[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 98 (Tuesday, May 20, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 29139-29140]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-11207]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES


National Toxicology Program (NTP); Report on Carcinogens (RoC); 
Availability of the Draft Background Document for Styrene; Request for 
Comments on the Draft Background Document for Styrene; Announcement of 
the Styrene Expert Panel Meeting

AGENCY: National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS); 
National Institutes of Health (NIH).

ACTION: Availability of Background Documents; Request for Comments; and 
Announcement of a Meeting.

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SUMMARY: The NTP announces the availability of the draft background 
document for styrene on May 22, 2008, on the RoC Web site (http://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/go/29679) or in printed text from the RoC (see 
ADDRESSES below). The NTP invites the submission of public comments on 
the draft background document for styrene. The expert panel will meet 
on July 21-22, 2008, at the Radisson Hotel Research Triangle Park, 150 
Park Drive, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709 to peer review the draft 
background document for styrene and, once completed, make a 
recommendation regarding the listing status for styrene (i.e., known to 
be a human carcinogen, reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen, 
or not to list) in the 12th Edition of the RoC (12th RoC). The RoC 
expert panel meeting is open to the public with time scheduled for oral 
public comments. Attendance is limited only by the available meeting 
room space. Following the expert panel meeting and completion of the 
expert panel report, the NTP will post the final version of the 
background document and the expert-panel peer review report on the RoC 
Web site.

DATES: The expert panel meeting for styrene will be held on July 21-22, 
2008. The draft background document for styrene will be available for 
public comment on May 22, 2008. The deadline to submit written comments 
is July 07, 2008, for pre-registration to attend the meeting is July 
14, 2008, and for pre-registration to provide oral comments at the 
meeting is July 14, 2008.

ADDRESSES: The RoC expert panel meeting on styrene will be held at 
Radisson Hotel Research Triangle Park, 150 Park Drive, Research 
Triangle Park, NC 27709. Access to on-line registration and materials 
for the meeting are available on the RoC Web site (http://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/go/29679). Comments

[[Page 29140]]

on the draft background document should be sent to Dr. Ruth M. Lunn, 
NIEHS, P.O. Box 12233, MD EC-14, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, FAX: 
(919) 316-4637, or [email protected]. Courier address: Report on 
Carcinogens Office, 79 T.W. Alexander Drive, Building 4401, Room 3118, 
Research Triangle Park, NC 27709. Persons needing interpreting services 
in order to attend should contact 301-402-8180 (voice) or 301-435-1908 
(TTY). Requests should be made at least seven business days in advance 
of the meeting.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Ruth M. Lunn (telephone: 919-316-
4637, or [email protected]).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The NTP announced the RoC review process for the 12th RoC on April 
16, 2007, in the Federal Register (72 FR 18999 available at http://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/go/15208). An expert panel meeting is being convened 
on July 21-22, 2008, to review styrene for possible listing in the 12th 
RoC. The draft background document for styrene will be available on the 
RoC Web site on May 22, 2008, in printed text from the RoC Office (see 
ADDRESSES above). Persons can register free-of-charge with the NTP 
listserv to receive notification when draft RoC background documents 
for other candidate substances for the 12th RoC are made available on 
the RoC Web site (http://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/go/231).
    Styrene is a very important monomer used worldwide in the 
production of polymers, which are incorporated into products such as 
rubber, plastic, insulation, fiberglass, pipes, automobile parts, food 
containers, and carpet backing. Most of these products contain both 
free styrene monomer and styrene polymerized in long chains 
(polystyrene). Sources of exposure to the general public include 
inhalation of indoor and outdoor ambient air, smoking, and ingestion of 
foods. Occupational exposure occurs mainly in the reinforced plastics, 
styrene-butadiene rubber, and styrene monomer and polymer industries.

Preliminary Agenda, Availability of Meeting Topics and Registration

    Preliminary agenda topics include:
     Oral public comments on styrene.
     Peer review of the draft background document on styrene.
     Recommendation for listing status for styrene in the 12th 
RoC.
    The meeting is schedule for July 21-22, 2008, from 8:30 a.m. to 
adjournment each day. A copy of the preliminary agenda, expert panel 
roster, and any additional information, when available, will be posted 
on the RoC Web site or may be requested from the Director of the RoC 
Office (see ADDRESSES above). Individuals who plan to attend the 
meeting are encouraged to register on-line by July 14, 2008, to 
facilitate planning for the meeting.

Request for Comments

    The NTP invites both written and oral public comments on the draft 
background document on styrene. All written comments received will be 
posted on the RoC website prior to the meeting and distributed to the 
expert panel and RoC staff for their consideration in the peer review 
of the draft background document and/or preparation 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, e-mail, and sponsoring organization, 
if any) and send them to Dr. Lunn (see ADDRESSES above) for receipt by 
July 07, 2008. Time will be set-aside at the expert panel meeting for 
the presentation of oral public comments. Seven minutes will be 
available for each speaker (one speaker per organization). Persons can 
register on-line to present oral comments or contact Dr. Lunn (see 
ADDRESSES above). When registering to comment orally, please provide 
your name, affiliation, mailing address, telephone and facsimile 
numbers, e-mail and sponsoring organization (if any). If possible, send 
a copy of the statement or talking points to Dr. Lunn by July 14, 2008. 
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 July 21-22, 2008, from 7:30-8:30 a.m. Time 
allowed for comments by on-site registrants may be less than for pre-
registered speakers and will be determined by the number of persons who 
register at the meeting. Persons registering at the meeting are asked 
to bring 25 copies of their statement or talking points for 
distribution to the expert panel and for the record.

Background Information on the RoC

    The RoC is a congressionally mandated document [Section 301(b)(4) 
of the Public Health Services Act, 42 U.S.C. 241(b)(4)] that identifies 
and discusses agents, substances, mixtures, or exposure circumstances 
(collectively referred to as ``substances'') that may pose a hazard to 
human health by virtue of their carcinogenicity. Substances are listed 
in the report as either known or reasonably anticipated to be human 
carcinogens. The NTP prepares the RoC on behalf of the Secretary of 
Health and Human Services. Information about the RoC and the nomination 
process can be obtained from its homepage (http://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/go/roc) or by contacting Dr. Lunn (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT 
above). The NTP follows a formal, multi-step process for review and 
evaluation of selected chemicals. The formal evaluation process is 
available on the RoC Web site (http://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/go/15208) or in 
printed copy from the RoC Office.

    Dated: May 8, 2008.
Samuel H. Wilson,
Acting Director, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences 
and National Toxicology Program.
 [FR Doc. E8-11207 Filed 5-19-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4140-01-P