September 21, 2009

EPA Issues Direct Final SNURs for 12 Substances

On September 18, 2009, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a Federal Register notice promulgating direct final significant new use rules (SNUR) for 12 chemical substances under Section 5(a)(2) of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA).1 For two of the 12 substances, EPA issued final SNURs that set forth the same exposure controls that were negotiated with the initial premanufacture notice (PMN) submitter through “risk-based” TSCA Section 5(e)...
September 17, 2009

EPA Announces SAP Meeting Concerning Nanosilver

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced in a September 16, 2009, Federal Register notice that the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) Scientific Advisory Panel (SAP) will meet November 3-6, 2009, “to consider and review a set of scientific issues related to the assessment of hazard and exposure associated with nanosilver and other nanometal pesticide products.” Nominations of candidates to serve as ad hoc SAP members for this meeting are...
September 16, 2009

ECHA Press Releases Concerning Good Practice and Clarification to Avoid Unnecessary Animal Tests

Yesterday the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) issued two press releases, one announcing that over 500 companies met to share best practice, and another regarding a clarification to avoid unnecessary animal tests.  This memorandum briefly summarizes the press releases, which are available online, and here. The European Commission and ECHA organized a meeting for lead registrants and candidate lead registrants to share their experience on taking the lead in developing joint...
September 4, 2009

HSE Proposes Changes to Biocidal Product Regulations

On September 1, 2009, the United Kingdom Health and Safety Executive (HSE) announced proposed revisions to the Biocidal Product Regulations 2001, which implement the European Union’s Biocidal Products Directive 98/8/EC concerning the harmonization of the European market for biocidal products.  The revisions would keep biocides on the market after May 14, 2010; update references in the 2001 regulations; and adjust the 2001 regulations.  According to HSE, the proposed revisions do...
September 1, 2009

ECHA Begins Public Consultation on 15 Potential SVHCs

Today the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) published Annex XV dossiers for the identification of 15 chemicals as substances of very high concern (SVHC) under the Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) regulation.  The substances were proposed by European Union member states and the European Commission, and are identified as carcinogenic, mutagenic, or toxic to reproduction (CMR), or persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic (PBT).  ECHA asks that...