Preview Newsletter
PM ACC 19/9/17
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(ACC Mentioned) Chemical Industry Ally Faces Critics in Bid for Top E.P.A. Post
Sep 19, 2017 | The New York Times
By Sheila Kaplan and Eric Lipton
The scientist nominated to head the federal government’s chemical regulatory program has spent much of his career helping businesses fight restrictions on the use of potentially toxic compounds in consumer goods. -
(ACC Mentioned) in Advocating Material Reuse, WWF and Partners Hope to Create 'Cascading Value'
Sep 19, 2017 | Waste Dive
By Cody Boteler
Since its launch in June, the Cascading Materials Vision (CMV) from the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) has partnered with a variety of stakeholders — including The Recycling Partnership, the Ocean Conservancy, the American Chemistry Council, Target and McDonald's — to find opportunity and economic value in expanding the availability and use of secondary material. -
(ACC Mentioned) OSHA, American Chemistry Council Sign Alliance on Hazardous Chemicals
Sep 19, 2017 | Connecticut Business & Industry Association
OSHA and the American Chemistry Council have established a two-year alliance to raise awareness of how workers are exposed to hazardous chemicals known as diisocyantes and promote safe practices for their use in the polyurethane industry. -
The Ugly Truth: How Trump’s EPA Nominee Greenwashed a Carcinogen in Cosmetics
Sep 19, 2017 | Environmental Working Group
By Scott Faber
Before he became President Trump’s nominee to oversee the nation's chemical safety, Michael Dourson sought to dramatically weaken the safety standard for 1,4-dioxane, a chemical linked to cancer that is found in personal care products. -
Shellfish Are Coming With a Side of Plastic
Sep 19, 2017 | E&E Greenwire
People who slurp down oysters and clams are eating plastic, too, according to shellfish biologist Sarah Dudas. -
Danish Test Finds Phthalates and BPA in Pizza Boxes
Sep 19, 2017 | Chemical Watch
A new approach, developed in Denmark to detect harmful chemicals in food contact materials (FCMs) made from paper and board, has found two phthalates and bisphenol A (BPA) in pizza boxes. -
EU Consults on Nanomaterial Definition
Sep 19, 2017 | Chemical Watch
The European Commission has opened its long awaited consultation on the revision of its Recommendation on the definition of nanomaterials. Agreed in 2011, this defined them as substances with 50% of particles or more between 1nm-100nm. -
Senate Panel Approves Trump Energy Nominees
Sep 19, 2017 | The Hill - E2 Blog
By Timothy Cama
The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee voted Tuesday to approve five of President Trump’s nominees for energy positions in the federal government. -
Critics Say Corporate Relationships May Be Distorting Market Needs
Sep 19, 2017 | E&E Energywire
By Jenny Mandel
Natural gas pipeline permitting should be completely overhauled to more critically assess shippers' claims around the market need for their pipelines, industry critics charge in a new report out today. -
BP Starts Delivering Natural Gas to Buyers in Mexico
Sep 19, 2017 | Fuel Fix
By Colin Eaton
BP has begun piping natural gas to buyers across eight states in Mexico as the country continues to open its energy sector to foreign investors, the company said Tuesday. -
USCG, EPA Tackle Oil and Chemical Spills From Hurricane Harvey
Sep 19, 2017 | American Shipper
By Elizabeth Landrum
Three weeks after Hurricane Harvey hit the Gulf coast, the U.S. Coast Guard and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have estimated that more than 22,000 barrels of oil, refined fuels and chemicals have spilled at sites across Texas, according to U.S. Coast Guard reports reviewed by Reuters. -
(ACC Mentioned) Judith Enck: Climate Change And Hurricanes
Sep 19, 2017 | WAMC
By Judith Enck
There were just a few days between the time when Hurricane Harvey caused historic flooding in Texas and Louisiana and when Hurricane Irma slammed into the Carribbean, Florida and Georgia. -
EPA Chief: President 'Has Been Steadfast' on Paris Agreement
Sep 19, 2017 | The Hill - E2 Blog
By Max Greenwood
Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt said Tuesday that President Trump has been "steadfast" in his decision to pull out of the Paris climate agreement, arguing that the deal is ultimately unfair to the U.S. -
EPA Chief: We Know Humans Contribute to Climate Changing 'in Some Way'
Sep 19, 2017 | The Hill - E2 Blog
By Rebecca Savransky
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Scott Pruitt on Tuesday said humans contribute to the changing climate "in some way." -
Sierra Club Sues Agency Over Records Requests
Sep 19, 2017 | E&E Greenwire
The Sierra Club sued U.S. EPA yesterday, accusing the agency of ignoring information and records requests under the Freedom of Information Act.
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(ACC Mentioned) Chemical Industry Ally Faces Critics in Bid for Top E.P.A. Post
Sep 19, 2017 | The New York Times
By Sheila Kaplan and Eric Lipton
The scientist nominated to head the federal government’s chemical regulatory program has spent much of his career helping businesses fight restrictions on the use of potentially toxic compounds in consumer goods.
That record is expected to figure prominently in this week’s Senate confirmation hearing for the scientist, Michael L. Dourson, who critics say is too closely tied to the chemical industry to be its chief regulator.
The source of the concern is a consulting group that Mr. Dourson founded in 1995, which has been paid by chemical companies for research and reports that frequently downplayed the health risks posed by their compounds.
Four chemicals that are nearly ubiquitous in everyday products — 1,4-dioxane, 1-bromopropane, trichloroethylene and chlorpyrifos — are now under review by agency regulators to determine whether they pose a threat to public health. If confirmed, Mr. Dourson would oversee the review of some chemicals produced by companies that his firm used to represent.
