Bergeson & Campbell - Podcast Details

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All Things ChemicalProp 65 “Short Form” Warning Requirements — A Conversation with Lisa R. BurchiThis week, I sat down with Lisa R. Burchi, Of Counsel to Bergeson & Campbell, P.C. and resident expert on Proposition 65, among many other chemical laws. Lisa explains why businesses doing business in California need to know about the latest version of the so-called “short form” warning requirements that will be fully phased in by 2028. That may sound like a long way off, but it is not. We also discuss the complicated history of the short form label changes, some of the business considerations pertinent to the selection of the short form label of which stakeholders should be aware, and...2025-07-2449 min

All Things ChemicalLoper Bright and the End of Chevron Deference? — A Conversation with Kelly N. GarsonThis week, I discuss with my colleague, Kelly N. Garson, a Senior Associate here at B&C and Regulatory Consultant for The Acta Group (Acta®), B&C’s consulting affiliate, the implications of the demise of Chevron deference, especially as it relates to Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) litigation. We discuss what Chevron deference is, other types of deference that are still very much a part of judicial review, and how Chevron’s elimination could impact the implementation of the 2016 amendments to TSCA given the many issues in dispute now pending before many federal circuit courts. Resources: L...2025-07-1047 min

All Things ChemicalFirst Six Months of the Trump Administration — A Conversation with James V. AidalaThis week, I was pleased to welcome back to the studio Jim Aidala, Senior Government Affairs Consultant at B&C and its consulting affiliate, The Acta Group (Acta®), to discuss the first six months of the Trump Administration. We have all been trying to take in and process the many Executive Orders, Presidential Directives, and other developments of all sorts coming out of the White House at a head-spinning pace, and assess their impacts on the industrial and agricultural chemical community and federal workforce. Jim is a keen observer of Presidential and executive level administrative action, having served as th...2025-06-2653 min

All Things ChemicalChemical and Material Risk Management Program TSCA Market Analysis — A Conversation with Patricia Underwood, Ph.D., DABT, MBA and Richard E. Engler, Ph.D.This week, I discuss with Patricia Underwood, Ph.D., DABT, MBA, Chief Toxicologist, Principal Director – Chemical and Material Risk Management, Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense, Department of Defense, and my colleague, Richard E. Engler, Ph.D., Director of Chemistry for B&C and The Acta Group (Acta®), our consulting affiliate, the U.S. Department of Defense’s (DOD) recent Request for Information (RFI) on chemicals undergoing U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) review as part of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) Section 6 risk evaluation process. DOD has a significant need for certain chemicals but admittedly has no tr...2025-06-1247 min

All Things ChemicalBook Announcement — Chemical Product Law and Supply: A Guide to New TSCAHello, this is Lynn Bergeson. As many of our listeners may know, we here at Bergeson & Campbell, P.C. recently published a book through the American Bar Association's Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources, titled Chemical Product Law and Supply: A Guide to New TSCA. Recently, my ABA colleague Amy Edwards, a partner at Holland & Knight LLP, and I recorded a podcast to discuss the book—why we wrote it, and why chemical stakeholders of all kinds—especially business professionals, non-TSCA experts, and those involved in due diligence and commercial transactions—should read it. The podcas...2025-05-2937 min

All Things ChemicalU.S. State PFAS Initiatives — A Conversation with Richard E. Engler, Ph.D. and Carla N. HuttonThis week, I discuss with my colleagues, Carla N. Hutton, Senior Regulatory Analyst for B&C, and Dr. Richard E. Engler, Director of Chemistry for B&C and The Acta Group (Acta®), our consulting affiliate, the ever-expanding and complicated scope of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) regulation in the United States. We convened a webinar on this topic in mid-May and attracted a record-breaking 1000+ registrants, suggesting to us that PFAS continues to be a topic of enormous interest. In our discussion, Carla, Rich, and I address the federal Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) reporting obligation and the d...2025-05-1555 min

All Things ChemicalChemical Law and Policy — A Conversation with Karyn SchmidtThis week I had the pleasure of speaking with Karyn Schmidt, now a principal at Squire Patton Boggs in its Public Policy practice, after spending 25 years at the American Chemistry Council (ACC). For the many members in the chemical community who know Karyn, her deep understanding of chemical law and policy will serve the firm’s clients well. We discuss Karyn’s transition to private practice, her work at ACC, and Karyn’s thoughts on what is in store for chemical stakeholders now and the foreseeable future. ALL MATERIALS IN THIS PODCAST ARE PROVIDED SOLELY FOR INFORMATIONAL AND ENT...2025-04-2444 min

All Things ChemicalREACH and GHS in Latin America — A Conversation with Melissa OwenThis week I had the pleasure of speaking with Melissa Owen, attorney/owner of Ambiente Legal, about the significant regulatory developments regarding chemical registration in Latin America, including Latin American Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) initiatives and the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS). We discuss Brazil REACH, which requires by law the government to have an implementing regulation issued by May 2025, Colombia REACH, also subject to a fast-approaching May 2025 deadline, and other Latin American REACH and GHS deadlines. We also discuss the August 2025 deadline in Chile for the notification of chemicals...2025-04-1049 min

All Things ChemicalCLP Changes And What They Mean For Commercial Operations — A Conversation with Karin Baron and Lioba OerterThis week I had the pleasure of speaking with Lioba Oerter, Director of Expert Services, 3E Expert Service Processing Centre (ESPC), and Karin F. Baron, Director of Hazard Communication and International Registration Strategy at B&C and our consulting affiliate, The Acta Group, about the significant changes to product classification, labeling, and packaging (CLP) in the European Union (EU). Lioba and I shared a podium recently and found we also have a shared belief that these forthcoming CLP changes will have a profound commercial impact on product classification, labeling, and packaging globally and that with everything going on in...2025-03-2755 min

All Things ChemicalChemical Product Law and Supply Chain Stewardship: A Guide to New TSCA — A Conversation with Richard E. Engler, Ph.D. and Kelly N. GarsonThis week, I discuss with my colleagues, Dr. Richard E. Engler, Director of Chemistry for B&C and The Acta Group (Acta®), our consulting affiliate, and Kelly N. Garson, Senior Associate for B&C and Acta, our recently released book, titled Chemical Product Law and Supply Chain Stewardship: A Guide to New TSCA, published by the American Bar Association. As listeners know, as a law firm and consulting firm, we do a lot of work under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) and have gained a significant amount of hands-on practical knowledge about the law, the 2016 Lautenberg C...2025-03-1347 min

All Things ChemicalTSCA Developments — A Conversation with Richard E. Engler, Ph.D.This week, I discuss Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) developments with my colleague, Dr. Richard E. Engler, Director of Chemistry for B&C and The Acta Group (Acta®), our consulting affiliate. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) implementation of the 2016 Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act amendments has been a dynamic, evolving, and unpredictable work in progress for almost nine years. Given the new Administration, we are at a most uncertain time because of the lack of clarity regarding what the new leaders at the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention (OCSPP) wil...2025-02-2738 min

All Things ChemicalThe New Administration and Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) Developments — A Conversation with Jim AidalaThis week, I sat down with Jim Aidala, Senior Government Affairs Consultant at B&C and its consulting affiliate, The Acta Group (Acta®), to discuss the early days of the new Administration, what changes we can expect at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) generally, and key issues the Office of Pesticide Programs (OPP) can be expected to tackle. Jim’s unique perspective as a former Assistant Administrator of what is now called the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention (OCSPP) and keen understanding of the pesticide world always make for a wonderful and insightful conversation. A...2025-02-0651 min

All Things ChemicalWhat to Expect from The 119th Congress — A Conversation with Mark WashkoThis week I discuss with my colleague, Mark Washko, Senior Government Affairs Advisor for B&C and The Acta Group, our consulting affiliate, the new 119th Congress and what might be key legislative actions our listeners should look for. The new Congress reflects many new members, new staffs, and a new Republican majority in both chambers. What can we expect? Will Congressional Review Act measures un-do key Biden initiatives? What might we expect in terms of a budget reconciliation package? These issues and a whole lot more are the subject of my conversation with Mark. ALL MATERIALS...2025-01-2334 min

