April 11, 2011

House Subcommittee Will Hold Hearing on Oversight of Nanotechnology

On April 14, 2011, the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology Subcommittee on Research and Science Education will hold a hearing entitled “Nanotechnology:  Oversight of the National Nanotechnology Initiative and Priorities for the Future.” Witnesses will include: Dr. Clayton Teague, Director, National Nanotechnology Coordination Office; Dr. Jeffrey Welser, Director, Nanoelectronics Research Initiative, Semiconductor Research Corporation; Dr. Seth Rudnick, Chairman of the...
April 10, 2011

Bergeson & Campbell, P.C., “CropLife America Considers Nanotechnology at 2011 Spring Conference,” Nanotechnology Industries Association Newsletter, April 10, 2011.

At the April 7-8, 2011, CropLife America and RISE (Responsible Industry for a Sound Environment) Spring Conference in Washington, D.C., the future of nanotechnology and its applications in the agricultural sector was the subject of a panel discussion.
April 10, 2011

Bergeson & Campbell, P.C., “ABA Webinar on ‘Nano Governance: The Current State of Federal, State, and International Regulation,” Nanotechnology Industries Association Newsletter, April 10, 2011.

On May 19, 2011, the American Bar Association (ABA) Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources Committee on Pesticides, Chemical Regulation and Right-to-Know will convene a webinar on global nanotechnology governance initiatives. The program will explore the new and creative applications of existing regulatory tools and governance approaches to address the potential risks of nanotechnologies, implement new risk assessment approaches to evolving technologies, and maximize the potential...
April 7, 2011

James V. Aidala, “Tracking Disease Clusters and Environmental Health,” Law360, April 7, 2011.

On March 29, the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works held a hearing entitled “Oversight Hearing on Disease Clusters and Environmental Health.” Committee Chairwoman Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., and Senator Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, ranking member of the Superfund, Toxics and Environmental Health Subcommittee, introduced the Strengthening Protections for Children and Communities from Disease Clusters Act (S. 76), also known as Trevor’s Law, on Jan. 25, 2011.
April 6, 2011

Green Ribbon Science Panel Subcommittees to Discuss Safer Consumer Product Alternatives Regulations

Three Subcommittees of the Green Ribbon Science Panel (Panel) have scheduled several teleconferences between April 4 and April 19, 2011, to discuss potential revisions to the California Department of Toxic Substances Control's (DTSC) Safer Consumer Product Alternatives (SCPA) regulations. These teleconferences are open to the public and comments may be provided. The three Subcommittees and the scheduled teleconferences are as follows: Chemical Identification and Prioritization...
April 5, 2011

ECHA Updates Guidance on Substances in Articles

On April 1, 2011, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) announced the availability of an update to the Guidance on Requirements for Substances in Articles. The update replaces the previous Guidance. Beginning June 1, 2011, companies must notify to ECHA substances present in articles they produce or import that were included on the substances of very high concern (SVHC) Candidate List before December 1, 2010, if both of the following conditions are met: The SVHC is present in those...
April 4, 2011

Lynn L. Bergeson, “RoHS Recast: How Did Nanomaterials Fare?,” Nanotechnology Law & Business, Volume 7, Issue 4.

Several types of nanoscale materials recently dodged a bullet as the European Parliament declined to ban nanosilver and long multi-walled carbon nanotubes in the European Union’s Directive on the Restriction and Use of Certain Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Equipment, (more commonly known as “RoHS”). For reasons not entirely clear, detractors of these nanoscale materials tried, and failed, to ban them outright in the RoHS Recast initiative. For nano stakeholders, while...
April 1, 2011

Monthly Update for April 2011

TSCA/FIFRA/NTP/EPCRA The following item is of major importance to many of our clients and friends. We will issue a more detailed analysis of the legislation early next week. Lautenberg Introduces Safe Chemicals Act Of 2011: On April 14, 2011, Senator Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ) introduced the Safe Chemicals Act of 2011, which is intended to modernize the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) to require chemical companies to demonstrate the safety of industrial chemicals and the U.S....