From: ARB

California Environmental Protection Agency Air Resources Board has provided a document outlining all the upcoming requirements in regards to the Volatile organic compound (VOC) requirements.

The purpose of this advisory is to remind the consumer products industry of new or lower volatile organic compound (VOC) standards, the sell-through period expiration for some consumer product categories, and new prohibitions on use of specific compounds, and labeling requirements for specific categories. The complete regulation is contained in Title 17 of the California Code of Regulations.

The below link will take you directly to the advisory.
http://www.arb.ca.gov/enf/advs/advs425.pdf

Click on the links for more information.

From: EPA

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has ordered Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation to spend an estimated $20 million to build a groundwater cleanup system to address groundwater contamination stemming primarily from the former Benchmark Technology facility in the City of Industry, Calif., located within the San Gabriel Valley Superfund Sites.

Formerly located at 200 South Turnbull Canyon Road, the Benchmark Technology facility is one of the largest sources of volatile organic compound groundwater contamination in the Puente Valley area of the Superfund site. Northrop Grumman will install wells and a treatment plant to contain and treat groundwater contaminated by VOCs and 1,4-dioxane. The treated water will then be discharged back to surface water or injected back into the underground aquifer, providing additional water resources to San Gabriel Valley residents.

Click on the links for more information.

From EPA:

In a settlement valued at more than $1.7 million, Clean Harbors of Braintree, Inc. has agreed to pay a significant penalty and perform additional projects, to settle a complaint filed by the U.S. Department of Justice on behalf of EPA, regarding numerous violations of hazardous waste management and emergency planning laws at the company’s Braintree, Mass. facility.

Under the settlement, Clean Harbors will pay a $650,000 penalty  and will spend $1,062,500 on a Supplemental Environmental Project (SEP) consisting of planting approximately 1400 trees in low-income and historically-disadvantaged environmental justice areas in the City of Boston. It is expected that Clean Harbors will work with the City of Boston Parks and Recreation Department to implement the project over a two-year period.

Clean Harbors also will comply with an enhanced waste analysis plan that goes beyond what is currently required in its hazardous waste permit.  This plan will help to ensure that the hazardous waste Clean Harbors receives and generates will be properly characterized and managed.  Further, Clean Harbors has installed and will maintain a vapor collection system for its tanks that will collect and treat volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions, which contribute to smog.

“This settlement underscores how important it is that companies and individuals handling and managing hazardous wastes carefully adhere to the protective requirements EPA and MassDEP have established for these substances,” said Curt Spalding, regional administrator of EPA’s New England office.  “Complying with these standards helps reduce the possibility of a chemical release that could put the community and the environment at risk. I am also pleased that under this settlement a large number of trees will be planted, which will improve air quality and the quality of life for Boston citizens.”

Click the above link for more information.

From European Respiratory Journal and Dr. Sam Girgis:

Researchers from Germany lead by Dr. Thorsten Walles have shown that dogs can accurately detect lung cancer in the breath samples from lung cancer patients.  The results of their research were published online before print in the European Respiratory Journal.  The researchers used four sniffer dogs to test for the presence of a volatile organic compound in the breath of patients with lung cancer.  There were two German shepherds, one Labrador retriever, and one Australian shepherd.  The dogs were trained to differentiate the breath pattern of patients with lung cancer from those of normal individuals and patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).  Exhalation breath samples from 220 study volunteers that were healthy, confirmed to have lung cancer, or had COPD were used in the study.  The sniffer dogs were able to identify lung cancer with an overall sensitivity of 71% and a specificity of 93%.  Importantly, the researchers were able to show that the sniffer dogs were able to detect lung cancer independently from COPD, the presence of tobacco smoke, and food odors.

Future studies with focus on the identification of the diagnostic volatile organic compound and development of electronic sensor technologies to detect it.  Using these methods, it may one day be possible to replicate the ability of dogs to detect lung cancer and establish a cheap and widely available screening test for lung cancer.

More information can be found by clicking the links above.

From EPA

The EPA announced its decision to move forward with the development of a regulation for perchlorate to protect Americans from any potential health impacts, while also continuing to take steps to ensure the quality of the water they drink.

Perchlorate is both a naturally occurring and man-made chemical, and scientific research indicates that it may impact the normal function of the thyroid, which produces important developmental hormones. Thyroid hormones are critical to the normal development and growth of fetuses, infants and children.

In a separate action, the agency is also moving towards establishing a drinking water standard to address a group of up to 16 toxic chemicals that may pose risks to human health. As part of the Drinking Water Strategy laid out by Administrator Jackson in 2010, EPA committed to addressing contaminants as a group rather than one at a time so that enhancement of drinking water protection can be achieved cost effectively.

