Federal Register: July 21, 2000 (Volume 65, Number 141)
DOCID: FR Doc 00-18553
DEPARTMENT OF STATE
State Department
DOCUMENT ID: [Public Notice 3367]
NOTICE: NOTICES
ACTION: Meetings:
SUBJECT CATEGORY:
Bureau of Oceans, International Environmental and Scientific Affairs; Public Meeting To Discuss Progress on International Harmonization of Chemical Hazard Classification and Labeling
DOCUMENT SUMMARY:
The United States government, through an interagency working group, is preparing for a series of international meetings to further develop a globally harmonized system (GHS) of chemical hazard classification and labeling. The Department of State will hold a public meeting to provide an update on recent activities and a preview of upcoming international meetings.
The public meeting will take place on Thursday, August 10, 2000, from 10:00 AM until noon in Room C5521 at the U.S. Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC. Attendees should use the entrance at C and Third Streets NW. Attendees should bring picture identification with them. No advance registration is necessary. For further information, please contact Marie Ricciardone, U.S. Department of State, Office of Environmental Policy (OES/ENV), Room 4325, 2201 C Street NW, Washington, DC 20520; telephone (202) 6479799; fax (202) 6475947; email RicciardoneMD@state.gov.
SUMMARY:
Chemical hazard classification and labeling system; international harmonization progress,
SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION
The U.S. Department of State is issuing this notice to help ensure that interested organizations and individuals are aware of and knowledgeable about the effort to internationally harmonize chemical hazard classification and labeling, and have an opportunity to offer comments. Agencies participating in the U.S. government interagency group include: Department of State, Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Transportation, Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Consumer Product Safety Commission, Food and Drug Administration, Department of Commerce, Department of Agriculture, Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, and National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. For more complete information on the GHS process, please refer to State Department Public Notice 2526, pages 1595115957 of the Federal Register of April 3, 1997.
This meeting will provide an update on GHS activities since the
previous public meeting on April 27, 2000 (see Department of State
Public Notice 3276 on pages 1903619037 of the Federal Register of April 10, 2000):
Fifth Meeting of the InterOrganization Program for the Sound
Management of Chemicals (IOMC)/International Labor Organization (ILO)
Working Group of Hazard Communication, May 2224, Geneva, Switzerland.
Sixteenth Consultation of the IOMC Coordinating Group for the
Harmonization of Chemical Classification Systems, May 2526, Geneva, Switzerland.
Sixth Meeting of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and
Development (OECD) Expert Group on Classification Criteria for Chemical Mixtures, May 2931, Paris, France.
Eighteenth Session of the UN Subcommittee on Experts on the Transport of Dangerous Goods, July 313, Geneva, Switzerland.
Members of the interagency working group will also provide an
overview of the U.S. preparations for upcoming international meetings:
The Seventh Meeting of the OECD Extended Expert Group on Aquatic
Environmental Hazards (Paris, September 45) will develop guidance for
applying harmonized hazard classification criteria for aquatic toxicity
of chemical substances, decide on a work plan for a Dissolution
Protocol, and develop harmonized hazard classification criteria for aquatic toxicity of chemical mixtures.
The Tenth Meeting of the OECD Task Force on Harmonization of
Classification and Labeling (Paris, September 68) will consider
harmonized hazard classification criteria for chemical mixtures,
examine hazard classification criteria for target organ/systemic
toxicity, and review the work of the Extended Expert Group on Aquatic Environmental Hazards.
Interested organizations and individuals are invited to present
their views orally and/or in writing at the public meeting.
Participants may address other topics relating to harmonization of
chemical hazard classification and labeling systems, and identify
issues of concern. Those organizations/individuals that cannot attend
the August 10 meeting, but wish to submit a written comment, should
provide Eunice Mourning of the Office of Environmental Policy, U.S.
Department of State (telephone 2026479266; fax 2026475947) with
their statement and/or name, organization, address, telephone and fax
numbers, and email address. All written comments will be placed in the OSHA public docket (H022H), which is open
[[Page 45418]]
Monday through Friday, from 10 AM until 4 PM, at the Department of
Labor, Room 2625, 200 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC; telephone
2022197894; fax: 2022195046. Interested organizations/individuals
that wish to receive future notifications of GHSrelated developments
by email should contact Mary Frances Lowe of the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency at ``lowe.maryfrances@epa.gov''.
Dated: July 17, 2000.
Daniel T. Fantozzi,
Director, Office of Environmental Policy, U.S. Department of State.
[FR Doc. 0018553 Filed 72000; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 471006P