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The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is extending the nomination and public comment periods for the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) Science Advisory Committee on Chemicals (SACC) to receive additional nominees and input on prospective candidates for membership.  EPA states that it will use public comments to assist it in selecting multiple members of SACC over the next year.  EPA anticipates appointing approximately 15 members to SACC by March 2021.  EPA notes that current...

The European Commission’s (EC) Joint Research Center (JRC) and the Directorate-General for Research and Innovation (RTD) will jointly organize a virtual “Workshop on Safe and Sustainable Smart Nanomaterials” on September 9-10, 2020.  The workshop is focused on smart (responsive, multi-functional) nanomaterials, as such or embedded in products, that are developed for application in industrial sectors such as agriculture, food, packaging, and cosmetics.  The program is...

The NanoExplore project, which is supported by the European Union’s (EU) LIFE program, aims at an integrated approach for exposure and health effects monitoring of engineered and incidental nanomaterials in occupational settings.  The project is currently in its pilot phase.  According to NanoExplore, the pilot study will take place following a two-step procedure over two field campaigns separated by a six- or nine-month interval.  Each field campaign will last for four...

On August 10, 2020, Bloomberg Environment featured comments by Richard E. Engler, Ph.D., Director of Chemistry, Bergeson & Campbell, P.C. (B&C®) regarding water utilities requesting the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) use all its regulatory tools to safeguard drinking water as it decides whether to allow new chemicals into U.S. commerce. The utilities’ efforts are part of a broader trend in which new businesses are recognizing the chemicals law can affect...

On August 12, 2020, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the availability of the final risk evaluation for 1-bromopropane (1-BP).  85 Fed. Reg. 48687.  After evaluating 25 conditions of use, EPA determined that 16 present an unreasonable risk to workers, occupational non-users (ONU), consumers, and bystanders.  For those conditions of use for which EPA has found an unreasonable risk, EPA states that it must take regulatory action to address that...

On July 31, 2020, the plaintiffs and EPA filed a joint case management statement in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California case seeking a rulemaking under Section 6 of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) to prohibit the addition of fluoridation chemicals to drinking water supplies.  Food & Water Watch, Inc. v. EPA, Case No. 3:17-cv-02162-EMC.  As reported in our June 12 and June 22, 2020, blog items, the court held a bench trial that...

On August 11, 2020, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published the final risk evaluation for 1-bromopropane (1-BP). After evaluating 25 conditions of use, EPA determined that 16 present an unreasonable risk to workers, occupational non-users (ONU), consumers, and bystanders. EPA found no unreasonable risk to the environment from any conditions of use and no unreasonable risks to the general population. According to EPA, the next step in the process required by the Toxic Substances...

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) published a report entitled Nanotechnology — Over a Decade of Progress and Innovation that highlights FDA’s advancements in the field of nanotechnology since it released its last report in 2007.  The report also reviews FDA’s role in advancing the public health through its regulation of products within its jurisdiction that involve the application of nanotechnology.  According to the report, FDA “will rely on a combination...

The Australian Industrial Chemicals Introduction Scheme (AICIS) took effect on July 1, 2020.  Under AICIS, companies that import or manufacture (including introduce) industrial chemicals, or products that release industrial chemicals, into Australia for commercial purposes should first check whether the industrial chemical is listed on the Inventory.  If the chemical is on the Inventory and the introduction meets the terms of Inventory listing, the introduction is automatically...