Mr. Dourson, 65, worked for the Environmental Protection Agency from 1980 to 1994, according to his resume, starting as a staff toxicologist, preparing health assessments of various substances. He worked his way up over time, becoming chief of the pesticides and toxics team in 1989, supervising scientists who support the E.P.A.’s regulatory work. Mr. Dourson ultimately oversaw a team of scientists conducting risk assessments for the agency’s offices of water, solid wastes and air quality.
The following year he created a nonprofit consulting firm that became a line of first defense for companies facing health and safety challenges from the E.P.A.
Mr. Dourson has a popular sideline as a writer of books that combine Bible stories with his views on science. His series, “Evidence of Faith,” is an examination of the intersection of evolution and bible history.
At a time when the E.P.A. is still in the early stages of putting in place Congress’s 2016 overhaul of the law governing toxic chemicals, Mr. Dourson’s nomination to become the agency’s assistant administrator for chemical safety has alarmed Democrats, some former E.P.A. officials and even Erin Brockovich.
“Dr. Dourson’s consistent endorsement of chemical safety standards that not only match industry’s views, but are also significantly less protective than E.P.A. and other regulators have recommended, raises serious doubts about his ability to lead those efforts,” said Senator Tom Carper, Democrat of Delaware, the ranking minority member on the panel that will assess Dr. Dourson’s qualifications. “This is the first time anyone with such clear and extensive ties to the chemical industry has been picked to regulate that industry.”
Neither Mr. Dourson nor the E.P.A. would comment on the criticisms of his industry ties. A notice on the E.P.A.’s website praises Mr. Dourson’s achievements in toxicology and the quality of his research. Trade groups for the $800 billion chemical industry are supportive of the nominee. CropLife America, which lobbies for purveyors of pesticides, fungicides and rodenticides, called Mr. Dourson “a perfect fit.”
“We welcome Dr. Dourson’s nomination,” CropLife America notes on its website. “His extensive experience in risk assessment and science, both in government and private sector make him a valuable addition to the office.”
Senator John Barrasso, Republican of Wyoming and chairman of the Senate committee that will hold the confirmation hearing, defended Mr. Dourson’s nomination.
“Dr. Dourson is an experienced toxicologist who deserves full and fair committee consideration, followed by a Senate vote,” Mr. Barrasso said. “That should be the case for all of the nominees for leadership roles at the E.P.A.”
The nonprofit consulting firm that Mr. Dourson founded and ran, TERA, became part of the University of Cincinnati in July 2015. The department changed its name from the TERA Center to the Risk Science Center in January 2017. The center disclosed that it collected about 30 percent of its funding from for-profit sources in the 2015-16 fiscal year.
Mr. Dourson’s ethics agreement says that he will not, once confirmed, participate for one year in any “particular matter involving specific parties” related to University of Cincinnati work he has done.
But Mr. Dourson’s financial disclosure report — filed after he was nominated — shows no direct payments to him from any chemical company, meaning any company-funded research Mr. Dourson did in the last year would likely have been paid for through the University of Cincinnati or another organization.
As a result, it is unlikely ethics rules would bar him from overseeing issues related to chemicals manufactured by companies he has conducted research for. Grants given by companies to universities, but not to the scholars themselves, generally do not create conflicts that require individuals to recuse themselves from matters involving the companies, said Walter Shaub, the former head of the federal Office of Government Ethics.
Mr. Dourson’s firm’s clients have included the American Chemistry Council, the industry’s top lobbying group. The firm also advised individual companies, makers of flame retardants, compounds that are called “chemicals of concern,” and pesticides.
In some cases, his firm provided results that suggested the health risk of a certain chemical or product was less than the assessment by the E.P.A. and other researchers.
PPG Industries, for example, a paint and coatings manufacturer, uses a chemical called 1,4-dioxane, which the E.P.A. designated “a likely carcinogen,” in its products. The substance is also created incidentally in some shampoos, cosmetics and personal care products through chemical reactions.
PPG hired Mr. Dourson’s group, which proposed establishing a safe level for 1,4-dioxane that would allow 1,000 times more risk than the E.P.A’s recommended level.
Other clients have included Albemarle, which makes flame retardants; Dow AgroSciences, which makes the pesticide chlorpyrifos; Waste Management; and Monsanto. He has also helped DuPont defend a chemical called PFOA, used to make nonstick substances, from states, including West Virginia, that sued the company to cleanup contaminated water.
Each of the four chemicals has been associated with potentially severe health effects, like cancer, birth defects and developmental problems in children. Mr. Dourson’s studies frequently concluded that the risk associated with these substances is much lower or more dubious than what E.P.A. scientists and independent researchers have found.
The most striking discrepancy between findings by the agency and his firm is likely Mr. Dourson’s research funded by Dow AgroSciences on the pesticide chlorpyrifos, in which the authors recommended a safe level that was actually 33 times higher than the agency’s standard, according to an analysis by Richard Denison, lead senior scientist at the Environmental Defense Fund.
The agency subsequently lowered its standard even more, to a level nearly 6,000 times less than Mr. Dourson’s, according to Mr. Denison’s analysis. E.P.A. scientists then recommended that the product be banned for commercial use as a pesticide.
But E.P.A. Administrator Scott Pruitt overruled a staff recommendation for a ban, after objections were raised by Dow and other industry players.
More recently, Mr. Dourson published a report titled “A case study of potential human health impacts from petroleum coke transfer facilities,” that was funded by Koch Industries, which has a subsidiary that handles petroleum coke and coal. The report concluded that human exposures, if any, “are well below levels that could be anticipated to produce adverse health effects in the general population.”
