All Knowledge & Insights By Date

On July 25, 2016, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) published a notice in the Federal Register soliciting applications for Biorefinery, Renewable Chemical, and Biobased Product Manufacturing Assistance Program (the Program) funding. The Program provides guaranteed loans for projects developing, constructing, or retrofitting commercial scale biorefineries and biobased product manufacturing facilities. The developments must use eligible technology, including new commercial scale processing and...

On July 21, 2016, the European Court of Auditors released Special Report No 18/2016: The EU system for the certification of sustainable biofuels. This report assessed the existing biofuels sustainability certification framework of the European Commission (EC) and highlighted key issues with the system. Issues with the certification framework could undermine the European Union's (EU) 2020 goals for renewable energy. The report determined that the EC does not properly track working conditions...

? Environmental Leader, "Toyota Tsusho Backs Bioplastic Tech In Race To Bring 100% Plant-Based PET To Market" ? Renewable Energy Magazine, "Scientists In US State Of Florida Develop Military Grade Aviation Biofuel" ? UMass Amherst, "'Green' Electronic Materials Produced With Synthetic Biology" ? Ford, "Ford, Jose Cuervo Team Up To Make Car Parts From Agave"

Scientists Issue Letter Criticizing EDC Criteria: On July 6, 2016, a group of 15 European and U.S. researchers wrote to the European Union's (EU) Health and Food Safety Directorate, criticizing recent proposals for the identification of endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDC) under the Plant Protection Products (PPP) Regulation and the Biocidal Products Regulation (BPR). The scientists addressed two major concerns relating to the proposed criteria: The criteria place an...

On June 8, 2016, the House of Commons held its first reading of an Act to amend the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 (CEPA) (nanotechnology) (C-287).  The bill would add Part 6.1 to CEPA primarily to implement procedures for the investigation and assessment of nanomaterials.  Member Peter Julian, New Democratic Party of Canada (NDP) House Leader, issued a June 8, 2016, press release stating that he first introduced the bill in 2010 and is “pleased to see...

On July 22, 2016, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) posted on its website the first four Section 5(a)(3) determinations for premanufacture notices (PMN) under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) as amended by the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act (Pub. L. No. 114-182) (new TSCA). All four of the new chemicals were determined to satisfy the "not likely to present an unreasonable risk" determination at Section 5(a)(3)(C). It is notable that all...

On July 25, 2016, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced its intention to hold two public meetings on August 9, and August 10, 2016, to obtain input on the processes that will be used to prioritize and evaluate chemicals under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), as amended by the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act: August 9, 2016:  EPA states that this public meeting will inform its proposed rule on conducting risk evaluations to...

On July 25, 2016, Inside EPA quoted Bergeson & Campbell P.C.’s (B&C®) memoranda “EPA Releases First Determinations for New Chemicals under New TSCA,” on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) use of structure activity relationship (SAR) in premanufacture notice (PMN) reviews. In a July 22 memo to clients and colleagues, the law firm Bergeson & Campbell also notes that EPA appears to have used structure activity relationship (SAR) modeling in its...

On Friday, July 22, 2016, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) posted the first four Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) Section 5(a) determinations made following review of pre-manufacture notifications (PMN) according to TSCA as amended by the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century law, Pub. L. No. 114-182 (Lautenberg).  EPA’s determination on all four chemical substances was “not likely to present and unreasonable risk,” under new TSCA Section...

On July 22, 2016, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) posted on its website the first four Section 5(a)(3) determinations for premanufacture notices (PMN) under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) as amended by the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act (Pub. L. No. 114-182) (new TSCA). All four of the new chemicals were determined to satisfy the "not likely to present an unreasonable risk" determination at Section 5(a)(3)(C). It is notable that all...