Intelligent, insightful conversation about the legal and business issues surrounding industrial, pesticidal, and specialty chemicals and products

February 5, 2026

2026 Forecast: TSCA Reform Developments — A Conversation with Richard E. Engler, Ph.D. and Ryan N. Schmit

This week, I had the pleasure of speaking with Dr. Richard E. Engler, Director of Chemistry for B&C and The Acta Group (Acta®), our consulting affiliate, and Ryan N. Schmit, Of Counsel with B&C and Senior Regulatory Consultant with Acta, about the recent release of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Environment’s Discussion Draft of suggested amendments to the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). The document has inspired spirited debate over the questions should...
January 22, 2026

2026 Forecast: Capitol Hill Issues — A Conversation with James V. Aidala

This week, I was pleased to welcome back to the studio Jim Aidala, Senior Government Affairs Consultant at B&C and its consulting affiliate, The Acta Group (Acta®), to discuss his take on what to expect from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Congress on pesticide matters in the new year. As an astute student of politics and a keen observer of EPA chemical policies and personalities, hearing Jim’s observations is always informative. As many of you know, Jim is a...
January 8, 2026

Accelerating Chemical Innovation: Inside Argonne’s Chain Reaction Innovations Program — A Conversation with Rachel Harris, Ph.D.

This week I had the pleasure of speaking with Dr. Rachel Harris, Technical Project Manager, Chain Reaction Innovations (CRI), Argonne National Laboratory, and our own Dr. Richard Engler, to discuss Argonne National Laboratory’s Chain Reaction Innovations entrepreneurship. We here at B&C truly appreciate the value and importance of chemical innovation, so when we learned of Argonne National Laboratory’s Chain Reaction Innovations program (CRI program), we wanted to share information...
December 11, 2025

Inside ACS’s Green Chemistry Challenge — A Conversation with Adelina Voutchkova, Ph.D. and Richard E. Engler, Ph.D.

Download transcript. This week I had the pleasure of speaking with Dr. Adelina Voutchkova, Director of Sustainable Development at the American Chemical Society (ACS), and my colleague Dr. Richard Engler, B&C’s Director of Chemistry, to discuss ACS’ much-coveted Green Chemistry Challenge Awards and ACS’ Green Chemistry Institute (GCI). Institutionally, GCI has grown as the imperative for greener and more sustainable chemicals has increased. So also have the stature of the Green...
November 20, 2025

Behind the Scenes of Chemical Safety Reform — A Conversation with Ryan Schmit

Download transcript. This week I had the pleasure of speaking with Ryan N. Schmit, Of Counsel with B&C, and Senior Regulatory Consultant with The Acta Group (Acta®). Ryan joined us a few weeks ago and we wanted to show off our newest Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) superstar. We discuss Ryan’s illustrious career with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) over the past 15 years. As you will hear, Ryan has been at the forefront of TSCA policy development, Frank R. Lautenberg...
November 6, 2025

The Future of Chemical Data Intelligence — A Conversation with Greg Gartland, Chief Executive Officer of 3E

Download transcript. This week I had the pleasure of speaking with Greg Gartland, Chief Executive Officer of 3E. We discuss 3E’s business offerings, how it defines its place in the very competitive world of chemical information management, the role artificial intelligence has in this space, and trends Greg sees driving growth in chemicals, product stewardship, and sustainability. ALL MATERIALS IN THIS PODCAST ARE PROVIDED SOLELY FOR INFORMATIONAL  AND ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES. THE...
October 23, 2025

U.S. State PFAS Initiatives — A Conversation with Richard E. Engler, Ph.D. and Carla N. Hutton

Download transcript. A few months ago, I recorded a podcast with my colleagues, Carla N. Hutton, Senior Regulatory Analyst for B&C, and Dr. Richard E. Engler, Director of Chemistry for B&C and The Acta Group (Acta®), our consulting affiliate, on the ever-expanding and complicated scope of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) regulation in the United States. We convened a webinar on this topic in mid-May that attracted a record-breaking 1000+ registrants, suggesting to us that...
September 18, 2025

EUDR Issues — A Conversation with Claire Hansen

Download transcript. This week, I sat down with my colleague, L. Claire Hansen, a Legal Intern here at B&C and Regulatory Analyst for The Acta Group (Acta®), B&C’s consulting affiliate, to discuss the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR). With its fast-approaching December 30, 2025, effective date, U.S. product exporters to the European Market whose goods contain seven commodities -- cocoa, coffee, cattle, palm oil, soy, wood, and rubber, and those products made from them...
August 28, 2025

TSCA Reform — Nine Years Later: Plastics Production, Use, and Recycling – Key TSCA Considerations

On June 25, 2025, B&C, along with the Environmental Law Institute and the George Washington University Milken Institute of Public Health, sponsored the all-day virtual conference, TSCA Reform — Nine Years Later. The conference was hugely successful and almost 1,000 people registered for it. The quality of the discussion, the caliber of the participants, and the timeliness of the content motivated us to repurpose the substantive sessions to enable our podcast audience to listen to the...
August 22, 2025

