On October 19, 2016, the National Nanotechnology Coordination Office (NNCO) will hold a webinar to announce the Nanotechnology Signature Initiative (NSI): Water Sustainability through Nanotechnology. The webinar will highlight the activities of several participating federal agencies. NNCO states that the webinar will be the first in a series exploring the confluence of nanotechnology and water. Subsequent webinars will each focus on one of the NSI’s...
On October 3, 2016, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released the proposed Renewables Enhancement and Growth Support Rule. This proposed rule includes suggestions to improve the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) program and related pro-renewable fuel regulations. Updated regulations included in the proposed rule include allowing biofuel producers to process feedstock and then convert the material into fuels at different facilities, and an expansion to the availability of...
On October 4, 2016, Lisa Mensah, Under Secretary for U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Rural Development, posted a blog item “The Bio-Based Economy and Renewable Energy: USDA’s Record of Success,” reviewing the history of USDA’s work with the biobased economy. USDA Rural Development has spearheaded the effort to promote economic growth through expansion of the biobased industry. Lisa Mensah outlines positive impacts of USDA’s programs,...
On September 28, 2016, the City of New York passed a bill, 47 to three, increasing the amount of biodiesel in the city’s heating oil. Heating oil in New York City currently contains two percent biodiesel, which will increase to five percent on October 1, 2017, ten percent in 2025, 15 percent in 2030, and 20 percent in 2034. The first increase from a two to five percent biodiesel blend is expected to reduce an equivalent amount of emissions, taking 45,000 cars off the road,...
October 7, 2016
Weekly Roundup of Other Biobased News
Amyris, "Amyris Expands In Global Nutraceuticals Market With New Collaboration and Partner Funding of $30 Million" Loyola, "Loyola Biology Professor Wins $50,000 National Science Foundation Grant to Create a Network to Prep Students for Careers in Biotechnology" Neste, "Henrik Erämetsä from Neste to Co-Chair EU Initiative for Advanced Biofuels in Aviation" National Science Foundation, "NSF Awards $94 Million to Create Four New Science and Technology...
October 6, 2016
NIOSH Announces Recent Publications on Nanotechnology and Certain Types of Carbon Nanotubes
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) recently announced the availability of the following publications: Nanotechnology: Delivering on the Promise is a two-volume American Chemical Society symposium report that discusses advances in nanotechnology and the value of precautionary risk management. Editors include NIOSH Associate Director for Nanotechnology Charles L. Geraci, Ph.D., CIH. Lynn L. Bergeson wrote a chapter entitled “Opportunities and...
October 4, 2016
WEBINAR – “The New TSCA” Webinar 4: Preemption, PBTs, Fees, and Judicial Review, October 4, 2016, 11:00 a.m. EDT
Judicial Review, October 4, 2016, 11:00 a.m. EDT Rather than waiting to see what TSCA reform's impact on your business might be, take control of your approach to "new" TSCA with the information and insight shared in "The New TSCA: What You Need To Know" webinar series presented by Chemical Watch and Bergeson & Campbell, P.C. (B&C®). Register online. Webinar 4: Preemption, PBTs, Fees, and Judicial Review, will cover: Section 6(h) -- Chemicals That Are Persistent,...
On August 23, 2016, the European Chemicals Agency’s (ECHA) Board of Appeal (BoA) adopted its first decision on a data sharing dispute under the Biocidal Products Regulation (BPR). Thor GmbH (Thor) lodged the appeal in 2015 after ECHA granted permission to a company to cite studies owned by Thor for the substance reaction mass of 5-chloro-2-methyl-2H-isohtiazol-3-one and 2-methyl-2H-isothiazol-3-one (CIT/MIT). According to ECHA, Thor had insisted on a technical equivalence assessment of...
TSCA/FIFRA/IRIS/NTP/TRI EPA Issues Statements Of Findings For September 2016: On September 23, 2016, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a notice announcing its findings after its review of Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) Section 5(a) notices when EPA makes a finding that a new chemical substance or significant new use is not likely to present an unreasonable risk of injury to health or the environment. 81 Fed. Reg. 65636. Such statements apply to premanufacture...
October 1, 2016
WEBINAR – “The New TSCA” Webinar 4: Preemption, PBTs, Fees, and Judicial Review, October 4, 2016, 11:00 a.m. EDT
Rather than waiting to see what TSCA reform's impact on your business might be, take control of your approach to "new" TSCA with the information and insight shared in "The New TSCA: What You Need To Know" webinar series presented by Chemical Watch and Bergeson & Campbell, P.C. (B&C®). Register online. Webinar 4: Preemption, PBTs, Fees, and Judicial Review, will cover: Section 6(h) -- Chemicals That Are Persistent, Bioaccumulative, and Toxic (PBT) Section 18 --...