Adam Finkel, director of the Penn Program on Regulation at the University of Pennsylvania Law School, who worked as a partner on a project with Mr. Dourson, said he observed a disturbing pattern.
“Most of what he has done over time is to rush headlong to exonerate chemicals,” Mr. Finkel said, adding that he stopped working with Mr. Dourson based on these concerns.
“Pretty much every piece of work he’s ever done, it just so happens that when they are finished with it, the risk is smaller than when they started, the doubt is larger, the concern is less.”
But Oliver Kroner, now a Cincinnati city environmental official, praised Mr. Dourson, with whom he worked at TERA for nearly ten years.
“I think Mike is widely misunderstood,” Mr. Kroner said. “Here in chemical regulation, we’re faced with a decision of whether we accept all the health science available to us, or if we exclude some science depending on the source.”
“Mike has worked hard to help strengthen the regulatory environment by improving the science coming out of industry and bringing a collaborative peer review approach to help assess the quality of industry-derived science,” Mr. Kroner said.
Three other E.P.A. nominees will be vetted at the confirmation hearing on Wednesday, one of whom also has spent much of his career defending businesses against the E.P.A.: William L. Wehrum, named to head the agency’s Office of Air and Radiation.
Mr. Wehrum, who was acting assistant administrator for air and radiation from 2005 to 2007, is now a partner in Hunton & Williams, which has a large energy and environmental law practice.
In the past few years, Mr. Wehrum has represented the Rubber Manufacturers Association, the American Petroleum Institute, the American Forest & Paper Association, and electric utilities, among others, against the E.P.A, legal records show. Mr. Wehrum did not return messages seeking comment.
Liz Bowman, an E.P.A. spokeswoman, pointed to Mr. Wehrum’s decades of working for the government and private sector as evidence of his qualifications for the new job.
“Mr. Wehrum’s career includes over 31 years working in the environmental field through engineering, legal practice, and administrative duties,” said Ms. Bowman, who used to work for the American Chemistry Council, in a statement. “This addresses that criticism directly.”
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/19/science/epa-chemical-industry-dourson.html
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(ACC Mentioned) in Advocating Material Reuse, WWF and Partners Hope to Create 'Cascading Value'
Sep 19, 2017 | Waste Dive
By Cody Boteler
Since its launch in June, the Cascading Materials Vision (CMV) from the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) has partnered with a variety of stakeholders — including The Recycling Partnership, the Ocean Conservancy, the American Chemistry Council, Target and McDonald's — to find opportunity and economic value in expanding the availability and use of secondary material.
The World Wildlife Fund leveraged the 2017 Verge Conference to share its vision of using fewer raw materials — and getting value out of what has already been produced and slated to be thrown away. In two sessions, one open and one closed, the WWF and other partners introduced attendees to the idea of "cascading value" and talked about the "need to think differently," according to Erin Simon, director of Sustainability R&D at WWF. In an invite-only session, WWF spoke with stakeholders who are already involved in waste reduction and material reuse to develop ideas and share strategies.
In a conversation with Waste Dive, Simon and Jason Hale, vice president of communications at The Recycling Partnership, covered everything from the origins of the CMV to how China’s ban on imported scrap material could affect the U.S. recycling industry.What the Cascading Materials Vision is doing
Simon said the WWF had been looking for a way to get involved with the dialogue surrounding waste, recycling and material reuse, however the WWF staff didn't necessarily have subject-matter expertise to tackle the problems and come up with solutions on their own.
"The sweet spot for the way we engage is to help companies tackle really complicated problems and bring a number of stakeholders to the table," Simon said. WWF and the CMV can act as a network for industry players to collaborate on material reuse.
One of the biggest reasons that the CMV is coming together now, Simon said, was a change in scientific understanding and consensus on waste management policies. Insufficient landfill and waste management inland can create marine pollution — it's not all plastic bottles from beach towns.
Hale added that, for himself and The Recycling Partnership, partnering with WWF and other groups would allow the group to create a "greater impact, faster," because it would reach a broad range of big stakeholders.
Beyond the project planning importance of the CMV, Simon and Hale both saw economic and environmental opportunities. Sending less material to landfills would allow companies to spend less money on mass production, and it would allow recyclers to draw more value from material before it's disposed. Using fewer materials and extracting fewer resources from the planet also means lowered greenhouse gas emissions. Recycling material, Simon said, can go hand in hand with creating economic value.
"If we could carefully manage those resources that today we’re so carelessly throwing away, and recoup some of that value, we would also have some benefit to our planet," Simon said.
Signatories to the vision agree to 10 guiding principles, including maximizing benefit, sharing value and making decisions that are informed by science.Measuring success
While the CMV has some clear goals — seeing greenhouse gas emissions decrease, reducing the amount of waste reaching the ocean and recouping value from secondary materials, to name a few — Simon said the ways to measure success haven’t been totally cemented yet.
"I think we're kind of early on to say exactly what we are going to use as our metrics," Simon said. "This isn't a standard, or a certification, so we haven't really drawn a line in the sand." Instead, she added, they’d be looking for a “diverse” set of solutions.
Hale said that his "top solution" would be to stop waste from happening in the first place. One way that the CMV is doing that, he said, is giving mayors and other local government leaders "something to latch on to."
"A lot of mayors feel like, 'Oh, recycling is done,'" and they can focus on other projects, Hale said. "Point of fact is that it's not." He added that cities can still extract a lot of opportunity from investing in recycling, and that the CMV, which is encouraging materials reuse and waste reduction, could bring big players together and bring recycling back to the front of public dialogue.
