Chemical Watch Podcast: Recent Episodes
Chemical Watch
Stay up to date with some of the biggest regulatory and chemical management stories from the last 30 days.
Every month Chemical Watch journalists will explain the background and significance of some of our key stories, giving you additional context and insight into the regulatory and chemical management developments affecting you, your team and your organisation.
In this episode, Europe editor Luke Buxton walks us through the new UK REACH registration model proposal, Asia desk editor Dr Kerry Hebden talks about why Japanese businesses want more time to phase out the flame retardant Dechlorane Plus, and North America desk editor Julia John shares the story behind how the UV-absorber BEMT could become first sunscreen active ingredient approved in the US in decades.
This week's Chemical Watch News & Insight podcast takes a deep dive into a recent ruling from the US Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit in the case of Inhance Technologies v US EPA.
In this episode, North America managing editor Kelly Franklin and senior editor Terry Hyland discuss the history and potentially broad implications of the court's conclusion that the EPA exceeded its statutory authority in issuing TSCA orders that would have forced Texas-based Inhance to shut down its long-running process for fluorinating plastic containers.
This week's Chemical Watch News & Insight podcast dives into some of the latest developments out of the European Commission, Taiwan and the US EPA.
In this episode, senior correspondent for Europe Clelia Oziel discusses action behind the scenes as the European Commission debates the REACH revision, polymer registration, essential use of chemicals and more.
This week's Chemical Watch News & Insight podcast marks the third and final part of our 2024 Global Outlook special edition series.
In this episode, we discuss developments to watch in India and China, as well as key scientific issues in the EU and elsewhere.
Welcome to the second of three special editions focused on our 2024 Global Outlook series of articles produced by the Chemical Watch News & Insight team.
In this episode, North America managing editor Kelly Franklin and Europe managing editor Leigh Stringer join senior editor Terry Hyland to discuss the outlook this year for TSCA in the US and chemicals management in the EU.
The Chemical Watch News & Insight podcast is back! Welcome to the first of three special editions focused on our 2024 Global Outlook series of articles produced by the Chemical Watch News & Insight team.
In this episode, North America desk editor Julia John, transport and storage managing editor Peter Mackay, and Europe managing editor Leigh Stringer join senior editor Terry Hyland to discuss the outlook this year for PFAS developments in the US, transport and storage regulations in different parts of the globe, and international environmental policy discussions at the UN.
Welcome to the second of two special editions of the Chemical Watch podcast based on this year’s Global Outlook 2023 series of articles produced by the Chemical Watch News & Insight team.
Welcome to the first of two special editions of the Chemical Watch podcast based on this year’s Global Outlook 2023 series of articles produced by the Chemical Watch News & Insight team.
In this episode, Americas reporter Cailey Gleeson, transport editor Peter Mackay and North America desk editor Julia John join global managing editor Kate Lowe to discuss some of the policy and regulatory developments likely to affect chemicals management in the next 12 months.
We begin with Latin America where all eyes this year are on Brazil which, with a new government in power, could become the third country in the region to pass a national chemicals management law.
Next the podcast turns to transport and storage regulation, with an update on some of the key international and country-level developments across the globe this year.
Finally, we head to the US, for a look at the latest developments in the regulation of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).
Welcome to a special, one-off Chemical Watch podcast on substance identity issues that have been raised as part of the ongoing REACH revision.
In particular, we will be looking at a range of changes proposed by Germany’s Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (Baua). These would tackle potential registration problems of substances with hazardous impurities and nanomaterials. They include amending the definition of a substance as given in the legal texts of legislation, including REACH.
Chemical Watch’s science editor Andrew Turley is joined by Kristof Seubert and Angelina Gadermann both from Baua and Bernaette Quinn from REACHLaw. The consultancy has concerns over the ongoing use of the 'one substance' phrase commonly used in chemicals legislation. REACH takes a ‘one substance, one registration’ approach to data submission. An analogous phrase – one substance, one assessment – is used in the chemicals strategy for sustainability.