All Things ChemicalEPA Final Rule — A Conversation with Richard E. Engler, Ph.D.Recognizing it has much to do and little time to complete its tasks, the Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics (OPPT) has been issuing final rules at a fast and furious rate since the election last month. This week, I discuss OPPT’s to-do list with my colleague, Dr. Richard E. Engler, Director of Chemistry for B&C and The Acta Group (Acta®), our consulting affiliate. In addition to multiple final Section 6 risk management rules, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has also issued final revisions to its new chemicals review process and a Section 8(d) rule. We con...2024-12-1947 min

All Things ChemicalElection Outcome — A Conversation with James V. Aidala and Mark J. WashkoThis week, I sat down with our two government affairs experts, Jim Aidala and Mark Washko, to get their take on the very eventful past two weeks and seek their thoughts on what 2025 might look like legislatively and at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) administratively. With the Republican trifecta and some surprising Cabinet and EPA-designate picks, we have much to discuss. We cover the election results, the transition period between now and Inauguration Day, and then speculate on the remainder of 2025, a year that promises to be like no other. ALL MATERIALS IN THIS PODCAST...2024-11-2656 min

All Things ChemicalGLP Case Studies/Lessons Learned — A Conversation with Lara HallThis week, I welcomed to the studio Lara Hall, Senior Regulatory Scientist/Quality Assurance Specialist at B&C and our consulting affiliate, The Acta Group (Acta®), to discuss a few of the many critical issues associated with chemical testing. Chemical testing is undertaken for lots of reasons: government mandate; product stewardship; and product defense and support, to name a few. What is under-appreciated is the importance of the standards that apply under Good Laboratory Practices (GLP), the expertise needed to address novel testing approaches that deviate from GLP, how to manage requests from regulators that may not align with G...2024-11-1445 min

All Things ChemicalA Conversation with Deputy Commissioner Jim JonesThis week I had the pleasure of speaking with U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Deputy Commissioner for Human Foods, Jim Jones, about all the amazing initiatives Jim is overseeing as the first FDA Deputy Commissioner for Human Foods. Many of us in the chemical community know Jim and his extraordinary career at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) leading both the EPA pesticides and toxics program offices, culminating his EPA career as Assistant Administrator for Toxics in the Obama Administration. Jim’s keen understanding of the administrative, chemical prioritization, risk evaluation, and risk management processes makes hi...2024-10-3149 min

All Things ChemicalA Conversation with Linda Reinstein, President and Cofounder of the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO)This week I had the pleasure of speaking with Linda Reinstein, President and Cofounder of the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO), about her many years of asbestos disease awareness advocacy. Having lost her husband, Alan, to mesothelioma two decades ago, Linda set out to educate others about the diseases associated with asbestos exposure. Her story is one of grit, perseverance, and devotion. ALL MATERIALS IN THIS PODCAST ARE PROVIDED SOLELY FOR INFORMATIONAL AND ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES. THE MATERIALS ARE NOT INTENDED TO CONSTITUTE LEGAL ADVICE OR THE PROVISION OF LEGAL SERVICES. ALL LEGAL QUESTIONS SHOULD BE ANSWERED DIRECTLY B...2024-10-1741 min

All Things ChemicalTSCA Reform: Eight Years Later — Panel 4: Shaping the Agenda, Section 21 Citizens’ Petitions and Other Mechanisms Influencing Priority SettingOn June 26, 2024, B&C, along with the Environmental Law Institute and the George Washington University Milken Institute of Public Health, sponsored the all-day virtual conference, TSCA Reform — Eight Years Later. The quality of the discussion, the caliber of the participants, and the timeliness of the content motivated us to repurpose the substantive sessions. B&C and ELI are pleased to co-sponsor this episode of All Things Chemical® to enable our podcast audience to listen to these sessions. Lynn L. Bergeson moderated Panel 4: Shaping the Agenda: Section 21 Citizens’ Petitions and Other Mechanisms Influencing Priority Setting. The panelists included Ryan J...2024-10-031h 06

All Things ChemicalTSCA Reform: Eight Years Later — Panel 3: New Chemical ReviewOn June 26, 2024, B&C, along with the Environmental Law Institute and the George Washington University Milken Institute of Public Health, sponsored the all-day virtual conference, TSCA Reform — Eight Years Later. The quality of the discussion, the caliber of the participants, and the timeliness of the content motivated us to repurpose the substantive sessions. B&C and ELI are pleased to co-sponsor this episode of All Things Chemical® to enable our podcast audience to listen to these sessions. Samantha Liskow, Lead Counsel, Health Program, EDF, moderated Panel 3: New Chemical Review. The panelists included Shari Barash, Director, NCD, OPPT, EPA...2024-09-261h 06

All Things ChemicalTSCA Reform: Eight Years Later — Panel 2: Risk Evaluation and the Supporting Role Sections 4 and 8 PlayOn June 26, 2024, B&C, along with the Environmental Law Institute and the George Washington University Milken Institute of Public Health, sponsored the all-day virtual conference, TSCA Reform — Eight Years Later. The quality of the discussion, the caliber of the participants, and the timeliness of the content motivated us to repurpose the substantive sessions. B&C and ELI are pleased to co-sponsor this episode of All Things Chemical® to enable our podcast audience to listen to these sessions. Maria J. Doa, Ph.D., Senior Director, Chemicals Policy, Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), moderated Panel 2: Risk Evaluation and the Supporting Role...2024-09-191h 15

All Things ChemicalTSCA Reform: Eight Years Later — Panel 1: Risk ManagementOn June 26, 2024, B&C, along with the Environmental Law Institute and the George Washington University Milken Institute of Public Health, sponsored the all-day virtual conference, TSCA Reform — Eight Years Later. The quality of the discussion, the caliber of the participants, and the timeliness of the content motivated us to repurpose the substantive sessions. B&C and ELI are pleased to co-sponsor this episode of All Things Chemical® to enable our podcast audience to listen to these sessions. Karyn M. Schmidt, Senior Director, Regulatory & Scientific Affairs, American Chemistry Council, moderated Panel 1: Risk Management. The panelists included MaryAnn Hoff, Glob...2024-09-121h 04

All Things ChemicalWhy are TSCA Citizen Petitions Filed? — A Conversation with Michael ConnettThis week I had the pleasure of speaking with Michael Connett, Partner with Siri & Glimstad, LLP to discuss his epic litigation representing Food & Water Watch, a non-profit consumer organization that sued EPA over the fluoridation of drinking water. This issue has a long and complicated administrative and litigation history, and Michael and his firm are actively engaged in a groundbreaking federal litigation based on a judicial appeal of a denied Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) Section 21 citizen petition. Michael concluded a bench trial earlier this year in federal district court in the Northern District of California. The case is...2024-08-2953 min

All Things ChemicalCanada Proposes Exclusion of Fluoropolymers from PFAS — A Conversation with W. Scott ThurlowThis week I had the pleasure of speaking with W. Scott Thurlow with Thurlow Law & Public Affairs, headquartered Ottawa, Ontario, about Canada’s most recent updated draft report on the state of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). The updated draft report defines PFAS to exclude fluoropolymers, an issue in which Scott and his firm are deeply engaged. We discuss the draft report, Canada’s approach to the regulation of PFAS, and Scott’s practice as a Canadian lawyer and public affairs specialist. ALL MATERIALS IN THIS PODCAST ARE PROVIDED SOLELY FOR INFORMATIONAL AND ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES. THE MATERIALS ARE NOT...2024-08-1542 min