Follow the links for more information.

Today, a new video has been released in our  ‘Nexreg on Compliance’ video series, which addresses hazard communication (HazCom) issues for jurisdictions such as Canada, the United States and the   European Union.  The videos can be found on Nexreg’s YouTube channel at http://www.youtube.com/user/Nexreg.

• New Canadian VOC ( Volatile Organic Compound) Regulations

A look at the state of Canadian VOC ( Volatile Organic Compound) regulations for architectural coatings, automotive refinishing products and certain consumer products.

Nexreg plans on adding a new video every Friday.  The questions answered in the video series will come from viewer requests, so please   send your questions to info@nexreg.com.

To learn more about Nexreg Compliance please visit www.nexreg.com or call our toll-free line at (866)361-3032.

From: Trading Markets

September 14, 2010 Biorem, Inc., a firm that designs and supplies high-efficiency biological-based air emissions control systems, said it has been awarded $1.2 million from the Innovation Demonstration Fund of the Ontario Ministry of Research and Innovation in Canada to support the development of its VOC (volatile organic compound) treatment technology.

The company also said it is installing a prototype VOC treatment system at Polycon Industries (a Magna International division) in Guelph, Ontario. The 5,000 cfm system is scheduled to be operational by fall 2010 and is designed for 95% VOC removal efficiency using biological process developed by Biorem.

The funding is also aimed at further developing high performance biological systems for low concentration VOC streams, which are present in composting and sewage treatment plants.

Click on the links for more information.

Relevant Nexreg Compliance Links: CCCR compliance, WHMIS MSDS authoring, MSDS authoring

From: PropelMG.

Formaldehyde is “probably human carcinogen,” according to the EPA, and it’s labeled a “known human carcinogen” by other agencies…Besides being a carcinogen, formaldehyde is also a “VOC,” or volatile organic compound.

Formaldehyde is widely used in glues and adhesives; it’s a preservative in paints and finishes too.  It’s also found in many manufactured products like insulation and some sheetgoods, cabinets, and furniture, especially if they use medium-density fiberboard, particleboard, and plywood.

In July, 2010, President Obama signed a new law that limits formaldehyde levels in wood, and it’s remarkable because it will affect the types and cost of cabinets available to anyone who builds or remodels houses.  The law will be phased in (with the EPA writing implementation laws), but this is a clear trend to limit and eventually eliminate formaldehyde in building products, as far as possible.

To learn more about how this new law may affect your product, please click on the above link.

Relevant Nexreg Compliance Links: CPSC compliance, OSHA MSDS authoring, MSDS authoring

From: Newmail Article Directory

When you drive home after picking up your clothes from the dry cleaners do you sometimes notice a faint chemical smell on the clothes? More than likely your garments were cleaned with dangerous chemicals that could harm the workers, the environment and the air in your home.

Cleaning fluids were mostly petroleum-based up until World War II but they would sometimes explode if they got too hot, and could cause dizziness or neurological problems. PERC, perchloroethylene, arrived on the scene and was thought to save the day. You couldn’t smell it, it was nonflammable, and was the most reliable solvent for removing dirt. However, PERC, a synthetic, volatile organic compound, happens to pose a health risk to humans as well and is a threat to the environment. According to Greenpeace, 70% of PERC winds up in the air or in ground water. The EPA says that it is during the cleaning, purification, and waste disposal phases of dry cleaning that these hazardous toxins can get into our air, water, and soil.

PERC is used by 3 out of 4 dry cleaners nationwide. California has banned the entire state from its use. Massachusetts, New York and Texas are also considering a ban.

Click on the links for more information.

Relevant Nexreg Compliance Links: CPSC compliance, OSHA MSDS authoring, MSDS authoring

From: Occupational Health and Safety

The Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Justice, and the South Coast Air Quality Management District announced that Lifoam Industries Inc. will pay $450,000 in fines, claiming the company violated the federal Clean Air Act and state air quality laws at its polystyrene manufacturing facility in Vernon, Calif.

According to EPA, Lifoam Industries failed to ensure that the volatile organic compound emissions were less than 2.4 pounds of volatile organic compounds per 100 pounds of raw materials.

“Since Southern California has the worst air pollution in the nation, for the sake of public health we must ensure that all businesses are operating in compliance with air quality regulations and doing their part to help improve our air,” said Barry Wallerstein, executive officer of the South Coast Air Quality Management District.

Follow the links for more information.

Relevant Nexreg Compliance Links: CPSC compliance, OSHA MSDS authoring, MSDS authoring