In this latest episode, UN and emerging markets reporter, Eline Schaart, transport and storage editor, Peter Mackay, and chief analyst, Nhat Nguyen, join global managing editor, Kate Lowe, to discuss some of the policy and regulatory developments likely to affect chemicals management in the next 12 months.
In this episode managing editor for Europe Leigh Stringer, Asia desk editor David Macfarlane and science editor Andrew Turley join global managing editor Kate Lowe to discuss some of the policy and regulatory developments likely to affect chemicals management in the next 12 months.
This edition of the Chemical Watch news podcast sees North America managing editor Terry Hyland, Europe correspondent Clelia Oziel and science editor Andrew Turley join global managing editor Kate Lowe to discuss the latest stories.
This week’s Chemical Watch News Podcast hosted by members of the Chemical Watch team sees North America managing editor Terry Hyland, Europe desk editor Vanessa Zainzinger and Europe managing editor Leigh Stringer join global managing editor Kate Lowe to discuss the latest developments.
This year states across the US have passed restrictions on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in goods ranging from firefighting foams to fabric treatments. In this special Chemical Watch podcast episode on US PFAS product regulations, North America reporter Julia John discusses what these developments mean with Lauren Tamboer from the Washington Department of Ecology's Hazardous Waste and Toxics Reduction programme; Laurie Valeriano, executive director of the NGO Toxic-Free Future; and Katie Skaggs, a partner with law firm Keller and Heckman.
This week's Chemical Watch News Podcast sees North America managing editor Terry Hyland, consulting editor Geraint Roberts and Asia desk editor David Macfarlane join global managing editor Kate Lowe to discuss the latest developments in chemicals management.
This week’s News Podcast sees Europe correspondent Clelia Oziel, North America reporter Julia John and biocides editor Vanessa Zainzinger join Kate Lowe, global managing editor at Chemical Watch to discuss the latest developments.
Influential stakeholders working in and around TSCA in the US discuss hot topics in US chemicals regulation.
This podcast was recorded live at the Chemical Watch virtual event TSCA Developments 2021 on 9 June 2021.
This week's Chemical Watch News Podcast sees North America managing editor Terry Hyland, Asia desk editor David Macfarlane and emerging markets reporter Ginger Hervey join global managing editor Kate Lowe to discuss a selection of the latest developments in chemicals management.
This week’s Chemical Watch news podcast sees North America managing editor Terry Hyland, Asia desk editor David Macfarlane and Europe desk editor Luke Buxton join news editor Charlotte Niemiec to discuss the latest developments.
This week’s Chemical Watch News Podcast sees North America reporter Julia John in Washington DC, and Europe reporter Kathryn Carlson in Brussels join global managing editor Kate Lowe to discuss the latest developments.
This week’s Chemical Watch news podcast sees Asia desk editor David Macfarlane, North America managing editor Terry Hyland and science editor Andrew Turley join global managing editor Kate Lowe to discuss the latest developments.
This week's episode of the Chemical Watch News Podcast sees North America reporter Julia John, Europe desk editor Luke Buxton and publishing manager Henry Tipping join global managing editor Kate Lowe to discuss the latest developments.
This week’s Chemical Watch News Podcast sees North America desk editor Kelly Franklin and Europe correspondent Clelia Oziel, join news editor Charlotte Niemiec to discuss the latest developments in the world of chemicals management.
In this week's edition of the Chemical Watch News Podcast, North America managing editor Terry Hyland and Europe editor Luke Buxton join global managing editor Kate Lowe to discuss recent developments.
This week’s edition of the Chemical Watch News Podcast sees North America managing editor Terry Hyland, business editor Leigh Stringer and Europe correspondent Clelia Oziel join global managing editor Kate Lowe to discuss the latest stories concerning chemicals management.
This edition of the Chemical Watch news podcast sees North America managing editor Terry Hyland, Europe editor Luke Buxton and business editor Leigh Stringer join news editor Charlotte Niemiec to discuss the latest developments in chemicals management across the globe.
