[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 141 (Friday, July 21, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 45417-45418]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-18553]


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DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice 3367]


Bureau of Oceans, International Environmental and Scientific 
Affairs; Public Meeting To Discuss Progress on International 
Harmonization of Chemical Hazard Classification and Labeling

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) 647-9799; fax (202) 
647-5947; e-mail [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY 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 15951-15957 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 19036-19037 of the Federal Register of 
April 10, 2000):
--Fifth Meeting of the Inter-Organization Program for the Sound 
Management of Chemicals (IOMC)/International Labor Organization (ILO) 
Working Group of Hazard Communication, May 22-24, Geneva, Switzerland.
--Sixteenth Consultation of the IOMC Coordinating Group for the 
Harmonization of Chemical Classification Systems, May 25-26, Geneva, 
Switzerland.
--Sixth Meeting of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and 
Development (OECD) Expert Group on Classification Criteria for Chemical 
Mixtures, May 29-31, Paris, France.
--Eighteenth Session of the UN Subcommittee on Experts on the Transport 
of Dangerous Goods, July 3-13, 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 4-5) 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 6-8) 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 202-647-9266; fax 202-647-5947) with 
their statement and/or name, organization, address, telephone and fax 
numbers, and e-mail address. All written comments will be placed in the 
OSHA public docket (H-022H), 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 
202-219-7894; fax: 202-219-5046. Interested organizations/individuals 
that wish to receive future notifications of GHS-related developments 
by email should contact Mary Frances Lowe of the U.S. Environmental 
Protection Agency at ``[email protected]''.

    Dated: July 17, 2000.
Daniel T. Fantozzi,
Director, Office of Environmental Policy, U.S. Department of State.
[FR Doc. 00-18553 Filed 7-20-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710-06-P