Federal Register: March 9, 2005 (Volume 70, Number 45)
DOCID: FR Doc 05-4567
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Public Health Service
NOTICE: NOTICES
ACTION: Meetings:
DOCUMENT ACTION: Announcement of a meeting and request for comment.
SUBJECT CATEGORY:
AGENCY: National Institute for Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS); National Institutes of Health (NIH).
DATES: The expert panel meeting for styrene will be held on June 1-3, 2005. Sections 14 of the draft expert panel report will be available for public comment on March 18, 2005. Written public comments on the draft report must be received by May 2, 2005. Time is setaside at the expert panel meeting on June 1, 2005 for oral public comments. Individuals wishing to make oral public comments are asked to contact Dr. Michael D. Shelby, CERHR Director, by May 25, 2005, and if possible, also send a copy of the statement or talking points at that time. Persons needing special assistance in order to attend are asked to contact Dr. Shelby at least 7 business days prior to the meeting.
DOCUMENT SUMMARY:
The CERHR announces the availability of the draft expert panel
report for styrene on March 18, 2005, from the CERHR Web site (http://cerhr.niehs.nih.gov ) or in printed text from the CERHR (see FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT below). The CERHR invites the submission of public
comments on sections 14 of the draft expert panel report (see
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION below). The expert panel will meet on June 1
3, 2005, at the Holiday Inn Old Town Select in Alexandria, Virginia to
review and revise the draft expert panel report and reach conclusions
regarding whether exposure to styrene is a hazard to human development
or reproduction. The expert panel will also identify data gaps and
research needs. CERHR expert panel meetings are open to the public with
time scheduled for oral public comment. Attendance is limited only by
the available meeting room space. Following the expert panel meeting
and completion of the expert panel report, the CERHR will post the
report on its Web site and solicit public comment on it through a
Federal Register notice.
SUMMARY:
National Toxicology Program—; Styrene Expert Panel,
SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION
Background
Styrene (ethenylbenzene; CAS RN: 100425) is a high production volume chemical used in the production of polystyrene resins and as a copolymer with acrylonitrile and 1,3butadiene. Styrene is found in items such as foam cups, dental fillings, matrices for ion exchange filters, construction materials, and boats. It is also used in protective coatings, reinforced glass fiber, agricultural products, and as a food additive. The public can be exposed to styrene by ingesting food or drink that has been in contact with styrene polymers or through inhalation of polluted air and cigarette smoke. CERHR selected styrene for expert panel evaluation because of: (1) Public concern about styrene exposure and (2) recently available exposure studies.
At the expert panel meeting, the expert panel will review and
revise the draft expert panel report and reach conclusions regarding
whether exposure to styrene is a hazard to human reproduction or
development. Each draft expert panel report has the following sections: 1.0 Chemistry, Use, and Human Exposure
2.0 General Toxicological and Biological Effects
3.0 Developmental Toxicity Data
4.0 Reproductive Toxicity Data
5.0 Summary, Conclusions, and Critical Data Needs (to be prepared at expert panel meeting)
Request for Comments
The CERHR invites written public comments on sections 14 of the draft expert panel report on styrene. Any comments received will be posted on the CERHR Web site prior to the meeting and distributed to the expert panel and CERHR staff for their consideration in revising the draft report and preparing for the expert panel meeting. Persons submitting written comments are asked to include their name and contact information (affiliation, mailing address, telephone and facsimile numbers, email, and sponsoring organization, if any) and send them to Dr. Shelby (see ADDRESSES above) for receipt by May 2.
Time is setaside on June 1, 2005, for the presentation of oral public comments at the expert panel meeting. Seven minutes will be available for each speaker (one speaker per organization). When registering to comment orally, please provide your name, affiliation, mailing address, telephone and facsimile numbers, email and sponsoring organization (if any). If possible, also send a copy of the statement or talking points to Dr. Shelby by May 25. This statement will be provided to the expert panel to assist them in identifying issues for discussion and will be noted in the meeting record. Registration for presentation of oral comments will also be available at the meeting on June 1, 2005, from 7:308:30 a.m. Those persons registering at the meeting are asked to bring 20 copies of their statement or talking points for distribution to the expert panel and for the record. Preliminary Agenda
The meeting begins each day at 8:30 a.m. On June 1 and 2, it is
anticipated that a lunch break will occur from noon1 p.m. and the
meeting will adjourn at 56 p.m. The meeting is expected to adjourn by
noon on June 3; however, adjournment may occur earlier or later
depending upon the time needed by the expert panel to complete its
work. Anticipated agenda topics for each day are listed below. June 1, 2005
June 2, 2005
Expert Panel Roster
The CERHR expert panel is composed of independent scientists
selected for their scientific expertise in reproductive and/or
developmental toxicology and other areas of science relevant for this review.
Ulrike Luderer, Ph.D., M.D., M.P.H. (Chair)University of California, Irvine, CA
Thomas F. X. Collins, Ph.D.U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Laurel, MD
George P. Daston, Ph.D.The Procter & Gamble Company, Cincinnati, OH
Lawrence J. Fischer, Ph.D.Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI
Ronald Gray, M.D., M.Sc.The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD
Franklin E. Mirer, Ph.D., CIHInternational Union, UAW, Detroit, MI
Andrew D. Olshan, Ph.D.University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC
R. Woodrow Setzer, Ph.D.U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC
Kimberly A. Treinen, Ph.D.ScheringPlough Research Institute, Lafayette, NJ
Roel Vermeulen, Ph.D.National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD Background Information on the CERHR
The NTP established the NTP CERHR in June 1998 [Federal Register, December 14, 1998 (Volume 63, Number 239, page 68782)]. The CERHR is a publicly accessible resource for information about adverse reproductive and/or developmental health effects associated with exposure to environmental and/or occupational exposures. Expert panels conduct scientific evaluations of agents selected by the CERHR in public forums.
The CERHR invites the nomination of agents for review or scientists for its expert registry. Information about CERHR and the nomination process can be obtained from its homepage (http://cerhr.niehs.nih.gov) or by contacting Dr. Shelby (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT above). The CERHR selects chemicals for evaluation based upon several factors including production volume, extent of human exposure, public concern, and published evidence of reproductive or developmental toxicity.
CERHR follows a formal, multistep process for review and
evaluation of selected chemicals. The formal evaluation process was
published in the Federal Register on July 16, 2001 (Volume 66, Number
136, pages 3704737048) and is available on the CERHR Web site under ``About CERHR'' or in printed copy from the CERHR.
[[Page 11682]]
Dated: February 28, 2005.
Samuel H. Wilson,
Deputy Director, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. [FR Doc. 054567 Filed 3805; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 414001P
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT
Dr. Michael D. Shelby, CERHR Director, (919) 5413455, shelby@niehs.nih.gov.