This edition of the Chemical Watch news podcast sees North America managing editor Terry Hyland, Asia desk editor David Macfarlane and Europe editor Luke Buxton join global managing editor Kate Lowe to discuss the latest developments in chemicals management across the globe.
This week’s Chemical Watch news podcast sees North America managing editor Terry Hyland, Asia desk editor David Macfarlane and emerging markets reporter Ginger Hervey join global managing editor Kate Lowe to discuss the latest developments in chemicals management across the globe.
This week’s edition of the Chemical Watch news podcast sees business editor Leigh Stringer, Europe reporter Kathryn Carlson and North America managing editor Terry Hyland join global managing editor Kate Lowe to examine the latest developments in chemicals management across the globe.
In this week’s edition of the Chemical Watch news podcast North America managing editor Terry Hyland, Europe correspondent Clelia Oziel and science editor Andrew Turley join global managing editor, Kate Lowe to discuss the implications of three of our latest news stories.
This week’s edition of the Chemical Watch News Podcast sees global managing editor, Kate Lowe, joined by North America managing editor Terry Hyland, Asia desk editor David Macfarlane and business editor Leigh Stringer.
This week’s edition of the Chemical Watch News Podcast sees global managing editor Kate Lowe joined by emerging markets reporter Ginger Hervey, North America managing editor Terry Hyland and Europe correspondent Clelia Oziel.
For this week’s News Podcast deputy editor of Chemical Watch Nick Hazlewood is joined by emerging markets reporter Ginger Hervey, North America managing editor Terry Hyland and Europe reporter Kathryn Carlson to discuss three of the big developments from the past week.
This week's episode of the Chemical Watch News Podcast sees emerging markets reporter Ginger Hervey, North America managing editor Terry Hyland and deputy editor Nick Hazlewood join global managing editor Kate Lowe to discuss three big stories from the week.
This week's episode sees emerging markets reporter Ginger Hervey, North America managing editor Terry Hyland and Europe desk editor Luke Buxton of Chemical Watch join global managing editor Kate Lowe to discuss the latest chemicals management stories.
In this week’s Chemical Watch news podcast science editor Andrew Turley, business editor Leigh Stringer and Asia desk editor David Macfarlane join global managing editor Kate Lowe to discuss three of the latest developments in global chemicals management.
In this week’s Chemical Watch News Podcast science editor Andrew Turley, emerging markets reporter Ginger Hervey and editorial director Geraint Roberts join global managing editor Kate Lowe to discuss three big news topics from the past week.
In this episode of the Chemical Watch news podcast business editor Leigh Stringer, North America managing editor Terry Hyland and science editor Andrew Turley join global managing editor Kate Lowe to discuss three current stories.
In this episode of the Chemical Watch news podcast, global managing editor Kate Lowe is joined from Brussels by emerging markets reporter Ginger Hervey, from Cambridge, UK by Europe desk editor Luke Buxton and from Washington DC by North America managing editor Terry Hyland.
In this week's episode of the Chemical Watch news podcast North America managing editor Terry Hyland, science editor Andrew Turley and Asia editor David Macfarlane join host, business editor Leigh Stringer to discuss a selection of the week's biggest stories.
In this edition of the Chemical Watch news podcast, global managing editor, Kate Lowe, is joined by North America managing editor Terry Hyland, Europe reporter Kathryn Carlson and global business editor, Leigh Stringer.
In this edition of the Chemical Watch podcast, North America managing editor Terry Hyland, Europe reporter Kathryn Carlson and science editor Andrew Turley join global managing editor Kate Lowe to discuss three developments.
After a drawn out election week in the US, all eyes are on the White House to see how President Elect Joe Biden might use his executive powers to push ahead with his agenda through executive orders – a tool frequently utilised by Presidents Trump and Obama – as well as regulatory actions via federal agencies like the EPA.
And while the president-elect has laid out some of his priorities so far, Covid-19, economic recovery, racial justice and climate change, many questions remain over what a Biden administration agenda on chemicals policy might include.
