Preview Newsletter
PM ACC Clips Report - October 9, 2018
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(ACC Mentioned) By 2024 Plastic Compounding Market To Witness 6%+ CAGR ...
Oct 9, 2018 | The Camping Canuck
By Rahul Varpe
The strategic landscape of plastic compounding industry boasts of a portfolio of renowned biggies like LyondellBasell Industries, A. Schulman, BASF, Dow Chemical, and Solvay. -
TSCA Fee Schedule Set in Final Rule
Oct 9, 2018 | EHS Daily Advisor
By William C. Schillaci
The 2016 amendments to the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) require that the EPA charge fees to persons who either submit information the Agency must review or manufacture chemicals for which the Agency must conduct risk evaluations. -
California Considers Change To Calculating Prop 65 Reprotox Exposures
Oct 9, 2018 | Chemical Watch
By Kelly Franklin
California’s Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (Oehha) is proposing to make clarifying changes to how manufacturers calculate exposure to reproductive toxicants under Proposition 65. -
Lawsuit Seeks Industry-Funded Research On PFAS
Oct 9, 2018 | E&E Greenwire
By Courtney Columbus
A lawsuit filed last week in federal court in Ohio seeks to force manufacturers and distributors of a class of widely used, harmful chemicals known as PFAS to pay for independent scientific research. -
NGO Fragrance Report Presses For Mandatory US Ingredient Disclosure
Oct 9, 2018 | Chemical Watch
By Kelly Franklin
A US NGO has called for federally mandated ingredient disclosure and tighter voluntary chemicals management policies on fragrances in personal care and cleaning products, after identifying several ingredients it says pose a risk to human health. -
FDA Bans 7 Synthetic Food Flavorings
Oct 9, 2018 | Chemical & Engineering News
By Britt E. Erickson
The U.S. Food & Drug Administration has banned the use of six synthetic flavorings in candy, cookies, ice cream, and all other foods and beverages because the chemicals have been shown to cause cancer in laboratory animals. -
NGOs Bemoan EU’s ‘Sluggish’ 7EAP Progress
Oct 9, 2018 | Chemical Watch
By Clelia Oziel
NGOs and consumer groups have criticised the European Commission’s "unsatisfactory" progress in implementing chemicals policies under the 7th Environmental Action Programme. -
Canada Confirms Conclusion On Acrylates and Methacrylates
Oct 9, 2018 | Chemica Watch
By Andrew Turley
The Canadian government has confirmed the safety of six monomer substances, used to make polymers for a range of consumer and industrial products. -
(ACC Mentioned) Energy Efficiency Groups Announce Support For CHP Support Act
Oct 9, 2018 | Daily Energy Insider
By Kevin Randolph
Several energy efficiency groups recently announced their support for a bill, H.R. 6949, that encourages the use of combined heat and power (CHP) and waste heat and power (WHP) systems. -
China Cuts US Gas Imports In Trade Fight
Oct 9, 2018 | The Hill E2 Wire
By Chris Mills Rodrigo
China has dramatically cut its liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) imports from the United States amid the countries' escalating trade dispute, traders and analysts told Reuters Tuesday. -
Trump Admin Shrugs Off Warnings In U.N. Climate Report
Oct 9, 2018 | E&E Greenwire
By Hannah Northey
The White House responded to a dire climate report released this weekend with an oft-repeated talking point: The nation's emissions have dropped since 2005. -
Exxon Contributes $1 Million To Carbon Tax Campaign
Oct 9, 2018 | The Hill E2 Wire
By Timothy Cama
Exxon Mobil Corp. is making a $1 million contribution to an advocacy effort calling for a tax on carbon dioxide emissions. -
Supreme Court Won't Revive Obama's HFC Phaseout
Oct 9, 2018 | E&E Greenwire
By Ellen M. Gilmer
Environmentalists and business interests had hoped the justices would accept a case involving a 2015 EPA rule aimed at phasing out the use of powerful greenhouse gases known as hydrofluorocarbons. -
Supreme Court Won’t Save Obama-Era HFC Rule
Oct 9, 2018 | PoliticoPro
By Alex Guillen
The Supreme Court said today that it will not take up an appeal brought by manufacturers and environmentalists seeking to save an Obama-era rule targeting hydrofluorocarbons, a potent greenhouse gas. -
U.S. Top Court Rebuffs Appeal of Kavanaugh Ruling Nixing Climate Rule
Oct 9, 2018 | Reuters
By Lawrence Hurley
he U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday turned aside appeals of a 2017 lower court ruling by its newest justice, Brett Kavanaugh, that struck down an environmental rule imposed under former President Barack Obama regulating a potent greenhouse gas linked to climate change.
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(ACC Mentioned) By 2024 Plastic Compounding Market To Witness 6%+ CAGR ...
Oct 9, 2018 | The Camping Canuck
By Rahul Varpe
The strategic landscape of plastic compounding industry boasts of a portfolio of renowned biggies like LyondellBasell Industries, A. Schulman, BASF, Dow Chemical, and Solvay. Amidst the backdrop of sheer competition, production capacity expansion has emerged as a most adopted strategy determining the sustainability quotient for the industry participants.
The aforementioned plastic compounding market giants have been increasingly investing in research activities to enhance their production capacity. Say for instance, A. Schulman, in the year before last, made it to the headlines with the launch of its new Kerpen plant situated in Germany. Reportedly, in addition to introducing two new production lines, the U.S. based company had integrated a fully automatic packaging line in the plant.
