January 19, 2023

What to Expect in Chemicals Policy and Regulation in 2023 — A Conversation with Richard E. Engler, Ph.D.

Download transcript. This week, Dr. Richard E. Engler, Director of Chemistry for B&C and The Acta Group (Acta®), our consulting affiliate, returned to the studio to discuss what to expect in Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) regulation in the New Year. While we cannot predict with precision, we know 2023 will be a consequential year for several reasons: the first final risk management rule will be issued, the final per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS) reporting rule...
January 5, 2023

EPA Adds Two New Chemical Categories: What It Means to Chemical Innovators — A Conversation with Richard E. Engler, Ph.D.

Download Transcript This week, Dr. Richard E. Engler, Director of Chemistry for B&C and The Acta Group, our consulting affiliate, returned to the studio to discuss the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) bold moves in developing new chemical categories to help streamline the review of new chemicals under Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) Section 5. While the categorical approach to new chemical review is by no means new, it has stalled out in recent years, and...
December 8, 2022

TSCA Regulation of Articles: The Saga Continues — A Conversation with Richard E. Engler, Ph.D.

Download transcript. This week, Dr. Richard E. Engler, Director of Chemistry for B&C and The Acta Group, our consulting affiliate, returned to the studio to discuss the stubbornly vexatious problem of TSCA’s regulation of articles, a fancy name for products or finished goods. Most listeners to the podcast appreciate that this U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administration has specifically applied TSCA regulations to articles far more than in decades past. This policy pivot...
November 10, 2022

Keeping up with CLP Changes — A Conversation with Karin F. Baron

Download transcript. This week, I welcomed back to the studio Karin F. Baron, Senior Regulatory Consultant at B&C and our consulting affiliate, The Acta Group. Karin and I discuss the controversial changes proposed by the European Commission to the regulation on classification, labeling, and packaging of substances and mixtures, better known as the CLP regulation. As our listeners know, no one knows this space better than Karin Baron. Karin explains why the proposed changes are likely...
October 27, 2022

Biotech’s Emergence in the EU and Globally — A Conversation with Dr. Claire Skentelbery

Download transcript. This week, I sat down with Dr. Claire Skentelbery, Director General, EuropaBio — The European Association for Bioindustries. Many of you may know Claire from her prior role as Director General of the Nanotechnology Industries Association, where she energized that Brussels-based trade association to new and exciting heights. Claire has brought her considerable scientific, science policy, and trade association management skills to EuropaBio at an exciting time, as...
October 13, 2022

Misunderstood: The Excise Tax No One Likes or Understands — A Conversation with Douglas Charnas and Richard E. Engler, Ph.D.

Download transcript. This week I sat down with Doug Charnas, a nationally- recognized corporate and tax attorney and partner at McGlinchey, in its Washington, D.C. offices, and our own Dr. Richard Engler, Director of Chemistry at Bergeson & Campbell and at our consulting affiliate, The Acta Group. We discuss the recently reinstated Superfund Tax, which entities the tax applies to, what exactly is a taxable chemical and how to distinguish between taxable chemicals and taxable...
September 29, 2022

The New Era of Smarter Food Safety — A Conversation with Karin Baron

Download transcript. This week, I welcomed back to the studio Karin F. Baron, Senior Regulatory Consultant at B&C and our consulting affiliate, The Acta Group. Karin and I discuss the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) initiative called the New Era of Smarter Food Safety. The goal of this initiative is to diminish the number of foodborne illness, which, surprisingly, has not diminished since the Food Safety Modernization Act was enacted 11 years ago. We discuss...
September 15, 2022

TSCA New Approach Methodologies — A Conversation with James W. Cox

Download transcript. This week I sat down with James Cox, M.S., Senior Scientist with B&C. James is an exceptional biologist with significant experience assessing the risk of industrial chemicals. Before joining B&C, James served in a variety of leadership positions in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Office of Pollution Prevent and Toxics, one of which was Chair of the Risk Assessment Technical Team, which provided recommendations to inform EPA’s policy...
September 1, 2022

Do We Need An Animal Protection Agency? — A Conversation with Prof. Delcianna J. Winders

Download transcript. This week I sat down with Professor Delcianna J. Winders, Professor and Animal Law and Policy Institute Director at the Vermont Law School. Professor Winders is a total rock star in the exploding area of animal law. Prior to joining the Vermont Law School faculty and founding the Animal Law and Policy Institute, Professor Winders was on the faculty of Lewis & Clark Law School. She previously served as Vice President and Deputy General...
August 18, 2022

Is There A New Chemical Bias? — A Conversation with Richard E. Engler, Ph.D.

Download transcript. This week I sat down with Dr. Richard E. Engler, B&C’s and The Acta Group’s (our consulting affiliate) Director of Chemistry, to discuss the new chemical bias. Our listeners know that Rich Engler has worked for decades reviewing Premanufacture Notifications submitted under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). PMNs are applications to manufacture or import chemical substances that are not listed on the TSCA Inventory and thus are considered “new.” Much...