To help shed some light on these questions, in this week's special US election podcast, Chemical Watch North America managing editor Terry Hyland is joined by a trio of experts who have experience within the EPA, the industry it regulates and the environmental community.
They include Robert Sussman of Sussman & Associates and counsel for the NGO Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families. Mr Sussman also served as deputy EPA administrator under President Clinton and as senior policy counsel to the EPA administrator under President Obama.
Terry is also joined by Erik Baptist, partner with Wiley Rein, former deputy assistant administrator for law and policy in the EPA’s Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention and former senior deputy general counsel in the Office of General Counsel at the EPA.
Also joining the podcast today is Jeff Morris of Morris Solutions, a former director of the EPA’s Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics.
In this edition of the Chemical Watch news podcast, deputy editor Nick Hazlewood discusses three of the week's biggest news stories with Terry Hyland, managing editor of our North America desk, Asia desk, editor David Macfarlane, and our UN/emerging markets reporter, Ginger Hervey.
In this edition of the Chemical Watch news podcast, global managing editor Kate Lowe is joined by Asia reporter Ellen Daliday, Asia desk editor David Macfarlane and global business editor, Leigh Stringer.
On the agenda for this episode is Vietnam’s decision to reopen the window to nominate chemicals for inclusion in the country’s first draft national inventory until 15th of April next year.
We also take a look at industry reaction to the European Commission’s promise in its chemicals strategy for sustainability to produce criteria by which "essential use" of a chemical can be judged.
And finally, we return to Asia, where chemical industry representatives in India have expressed dissatisfaction that the development of the country’s REACH-like chemicals law has yet to see a draft published for wider industry consultation.
In this special edition of the Chemical Watch news podcast on the EU chemicals strategy for sustainability, editorial director Geraint Roberts, talks to Cristina de Avila, head of unit, sustainable chemicals, at DG Environment, Sylvie Lemoine, Cefic executive director of product stewardship and Tatiana Santos of the European Environmental Bureau about the strategy's implications.
In this edition of the Chemical Watch news podcast editorial director Geraint Roberts, Asia reporter Ellen Daliday and North America managing editor Terry Hyland join global managing editor Kate Lowe to discuss three of the week's biggest news stories.
The episode begins with a look at the European Commission’s keenly awaited chemicals strategy for sustainability, which was published on the 14 October and lays out more than 50 wide-ranging actions that will have a direct impact on industry.
We also take a look at the decision of the Canadian government to ban six categories of single-use plastics by the end of next year – and has kick-started the process with an official proposal to add plastic manufactured items to the country’s list of toxic substances.
And finally, the discussion turns to Taiwan where the country’s EPA is consulting on its proposed fees for chemicals registration, including plans for a reduced fee if companies use alternative methods to animal testing.
In this edition of the Chemical Watch Podcast editorial director Geraint Roberts, North America managing editor Terry Hyland and emerging markets reporter Ginger Hervey join global managing editor Kate Lowe to discuss three stories from the week.
Firstly we discuss the European Commission's chemicals strategy for sustainability, due to be published this week, which has been the subject of fierce debate on key policy areas but is now expected to retain almost all of the policy actions originally proposed by DG Environment.
Next we look at the decision of the US EPA to grant a request from a group of six manufacturers to conduct a TSCA risk evaluation for octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane (D4), setting the stage for the review of the cyclo-siloxane to begin before the end of the year.
And finally, following a week that should have seen representatives from governments, intergovernmental organisations and NGOs from across the world gather in the German city of Bonn to decide the future of the UN’s chemicals programme, we ask how participants in the global talks are tackling the remaining vital issues.
In this edition of the Chemical Watch Podcast, global managing editor Kate Lowe is joined by Europe reporter Kathryn Carlson, Asia reporter Ellen Daliday and emerging markets reporter Ginger Hervey to discuss three big topics from the week's news.
