In the October 21, 2010, issue of BNA International Enviroment Reporter, Lynn L. Bergeson comments on the "definitional disarray" resulting from the European Commission's (EC) proposed definition of nanomaterial and that announced by Australia.
October 19, 2010
OSHA Proposes Interpretation of Its Provisions for Feasible Administrative or Engineering Controls of Occupational Noise
On October 19, 2010, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) proposed to alter significantly its interpretation of the term "feasible administrative or engineering controls" as that term is used in the applicable sections of OSHA's General Industry and Construction Occupational Noise Exposure standards. 75 Fed. Reg. 64216. Under the standard, which is codified at 29 C.F.R. Sections 1910.95(b)(1) and 1926.52(b), employers must use administrative or engineering controls, rather...
October 14, 2010
Lynn L. Bergeson, “TSCA Reform: Legislative Action Begins,” Environmental Quality Management, Autumn 2010.
On April 15, 2010, Senator Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ) released the text of the Safe Chemicals Act of 2010, S. 3209 (SCA),1 which is intended to address the “core failings” of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA).
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 consistent...
The October 11, 2010, issue of Pesticide & Toxic Chemical News quotes Lynn L. Bergeson concerning the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) proposed revisions to its Green Guides.
The October 11, 2010, issue of Pesticide & Toxic Chemical News quotes Lynn L. Bergeson regarding the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA} intent to require labels for nanopesticides.
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...
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...
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 communicators in...