As recent as in June 2017, BASF, one of the acclaimed player in plastic compounding market has expanded its Schwarzheide site plant capacity to 70000 tons. With leading giants paving the way for more investments in plastic compounding industry, the competitive landscape of this fraternity is undoubtedly going to be one of the most dynamic platforms in the ensuing years.
The latest scoop that is grabbing the headlines in plastic compounding market is the acquisition plan of Omni Plastics LLC by Celanese Corporations, a deal that is reported to include Omni’s subsidiaries which comprises Mexican distributor, Resinal de Mexico. Somewhat toward the end of last year, the Dallas-based company has put forth its proposition of purchasing Omni’s engineered materials business, in a bid to stronghold its position in plastic compounding industry.
The burgeoning automotive domain, as it is observed lately, has been making constant efforts to reduce the vehicle weight by replacing metal components with plastic parts. According to the latest report brought forth by Economics & Statistics Department of American Chemistry Council- in the year 2016, approximately over 14 million lightweight vehicles of U.S. and Canada required more than 4.9 billion pounds of polymer composites and plastics worth of USD 5.7 billion.
It has been further reported that deployment of plastics in US and Canadian light weight vehicles increased by almost 75 million pounds in 2016. Endorsed with a plethora of benefits with regards to fuel consumption, safety, and performance, plastic consumption in automotive sector is bound to overflow in the coming timeframe, which in consequence, would proliferate plastic compounding industry size.
In tandem, governments of both developing as well as developed nations have been increasingly taking encouraging initiatives to reduce harmful vehicular emission, a factor that has further favored plastic compounding market growth from automotive applications. Perhaps marred by the fact that vehicle weight and fuel consumption are inextricably related, light weight vehicles hold a greater chance of meeting these regulations than normal vehicle.
Experts claim, every saving of 100 kg weight in vehicle can lead to a reduction of fuel consumption of almost 0.4L/100km from cars and 0.5L/ 100 km in case of light weight trucks. Being in line with the government’s regulations, car manufacturers have been striving hard to replace metal parts with plastics, which is sure to reflect in the overall plastic compounding industry size.
http://www.thecampingcanuck.com/plastic-compounding-market-5/18882/
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TSCA Fee Schedule Set in Final Rule
Oct 9, 2018 | EHS Daily Advisor
By William C. Schillaci
The 2016 amendments to the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) require that the EPA charge fees to persons who either submit information the Agency must review or manufacture chemicals for which the Agency must conduct risk evaluations. The EPA has now published a final rule that establishes fees for certain activities under TSCA Sections 4, 5, and 6.
As required by TSCA, the fees must defray approximately 25% of the costs to carry out activities the EPA conducts under these sections, as well as the cost of collecting, processing, reviewing, and providing access to and protecting from disclosure confidential business information (CBI) submitted by businesses.Focus on ManufacturersThe rule focuses on fees applicable to manufacturers; fees for processors are included to a lesser extent. Manufacturers must pay fees to the Agency under eight categories:Test order, test rules, and enforceable consent agreements, all under TSCA Section 4Notices and exemptions, both under TSCA Section 5EPA-initiated risks evaluations, manufacturer-requested risk evaluations for chemicals on the 2014 TSCA Work Plan, and manufacturer-requested risk evaluations for chemicals not on the TSCA Work Plan, all under TSCA Section 6
The Agency will collect payment from processors in limited scenarios—i.e., where a processor submits a significant new use notice (SNUN) under TSCA Section 5 or where a fee-triggering TSCA Section 4 activity is tied to a SNUN submission by a processor.Fee Ranges
The fees for persons who are not small businesses range from $4,700 for exemption requests under Section 5 to an initial fee of $2.5 million for manufacturer-requested risk evaluations of non-Work Plan chemicals. The EPA does not know precisely how much risk evaluations will cost but estimates the cost of a manufacturer-requested risk evaluation at approximately $3.88 million. Accordingly, the rule requires that the manufacturer may need to supplement its initial payment with a final payment; the two payments together must equal 100% of the full cost of the activity.
For chemicals that are on the Work Plan, the manufacturer must make an initial payment of $1.25 million plus a final payment if needed; with or without the two payments, the manufacturer must cover 50% of the full cost of the risk evaluation. If the EPA determines that the initial payment for a manufacturer-requested risk evaluation exceeds the total actual cost of the activity, the rule states that the Agency will refund the difference.
The total fee for an EPA-initiated risk evaluation is $1.35 million.
As required by TSCA Section 26(b), the rule establishes lower fees for small businesses. These range from $940 for exemption requests under Section 5 to the same fees required of non-small businesses for a manufacturer-requested risk evaluation of a non-Work Plan chemical.
The Agency provides a fees table at https://www.epa.gov/tsca-fees/tsca-administration-fees-structure#feestable.$20 Million Total
The EPA estimates the annualized fees to be collected from industry at $20 million, excluding fees collected for manufacturer-requested risk evaluations. The total annualized fee collection was calculated by multiplying the estimated number of fee-triggering events anticipated each year by the corresponding fees. The EPA estimates that Section 4 fees account for less than 1% of the total fee collection, Section 5 fees for approximately 43%, and Section 6 fees for approximately 56%.