Firstly, we take a look at the intervention last week by environment ministers from ten European countries in the debate over Europe’s chemicals strategy for sustainability – just as crucial discussions finalising the official text were due to take place.
Next we move to China where recently published draft technical guidance on cosmetics registration suggests the country is moving closer to removing the requirement for mandatory animal tests for certain cosmetics – even while use of the tests could be set to increase under China’s regulation on new chemicals.
Finally, we examine the latest steps of two developing economies – Pakistan and Colombia – to establish national chemicals management regimes.
In this edition of the Chemical Watch Podcast, news editor Charlotte Niemiec, North America managing editor Terry Hyland, and Asia desk editor David Macfarlane join global managing editor Kate Lowe to discuss three stories from the week.
Firstly, we take a look at recent developments in India where the latest draft of the country’s upcoming chemicals law has been circulated to industry groups, revealing an ambitious 18-month timeframe for registration of priority substances imported in volumes above one tonne per year.
Then we turn to Canada where the country’s minority government has said it plans to modernise the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA) in a move that could bring stronger action on substances of high concern and other regulatory updates to the country’s 20-year-old toxic substances law.
Finally we head back to Asia to discuss Thailand which has become the latest country to join the OECD system for the mutual acceptance of data which removes the need for duplicate testing of products marketed in other countries which are also party to the scheme.
In this edition of the Chemical Watch Podcast, global managing editor Kate Lowe is joined by Europe correspondent Clelia Oziel, business editor Leigh Stringer, and global and emerging markets reporter Ginger Hervey to discuss the issues behind three recent chemicals management stories.
We start in Europe where the American Chemistry Council has joined EU industry groups in urging the European Commission to adopt a "common" approach to polymer registration based on exempting chemicals considered to be of low concern.
Turning to business, we take a look at the European home improvement company Kingfisher which since the start of 2019 has been working towards phasing out phthalates, per-fluorinated and poly-fluorinated chemicals and halogenated flame retardants from its own-brand products by 2025 – and look at the progress the company has made.
Finally, we turn to the global problem of how to finance sound management of chemicals and waste in developing countries – and taking a look at a call from a network of NGOs for an internationally coordinated tax to be imposed on basic chemicals.
In this edition of the Chemical Watch Podcast, global managing editor Kate Lowe is joined from Washington DC by North America reporter Jon Kelvey, from Brussels by Europe reporter Kathryn Carlson, and from London by Asia reporter Ellen Daliday.
The podcast starts in the US, where a steady trickle of states have put forward bills to restrict the use in food packaging of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs). We ask whether that trickle, joined last week by Michigan where a bill has been proposed that would ban PFASs and bisphenols from food packaging, could become a flood.
Next, we head to Europe where the much anticipated chemical strategy for sustainability – part of the EU’s Green Deal – is due to be issued on 14th October, but, as a Chemical Watch Global Business Summit heard last week, remains the subject of a final round of "substantial" discussions by European Commission directorates.
And finally we turn to China, where industry specialists have raised concerns that the majority of new substances are going to meet criteria for persistence under the country's revised overarching chemical regulation for new chemicals, MEE Order 12 – and will therefore be subject to increased data requirements laid out in the draft guidance.
In this week's episode, North America reporter Jon Kelvey talks about the significance of a bill which has been passed in California restricting more than a dozen substances from cosmetic products and banning the manufacture or sale of cosmetics containing those substances from January 2025.
Also on the podcast, global managing editor, Kate Lowe, is joined by Europe correspondent Clelia Oziel who reveals the thinking behind the UK government's decision to give industry more time – up to six years in some cases – to complete registration dossiers under the UK REACH which comes into being on 1 January 2021.
And staying with the transition to UK REACH, Europe reporter Kathryn Carlson talks about the UK government’s disbanding of the expert trade advisory group for the chemicals sector – a move which NGOs fear could lead to compromises on environmental protection and health as the country negotiates post-Brexit trade deals involving chemicals.