All Things ChemicalSponsor’s Role in Regulatory Testing — A Conversation with Lara HallThis week, I welcomed to the studio Lara Hall, Senior Regulatory Scientist/Quality Assurance Specialist at B&C and our consulting affiliate, The Acta Group, to discuss the critical importance of understanding the role of the study sponsor. As our listeners know, chemical data -- testing results, chemical studies, exposure information, environmental fate and monitoring data, to name a few -- are the new currency in the chemical community. These data are incredibly valuable, often proprietary, and increasingly used both to support chemical applications and to rebut allegations of adverse consequences resulting from chemical exposure. How these data are...2024-08-0146 min

All Things ChemicalHCS 2024 — A Conversation with Karin F. BaronThis week, I welcomed back to the studio Karin F. Baron, Director of Hazard Communication and International Registration Strategy at B&C and our consulting affiliate, The Acta Group. And none too soon. Just when you were giving up hope in tackling the monster final Hazard Communication Standard rule issued on May 20, you realized Karin and I are devoting an entire podcast to the final rule! As many of you know, Karin is second to none when it comes to hazard communication, GHS, and related domestic and international hazard standards and communicating hazards to global stakeholders. There...2024-07-1847 min

All Things ChemicalPerspectives from OPP to OPPT — A Conversation with Elissa Reaves, Ph.D.This week, I had the pleasure of speaking with Elissa Reaves, Ph.D., Director, Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics (OPPT) at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), to discuss Dr. Reaves’ recent ascent to this position, her approach to office management, her priorities and goals for OPPT, and some interesting comparisons and contrasts with Dr. Reaves’ former stomping ground, EPA’s Office of Pesticide Programs (OPP). ALL MATERIALS IN THIS PODCAST ARE PROVIDED SOLELY FOR INFORMATIONAL AND ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES. THE MATERIALS ARE NOT INTENDED TO CONSTITUTE LEGAL ADVICE OR THE PROVISION OF LEGAL SERVICES. ALL LEGAL Q...2024-06-2034 min

All Things ChemicalWhat is Green Chemistry? — A Conversation with Joel A. Tickner, Ph.D.This week I had the pleasure of speaking with Joel A. Tickner, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Public Health, University of Massachusetts Lowell, and Executive Director of Change Chemistry, to discuss green chemistry and Joel’s important work at Change Chemistry. We all appreciate that chemicals are essential to society. Green chemistry is all about engineering chemicals to diminish their adverse impacts and ensure chemicals, materials, and products are safe, efficacious, and sustainable. We discuss Joel’s pioneering work in this field, his leadership of Change Chemistry, implementation of the Sustainable Chemistry Research and Development (R&D) Act of 2019, and...2024-06-0647 min

All Things ChemicalThe Importance of Government Affairs Engagement — A Conversation with Mark WashkoThis week I discuss with my colleague, Mark Washko, Senior Government Affairs Advisor for B&C and The Acta Group, our consulting affiliate, the importance of government affairs engagement in the current political environment. Mark recently joined us, having spent 16 years as Head of Federal Government Affairs for BASF Corporation here in Washington, D.C. Mark has significant experience in engaging with Congressional staff and Members to ensure his clients’ interests are well served. We discuss a few specific examples of how government affairs engagement has helped, Lautenberg and his work on new chemicals, and how best to prepare fo...2024-05-2336 min

All Things ChemicalA European Perspective on Food Law — A Conversation with Nora von Bergen, LL.M.This week I had the pleasure of speaking with Nora von Bergen, LL.M., a lawyer with Food Lex AG, to discuss her role as an accomplished food practitioner in Bern, Switzerland. Nora and I are both officers of the International Bar Association Agriculture and Food Law Section, and I have learned more over the past several years about Nora’s practice and find it fascinating. We discuss what Nora does at Food Lex and in that context, recent comprehensive amendments to Swiss food law that went into effect recently, and a few of the challenging legal issues Nora and...2024-05-0932 min

All Things ChemicalUtility of Consortia Advocacy — A Conversation with Heather J. BlankinshipThis week I discuss with my colleague, Heather Blankinship, Senior Scientist/Regulatory Consultant for B&C and The Acta Group, and Senior Manager for B&C® Consortia Management, L.L.C. (BCCM) to discuss the value of coalition advocacy, and its essentiality in the chemical space, especially now. Heather manages many chemical coalitions and does a masterful job of managing issues and people. When you think about it, engaging commercial competitors to align on advocacy involving critically important regulatory, testing, and science policy issues is daunting. It involves strong communication skills, strong people skills, a keen understanding o...2024-04-2549 min

All Things ChemicalAsbestos Reporting Rule — A Conversation with Richard E. Engler, Ph.D.This week I discuss with my colleague, Dr. Richard E. Engler, Director of Chemistry for B&C and The Acta Group, our consulting affiliate, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) important and recently issued first final risk management rule for chrysotile asbestos. Those of us in the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) community know asbestos occupies a special place in TSCA’s checkered past, and EPA’s final rule is an important chapter in that book. Whether you care about asbestos or not, by any independent standard this final rule is a big deal for several reasons. There...2024-04-1143 min

All Things ChemicalFIFRA Hot Topic Issues — A Conversation with Jim AidalaThis week, I was excited to sit down with Jim Aidala, Senior Government Affairs Consultant at B&C and its consulting affiliate, The Acta Group, to discuss FIFRA hot topics. For those of us who work in the complicated and ever-changing area of agricultural and biocidal products, federal and state regulation of ag products is often hard to understand and to monitor. Jim knows this space better than anyone, having worked on the Hill, led EPA’s toxics office, and now serving the private sector. We discuss tip-of-the-spear issues in 2024, including what to expect in pesticides when electing (2024 general el...2024-03-2853 min

All Things ChemicalTSCA Section 8(a)(7) PFAS Reporting Rule — A Conversation with Richard E. Engler, Ph.D.This week I discuss with my colleague, Dr. Richard E. Engler, Director of Chemistry for B&C and The Acta Group, our consulting affiliate, the super-hot topic of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) reporting under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). PFAS, the class of so-called forever chemicals, are the talk of this town, and likely the talk of many jurisdictions given the intense global scrutiny all things PFAS endure. Rich and I focus our broad ranging discussion on federal TSCA reporting under TSCA Section 8(a)(7). We discuss what PFAS are reportable, what information is due and by when...2024-03-0750 min

All Things ChemicalEnvironmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Standards — A Conversation with The Honorable Leo E. Strine, Jr.This week I had the distinct pleasure of visiting with former Chief Justice of the Delaware Supreme Court, the Honorable Leo E. Strine, Jr., Of Counsel, at Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz. Judge Strine and I discuss the intense focus on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) standards and the pressures on corporate directors and managers occasioned by the Caremark decision and its progeny, among other developments. These initiatives have particular relevance to businesses many of our clients and listeners manage, as they often involve environmentally sensitive chemical products and manufacturing operations. We discuss Judge Strine’s thoughts on implementing ESG pr...2024-02-221h 11

All Things ChemicalTSCA Developments in 2024 — A Conversation with Richard E. Engler, Ph.D.This week I discuss with my colleague, Dr. Richard E. Engler, Director of Chemistry for B&C and The Acta Group, our consulting affiliate, what to expect in 2024 regarding TSCA developments. Rich is a leading voice on all things TSCA, especially new chemicals, and a widely sought after thought leader on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) implementation of the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act (Lautenberg), Congress’ 2016 amendments to the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). We begin with the most recent Senate hearing on TSCA on January 24 and then discuss Rich’s though...2024-02-0852 min

All Things ChemicalWhat to Expect on Capitol Hill in 2024 — A Conversation with Jim AidalaThis week, I sat down with Jim Aidala, Senior Government Affairs Consultant at B&C and its consulting affiliate, The Acta Group. As many of our listeners know, Jim is a former Assistant Administrator of the Toxics office at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). He has worked on Capitol Hill as a pesticide policy expert and a keen student of all things political. We discuss what to expect in 2024 from the Hill and EPA’s Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention (OCSPP) when it comes to key chemical matters. We cover a lot of territory -- EP...2024-01-2547 min

