98-25681. Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs (OES); Notice of a Public Meeting Regarding Government Activities on International Harmonization of Chemical Classification and Labeling Systems

[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 186 (Friday, September 25, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51394-51395]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-25681]


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DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice 2896]


Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific 
Affairs (OES); Notice of a Public Meeting Regarding Government 
Activities on International Harmonization of Chemical Classification 
and Labeling Systems

SUMMARY: This public meeting will provide an update on current 
activities related to international harmonization since the previous 
public meeting, conducted August 5, 1998. (See Department of State 
Public Notice 2862, on pages 39926-39927 of the Federal Register of 
July 24, 1998). The meeting will also offer interested organizations 
and individuals the opportunity to provide information and views for 
consideration in the development of United States Government policy 
positions. For more complete information on the harmonization process, 
please refer to State Department Public Notice 2526, pages 15951-15957 
of the Federal Register of April 3, 1997.
    The meeting will take place from 1:30 p.m. until 3:30 p.m. on 
October 7 in Room N 3437 A&B, U.S. Department of Labor, 200 
Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, D.C. Attendees should use the 
entrance at C and Third Streets NW.

[[Page 51395]]

To facilitate entry, please have a picture ID available and/or a U.S. 
Government building pass if applicable.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information or to submit 
written comments or information, please contact Mary Frances Lowe, U.S. 
Department of State, OES/ENV, Room 4325, 2201 C Street NW, Washington, 
D.C. 20520. Phone [phone], fax [phone]. A public docket 
is also available for review (OSHA docket H-022H).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Department of State is announcing a 
public meeting of the interagency committee concerned with the 
international harmonization of chemical hazard classification and 
labeling systems (an effort often referred to as the ``globally 
harmonized system'' or GHS). The purpose of the meeting is to provide 
interested groups and individuals with an update on activities since 
the August 5, 1998, public meeting, a preview of upcoming international 
meetings, and an opportunity to submit additional information and 
comments for consideration in developing U.S. Government positions. 
Representatives of the following agencies participate in the 
interagency group: the Department of State, the Environmental 
Protection Agency, the Department of Transportation, the Occupational 
Safety and Health Administration, the Consumer Product Safety 
Commission, the Food and Drug Administration, the Department of 
Commerce, the Department of Agriculture, the Office of the U.S. Trade 
Representative, and the National Institute of Environmental Health 
Sciences.
    The Agenda of the public meeting will include:
1. Introduction
2. Reports on Recent International Meetings
--Seventh Meeting of the Advisory Group on Harmonization of 
Classification and Labelling, September 1-2, Paris, France. This 
meeting focused on discussion of classification criteria proposals for 
health and environmental endpoints, including skin and eye irritation/
corrosion, target organ toxicity, reproductive toxicity, aquatic 
toxicity, acute toxicity, and the review of an integrated document 
comprised of introductory sections on cross-cutting issues and 
individual chapters on each covered endpoint. The goal was to identify, 
define and where possible resolve issues in the integrated proposal and 
other documents in preparation for the high level OECD meeting, 
described below. Key remaining issues include acute, aquatic, 
reproductive and target organ toxicity and the integrated proposal.
--OECD High Level Meeting of the Advisory Group, September 3-4, Paris, 
France. Participants in this meeting were senior level officials 
charged with reaching agreement on a package of OECD classification 
criteria for submission to and approval by the OECD Joint Meeting on 
Chemicals, now planned for November 4-6. Building on the work of the 
Seventh Advisory Group, the High Level Meeting reached consensus on the 
content of the integrated proposal and classification criteria for 
eight health and environmental hazards: acute toxicity, 
carcinogenicity, germ cell mutagenicity, eye irritation/corrosion, 
reproductive toxicity, sensitization, and skin irritation/corrosion. 
The November OECD Joint Meeting will consider a revised integrated 
proposal containing chapters for each covered endpoint.
3. Preparation for Upcoming Meetings
    Participants will outline preparations for upcoming GHS meetings, 
including meetings of the Inter-Organization Program for the Sound 
Management of Chemicals (IOMC) Coordinating Group for the Harmonization 
of Chemical Classification Systems, and OECD Working Group on Mixtures, 
and the IOMC/International Labour Organisation Working Group on Hazard 
Communications. These groups will meet in early 1999.
4. Public Comments
5. Concluding Remarks
    Interested parties are invited to submit their comments as soon as 
possible for consideration in the development of U.S. positions and to 
present their views orally and/or in writing at the public meeting. 
Participants may address other topics relating to harmonization of 
chemical classification and labeling systems and are particularly 
invited to identify issues of concern to specific sectors that may be 
affected by the GHS. Participants who attended and participated in 
recent international sessions may also offer their observations on the 
results of the sessions.
    All written comments will be placed in the public document (OSHA 
docket H-022H). The docket is open from 10 am until 4 pm, Monday 
through Friday, and is located at the Department of Labor, Room 2625, 
200 Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, D.C. (Telephone: [phone]; 
Fax: [phone]). The public may also consult the docket to review 
previous Federal Register notices, comments received, Questions and 
Answers about the GHS, a response to comments on the April 3, 1997, 
Federal Register notice, and other relevant documents.

    Dated: September 21, 1998.
Michael Metelits,
Director, Office of Environmental Policy, Bureau of Oceans and 
International Environmental and Scientific Affairs.
[FR Doc. 98-25681 Filed 9-24-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710-09-M