Total annual fee collection for manufacturer-requested risk evaluations is estimated at $1.3 million for chemicals included in the TSCA Work Plan (based on two requests over a 3-year period) and approximately $3.9 million for chemicals not included in the TSCA Work Plan (based on three requests over a 3-year period), says the EPA.
The EPA’s prepublication version of its final rule setting fees for the administration of TSCA is at https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2018-09/documents/2018-09-27_prepubcopy_tsca-fees-finalrule.pdf.
https://ehsdailyadvisor.blr.com/2018/10/tsca-fee-schedule-set-in-final-rule/
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California Considers Change To Calculating Prop 65 Reprotox Exposures
Oct 9, 2018 | Chemical Watch
By Kelly Franklin
California’s Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (Oehha) is proposing to make clarifying changes to how manufacturers calculate exposure to reproductive toxicants under Proposition 65.
Under the law, businesses are required to provide a warning to consumers who may be exposed to chemicals included on the state’s list of some 900 carcinogens or reproductive toxicants above ‘safe harbour’ threshold levels.
The proposed changes address how businesses determine an anticipated exposure to a reproductive toxicant from a consumer product, which they must do to establish whether a warning is needed.
More specifically, they seek to clarify that it is the arithmetic mean of reasonably anticipated rate of intake or exposure to the chemicals for product users that must be calculated.
According to Oehha’s proposal, the existing regulation is "not clear about whether an average consumer’s intake is to be characterised by the geometric mean, the median level, some other percentile, or the arithmetic mean of consumer intakes".
The agency says making clear the appropriate approach "helps the responsible business to correctly determine the rate of intake or exposure for average users of the consumer product and properly decide whether a warning is required for a given exposure".
Oehha has also proposed making amendments to how manufacturers of food products calculate exposures to reproductive toxicants.
Comments on the planned changes will be accepted until 19 November.
https://chemicalwatch.com/70847/california-considers-change-to-calculating-prop-65-reprotox-exposures
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Lawsuit Seeks Industry-Funded Research On PFAS
Oct 9, 2018 | E&E Greenwire
By Courtney Columbus
A lawsuit filed last week in federal court in Ohio seeks to force manufacturers and distributors of a class of widely used, harmful chemicals known as PFAS to pay for independent scientific research.
The attempted class-action suit asks for all people in the United States with detectable levels of PFAS in their blood to be included.
A judge must certify class-action suits for them to move forward. The defendants in the complaint are 3M Co., DuPont Co. and Chemours Co., among others.
Testing and analysis show that "PFAS materials are clinically demonstrably present in approximately 99% of the current population of the United States," the complaint states.
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, have been used for decades in firefighting foam as well as consumer products, including nonstick cookware.
Plaintiff and Ohio resident Kevin Hardwick has more than 40 years of experience as a firefighter. While a firefighter, he used equipment and firefighting foams that contained PFAS, and now he has the substance in his blood, said the complaint filed in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio.
"There is tremendous fear, anxiety, and uncertainty across the country as to the serious public health threat posed by PFAS contamination," said Robert Bilott, a partner at Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP and an attorney for Hardwick and the proposed class, in a press release.
"This lawsuit could provide a mechanism for addressing and resolving those concerns through a truly comprehensive and independent, science-based process paid for by those that actually created the problem — and not by the American taxpayers," Bilott continued.
The suit contends that, despite knowing about the harmful effects of PFAS for decades, the defendants haven't paid for or carried out sufficient scientific research to prove there are causal links between PFAS exposure and human health effects.
As a result, Hardwick and others in the proposed class are "human guinea pigs in a decades-long experiment," the complaint says.
PFAS manufacturers and distributors watch to see what happens as a result of PFAS pollution and bioaccumulation "while arguing that Plaintiff and the other class members have no rights to stop or address these PFAS exposures until and unless they can prove, at their cost, that such exposures have caused them a serious disease or killed them outright," the lawsuit says.
Bilott has previously sued DuPont over PFOA, a type of PFAS. That case led to the creation of an independent science panel that studied PFOA pollution in West Virginia and Ohio.
The C8 Science Panel concluded there were probable links between PFOA exposure and kidney cancer, testicular cancer, pregnancy-induced hypertension, diagnosed high cholesterol, thyroid disease and ulcerative colitis.
"With multiple PFAS chemicals now contaminating the blood of people all over this country, it should be possible to build upon and expand the C8 Science Panel model to encompass a comprehensive, nationwide investigation of the impact of multiple PFAS chemicals," Bilott said in the release.
3M said in an emailed statement: "We are aware of the lawsuit, but have not yet had an opportunity to review the allegations. Nevertheless, 3M acted responsibly in connection with its manufacture and sale of PFAS and will vigorously defend its record of environmental stewardship."
DuPont similarly defended its actions, saying the allegations in the lawsuit are "without merit."
"DuPont acted responsibly based on the health and environmental information that was available to the industry and regulators about PFOA at the time of its usage. We will vigorously defend our record of safety, health and environmental stewardship," the company said.
Chemours did not immediately return a request for comment.
https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2018/10/09/stories/1060102091
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NGO Fragrance Report Presses For Mandatory US Ingredient Disclosure
Oct 9, 2018 | Chemical Watch
By Kelly Franklin
A US NGO has called for federally mandated ingredient disclosure and tighter voluntary chemicals management policies on fragrances in personal care and cleaning products, after identifying several ingredients it says pose a risk to human health.