All Things ChemicalGRAS: Are Changes in Our Future? — A Conversation with Karin F. BaronThis week, I welcomed back to the studio Karin F. Baron, Director of Hazard Communication and International Registration Strategy at B&C and our consulting affiliate, The Acta Group. Karin and I discuss an old but evolving concept in FDA circles called GRAS -- Generally Recognized as Safe. As listeners may know, “food additives” require pre-market approval by FDA. Substances “generally recognized” as safe under the conditions of a substance’s intended use are excluded from the definition of “food additive,” are not subject to mandatory pre-market review by FDA, and may be added to human and animal food. How companies...2024-01-1146 min

All Things ChemicalEPA’s Proposed Registration of a Sprayable RNAi Biopesticide — A Conversation with Meibao Zhuang, Ph.D.This week, listeners are in for a real treat as I sit down with Dr. Meibao Zhuang, Senior Scientist/Regulatory Consultant with B&C and our consulting affiliate, The Acta Group, to discuss double-stranded ribonucleic acid interference, better known as ds RNAi. Ds RNAi is a technology that allows scientists to silence (or interfere with) a particular gene. In the agricultural sector, this genetic modification can be used to great advantage to control pests of all sorts with extreme precision. Meibao will discuss EPA’s proposed registration of the first sprayable RNAi biopesticide and the exciting implications of this te...2023-12-1456 min

All Things ChemicalCommunity Outreach and Environmental Justice — A Conversation with Rachel James of the SELCThis week, I had the distinct pleasure of visiting with Rachel James, an attorney with the Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC). Rachel’s background and specialized training make her uniquely well suited to address some of the very interesting issues in which she engages at SELC on behalf of a diverse set of community groups. The Biden-Harris Administration has made environmental justice and accounting for susceptible subpopulations core components of its approach to environmental protection. My conversation with Rachel provides greater insights into how this is working in practice. ALL MATERIALS IN THIS PODCAST ARE PROVIDED SOLELY FO...2023-11-3037 min

All Things ChemicalRev 10 GHS — A Conversation with Karin F. BaronThis week, I welcomed back to the studio Karin F. Baron, Director of Hazard Communication and International Registration Strategy at B&C and our consulting affiliate, The Acta Group. Karin and I discuss Revision 10 of the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals, commonly referred to as GHS. Release of any new GHS revision is a big deal, and Revision 10 is no exception. Karin highlights key elements of the revision, including changes to “weight of evidence,” the classification of ozone-depleting chemicals, precautionary statements, and much more. No one reports on GHS better than Karin, and this episode cove...2023-11-1645 min

All Things ChemicalTSCA Reform — Seven Years Later: Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) SessionOn June 29, 2023, B&C, along with the Environmental Law Institute and the George Washington University Milken Institute of Public Health, sponsored the all-day virtual conference, TSCA Reform -- Seven Years Later. The conference was hugely successful and over 700 people registered for it. The quality of the discussion, the caliber of the participants, and the timeliness of the content motivated us to repurpose the substantive sessions to enable our podcast audience to listen to the sessions in this venue. Our topic in this podcast is the Toxic Substances Control Act’s (TSCA) application to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and how...2023-11-021h 31

All Things ChemicalTSCA Reform — Seven Years Later: New Chemicals Review SessionOn June 29, 2023, B&C, along with the Environmental Law Institute and the George Washington University Milken Institute of Public Health, sponsored the all-day virtual conference, TSCA Reform -- Seven Years Later. The conference was hugely successful and over 700 people registered for it. The quality of the discussion, the caliber of the participants, and the timeliness of the content motivated us to repurpose the substantive sessions to enable our podcast audience to listen to the sessions in this venue. Our topic in this podcast is the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) new chemicals review process under Lautenberg. As man...2023-10-261h 37

All Things ChemicalTSCA Reform — Seven Years Later: Risk Management SessionOn June 29, 2023, B&C, along with the Environmental Law Institute and the George Washington University Milken Institute of Public Health, sponsored an all-day virtual conference, TSCA Reform -- Seven Years Later. The conference was hugely successful and over 700 people registered for it. The quality of the discussion, the caliber of the participants, and the timeliness of the content inspired us to re-broadcast the discussion to our podcast audience. This panel discusses the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) authority under Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) Section 6 to manage chemical risks that EPA has determined to be unreasonable and op...2023-10-191h 29

All Things ChemicalTSCA Reform — Seven Years Later: Risk Evaluation SessionOn June 29, 2023, B&C, along with the Environmental Law Institute and the George Washington University Milken Institute of Public Health, sponsored the all-day virtual conference, TSCA Reform -- Seven Years Later. The conference was hugely successful and over 700 people registered for it. The quality of the discussion, the caliber of the participants, and the timeliness of the content motivated us to repurpose the substantive sessions to enable our podcast audience to listen to the sessions in this venue. The topic of this podcast is the panel discussion on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) risk evaluation process un...2023-10-121h 31

All Things ChemicalLessons in Effective Government Advocacy — A Conversation with Mark WashkoThis week I had the distinct pleasure of visiting with Mark Washko, Head of Federal Government Affairs at BASF Corporation. I have worked with Mark and admire his extraordinary communication skills, particularly his ability to advocate on complex science policy and chemical issues clearly and in a way that is relatable. We in the chemical community are constantly challenged on so many levels in this regard -- how to speak clearly, and to speak in a way that wins friends and influences those many who do not share our perspective, and how to remain respectful when addressing issues we...2023-09-2840 min

All Things ChemicalPMN Review and Orders — A Conversation with Richard E. Engler, Ph.D.This week, we are re-releasing my conversation with Dr. Richard E. Engler, Director of Chemistry for B&C and The Acta Group (Acta®), our consulting affiliate, originally recorded in April. We discussed then a lawsuit challenging the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) issuance of a Consent Order under Section 5(e) of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). As listeners may know, judicial challenges to TSCA Section 5(e) orders are rare, and this one is even more unusual because the petitioner is a non-governmental organization (NGO) and the challenge was filed well beyond the statutory period for judicial cha...2023-09-1446 min

All Things ChemicalSection 6 Advocacy and the Importance of Being Early — A Conversation with Richard E. Engler, Ph.D.This week I discuss with my colleague, Dr. Richard E. Engler, Director of Chemistry for B&C and The Acta Group, our consulting affiliate, the importance of engaging early and often with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) Section 6 risk evaluation process. We discuss conditions of use (COU) of a chemical being evaluated by EPA, the reasons why educating EPA on COUs is critically important to regulated businesses, the relevance of ECELs, existing chemical exposure limits, and the consequences of a Significant New Use Rule (SNUR) for use conditions out of...2023-08-3143 min

All Things ChemicalCompetitive Advantage of Product Stewardship — A Conversation with Catherine M. Croke, DBAThis week, I was excited to speak with Dr. Catherine M. Croke, Bergeson &Campbell’s and our consulting affiliate’s, The Acta Group, Director of Product Stewardship and Regulatory Affairs, about product stewardship and its role in achieving competitive advantage. There is a direct relationship between the two if you know how to leverage excellent stewardship to achieve competitive advantage. In my conversation with Catherine, we consider the nature of this relationship. We explore how employee and management engagement in product stewardship is essential, how products can be brought to market faster, how fulfilling customer expectations is part of the...2023-08-1734 min

All Things ChemicalThe Hazard Communication Standard — A Conversation with Lesa Rice-Jackson, CPPS, Ph.D.This week I had the pleasure of visiting with Dr. Lesa Rice-Jackson, CPPS, Managing Principal Consultant, Rice Jackson Health Safety & Regulatory Compliance Consulting, to discuss Lesa’s expertise in occupational safety and health and product stewardship issues. Dr. Jackson has a distinguished career in private practice as an employee of a large industrial chemical company, and now is President of her own consultancy. Lesa is both a much sought after service provider to B&C and some of its clients and a member of the Board of Directors of the Product Stewardship Society, which I served on for several ye...2023-08-0334 min