Finally, we return to the US and hear from North America managing editor Terry Hyland about the publication last Friday by the US Environmental Protection Agency of the final scope documents for risk evaluation of 20 high-priority substances under TSCA. Also on Friday the final list was released of companies that will be responsible for paying a share of the $1.35m fee that comes with each risk evaluation. So a big day for chemicals management.
In this latest episode of the Chemical Watch Podcast, our North America managing editor Terry Hyland talks about work being carried out by electronics association IPC to better understand the use of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) within the electronics sector; an investigation that has been sparked by increasing regulation of PFASs around the globe.
Also on the podcast, global managing editor, Kate Lowe, is joined by Chemical Watch Asia reporter Ellen Daliday and science editor Andrew Turley.
They take a look at the impact on industry of stricter supervision requirements outlined in recently published draft technical guidelines for the production and supply of cosmetics in China.
Finally, they turn to Europe, where regulators are once again looking at how polymers might be brought under REACH, and consider why this is such a challenging task.
In this latest episode of the Chemical Watch Podcast, North America managing editor Terry Hyland talks about the upturn in requests to the US EPA to consider exempting certain ‘critical uses’ from potential regulatory activity under TSCA – a development which appears to be driven by a ramping up of risk management activity under the amended law.
Also on the podcast, global managing editor, Kate Lowe, is joined by Chemical Watch biocides editor Vanessa Zainzinger and business editor Leigh Stringer.
They discuss what happens when derogations made under a clause in the EU biocidal products Regulation for the production of disinfectants in the wake of coronavirus Covid-19, expire in September.
Finally, staying with Europe, the conversation turns to industry’s readiness to submit data on substances of concern in products to Echa’s SCIP database.
In this latest episode of the Chemical Watch Podcast, editorial director, Geraint Roberts, talks about concerns flagged by the European Chemicals Agency Echa, that its contribution to the European Green Deal agenda and chemicals strategy for sustainability will be at risk unless, "stability, predictability and certainty of financing are guaranteed."
Also on the podcast, global managing editor, Kate Lowe, is joined by Chemical Watch's emerging markets reporter Ginger Hervey and Asia reporter Ellen Daliday.
They discuss the call from three dozen UN human rights experts for nations to stop allowing the export – frequently to developing regions – of toxic chemicals which are banned in their own jurisdictions.
Finally, the conversation turns to the possible ramifications of a likely extension by the Taiwanese authorities of the registration deadline for the first batch of 106 priority existing chemicals – or Pecs – until at least 2023.
In this latest episode of the Chemical Watch Podcast, global managing editor, Kate Lowe, is joined by editorial director Geraint Roberts, North America managing editor Terry Hyland and science editor Andrew Turley.
First, we hear more about a leaked European Commission internal document which shows early health and environmental protection commitments for an ambitious new EU chemicals strategy for sustainability, are likely to be significantly amended.
Secondly, we take a look at the concerns of trade groups representing the semiconductor industry, automotive manufacturers, retailers and moreover the difficulties they may face meeting notification requirements in the US EPA’s recent TSCA significant new use rule covering certain long-chain per- and poly-fluoro-alkyl substances (PFASs).
And finally, we discuss the significance of endocrine disruptors – and a European Commission ‘preliminary view’ that the creation of new hazard classes is the best way to include endocrine disruptors (EDs) in the CLP Regulation which covers the classification and labelling of substances and mixtures.
In this latest episode of the Chemical Watch Podcast, global managing editor, Kate Lowe, is joined by emerging markets reporter Ginger Hervey, science editor, Andrew Turley and business editor, Leigh Stringer.
First, we hear about plans in Ghana to consult this autumn on a draft comprehensive chemicals bill that would require companies to register all industrial and consumer chemicals in the country, and would give the agency authority to ban chemicals that pose "unnecessary harm".
Secondly, we take a look at European Commission plans to introduce new categories for substances of very high concern under REACH, for chemicals which are persistent, mobile and toxic or very persistent and very mobile - also known as PMTs and vPvMs.
