The 20th Meetings of the Stockholm Convention’s POP Review Committee and the Rotterdam Convention’s Chemical Review Committee are scheduled for September 23-27, 2024.
On July 10, 2024, the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) introduced a draft rule to ban aerosol dusters containing over 18 milligrams of either 1,1-Difluoroethane (HFC-152a) or 1,1,1,2-Tetrafluoroethane (HFC-134a). Pending CPSC Commission approval, this rule, scheduled for review on July 31, will take effect 30 days after final regulations are published, following public consultation.
Researchers at James Cook University have developed a process to synthesize graphene from tangerine peel oil, which they then used to recover silver from waste PV material. To demonstrate the quality of the recovered silver and the synthesized graphene, they made a dopamine sensor that reportedly outperformed reference devices.
ECHA Enforcement Forum launched REF-14 to ensure products containing hazardous mixtures are correctly classified, labeled, and packaged.
Quinbrook Infrastructure Partners’ plan to build a polysilicon manufacturing plant in Australia has taken a step forward, with Australian Silica Quartz starting a drilling program at a planned mine site that could provide feedstock for the proposed facility.
On May 29, 2024, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released the latest version of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) Inventory, which includes 886,770 chemical substances, of which 42,377 are active chemicals. This update to the TSCA Inventory includes the addition of more than 130 substances formerly on the confidential list and 29 existing substances.
On June 24, 2024, the UK’s CLP authority, HSE, announced that it has granted legal effect to 88 chemical substances listed in the UK’s Mandatory Classification and Labelling (GB MCL) list. This update took effect immediately upon its release and complies with regulations. The updates are based on the 14th and 15th Adaptations to Technical Progress (ATP), which update the CLP Regulation, issued by the European Commission.
The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) has officially announced the 31st batch of 1 substances of very high concern (SVHC), bringing the total number of substances on the SVHC list (also known as the Candidate List) to 241.
On May 13, 2024, the European Commission, guided by EU Regulation No. 528/2012 and Directive No. 98/8/EC, extended the expiry date of the active substance cis-tricos-9-ene (CAS No.: 27519-02-4) for use in biocidal products of product-type 19 until March 31, 2027. This extension takes effect 20 days after publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.
In accordance with REACH regulations, before conducting tests under Annex IX and X (for registration volumes of 100-1000 tons per year and over 1000 tons per year), registrants must submit a testing proposal (TP). After a consultation period, ECHA will finalize the testing requirements based on feedback and the characteristics of the substance.
The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) has launched a consultation on an application submitted by its Committee for Socio-economic Analysis (CTACSub 2) for the authorization of Chromium trioxide (EC 215-607-8, CAS 1333-82-0). This application covers twelve specific uses across three categories: mixture formulation, functional chrome plating on components, and surface treatments in aerospace and other industries.
On April 15, 2024, Germany, as one of the five initiating countries of the European Union’s proposal to restrict perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) (the other four countries include the Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden, and Norway), updated its assessment report based on the numerous comments collected during the six-month public consultation phase from March 22, 2023, to September 25, 2023. The assessment work was conducted by the German Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (BAuA)
On May 20, 2024, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) amended the Hazard Communication Standard (HCS) to align with the 7th Revised Edition of the UN’s Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS). The amendment includes elements from the 8th Revised Edition of the GHS and retains certain U.S.-specific requirements. The regulation takes effect on July 19, 2024, with compliance required by January 19, 2026, and for mixtures by July 19, 2027.
On May 16, 2024, the European Commission amended Annex XVII to Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council concerning the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) as regards octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane (D4), decamethylcyclopentasiloxane (D5) and dodecamethylcyclohexasiloxane (D6). Under the 2006 REACH regulation, the amendment imposes stricter limits on the use of these chemicals in wash-off cosmetics and other consumer and professional products.
On May 8, 2024, authorized by the European Commission, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) expanded its REACH XV restriction proposal to include at least 12 Chromium (VI) compounds, supplementing the initial measures for Chromium trioxide and Chromic acid introduced in September 2023.