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On July 28, 2021, Lynn L. Bergeson, Managing Partner, Bergeson & Campbell, P.C. (B&C®), was quoted by Chemical Watch regarding a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) plan to evaluate fluorinated plastic food containers for potential per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS) leaching.  The FDA said that while companies must fulfil "strict data requirements" to demonstrate non-hazardous conditions of use before approval, it reassesses risks as knowledge advances,...

As reported in our May 7, 2021, blog item, the European Commission (EC) recently held a targeted stakeholder consultation to update, test, and verify the preliminary findings of its review of the 2011 Recommendation on the definition of a nanomaterial. According to a July 23, 2021, news item posted by the French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety (ANSES), in its response to the consultation, ANSES maintained that the changes proposed by the EC...

As reported in our June 28, 2021, blog item, on June 28, 2021, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed reporting and recordkeeping requirements for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). 86 Fed. Reg. 33926. EPA announced on July 29, 2021, that it is extending the comment deadline to September 27, 2021. EPA will announce the extension of the comment deadline in the Federal Register. The proposed rule would...

By Lynn L. Bergeson and Ligia Duarte Botelho, M.A.   On July 26, 2021, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced the availability of $60 million in funding for its cohort of university-based Industrial Assessment Centers (IACs). The IACs assist small- and medium-sized manufacturers in reducing their carbon footprint and lowering energy costs. IACs, with particular attention to disadvantaged and underrepresented communities, also train the next generation of...

8:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. CDTWednesday, August 11, 2021, San Antonio, TX There is no better way to prepare yourself and your company to meet TSCA compliance requirements than by enrolling in a day-long workshop lead by Richard E. Engler, Ph.D., Director of Chemistry at Bergeson & Campbell, P.C. (B&C®) and The Acta Group (Acta) and a 17-year veteran of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Any company that imports, stores, repackages, processes, uses, or disposes of...

Pursuant to Article 16 (10) and (11) of Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 (Cosmetics Regulation), the European Commission (EC) is required to submit to the European Parliament and the Council an annual status report on the use of nanomaterials in cosmetic products and to review the Regulation’s provisions concerning nanomaterials. The July 22, 2021, report includes the following main findings: On average, ten new cosmetic products containing nanomaterials are placed on the European Union...

By Lynn L. Bergeson and Ligia Duarte Botelho, M.A.   On July 14, 2021, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced a new goal under the Energy Earthshot Initiative’s (Energy Earthshots): “Long Duration Storage Shot.” The Energy Earthshots program focuses on scientific breakthroughs that can lead to more abundant, affordable, and reliable clean energy solutions within this decade as the United States aims to achieve net-zero carbon goals by 2050. The second...

The European Commission’s (EC) Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) has begun a public comment period on its preliminary opinion on HAA299 (nano). The EC asked SCCS whether it considered HAA299 (nano) safe when used as an ultraviolet (UV) filter in cosmetic products up to a maximum concentration of ten percent. According to the preliminary opinion, SCCS considers that HAA299 (nano) as covered within the provided characteristics is safe when used as a UV filter in dermally...

By Lynn L. Bergeson On July 29, 2021, at 1:00 p.m. (EDT), Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm will host a virtual roundtable on the future of manufacturing. Roundtable discussions will focus on the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) efforts to: Decarbonize the manufacturing sector in the United States; Manufacture clean-energy technologies; and Pave the way to a resilient, carbon-neutral economy by 2050. During the roundtable’s panel discussion, Secretary Granholm will...

Download Transcript This week I sat down with Karin F. Baron, Senior Regulatory Consultant at B&C and our consulting affiliate, The Acta Group. We tackle the daunting topic of combustible dust, a common workplace hazard that is more pervasive perhaps than people think. Combustible dust poses an explosion hazard in a wide variety of industries, including food, plastic, wood, and textiles, among many others. Karin helps us understand what combustible dust includes and then walks us...