India released the fourth draft Chemicals (Management and Safety) Rules to select groups on March 16, 2020. This fourth draft is believed to be the final draft, despite assurances in February that the third draft was the final draft. The government is accepting comments until March 31, 2020. The draft Rules include significant revisions to the list of priority substances that are subject to importation notifications, and hazard communication obligations (i.e., safety data sheets,...
Is your company potentially liable for a share of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) $1,350,000 fee for developing a Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) risk evaluation? This is a hot topic these days, given EPA’s notice dated January 27, 2020, identifying the “preliminary lists” of manufacturers, including importers, of the 20 chemical substances that EPA has designated as “high-priority” substances for risk evaluation and for which fees will be charged. Stakeholders are...
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on March 26, 2020, a temporary policy regarding enforcement of environmental legal obligations during the COVID-19 pandemic. EPA states that its temporary enforcement discretion policy applies to civil violations during the COVID-19 outbreak. The policy addresses different categories of noncompliance differently. For example, according to EPA, it “does not expect to seek penalties for noncompliance...
By Lynn L. Bergeson On March 25, 2020, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced a meeting of the Biological and Environmental Research Advisory Committee (BERAC). The meeting will be held digitally via webcast on April 16, 2020, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (EDT). Information on how to access the meeting will be posted here. Tentative agenda topics include: BERAC business and discussion; News from the Biological Systems Science and Climate and Environmental Sciences...
By Lynn L. Bergeson The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on March 25, 2020, that it will consider a proposed rule that would look at providing exemptions to the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) fees rule in response to stakeholder concerns about implementation challenges. EPA states that by considering a proposal to narrow the broad scope of the current requirements, it “could significantly reduce burden on potentially thousands of businesses across the country while...
March 27, 2020
Yvette T. Collazo Will Be New Director Of EPA’s OPPT
By Lynn L. Bergeson Effective March 29, 2020, Yvette T. Collazo will be the new Director of EPA’s Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics (OPPT). Ms. Collazo previously worked for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), where she led activities related to federal contracts and agreements of more than $250 million for the cleanup of radiological, industrial, and groundwater hazards resulting from decades of nuclear material production at DOE’s Savannah River facility. Ms. Collazo also...
March 27, 2020
Safer Choice Program Accepting Submissions For 2020 Safer Choice Partner Of The Year Awards
By Lynn L. Bergeson EPA published a Federal Register notice on March 23, 2020, announcing that the EPA Safer Choice program is accepting submissions for its 2020 Safer Choice Partner of the Year Awards. 85 Fed. Reg. 16334. EPA states that it developed the Partner of the Year Awards to recognize the leadership contributions of Safer Choice partners and stakeholders who, over the past year, have shown achievement in the design, manufacture, selection, and use...
March 27, 2020
EPA Seeks Nominations For TSCA SACC
By Lynn L. Bergeson EPA published a Federal Register notice on March 20, 2020, inviting the public to nominate scientific experts from a diverse range of disciplines to be considered for appointment to the TSCA Science Advisory Committee on Chemicals (SACC). 85 Fed. Reg. 16094. EPA is seeking nominations of individuals who have demonstrated high levels of expertise in scientific and/or technical fields relevant to chemical safety and risk assessment, including, but not limited to:...
March 26, 2020
EPA Announces Continued Efforts to Help Increase Availability of Disinfectant Products for Use Against COVID-19
On March 26, 2020, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that it is allowing flexibility to manufacturers of disinfectants and other pesticides to increase the availability of products for use against SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus that causes COVID-19. EPA announced that it is allowing manufacturers to obtain certain inert ingredients from different suppliers without EPA approval after manufacturers voiced concern with EPA about challenges they face obtaining inert...
March 26, 2020
Canadian Center for Occupational Health and Safety Posts Podcast on Hazards of Nanomaterials and How to Control Exposure
On March 9, 2020, the Canadian Center for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS) posted a podcast entitled “The Hazards of Nanomaterials and How to Control Exposure.” CCOHS states that nanomaterials have many useful properties, but the same properties that make them desirable in manufacturing present unique potential safety hazards when workers are exposed to them. In this episode, Todd Irick from the Occupational Health Clinics for Ontario Workers’ Nanotechnology and Health...