EPA Chemical Enforcement Focuses on Nanoscale Materials Manufacturers

On March 30, 2010, Michael Bellot, Chief of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Chemical Risk and Reporting Enforcement Branch, of the Office of Civil Enforcement, Waste and Chemical Enforcement Division, spoke at the Global Chemical Regulations Conference last week. Bellot described manufacturers of nanoscale materials as a “target-rich environment,” and stated that two-thirds of EPA’s 2009 chemical enforcement activity focused on nanoscale materials manufacturers. EPA did not go into detail on the scope of its enforcement activities, but suffice it to say entities that are engaged in nanoscale material manufacture and/or import should be mindful of this information.