The press for changes came in a September Breast Cancer Prevention Partners (BCPP) report, Right to know: Exposing toxic fragrance chemicals in beauty, personal care and cleaning products.
In it, the NGO used semi- and non-targeted chemical analysis methods to test 40 cleaning products and 100 personal care products from the four categories:shampoo;body lotion;products used for their scent (perfumes, body sprays, deodorants, and feminine sprays and wipes); andleave-in hair products (conditioners and treatments).
The authors were particularly interested to know if products contained substances tied to adverse health impacts, such as carcinogenicity, hormone disruption and developmental toxicity.
According to the report’s findings, the testing identified the presence of 124 chemicals it said were linked to such chronic health effects. Close to 100 of these, it said, are included on the International Fragrance Association’s (Ifra) palette of fragrance ingredients.
Some industry groups disputed these, saying that the report contains "misleading" information, however. Others disagreed with claims that the presence of certain ingredients causes negative health impacts.Policy recommendations
The report's authors said their testing methods did not allow them to quantify the concentration of each identified chemical. But they said "the likely presence of toxic chemicals in these products underscores the need for stricter regulation of the cosmetics and cleaning product industries".
Among other recommendations, the BCPP said that a comprehensive federal law requiring full disclosure of ingredients, including fragrance chemicals, was needed for personal care and cleaning products.
It has also urged formulators, manufacturers and retailers to develop and publicise chemicals management policies for identifying concerning substances in products, and removing or replacing those with safer alternatives.
Since its publication, the report has been backed by several other consumer advocacy groups which have echoed the BCPP policy recommendations. And in the US Congress, a bill has been introduced that would require cosmetics manufacturers to fully disclose all ingredients.‘Misleading information’
But the Personal Care Products Council’s chief scientist, Alexandra Kowcz, said the report contains "misleading information presented as scientific data and taken out of context".
The industry group said that it failed to account for the safe levels of use for ingredients established by regulatory authorities around the world, and "misrepresents" the properties of substances that have been safely used for years.
Steve Caldeira, president & CEO of the Household & Commercial Products Association (HCPA), said the group strongly disagrees with the BCPP’s assertion that the presence of certain ingredients causes negative health impacts.
Mr Caldeira did, however, note that the HCPA agrees there is a need for a "consistent national model for ingredient communication". The group has endorsed California’s cleaning products ingredient disclosure law as the basis for a federal policy.
https://chemicalwatch.com/70845/ngo-fragrance-report-presses-for-mandatory-us-ingredient-disclosure
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FDA Bans 7 Synthetic Food Flavorings
Oct 9, 2018 | Chemical & Engineering News
By Britt E. Erickson
Agency responds to evidence that chemicals can cause cancer in animals
The U.S. Food & Drug Administration has banned the use of six synthetic flavorings in candy, cookies, ice cream, and all other foods and beverages because the chemicals have been shown to cause cancer in laboratory animals. The affected chemicals—benzophenone, ethyl acrylate, eugenyl methyl ether, myrcene, pulegone, and pyridine—are typically listed as “artificial flavors” on food labels, so consumers have no way of knowing which products contain them.
FDA has also banned the use of styrene as a synthetic flavoring agent in food. The agency says that it did not make the decision because styrene is a carcinogen, but rather because it is no longer used by the food industry. The U.S. National Toxicology Program classified styrene as a “reasonably anticipated” human carcinogen in 2011.
FDA’s action comes in response to a 2015 petition from a coalition of consumer and health advocacy groups. The petitioners provided FDA with evidence that the flavorings are carcinogenic in laboratory animals.
FDA claims that the chemicals “do not pose a risk to public health under the conditions of their intended use,” but the agency cannot legally authorize the use of food additives that have been shown to cause cancer in animals.
The bans go into effect on Oct. 9 when FDA publishes the final rule in the Federal Register, but FDA does not intend to enforce the rule until Oct. 9, 2020, to give manufacturers time to reformulate their products. Each of the six synthetic flavorings has a natural counterpart used to flavor foods. For example, eugenyl methyl ether is found in basil and pyridine occurs in coffee. These naturally occurring substances are not affected by the bans—they can still be extracted from food and used as flavoring agents.
The groups that petitioned FDA are urging the agency to take action on other outstanding petitions. “Now it’s time for FDA to rule on overdue petitions including the use of toxic ortho-phthalates in food manufacturing and packaging, cancer-causing perchlorate in dry food plastic packaging, and lead acetate in hair dyes like Grecian Formula,” Tom Neltner, chemicals policy director at Environmental Defense Fund, one of the petitioners, said in a statement.
https://cen.acs.org/safety/consumer-safety/FDA-bans-7-synthetic-food/96/web/2018/10
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NGOs Bemoan EU’s ‘Sluggish’ 7EAP Progress
Oct 9, 2018 | Chemical Watch
By Clelia Oziel
More action needed on nano, EDCs, consultation responses show
NGOs and consumer groups have criticised the European Commission’s "unsatisfactory" progress in implementing chemicals policies under the 7th Environmental Action Programme.
In comments submitted to the public consultation on the evaluation of 7EAP, they said the EU has been "much too slow" in actioning policies to control endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs), nanomaterials and substances in articles.
The programme, which entered into force in 2014, is driving the trade bloc’s environmental policy until 2020. Its goals include placing all relevant SVHCs on the REACH candidate list by that time – something NGOs say is in a state of "paralysis".
