TSCAblog®

The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) published a report on April 15, 2024, entitled “Persistent Chemicals: Navy Efforts to Address PFAS at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam.” GAO states that it was asked to examine the Department of Defense’s (DOD) efforts to address per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS) contamination at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam. The report describes DOD’s response to a November 2022 aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) release at the installation; DOD...

According to an April 16, 2024, request for information (RFI), as part of its ongoing commitment to advancing sustainable acquisition, the General Services Administration (GSA) is exploring opportunities to reduce or eliminate potential per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) “with the intent to reduce exposure from products offered to the Government through GSA’s contract solutions.” 89 Fed. Reg. 26887. GSA states that it is publishing the RFI to obtain comments “to help us...

The Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER) announced on April 11, 2024, that a coalition of public health groups filed a petition under Section 21 of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) seeking to stop immediately the manufacture and distribution of “hundreds of millions of plastic containers with dangerous levels of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) that leach from these containers into household products and the environment.” The petition “demands that the...

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on April 8, 2024, that it is directing government contractors to purchase cleaning products for federal buildings that are free of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). This change is the result of a collaboration between EPA and the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) to implement President Biden’s Federal Sustainability Plan, which directs federal agencies to prioritize the purchase of sustainable products and services,...

Register now to join Bergeson & Campbell, P.C. (B&C®) and The Acta Group (Acta®) for “Harmonizing TSCA Consent Orders with OSHA HCS 2012,” a complimentary webinar covering case studies and practical applications of merging the requirements for consent order language on the Safety Data Sheet (SDS). Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) consent orders and Significant New Use Rules (SNUR) are issued under Section 5 for specific chemicals. These U.S. Environmental Protection Agency...

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published on April 3, 2024, an advance notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPRM) regarding lead for wheel-balancing weights (lead wheel weights). 89 Fed. Reg. 22972. EPA requests comments and information to assist in the potential development of regulations for the manufacture (including importing), processing (including recycling), and distribution in commerce of lead for lead wheel weights under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). To inform this...

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is scheduled to publish a notice on April 9, 2024, announcing its denial of the Washington Department of Ecology’s (WDOE) petition under Section 21 of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) seeking a rulemaking to eliminate the current allowances for polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) in consumer products. EPA states that it “shares the petitioner’s concerns regarding risks to human health and the environment posed by PCBs, and the Agency...

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) provided notice of disclosure on April 2, 2024, to all potentially affected businesses under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) that submitted information to EPA pursuant to TSCA Section 5 that it will disclose information to the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO). 89 Fed. Reg 22713. According to the notice, GAO is initiating a review of EPA’s practices for managing and accessing the performance of EPA’s New Chemicals Review...

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) announced on March 26, 2024, that it has published new information concerning per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in products. This information includes: MPCA will publish details on other product categories in response to questions it has received....

On March 13, 2024, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published notice of a proposed settlement agreement to address a petition for writ of mandamus filed by the Ecology Center, the Center for Environmental Health, United Parents Against Lead & Other Environmental Hazards, and the Sierra Club in the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit (Ecology Center v. EPA, No. 23-70158 (9th Cir.)). 89 Fed. Reg. 18408. The petitioners filed a petition...