November 22, 2010

LYNN L. BERGESON WILL SPEAK ON REACH AT THE CSPA INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS CONFERENCE

Bergeson & Campbell, P.C. (B&C), The Acta Group, L.L.C. (Acta), and The Acta Group EU, Ltd (Acta EU) are pleased to announce that Lynn L. Bergeson will speak, Saturday, December 4, 2010, about Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) reform legislation and the role of the European Union's (EU) Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) program at the Seventh Annual International Affairs Conference in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Additional...
November 20, 2010

Lynn L. Bergeson, “CPSC Moves Ahead on Harmful Products Database,” Chemical Processing, November 2010.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) posted on its website on October 14, 2010, its draft final rule concerning the creation of a publicly available, searchable database on the safety of consumer products and other substances subject to CPSC regulation. The database is intended to provide a single point of access to reports of harm involving consumer products, manufacturer's comments on the reports, and recall information. This article discusses this important new database, and briefly...
November 19, 2010

California Removes Nano References in the Revised Safer Consumer Product Alternatives Regulations

On November 16, 2010, the California Department of Toxic Substances Control (CDTSC) released revisions to its safer consumer product alternatives regulations for a 15-day comment period. Of particular note, CDTSC has removed all references to nanotechnology and nanomaterials in the proposed regulations, which previously defined nanomaterials and included “physical, chemical, or quantum properties specific to nanomaterials” on the list of prioritization factors that CDTSC would consider in...
November 19, 2010

California Releases Revised Safer Consumer Product Alternatives Regulations for Comment

On November 16, 2010, the California Department of Toxic Substances Control (CDTSC) released revisions to its safer consumer product alternatives regulations for a 15-day comment period. The proposed regulations pertain to the identification and prioritization of chemicals of concern in consumer products, evaluation of their alternatives, and regulatory responses for selected alternatives. CDTSC held a public hearing on November 1, 2010, during which it accepted written and oral testimony. In...
November 18, 2010

EPA Posts Interim Technical Guidance for Assessing Exposure to Nanomaterials

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has posted a June 17, 2010, document entitled “Interim Technical Guidance for Assessing Screening Level Environmental Fate and Transport of, and General Population, Consumer, and Environmental Exposure to Nanomaterials.” According to the Interim Guidance, EPA prepared it “to serve as a guide when developing screening level exposure and environmental fate and transport assessments for nanomaterials,” such as those submitted under the Toxic...
November 18, 2010

EPA Proposes EDSP Policies and Procedures for SDWA Chemicals and Issues Second List of Chemicals for EDSP Tier 1 Screening

On November 17, 2010, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published draft policies and procedures for screening Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) chemicals under the Endocrine Disruptor Screening Program (EDSP). 75 Fed. Reg. 70558. "SDWA chemicals" are substances which "may be found in sources of drinking water if the Administrator determines that a substantial population may be exposed" (SDWA Section 1457). In the notice, EPA divided SDWA chemicals into two groups: those that are...
November 17, 2010

EPA Announces Second List of Chemicals for EDSP Screening and Publication of Proposed Policies and Procedures

On November 17, 2010, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the second list of chemicals and substances for which EPA intends to issue test orders under the Endocrine Disruptor Screening Program (EDSP). 75 Fed. Reg. 70248. EPA states that the list of 134 chemicals "includes a large number of pesticides, two perfluorocarbon compounds (PFCs), and three pharmaceuticals (erythromycin, nitroglycerin, and quinoline). This list also consists of an array of other chemicals, ranging...
November 16, 2010

Australian Government Reviews Notification Process for Industrial Nanomaterials

The National Industrial Chemicals Notification and Assessment Scheme (NICNAS) recently announced new administrative processes for the notification and assessment of industrial nanomaterials that are considered new chemicals, which will be of interest to companies introducing nanomaterials as new chemicals in Australia. NICNAS is the governmental, industrial chemical notification system in Australia and is responsible for the management of the Australian Inventory of Chemical Substances. After...