On October 14, 2020, a coalition of North Carolina non-governmental organizations (NGO) petitioned the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for a Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) Section 4 test rule for 54 per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) manufactured by The Chemours Company (Chemours) at its chemical production facility in Fayetteville, North Carolina. The petition, filed under TSCA Section 21, seeks issuance of a rule or order under TSCA Section 4 compelling...
October 27, 2020
NNI Publishes Supplement to President’s 2021 Budget Request
On October 27, 2020, the U.S. National Nanotechnology Initiative published the National Nanotechnology Initiative Supplement to the President’s 2021 Budget (Supplement), which serves as the annual report for NNI, called for under the provisions of the 21st Century Nanotechnology Research and Development Act. According to the Supplement, the President’s 2021 budget requests more than $1.7 billion for NNI, with an increased investment in the foundational research intended to lead to...
The U.S. National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI) will hold a virtual stakeholder workshop January 11-13, 2021. NNI states that over the past 20 years, it has supported nanotechnology discovery, development, and deployment and has nurtured the strong ecosystem that exists today. Building on this foundation, nanoscience will underpin a wide range of advanced technologies and enable solutions to challenges into the future. As NNI enters its third decade, conversations...
October 26, 2020
Lynn L. Bergeson, “Pandemic Spurs Enforcement Revisions,” Chemical Processing, October 26, 2020.
The White House Office of Management and Budget’s Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) issued memorandum M-20-31 on August 31, 2020, on the implementation of Section 6 of Executive Order (EO) 13924, “Executive Order on Regulatory Relief to Support Economic Recovery.” This article explains the guidance, why it may prove useful to know about its content, and how to leverage the guidance successfully in future enforcement actions and adjudications.
The transition period for the United Kingdom’s (UK) exit from the European Union (EU) will end on December 31, 2020. At the end of the transition period, the EU Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) regulation will be brought into UK law under the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 as amended by the European Union (Withdrawal) Agreement 2020. The UK intends to replicate EU REACH, and related legislation, with the necessary changes to make it...
October 23, 2020
NNI Will Hold Webinar on Implantable Nanosensors on November 4, 2020
The U.S. National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI) will hold a webinar on November 4, 2020, on “Implantable Nanosensors: A Forward-Looking View on Technical and Non-Technical Challenges.” According to NNI, implantable nanosensors could revolutionize healthcare and improve real-time health monitoring. NNI states that while there have been significant advances in developing implantable sensors for monitoring and responding to tissue growth, infection, and inflammation...
October 22, 2020
EPA Announces Settlement with Electrolux for Importing Air Filter Products with Nanosilver
On October 15, 2020, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a settlement with Electrolux Home Products, Inc. (Electrolux) to resolve alleged violations of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) for importing air filter products that contain nanosilver. Specifically, the settlement resolves EPA’s claims that Electrolux imported unregistered pesticides in violation of FIFRA Section 12(a)(1)(A) and failed to file the required Notices of...
October 22, 2020
EPA Provides Expedited Pathway for Companies to Claim “Long-Lasting” Efficacy for Antiviral Products
On October 14, 2020, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released a much-anticipated draft guidance that is intended to help companies demonstrate to EPA that their products have “long-lasting” or “residual” effectiveness on surfaces against viruses like SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus that causes COVID-19. EPA has not before now provided guidance on how stakeholders can demonstrate to EPA’s satisfaction that their product remains efficacious for periods of time given...
October 21, 2020
EPA Announces Settlement for Illegal Imports of Air Filter Products Incorporating Nanosilver
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on October 15, 2020, a settlement with Electrolux Home Products, Inc., to resolve alleged violations of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA). As part of the settlement, Electrolux will pay a civil penalty in the amount of $6,991,400. EPA states that the settlement resolves claims that Electrolux imported unregistered pesticides in violation of FIFRA Section 12(a)(1)(A) and failed to file the...
October 21, 2020
EPA Reminds Companies of November 1 Deadline to Submit CBI Substantiations for NOA Form A
On October 16, 2020, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reminded companies that if they filed a retrospective activity notice (Notice of Activity (NOA) Form A) under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) Inventory Notification (Active-Inactive) Rule and claimed the specific chemical identity as confidential business information (CBI), they have until November 1, 2020, to submit or amend their CBI substantiations. Companies that amend, update, or file new CBI...