The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) has released a new strategy that outlines priorities for federal research on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS. The goals of the strategy are to provide high-quality data on PFAS and their health impacts, communicate PFAS research effectively, identify technologies to help remediate PFAS pollution, and generate information about PFAS alternatives.The strategy notes that PFAS alternatives generally involve either reducing the need for PFAS-containing materials or replacing them with substitute chemicals. It calls for engagement with researchers in universities and the private sector to develop less toxic PFAS alternatives.
Among the recommendations for supporting the strategy’s goals is the development of biomonitoring programs for identifying occupational sources and types of exposures among firefighters and other workers. Additionally, the strategy notes the need for studies of PFAS exposures in indoor environments and for development of analytical methods for evaluating the impact of PFAS in workplaces.
The strategy is available as a PDF from the White House website.
Clean Water Act Violations Lead to $43,813 Penalty
The EPA announced that it has entered into an agreement with Catania-Spagna Corporation (Catania) to resolve alleged violations of Section 311 of the Clean Water Act, stemming from a peanut oil spill at the company’s headquarters in Ayer, Massachusetts.EPA alleged that the company released 6,830 gallons of peanut oil into a neighboring wetland from a railcar with a faulty valve. The wetland drains to an adjacent brook which flows ultimately into the Merrimack River. Under the Consent Agreement and Final Order, which initiated and concluded EPA’s enforcement action simultaneously, the company will pay a $47,813 penalty.
"Companies have responsibilities to prevent spills," said EPA New England Regional Administrator David W. Cash. "This settlement highlights EPA’s commitment to protecting America’s waterways and ensures communities, wildlife, and the natural resources they depend on, are protected from substances that can harm human health or the environment."
Catania, a national producer and distributor of food oils, spent more than $467,000 to clean up the spilled oil and plans to spend an additional $1 million on improvement projects at its Ayer facility to help prevent future spills.
Department of Labor Finds Wisconsin Animal Food Plant Exposed Workers to Hazards
Federal workplace safety inspectors found a Wisconsin animal food producer exposed employees to the risks of explosions, fires and long-term respiratory illnesses from excessive amounts of airborne dust, among two dozen safety and health violations they identified.The findings follow an inspection by the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration at Strauss Feeds LLC of Watertown in February 2024 after the agency received complaints of unsafe working conditions.
OSHA inspectors found the company's poor housekeeping, its failure to evaluate spaces for dust hazards, and an absence of engineering controls to reduce dust, created serious combustible and airborne dust hazards. The agency also determined Strauss Feeds did not develop a written respiratory protection program that includes medical evaluations, fit-testing, monitoring and training workers to recognize dust hazards.
"Unsafe levels of airborne dust can ignite suddenly, causing explosions and fires that jeopardize the safety of workers. Left unchecked, these same dust hazards can cause workers long-term health issues," explained OSHA Area Director Chad Greenwood in Madison, Wisconsin. "Companies that manufacture products that create excessive dust particles must use engineering systems and highly effective respiratory protection programs to protect employees from harm."
OSHA also noted workers were exposed to hazards from walking and working surfaces, falls, confined space and the operation of industrial trucks and forklifts when combustible dust hazards were present, increasing the risks of fire and explosion.
Inspectors cited Strauss Feeds for 19 serious and five other-than-serious safety and health violations. OSHA has assessed the company $161,332 in proposed penalties.
Founded in 1875 as a small, water-powered mill on a farm in North Manchester, Indiana, Strauss Feeds today makes milk replacer for calves and other young animals. The company is in its sixth generation of family ownership.
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OSHA Weighs Exclusion of Volunteers from Emergency Response Standard
In a statement released recently, OSHA signaled that it may revise its proposed rule on emergency response to exclude volunteer emergency response organizations from its requirements. The statement follows comments submitted to the agency that “raise serious concerns about the economic feasibility of the proposed standard for volunteer fire departments,” according to the agency.If adopted, the emergency response rule would replace OSHA’s fire brigades standard (29 Code of Federal Regulations 1910.156), which was promulgated in 1980, covers only firefighters, and has received only minor updates. The new standard would expand protections to include employees who work for employers that provide emergency services other than firefighting, such as emergency medical service providers and technical search and rescue services. The standard would also update performance specifications for protective clothing and equipment and specify safety and health practices based on industry consensus standards.
At the time it proposed the rule, OSHA did not possess information indicating that the rule’s requirements would be infeasible, the agency said. That clearly changed during the public commenting period.
OSHA twice extended the deadline for submission of comments on the proposed rule. Between the proposed rule’s publication in the Federal Register on Feb. 5 and the eventual July 22 deadline for stakeholder feedback, the agency received more than 4,100 comments, including, it said, from volunteer emergency responders, fire chiefs, and members of Congress. “The comments submitted to the rulemaking docket provide crucial information that the agency did not have earlier in the rulemaking process,” OSHA’s statement reads. “This new information will help the agency make the necessary determinations about whether the proposed standard is feasible for volunteer organizations.”
OSHA will also hold an informal public hearing on the rule beginning at 9:30 a.m. ET on Nov. 12.
EPA Announces Settlement with Invicta Watch Company of America for FIFRA Violations
The EPA recently announced a settlement with Invicta Watch Company of America (Invicta Watch) for alleged violations of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA). Under the settlement, the company will pay a $119,880 civil penalty.“The EPA prohibits companies from including false or misleading claims on FIFRA-regulated products. False or misleading claims can provide a false sense of security to consumers. Companies are responsible for the claims they make about their FIFRA-regulated products,” said Jeaneanne Gettle, acting EPA Regional Administrator. “This settlement demonstrates the importance of ensuring that a product’s efficacy claims are in compliance with federal environmental laws.”
Invicta Watch engaged in the distribution and sale of FIFRA-regulated pesticide devices during the COVID-19 pandemic. Between September 2021 and April 2022, Invicta Watch, headquartered in Hollywood, Florida, imported numerous shipments of Medic Therapeutics Air Purifier ultraviolet (UV) light devices into the United States. The labels on the Medic Therapeutics UV devices made several broad claims regarding the devices’ ability to kill microbes, such as viruses, bacteria, and mold, and failed to specifically indicate the specific micro-organisms against which the products had been shown to be effective. For example, the devices claimed to have UV lights that “will eliminate DNA-based contagions, such as Mold Spores, Viruses, and Bacteria” and “inactivate viruses, bacteria, mold, mildew, and fungi.” In addition, Invicta Watch imported these shipments into the United States without filing the proper paperwork (Notices of Arrival) prior to arrival. Upon entry into the United States, Invicta Watch distributed the misbranded UV devices to domestic customers.
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