All Knowledge & Insights By Date

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) proposed on November 15, 2023, five new types of genetic modifications a plant can contain and be exempt from the regulations for the movement of organisms modified or produced through genetic engineering because such modifications could otherwise be achieved through conventional breeding methods. 88 Fed. Reg. 78285. According to APHIS’s November 14, 2023, press release, the proposed exemptions...

The U.S. Tire Manufacturers Association (USTMA) announced on November 14, 2023, that it will partner with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) on a research project “to assess and refine methods of evaluating potential alternatives to [N-(1,3-Dimethylbutyl)-N′-phenyl-p-phenylenediamine (6PPD)] for use in tires.” As reported in our November 3, 2023, blog item, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has granted a petition filed under Section 21 of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA)...

On November 2, 2023, the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals (Eighth Circuit) issued its decision in Red River Valley Sugarbeet Growers Ass’n v. Regan, No. 22-1422 (8th Cir. 2023) regarding the use of the pesticide chlorpyrifos on food crops (Decision). The court concluded that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) August 2021 revocation of all food tolerances for chlorpyrifos was arbitrary and capricious, and remanded the matter back to EPA for further review. Chlorpyrifos was a...

Download transcript. This week, I welcomed back to the studio Karin F. Baron, Director of Hazard Communication and International Registration Strategy at B&C and our consulting affiliate, The Acta Group. Karin and I discuss Revision 10 of the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals, commonly referred to as GHS. Release of any new GHS revision is a big deal, and Revision 10 is no exception. Karin highlights key elements of the revision, including changes to...

TSCA/FIFRA/TRI EPA Seeks Public Comment On Whether To Limit The Scope Of The Treated Article Exemption: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published an advanced notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPRM) on October 12, 2023, soliciting public comment and suggestions on specific issues related to seed treated with conventional pesticides (treated seed) and paint treated with conventional or antimicrobial pesticides (treated paint). 88 Fed. Reg. 70625. According to the ANPRM, EPA is...

On November 8, 2023, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) published a report entitled Approaches to safe 3D printing: a guide for makerspace users, schools, libraries, and small businesses. According to NIOSH, use of three-dimensional (3D) printing technology is becoming a prominent part of the modern world. NIOSH notes that some 3D printer users have expressed concerns about potential exposures to ultrafine particles, chemicals, and safety hazards, however. NIOSH...

On November 7, 2023, the Ninth Circuit affirmed the District Court for the Eastern District of California’s (District Court) June 22, 2020, decision granting summary judgment in favor of Plaintiffs. The Ninth Circuit entered a permanent injunction enjoining the California Attorney General from enforcing Proposition 65’s (Prop 65) carcinogen warning requirement for the herbicide glyphosate. National Ass’n of Wheat Growers et al. v. Bonta (Opinion).The Ninth Circuit found that requiring the...

On November 13, 2023, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) posted the following documents on the Unified Website for Biotechnology Regulation: Report on Stakeholder Outreach Related to Ambiguities, Gaps, Uncertainties in Regulation of Biotechnology Under the Coordinated Framework (Report on Stakeholder Outreach) (Mar. 11, 2023); and The Coordinated Framework for the Regulation of Biotechnology:...

The Biden Administration announced on November 9, 2023, that the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) issued final revisions to Circular A-4, the government-wide guidance on regulatory analysis. Issued in 2003, Circular A-4 has been updated to help agencies more accurately estimate the impacts of their regulations and, according to the press release, “thereby enable them to craft better regulations which, in turn, means lower costs for consumers; cleaner food, air, and water;...

The National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI) has rescheduled its symposium entitled “Enabling the Nanotechnology Revolution: Celebrating the 20th Anniversary of the 21st Century Nanotechnology Research and Development Act” to March 5, 2024, at the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. According to NNI, the symposium will bring together “experts who can speak on the importance of nanotechnology in quantum engineering, optics, EHS, plastics, DEIA, microelectronics,...