Archives

February 20, 2020

EPA Releases Final Review Plan for Certain CBI Claims under TSCA

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released on February 19, 2020, a final rule concerning the process companies must follow to make certain confidential business information (CBI) claims and EPA’s plan for reviewing those claims.  EPA describes its final rule as creating “an efficient process” for fulfilling the CBI requirements under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) and providing clarity for affected stakeholders.  Following the procedures set forth in the...
November 8, 2019

EPA Announces New Opportunity For Public Comment Period On CBI Procedures

By Lynn L. Bergeson On October 30, 2019, EPA announced that in response to an April 2019 court decision on the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) Inventory Notification (Active-Inactive) Requirements Final Rule, EPA will publish a supplemental notice of proposed rulemaking that includes two additional questions about “reverse engineering” that manufacturers and processors would be required to answer when making confidential business information (CBI) claims. According to EPA, these...
October 30, 2019

EPA Announces New Opportunity for Public Comment on CBI Procedures

On October 30, 2019, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that in response to an April 2019 court decision on the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) Inventory Notification (Active-Inactive) Requirements Final Rule, EPA will publish a supplemental notice of proposed rulemaking that includes two additional questions about “reverse engineering” that manufacturers and processors would be required to answer when making confidential business information (CBI)...
September 24, 2019

Latest Version of TSCA Inventory Includes Unique Identifier Information

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on September 19, 2019, that it posted the first public Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) Inventory to include unique identifier (UID) information.  EPA states that the UID is a numerical identifier assigned to a chemical substance when EPA approves a confidential business information (CBI) claim for specific chemical identity.  When EPA approves such a claim, it assigns a UID to that chemical identity; applies the UID...
August 1, 2019

Do You Have Questions About TSCA Inventory Inactive Designations?

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published a Federal Register notice on May 15, 2019, announcing the availability of a signed action identifying chemical substances for inactive designation according to the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) Inventory Notification (Active-Inactive) Requirements rule.  84 Fed. Reg. 21772.  The signed action, dated May 6, 2019, initiated a 90-day period after which substances identified as inactive will be designated as inactive.  Inactive...
December 13, 2017

Ninth Circuit Will Review Two of Three TSCA Framework Rules

On December 11, 2017, in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit (Fourth Circuit) case on the petition for review of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) framework rule Procedures for Chemical Risk Evaluation under TSCA (Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments v. EPA, Case Nos. 17-1926, 17-2040, and 17-2244 (consolidated)), the Fourth Circuit granted the petitioners’ motions to transfer to the Ninth Circuit.  This was not entirely unexpected, as the U.S. Court...
November 28, 2017

TSCA Framework Rules Litigation Update: Ninth Circuit Denies EPA’s Motion to Transfer to Fourth Circuit; Fourth Circuit Expected to Rule on Petitioners’ Transfer Motions Imminently

On November 27, 2017, in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit (Ninth Circuit) case on the petition for review of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) framework rule Procedures for Prioritization of Chemicals for Risk Evaluation (Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families v. EPA, Case Nos. 17-72260, 17-72501, and 17-72968 (consolidated)), the Ninth Circuit issued an order on several pending motions.  It granted the American Chemistry Council’s (ACC) (and other industry groups) motion...
September 29, 2017

Updates in TSCA Framework Rules Litigation Cases

On September 25, 2017, Petitioners Safer Chemicals Healthy Families and Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) (collectively Petitioners) in Ninth Circuit Case Nos. 17-72260 and 17-72501 (regarding review of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) framework rule Procedures for Prioritization of Chemicals for Risk Evaluation) filed a joint opposition to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) motion to transfer to the Fourth Circuit and hold cases in abeyance.  On September 14, 2017,...
September 2, 2016

“‘The New TSCA’ — What You Need To Know” Webinar 3 — Inventory, CDR, And CBI (Sections 8 & 14)

Monday, September 12, 2016 8:00 a.m. Pacific Daylight Time/11:00 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time/16:00 British Summer Time Register Today Biobased and Renewable Products Advocacy Group (BRAG®) affiliate Bergeson & Campbell, P.C. (B&C®) and Chemical Watch have collaborated to present a series of complimentary webinars on the reformed Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). Webinar 3 — Inventory, CDR, and CBI will cover: Section 8 Reporting and Retention of Information   Small...
June 28, 2010

GAO Report States That EPA Faces Challenges in Regulating Risk of Nanomaterials

According to a report released on June 25, 2010, by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) faces challenges in effectively regulating nanomaterials that may be released in air, water, and waste because EPA lacks the technology to monitor and characterize these materials, or the statutes include volume-based regulatory thresholds that may be too high for effectively regulating the production and disposal of nanomaterials. In...