REACH and GHS in Latin America — A Conversation with Melissa Owen
Release Date: 04/10/2025
All Things Chemical
This week, I had the pleasure of speaking with my colleagues, and , both Associates with B&C and Regulatory Consultants with The Acta Group (Acta®), B&C’s consulting affiliate, about the complex world of end-of-life product management. We discuss extended producer responsibility (EPR), recyclability labeling requirements, and plastics and microplastics regulation and liability concerns. End-of-life product management is increasingly regulated by a growing number of states, often pursuing unique management approaches that can inspire significant commercial cost and disruption. We...
info_outlineAll Things Chemical
This week, I had the pleasure of speaking with my colleagues, , Senior Regulatory Analyst for B&C, and , Senior Toxicologist/Regulatory Scientist for B&C and The Acta Group (Acta®), our consulting affiliate. We discuss the relentless pace of state per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) regulations. For those expecting a slowdown, think again. Perhaps in response to perceived inaction at the federal level, over half the states are engaged in PFAS notification and restriction regulations. This is unsurprising. Perhaps what is surprising is how different state restrictions are and...
info_outlineAll Things Chemical
This week, I was pleased to welcome back to the studio , Senior Government Affairs Consultant at B&C and its consulting affiliate, The Acta Group (Acta®) and , an Associate with B&C and Regulatory Analyst with Acta, to discuss the ever-changing influence of foreign policy on the chemical industry. As we all know, there is a lot going on in the world and much of it may seem somewhat tangential to the chemical industry. On closer inspection, Claire and Jim’s notes otherwise, and lays out the reasons why international events, trade-related matters, and multilateral institutions have a...
info_outlineAll Things Chemical
This week, I had the pleasure of speaking with , Director of Chemistry for B&C and The Acta Group (Acta®), our consulting affiliate, and , Of Counsel with B&C and Senior Regulatory Consultant with Acta, about the recent release of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Environment’s Discussion Draft of suggested amendments to the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). The document has inspired spirited debate over the questions should TSCA be amended and if so, how? The Subcommittee also convened a hearing on January 22 seeking stakeholder comment on the Discussion Draft and...
info_outlineAll Things Chemical
This week, I was pleased to welcome back to the studio , Senior Government Affairs Consultant at B&C and its consulting affiliate, The Acta Group (Acta®), to discuss his take on what to expect from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Congress on pesticide matters in the new year. As an astute student of politics and a keen observer of EPA chemical policies and personalities, hearing Jim’s observations is always informative. As many of you know, Jim is a former Assistant Administrator of what is now the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention, and lifelong...
info_outlineAll Things Chemical
This week I had the pleasure of speaking with , Technical Project Manager, Chain Reaction Innovations (CRI), Argonne National Laboratory, and our own , to discuss Argonne National Laboratory’s Chain Reaction Innovations entrepreneurship. We here at B&C truly appreciate the value and importance of chemical innovation, so when we learned of Argonne National Laboratory’s Chain Reaction Innovations program (CRI program), we wanted to share information about it with our listeners. Rachel Harris is a Technical Project Manager and speaks with Rich Engler and me about the CRI program, more...
info_outlineAll Things Chemical
This week I had the pleasure of speaking with , Director of Sustainable Development at the American Chemical Society (ACS), and my colleague , B&C’s Director of Chemistry, to discuss ACS’ much-coveted Green Chemistry Challenge Awards and ACS’ Green Chemistry Institute (GCI). Institutionally, GCI has grown as the imperative for greener and more sustainable chemicals has increased. So also have the stature of the Green Chemistry Challenge Awards and the opportunities to compete for them. We discuss GCI’s mission and some new opportunities for competing for the Green Chemistry...
info_outlineAll Things Chemical
This week I had the pleasure of speaking with , Of Counsel with B&C, and Senior Regulatory Consultant with The Acta Group (Acta®). Ryan joined us a few weeks ago and we wanted to show off our newest Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) superstar. We discuss Ryan’s illustrious career with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) over the past 15 years. As you will hear, Ryan has been at the forefront of TSCA policy development, Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act (Lautenberg) legislative developments and Agency implementation, new chemical determinations...
info_outlineAll Things Chemical
This week I had the pleasure of speaking with , Chief Executive Officer of 3E. We discuss 3E’s business offerings, how it defines its place in the very competitive world of chemical information management, the role artificial intelligence has in this space, and trends Greg sees driving growth in chemicals, product stewardship, and sustainability. 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 BY A...
info_outlineAll Things Chemical
A few months ago, I recorded a podcast with my colleagues, , Senior Regulatory Analyst for B&C, and , Director of Chemistry for B&C and The Acta Group (Acta®), our consulting affiliate, on 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 that attracted a record-breaking 1000+ registrants, suggesting to us that PFAS continues to be a topic of enormous interest. As this topic is every bit as important and relevant today as it was in May, we are rebroadcasting our...
info_outlineThis 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 included in professional and consumer products, and much more regarding developments in countries south of our border.
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 BY A LICENSED ATTORNEY PRACTICING IN THE APPLICABLE AREA OF LAW.
©2025 Bergeson & Campbell, P.C. All Rights Reserved