The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on December 22, 2023, that it has registered biopesticide products containing the new active ingredient Ledprona for three years, “a timeframe that is consistent with EPA’s approach to other novel biopesticide products.” Ledprona is a new type of pesticide that relies on a natural mechanism, RNA interference (RNAi), used by plants and insects to protect against disease. As reported in our October 12, 2023, blog item, Ledprona is a...
December 28, 2023
EPA Issues Final SNURs for Four Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes
On December 18, 2023, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued final significant new use rules (SNUR) under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) for a number of chemical substances that were the subject of premanufacture notices (PMN) and are also subject to Orders issued by EPA pursuant to TSCA. 88 Fed. Reg. 87346. The SNURs include four chemical substances identified as: Multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT); closed; 4.4-12.8 nanometer (nm) diameter; bundle length 10.6-211.1...
December 27, 2023
EPA Begins TSCA Prioritization Process for Five Chemicals, Requires Reporting on MBOCA
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on December 18, 2023, that it is beginning the process to prioritize five additional toxic chemicals for risk evaluation under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). 88 Fed. Reg. 87423. The chemicals are acetaldehyde, acrylonitrile, benzenamine, 4,4’-methylene bis(2-chloroaniline) (MBOCA), and vinyl chloride. EPA seeks relevant information, including but not limited to, the chemical substance’s hazard and exposure potential; the...
On December 5, 2023, the National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI) released a report analyzing the economic impact of federal investment in nanotechnology from 2002 to 2022. The report states that NNI selected this timeframe because it was codified by the 21st Century Nanotechnology Research and Development Act in 2003, and thus the range covers its entire existence. The report examines the impact of public investment, growth and trends of the market, and the evolving understanding and...
December 27, 2023
Postal ServiceTM Proposes New Mailing Standards for Hazardous Materials Outer Packaging and Nonregulated Toxic Materials
The U.S. Postal Service (Postal Service) published a proposed rule on December 15, 2023, that would amend Publication 52, Hazardous, Restricted, and Perishable Mail (Pub 52), by requiring specific outer packaging strength standards when mailing hazardous materials (HAZMAT) or dangerous goods (DG) and remove quantity restrictions for nonregulated toxic materials. 88 Fed. Reg. 86868. The Postal Service proposes to allow mailers to use poly or padded bags as outer packaging for shipments containing...
December 21, 2023
EPA Proposes to Determine That TCEP, as a Whole Chemical Substance, Presents Unreasonable Risk to Human Health and the Environment
On December 15, 2023, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the availability of and solicited public comment on its draft risk evaluation for tris(2-chloroethyl) phosphate (TCEP) and related draft charge questions. 88 Fed. Reg. 86894. EPA states on its website that it reviewed the exposures and hazards of TCEP uses and made risk findings on TCEP. EPA considered relevant risk-related factors, including, but not limited to: the hazards and exposure, magnitude of risk, exposed...
December 18, 2023
Harmonizing TSCA Consent Orders with OSHA HCS 2012, May 14, 2024, 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. (EDT), via webinar
Bergeson & Campbell, P.C. (B&C®) and The Acta Group (Acta®) presented “Harmonizing TSCA Consent Orders with OSHA HCS 2012,” a complimentary webinar covering case studies and practical applications of merging the requirements for consent order language on the Safety Data Sheet (SDS). Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) consent orders and Significant New Use Rules (SNUR) are issued under Section 5 for specific chemicals. These U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) consent orders...
Bergeson & Campbell, P.C.’s (B&C®) March 12, 2024, webinar, “FIFRA Hot Topics,” is now available for on-demand viewing. During this one-hour webinar, James V. Aidala, Senior Government Affairs Consultant, Lisa R. Burchi, Of Counsel, and moderator Lynn L. Bergeson, Managing Partner, discussed key priorities for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Office of Pesticide Programs (OPP) and what companies should know to stay on top of new developments in the law and regulation...
December 18, 2023
What to Expect in Chemicals Policy and Regulation and on Capitol Hill in 2024, January 23, 2024, 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. (EST), via webinar
Bergeson & Campbell, P.C.’s (B&C®) January 23, 2024, webinar, “What to Expect in Chemicals Policy and Regulation and on Capitol Hill in 2024,” is now available for on-demand viewing. During this one-hour webinar Lynn L. Bergeson, Managing Partner, B&C; James V. Aidala, Senior Government Affairs Consultant, B&C; and Richard E. Engler, Ph.D., Director of Chemistry, B&C participated in a lively, timely, and focused discussion on the state of play and how they...
December 18, 2023
Lynn L. Bergeson, “The EPA is undermining the TSCA’s potential to reduce plastic waste,” Financier Worldwide, January 2024.
No discussion of energy issues would be complete without some mention of the utility of used plastic as a feedstock in the production of fuels, energy and building block chemicals. In spring 2023, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released its Draft National Strategy to Prevent Plastic Pollution (Strategy) to identify voluntary actions to prevent plastic waste. Plastics recycling, including both mechanical and ‘advanced’, is core to achieving improved post-use plastics materials...