RegNet’s Consortium Related Activities

RegNet consultants specialize in the formation and management of issue-specific consortiums. RegNet provides consortiums with a full range of financial, management as well as regulatory and technical support involving environmental, legislative and regulatory matters. A brief description of some of RegNet's consortium related activities follows.

The Acrylonitrile Group - The AN Group represents the major North American producers and users of acrylonitrile monomer. RegNet began managing the Group in mid-2002. The mission of the AN Group is to facilitate the protection of human health and the environment through all stages of the acrylonitrile product cycle, including manufacture, storage, distribution, use and disposal. The Group has a long history of conducting and communicating research, and advocating sound regulation based on the best available science. Acrylonitrile is a building block chemical used to make acrylic fiber for clothing, blankets, carpeting and other fabrics; rugged plastics for computer and TV housings; and, nitrile rubber for oil-resistant hoses at gasoline stations and under automobile hoods. Members of the AN Group include: Cytec Industries Inc.; The Dow Chemical Company; Lucite International Inc.; SABIC - Innovative Plastics; INEOS Nitriles; and Solutia Inc.

Alkylphenols & Ethoxylates (APE) Research Council - The APE Research Council was formed in July 1998 and is composed of manufacturers, processors, users and raw material suppliers of alkylphenols (APs) and alkylphenol ethoxylates (APEs). The Council was previously managed by the Chemical Manufacturers Association under the name of the APE Panel. Current members of the APE Research Council include: Dover Chemical Corporation, SI Group, Texas Petrochemicals LP, and The Dow Chemical Company.

Chlorinated Paraffins Industry Association - The CPIA was formed in the late 1970's to address the TSCA Interagency Testing Committee's recommendations for testing chlorinated paraffins. Through the efforts of RegNet, the CPIA has responded to regulatory and scientific positions of organizations such as the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), the National Toxicology Program (NTP), California's Science Advisory Panel under Proposition 65, EPA's Office of Toxic Substances and the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). The CPIA has been actively involved in issues concerning the Toxic Release Inventory (TRI). Based on the efforts of the CPIA, the EPA was convinced to limit the TRI listing to only the short-chain (C10-13) chlorinated paraffins.

The CPIA has established an active outreach program to customers and users of chlorinated paraffins. Current priority issues for the CPIA include participating on Canada's Issue Table for Short-chain Chlorinated Paraffins and monitoring initiatives on a worldwide basis to restrict the use of chlorinated paraffins. The CPIA has established close working relationships with their European counterparts.

Emulsion Polymers Council, Inc. - EPC represents U.S. manufacturers of emulsion polymers. A majority of EPC's activities concentrate on air quality issues, hazard communication, and analytical methods. Current members of the EPC include: BASF Corporation; Celanese Emulsions; Eastman Chemical Company; The Lubrizol Corporation; Reichhold, Inc.; Rohm and Haas Chemicals LLC; The Dow Chemical Company; and, Wacker Polymers.

Phosphite Manufacturers Consortium - The Phosphite Manufacturers Consortium (PMC) was formed as an outgrowth of a meeting held in Brussels on February 9, 2000 with European and North American producers of phosphites. PMC activities have primarily been directed towards testing of the following substances under the US High Production Volume (HPV) Challenge Program: phosphorous acid, triisodecyl ester (TDP, CAS 25448-25-3); phosphorous acid, diisodecyl phenyl ester (PDDP, CAS 25550-98-5); phosphorous acid, isodecyl diphenyl ester (DPDP, CAS 26544-23-0); phosphorous acid, triphenyl ester (TPP, CAS 101-02-0); and, tris(nonylphenyl)phosphite (TNPP, CAS 26523-78-4).

In addition to PMC's HPV testing issues, in late 2001, members agreed to develop comments in response to a UK initiative to classify the phosphite PDDP as Persistent, Bioaccumulative and Toxic (PBT). Comments challenging the classification of PDDP as a PBT were submitted in January 2002.

SB Latex Council - SBLC represents the U.S. manufacturers of styrene butadiene latex. Much of SBLC's activities concern indoor air quality issues pertaining to the use of styrene butadiene latex in carpets and rugs. The Council has sponsored a series of toxicological studies, the results of which have been transmitted to regulatory agencies and has conducted several RD50 studies which are designed to assess the concentration of different test materials required to reduce the respiratory rate by 50%. SBLC is currently responding to EPA's proposal to establish Clean Air Act emission regulations. The Council also works closely with the Carpet and Rug Institute and the Carpet Industry Issues Council. Current members of SBLC include: BASF Corporation; Mallard Creek Polymers, Inc.; OMNOVA Solutions Inc.; and, The Dow Chemical Company.

Vinyl Acetate Council - The VAC represents the major U.S. manufacturers and users of vinyl acetate. One of the VAC's primary projects is to develop a pharmacokinetic model to further the risk assessment on vinyl acetate. Once completed, the risk assessment model should be of immediate use to EPA as they address vinyl acetate as a hazardous air pollutant. The VAC organized a Workshop with EPA to review the pharmacokinetics risk assessment model. The VAC routinely submits technical comments to research and regulatory agencies throughout the world, most notably the Environmental Protection Agency, International Agency for Research on Cancer and California Proposition 65 Office.

The VAC has established a close working relationship with its European counterparts through the CEFIC Acetyls Sector Group and have begun a cooperative effort to address the pending EU risk assessment for vinyl acetate.

Current members of the VAC include: Celanese Limited; E.I. Du Pont de Nemours and Company; ExxonMobil BioMedical Sciences, Inc.; LyondellBasell Industries; The Dow Chemical Company; and, Wacker Chemie AG.