SGIA Attends GlobalChem 2017

From February 22-24, 2017, SGIA attended the annual GlobalChem conference. Each year, the conference gives industry professionals the opportunity to connect and discuss key regulatory issues that affect the management of chemicals around the world. The highlight of this year’s conference was the recently signed Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act, or LSCA. The sessions also covered a variety of other relevant topics, including REACH regulations in Europe and Asia, GHS implementation around the world, chemical management in Canada, and emerging chemicals regulations in other parts of the world. Topics covered for LSCA included what information the EPA is looking to get from manufacturers of chemicals and other stakeholders, the process to submit that information, and preemption of state laws in regards to chemical regulations. In Canada, a Chemicals Management Plan was introduced in 2006 that is similar to the LSCA regulations currently being enforced in the United States. A session at the conference reviewed how the first ten chemicals that will be reviewed under LSCA were handled under the CMP. Another topic of discussion were the REACH regulations in Europe. The regulation addresses the production and use of chemical substances, and their potential impacts on both human health and the environment – much like LSCA in the US. On January 27, 2016, legislation for the “one substance, one registration” principle was enacted. This means that all registrants of the same substance must now submit one joint registration. There was discussion of chemical regulatory issues in Asia as well. Korea has a REACH program that was recently amended with added definitions and the elimination of annual reporting. The final rule is expected to come out in June 2017, with effective dates in June 2018. In China, a new chemical substance notification rule came into effect in October 2010. This rule is also in process of being amended. Some key changes are a new admin fee, qualification requirements for testing institutions, and an annual reporting requirement. China has also introduced several hazardous chemicals regulations, including GHS, which provides criteria for classifying the health, physical, and environmental hazards of chemicals, and specifies what information should be included on labels of the chemicals On the international level, the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM) was adopted in 2006 with the goal of having chemicals are produced and used in ways that minimize significant adverse impacts on the environment and human health by the year 2020. Furthermore, Canada and the United States have formed the U.S.-Canada Regulatory Cooperation Council with the objective of promoting economic growth and regulatory coordination. Additionally, we are seeing chemical regulations emerging in several countries. In Thailand, GHS was implemented in 2012 and their Hazardous Substance Act is in effect but is being amended. Proposed amendments include clearer definitions, adjustment of the Hazardous Substance Committee, and new power given to local authorities to revoke registrations. Brazil has only had labelling regulations since 2012, but the country is currently drafting chemicals control legislation with the goal of having it approved by 2018. Mexico is working on a Mexican National Inventory Project to reduce chemical related accidents and provide healthier and safer working environments, including a registration system that will be mandatory by 2020. Sign up to receive the most up-to-date regulatory and legislative information about specialty imaging.