Under 7EAP, the EU is also committed to developing approaches to address combination effects of chemicals and safety concerns related to EDCs in all relevant legislation, exposure to chemicals in products and nanomaterials.
European consumer group Beuc said overall, progress has been "very slow", and that more action is needed to reduce and reverse the "destructive trend" of hazardous chemicals in everyday products impacting health. There is also an "urgent need" to "detoxify" the circular economy.
The Commission’s approach to chemicals policy, it said, "lacks action and ambition". It gave several recommendations, including:addressing the 'cocktail effect' of chemicals: the Commission must publish guidance documents promoting integrated and coordinated assessment across all relevant EU laws "as soon as possible";EDCs: EU leaders must draw up an "ambitious" agenda on regulating these in all consumer goods with clear objectives and observable deadlines;nanomaterials: a new definition is needed, as well as a provision to ensure they are considered new substances registered independently of any corresponding bulk substances and lower tonnage thresholds. A compulsory nano register requires implementation;substances in articles: the Commission must review and, where needed, strengthen all consumer-relevant legislation to ensure robust chemical controls are in place, especially for toys, food contact materials and imports; andsubstitution: an ambitious framework governing chemicals in recycled materials is needed to ‘detoxify’ the circular economy.Going forward
Some stakeholders said the Commission should start to plan an eighth EAP. The Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL) commented on the major challenge of effective implementation of chemicals policies and said the 8EAP should "continue steering the challenging processes beyond 2020".
HEAL also complained that a strategy for a non-toxic environment is yet to be put in place.
NGO the Center for International Environmental Law (Ciel) said that the need for a precautionary approach on nanomaterials is "not seriously implemented". It also called for "better recognition and consideration" of the presence of toxic substances in plastics, and added that the 8EAP "should build on" feedback received by stakeholders.Public consultation
The public consultation on 7EAP ran from May to July. The Commission said it received 153 responses, including 39 from NGOs and 16 from public authorities. The majority of respondents were from Italy (16%), followed by Belgium (14%), Germany (12%) and France (12%).
Close to 90% of the respondents agreed "to some degree" that 7EAP had the right focus, the Commission said. On chemicals, implementation was regarded as a key area for improvement.
https://chemicalwatch.com/70844/ngos-bemoan-eus-sluggish-7eap-progress
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Canada Confirms Conclusion On Acrylates and Methacrylates
Oct 9, 2018 | Chemica Watch
By Andrew Turley
The Canadian government has confirmed the safety of six monomer substances, used to make polymers for a range of consumer and industrial products.
The final screening assessment – published on the 29 September – concludes that the substances do not meet any of the criteria described in paragraph 64 of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (Cepa).
The six substances are:acrylic acid;methacrylic acid;n-butyl methacrylate;2-ethylhexyl acrylate;butyl acrylate; andisobornyl methacrylate.
They are used in: adhesives, sealants, paints, coatings, plastics, rubber materials, paper products, cosmetics and construction materials.
The assessment used the "ecological risk classification of organic substances" approach to predicting the environmental risks, which was published in 2016 by Environment and Climate Change Canada.
This led to a "high" classification for the environmental hazard potential of butyl acrylate, owing to "agreement between the reactive mode of action" and "elevated toxic ratio". Both factors suggest that the chemical has "high potency", the assessment says. There was also evidence that the substance would bind to proteins.
However, the assessment did not further investigate the potential effects, or how they might occur in the environment, because of the expected low exposure, and it classified the environmental risk as "moderate".
"On the basis of current use patterns, this substance is unlikely to result in concerns for the environment in Canada," it says.
In 2017, the government published the draft and ran a public consultation, which led to comments from:Basic Acrylic Monomer Manufacturers (BAMM);the Canadian Consumer Specialty Products Association (CCSPA);Kand Environmental Health and Safety Services; andthe Methacrylate Producers Association (MPA).
A summary of the comments without attribution and the official responses, is available on the Canadian government website.
https://chemicalwatch.com/70843/canada-confirms-conclusion-on-acrylates-and-methacrylates
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(ACC Mentioned) Energy Efficiency Groups Announce Support For CHP Support Act
Oct 9, 2018 | Daily Energy Insider
By Kevin Randolph
Several energy efficiency groups recently announced their support for a bill, H.R. 6949, that encourages the use of combined heat and power (CHP) and waste heat and power (WHP) systems.
The CHP Support Act promotes CHP and WHP technology by authorizing continued funding for 10 Technical Assistance Partnerships (TAPs) for five years. These programs provide education, screening, and guidance to companies before, during and after installation.
The energy efficiency groups are the Alliance for Industrial Efficiency, the Alliance to Save Energy, the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy and the American Chemistry Council. The groups wrote a letter to members of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce urging them to schedule a hearing this fall to discuss the legislation.
“The CHP TAPs and related activities at DOE encourage the use of technologies that reduce energy use, save consumers money, increase economic competitiveness, enhance electric reliability, and reduce emissions at the nation’s hospitals, universities, and manufacturing sites,” the groups wrote in their letter. “We urge members of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce to further these important national priorities by scheduling a hearing to shine a spotlight on this valuable program.”