And finally, we discuss the significance of the announcement from technology giant HP Inc that 98.5% of the total weight of all of its products consist of substances considered by the NGO-led Chemical Footprint Project to be safer alternatives to chemicals of high concern.
In this latest episode of the Chemical Watch Podcast, Kate Lowe is joined by science editor Andrew Turley, editorial director Geraint Roberts and North America managing editor Terry Hyland.
First we hear about an international group of scientists who are making the argument for managing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) as a class, and who say a more precise set of criteria is needed to categorise ‘essential’ and ‘non-essential’ uses – a distinction vital to draft European Commission proposals to phase out all but 'essential' uses of PFASs across a wide range of legislation.
Secondly, we catch up with the post-Brexit concerns of the chemicals industry in the UK where representatives continue to warn that the UK REACH regime’s attempts to create a parallel database will both weaken UK manufacturing and potentially cut the number of chemicals on the market.
And finally, we take a look at the implications of the US EPA’s plans to propose a rule in November that would allow it to obtain information about potential hazards and exposure pathways related to certain chemicals on the TSCA work plan – a list of 90 chemicals the agency put together in 2014 based on their potential for high hazard and exposure.
In this episode of the Chemical Watch Podcast, global managing editor Kate Lowe is joined by North America managing editor Terry Hyland, Asia desk reporter Ellen Daliday and emerging markets reporter Ginger Hervey.
First, we catch up on the progress of a raft of expected developments concerning the first risk evaluations to be carried out in the US under the amended Toxic Substances Control Act.
Second, we catch up with progress on Thailand’s draft new chemical law and plans for a national inventory - and in particular the views of the chemical industry there about the developments.
And finally, we hear some of the highlights and insights from a Chemical Watch conference this week on Latin America where chemicals regimes are in transition.
In this latest episode of the Chemical Watch Podcast, news editor Charlotte Niemiec is joined by North America managing editor Terry Hyland and editorial director Geraint Roberts to discuss two stories from the week.
First, the news from the US that two Republican senators have said they will oppose the nomination of Nancy Beck, a former principal deputy assistant administrator for the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention at the EPA, to chair the US Consumer Product Safety Commission which assesses the risks associated with some 15,000 consumer products in the US.
Second, we look at the EU’s plans for a cross-agency ‘one substance - one assessment’ approach to regulating chemicals. This week, several NGOs urged the EU to take a ‘grouping approach’ to speed up regulatory action and the substitution of safer alternatives. But what exactly are the EU’s plans?
In this latest episode of the Chemical Watch Podcast, global managing editor Kate Lowe is joined by reporter Terry Hyland, managing editor of our North America desk to discuss two stories from the week.
Firstly, a federal trial now underway in the US state of California that could set a new standard for how courts handle citizen petitions under TSCA – a development which could have considerable ramifications for stakeholders.
Secondly, we catch up with developments in Canada where after several years of anticipation, the Canadian Environmental Protection Act finally looks set for a major overhaul this autumn.
In this week’s episode of the Chemical Watch Podcast, global managing editor Kate Lowe is joined from our Asia desk by Asia reporter Ellen Daliday and by Geraint Roberts, Chemical Watch's editorial director, to discuss two stories from the week.
Firstly, revisions to China's primary regulation governing new chemical substances have been finalised and are due to come into force at the beginning of next year. In the meantime, transitional arrangements have been proposed to manage new chemicals until the revised regulation comes into force.
Secondly, the recent Safer Chemicals Conference held by Echa heard executive director Dr Bjorn Hansen propose the idea that we need a definition of a "sustainable chemical" - based on safety, circularity and using less energy to produce.
In this week’s episode of the Chemical Watch podcast, global managing editor Kate Lowe is joined from Dallas by Ginger Hervey, global and emerging markets reporter, and in the UK by Andrew Turley, Chemical Watch science editor, to discuss two stories from the last week:
- Firstly, the debate that has followed a decision by Mexico's health department earlier this year to propose an overarching national chemicals policy placing the burden of proof on companies to show the substances they use are safe - a move which has stirred industry concern, and most recently the development of an alternative industry-sponsored proposal.
