On April 3, 2012, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) released Version 2.0 of its Guidance on Data Sharing to provide further assistance to companies placing substances onto the European Union (EU) market under the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) regulation (EC regulation 1907/2006). The revised Guidance, available online, is a must read for entities wishing to optimize and protect their investment in chemical testing data. The original version...
Bergeson & Campbell, P.C. (B&C) wishes to remind the firm's clients and friends that effective April 6, 2012, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requires all chemical manufacturers or importers that submit a Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) Pre-manufacture Notice (PMN), a Microbial Commercial Activities Notification (MCAN) or other biotechnology notice for genetically modified microorganisms, a Notice of Commencement of Manufacture or Import (NOC), Significant New Use...
April 18, 20121:30 – 3:30 p.m. (EDT) Bergeson & Campbell, P.C. (B&C) and The Acta Group, L.L.C. will hold a complimentary webinar on the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's (OSHA) final rule revising the OSHA Hazard Communication Standard (HCS) issued on March 26, 2012. The final rule aligns the HCS with the United Nations' Globally Harmonized System for Chemical Classification and Labeling (GHS). OSHA estimates the rule is expected to impact some five million U.S....
April 18, 20121:30 – 3:30 p.m. (EDT) Bergeson & Campbell, P.C. (B&C) and The Acta Group, L.L.C. will hold a complimentary webinar on the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's (OSHA) final rule revising the OSHA Hazard Communication Standard (HCS) issued on March 26, 2012. The final rule aligns the HCS with the United Nations' Globally Harmonized System for Chemical Classification and Labeling (GHS). OSHA estimates the rule is expected to impact some five million U.S....
The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced on March 20, 2012, that it has revised the Hazard Communication Standard (HCS), aligning it with the United Nations Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS). The final HCS rule will be implemented in various phases with full implementation by 2016 and, according to OSHA, will benefit workers by reducing confusion about chemical hazards in the workplace, facilitating safety...
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released on March 20, 2012, proposed significant new use rules (SNUR) that would require companies to report all new uses of five groups of chemicals, including in domestic and imported products and articles, to give EPA the opportunity, if warranted, to prohibit or limit the activity. The chemicals, which were part of the existing chemical action plans that EPA released in 2009 through 2011, are polybrominated diphenylethers (PBDE),...
On March 16, 2012, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the availability of the long-awaited final test guidelines for Series 810 -- Product Performance Test Guidelines, specifically public health uses of antimicrobial agents (OCSPP 810.2000), sterilants (OCSPP 810.2100), disinfectants (OCSPP 810.2200), and sanitizers (OCSPP 810.2300). These test guidelines are part of a series established by EPA's Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention (OCSPP) for use in testing...
On March 14, 2012, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published a Federal Register notice concerning the results from the inert ingredient test orders issued under the Endocrine Disruptor Screening Program (EDSP). In January and February 2010, EPA issued test orders for the following nine chemicals currently used as inert ingredients in pesticide products: acetone; isophorone, di-sec-octyl phthalate; toluene; methyl ethyl ketone; butyl benzyl phthalate; dibutyl phthalate;...
Bergeson & Campbell, P.C.'s (B&C) thoughts are below on what may be headed our way in 2011 from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention (OCSPP). In short, the general trends established by the Obama Administration during the past two years are expected to continue notwithstanding the 2010 election results. At the same time, the impact of the election results, notably with the new Republican majority in the House of...
On March 1, 2012, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics (OPPT) announced a work plan of 83 chemicals for further review under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). EPA identified seven chemicals for risk assessment in 2012, and intends to complete some of these assessments this year and initiate new assessments from the work plan in the coming years. EPA stated that, this Spring, it plans to identify specific chemicals for risk...