On January 16, 2019, a group of global companies from the plastics and consumer goods value chain announced the launch of the Alliance to End Plastic Waste (AEPW), which will advance solutions to eliminate plastic waste in the environment, especially in the ocean. AEPW membership, currently at 30 member companies, represents global companies located throughout North and South America, Europe, Asia, Southeast Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. APEW has committed over $1.0...
January 17, 2019
Senate Committee Holds Hearing on Nomination of Andrew Wheeler as EPA Administrator
On January 16, 2019, the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee held a hearing on the nomination of Andrew Wheeler to serve as Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Mr. Wheeler currently serves as the Acting Administrator, having taken the reins of EPA after former Administrator Scott Pruitt resigned in July 2018. An archived webcast of the hearing is available online. In introducing Mr. Wheeler, Senator John Barrasso (R-WY), Chair...
January 17, 2019
Global Companies Form Alliance to End Plastic Waste (APEW)
By Lynn L. Bergeson and Margaret R. Graham On January 16, 2019, a group of global companies from the plastics and consumer goods value chain announced the launch of the Alliance to End Plastic Waste (AEPW), which will advance solutions to eliminate plastic waste in the environment, especially in the ocean. AEPW membership, currently at 30 member companies, represents global companies located throughout North and South America, Europe, Asia, Southeast Asia, Africa, and the Middle...
On January 14, 2019, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Vermont, the Vermont Public Interest Group; Safer Chemicals, Health Families; and two individuals (plaintiffs) followed up on their earlier notice of intent to sue and filed a complaint against Andrew Wheeler and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to compel EPA to perform its “mandatory duty” to “address the serious and imminent threat to human health presented by paint removal products containing...
The European Commission’s (EC) Scientific Committee on Health, Environmental and Emerging Risks (SCHEER) published on January 14, 2019, a statement and a position paper on emerging health and environmental issues. SCHEER identified and prioritized 14 emerging issues to bring to the attention of the EC services, including: The position paper on emerging issues and the role of SCHEER describes how SCHEER draws the attention of the EC services to emerging issues in the...
January 16, 2019
China Publishes Chemical Environmental Risk Assessment and Control Regulation to Update MEP Order No. 7 for Public Comment
After over a year of review and revision, on January 8, 2019, the Chinese Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE) published the “Chemical Environmental Risk Assessment and Control Regulation (Draft)” (Regulation) for public comment. The draft Regulation would update the “Environmental Management of New Chemical Substances” (MEP Order No. 7). The deadline to submit comments to MEE regarding the Regulation is February 20, 2019. Comments should be submitted to MEE via e-mail...
January 16, 2019
Chemical Watch Features Comments By Lynn L. Bergeson Regarding the Impact of the Shutdown on TSCA New Chemical Reviews
On January 16, 2019, Chemical Watch spoke with Lynn L. Bergeson, Managing Partner, Bergeson & Campbell, P.C. (B&C®), for the article “Shutdown spells further delays to TSCA new chemicals reviews.” “Until we have information from the agency, we are more or less assuming that [new chemical review processes] are all suspended, Lynn Bergeson, managing partner at Bergeson & Campbell, told Chemical Watch. And the fear for many is that the shutdown will exacerbate...
January 16, 2019
Lynn L. Bergeson, “Political Turmoil Muddies Regulatory Moves,” Chemical Processing, January 16, 2019.
2019 started with a political bang. The President’s decision to allow a partial government shutdown in the absence of funding for the “wall” will continue to inspire federal administrative and regulatory havoc for months to come. This is particularly true of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention (OCSPP) as it administers the programs under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) and the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and...
January 14, 2019
EUON Looks for Topic Suggestions for Future Studies on Nanomaterials
The European Union (EU) Observatory for Nanomaterials (EUON) conducts up to three studies annually. The studies are intended to address knowledge gaps relating to nanomaterials that are of interest to the general public and the research community. EUON announced on January 14, 2019, that it is now looking for topic suggestions that could be addressed in its upcoming studies. EUON is looking for studies that address: EUON states that the scope of the study can be on...
January 14, 2019
Information on the Upcoming Registration Deadline for Chemical Substances in South Korea — June 30, 2019
The South Korea amendment to the Act on Registration and Evaluation, etc of Chemical Substances (K-REACH) came into effect on January 1, 2019. All existing chemical substances (i.e., substances that are listed on the existing chemical inventory in South Korea) manufactured in or imported to South Korea at greater than or equal to one ton per year are now subject to registration. Existing chemical substances must be pre-registered prior to registration and pre-registration must be completed...