"But people want it," Hale said. "People need hope, people need and outlet, people want to recycle." What cascading materials could mean in the face of China's import ban
Simon and Hale both described themselves as the "glass half full" type of people, and applied that optimism to China's looming ban on importing some scrap material. While The Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA) said in a letter to the World Trade Organization (WTO) that a Chinese import ban could "greatly diminish public confidence, participation and support of local recycling programs," the CMV espouses an alternative view.
Simon said that the ban will be "very challenging in the near term," especially because of the large volume of scrap material that the U.S. sells to China. But, she added, having access to recyclable or recycled materials in the U.S. can be an opportunity for companies here. Hale agreed.
"While it will have an impact, recycling is an international industry, it's not just a U.S. and China industry," Hale said. "It is an opportunity, domestically, to shore up the domestic markets."
He added that the CMV partnership itself could do a lot to shore up against the disruption of a Chinese import ban. He said that the companies — which include McDonald's, Coca-Cola, DuPont, Keurig Green Mountain, Nestle and McCormick — have a lot of "market pull" and can lead the way in terms of problem solving.Opportunities
With more than a dozen big organizations joining together to commit to using fewer virgin material and working to enhance access to recycled or secondary material, there is, as Hale said, a mountain of opportunity. According to Hale, there are 22 million metric tons of recyclable material in the U.S. that aren't diverted because of a lack of access to recycling programs.
There is no shortage of opportunity, then, for recycling haulers to find new markets — or for recyclers to construct or expand MRFs in areas that don't currently have a full recycling service. While China is by far the world's largest purchaser of imported recycled scrap, there are other markets — Hong Kong, for example, imported nearly 3 million metric tons of plastic in 2015.
In addition to being a boon for recyclers and recycling haulers, encouraging material reuse would divert material from landfills, saving valuable airspace. Value can be extracted from material as it is used, and reused, instead of tossed aside in a scrap heap or incinerated.
While the goal is certainly noble, it is too early to see if the CMV's vision is feasible, especially since specific metrics haven’t been determined — and because nobody is quite sure about what the Chinese import ban will do to the global recycling trade. While the conversations around and the ideas drawn from the partnerships that make up the CMV will be important, they won't amount to anything at all if there aren't measurable impacts on diversion and recycling rates, which will require work with producers, policymakers and consumers.
http://www.wastedive.com/news/in-advocating-material-reuse-wwf-and-partners-hope-to-create-cascading-va/505223/
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(ACC Mentioned) OSHA, American Chemistry Council Sign Alliance on Hazardous Chemicals
Sep 19, 2017 | Connecticut Business & Industry Association
OSHA and the American Chemistry Council have established a two-year alliance to raise awareness of how workers are exposed to hazardous chemicals known as diisocyantes and promote safe practices for their use in the polyurethane industry.
Isocyanates are raw materials used to make polyurethane products, such as insulation, car seats, foam mattresses, shoes, and adhesives.
Exposure to isocyanates can cause irritation of the skin and mucous membranes, chest tightness, and difficulty breathing. More serious health effects include asthma and other lung problems.
The alliance calls for the creation of a web-based training program on the safe use of chemicals and the potential routes of exposure to users. It will also develop guidance on medical surveillance and clinical evaluation techniques for employers and workers using the chemicals.
The agreement also calls for best practices seminars on health and safety procedures for OSHA staff.
“OSHA’s new alliance with ACC will help ensure that employers and employees who work with the identified chemicals better understand the health hazards associated with these potentially hazardous chemicals and the methods to control employee exposures,” says Deputy Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health Loren Sweatt.
The ACC comprises the Center for the Polyurethanes Industry and the Diisocyanates and Aliphatic Diisocyanates panels. Members of these groups include manufacturers and distributors of chemicals and equipment used to make polyurethane. CPI serves as the voice of the polyurethanes industry, covering more than 220,000 workers nationwide.Alliance Program
Through its Alliance Program, OSHA works with unions, consulates, trade and professional organizations, faith- and community-based organizations, businesses, and educational institutions to prevent workplace fatalities, injuries, and illnesses.
The purpose of each alliance is to develop compliance assistance tools and resources and to educate workers and employers about their rights and responsibilities.
https://www.cbia.com/news/hr-safety/hazardous-chemicals/
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The Ugly Truth: How Trump’s EPA Nominee Greenwashed a Carcinogen in Cosmetics
Sep 19, 2017 | Environmental Working Group
By Scott Faber
Before he became President Trump’s nominee to oversee the nation's chemical safety, Michael Dourson sought to dramatically weaken the safety standard for 1,4-dioxane, a chemical linked to cancer that is found in personal care products.
If confirmed to lead the Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention, Dourson would oversee the agency’s review of 1,4-dioxane, which is one of 10 high-priority chemicals the EPA is slated to review under a revamped version of the Toxic Substances Control Act.
Trump’s EPA has already begun to cook the books by underestimating the ways that consumers are exposed to 1,4-dioxane. If confirmed, Dourson would ensure that junk science is baked into the final results.
As the head of a science-for-hire consulting firm, Dourson authored two papers, released in 2014 and 2017, that argued 350 ppb is a safe 1,4-dioxane exposure level for people. This level is 1,000 times greater than the EPA’s increased cancer risk level of 0.35 ppb.
Dourson’s 1,4-dioxane research was funded by PPG Industries, a manufacturer of paints and coatings, whose 1,4-dioxane releases have contaminated public water supplies near its facilities.
