April 13, 2015

Lynn L. Bergeson, “SCENIHR Identifies Use Of Nanomaterials For Medical Imaging And Drug Delivery And Graphene Nanomaterials As Emerging Issues,” Nanotechnology Now, April 13, 2015.

On April 9, 2015, the European Commission (EC) Scientific Committee on Emerging and Newly Identified Health Risks (SCENIHR) posted a Position Statement on emerging and newly identified health risks to be drawn to the attention of the European Commission. ...
April 10, 2015

Lynn L. Bergeson, “EPA Proposes Significant New Use Rule for Certain Nonylphenol and Nonylphenol Ethoxylates,” Environmental Quality Management, Spring 2015.

On October 1, 2014, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed a Significant New Use Rule (SNUR) under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) for certain related chemical substances commonly known as nonylphenols (NP) and nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPE) (Federal Register [Fed. Reg.], 2014). For 13 NPs and NPEs, the EPA would designate any use as a “significant new use,” and for two additional NPs, the EPA would designate that any use other than use as...
April 8, 2015

Lynn L. Bergeson, Carla N. Hutton, “FDA’s Final and Draft Nanotechnology Guidance Documents: No Big Surprises,” Nanotechnology Law & Business, Spring 2015.

On June 24, 2014, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued three final guidance documents and one draft guidance document that FDA believes will provide greater regulatory clarity for industry and other stakeholders on the use of nanotechnology in FDA-regulated products. In this article, Lynn Bergeson and Carla N. Hutton review the recent guidance and highlight important considerations....
April 6, 2015

Lynn L. Bergeson, “Comments Due July 6 On Proposed Reporting And Recordkeeping Requirements For Nanoscale Materials,” Nanotechnology Now, April 6, 2015.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) Section 8(a) proposed rule concerning reporting and recordkeeping requirements for certain chemical substances when manufactured or processed at the nanoscale was published in the April 6, 2015, Federal Register. ...
April 3, 2015

Lynn L. Bergeson, “New Technologies and an Old Law: Renewable Chemicals Invite Challenges under TSCA,” Natural Resources & Environment Volume 29, Number 4, Spring 2015.

The resurgence of chemical production derived from renewable feedstocks reflects the new business imperatives of which chemical product manufacturers are all keenly aware: produce greener chemicals and reduce carbon footprints. Careful review of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), a law enacted almost forty years ago during the heyday of petroleum-derived chemical production, suggests that more can be done now to promote the commercialization of renewable chemicals to achieve these...
March 25, 2015

Lynn L. Bergeson, “EPA Issues Response to ICTA Petition Regarding Nanosilver,” Nanotechnology Now, March 25, 2015.

Almost seven years ago, the International Center for Technology Assessment (ICTA) filed a petition for rulemaking requesting that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulate products containing nanosilver as pesticides and for related other forms of relief. On March 19, 2015, EPA responded to the petition....
March 24, 2015

Lynn L. Bergeson, “French Agency Publishes Opinion on Silver Nano Particles,” Nanotechnology Now, March 24, 2015.

The French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety (ANSES) published on March 10, 2015, an Opinion concerning exposure to silver nanoparticles that “stresses the research that has been carried out to examine the potential health and environmental effects of silver nanoparticles but notes that this is still insufficient to allow the health risks to be assessed.”...
March 17, 2015

Lynn L. Bergeson, “OSHA Publishes HCS Compliance Guide,” Chemical Processing, March 17, 2015.

On Feb. 9, 2015, the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) published the Enforcement Guidance for the Hazard Communication Standard (HCS) effective June 1, 2015. The Guidance offers important insights into OSHA’s HCS enforcement strategy with regard to mixtures, and is therefore a must-read for stakeholders if they wish to be in the best possible position to avoid enforcement consequences for non-compliance with the HCS....
February 11, 2015

Lynn L. Bergeson, “EPA Eyes Perfluorinated Chemicals,” Chemical Processing, February 11, 2015.

Between the late 1990s and early 2000s, the EPA identified potential issues presented by PFOS, a perfluorinated acid. Data showed PFOS to be present in low levels in humans and wildlife worldwide, and that PFOS appeared to be highly persistent. At the time, PFOS was used in industrial and consumer applications, including soil and stain repellant sprays, fire-fighting foams and semiconductor manufacture. Between 2000 and 2002, 3M Company, the principal domestic manufacturer of PFOS, voluntarily...