Reps. Adam Kinzinger (R-IL), David McKinley (R-WV), Paul Tonko (D-NY) and Peter Welch (D-VT) introduced the bill.
https://dailyenergyinsider.com/news/15274-energy-efficiency-groups-announce-support-for-chp-support-act/
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China Cuts US Gas Imports In Trade Fight
Oct 9, 2018 | The Hill E2 Wire
By Chris Mills Rodrigo
hina has dramatically cut its liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) imports from the United States amid the countries' escalating trade dispute, traders and analysts told Reuters Tuesday.
China purchased 3.6 million tons of LPG, used in petrochemicals, cooking, transport and heating, from the U.S. in 2017.
Those 2017 numbers made the U.S. China's second largest source of LPG, but throughout the first eight months of 2018 only one million tons have been imported, according to IHS Markit, a consulting group.
He Yanyu, IHS Markit executive director for natural gas liquids, told Reuters the figure is down from 2.1 million tons over the same period of 2017.
LPG imports stalled completely in August after China imposed 25 percent tariffs on 300 new U.S. products, including the gas.
The two nations have exchanged billions in tariffs in an escalating trade war.
https://thehill.com/policy/international/trade/410535-china-cuts-lpg-imports-from-us-amid-trade-tensions
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Trump Admin Shrugs Off Warnings In U.N. Climate Report
Oct 9, 2018 | E&E Greenwire
By Hannah Northey
The White House responded to a dire climate report released this weekend with an oft-repeated talking point: The nation's emissions have dropped since 2005.
Underlying that statistic, however, is a historic shift away from coal-fired electricity in the United States as utilities embrace renewables and natural gas.
That's a trend the Trump administration has signaled it may slow.
At issue is a report the U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, a consortium of experts from 40 countries, issued over the weekend outlining a dire warning about the fate of the planet if emissions aren't curbed in the next decade (Greenwire, Oct. 8).
The document, which incorporated findings from 6,000 scientific studies aimed at assessing the difference between a 1.5 degree Celsius increase and a 2 degree increase, calls on global leaders to prevent warming of 1.5 degrees above preindustrial levels or abandon billions of people to the social and natural dangers of runaway warming (Climatewire, Oct. 9).
President Trump, who has called climate change a hoax invented by China, has so far made no mention of the report, opting instead to tweet about newly confirmed Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, "paid D.C. protesters," and upcoming rallies in Iowa and Ohio. News also broke today that Nikki Haley is leaving as the United States' ambassador to the United Nations (see related story).
When asked about the IPCC report, White House spokeswoman Lindsay Walters issued a statement touting the United States' leadership in providing affordable, abundant and secure energy while protecting the environment and reducing emissions through job-creating innovation.
"From 2005 to 2017, U.S. CO2-related emissions declined by 14 percent while global energy-related CO2 emissions rose by 21 percent during the same time," she wrote. "This has been possible through the development and large-scale deployment of new, affordable, and cleaner technologies to capitalize on our energy abundance."
That response has been echoed in recent months by various Trump administration officials, including acting EPA chief Andrew Wheeler, who at a recent meeting presented a slideshow of graphs showing reductions in air pollution over time.
One slide in Wheeler's presentation included a data point showing total U.S. energy-related carbon dioxide emissions fell by 14 percent between 2005 and 2017 while global energy-related emissions increased by more than 20 percent during the same period (Greenwire, Oct. 2).
Those data stem from the Energy Information Administration's findings in September that energy-related CO2 emissions have declined in seven of the past 10 years and are now 14 percent lower than in 2005.
Emissions in 2017 fell to 5.14 billion metric tons — or 0.9 percent lower than 2016 levels, EIA said in a Sept. 5 "Today in Energy" post. "Coal emissions were the primary driver behind the decline," the post says.
EIA pinned that drop on a shift away from coal in the energy sector to lower emission and more efficient natural gas and renewables, all while electricity sales have dropped across the country as milder weather — cooler summers and warmer winters — settled in, according to EIA.'Incredibly ironic'
Critics say the response is underwhelming and hypocritical.
Paul Bledsoe, an energy fellow at the Progressive Policy Institute and former White House climate adviser during the Clinton administration, said the talking point of the United States reducing its emissions has been used among various Trump officials.
What's ironic, he said, is that it proves the nation can cut emissions while boosting the economy.
"The numbers they're touting demonstrate we can cut emissions cheaply, even as they claim we can't," he said. "It's incredibly ironic."
The president in recent months has slammed wind power as a subsidy-dependent "killing field" for birds, all while rolling back a slew of regulations to boost the coal sector. The administration is also reportedly working on a policy that would boost nuclear and coal plants in the name of national security.
But Frank Maisano, a principal at Bracewell LLP, said the White House made a good point and that emissions have indeed dropped because markets are changing and the nation's policies are allowing it.
Maisano said innovations are driving new ways of using energy, and utilities will continue using coal where pollution controls are installed and switch to gas where it makes sense. What's not needed, he said, are regulations or mandates like the Paris accord.
"We can reduce emissions to a certain extent, but it's not because of imposing regulations or mandates," Maisano said. "That handicaps what we can do, that's what the Clean Power Plan did."
Former White House adviser George David Banks agreed the administration's point that emissions have fallen is legitimate and said the IPCC report points to a broader need for global action, especially among large, developing countries like China.
"The Paris Agreement is incredibly flexible, but let’s face it, China pledged to peak its emissions around 2030," said Banks. "So when the administration responds by saying emissions have fallen by X percent since 2005, you can argue the United States is certainly playing an important role in climate mitigation. I think you can question whether or not we're playing enough of a role."