Water supplies for more than 7 million Americans in 27 states are contaminated with 1,4-dioxane at levels higher than what federal scientists say pose a minimal lifetime risk of cancer, EWG found.
But, a separate EWG analysis also found that thousands of shampoos, soaps, lotions, sunscreens, toothpastes and cosmetics may also include the possible carcinogen.
More than 8,000 personal care products in EWG’s Skin Deep® cosmetics database include ingredients produced through ethoxylation, including polyethylene, polyethylene glycol, or PEG, and ceteareth. Although 1,4-dioxane is not intentionally added to personal care products, ethoxylated chemicals can contaminate personal care products with trace amounts of 1,4-dioxane.
Some companies voluntarily remove or reduce 1,4-dioxane from these products, but there are no rules that require them to do so. Many of the products in Skin Deep that contain ethoxylated chemicals – and thus may contain 1,4-dioxane – are marketed to children.
Dourson's advocacy for a lax 1,4-dioxane standard is typical of his career.
On behalf of the chemical industry, Dourson has repeatedly sought to weaken safety standards for PFOA, a carcinogen formerly used to make Teflon, and perchlorate, a jet fuel chemical that hinders the development of babies’ brains. He's also worked to greenwash chlorpyrifos and other herbicides linked to cancer and brain damage; the food chemical diacetyl, which gives workers “popcorn lung”; and TCE, the cancer-causing chemical made infamous by the book and movie “A Civil Action.” Other polluters that have paid for Dourson’s services include Monsanto, Dow and the Koch brothers.
This week, a key Senate committee will hold a hearing on Dourson’s nomination. His record on 1,4-dioxane and many other chemicals shows he’s the wrong person for the job.
http://www.ewg.org/planet-trump/2017/09/ugly-truth-how-trump-s-epa-nominee-greenwashed-carcinogen-cosmetics#.WcFE1rIjHIU
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Shellfish Are Coming With a Side of Plastic
Sep 19, 2017 | E&E Greenwire
People who slurp down oysters and clams are eating plastic, too, according to shellfish biologist Sarah Dudas.
Dudas set out to study whether the shellfish aquaculture industry is contaminating its own product by using plastics in buoys, ropes and nets.
Dudas and her students at Vancouver Island University put thousands of clams and oysters along British Columbia's coast. After three months, they dissolved hundreds of them with chemicals and looked at the remaining product. They found plastic particles.
Improved washing machine filters could help limit the amount of plastic particles in the ocean. A synthetic jacket releases 1.7 grams of microfibers in every load of laundry, according to the outdoor gear manufacturer Patagonia Inc.
"I wouldn't be overly concerned about eating shellfish specifically," Dudas said. "Microplastics are everywhere" (Ken Christensen, NPR, Sept. 19). — CS
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Danish Test Finds Phthalates and BPA in Pizza Boxes
Sep 19, 2017 | Chemical Watch
A new approach, developed in Denmark to detect harmful chemicals in food contact materials (FCMs) made from paper and board, has found two phthalates and bisphenol A (BPA) in pizza boxes.
The National Food Institute at the Technical University of Denmark performed tests on a sandwich wrapper extract, which revealed antiandrogenic activity caused by the presence of abietic and dehydroabietic acids – chemicals that can affect the development of male foetuses.
The institute says it turned traditional testing methods "upside down", by using a number of selected cell-based methods to identify harmful impacts, such as carcinogenic effects and hormonal activity.
Only then it used "sophisticated" analytical methods to identify specific chemicals causing these. "We look for chemicals that we weren’t necessarily aware of, or whose harmful effects were unknown," says the institute's Professor Anne Marie Vinggaard.
The new method was tested on 20 different types of packaging, including microwave popcorn bags, baking paper and pizza boxes. An in-depth analysis of a pizza box made from recycled paper revealed "significant oestrogenic activity" from two phthalates and BPA, the institute says.
The so-called effect-directed approach differs from traditional FCM testing methods in that it may detect chemicals that are unintentionally present in the packaging – for example, in recycled paper. Traditional methods only look for chemicals that are suspected of being present in the packaging material.
The abietic and dehydroabietic acids, found in the sandwich wrapper, can occur naturally in resin and paper, but may also be added during production in order to make the packaging more waterproof.
Analyses have confirmed that all these chemicals are able to migrate into foods, the institute adds.
There is no specific European Union regulation for paper and board food packaging. But, last year, MEPs backed an environment committee (Envi) report calling for a ban on the use of BPA in all food contact materials.
Meanwhile, the European Commission has launched a consultation on a draft amending Regulation that proposes a ban on BPA migration from varnishes or coatings, applied to materials and articles intended to come into contact with food consumed by infants.
https://chemicalwatch.com/59005/danish-test-finds-phthalates-and-bpa-in-pizza-boxes
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EU Consults on Nanomaterial Definition
Sep 19, 2017 | Chemical Watch
The European Commission has opened its long awaited consultation on the revision of its Recommendation on the definition of nanomaterials. Agreed in 2011, this defined them as substances with 50% of particles or more between 1nm-100nm.
The original revision deadline of December 2014 was pushed back while the Commission waited for a third and final report from the Joint Research Centre. This was published in July 2015 and included technical and scientific recommendations that should be taken into account for the review.
The delay has caused frustration among many stakeholders. At the last Competent Authorities Sub-Group on Nanomaterials (CASG-Nano) meeting on 14-15 March this year, NGOs, member states and Echa expressed "disappointment" with the lack of clarity surrounding the definition, Tatiana Santos from NGO the European Environmental Bureau said.
At the meeting, Commission officials said a public consultation on the review of the definition would be launched "within a month".
