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The United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) signaled on June 29, 2018, its intent to prepare a “programmatic environmental impact statement (EIS) in connection with potential changes to the regulations regarding the importation, interstate movement, and environmental release of certain genetically engineered [(GE)] organisms.”  The EIS will have a significant impact on how APHIS chooses to amend its regulation of GE...

Washington D.C.:  Representatives of the Biobased and Renewable Products Advocacy Group (BRAG®) and representatives of the Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO) met with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) staff to discuss the two groups’ recently-issued white paper, “Proposal for a Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) Inventory Representation and Equivalency Determinations for Renewable and Sustainable Bio-based Chemicals.”  BRAG and BIO members provided...

On July 25, 2018, Richard E. Engler, Ph.D., Director of Chemistry, Bergeson & Campbell, P.C. (B&C®), was quoted by Bloomberg Environment regarding late notices of containment (NoC) filed as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) brings the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) inventory up to date in the article “EPA OK’d Apparent Violations of Chemicals Law.” Sometimes the agency fails to process a commencement notice correctly, said Richard E. Engler,...

On July 24, 2018, Lynn L. Bergeson, Managing Partner, Bergeson & Campbell, P.C. (B&C®) was featured on the radio show Marketplace from American Public Media during a segment on the degreaser Trichloroethylene (TCE) and its status under the Toxic Substance Control Act (TSCA).  Reporter Scott Tong visited the site of a former ViewMaster toy plant outside of Portland, Oregon where TCE has been linked to cancer in some former employees. Tong reported that the U.S. Environmental...

By Lynn L. Bergeson and Carla N. Hutton The United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) signaled on June 29, 2018, its intent to prepare a “programmatic environmental impact statement (EIS) in connection with potential changes to the regulations regarding the importation, interstate movement, and environmental release of certain genetically engineered [(GE)] organisms.”  The EIS will have a significant impact on...

The United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) signaled on June 29, 2018, its intent to prepare a “programmatic environmental impact statement (EIS) in connection with potential changes to the regulations regarding the importation, interstate movement, and environmental release of certain genetically engineered [(GE)] organisms.”  The EIS will have a significant impact on how APHIS chooses to amend its regulation of GE...

The tenth Helsinki Chemicals Forum was held on June 14-15, 2018, in Helsinki, Finland.  According to the Conference Report, prepared by Chemical Watch, 168 delegates from 37 countries attended.  The final debate at the Forum used nanomaterials as a case study to argue whether product stewardship can replace regulation.  Roger Drew, ToxConsult, moderated the debate between David Azoulay, Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) and David Warheit,...

By Lynn L. Bergeson On July 18, 2018, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) held a Public Hearing for Proposed Renewable Fuel Standards (RFS) for 2019 and Biomass-Based Diesel Volume for 2020.  The National Biodiesel Board (NBB) testified at this meeting that EPA should set the 2020 Biomass-based Diesel volume at 2.8 billion gallons, stating that it aligns with the goals that Congress set for the RFS program, the volume is achievable in 2020, and that it will better fulfill...

By Lynn L. Bergeson On July 16, 2018, Anellotech and Suntory announced that a new milestone had been reached in developing a 100 percent biobased plastic bottle. Anellotech is using a thermal catalytic process called Bio-TCatTM to confirm non-food based feedstocks into BTX aromatics, renewable chemicals that are structurally identical to traditional plastic components.  The BTX is now undergoing purification studies to make bio-paraxylene, a key chemical for the renewable bottles....