding how the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will handle the new toxics law. Typically, the agency takes action on chemicals whose risks range between 1 in 10,000 excess cancer cases to 1 in 1 million excess cases....
December 2, 2016
Bloomberg BNA Daily Environmental Report Quotes Lynn L. Bergeson in “EPA Proposal Threatens Confidentiality, Chemical Makers Say”
On December 2, 2016, Lynn L. Bergeson, Managing Partner of Bergeson & Campbell, P.C. (B&C®), was quoted in the Bloomberg BNA Daily Environmental Report on how proposed changes to significant new use regulations would change the way confidential business information is handled by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The Bergeson & Campbell P.C. law firm summarized a position voiced throughout the trade association comments. “As currently drafted, the...
December 1, 2016
Brexit — An Overview of Transformative Developments and Their Potential Impact on European Chemical Laws
On June 23, 2016, more than 30 million people voted in a referendum to decide whether the United Kingdom (UK) should “Leave” or “Remain” in the European Union (EU). The referendum turnout was 71.8 percent and the Leave Campaign won by 52 percent to 48 percent, making “Brexit” an important and imminent probability with potentially significant implications for a range of stakeholders, including the chemicals industry. The following statement from current UK Prime Minister...
On November 24, 2016, the Australian Department of the Environment and Energy began a public consultation on the Draft National Standard for the Environmental Risk Management of Industrial Chemicals and a supporting Draft Explanatory Document. See http://www.environment.gov.au/protection/chemicals-management/national-standard/draft-national-standard-environmental-risk-management-industrial-chemicals According to the Department, the primary purpose of the papers is to outline the...
November 30, 2016
“Trump Views on Chemicals Law Not Yet Known: Policy Watchers” Quotes James V. Aidala, Charles M. Auer, and Lynn L. Bergeson
On November 30, 2016, Bloomberg BNA Daily Environment Report quoted Jim Aidala, Senior Government Affairs Consultant with Bergeson & Campbell, P.C. (B&C®), Charles M. Auer, Senior Regulatory and Policy Advisor with B&C, and Lynn L. Bergeson, Managing Partner of B&C, on impacts the Trump Administration may have on chemical laws. “It’s very hard to know what the thinking is other than on big issues,” such as energy and water, Jim Aidala, a senior...
November 30, 2016
Lynn L. Bergeson and Charles M. Auer Discuss Changes to EPA’s New Chemicals Program
On November 30, 2016, the Bloomberg BNA Daily Environmental Report included comments by Charles M. Auer, Senior Regulatory and Policy Advisor with Bergeson & Campbell, P.C. (B&C®), and Lynn L. Bergeson, Managing Partner of B&C, in the article “Groans Heard About Pace EPA’s New Chemical Reviews.” The EPA appears to be making changes to the new chemicals program beyond what the law mandated, Charles Auer, former director of the EPA’s Office of...
On November 15, 2016, the California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) held a webinar to provide an update on its progress and seek input from stakeholders regarding the selection of the next set of Priority Products under the Safer Consumer Products Regulations (SCPR). A recording of the webinar will be uploaded by DTSC to its workshops web page when available. The webinar is the first step in implementing DTSC’s 2015-2017 Priority Product Work...
November 28, 2016
Lynn L. Bergeson, “Chemical Compliance: Montreal Protocol Addresses HFCs,” Chemical Processing, November 28, 2016.
October 15, 2016, was a historic day for international climate action: nearly 200 countries reached an agreement to phase out use of hydrofluorocarbons (HFC) at the 28th meeting of the parties to the Montreal Protocol in Kigali, Rwanda. This column summarizes this historic event and its implications. The Montreal Protocol is the international treaty designed to protect the earth’s ozone layer by requiring the phasing out of production and use of chlorofluorocarbons (CFC), substances believed...
November 25, 2016
Lynn L. Bergeson, “Next Generation Compliance and Its Implications for Industry,” Environmental Quality Management, Volume 26, Issue 1, Fall 2016.
“Next Generation Compliance” is the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) signature initiative intended to increase compliance with environmental regulations by using advances in pollution monitoring and information technology and by more effectively using and designing regulations and permits to reduce pollution and enhance compliance. This column describes EPA’s initiative, discusses several examples of its applications in rulemakings and civil enforcement settlements,...