- Secondly, the publication of the provisional findings of a literature review of studies on the mixture effects of substances - findings which could have implications for regulators seeking solutions to the longstanding issue of how to account for the effects of unintentional mixtures of environmental chemicals.
In this week’s episode of the Chemical Watch podcast, global managing editor Kate Lowe is joined by our chief customer officer Emma Chynoweth and North America managing editor Terry Hyland to discuss two stories from the last week:
- Firstly, the results of a survey conducted by Chemical Watch to investigate the impact of coronavirus Covid-19 on the working lives of professionals in the chemicals management sector, and to gauge expectations with regards to key issues such as the pace of regulatory developments. What do the findings tell us about the experience of professionals working in chemicals management during these challenging times?
- Secondly, the implications of a California bill to ban more than a dozen substances from personal care products. The bill has passed its first legislative hurdle - and, crucially, received backing from a key industry trade group. Why did the trade body back the committee’s decision, having previously opposed a similar measure?
In this week’s episode of the Chemical Watch podcast, global managing editor Kate Lowe is joined by Chemical Watch news editor Charlotte Niemiec and North America managing editor Terry Hyland to discuss two big stories from the last week:
- Firstly, the likely re-emergence in the US of long-standing debates over TSCA’s preemption rules as the US Environmental Protection Agency nears completion of final risk evaluations for the first ten substances subject to review under the amended TSCA legislation.
- Secondly, the implications of the fatal gas leak from a polymer manufacturing plant in Andhra Pradesh, South East India, which tragically left 12 people dead and hundreds hospitalised.
In this week’s episode of the Chemical Watch podcast, science editor Andrew Turley is joined by global business editor Leigh Stringer and editorial director Geraint Roberts to discuss two big stories from the last week:
- the release of a policy statement by the Cross-Industry Initiative (CII), calling for better guidance and an improvement in the effectiveness and consistency of how a risk management option analysis (RMOA) of a substance is conducted. The CII argues that a clearer RMOA process would support the EU’s Green Deal; and
- concerns raised by the chair of a key UK Parliamentary Committee over the UK’s post-Brexit chemical strategy following the government’s decision to suspend work on it due to Covid-19.
This week, our Global Business Editor Leigh Stringer is joined by Editorial Director, Geraint Roberts and Managing Editor – North America, Terry Hyland. They discuss two big stories from the last week: a call by German trade bodies for a six-month postponement of chemical regulatory deadlines in the wake of Covid-19, and the results of the US EPA's TSCA draft evaluation of Percwhich has identified risks for workers and consumers.
In this episode, we are joined by moderator Cissie Yeung (Shell Eastern Petroleum),
Jeff Li (Procter & Gamble), Lingzhen Dong, (Johnson & Johnson), and Libin Huo, (AICM), speaking at Regulatory Summit Asia 2019.
The panel talk about the different regulations in both China and South Korea, including MEP Order 7, K-REACH and K-BPR, and the impact of recent changes to the industry.
In this episode, we are joined by moderator Nhat Nguyen (Chemical Watch), Karolina Zazvorkova (European Commission), Doreen Fedrigo (ECOS), and Cristina Garcia (Chemical Watch), speaking at Regulatory Summit Europe 2019.
The panel discusses the role and impact of RoHS compliance on those working with and in the European Union, and personal insights from the group concerning their experiences working with the regulation.
In this episode, we are joined by moderator Michael Kirschner (Design Chain Associates, LLC), Christophe Garnier (Schneider Electric), and Walter Jager (EDC Compliance), speaking at Chemicals Management for Electronics and Electricals USA 2019. The panel discusses supply chain management for the circular economy, answering questions on key topics, including:
- Circularity will require tighter control of the supply chain as more recycled materials become input materials; how do we tie them together?
- Where do we find suppliers willing to take recycled materials?
- What legal and waste transport barriers exist, and how do we address that with the relevant governments?