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The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) posted on September 30, 2013, a final report entitled Comprehensive Environmental Assessment Applied to Multiwalled Carbon Nanotube Flame-Retardant Coatings in Upholstery Textiles: A Case Study Presenting Priority Research Gaps for Future Risk Assessments.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) posted on September 30, 2013, a final report entitled Comprehensive Environmental Assessment Applied to Multiwalled Carbon Nanotube Flame-Retardant Coatings in Upholstery Textiles: A Case Study Presenting Priority Research Gaps for Future Risk Assessments.

On Aug. 1, 2013, President Barack Obama issued Executive Order (EO) 13650, ordering federal agencies to review safety rules at chemical facilities in response to the April explosion at the West Fertilizer Co., in West, Texas. The order, Improving Chemical Facility Safety and Security, seeks to close gaps in the regulation of facilities that the government believes contributed to the fatal accident. Here is a summary of that order.

On September 3, 2013, the National Industrial Chemicals Notification and Assessment Scheme (NICNAS) posted an electronic copy of its Handbook for Notifiers, which provides guidance for importers and manufacturers of industrial chemicals in Australia. Appendix H includes guidance and requirements for notification of new chemicals that are industrial nanomaterials, and addresses the following topics: NICNAS working definition of industrial nanomaterial; Exemption categories; Permit...

This week, Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) sent a letter to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) asking for an investigation into claims that speculators are manipulating the RIN market in which RIN credits are bought and sold to help obligated parties meet their annual renewable volume obligations (RVO) under the federal RFS. Senator Stabenow expressed concern with the lack of transparency in the RIN market. Ethanol RIN prices have dramatically risen this year and there have been...

Last week, federal securities regulators charged Imperial Petroleum, Inc. and its subsidiary, Indiana-based E-Biofuels LLC, with carrying out a fraudulent federal RFS renewable identification number (RIN) and tax credit scheme. It is alleged that from November 2009 to January 2012, this scheme generated 52 million fraudulent RIN credits and $35 million in false tax credits, and cost investors approximately $60 million. More information is available online. This is the fourth major biodiesel RIN...

From K-REACH to CSIA, EU CLP to China Order No. 7, ChemCon Asia 2013 held September 9-13, 2013, in Seoul, South Korea, equipped attendees to achieve compliance with current global chemical regulations and to anticipate new regulatory developments on the horizon. Bergeson & Campbell, P.C. was a proud sponsor. The program included: In-depth review and discussion of Korean regulations with senior representatives from Korea's Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, and Occupational Safety and...

On September 11, 2013, the European Commission (EC) submitted to the World Trade Organization (WTO) a proposed regulation amending Regulation 1169/2011 concerning the provision of food information to consumers as regards the definition of engineered nanomaterials (ENM). The proposed regulation states that since the regulation refers to ENMs and not nanomaterials in general, natural and incidental nanomaterials should not be included in the definition. The proposed regulation...

Throughout 2013, the issue of the contribution of pesticide use to the decline in honeybee colony health, known as colony collapse disorder (CCD), has been increasingly controversial. Of particular concern is the role that a particular class of pesticides, known as neonicotinoids, may play in CCD. While EPA generally maintains its view that pesticides, including the neonicotinoids, are one of many factors in contributing to CCD, in July 2013, it took steps to control more stringently the foliar...

Bergeson & Campbell, P.C. (B&C) is pleased to announce that Lara A. Hall, a Registered Quality Assurance Professional in Good Laboratory Practice with a Masters degree in Biology, has joined our staff of scientists at B&C, The Acta Group (Acta), and B&C Consortia Management, L.L.C. (BCCM). With over a decade of experience in environmental research, study monitoring, and international regulatory support, Ms. Hall will assist our clients in placing and monitoring studies to assist...

On September 20, 2013, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) announced a recommendation that its Member Countries apply existing regulatory frameworks to manage risks associated with manufactured nanomaterials. The Recommendation, approved on September 19, 2013, expands the scope of the Mutual Acceptance of Data (MAD) in the Assessment of Chemicals to include nanomaterials. Since 2006, OECD has been working to develop approaches for addressing risk...

On September 20, 2013, the National Toxicology Program (NTP) published a Federal Register notice requesting information on 20 substances, mixtures, and exposure circumstances, including nickel nanoparticles, nominated for possible review for future editions of the Report on Carcinogens (RoC). NTP seeks information concerning:  (1) data on current production, use patterns, and human exposure; (2) information about published, ongoing, or planned studies related to evaluating...

On September 20, 2013, the National Toxicology Program (NTP) published a Federal Register notice requesting information on 20 substances, mixtures, and exposure circumstances, including nickel nanoparticles, nominated for possible review for future editions of the Report on Carcinogens (RoC).

Specialty chemical company Elevance Renewable Sciences, Inc. announced this week the commercial availability of Inherent™ C18 Diacid, a mid-chain length, biobased diacid that will, as the company describes in its press release, enable "producers of polyamides and polyurethanes, lubricants and adhesives to significantly expand their portfolios with cost-competitive products that demonstrate performance not possible from products made with more common, shorter-chain diacids." A...

The group of four Republican members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee tasked with examining proposals to reform the federal Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) are reportedly still considering options for reform and compromise. This week, one of the members of the task force, Representative John Shimkus (R-IL), stated publicly that there may be avenues for compromise under the RFS' Renewable Identification Number (RIN) credit trading program. Other members of the task force include...

The National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI) has posted a report on its March 2012 international “Symposium on Assessing the Economic Impact of Nanotechnology.” NNI held the symposium in conjunction with the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), and the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) hosted it. Participants included scientists, engineers, policy analysts, private investors, technology leaders, and the general public from both OECD and...

On August 23, 2013, the California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) released changes to the near final Safer Consumer Products Regulations (SCPR). These game-changing regulations took effect October 1, 2013. This column broadly outlines the rule and summarizes the changes.