October 13, 2010

EPA Sends Draft Revisions to Human Research Rule to Secretary of Agriculture

Today the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published a notice in the Federal Register announcing that it has forwarded to the Secretary of Agriculture, a draft proposed rule that would revise EPA’s 2006 rule on protections for subjects in human research involving pesticides. 75 Fed. Reg. 62738 (found online). EPA announced on June 18, 2010, that it settled a lawsuit over its 2006 final rule. Under the settlement, EPA agreed to propose amendments to the rule...
October 8, 2010

ASTM Nanotechnology Committee Creates Subcommittee on Nano-Enabled Consumer Products

Last month, the ASTM International Committee E56 on Nanotechnology announced the creation of Subcommittee E56.06 on Nano-Enabled Consumer Products. According to ASTM, the Subcommittee will develop standards for determining the presence of engineered nanomaterials in consumer products and understanding the potential for exposure from the use of these consumer products. The Subcommittee will focus its initial efforts on the identification and evaluation of engineered...
October 7, 2010

NIH and FDA Will Fund Research on Nanoparticles

In a September 27, 2010, press release, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) announced that it will award $9.4 million over three years to support four research projects in regulatory science.  NIH will make the awards in partnership with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which will contribute approximately $950,000.  According to the press release, the projects include research on nanoparticles and their characterization. NIH states that the projects were chosen “because...
October 6, 2010

FTC Releases Proposed Revisions to the “Green Guides”

On October 6, 2010, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) released for public comment revisions to its Guides for the Use of Environmental Marketing Claims (Green Guides), which the FTC contends is designed to assist product marketers avoid making false and misleading environmental claims. The proposed changes, released in a pre-publication Federal Register notice, are designed to update the Green Guides and make them easier for companies to use and understand. They are the...
October 4, 2010

Environmental Quality Management “Washington Watch” Column Wins APEX Award

We are pleased to announce that Environmental Quality Management recently won the 2010 APEX Award of Excellence for Lynn L. Bergeson‘s “Washington Watch” column. APEX is sponsored by Communications Concepts, Inc., which publishes Writing That Works: The Business Communications Report, a bimonthly newsletter covering business writing, editing, and publishing for communicators in corporate, nonprofit, agency, and independent settings. The APEX Awards Competition is open to...
October 1, 2010

Monthly Update for October 2010

TSCA/FIFRA/NTP/EPCRA EPA Denies TSCA Section 21 Petition On Lead In Ammunition And Fishing Sinkers: On September 24, 2010, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced its decision to deny a petition submitted under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) Section 21 requesting that EPA prohibit under TSCA Section 6(a) the manufacture, processing, and distribution in commerce of (1) lead bullets and shot; and (2) lead fishing sinkers. 75 Fed. Reg. 58377. EPA denied the first...