A recap of a presentation on GHS (Globally Harmonized system) given by Nexreg CEO Mike Moffatt for SATA’s (Southern Aerosol Technical Association’s) 26th Annual Technical Conference is available on their website. It also includes possibly the most unflattering picture of Mike we have ever seen.

Links:

What’s New in Canadian Regulations – Nexreg Presentation

Regulatory Roundtable (bottom of page)

Canada Gazette II – Vol. 140, No. 26 — December 27, 2006

2-Butoxyethanol Regulations

P.C. 2006-1557 December 14, 2006

Whereas, pursuant to subsection 332(1) of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999, the Minister of the Environment published in the Canada Gazette, Part I, on July 9, 2005 a copy of the proposed 2-Butoxyethanol Regulations under the title Regulations Respecting 2-Butoxyethanol, substantially in the annexed form, and persons were given an opportunity to file comments with respect to the proposed Regulations or to file a notice of objection requesting that a board of review be established and stating the reasons for the objection;

Whereas, pursuant to subsection 93(3) of that Act, the National Advisory Committee has been given an opportunity to provide its advice under section 6 of that Act;

And whereas, in the opinion of the Governor in Council, pursuant to subsection 93(4) of that Act, the proposed Regulations do not regulate an aspect of a substance that is regulated by or under any other Act of Parliament in a manner that provides, in the opinion of the Governor in Council, sufficient protection to the environment and human health;

Therefore, Her Excellency the Governor General in Council, pursuant to subsection 93(1) and section 319 of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999, on the recommendation of the Minister of the Environment and the Minister of Health, hereby makes the annexed 2-Butoxyethanol Regulations.

To view the new regulations for 2-Butoxyethanol in Canada, published in the Canada Gazette, please visit: NEW 2-Butoxyethanol Regulations in Canada

We are still stomping out all of the bugs, but we thought we would give readers of “Regulatory Compliance News by Nexreg Compliance” a sneak peek at our new company website.  We have added a number of features which we believe you will find useful.

To better serve our increasingly diverse set of clients, the new Nexreg Compliance website offers support in 6 languages:

• Chinese (simplified)
• English
• French
• Japanese
• Korean
• Spanish

To make Nexreg more accessible to our international clients, we can now be contacted at any of the following phone lines:

• +1 519 488 5126 (London, ON)
• +44 020 7993 5893 (London, UK)
• +1 206 418 6663 (Seattle, WA)

If you have any questions or suggestions, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Possible labeling changes to dietary supplements containing Vitamin D and calcium:

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is proposing to allow new claims on foods and dietary supplements containing calcium and Vitamin D to show their potential to reduce the risk of osteoporosis. The proposed rule would allow manufacturers to include new information on their food and supplement labeling and to eliminate certain other information, described below.

“This is important information for all citizens,” said Robert E. Brackett, Ph.D., director of FDA’s Center for Food Safety and Nutrition. “All persons lose bone with age, and the loss can influence an individual’s risk of developing osteoporosis. Maintenance of an adequate intake of calcium and vitamin D in all stages of life can help lower one’s risk.”

This action is part of FDA’s continued commitment to helping consumers make informed and healthy food choices, and responds to a health claim petition submitted by the Beverage Institute for Health and Wellness, The Coca-Cola Company.

The proposed rule would amend one of the first health claims authorized in 1993 through the Nutrition Labeling and Education Act of 1990 for the relationship between calcium intake and osteoporosis. The proposal would amend this existing health claim by allowing for claims of a reduced risk of osteoporosis with the consumption of both calcium and vitamin D.

See the full article: News-Medical.net

More updates on possible changes to UK food labelling laws:

A new campaign is being launched today by 21 major food companies and retailers to label food more clearly with its nutritional content in a bid to combat the UK’s rise in obesity. But the guideline daily amount (GDA) system chosen by the groups including Nestle and Kellogg’s is different from the traffic light system endorsed by the Food Standards Agency – sparking controversy among health campaigners.

More than 10,000 lines from the groups will be labelled with GDA information, amounting to nearly 40 per cent of all UK retail food and drink packs. The groups involved chose to use the GDA system as they believe it is easy to use and people can use it to assess actual portions of food, rather than 100g blocks.

Under the traffic light system, supported by the Co-Op, Waitrose, Sainsbury’s and Asda, per 100g amounts are used to determine the colour code. Food industry GDA campaign director Jane Holdsworth said: “This isn’t just about a label, it’s about a lifestyle. We have made it simple to compare what’s inside thousands of everyday foods so you can choose what best suits your diet.”

See full article: Fresh Plaza

Syngenta Seeds, Inc.of Golden Valley, Minn., has agreed to pay a $1.5 million penalty to EPA for selling and distributing seed corn that contained an unregistered genetically engineered pesticide called Bt 10.

While the federal government has concluded that there are no human health or environmental concerns with Bt 10 corn, it is still illegal to distribute any pesticide not registered under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA).

“This action shows that when a company violates the law by distributing unapproved pesticides, EPA vigorously enforces the law,” said Granta Y. Nakayama, EPA’s assistant administrator for Enforcement and Compliance Assurance.

Late in 2004, Syngenta disclosed to EPA that it may have distributed the seed corn to the United States , Europe , Japan and South America . Immediately following the disclosure, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and EPA began an investigation and evaluation that confirmed the distribution of unregistered seed corn on over 1000 occasions. A penalty was assessed by USDA and the company destroyed all the affected seed under USDA supervision.

EPA filed today’s settlement with its Environmental Appeals Board (EAB). The EAB is the final EPA decision maker on permit, enforcement, and other administrative appeals under all major environmental statutes that the agency administers. If approved by the Board, Syngenta will pay a penalty of $1.5 million.

The purpose of this message is to inform interested stakeholders that the Natural Health Products Directorate (NHPD) will be holding two-day information sessions this upcoming February (exact dates and locations to be confirmed in mid-January 2007) in the following Canadian cities: Toronto, Montreal, Saskatoon and Vancouver.

Over the past year, significant modifications and revisions have been made to the processes for product and site licensing. In addition, changes to the Directorate’s reviewing practices and organizational structure have also taken place. The purpose of the upcoming February 2007 information sessions will be to go over these changes and to also provide additional guidance to stakeholders to further facilitate the submission of complete and high quality product and site licence applications.

See notice: Health Canada