All Things ChemicalEPA Adds Two New Chemical Categories: What It Means to Chemical Innovators — A Conversation with Richard E. Engler, Ph.D.This week, we are re-releasing a podcast I recorded with my colleague, Dr. Richard E. Engler, Director of Chemistry for B&C and The Acta Group, our consulting affiliate, much earlier this year on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) development of new chemical categories to help streamline Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) Section 5 new chemical review. Since January, the concept of chemical categories has attracted significant attention. Rich and I discuss in the podcast the new categories for mixed metal oxides (MMO) and cathode active materials (CAM), and another category for biofuels. More recently, EP...2023-07-2037 min

All Things ChemicalCLP Changes — A Conversation with Lee Bowers and Karin F. BaronThis week I had the pleasure of speaking with Lee Bowers, Vice President -- Environmental, Health & Safety (EHS), RPM International, Inc., and Bergeson & Campbell’s own Karin Baron, Director of Hazard Communication and International Registration Strategy, to discuss the consequential changes to the classification, labeling, and packaging of substances and mixtures (CLP) system in the European Union (EU). As some of our listeners may know, in April 2023, the European Commission entered into force significant changes to the CLP regulation. The real-world impacts of these changes are now being felt in a host of commercial transactions. These challenges arise because of...2023-07-0648 min

All Things ChemicalA Conversation with Rear Admiral Melissa Bert, Esquire (Ret.)This week I had the pleasure of speaking with Retired Rear Admiral Melissa Bert, who served as the Judge Advocate General and Chief Counsel of the U.S. Coast Guard, the first woman to serve in this position. Admiral Bert’s accomplishments are too numerous to note here, but her Wikipedia page is sure to impress. We discuss Coast Guard responsibilities, what the Chief Counsel of the Coast Guard does, some of Admiral Bert’s more memorable engagements, and the Admiral’s founding of the Coast Guard Women’s Leadership Initiative and Leadership Diversity Advisory Council. ALL MATERIAL...2023-06-2250 min

All Things ChemicalA Conversation with Shanisha Y. Smith, EsquireThis week I had the pleasure of speaking with Shanisha Smith, Health, Safety, and Environmental (HSE) Counsel for LyondellBasell, about her role as counsel and the rewards and challenges of advising a major chemical producer on HSE legal and product stewardship issues. In our conversation, we learn about Shanisha’s beginnings not far from here on Maryland’s Eastern Shore to now living in Houston and counseling LyondellBasell’s, one of the world’s largest chemical manufacturers, global team of HSE and product stewardship professionals on an incredibly diverse range of legal and product stewardship issues. We discuss Shanisha’s impressi...2023-06-0832 min

All Things ChemicalPFAS under REACH — A Conversation with Jane S. Vergnes, Ph.D.This week I had the pleasure of speaking with Dr. Jane Vergnes, Director of Toxicology and Vice President, Scientific Affairs, here at B&C and its consulting affiliate, The Acta Group (Acta®), about the regulation of PFAS under REACH. Many of our listeners know the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) released on February 7 its long-awaited restriction proposal for the regulation of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in the European Union (EU) under the Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) regulations. The proposal is a monster -- complex, far-ranging, and very consequential. The six-month consultation period is open until late S...2023-05-2550 min

All Things ChemicalPMN Review and Orders — A Conversation with Richard E. Engler, Ph.D.This week, Dr. Richard E. Engler, Director of Chemistry for B&C and The Acta Group (Acta®), our consulting affiliate, returned to the studio to discuss a recently filed lawsuit challenging the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) issuance of a Consent Order under Section 5(e) of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). Judicial challenges to TSCA Section 5(e) orders are rare, and this one is even more unusual because the petitioner is a non-governmental organization (NGO) and the challenge was filed well beyond the statutory time period for judicial challenge, according to some. We discuss TSCA Section 5(e...2023-05-1146 min

All Things ChemicalTSCA: New and Old — A Conversation with the Legendary Robert M. SussmanThis week, I sat down with the truly legendary Robert M. Sussman, of Sussman & Associates, to discuss Bob’s extraordinary career engaging in all things Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), new and old. Bob was a prominent private-practice attorney and frequent senior official at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) before TSCA was amended in 2016. Since the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act, Bob has been extraordinarily successful putting his TSCA know-how and finely honed litigation skills to effective use for a wide range of public-interest clients. During our conversation, we discuss Bob’s amaz...2023-04-2750 min

All Things ChemicalModernization of Cosmetic Regulations Act of 2022 — A Conversation with Karin F. BaronThis week, I welcomed back to the studio Karin F. Baron, Director of Hazard Communication and International Registration Strategy at B&C and our consulting affiliate, The Acta Group. Karin and I discuss the newly enacted Modernization of Cosmetics Regulation Act of 2022, better known as MoCRA. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has been the subject of criticism for years over what some regard as inadequate regulation of cosmetics and the facilities where they are produced. MoCRA is intended to modernize the regulation of cosmetics and imposes sweeping changes on the review and regulation of cosmetics about which...2023-04-1353 min

All Things ChemicalThe East Palestine Train Derailment: Behind the Scenes with Three Former Government OfficialsThe train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, has inspired a lot of conversation involving a wide range of topics, including emergency response measures, rail transport of chemicals, and most pertinent to this conversation, communicating chemical risk information to the public. Several of my colleagues here at Bergeson & Campbell have worked at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in varying capacities and other federal agencies charged with regulating chemicals and communicating safety and risk information. We thought it would be interesting to have a conversation with these former regulators about the challenges federal and state agencies face in responding...2023-03-3059 min

All Things ChemicalWhat is Product Stewardship’s Value to a Company? — A Conversation with Tina N. Armstrong, Ph.D.This week, I sat down with Dr. Tina N. Armstrong, a Vice President with Arcadis U.S., Inc., to discuss the role of product stewardship in business organizations today. To those of us in this space, Tina is a rock star. In addition to her role as a business leader and scientist at Arcadis, Tina is a professor in product stewardship strategy and management at the Indiana University Richard M. Fairbanks School of Public Health, an author of many books and articles on product stewardship, and the 2022 awardee of the prestigious Allan K. Fleeger Distinguished Service Award conferred by...2023-03-1633 min

All Things ChemicalProduct Stewardship, Supply Chain, and Downstream User Engagement — A Conversation with Catherine M. Croke, DBAThis week, I had the pleasure of catching up with Dr. Catherine M. Croke, B&C’s and our consulting affiliate’s, The Acta Group, new Director of Product Stewardship and Regulatory Affairs. Catherine joined us recently from Evonik Corporation, where she was Senior Advocacy and Compliance Manager. Catherine’s diverse and truly extraordinary background working for industrial chemical companies in a variety of science, business, and advocacy roles have made Catherine a core part of the B&C and Acta team. We discuss the expanding role and growing importance of product stewards in corporate America today, what is produc...2023-03-0235 min

All Things ChemicalHealth Canada’s Update to Rev 7/8 of GHS — A Conversation with Karin F. BaronThis week, I welcomed back to the studio Karin F. Baron, Director of Hazard Communication and International Registration Strategy at B&C and our consulting affiliate, The Acta Group. During this 100th All Things Chemical podcast, Karin and I discuss the very important recently released amendments to the Canadian Hazardous Products Regulations (HPR). The amendments are intended to align the HPR with the seventh revised edition (Rev 7) of the United Nations (UN) Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS). No one on planet Earth knows the global state of play of GHS regulation better than Karin...2023-02-1634 min

