The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a proposed rule on January 26, 2022, to amend procedures for determining when a food contact substance notification (FCN) is no longer effective. 87 Fed. Reg. 3949. FDA states that the proposed rule would allow industry and FDA more flexibility in responding to new information on the safety and use of food contact substances. The amendments aim to create administration mechanisms to improve the program’s overall efficiency. Comments...
The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) has published the latest edition of the Developments in Delegations on the Safety of Manufactured Nanomaterials — Tour de Table. The Tour de Table compiles information provided by delegations on developments concerning the safety of manufactured nanomaterials. It includes the following information on developments in the United States....
2022 will bring competing priorities for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for which companies should now prepare. Bergeson & Campbell, P.C. (B&C®) is pleased to present “What to Expect in Chemicals in 2022,” a webinar offering our best informed judgment as to the trends and key developments B&C’s legal, scientific, and regulatory professionals expect to see in 2022. These include consequential policy shifts reflecting the Biden Administration’s “all of...
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on January 24, 2022, the automatic addition of four per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) to the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) list. The Fiscal Year 2020 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) provides the framework for adding additional PFAS to the TRI each year. For TRI Reporting Year 2022 (reporting forms due by July 1, 2023), reporting is required for four additional PFAS. NDAA Section 7321(c) identifies certain regulatory...
January 25, 2022
Lynn L. Bergeson, “Isn’t It Ironic?,“American College of Environmental Lawyers (ACOEL) Blog, January 25, 2022.
The Biden Administration’s U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is laser focused on achieving several “whole-of-government” priorities: addressing climate change, identifying and giving environmental justice greater consideration in decision-making, and following the science wherever it may lead. Knowing and respecting leadership in the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention (OCSPP) tasked with achieving these laudable yet daunting objectives, there is no question the...
January 25, 2022
MIT Researchers Create New Approach To Controlling Methane Emissions Through Zeolite Clay
By Lynn L. Bergeson On January 10, 2022, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) announced that a team of its researchers has developed a promising approach to control methane emissions and remove methane from the air using zeolite clay. Zeolite clay is inexpensive and abundant. The MIT team found that, when treated with copper, the material is very effective at absorbing methane from the air even at low concentrations. According to researcher and Associate Professor of...
January 25, 2022
Senator Daley Introduces Bill To Boost Michigan Biofuels
By Lynn L. Bergeson On January 11, 2022, Michigan State Senator Kevin Daley (R, 31st Senate District) introduced a bill focused on growing alternative fuel production in Michigan and providing cleaner and cheaper options for Michigan drivers using biofuels produced with renewable energy from Michigan farms. Senator Daley highlighted that “Biofuels are a major economic engine for rural communities across Michigan, and they help position our state to rely less on foreign...
January 24, 2022
EPA Requests Comment on Draft TSCA Screening Methodology to Evaluate Chemical Exposures and Risks to Fenceline Communities
On January 21, 2022, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the availability of and solicited public comments on the “Draft TSCA Screening Level Approach for Assessing Ambient Air and Water Exposures to Fenceline Communities Version 1.0” (screening level methodology). 87 Fed. Reg. 3294. EPA will use the screening level methodology to evaluate potential chemical exposures and associated potential risks to fenceline communities in its Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA)...
On January 21, 2022, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a new effort under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) to streamline the review of new chemicals that could be used to displace current, higher greenhouse gas (GHG) emitting transportation fuels. The Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention’s (OCSPP) New Chemicals Division (NCD) has implemented a “robust, consistent, and efficient process to assess the risk and apply mitigation measures, as...
On January 24, 2022, Chemical Watch quoted Richard E. Engler, Ph.D., Director of Chemistry with Bergeson & Campbell, P.C. (B&C®), in the article “Proposal on the horizon to update TSCA confidentiality procedures.” According to Richard Engler, director of chemistry at industry law firm Bergeson & Campbell and a 17-year veteran of the EPA, this could be aimed at ensuring the agency can get in touch with CBI claim holders. “One of...