In fall 2020, the Swedish National Platform for Nanosafety (SweNanoSafe) organized three workshops on education within nanosafety, with the goal of starting and consolidating an education network. The first workshop focused on the need for education in nanosafety, the second workshop was on available education on nanosafety in Sweden, and the third workshop discussed concrete opportunities to take various education efforts one step further. On May 5, 2021, SweNanoSafe...
The Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works will hold a hearing on May 12, 2021, on several nominations, including that of Michal Freedhoff to be Assistant Administrator for Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). As reported in our January 22, 2021, blog item, Freedhoff was onboarded in January 2021 as Principal Deputy Assistant Administrator for Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention. On April 14, 2021, President Joseph...
By Lynn L. Bergeson On May 12, 2021, from 3:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. (EDT), the European Commission (EC) Helpdesk will host a webinar on appropriate Intellectual Property (IP) rights for biotechnology inventions. The 60-minute webinar will provide an overview of: Relevant IP rights; Product development IP context; IP specifics in biotechnology; IP portfolio development; and IP portfolio management. The webinar is free of charge, but registration is required. Additional information...
May 5, 2021
University Of York Researchers Discover New Fungus Enzyme For Biofuel And Biobased Chemical Producti
By Lynn L. Bergeson On April 28, 2021, University of York researchers announced the discovery of a new enzyme derived from a fungus called Parascedosporium putredinis NO1, that can act as a catalyst for a biochemical reaction that breaks down forestry and agricultural waste. The research was done in collaboration with DOE’s Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center and the University of Wisconsin. This development, according to the University of York, could play a key...
By Lynn L. Bergeson On April 29, 2021, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), in partnership with nine National Laboratories, issued a report titled “Hybrid Energy Systems: Opportunities for Coordinated Research.” The report outlines opportunities for innovation through joint research and development (R&D) on hybrid energy systems. According to DOE, these opportunities can drive the production of valuable chemicals, fuels, and products that are cost-efficient, increase...
May 3, 2021
EUON Publishes Nanopinion on Biotransformation of Nanomaterials While Transferring in the Food Chain
On April 29, 2021, the European Union (EU) Observatory for Nanomaterials (EUON) published a Nanopinion entitled “Biotransformation of nanomaterials while transferring in the food chain” by Dr. Fazel A. Monikh. As the application of nanomaterials increases, more of these materials are released in the environment. Monikh states that some nanomaterials that are persistent in the environment raise concerns as they can enter organisms’ bodies, accumulate in their organs, and...
By Lynn L. Bergeson On April 28, 2021, DOE issued a $22.5 million request for proposals (RFP) for projects that support recovery, recycling, and reuse of material waste generated by the manufacturing sector. DOE EERE stated that “[p]rojects funded through this solicitation will develop technologies that reduce embodied energy and carbon emissions associated with the production and consumption of metals, polymers, fibers, and electronic waste, as well as identify training...
Prominent Industry And Agency Veterans Join Bergeson & Campbell, P.C. And The Acta Group: Bergeson & Campbell, P.C. (B&C®) and The Acta Group (Acta®) are pleased to announce that Dennis R. Deziel, former Regional Administrator, Region 1 (New England), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and Todd Stedeford, Ph.D., DABT®, ERT, ATS, former Senior Science Advisor in EPA’s Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics (OPPT), have joined our firms. Lynn L. Bergeson, B&C...
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention (OCSPP) will be busy in 2021. Implementation of the 2016 amendments to the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) will continue to dominate the Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics (OPPT). In 2021, the EPA will need to complete outstanding risk evaluators of the 'first 10' chemicals and begin developing proposals for the section 6 risk management rules necessitated by the risk evaluations'...
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on April 29, 2021, that it will be “taking important steps under the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) to advance Environmental Justice, improve transparency, and increase access to environmental information.” EPA plans to expand the scope of TRI reporting requirements to include additional chemicals and facilities, including facilities that are not currently reporting on ethylene oxide (EtO) releases, and provide new...