In its recently released roadmap on the revision, the Commission says it aims to address issues, including:
· the "uptake" of the Recommendation into EU regulations, such as that for biocidal products, has started but "it has not been as comprehensive as anticipated". This is due to delays in the processes planned for inclusion in the definition;
· there are difficulties in directly applying it in legislation. For example, it includes a threshold that has a default value but is not fully defined in advance and might require an additional process to determine its value. This could lead to inconsistencies between regulations;
· use of some terms and how the criteria are applied need to be clarified; and
· there is no single universally applicable measurement method, and no "easy" implementation routes are provided, to quickly determine when a material is a nanomaterial.
The deadline for comments is 13 October.
Following this consultation, the draft changes to the Recommendation will be subject to another public consultation lasting 12 weeks - during which major relevant stakeholder groups, including CASG-Nano members, will take part.Disseminating information
In March 2016, the Commission announced that it would be establishing a public website listing existing information on nanomaterials rather than an EU register. The EU observatory for nanomaterials (EUON) was eventually launched in June this year.
A month earlier, Echa published nanomaterials guidance in the form of two documents, and updates to three existing documents. The guidance aims to help companies dealing with the substances to comply with EU chemicals legislation.
https://chemicalwatch.com/59016/eu-consults-on-nanomaterial-definition
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Senate Panel Approves Trump Energy Nominees
Sep 19, 2017 | The Hill - E2 Blog
By Timothy Cama
The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee voted Tuesday to approve five of President Trump’s nominees for energy positions in the federal government.
Senators voted easily to approve Kevin McIntyre and Richard Glick to be Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) members, Ryan Nelson to be the Interior Department’s solicitor, Joseph Balash to be Interior’s assistant secretary for land and mineral management and David Jonas to be general counsel at the Energy Department.
The votes from the committee, led by Chairwoman Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), send all of the nominees to the full Senate for a confirmation vote, which has not yet been scheduled.
Trump plans to name McIntyre as FERC’s chairman if he is confirmed. With him and Glick, the commission would have its full five-member roster.
Interior and Energy currently have only two Senate-confirmed officials, making it difficult for the Trump administration to move on some of its major policy priorities at those departments.
McIntyre, Glick, Nelson and Balash were approved by a voice vote, with only Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) voting against Balash.
Jonas’s nomination was approved by a vote of 14 to 9, mostly along party lines.
Jonas received significant pushback from Democrats, due largely to a 1993 op-ed piece he co-wrote warning that allowing gay people in the military could lead to “blanket parties” and “discipline problems,” and arguing that women should not serve in military combat roles.
At his confirmation hearing in July, he said that his thinking has evolved on those matters.
http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/351316-senate-panel-approves-trump-energy-nominees
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Critics Say Corporate Relationships May Be Distorting Market Needs
Sep 19, 2017 | E&E Energywire
By Jenny Mandel
Natural gas pipeline permitting should be completely overhauled to more critically assess shippers' claims around the market need for their pipelines, industry critics charge in a new report out today.
In the report, the groups Oil Change International, Public Citizen and the Sierra Club argue that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and state-level public service commissions are being misled by pipeline developers that profess a need for natural gas transmission that in many cases does not exist.
The authors point to corporate affiliations between pipeline companies and end users like utility holding companies as a key problem for several major pipeline projects currently in development. As a case study, they point to the proposed Mountain Valley pipeline, which is organized as a joint venture co-owned of EQT Midstream Partners LP, NextEra US Gas Assets LLC, Con Edison Transmission Inc. and two other midstream firms, with EQT — a natural gas processor with major interests in the Marcellus and Utica shale formations — as the operator.
The Mountain Valley pipeline's capacity is 100 percent subscribed by corporate cousins of the pipeline owners, a situation that the authors say puts it at risk for misleading assertions about demand for shipping capacity on the pipeline as the companies make their case to FERC for project approval.
As a result, the authors say, "The New York utility arm of Con Edison (Con Ed) could end up hitching its customers to over $60 million per year in largely excess costs, while its transmission affiliate recoups profit as part owner of the pipeline."
The Mountain Valley pipeline is currently under environmental review before FERC. But it is also at the center of an ambitious lawsuit that challenges FERC's granting of eminent domain power to pipeline companies for the benefit of private interests, in a manner that landowners say trample their constitutional property rights (Energywire, Sept. 13).
The report also flags as vulnerable the Atlantic Coast pipeline proposed by Dominion Energy Inc., Duke Energy Corp., Piedmont Natural Gas Co. and Southern Co.; the PennEast pipeline being developed by New Jersey Resources Corp.; and the Nexus pipeline, a joint project of DTE Energy Co. and Enbridge Inc.
The critique also homes in on the 14 percent return on equity that FERC authorizes for new pipeline projects as a particular weakness. That rate, which the authors note was established 20 years ago, is out of step with today's low interest rates and incentivizes building new projects when they may not be needed, the report argues.
Finally, the authors take issue with regulators' failure to consider a bigger perspective on energy development as they weigh approvals for assets that could be in operation for 40 years or more.
"If power demand continues to flatten and decrease, and if necessary regulatory and legislative action to curb climate change is implemented, the pipelines being proposed now to facilitate production growth in the Appalachian Basin could be significantly underutilized," they wrote.
The authors take issue with FERC's resistance to considering alternatives to gas transmission in the portion of environmental reviews where such considerations are required.
For the PennEast project, that section read in part, "Because the purpose of the project is to transport natural gas, and the generation of electricity from renewable energy sources or the gains realized from increased energy efficiency and conservation are not transportation alternatives, they are not considered or evaluated further in this analysis."
