[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 27 (Wednesday, February 11, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6886-6887]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-2823]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES


National Toxicology Program (NTP); Report on Carcinogens (RoC); 
Request for Public Comments on the RoC Expert Panel's Recommendation on 
Listing Status for Cobalt-Tungsten Carbide Powders and Hard Metals in 
the 12th RoC and the Scientific Justification for the Recommendation

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

ACTION: Request for comments.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The NTP invites public comment on the recommendation from an 
expert panel on the listing status for cobalt-tungsten carbide powders 
and hard metals in the 12th RoC and the scientific justification for 
the recommendation. The recommendation and scientific justification for 
cobalt-tungsten carbide powders and hard metals are available 
electronically in Part B of the Expert Panel Report (http://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/go/29682, see Expert Panel Report Part B) or in 
printed text from the RoC Center (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT 
below). The RoC Center convened a seven-member expert panel of 
scientists, plus one technical scientific expert, from the public and 
private sectors on December 9-10, 2008. The panel was asked (1) to 
apply the RoC listing criteria to the relevant scientific evidence and 
make a recommendation regarding 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 RoC and (2) to provide the scientific justification for the 
recommendation.

DATES: The Expert Panel Report (Part B) for cobalt-tungsten carbide 
powders and hard metals will be available for public comment by 
February 4, 2009. Written comments should be submitted by March 30, 
2009.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be sent to Dr. Ruth Lunn, Director, RoC 
Center [NIEHS, P.O. Box 12233, MD K2-14, Research Triangle Park, NC 
27709, FAX: 919-541-0144, or [email protected]. Courier address: 
Report on Carcinogens Center, NIEHS, 530 Davis Drive, Room 2006, 
Durham, NC 27713].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Ruth Lunn, RoC Center, 919-316-
4637 or [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    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.
    As part of the RoC review process (available at http://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/go/29353), the NTP announced the availability of the 
draft background document for cobalt-tungsten carbide powders and hard 
metals (73FR60288), invited public comments on the draft background 
document, and announced the cobalt-tungsten carbide powders and hard 
metals expert panel meeting. The RoC Center convened a seven-member 
expert panel of scientists from the public and private sectors to 
evaluate cobalt-tungsten carbide powders and hard metals. An 
additional, non-voting, expert scientist was also in attendance to 
respond to technical concerns from the panel. The expert panel met on 
December 9-10, 2008, in a public forum at the Sheraton Chapel Hill 
Hotel, Chapel Hill, North Carolina. The panel was charged to peer 
review the draft background document for cobalt-tungsten carbide 
powders and hard metals and then to make a recommendation on its 
listing status in the 12th RoC and to provide a scientific 
justification for that recommendation. Details about the meeting, 
including public comments received and the expert panel reports, are 
available on the RoC Web site (http://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/go/29682). The 
expert panel report for cobalt-tungsten carbide powders and hard metals 
contains two parts: Part A has the peer-review comments on the draft 
background document and Part B has the recommendation on listing status 
and its scientific justification. The expert panel recommended that 
cobalt-tungsten carbide powders and hard metals be listed in the 12th 
RoC as

[[Page 6887]]

reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen.

Request for Comments

    The RoC Center invites written public comments on the expert 
panel's recommendation on listing status for cobalt-tungsten carbide 
powders and hard metals and the scientific justification for the 
recommendation. All comments received will be posted on the RoC Web 
site. 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). The deadline for 
submission of written comments is March 30, 2009.

Next Steps

    The RoC Center is in the process of finalizing the background 
document for cobalt-tungsten carbide powders and hard metals based upon 
the expert panel's peer review comments and the public comments 
received (73FR60288). Persons can register free-of-charge with the NTP 
listserve (http://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/go/231) to receive notification 
when the final background document is posted on the RoC Web site 
(http://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/go/10091). As part of the RoC review process, 
two government groups will also conduct reviews of cobalt-tungsten 
carbide powders and hard metals; these meetings are not open to the 
public. Upon completion of these reviews, the NTP will (1) draft a 
substance profile for cobalt-tungsten carbide powders and hard metals 
that contains its listing recommendation for the 12th RoC and the 
scientific information supporting that recommendation, (2) solicit 
public comment on the draft substance profile, and (3) convene a 
meeting of the NTP Board of Scientific Counselors to peer review the 
draft substance profile.

Background Information on the RoC

    The RoC is a Congressionally mandated document 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. The RoC follows a 
formal, multi-step process for review and evaluation of selected 
chemicals. Substances are listed in the report as either known or 
reasonably anticipated human carcinogens. The NTP prepares the RoC on 
behalf of the Secretary of Health and Human Services. Information about 
the RoC and the review process is available on its Web site (http://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/go/roc) or by contacting Dr. Lunn (see FOR FURTHER 
INFORMATION CONTACT above).

    Dated: January 29, 2009.
Linda S. Birnbaum,
Director, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and 
National Toxicology Program.
 [FR Doc. E9-2823 Filed 2-10-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4140-01-P