All Knowledge & Insights By Date

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on August 8, 2024, the availability of the final updated Safer Choice and Design for the Environment (DfE) Standard (the Standard). 89 Fed. Reg. 64915. According to EPA, the update includes a name change to the title of the Standard, a revision to the packaging criteria, a new certification for cleaning service providers, a new provision allowing for preterm partnership termination under exceptional circumstances, and the addition of...

As reported in our August 7, 2024, blog item, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced on August 1, 2024, that it will hold a public meeting on September 25, 2024, on the development of an enhanced systematic process for its post-market assessment of chemicals in food. 89 Fed. Reg. 65633. FDA has posted a Discussion Paper Development of an Enhanced Systematic Process for the FDA’s Post-Market Assessment of Chemicals in Food (Discussion Paper). The Discussion Paper “broadly...

On August 21, 2024, comments by Lynn L. Bergeson were featured in Bloomberg Law’s article regarding the publication of the National Toxicology Program's long-awaited report about fluoride’s hazards. The NTP report is equivocal on the effect, if any, of low fluoride exposures, and saying more research is needed would seem to be unhelpful to Chen in making any dose-response determination in the case over which he is presiding, said Lynn Bergeson, managing partner of...

On August 18, 2024, Computational Toxicology published an article entitled “Development of chemical categories for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and the proof-of-concept approach to the identification of potential candidates for tiered toxicological testing and human health assessment.” Co-authored by members of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Center for Computational Toxicology & Exposure (CCTE) and Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention...

On August 20, 2024, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed significant new use rules (SNUR) ) under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) for chemical substances, including graphene nanoplatelets (generic), that were the subject of premanufacture notices (PMN) and a Microbial Commercial Activity Notice (MCAN) and are also subject to a TSCA Order. 89 Fed. Reg. 67368. The SNURs would require persons who intend to manufacture (defined by statute to include import) or process any...

The National Science Foundation’s (NSF) Biomaterials Program published a request for information (RFI) on August 20, 2024. NSF requests input from stakeholders on opportunities, challenges, emerging areas, and frontiers in biomaterials research. 89 Fed. Reg. 67498. According to NSF, the RFI will help inform future program directions, new initiatives, and potential funding opportunities. The Biomaterials Program supports fundamental materials research related to biological materials;...

As part of its implementation of the modernized Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 (CEPA), on August 17, 2024, Health Canada published a Canada Gazette notice announcing the availability of its Science Approach Document -- Chemical Screening and Prioritization: Health Canada's Automated Workflow for Prioritization (HAWPr). The science approach document (SciAD) describes the scientific approach that Canada applied to more than 25,000 chemicals on the Domestic Substances List (DSL) to...

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced on August 14, 2024, a correction to the stoichiometric material consumption equation in the notice of filing for the nylon 6 petition that was published in the February 22, 2024, Federal Register. 89 Fed. Reg. 66175. According to the notice, after the comment period for the original notice closed, an error was discovered in the stoichiometric material consumption equation for nylon 6, and the petitioner subsequently provided a corrected petition....

TSCA/FIFRA/TRI EPA Releases Draft Risk Evaluation For 1,1-Dichloroethane And Draft Hazard Assessment Of 1,2-Dichloroethane For Public Comment And Peer Review: On July 2, 2024, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the release of the draft risk evaluation for 1,1-dichloroethane (1,1-DCE) and the draft human health hazard assessment supporting the draft risk evaluation for 1,2-dichloroethane (1,2-DCE, also known as ethylene dichloride) prepared under the Toxic Substances Control...

Download transcript. This week I had the pleasure of speaking with W. Scott Thurlow with Thurlow Law & Public Affairs, headquartered Ottawa, Ontario, about Canada’s most recent updated draft report on the state of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). The updated draft report defines PFAS to exclude fluoropolymers, an issue in which Scott and his firm are deeply engaged. We discuss the draft report, Canada’s approach to the regulation of PFAS, and Scott’s practice as a Canadian...