Today, I am excited to announce that the NanoBusiness Alliance is sponsoring The Carbon Nanotube Coalition’s one day conference to be held on December 3rd at the office of:

McKenna Long & Aldridge LLP
101 California Street
Floor 41
San Francisco, CA 94111

Conference Chairman, Rick Canady, PhD DABT http://www.mckennalong.com/professionals-1197.html, has asked me to speak on Thursday afternoon at 4:30pm. The Carbon Nanotube Coalition’s December 3, 2009 meeting will bring together manufacturers and industrial users of carbon nanotubes to examine the questions DTSC has asked and to discuss the larger policy implications they raise, such as protection of proprietary information, how to report data regarding nanomaterials across widely differing regulatory jurisdictions, and how to address concerns about measuring and monitoring nanomaterials in the environment. The invitation-only meeting will include presentations and discussions limited to industry members followed by a question and answer session with DTSC policy makers.

REGISTER TODAY
Registration is complimentary to NanoBusiness Alliance Members in good standing. Please contact Vincent Caprio, Sr. Vice President, NanoBusiness Alliance, vincentcaprio@nynanobusiness.org 203-733-1949.

For non NanoBusiness Alliance Members, the fee is $300. Click here to register,https://guest.cvent.com/EVENTS/Register/IdentityConfirmation.aspx?e=a27bf93b-168e-4dde-bb02-19ed358a83c6

WHO SHOULD ATTEND

  • Companies preparing responses to the DTSC data call in (due January 2010).
  • Manufacturers of carbon nanotubes who were not named in the DTSC data call in, but who will be affected by policy, regulations, and public perceptions that will be formed by the responses to DTSC.
  • Users of carbon nanotubes concerned about how responses to DTSC will affect perceptions regarding carbon nanotubes, and possibly the supply chains for their products.
  • Companies who see this dialogue as a formative event for how other nanotechnology applications will be regulated and viewed by the public.

CONFIRMED SPEAKERS

  • Jeff Wong, PhD, Chief Scientist, DTSC
  • Rick Canady, PhD DABT, Senior Advisor, McKenna Long & Aldridge and former risk policy advisor to the FDA Commissioner’s Office and the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy
  • Michael Boucher, Lead attorney on carbon nanotube EPA TSCA submissions for McKenna Long & Aldridge LLP
  • Ann Grimaldi, Lead attorney on green chemistry and nanotechnology for McKenna Long & Aldridge LLP in California
  • Tom Jacobs, California Nano Industry Network
  • Bill Gulledge, American Chemistry Council Nanotechnology Panel

AGENDA
Sessions I-III are invitation only sessions: CNC members and other industry participants

8:30am Continental Breakfast (provided to those attending the session in person)

I. Orientation and Goals of the Meeting

8:45am Rick Canady, Carbon Nanotube Coalition Welcome and opening remarks

9:00am Bill Gulledge, ACC Nanotechnology Panel
Consideration of the DTSC carbon nanotube data call in for the broader value chain and implications to other nanomaterials nationally

9:15am Tom Jacobs, California Nano Regulatory Committee
The California Nano scene: DTSC and the California legislative environment. What does this mean?

Guided Discussion of Issues in Responses to the Questions

9:30am Ann Grimaldi, McKenna Long & Aldridge LLP
Addressing DTSC questions 1-3 (quoted directly from the DTSC letter to manufacturers)

1. What is the value chain for your company? For example, in what products are your carbon nanotubes used by others? In what products? In what quantities? Who are your major customers?

2. What sampling, detection, and measurement methods are you using to monitor (detect and measure) the presence of your chemical in the workplace and the environment? Provide a full description of all required sampling, detection, measurement, and verification methodologies. Provide full QA/QC protocol.

3. What is your knowledge about the current and projected presence of your chemical in the environment that results from manufacturing, distribution, use, and end-of-life disposal?

10:45am Coffee Break

11:00am Michael Boucher, McKenna Long & Aldridge LLP
Addressing DTSC questions 4-6

4. What is your knowledge about the safety of your chemical in terms of occupational safety, public health, and the environment?

5. What methods are you using to protect workers in the research, development, and manufacturing environment?

6. When released, does your material constitute a hazardous waste under California Health & Safety Code provisions? Are discarded off-spec materials a hazardous waste? Once discarded, are the carbon nanotubes you produce a hazardous waste? What are your waste handling practices for carbon nanotubes?

12:15pm Working Lunch (provided to those attending the session in person)

III. Guided Discussion of Cross-Cutting Issues

1:15pm Rick Canady, Carbon Nanotube Coalition
Addressing general Issues in responses

CBI consideration
– Data submission: How much is enough?
– Can data be viewed as “eyes only” or through “read across” data compilations?
– Submitting information about the value chain (i.e., your customers or suppliers)

Relation of DTSC reporting to TSCA and CEPA reporting and regulation

Public perception issues of differing opinions of safety and “hazardous waste” and of a lack of monitoring information

Influence of responses on next steps for DTSC

IV. Questions and Answers with DTSC
Open session: CNC members, other industry participants, and California DTSC (and others at their invitation)

2:30pm Ann Grimaldi, McKenna Long & Aldridge LLP
Open session IV
The workshop will be joined by DTSC and others (e.g., University and research groups named in the data call-in).

2:45pm Jeff Wong, California DTSC
DTSC responds to questions arising from responses to the data call-in

To the degree possible, we would provide DTSC with a list of topics we will need responses on, based on discussions on the CNC web site and in conference calls leading up to the workshop.

4:30pm Rick Canady, Carbon Nanotube Coalition (and all)
Vincent Caprio, Sr. Vice President, NanoBusiness Alliance

5:00pm Close of Session (move to reception)

Dr. Canady and I look forward to seeing you in California on December 3rd.

Regards,

Vincent Caprio
www.vincentcaprio.org
Sr. Vice President
NanoBusiness Alliance
203-733-1949
vincentcaprio@nynanobusiness.org

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