The Wercs Newsletter   |   Summer 2007

Proposed Changes to Proposition 65 List

In a notice published June 15, 2007 in the California Regulatory Notice Register, The Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) announced some proposed changes to the Proposition 65 list. OEHHA has proposed to add gallium arsenide (CAS # 1303-00-0) to the list of chemicals known to the state of California to cause cancer, and hexafluoroacetone (CAS # 684-16-2), nitrous oxide (CAS # 10024-97-2), and vinyl cyclohexene dioxide (CAS # 106-87-6) to the list of chemicals known to the state of California to cause reproductive toxicity. Visit www.oehha.ca.gov/prop65/071707LCnotice.html for more information on this topic.

Does Your Company Have a Need for Physical Property Testing?  

Wercs Professional Services (WPS) has partnered with several laboratories to now offer a full range of physical property testing for numerous materials. The tests include main physical property characteristics such as appearance, boiling point, corrosion, density, flash point, pH, vapor pressure and many more. All tests are conducted by experienced chemists and scientists.  For more information and to discuss your physical property testing needs, contact WPS at 1-800-572-6501 or visit our Web site at www.wercsprofessionalservices.com.

Status of GHS Implementation in Japan  

Japan adopted the GHS classification on December 1, 2006. Substances that are regulated under the Japanese ISHL must be classified according to the GHS criteria and their MSDS and labels must contain the signal words, hazard statement and pictograms specified by the GHS.  The other two regulations (PRTR and PDSCL) that govern the MSDS requirement in Japan have not yet adopted the GHS classification.  For substances regulated under PRTR and PDSCL, the old Japanese MSDS will be accepted until the year 2010. If however a product is regulated under ISHL and PRTR and/or PDSCL, the GHS MSDS must include the required information pertaining to all applicable regulations. Japanese Industrial Standard JIS Z 7250:2005 can be referenced for more information on the new MSDS requirement. The new labeling requirements for Japan can be referenced under JIS Z 7251:2006. These standards are only available for purchase in Japanese.  Japan and New Zealand are the only countries so far that have adopted the GHS. Other countries with existing systems will need to consider similar phase-in strategies to transition to the new GHS requirement from their current requirements. -Rajal Dhruva     

First Meeting of High Level Group on the Competitiveness of the European Chemicals Industry  

On September 10, 2007, the European Commission launched the first meeting of the High Level Group (HLG) on the Competitiveness of the Chemicals Industry. The group will analyze the factors that influence the competitive position of the European chemical industry and formulate a set of recommendations to enhance the industry’s competitiveness with the goal of sustainable development. These recommendations will be released in the Spring of 2009. European Commission Vice President Günter Verheugen, who is responsible for enterprise and industry policy, said: "The EU chemicals industry is a world leader today and makes an enormous contribution to growth and jobs in Europe. However, there are clear signs that it is facing unprecedented challenges both from the effects of global change and from the expectations of our citizens. With this initiative, we aim to ensure the right framework conditions for the chemicals industry to continue operating and investing in the EU on a sustainable basis." The initiative forms part of the EU's partnership for growth and jobs. The establishment of this Group was first announced in the Communication on Industrial Policy of October 2005 as one of the sector-specific industrial policy initiatives (see IP/05/1225) and IP/07/1007).    
   

The Wercs Hosts Largest Ever User Group  

On June 27 and 28, 2007, The Wercs, Ltd. hosted their largest ever User Group in Saratoga Springs, NY. About 100 customers attended the conference from as far away as Germany. Attendees included representatives from General Electric Co., Goodyear, Amgen and Benjamin Moore & Co. The keynote speaker was Erwin Annys, Senior Adviser of Product and Innovation Policy of Fedichem, the Federation of the Belgian Chemical Industries. Annys focused on the topic of REACH (Registration, Evaluation and Authorization of Chemicals), Europe's most significant overhaul of legislation pertaining to chemicals in four decades. Informative speakers, industry networking and opportunities to contribute feedback about The WERCS MSDS authoring software were not the only highlights of the conference; clients also enjoyed a relaxing evening drinking, dining and viewing the scenery during a boat cruise on the lovely Lake George.