All Things ChemicalWhat to Expect on Capitol Hill and at EPA OCSPP in 2023 — A Conversation with Jim AidalaThis week, I sat down with Jim Aidala, Senior Government Affairs Consultant at B&C and its consulting affiliate, The Acta Group. We discuss what to expect in 2023 from Capitol Hill and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention (OCSPP) when it comes to key chemical matters. Jim is, of course, one of the country’s most talented pesticide experts and, as a former Assistant Administrator of what is now OCSPP and a founding member of the Capitol Steps, offers laser-focused insights on chemicals with wit and flair. We cover a lot...2023-02-0254 min

All Things ChemicalWhat to Expect in Chemicals Policy and Regulation in 2023 — A Conversation with Richard E. Engler, Ph.D.This week, Dr. Richard E. Engler, Director of Chemistry for B&C and The Acta Group (Acta®), our consulting affiliate, returned to the studio to discuss what to expect in Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) regulation in the New Year. While we cannot predict with precision, we know 2023 will be a consequential year for several reasons: the first final risk management rule will be issued, the final per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS) reporting rule will be issued, and the final Confidential Business Information rule will be issued -- and this is the first quarter of the year! I...2023-01-1936 min

All Things ChemicalEPA Adds Two New Chemical Categories: What It Means to Chemical Innovators — A Conversation with Richard E. Engler, Ph.D.This week, Dr. Richard E. Engler, Director of Chemistry for B&C and The Acta Group, our consulting affiliate, returned to the studio to discuss the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) bold moves in developing new chemical categories to help streamline the review of new chemicals under Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) Section 5. While the categorical approach to new chemical review is by no means new, it has stalled out in recent years, and EPA’s renewed work in this area is both timely and essential. Rich and I discuss the new category for mixed metal oxides (MMO...2023-01-0553 min

All Things ChemicalTSCA Regulation of Articles: The Saga Continues — A Conversation with Richard E. Engler, Ph.D.This week, Dr. Richard E. Engler, Director of Chemistry for B&C and The Acta Group, our consulting affiliate, returned to the studio to discuss the stubbornly vexatious problem of TSCA’s regulation of articles, a fancy name for products or finished goods. Most listeners to the podcast appreciate that this U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administration has specifically applied TSCA regulations to articles far more than in decades past. This policy pivot has caused a significant amount of commercial disruption and business uncertainty. This will not abate in the years ahead. Rich Engler explains why this is th...2022-12-0845 min

All Things ChemicalKeeping up with CLP Changes — A Conversation with Karin F. BaronThis week, I welcomed back to the studio Karin F. Baron, Senior Regulatory Consultant at B&C and our consulting affiliate, The Acta Group. Karin and I discuss the controversial changes proposed by the European Commission to the regulation on classification, labeling, and packaging of substances and mixtures, better known as the CLP regulation. As our listeners know, no one knows this space better than Karin Baron. Karin explains why the proposed changes are likely to inject even greater dis-harmonization in the area of the global harmonization of packaging and labeling at a time when global commerce can least...2022-11-1047 min

All Things ChemicalBiotech’s Emergence in the EU and Globally — A Conversation with Dr. Claire SkentelberyThis week, I sat down with Dr. Claire Skentelbery, Director General, EuropaBio -- The European Association for Bioindustries. Many of you may know Claire from her prior role as Director General of the Nanotechnology Industries Association, where she energized that Brussels-based trade association to new and exciting heights. Claire has brought her considerable scientific, science policy, and trade association management skills to EuropaBio at an exciting time, as biotechnology is widely recognized to be a pivotal component of the European Union’s (EU) commitment to sustainability. We cover a lot of territory in our conversation and discuss evolving perceptions of...2022-10-2742 min

All Things ChemicalMisunderstood: The Excise Tax No One Likes or Understands — A Conversation with Douglas Charnas and Richard E. Engler, Ph.D.This week I sat down with Doug Charnas, a nationally- recognized corporate and tax attorney and partner at McGlinchey, in its Washington, D.C. offices, and our own Dr. Richard Engler, Director of Chemistry at Bergeson & Campbell and at our consulting affiliate, The Acta Group. We discuss the recently reinstated Superfund Tax, which entities the tax applies to, what exactly is a taxable chemical and how to distinguish between taxable chemicals and taxable substances, and why just about everyone is really grumpy about this newly reinstated tax. ALL MATERIALS IN THIS PODCAST ARE PROVIDED SOLELY FOR INFORMATIONAL A...2022-10-1355 min

All Things ChemicalThe New Era of Smarter Food Safety — A Conversation with Karin BaronThis week, I welcomed back to the studio Karin F. Baron, Senior Regulatory Consultant at B&C and our consulting affiliate, The Acta Group. Karin and I discuss the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) initiative called the New Era of Smarter Food Safety. The goal of this initiative is to diminish the number of foodborne illness, which, surprisingly, has not diminished since the Food Safety Modernization Act was enacted 11 years ago. We discuss FDA’s “blueprint for the future” as the initiative has come to be called, the use of emerging technologies to achieve FDA’s goal, and...2022-09-2936 min

All Things ChemicalTSCA New Approach Methodologies — A Conversation with James W. CoxThis week I sat down with James Cox, M.S., Senior Scientist with B&C. James is an exceptional biologist with significant experience assessing the risk of industrial chemicals. Before joining B&C, James served in a variety of leadership positions in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Office of Pollution Prevent and Toxics, one of which was Chair of the Risk Assessment Technical Team, which provided recommendations to inform EPA’s policy positions on New Approach Methodologies or NAMs. James discusses NAMs, their significance in chemical risk assessment under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), how NAMs...2022-09-1538 min

All Things ChemicalDo We Need An Animal Protection Agency? — A Conversation with Prof. Delcianna J. WindersThis week I sat down with Professor Delcianna J. Winders, Professor and Animal Law and Policy Institute Director at the Vermont Law School. Professor Winders is a total rock star in the exploding area of animal law. Prior to joining the Vermont Law School faculty and founding the Animal Law and Policy Institute, Professor Winders was on the faculty of Lewis & Clark Law School. She previously served as Vice President and Deputy General Counsel at the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals Foundation, was the first Academic Fellow of the Harvard Animal Law & Policy Program, and a visiting...2022-09-0155 min

All Things ChemicalIs There A New Chemical Bias? — A Conversation with Richard E. Engler, Ph.D.This week I sat down with Dr. Richard E. Engler, B&C’s and The Acta Group’s (our consulting affiliate) Director of Chemistry, to discuss the new chemical bias. Our listeners know that Rich Engler has worked for decades reviewing Premanufacture Notifications submitted under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). PMNs are applications to manufacture or import chemical substances that are not listed on the TSCA Inventory and thus are considered “new.” Much has changed in terms of the new chemical review process since Congress revised TSCA six years ago. As we discuss in our podcast, however, one thing ha...2022-08-1856 min

All Things ChemicalThe National Tribal Toxics Council — A Conversation with Dianne Barton, Ph.D.This week, I sat down with Dr. Dianne Barton, Water Quality Coordinator at the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission in Portland, Oregon, where she puts her Ph.D. in geochemistry to good use by providing technical expertise related to water quality, environmental toxics, regulatory processes, and the fate and transport of contaminants. Dr. Barton, who is a member of the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, Chairs the National Tribal Toxics Council (NTTC), which is a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) - tribal partnership group that provides tribes with opportunities to engage more specifically with EPA on...2022-08-041h 09

All Things ChemicalTips for Working with Foreign Regulators in China — A Conversation with David Cragin, Ph.D.This week, I sat down with David Cragin, Ph.D., DABT®, Quality Assurance and External Affairs Director for a large multinational pharmaceutical company, to discuss his experience living and working in China. For many listeners, working with foreign regulators can be particularly challenging for a variety of reasons, including language barriers, cultural differences, and differing regulatory standards. Dave shares his experience working in China and explains his approach to managing these issues successfully. ALL MATERIALS IN THIS PODCAST ARE PROVIDED SOLELY FOR INFORMATIONAL AND ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES. THE MATERIALS ARE NOT INTENDED TO CONSTITUTE LEGAL ADVICE OR THE PR...2022-07-2141 min

