Category: General

June 19, 2015

Weekly Round-up of Other Biobased News

? BizJournals, "Biofuel Company Nature's Methane Has Ambitious Goals For Kentucky" ? Business Wire, "Verdezyne Signs Agreement With Major European Chemicals Distributor Will & Co"
June 19, 2015

DOE Presents Bioenergy 2015 Next Week In Washington, D.C.

It is not too late to register for Bioenergy 2015, hosted by the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) and the Clean Energy Research and Education Foundation (CEREF), and taking place at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C. on June 23–24, 2015. Speakers include Jonathan Male, Director, BETO; Franklin (Lynn) Orr, Under Secretary for Science and Energy, DOE; Robert M. Simon, Principal Advisor to the Director for Energy,...
June 18, 2015

EPA Announces Plans to Modernize Audit Policy

On June 10, 2015, and June 15, 2015, EPA held a webinar entitled "eDisclosure: EPA's Plan to Modernize the Implementation of the Audit Policy and the Small Business Compliance Policy." During the webinar, EPA set forth its plans to release in the fall 2015 a centralized online portal called eDisclosure to allow companies to submit self-disclosures electronically under EPA's Incentives for Self-Policing: Discovery, Disclosure, Correction and Prevention of Violations (Audit Policy) and...
June 18, 2015

White House OSTP Calls for “Nanotechnology-Inspired Grand Challenges for the Next Decade”

On June 17, 2015, the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) published a request for information (RFI) seeking suggestions for “Nanotechnology-Inspired Grand Challenges for the Next Decade.” The Federal Register notice states: “A Nanotechnology-Inspired Grand Challenge should be an ambitious but achievable goal that harnesses nanoscience, nanotechnology, and innovation to solve important national or global problems and has the potential to capture the public’s...
June 17, 2015

ECHA Asks Registrants to Consider New OECD Data on Nanomaterials

The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) issued a June 9, 2015, press release reminding registrants to consider the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development’s (OECD) dissemination of hazard information on the following nanomaterials, and to update their dossiers accordingly: Cerium oxide; Dendrimers; Fullerenes (C60); Gold nanoparticles; Multi-walled carbon nanotubes; Nanoclays; Silicon dioxide; Silver nanoparticles; Single-walled carbon nanotubes; Titanium dioxide...
June 16, 2015

European Court of Justice Dismisses Case Regarding Confidential Treatment of Information Submitted to EFSA

On June 3, 2015, the General Court of the European Court of Justice issued a ruling in Luxembourg Pamol (Cyprus) Ltd. and Luxembourg Industries Ltd. (Luxembourg) vs. European Commission regarding the publication of information by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) in its peer reviewed draft assessment report of potassium phosphonate that Luxembourg claimed as confidential.  The case was brought by Luxembourg after EFSA rejected Luxembourg’s claim that certain information...
June 16, 2015

Lynn L. Bergeson, “OSHA Clarifies GHS Compliance Efforts,” Chemical Processing, June 16, 2015.

On May 29, 2015, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) published the “Interim Enforcement Guidance for Hazard Communication 2012 (HCS 2012) June 1, 2015 Effective Date” (Interim Guidance). This supplements the February 9, 2015, “Enforcement Guidance for the Hazard Communication Standard’s (HCS) June 1, 2015 Effective Date” (Enforcement Guidance). The Interim Guidance clarifies specific points to manufacturers, importers, and distributors...
June 14, 2015

18th Annual Nanotech Advanced Materials & Applications, June 14 – 17, 2015, Washington, District of Columbia

The world’s largest nanotechnology event, Nanotech 2015, co-located with TechConnect World Innovation Conference & Expo, delivered application-focused research from the top international academic, government, and private industry labs to identify new technology trends, development tools, product opportunities, R&D collaborations, and commercialization partners.  Lynn L. Bergeson presented “Recent Developments in Global EHS Nano Governance...
June 12, 2015

EPA Issues Proposed SNUR for Functionalized Carbon Nanotubes

On June 10, 2015, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued proposed significant new use rules (SNUR) for 30 chemical substances that were the subject of premanufacture notices (PMN), including functionalized carbon nanotubes (generic) (PMN Number P-13-793). On October 27, 2014, EPA promulgated a SNUR for this PMN substance through a direct final rule. EPA withdrew the SNUR on December 23, 2014, after receiving notice of intent to submit adverse comments. According to the June 10,...