Almost seven years ago, the International Center for Technology Assessment (ICTA) filed a petition for rulemaking requesting that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulate products containing nanosilver as pesticides and for related other forms of relief. On March 19, 2015, EPA responded to the petition. In general, the response does not alter EPA’s legal position with regard to nanosilver and its regulation under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act...
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Last week, EPA unveiled the new Safer Choice label. According to the EPA website, a product with the Safer Choice label means that EPA scientists have reviewed every ingredient in that product to ensure they meet the rigorous health and environmental criteria included in the Safer Choice Standard. Companies wishing to learn how to qualify for the Safer Choice label should visit EPA’s Resources for Safer Choice Product Manufacturers. ...
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that it has “decided to postpone the [Pesticide Program Dialogue Committee (PPDC)] meeting scheduled for December 11-12, 2014.” EPA notes that “this is a particularly busy time of year in [the Office of Pesticide Programs (OPP)] as we are working to complete several major decisions and projects by the end of the year/early next year. We want to keep the momentum going so that we can share our progress with...
November 14, 2014
EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy Announces Small Business Awards
On November 12, 2014, EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy held a press conference to announce the recipients of the Phase II Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) awards. In her comments, Administrator McCarthy stated that "a strong, world-leading economy requires a clean environment," and noted that under the Obama Administration the production of wind energy has tripled, and solar energy has increased ten-fold. Joining Ms. McCarthy at the press conference were representatives from...
October 10, 2014
EPA Inspector General To Review Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Awards Program
On October 2, 2014, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that its Office of the Inspector General (IG) plans to review the reported results from the Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Awards Program. Its objective reportedly is to ensure that all reported "Green Chemistry" program contributions from EPA's Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics (OPPT) to EPA's performance measures are adequately supported and transparent. The IG will contact the...
September 12, 2014
Reviews And Reflections — BRAG’s Sustainable Futures Workshop
Glowing reviews for the recent Sustainable Futures workshop co-sponsored by the Biobased and Renewable Products Advocacy Group (BRAG®), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and George Washington University (GWU) continue to roll in. Attendees at the event included Dr. Anthony Hotton and Omoru E. Emmanuel, of the Nigerian National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC). Dr. Hotton stated regarding the Sustainable Futures workshop "[t]he training has...
On August 21, 2014, a coalition of environmental, health, and labor groups filed a 23-page petition with EPA requesting that the Agency "establish time limits for confidentiality claims for chemical information submitted by industry under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA)." According to Earthjustice's press release, change is needed because currently "[u]nder TSCA, industry is given wide latitude to claim such information confidential, making it unavailable to state and...
August 15, 2014
Group Of Senators Weigh In On Biogenic Carbon Regulations
On August 7, 2014, a group of nine Democratic Senators led by Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) sent a letter to the EPA Administrator, Gina McCarthy, on the treatment of biogenic carbon emissions from stationary sources. The other eight Senators who signed the letter are: Tim Johnson (D-SD); Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND); Ron Wyden (D-OR); Maria Cantwell (D-WA); Al Franken (D-MN); Patty Murray (D-WA); Joe Donnelly (D-IN); and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN). The letter comes at a time...
More reports from attendees at last week's sold out, three-day Sustainable Futures (SF) workshop, co-sponsored by the Biobased and Renewable Products Advocacy Group (BRAG®), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and George Washington University (GWU): "I would highly recommend SF training to others. The risk-screening models are a great tool that can be utilized to identify and reduce risk early in the product development process. The instructors at the workshop were...
On August 5-7, 2014, the Biobased and Renewable Products Advocacy Group (BRAG®), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and George Washington University (GWU) co-hosted a Sustainable Futures (SF) Training Workshop at GWU’s campus in Washington, D.C. During the sold out, three-day workshop, participants learned about a variety of tools, methods, and models that can be used to assess the hazard and potential exposure of chemicals. The intensive, hands-on training allowed...