It's not clear when or if Trump will ever address the report. According to press pool reports, Trump is slated to meet with Kanye West on Thursday to discuss prison reform, manufacturing and gang violence, before flying to a rally in Ohio on Friday.
Responses have also been percolating from other corners of the government.
The State Department on Saturday released a statement saying it appreciates the "hard work of the scientists and experts who authored the IPCC Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5C under considerable time pressure" and the agency's engagement with other members of the panel to finalize the special report by accepting the report from its authors and approving its Summary for Policymakers.
But the State Department also distanced itself from the scientific findings of the IPCC and questioned some of the model results, noting that sections of the report tied to the impacts of 1.5 degrees of warming are "more limited than many other aspects of the climate issue" and that much of the literature is "quite recent" (Climatewire, Oct. 9).
"With respect to acceptance of the Special Report, as provided in the IPCC's procedures, the contents of the authored chapters have not been subject to line-by-line discussion and agreement, and remain the responsibility of the authors," the department wrote. "In this context, the United States notes that acceptance of this report by the Panel does not imply endorsement by the United States of the specific findings or underlying contents of the report."
The State Department also doubled down on the Trump administration's intent to leave the Paris accord as soon as possible.
"Finally, in light of references to the Paris Agreement in the Summary for Policy Makers, we reiterate that the United States intends to withdraw from the Paris Agreement at the earliest opportunity absent the identification of terms that are better for the American people," they wrote.
Reporter Jean Chemnick contributed.
https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2018/10/09/stories/1060102095
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Exxon Contributes $1 Million To Carbon Tax Campaign
Oct 9, 2018 | The Hill E2 Wire
By Timothy Cama
Exxon Mobil Corp. is making a $1 million contribution to an advocacy effort calling for a tax on carbon dioxide emissions.
The money is going to Americans for Carbon Dividends, the advocacy arm of the Climate Leadership Council, a group that has proposed a $43 per metric ton tax on carbon dioxide emissions. All revenue would be distributed to taxpayers via tax refunds or direct payments.
The proposal is backed by big businesses and former GOP policymakers like James Baker and George Shultz, who each served as secretary of State under a Republican administration.
“This is a significant step in furtherance of the Baker-Shultz carbon dividends proposal,” said Greg Bertelsen, senior vice president of the Climate Leadership Council. “We are still very early in the process. The organization is now just three months old. With Exxon’s contribution, we already have over $3 million committed to this effort.”
The donation from Exxon, the largest U.S. oil company, comes a day after the U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change published a major report calling on world leaders to slash carbon dioxide emissions dramatically in the next 12 years, or face catastrophic climate impacts.
Exxon had already signed on to support the Climate Leadership Council's proposal, alongside BP, Royal Dutch Shell and Total, but the $1 million contribution, confirmed by Exxon spokesman Scott Silvestri, represents a major, public climate policy move by the oil giant.
Last month, Exxon joined Chevron Corp., and Occidental Petroleum Corp. to become the first U.S. oil companies to join the Oil and Gas Climate Initiative, an international coalition that aims to advance industry-centric climate policies.
https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/410541-exxon-puts-1-million-into-carbon-tax-campaign
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Supreme Court Won't Revive Obama's HFC Phaseout
Oct 9, 2018 | E&E Greenwire
By Ellen M. Gilmer
The Supreme Court will not revive an Obama-era climate regulation struck down last year.
Environmentalists and business interests had hoped the justices would accept a case involving a 2015 EPA rule aimed at phasing out the use of powerful greenhouse gases known as hydrofluorocarbons.
The justices denied their petition today, declining to review a lower-court decision that struck down the program.
EPA's plan to phase out HFCs — which are thousands of times more potent than carbon dioxide — was an important part of the Obama administration's climate agenda. EPA relied on a portion of the Clean Air Act focused on eliminating ozone-depleting substances and applied it to HFCs used for refrigeration, air conditioning and other uses.
But the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled that the agency had exceeded its authority under the Clean Air Act's Significant New Alternatives Policy (SNAP) program. Newly minted Justice Brett Kavanaugh, then on the D.C. Circuit, authored the 2-1 opinion that found the provision could not support the regulation because HFCs are not ozone-depleting substances the program was designed to address.
The Trump administration initially defended the Obama-era regulation but switched its position after President Trump nominated Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court (Greenwire, Aug. 29).
Environmentalists and HFC replacement manufacturers Honeywell International Inc. and Chemours Co. asked the Supreme Court to reverse the D.C. Circuit ruling.
"Coming only a day after the world's leading climate scientists called for urgent action to curb dangerous carbon pollution, the court's decision lets irresponsible companies continue harming our planet — even though safer alternatives exist," Natural Resources Defense Council attorney David Doniger said in a statement.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change yesterday unveiled a report warning of the dire and immediate consequences of unchecked climate change (Greenwire, Oct. 8). Many scientists warned this week that reducing short-lived greenhouse gases like HFCs is a critical component of addressing temperature rise.
"Short-lived climate pollutants are the 'low hanging fruit' in the fight against climate change," Helena Molin Valdés, head of the Climate and Clean Air Coalition, said in a statement yesterday. "We have the tools and proven technologies and policies to help countries achieve immediate reductions, and by doing so we can solve air pollution and climate simultaneously."
