As reported in our January 31, 2018, blog item, the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH®) Threshold Limit Values for Chemical Substances (TLV®-CS) Committee included carbon nanotubes on its 2018 list of chemical substances and other issues under study. Being placed on the under study list indicated that the TLV®-CS Committee had selected carbon nanotubes for development of a threshold limit value (TLV®). On July 26, 2018,...
Category: General
July 27, 2018
NIOSH Draft CIB on Occupational Risk Assessment Discusses Emerging Practices, Including Nanomaterials Risk Assessment
On July 26, 2018, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) announced the availability of a draft Current Intelligence Bulletin: NIOSH Practices in Occupational Risk Assessment. The draft Current Intelligence Bulletin (CIB) describes the underlying science and general approach used by NIOSH researchers when conducting high quality, scientifically sound assessments of the health risk associated with workplace hazards. The draft CIB focuses...
July 27, 2018
EPA OIG Audits EPA’s Implementation of Its Recommendations for Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Awards Program
On July 20, 2018, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Office of Inspector General (OIG) released a report on its audit of EPA’s implementation of the OIG recommendations for the Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Awards (PGCCA) Program. The PGCCA Program is sponsored by the EPA’s Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention (OCSPP) to promote the environmental and economic benefits of developing and using green chemistry by recognizing industry...
July 27, 2018
EPA Must Reconsider Small Refinery Waiver For Ergon
By Lynn L. Bergeson On July 20, 2018, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit (Fourth Circuit) ruled that EPA must reconsider its denial of Ergon-West Virginia, Inc.’s (Ergon) application for a small refinery waiver under the RFS. The Fourth Circuit stated that EPA relied on an “error-riddled” analysis when it denied the exemption. Ergon is a small refinery based in West Virginia (with a daily production of 23,500 barrels) that produces primarily...
July 27, 2018
Wheeler Briefs Press On Future Of Biofuels Programs, Approves Sorghum Based Biofuel Pathways Under R
By Lynn L. Bergeson On July 24, 2018, Andrew Wheeler, newly appointed Acting Administrator at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), held a briefing that outlined his plans for the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). He plans on following Scott Pruitt’s work overhauling the policy, including counting ethanol exports toward annual biofuels quotas and bringing corn and oil groups together to overhaul the RFS system. Wheeler also signed a final notice approving a variety...
July 25, 2018
APHIS/USDA Prepare to Revise Regulations Pertinent to Genetically Engineered Organisms
The United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) signaled on June 29, 2018, its intent to prepare a “programmatic environmental impact statement (EIS) in connection with potential changes to the regulations regarding the importation, interstate movement, and environmental release of certain genetically engineered [(GE)] organisms.” The EIS will have a significant impact on how APHIS chooses to amend its regulation of GE...
July 24, 2018
APHIS/USDA Prepare to Revise Regulations Pertinent to Genetically Engineered Organisms
The United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) signaled on June 29, 2018, its intent to prepare a “programmatic environmental impact statement (EIS) in connection with potential changes to the regulations regarding the importation, interstate movement, and environmental release of certain genetically engineered [(GE)] organisms.” The EIS will have a significant impact on how APHIS chooses to amend its regulation of GE...
July 24, 2018
ELI Summer School Series 2018: Law & Policy of Products Regulation, July 24, 2018, Washington, D.C. and via Webinar
The life cycle of industrial, agricultural, and antimicrobial chemical products, especially those embedded in consumer products, has gained increasing public attention. Regulators are beginning to look at the entire product life cycle, including after the discard of a product at the end of its useful life, not just toxicity data. Lynn L. Bergeson, Managing Partner, Bergeson & Campbell, P.C. (B&C®), presented Law & Policy of Products Regulation, examining the regulation of...
The tenth Helsinki Chemicals Forum was held on June 14-15, 2018, in Helsinki, Finland. According to the Conference Report, prepared by Chemical Watch, 168 delegates from 37 countries attended. The final debate at the Forum used nanomaterials as a case study to argue whether product stewardship can replace regulation. Roger Drew, ToxConsult, moderated the debate between David Azoulay, Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) and David Warheit,...
July 20, 2018
Biofuel Groups Testify At RFS Public Hearing
By Lynn L. Bergeson On July 18, 2018, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) held a Public Hearing for Proposed Renewable Fuel Standards (RFS) for 2019 and Biomass-Based Diesel Volume for 2020. The National Biodiesel Board (NBB) testified at this meeting that EPA should set the 2020 Biomass-based Diesel volume at 2.8 billion gallons, stating that it aligns with the goals that Congress set for the RFS program, the volume is achievable in 2020, and that it will better fulfill...