On December 21, 2016, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published a final rule regarding procedures for rulemaking under Section 6 of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) in the Federal Register. Under TSCA Section 6, EPA has the authority to address risks from chemical substances, and Section 6 includes procedures that EPA must follow. As amended by the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act, TSCA no longer mandates certain procedural...
Category: General
December 21, 2016
Lynn L. Bergeson, “OSHA Sustainability Paper Notes Opportunity to Integrate Sustainability and Nanotechnology Research,” Nanotechnology Now, December 21, 2016.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) released on December 20, 2016, a white paper entitled Sustainability in the Workplace: A New Approach for Advancing Worker Safety and Health. See https://www.osha.gov/sustainability/docs/OSHA_sustainability_paper.pdf The paper highlights the importance of including worker safety and health in the growing movement toward sustainability and corporate responsibility. According to the paper, research on sustainability does not...
December 20, 2016
2017 Conference Will Focus on New Tools and Approaches for Nanomaterial Safety Assessment
On February 7-9, 2017, a conference focused on new tools and approaches for nanomaterial safety assessment will be held in Malaga, Spain. The conference is jointly organized by five major Seventh Research Framework Program (FP7) projects: NANOSOLUTIONS, GUIDEnano, Sustainable Nanotechnologies (SUN), NanoMILE, and eNanoMapper. It will present the main results achieved in the course of the projects, fostering a discussion about their impact...
As previously reported in the BRAG Biobased and Renewable Products Update of October 21, 2016, EPA announced that it has opened nominations for the 2017 Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Awards (PGCCA). EPA’s strong support for the adoption of green chemistry has helped strengthen the development and commercialization of green chemistry products, leading to significant environmental benefits alongside economic benefits. Previous PGCCA winners annually eliminate...
On December 6, 2016, EPA held a hearing on its proposed Renewables Enhancement and Growth Support rule. The proposed rule would update the regulatory structure to allow biofuel producers to process and convert biomass at different facilities, update fuel regulations to allow for more high-ethanol fuel blends in flex fuel vehicles, and permit cellulosic biofuels to be produced from new feedstock sources. Testimony provided by Growth Energy and the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA)...
December 16, 2016
EPA Publishes Final 2017 RFS Requirements
On December 12, 2016, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published a final rule, Renewable Fuel Standard Program: Standards for 2017 and Biomass-Based Diesel Volume for 2018, in the Federal Register. This final rule sets the annual percentage standards for cellulosic biofuel, biomass-based diesel, advanced biofuel, and total renewable fuel for motor vehicle gasoline and diesel produced or imported in 2017, as reported in the Biobased and Renewable Products Advocacy...
December 15, 2016
EPA Proposes To Add Nonylphenol Ethoxylates To Section 313 And Other Recent EPCRA Developments
EPA Proposes To Add Nonylphenol Ethoxylates To Section 313: On November 16, 2016, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed to add nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPE) as a category for which reporting is needed under Section 313 of the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA). 81 Fed. Reg. 80624. EPA is proposing to add this chemical category to the EPCRA Section 313 list because EPA believes NPEs meet the EPCRA Section 313(d)(2)(C) toxicity criteria. Specifically,...
On December 15, 2016, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published a notice in the Federal Register of its intention to establish a Negotiated Rulemaking Committee (NRC) under the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) and the Negotiated Rulemaking Act. 81 Fed. Reg. 90843. The NRC will implement the amended Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) Section 8(a)(6) requirement that EPA “enter into a negotiated rulemaking … to develop and publish, not later than 3...
December 15, 2016
EPA Requests Public Comment on Revision of Current Size Standard Definitions Under TSCA
On December 15, 2016, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a notice requesting public comment on whether a revision of the current size standard definitions for small manufacturers and processors, that are used in connection with reporting regulations under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), is warranted at this time. Under amended TSCA Section 8(a)(3)(C), the EPA Administrator, after consultation with the Administrator of the Small Business Administration...
The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) announced in its December 14, 2016, ECHA Weekly that the following drafts for updated ECHA guidance on the Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) regulation have moved to the next consultation step and been sent to the Member State Committee for review: Guidance on recommendations for nanomaterials for environmental endpoints: Appendix R7-1 Recommendations for nanomaterials applicable to Chapter R7a Endpoint...