[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 198 (Friday, October 10, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 60288-60289]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-24102]


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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 Cobalt-Tungsten 
Carbide Powders and Hard Metals; Request for Comments on the Draft 
Background Document; Announcement of the Cobalt-Tungsten Carbide 
Powders and Hard Metals Expert Panel Meeting

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

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

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SUMMARY: The NTP announces the availability of the draft background 
document for cobalt-tungsten carbide powders and hard metals by October 
10, 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 
cobalt-tungsten carbide powders and hard metals. The expert panel will 
meet on December 9-10, 2008, at the Sheraton Chapel Hill Hotel, One 
Europa Drive, Chapel Hill, NC 27514 to peer review the draft background 
document for cobalt-tungsten carbide powders and hard metals and, once 
completed, make a recommendation regarding the listing status (i.e., 
known to be a human carcinogen, reasonably anticipated to be a human 
carcinogen, or not to list) for cobalt-tungsten carbide powders and 
hard metals 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 background document and the 
expert-panel peer review report on the RoC Web site.

DATES: The expert panel meeting for cobalt-tungsten carbide powders and 
hard metals will be held on December 9-10, 2008. The draft background 
document for cobalt-tungsten carbide powders and hard metals will be 
available for public comment by October 10, 2008. The deadline to 
submit written comments is November 24, 2008, and the deadline for pre-
registration to attend the meeting and/or to provide oral comments at 
the meeting is December 1, 2008.

ADDRESSES: The RoC expert panel meeting on cobalt-tungsten carbide 
powders and hard metals will be held at Sheraton Chapel Hill Hotel, One 
Europa Drive, Chapel Hill, NC 27514. 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 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) 541-0144, 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, Director, RoC 
Office, 919-316-4637, [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The NTP announced the RoC review process for the 12th RoC on April 
16, 2007 in the Federal Register (72FR18999 available at http://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/go/15208). An expert panel meeting is being convened 
on December 9-10, 2008, to review cobalt-tungsten carbide powders and 
hard metals for possible listing in the 12th RoC. The draft background 
document for cobalt-tungsten carbide hard metals and powders will be 
available on the RoC Web site by October 10, 2008 or 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 candidate substances for the 12th RoC are made 
available on the RoC Web site (http://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/go/231).
    Cobalt-tungsten carbide hard metals are composites of carbides 
(including tungsten carbide alone or in combination with small amounts 
of other carbides) with a metallic cobalt binder, pressed into a 
compact, solid form at high temperatures by a process known as 
``sintering.'' Cobalt-tungsten carbide hard metals are used primarily 
in cutting tools. Cobalt-tungsten carbide hard metals are manufactured 
and used in the United States. Occupational exposure to cobalt-tungsten 
carbide hard-metal particles can occur during hard-metal production, 
recycling of hard-metal products, and grinding and sharpening of hard-
metal tools.

Preliminary Agenda, Request for Comments, and Registration

    Preliminary agenda topics include:
     Oral public comments on cobalt-tungsten carbide powders 
and hard metals.
     Peer review of the draft background document on cobalt-
tungsten carbide powders and hard metals.
     Recommendation for listing status in the 12th RoC for 
cobalt-tungsten carbide powders and hard metals and scientific 
justification.
    The meeting is scheduled for December 9-10, 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 December 1, 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 cobalt-tungsten carbide powders and hard metals. 
All written comments received will be posted on the RoC Web site 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 November 24, 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

[[Page 60289]]

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 December 1, 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 
December 9-10, 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 substances. 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: October 2, 2008.
Samuel H. Wilson,
Acting Director, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences 
and National Toxicology Program.
 [FR Doc. E8-24102 Filed 10-9-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4140-01-P