That failure to consider alternatives to natural gas pipelines exposes the regulatory process to risk that pipelines will amount to white elephant projects as the energy economy moves in other directions, the authors say.
The report warns that the combination of pipelines that may not truly be needed now but are being justified based on cozy corporate structures and overly generous guaranteed returns, layered with changing technologies and climate imperatives to move away from fossil fuel, could leave utility ratepayers saddled with long-term payments to support infrastructure that is barely used.
That argument largely aligns with environmentalists' proposal of a "carbon bubble" that overvalues fossil-fuel-based energy companies, based on the idea that many oil and gas resources cannot and ultimately will not be developed, as the world eventually conforms to greenhouse gas emissions limits to address climate change (Greenwire, Oct. 28, 2016).
Natural gas industry advocates, in contrast, describe the fuel as a cleaner alternative to coal for baseload electric power and a source of energy that is forecast by many analysts to see major demand growth both in the U.S. and around the world.
Cathy Landry, a spokeswoman for the Interstate Natural Gas Association of America, described the new report as an attack on the pipeline industry by some of its longtime opponents. "There is strong domestic demand for natural gas. We've seen increased natural gas demand from the electric utility sector, from the industrial sector, and even from the gas utility sector. To suggest that pipelines are being proposed and built without demonstrable market support is preposterous," she said.
A new analysis of world energy markets to 2040 by the U.S. Energy Information Administration envisions natural gas growth outpacing that of other fossil fuels over the coming decades and total utilization of natural gas far outstripping that of renewables by 2040 (Energywire, Sept. 15).A permitting hiatus
To address the pipeline permitting problems identified in their assessment, the report authors call for FERC to cease all permitting of interstate natural gas pipelines while it initiates a review of long-term market demand for gas and of its rates of return on equity for pipeline projects.
They call on state regulators to step in as formal intervenors in all FERC pipeline dockets to represent ratepayers whose payments could go up with new pipeline development and to review potentially cozy contracts between developers and any off-takers with which they may be affiliated.
In fact, FERC is moving in the opposite direction as the confirmation of two new commissioners has returned the agency to a quorum that will allow it to resume consideration of major actions after a hiatus that began in February. The commission's first public meeting in months will take place tomorrow.
One of the body's first major actions after it resumed work was approval of the Nexus pipeline last month (Greenwire, Aug. 28).
The groups' call for state regulators to hold a hard line against pipeline development also runs up against the strong economic development that states like Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia have seen from new natural gas production, and expectations that local economies will continue to boom for as long as gas production and pipelines bring in tax revenues and jobs.
https://www.eenews.net/energywire/2017/09/19/stories/1060061033
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BP Starts Delivering Natural Gas to Buyers in Mexico
Sep 19, 2017 | Fuel Fix
By Colin Eaton
BP has begun piping natural gas to buyers across eight states in Mexico as the country continues to open its energy sector to foreign investors, the company said Tuesday.
The British oil giant said it's delivering gas to industrial companies, distributors and power producers purchasing a combined 200 million British thermal units per day of natural gas.
BP had secured rights to pipe gas to the country in an auction earlier this year. It also plans to open some 1,500 gasoline stations in Mexico during the next half-decade; it had opened its first stations in March.
http://www.chron.com/business/energy/article/BP-starts-delivering-natural-gas-to-buyers-in-12208861.php
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USCG, EPA Tackle Oil and Chemical Spills From Hurricane Harvey
Sep 19, 2017 | American Shipper
By Elizabeth Landrum
Three weeks after Hurricane Harvey hit the Gulf coast, the U.S. Coast Guard and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have estimated that more than 22,000 barrels of oil, refined fuels and chemicals have spilled at sites across Texas, according to U.S. Coast Guard reports reviewed by Reuters.
The Coast Guard told American Shipper in a statement that the reports are currently being validated and verified.
While the Texas spills are less than the 190,000 barrels spilled in Louisiana after Hurricane Katrina in 2005, they still “rank among the worst environmental mishaps in the country in years,” said Reuters.
Of the 22,000 barrels spilled, crude oil, gasoline, diesel, drilling wastewater, and petrochemicals from refineries, storage terminals and other facilities make up much of the spillage.
According to Reuters, 10,988 barrels of unleaded gasoline spilled from Magellan Midstream Partners’ storage facility in Galena Park, Texas. The company expects clean-up operations to be completed within a few weeks, stating that spills into the Houston Ship Channel had already been cleaned up.
It has also reported that 365 tons of toxic chemicals like sulfur dioxide, ammonia, toluene, benzene, and carbon monoxide escaped from facilities during the storm, along with 27 million cubic feet of natural gas, 1,000 tons of asphalt, and “unknown quantities of other substances from more than 200 other incidents” also escaped. Furthermore, the spill estimates are not yet complete.
According to Reuters, Valero Energy Corp told the EPA that its chemical emissions from a tank collapse in Houston are underestimated. “We have been diligent in responsibly addressing the tank release and taking steps to minimize any potential impacts,” the company stated. Air monitoring systems that showed elevated benzene and other emissions likely included sources other than its own plant, said Valero.http://www.americanshipper.com/main/news/uscg-epa-tackle-oil-and-chemical-spills-from-hurri-69060.aspx?source=Little4
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(ACC Mentioned) Judith Enck: Climate Change And Hurricanes
Sep 19, 2017 | WAMC
By Judith Enck
There were just a few days between the time when Hurricane Harvey caused historic flooding in Texas and Louisiana and when Hurricane Irma slammed into the Carribbean, Florida and Georgia.
