The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) is evaluating the function of the European Union (EU) Observatory for Nanomaterials (EUON). As part of its evaluation, ECHA is conducting a survey to collect responses from EUON website visitors and stakeholders. The survey includes questions concerning evaluation criteria such as use, effectiveness, coherence, EU-added value, and utility. The survey notes that under an ongoing legislative proposal, the European Commission (EC) foresees setting up a common...
June 24, 2024
Registration Opens for July Webinars on Minnesota’s PFAS in Products Law; MPCA Publishes Summary of Comments on CUUs
The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) will hold two public webinars in July to provide updates and answer questions on Minnesota’s per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in products law (Amara’s Law), which takes effect in stages between 2025 and 2032: Progress on rule development, July 18, 2024, 10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. (CDT): Join MPCA staff for a presentation on preliminary rule writing for the PFAS in products reporting, fees, and currently unavoidable use (CUU) rules....
June 21, 2024
EPA’s Proposed NMP Risk Management Rule Includes Requirements to Protect Workers and Consumers
On June 14, 2024, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a proposed rule under Section 6(a) of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) that would protect workers and consumers from exposure to N-methylpyrrolidone (NMP). 89 Fed. Reg. 51134. To address the identified unreasonable risk, EPA proposes to: prohibit the manufacture (including import), processing, distribution in commerce, and use of NMP in several occupational conditions of use (COU); require worker protections through...
June 20, 2024
California Court Grants Injunction to Stop Prop 65 Warnings for Titanium Dioxide in Cosmetic and Personal Care Products
On June 12, 2024, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California (District Court) issued an Order granting a preliminary injunction brought by the Personal Care Products Council (PCPC), which alleged that the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment’s (OEHHA) requirement for warnings under Proposition 65 (Prop 65) related to titanium dioxide in cosmetics and personal care products violated the First Amendment. The Personal Care Products Council v. Bonta, No....
TSCA/FIFRA/TRI EPA Announces New Resource Portal And Reporting Tool Improvements Before CDR Reporting Begins On June 1, 2024: On May 16, 2024, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the creation of CDR GuideME, a new resource portal, and...
June 17, 2024
ECHA Updates Report on Key Areas of Regulatory Challenge, Addresses Micro- and Nano-Sized Materials
On June 12, 2024, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) announced that it updated its report on key areas of regulatory challenge, providing more detailed information on areas where scientific research is needed to protect human health and the environment from hazardous chemicals. The report addresses micro- and nano-size materials, stating: Why further research is needed: Critical test methods to address the human and environmental hazard and risk assessment of nanomaterials are still missing....
On June 10, 2024, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a Federal Register notice announcing the availability of a draft Pesticide Registration Notice entitled Revised Procedures for Citing Data to Support Pesticide Registrations (EPA Forms No. 8570-34 and 8570-35) (Draft PR Notice). 89 Fed. Reg. 48893. EPA states that this Draft PR Notice will supersede PR Notice 98-5, entitled New Forms for the Certification with Respect to Citation of Data,which was issued on June 12, 1998....
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on June 13, 2024, the change in the peer review mechanism from the letter peer review to a Science Advisory Committee on Chemicals (SACC) peer review; the addition of the draft human health hazard assessment for 1,2-dichloroethane for peer review; and the availability of and solicitation of comment on the list of candidates under consideration for selection as ad hoc peer reviewers that will assist SACC with its peer review of EPA’s...
The National Nanotechnology Coordination Office (NNCO), on behalf of the Nanoscale Science, Engineering, and Technology (NSET) Subcommittee of the Committee on Technology, National Science and Technology Council (NSTC), requested comments on June 13, 2024, on the “National Nanotechnology Initiative Environmental, Health, and Safety Research Strategy: 2024 Update” (2024 Update). 89 Fed. Reg. 50390. NNCO states that federal agencies participating in NSET’s Nanotechnology Environmental and...