EPA And CDTSC Drafting MOU To Share Data

According to the California Department of Toxic Substances Control's (CDTSC) website, it is drafting a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to facilitate information exchange, collaboration, and outline a working partnership on emerging chemicals, green chemistry, and materials management. Under the new MOU, EPA and CDTSC will:

1.  Establish chemical specific teams for priority chemicals of mutual interest;

     a.  Teams will develop specific goals, points of coordination, and focus areas.

2.  Share information on analytical methods, fate and transport, bioconcentration, toxicity, exposure, risk assessment, and similar topics relative to emerging chemicals;

3.  Share literature reviews, databases;

4.  Collaborate on identifying and prioritizing information and data gaps;

5.  Keep each other informed on workshops, symposia, web events, etc.;

6.  Share value-chain information (to the extent allowed by law):

     a.  Producers, importers;

     b.  Production volumes; and

     c.  Applications/intermediates/products.

7.  Explore ways to exchange information while protecting CBI; and

8.  Collaborate on research needs and funding. 

EU and China Sign MOU Concerning Nanotechnology Risk Assessment

On June 6, 2010, the European Commission (EC) Joint Research Center Institute for Health and Consumer Protection (JRC-IHCP) and the Chinese Academy of Inspection and Quarantine signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) at the European Union (EU)-China Food Safety Scientific Seminar held at the Shanghai World Expo.  According to JRC-IHCP, “[b]oth institutions provide technical support for policy makers and aim to reinforce their co-operation in scientific research for consumer products safety.” The MOU is intended to support risk management, and, through new approaches in nanotechnology, to improve consumer protection.  JRC-IHCP cites the globalization of markets as one reason for this joint effort, saying “food safety or consumer protection are no longer domestic issues, but need to be addressed in an international collaboration.”