Manufacturing

Washington — The Environmental Protection Agency, in response to recent Executive Orders and directives from the Biden administration, is seeking public comment on final rules for five persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic chemicals issued Jan. 6 under requirements of the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act.

Washington — Faced with boardroom staffing gaps and other management hurdles, Chemical Safety Board Chair and CEO Katherine Lemos says CSB is “addressing our challenges head-on and taking a proactive approach to move our agency forward to meet our mission.”

Washington — The systematic review process used by the Environmental Protection Agency to complete chemical risk evaluations under the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act contains multiple shortcomings, and the agency should “reconsider its overall strategy” for such assessments, concludes a recently published report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine.

Washington — OSHA has issued a long-awaited proposed rule that would update its regulations on hazard communication to align with the seventh version of the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals, the agency announced Feb. 5.

Washington — The chemical substance n-methylpyrrolidone, also known as NMP, presents an unreasonable risk to workers under certain conditions, according to a final risk evaluation recently released by the Environmental Protection Agency, which is now compelled to propose within one year regulatory action to mitigate the chemical’s hazards.

Washington — President Joe Biden on Jan. 22 signed an Executive Order withdrawing a controversial U.S. Department of Agriculture proposed rule that would have permitted line speeds at certain poultry-processing plants to increase to 175 birds a minute from the current 140.

Washington — The potentially carcinogenic chemical substance 1,4-dioxane presents an unreasonable risk to workers under certain conditions, according to a final risk evaluation recently released by the Environmental Protection Agency, which is now compelled to propose within one year regulatory action to mitigate the chemical’s hazards.

Washington — Officials from the Environmental Protection Agency and OSHA on Jan. 8 signed a Memorandum of Understanding to formally coordinate efforts amid EPA’s ongoing review of new chemicals under the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act, which amended the Toxic Substances Control Act.

Tumwater, WA — Dry ice and liquid nitrogen pose potentially deadly health risks to workers in food, beverage and other businesses that use, transport or store these cooling agents, the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries warns in a new hazard alert.

Washington — The chemical substance Pigment Violet 29 poses unreasonable risk to workers under certain conditions, states a final risk evaluation recently released by the Environmental Protection Agency, which now is compelled to propose within one year regulatory action to mitigate the chemical’s hazards.