TSCA Reform — Nine Years Later: New Chemicals Review Session

On June 25, 2025, B&C, along with the Environmental Law Institute and the George Washington University Milken Institute of Public Health, sponsored the all-day virtual conference, TSCA Reform -- Nine Years Later. The conference was hugely successful and almost 1,000 people registered for it. The quality of the discussion, the caliber of the participants, and the timeliness of the content motivated us to repurpose the substantive sessions to enable our podcast audience to listen to the...
August 19, 2025

TSCA Reform — Nine Years Later: Risk Evaluation Session

On June 25, 2025, B&C, along with the Environmental Law Institute and the George Washington University Milken Institute of Public Health, sponsored the all-day virtual conference, TSCA Reform -- Nine Years Later. The conference was hugely successful and almost 1,000 people registered for it. The quality of the discussion, the caliber of the participants, and the timeliness of the content motivated us to repurpose the substantive sessions to enable our podcast audience to listen to the...
August 14, 2025

TSCA Reform — Nine Years Later: Risk Management Session

On June 25, 2025, B&C, along with the Environmental Law Institute and the George Washington University Milken Institute of Public Health, sponsored an all-day virtual conference, TSCA Reform -- Nine Years Later. The conference was hugely successful and almost 1,000 people registered for it. The quality of the discussion, the caliber of the participants, and the timeliness of the content inspired us to re-broadcast the discussion to our podcast audience. This panel discusses the U.S....
July 24, 2025

Prop 65 “Short Form” Warning Requirements — A Conversation with Lisa R. Burchi

Download transcript. This week, I sat down with Lisa R. Burchi, Of Counsel to Bergeson & Campbell, P.C. and resident expert on Proposition 65, among many other chemical laws. Lisa explains why businesses doing business in California need to know about the latest version of the so-called “short form” warning requirements that will be fully phased in by 2028. That may sound like a long way off, but it is not. We also discuss the complicated history of the short form label changes, some of...
July 10, 2025

Loper Bright and the End of Chevron Deference? — A Conversation with Kelly N. Garson

Download transcript. This week, I discuss with my colleague, Kelly N. Garson, a Senior Associate here at B&C and Regulatory Consultant for The Acta Group (Acta®), B&C’s consulting affiliate, the implications of the demise of Chevron deference, especially as it relates to Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) litigation. We discuss what Chevron deference is, other types of deference that are still very much a part of judicial review, and how Chevron’s elimination could impact the...
June 26, 2025

First Six Months of the Trump Administration — A Conversation with James V. Aidala

Download transcript. This week, I was pleased to welcome back to the studio Jim Aidala, Senior Government Affairs Consultant at B&C and its consulting affiliate, The Acta Group (Acta®), to discuss the first six months of the Trump Administration. We have all been trying to take in and process the many Executive Orders, Presidential Directives, and other developments of all sorts coming out of the White House at a head-spinning pace, and assess their  impacts on the industrial and...
June 12, 2025

Chemical and Material Risk Management Program TSCA Market Analysis — A Conversation with Patricia Underwood, Ph.D., DABT, MBA and Richard E. Engler, Ph.D.

Download transcript. This week, I discuss with Patricia Underwood, Ph.D., DABT, MBA, Chief Toxicologist, Principal Director – Chemical and Material Risk Management, Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense, Department of Defense, and my colleague, Richard E. Engler, Ph.D., Director of Chemistry for B&C and The Acta Group (Acta®), our consulting affiliate, the U.S. Department of Defense’s (DOD) recent Request for Information (RFI) on chemicals undergoing U.S. Environmental...
May 30, 2025

Chemical Product Law and Supply: A Guide to New TSCA

Hello, this is Lynn Bergeson. As many of our listeners may know, we here at Bergeson & Campbell, P.C. recently published a book through the American Bar Association's Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources, titled Chemical Product Law and Supply: A Guide to New TSCA. Recently, my ABA colleague Amy Edwards, a partner at Holland & Knight LLP, and I recorded a podcast to discuss the book—why we wrote it, and why chemical stakeholders of all...
May 15, 2025

U.S. State PFAS Initiatives — A Conversation with Richard E. Engler, Ph.D. and Carla N. Hutton

Download transcript. This week, I discuss with my colleagues, Carla N. Hutton, Senior Regulatory Analyst for B&C, and Dr. Richard E. Engler, Director of Chemistry for B&C and The Acta Group (Acta®), our consulting affiliate, the ever-expanding and complicated scope of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) regulation in the United States. We convened a webinar on this topic in mid-May and attracted a record-breaking 1000+ registrants, suggesting to us that PFAS continues to be a...
April 25, 2025

Chemical Law and Policy — A Conversation with Karyn Schmidt

Download transcript. This week I had the pleasure of speaking with Karyn Schmidt, now a principal at Squire Patton Boggs in its Public Policy practice, after spending 25 years at the American Chemistry Council (ACC). For the many members in the chemical community who know Karyn, her deep understanding of chemical law and policy will serve the firm’s clients well. We discuss Karyn’s transition to private practice, her work at ACC, and Karyn’s thoughts on what is in store for chemical...
April 10, 2025

REACH and GHS in Latin America — A Conversation with Melissa Owen

Download transcript. This week I had the pleasure of speaking with Melissa Owen, attorney/owner of Ambiente Legal, about the significant regulatory developments regarding chemical registration in Latin America, including Latin American Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) initiatives and the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS). We discuss Brazil REACH, which requires by law the government to have an implementing...