All Things ChemicalFood Pesticide Residues — A Conversation with Sheryl Dolan and Meibao Zhuang, Ph.D.This week, I sat down with Sheryl Lindros Dolan, Senior Regulatory Consultant with B&C and Senior Regulatory Specialist with our consulting affiliate, The Acta Group, and Meibao Zhuang, Ph.D., Senior Scientist/Regulatory Consultant with B&C and Acta, to discuss pesticide tolerances, what are they, how does the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) develop them, and how well government and industry stakeholders communicate their utility in ensuring a safe and reliable food supply. We also wander into the complex world of soil amendments and adjuvants, so if you do not know what these are, listen up.2022-07-0740 min

All Things ChemicalBalancing Wildlife Protection and Responsible Pesticide Use — A Conversation with EPA’s Jake LiThis week, I sat down with Jake Li, Deputy Assistant Administrator for Pesticide Programs, Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and my colleague, Jim Aidala, Senior Government Affairs Consultant here at B&C. My guests have much in common -- they both have served (or in Jake’s case is serving) in senior policy positions in this space at EPA, and they both have a keen understanding of the legal, policy, and commercial implications of the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Enacted almost 50 years ago, the ESA is intended to preserve and protect im...2022-06-231h 02

All Things ChemicalOEHHA and Prop 65 Update — A Conversation with Lisa R. BurchiThis week, I sat down with Lisa R. Burchi, Of Counsel, Bergeson & Campbell, P.C., and resident expert on Proposition 65 (Prop 65), among many other chemical laws. Few state laws are more notorious, or controversial, as this 1986 California law that revolutionized the concept of a consumer’s or worker’s “right to know” whether a product or work space might present exposures to chemicals considered carcinogens or reproductive toxins. Fast forward 36 years, and the familiar label warning on products as diverse as industrial chemicals to coffee and other common food items are found literally everywhere, in and out of the state of...2022-06-0951 min

All Things ChemicalGHS Update — A Conversation with Karin BaronThis week, I welcomed back to the studio Karin F. Baron, Senior Regulatory Consultant at B&C and our consulting affiliate, The Acta Group. Karin is an internationally recognized expert on hazard communication, risk assessment, the regulation of food contact materials, and the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS). Karin’s expertise in hazard communication and GHS was recently recognized as Karin was elected to the Board of Directors of the Society for Chemical Hazard Communication (SCHC), an organization Karin has held leadership positions in for years. Our conversation focuses on the truly seismic changes underway in...2022-05-2657 min

All Things ChemicalTrends in Product Sustainability and Circularity — A Conversation with Kate SellersThis week I had the pleasure of sitting down again with one of my favorite people on planet Earth, Kate Sellers, Technical Fellow at ERM, where Kate leads a multidisciplinary team of professionals dedicated to helping companies recognize the business value of product stewardship. Kate is also an adjunct professor at Harvard Extension School and Indiana University’s School of Public Health, where she is an instructor in the Master of Science in Product Stewardship program. Kate and I last spoke on the podcast in December 2020, when we vowed to speak again in about a year. Over th...2022-05-1246 min

All Things ChemicalA Look Into The Household & Commercial Products Association — A Conversation with Steven Bennett, Ph.D.This week, I sat down with Dr. Steven Bennett, Executive Vice President, Scientific & Regulatory Affairs, Household & Commercial Products Association, here in Washington, D.C. Steve’s membership represents an amazing diversity of products used to clean and disinfect homes and commercial environments. As Executive Vice President of scientific and regulatory affairs, Steve routinely addresses an equally diverse and challenging range of scientific, regulatory, and science policy issues, from consumer exposures, to chemicals used in cleaning products, to the role HCPA members play in addressing COVID-19 and related public health issues. ALL MATERIALS IN THIS PODCAST ARE PROVIDED SO...2022-04-2857 min

All Things ChemicalFIFRA Hot Topics — A Conversation with Jim AidalaThis week, I sat down with Jim Aidala, Senior Government Affairs Consultant at B&C and its consulting affiliate, The Acta Group. As a former Assistant Administrator in what is now the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention, Jim has a truly unique and exceedingly focused perspective on EPA and Congressional initiatives involving the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA). Unsurprisingly, the new (or not so new now) Administration has taken positions on key FIFRA issues that are quite different from those of the prior Administration. We cover pollinators, Pesticide Re...2022-04-1447 min

All Things ChemicalReflections on TSCA Implementation — A Conversation with Alexandra DunnThis week, I was delighted to visit again with Alexandra Dunn, now a Partner with Baker Botts and immediate past Assistant Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention (OCSPP). As Assistant Administrator, Alex was respected and liked by a diversity of industrial and agricultural chemical stakeholders, revered by her immediate staff, and hugely popular as an EPA senior leader. Alex led OCSPP at a pivotal time in EPA’s implementation of revisions to the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) and worked tirelessly to meet the many deadlines imposed under the...2022-03-3157 min

All Things ChemicalWhat Is Going On With UK REACH? — A Conversation with Jane S. Vergnes, Ph.D. and Steven P. Brennan, Ph.D.This week, I sat down with Dr. Jane Vergnes, Director of Toxicology and Vice President, Scientific Affairs, here at B&C and its consulting affiliate, The Acta Group (Acta®), and Dr. Steven P. Brennan, Senior Manager of REACH at Acta, and resident in our UK office in Manchester, England. In our podcast, we seek to answer the question “How is the UK government doing in implementing UK REACH?” We are just past year one of UK REACH as it came into force at 11:00 p.m. UK time on December 31, 2020. Creating a parallel regulatory framework for the management of industrial chemicals in Gr...2022-03-1757 min

All Things ChemicalThe “PIPing” Point — A Conversation with Kelly Scanlon, DrPH, Director of EHS at IPCThis week I had the pleasure of sitting down with Kelly Scanlon, DrPH, CIH, Director of Environmental Policy & Research, Global Government Relations, at IPC. IPC, as many of you know, is an organization accredited by the American National Standards Institute as a standards development organization. It publishes the most widely used acceptability standards for the electronic industry. Dr. Scanlon was brought on at IPC in 2019 to direct environment, health, and safety (EHS) policy and research, a role that has become critically important given certain Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) rulemakings that have extended TSCA jurisdiction to certain electronic product...2022-03-0349 min

All Things ChemicalToxics and Human Rights — A Conversation with Baskut Tuncak, Director of TURIThis week I had the pleasure of sitting down with Baskut Tuncak, newly named Director, Toxics Use Reduction Institute (TURI), at the University of Massachusetts, Lowell. Baskut is a lawyer and former research chemist with a truly distinguished and fascinating career in a diverse range of public and private sector roles in toxics issues. Baskut most recently served as the United Nations (UN) Special Rapporteur on toxics and human rights. In our conversation, Baskut explains the role of rapporteur to the UN and outlines for us his goals as Director of TURI, one of three agencies implementing the Massachusetts...2022-02-1748 min

All Things ChemicalBergeson & Campbell’s 2022 ForecastThis week I was thrilled to sit down with James V. Aidala, B&C’s Senior Government Affairs Consultant, and Dr. Richard E. Engler, B&C’s and The Acta Group’s (our consulting affiliate) Director of Chemistry, to discuss what to expect in 2022 with regard to industrial and agricultural chemical regulation. As our listeners know, each year we publish a Forecast, a written summary of our best professional judgment as to the trends and key developments we expect in the New Year. Our 2022 Forecast is a monster -- 103 pages of well written, expert analysis on global chemical developments. My conver...2022-02-031h 02