It takes the votes of four justices for the Supreme Court to hear a case.State, global efforts
Frank Maisano, a principal at Bracewell LLP, which helped represent industry supporters of the HFC rule, said the Supreme Court's decision will result in a "regulatory mess."
"As for today, it is unfortunate, given the D.C. Circuit decision has created a regulatory mess that EPA has been unable to fix almost a year after the initial decision was handed down," he said. "What will now result is an extended period of regulatory uncertainty, including years of litigation challenging any new rule that EPA ultimately develops to implement the confusing decision that was wrongly decided."
EPA suspended the 2015 HFC phase-out effort after last year's D.C. Circuit opinion. It is now proposing to narrow a related regulation requiring industry to reduce leaks of the substance (Climatewire, Sept. 20).
The effort to rein in HFCs is advancing on other levels.
Several states, including California, New York, Maryland and Connecticut, are beginning to craft their own policies to curb the use of the substances.
"While we are disappointed by the Supreme Court's decision not to hear our appeal of the SNAP ruling, there is growing momentum for the phase out of HFCs in favor of safer, environmentally preferable solutions," a Honeywell spokeswoman said in a statement.
"In addition, it is clear that many countries and regions around the world are also moving away from HFCs to safer, more efficient and environmentally preferable offerings, including [hydrofluoroolefins]," the statement said.
Indeed, the Montreal Protocol's Kigali Amendment is aimed at curbing temperature rise by reducing emissions from air conditioning and refrigerators. The United States has not ratified the amendment, but nearly 200 other countries have signed on.
The Air-Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Institute, a manufacturers' trade group, said the Supreme Court's decision not to wade into the issue underscores the need for the United States to ratify the amendment.
"With deadlines approaching for the phase down of certain high-[global warming potential] refrigerants and states moving to act on their own, America's HVACR manufacturers desperately need federal leadership and certainty on this issue," AHRI President and CEO Stephen Yurek said in a statement.
"In the absence of federal leadership, our manufacturers face a very real risk of a patchwork of state-by-state HFC refrigerant regulations that would raise manufacturing, distribution, and contractor costs, while also raising prices for consumers for goods they depend on for health, safety, and comfort," he said.
https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2018/10/09/stories/1060102063
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Supreme Court Won’t Save Obama-Era HFC Rule
Oct 9, 2018 | PoliticoPro
By Alex Guillen
The Supreme Court said today that it will not take up an appeal brought by manufacturers and environmentalists seeking to save an Obama-era rule targeting hydrofluorocarbons, a potent greenhouse gas.
The move is a win for the Trump administration, which urged the court not to take the appeal and said it is working on a new rulemaking to address the manufacturers' concerns.
That leaves in place the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals ruling from last year that struck down a key part of an EPA rule requiring companies to phase out HFCs used in refrigerators and air conditioning in favor of new chemicals that do not harm the ozone layer and contribute little or nothing to climate change.
The high court’s decision not to hear the case “lets irresponsible companies to continue harming our planet — even though safer alternatives exist,” said David Doniger, an attorney with the NRDC, which had also appealed to the Supreme Court.
The D.C. Circuit opinion was written by newly sworn in Justice Brett Kavanaugh. He did not participate in the Supreme Court’s deliberation on this case.
The case was Honeywell v. Mexichem Fluor, 17-1703.
https://subscriber.politicopro.com/energy/whiteboard
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U.S. Top Court Rebuffs Appeal of Kavanaugh Ruling Nixing Climate Rule
Oct 9, 2018 | Reuters
By Lawrence Hurley
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday turned aside appeals of a 2017 lower court ruling by its newest justice, Brett Kavanaugh, that struck down an environmental rule imposed under former President Barack Obama regulating a potent greenhouse gas linked to climate change.
The appeals had been brought by an environmental group and companies that supported the 2015 rule that had limited hydrofluorocarbons, which are used in a variety of products including spray cans and air conditioners.
The ruling authored by Kavanaugh, confirmed by the Senate on Saturday after a contentious political battle, was made by a divided three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, the court on which he formerly served. The 2-1 ruling threw out the rule issued by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency during Obama’s presidency.
Tuesday marks Kavanaugh’s first day on the court.
The Senate backed President Donald Trump’s nominee 50-48 after a contentious confirmation process during which Kavanaugh denied allegations of sexual misconduct decades dating from the 1980s.
Kavanaugh has a long history of skepticism toward environmental regulations, especially those concerning air pollution.
“However much we might sympathize or agree with EPA’s policy objectives, EPA may act only within the boundaries of its statutory authority,” Kavanaugh wrote in the ruling.
If the high court had agreed to hear the case, Kavanaugh would not have participated. The decision not to hear the case was made privately by the justices before Kavanaugh was confirmed by the Senate.
The court rejected two separate appeals, one by the Natural Resources Defense Council environmental group and another by companies that supported the regulation, including Honeywell International Inc(HON.N). Manufacturers including Mexichem Fluor Inc, a unit of Mexichem SAB de CV(MEXCHEM.MX), and Arkema Inc, part of Arkema SA (AKE.PA), also were part of the coalition that challenged the regulation.
The Trump administration had urged the high court not to take the case because the EPA currently is reconsidering the regulation and agrees with Kavanaugh’s interpretation of the law.
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-court-kavanaugh/kavanaugh-takes-active-role-in-first-day-at-u-s-supreme-court-idUSKCN1MJ0ZM
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