We all prayed that that the hurricanes would not kill, injure or cause massive suffering. These hurricanes did all of that, and caused billions of dollars in damage.
During that tiny gap between hurricanes, President Trump nominated William Wehrum as EPA’s Assistant Administrator for Air and Radiation. In Washington-speak, if Mr. Wehrum is confirmed by the U.S. Senate, he will be the most important federal government staff on climate change.
Mr. Wehrum is a lawyer for the energy industry. His firm represents the American Petroleum Institute and American Chemical Council – the top trade associations that oppose clean air and sensible climate change policies. His policies are so bad that when nominated by George W. Bush for the same position, he was blocked in the Senate.
If confirmed, Mr. Wehrum will be working at an EPA that in a few months has rolled back the nation’s most important climate change rules and policies that took many years to enact.
His new boss, President Trump, claims that climate change is a hoax perpetrated by the Chinese government.
He will be working for a president who pulled the U.S. out of the Paris Climate Change accord, bringing a marching band to the White House to trumpet this horrible announcement.
In other words, he will fit right in.
These poorly informed climate change positions will cost American lives.
Our planet is warming.
Climate change does not cause hurricanes. But, it makes them much worse in three major ways:
1. Warmer water temperature is like rocket fuel, making storms much more intense.
2. Warmer weather heats the water, causing more evaporation, which increases moisture in the atmosphere. This means more rain.
3. Melting glaciers raise sea level, making storm surges bigger and making coastal communities flood more.
A recent article in “Popular Science” put it best: “Climate change may have been the difference between being hit by a tricycle and being hit by a truck.”
There is a lot that the private sector, individuals, and local governments can do.
But we have to be bold and move fast.
I applaud New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman and Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healy for investigating Exxon Mobil’s role on climate change.
Communities are committing to 100 percent renewable energy.
A growing list of governments and institutions have divested from fossil fuel investments.
This all helps, but having the federal government actively promote the extraction and burning of oil, coal and gas will do permanent damage to our world.
If the destruction from Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Irma does not convince the Trump administration to change course, I fear that nothing will.
http://wamc.org/post/judith-enck-climate-change-and-hurricanes
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EPA Chief: President 'Has Been Steadfast' on Paris Agreement
Sep 19, 2017 | The Hill - E2 Blog
By Max Greenwood
Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt said Tuesday that President Trump has been "steadfast" in his decision to pull out of the Paris climate agreement, arguing that the deal is ultimately unfair to the U.S.
"The president has been steadfast, and I'd say the courage it took to stand in the Rose Garden in June and say to the world that he was going to put America's interest first and not be apologetic to the rest of the world," Pruitt said on "Fox & Friends."
Pruitt's comments came after The Wall Street Journal reported over the weekend that the Trump administration was reversing its stance on the 195-nation climate accord.
The White House immediately pushed back on that report, saying the president remained firm on his decision to withdraw from the compact.
Trump announced in June that he would withdraw the U.S. from the agreement, which he derided as unfair to the U.S. He said that he would reconsider the withdrawal if he is able to renegotiate for more favorable terms for the U.S.
Pruitt railed against the Paris agreement on Tuesday, saying that it imposed heavy burdens on the U.S. while largely letting countries like China and India — two of the world's biggest polluters — off the hook.
We are already reducing our CO2 by substantial percentages through innovation and technology," Pruitt said. "India — no obligations until they've received over $2.5 trillion in money. China — no obligations until the year 2030."
http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/351313-epa-chief-president-has-been-steadfast-on-paris-agreement
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EPA Chief: We Know Humans Contribute to Climate Changing 'in Some Way'
Sep 19, 2017 | The Hill - E2 Blog
By Rebecca Savransky
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Scott Pruitt on Tuesday said humans contribute to the changing climate "in some way."
"We know the climate's always changing. We know that humans contribute to it in some way," he said on Fox News.
"To what degree, to measure that with precision is very difficult, but we don't know is, are we in a situation where it's an existential threat."
Pruitt also called for a debate on the issue.
"Bring scientists in, red team scientists, blue team scientists, have a discussion about the importance of this issue," he said.
"The American people deserve that type of objective, transparent discussion."
His comments come after Florida and Texas were recently hit with significant hurricanes. Recovery efforts in both of those states are ongoing.
Pruitt last week traveled to Houston to see Harvey cleanup efforts and survey work by environmental officials.
He said at the time that it was "insensitive" to discuss the role of climate change in the storm during recovery efforts.
The EPA chief and his staff have faced some criticism since Harvey hit late last month.
The agency was criticized for not immediately inspecting Superfund sites after Harvey hit. Officials also rolled back a chemical plant safety rule earlier this year designed to mitigate incidents like the plant explosion near Houston.
http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/351296-pruitt-we-know-humans-contribute-to-climate-changing-in-some-way
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Sierra Club Sues Agency Over Records Requests
Sep 19, 2017 | E&E Greenwire
The Sierra Club sued U.S. EPA yesterday, accusing the agency of ignoring information and records requests under the Freedom of Information Act.
The suit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. It requests that EPA be declared in violation of FOIA and that it be forced to comply promptly with records requests.
"The resistance, the non-responsiveness and the delays that we're encountering now at EPA are beyond anything we've seen at EPA before, and they're beyond what we're seeing at other agencies," said Matthew Miller, a Sierra Club lawyer.
The lawsuit said the agency is stonewalling requests for communications between EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt and industry groups like the National Mining Association.
EPA officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment (Emily Flitter, Reuters, Sept. 18). — NB
https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2017/09/19/stories/1060061067
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