All Things ChemicalHow Can Battery Production Be Greener? — A Conversation with Mathy StanislausMathy Stanislaus was recently appointed as Vice Provost and Executive Director of Drexel University’s Environmental Collaboratory, which brings interdisciplinary expertise in environmental sciences, engineering, law, health, business, economics, policy, and humanities to co-design transformative environmental solutions in partnership with community leaders, nonprofits, corporations, and governments. He was formerly the Interim Director and Director of Public Policy and Engagement for the Global Battery Alliance (GBA), a partnership of over 70 businesses, governments, and non-governmental organizations focused on ensuring that battery production supports green energy, safeguards human rights, and promotes health and environmental sustainability. During this episode of All Things Chemical, Lynn L. Berg...2022-01-2045 min

All Things ChemicalThe Delicate Balance between Food and Climate — A Conversation with Katherine Meighan of IFADThis week I was delighted to sit down with Katherine Meighan, Associate Vice-President and General Counsel of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), a United Nations agency headquartered in Rome, Italy. We spoke with Katie in the summer of 2019, after an International Bar Association (IBA) webinar on sustainable investment in agriculture I helped organize in my role as Vice Chair of the IBA Agricultural Law Section. I was so impressed with Katie’s work, we decided to do a podcast shortly thereafter. Since then, much has changed, and IFAD’s role in eradicating poverty and hunger by investing in t...2022-01-0632 min

All Things ChemicalWhat do “reasonably foreseen” and “unreasonable risk” really mean? — A Conversation with Richard Engler, Ph.D. and Todd Stedeford, Ph.D.This week I sat down with Dr. Richard E. Engler, B&C’s and The Acta Group’s (our consulting affiliate) Director of Chemistry, and Dr. Todd J. Stedeford, B&C’s Of Counsel, to discuss a range of issues regarding the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) all important implementation of the Lautenberg amendments to the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). Rich was a 17-year veteran of EPA’s Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics (OPPT) before joining our team. Todd is a more recent addition to our team, and is a lawyer and a toxicologist who recently c...2021-12-2350 min

All Things ChemicalA Conversation with Michal Freedhoff, Ph.D., Assistant Administrator, OCSPPThis week I was delighted to sit down with Dr. Michal I. Freedhoff, Assistant Administrator, Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention (OCSPP), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), arguably the busiest person in Washington, D.C. Dr. Freedhoff is EPA’s top Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) official, and she also administers the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA). Dr. Freedhoff discusses OCSPP’s priorities, plans for the new year, and focuses on a few key issues, including new chemical review, industrial chemical testing, EPA’s PFAS Action Plan for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, and how OCSPP is dea...2021-12-0939 min

All Things ChemicalHigher Education, Management, and Climate Change — A Conversation with Kurt LandgrafThis week I sat down with Kurt M. Landgraf, former Chairman and CEO of DuPont Pharmaceuticals Company and most recently former President of Washington College located in Chestertown, Maryland. I have known Kurt for a number of years now, and I thought a conversation focusing on Kurt’s extraordinarily diverse background would be an interesting mix of pharmaceutical management issues, higher education, and Kurt’s observations on preparing students for careers in environmental disciplines. Kurt’s storied career makes for a fascinating conversation that I think you will enjoy. ALL MATERIALS IN THIS PODCAST ARE PROVIDED SOLELY FOR IN...2021-11-1131 min

All Things ChemicalExploring the Environmental Footprint of the Digital Economy — A Conversation with David Rejeski David’s 1999 Paper on e-commerce and the environment This week I sat down with David Rejeski, Visiting Scholar with the Environmental Law Institute (ELI), to learn more about his engagement in the Project on the Energy and Environmental Implications of the Digital Economy. With support from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, ELI, the Yale School of the Environment, and the Center for Law, Energy & the Environment at UC Berkeley, the Project is shedding much-needed light on the true environmental and energy implications of the digital economy, focusing on blockchain technologies, sharing platforms, artificial intelligence, and other technologies. We...2021-10-2848 min

All Things ChemicalRe-release: Implementing Lautenberg — A Conversation with former OPPT Director Jeffery T. Morris, Ph.D.All Things Chemical will reach our 3rd anniversary on October 23rd and we want to share this celebration with you. As we look back on the last three years I wanted to bring back an older episode from the summer of 2020, “Implementing Lautenberg — A Conversation with former OPPT Director Jeffery T. Morris, Ph.D.” During this episode I spoke with Jeff Morris about how the Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics implemented Lautenberg back in 2016, and how TSCA can be implemented in the future to address social inequities and achieve its goals of environmental justice. I hope you enjoy it and...2021-10-1457 min

All Things ChemicalTSCA Reform Reform? — A Conversation with Dennis DezielThis week I sat down with my new colleague, Dennis R. Deziel, B&C’s and our consulting affiliate’s, The Acta Group, Senior Government Affairs Advisor, to discuss Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) reform. Dennis served as Director of Federal Government Affairs for the Dow Chemical Company when the TSCA amendments were considered and eventually enacted by Congress in 2016. After leaving Dow, Dennis served as EPA Region 1 Administrator (New England). I thought it would be interesting to speak with Dennis and seek his views on TSCA reform, as it was happening when he was a senior executive for one...2021-09-3038 min

All Things ChemicalEPA and PBTs: A New Normal? — A Conversation with Richard E. Engler, Ph.D.This week I sat down with Dr. Richard E. Engler, B&C’s and The Acta Group’s (our consulting affiliate) Director of Chemistry, to discuss the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) continuing struggle to regulate certain persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic (PBT) chemicals, especially those found in finished products, what EPA refers to as “articles.” The Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) has always applied to the products, or articles, that contain chemical substances of interest to EPA under TSCA. While EPA previously used that authority somewhat sparingly, the 2016 Amendments to TSCA have jump-started a new wave of regulation...2021-09-1647 min

All Things ChemicalA Conversation with the NRDC’s Daniel RosenbergThis week, I sat down with Daniel Rosenberg, Director, Federal Toxics Policy, Healthy People & Thriving Communities Program, at the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). Daniel’s distinguished legal career has placed him at the forefront of the evolving law and policy of domestic chemical regulation. Daniel and I discuss new Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) implementation of the 2016 amendments to TSCA under Lautenberg, several recent regulatory initiatives involving persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic (PBT) chemicals and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), and much more. An engaging and formidable advocate, Daniel’s views are al...2021-09-0255 min

All Things ChemicalCompliance Checks and REACH — A Conversation with Karin BaronThis week I sat down with Karin F. Baron, Senior Regulatory Consultant at B&C and our consulting affiliate, The Acta Group. Karin works extensively with the European Union’s (EU) Registration, Evaluation, Authorization, and Restriction of Chemicals, better known as REACH, which is the EU counterpart to the U.S. Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). We discuss REACH Article 41 “compliance checks,” an innocuous-sounding component of REACH that has the potential to cause considerable business anxiety, delay, and expense if a company’s REACH dossier is found to be deficient as a result of a compliance check. Karin walks us throu...2021-08-1945 min

All Things ChemicalOccupational Exposure Limits for Nanomaterials — A Conversation with Carla HuttonThis week I sat down with Carla N. Hutton, Regulatory Analyst at B&C. Carla is also co-editor of the Nano Blog that B&C has prepared for years. Carla is uniquely well suited to discuss a report the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) recently issued on developing occupational exposure limits or “bands” for engineered nanomaterials. There are thousands of chemicals in use in the workplace, but far fewer government-issued, authoritative, peer-reviewed occupational exposure limits for workplace chemicals. The recent NIOSH report discusses an approach to evaluate scientific information to derive occupational exposure limits or bands for...2021-08-0526 min

All Things ChemicalAn explosive conversation about GHS and combustible dust — with Karin BaronThis week I sat down with Karin F. Baron, Senior Regulatory Consultant at B&C and our consulting affiliate, The Acta Group. We tackle the daunting topic of combustible dust, a common workplace hazard that is more pervasive perhaps than people think. Combustible dust poses an explosion hazard in a wide variety of industries, including food, plastic, wood, and textiles, among many others. Karin helps us understand what combustible dust includes and then walks us through the somewhat complicated governance frameworks that have emerged among the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), private standard-setting organizations, and the Globally Harmonized...2021-07-2234 min