14th Annual Green Chemistry & Engineering Conference

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Green Chemistry:

The American Chemical Society Green Chemistry Institute (ACS GCI) will hold the 14th Annual Green Chemistry & Engineering Conference in Washington, D.C. on June 21 – 23, 2010.  Pasted below is a summary of the conference, excerpted from the ACS GCI website.  For more information, follow the link embedded below the summary.

“The 14th Annual Green Chemistry & Engineering Conference returns to downtown Washington, DC.  With the theme “Innovation and Application” and with one of the renowned founders of green chemistry, Dr. John Warner (President and CTO, Warner Babcock Institute for Green Chemistry) as the chair, this conference is shaping up to be one you won’t want to miss! Confirmed keynote speakers include the popular environmentalist, entrepreneur and author Paul Hawken; 2005 Nobel Prize winner, Dr. Robert Grubbs; Senior Vice President of Research and Technology at 3M, Mr. Steven Webster; and US Congressman John Tierney (D-MA), co-sponsor of the “Green Jobs Act.”

Schedule

(subject to change)

Monday

  • Keynote address presented by Paul Hawken (renowned environmentalist, entrepreneur, and author who leads the Highwater Research LLC and Natural Capital Institute)
  • Technical Sessions
  • Exhibits
  • Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Awards Ceremony (pre-registration required)

Tuesday

  • Technical Sessions
  • Luncheon with guest speaker US Congressman John Tierney (D-MA, co-sponsor of the “Green Jobs Act”)
  • Keynote address presented by Robert Grubbs, 2005 Nobel Prize winner
  • Poster Session
  • Exhibits
  • Reception

Wednesday

  • Keynote address presented by Mr. Steven Webster (Senior Vice President Research and Technology Commercialization, 3M)
  • Technical Sessions
  • Exhibits
  • Closing session keynote address presented by Dr. John Warner (President and CTO, Warner Babcock Institute for Green Chemistry)

Thursday

  • Student Workshop (pre-registration required)”

http://acswebcontent.acs.org/gcande/

Legislation to Modernize TSCA

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TSCA Reform:

The U.S. Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) is the primary federal statute governing the safety of chemicals in U.S. commerce.  Revising the statute has been debated for many years, but there have been no substantial amendments since its enactment in 1976.  However, it now seems probable that Congress will enact new legislation modernizing TSCA.

On April 15, 2010, Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ), chair of the Senate Subcommittee on Superfund, Toxics and Environmental Health, introduced the “Safe Chemicals Act of 2010.” On the same date, Representatives Bobby Rush (D-IL) and Henry Waxman (D-CA) of the House Energy and Commerce Committee released a discussion draft of their legislation, the “Toxics Chemicals Safety Act of 2010.”

Senator Lautenberg’s legislation would amend TSCA to, among other things:

  • require manufacturers to develop and submit a minimum data set for each chemical that they produce;
  • provide EPA the authority to request additional data from a manufacturer when the Agency believes the information is necessary to determine the safety of a chemical;
  • require EPA to use the data to identify and prioritize chemicals by their likely risk;
  • require expedited action by EPA to reduce risk from chemicals of highest concern;
  • require that a safety threshold is met for chemicals to enter or remain in commerce, shifting the burden of proof to manufacturers to demonstrate safety;
  • establish a public database that would include chemical information submitted to EPA and the Agency’s determinations regarding safety;
  • promote green chemistry and foster the development of “safer” chemical alternatives; and
  • narrow the conditions under which data could be claimed as Confidential Business Information (CBI), expand access to CBI for certain stakeholders, and limit the duration of confidentiality.

Over the coming months, stakeholders will have an opportunity to review the proposals and discuss their various elements with key decision-makers.  It is too early to tell whether a consensus can be reached on key issues, but the outcome may well depend on the willingness of the sponsors to seek meaningful bipartisan support for the legislation.  Copies of the bills, summaries, and other related information are available at the links below:

Welcome!

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Welcome to the Green Chemistry Law Report, a legal blog produced by Verdant Law, PLLC, a boutique environmental and sustainability law firm in Washington, D.C.  Although located in the United States capital, Verdant has a global perspective, providing high-quality, personalized legal services to domestic and foreign clients on matters at the federal, state, and local levels, as well as those arising internationally.

Green Chemistry and Chemicals Management is one of the Firm’s principal areas of practice.  Because this is a rapidly evolving area, articles and conference speeches are not as well-suited to a timely discussion of the issues as a legal blog is.  Therefore, the Firm is launching the Green Chemistry Law Report to provide timely, in-depth coverage of regulatory issues concerning chemicals and products, and hopefully serve as a forum for discussing them.  Here you will find analysis and commentary on the latest legal and regulatory developments, as well as notices about news and events. Some of the topics the Report will cover include:

  • TSCA Reform,
  • REACh,
  • Product stewardship,
  • CEPA, 1999 and
  • California’s Green Chemistry Initiative.

So, check back frequently and actively participate.  And again, Welcome to the Green Chemistry Law Report!