Tag: United States

Options for Nuclear Waste Are Not Encouraging

Although these options have worthwhile aspects in terms of safety and practicality, each is very expensive and has contamination and exposure risks over both the short and long term. Not to mention, the American public is adamant in rejecting any proposal that places nuclear waste near communities either via transportation or storage. In November 2009, […]

Mobile Refuelers Responsibility Under SPCC

Equipment that met EPA’s definition of a mobile refueler were exempted from the sized-secondary containment requirements applicable to other types of oil-bearing equipment such as bulk storage containers or tank batteries. However, if you are a qualifying mobile refueler, you are still required to meet general secondary containment requirements. A few definitions you should know: […]

Can Your Clothes Make You Sick? GAO Looking at Formaldehyde in Clothing

While there are no federal limits on formaldehyde in clothing, a recent report by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) may cause Congress and advocacy groups to put pressure on the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to revisit the feasibility of imposing such limits. Formaldehyde is a heavily regulated substance and one of a handful of […]

TSCA and the Intent to Manufacture

If you need to determine if a specific carbon nanotube is on the TSCA confidential inventory, you can submit a Bona Fide Intent to Manufacture or Import. The required contents of bona fide intents are listed at 40 CFR 720.25 and are intended to substantiate that a company genuinely intends to manufacture the substance and […]

Beyond the Border—Managing Your Product for Import

The relentless advance of importation calls for a shift from the traditional emphasis on border inspections of imports to an approach that identifies high-risk segments in a product’s life cycle and verifies the safety of the product at those junctions. That’s the view of eight federal agencies, including EPA, which in 2009 issued a draft […]

How to Develop an Import Management Plan

A product safety management program is an organizational structure that encourages good import practices. Such a structure typically includes clearly defined job functions and responsibilities; established procedures, including those for oversight and quality systems; adequate training for personnel; and appropriate communication mechanisms. Recommended elements in a product safety management program include: Establishing a clear management […]

What to Do About Rare Earths

Develop a rare-earth inventory. One bill would direct the U.S. Geological Survey to develop a rigorous methodology for determining which minerals are critical and then use that methodology to designate critical minerals. The bill would establish a collaborative effort between USGS and the U.S. Energy Information Administration to generate annual reviews of domestic mineral trends […]