Els Weeg-Aerssens, Ph. D.

The Health & Environmental Safety Alliance, Inc.

442 Oliver Road, Cincinnati, Ohio 45215

Phone (513) ax (513) 821-2918

Visit our web site at

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

1996 – 2003 (current): The Health & Environmental Safety Alliance, Inc. or HESA

Founder and President of HESA, a consulting firm providing highly customized environmental, safety and regulatory assistance to chemical manufacturers, formulators and their organizations. HESA’s current client base consists of more than 30 companies in the United States and Europe. References can be provided upon request.

Our core membersField of expertise

Els Weeg-Aerssens, Ph. D.Environmental sciences, regulations pertaining to chemicals

Terresa (Teri) L. Nusair, Ph. D.Toxicology, immunology

Cathy S. Satter, Ph. D.Toxicology

Edwin (Ed) D. ClarkImmunotoxicology, animal model development

John E. Weeg, Sr. DBASenior Oracle DataBase Administrator

Gary Q. Johnson, P.E.Workplace exposure controls

Dana WinnProduct Stewardship

Our associates

Jeffrey (Jeff) S. Davis, P. E.Environmental compliance in manufacturing, self-audits, permitting

Carol Schababerle, P.E. Environmental, health & safety management in manufacturing

Our service providers

Richard (Rich) Purdy, Ph. D. - consultantDeveloper of Quantitative Structure-Activity Relationships

Ms. Suellen Fortine with C.R.I.S.Information research specialist

Armond Welch, Ph. D. with AACFood & Drug Administration liaison

Hideki Wada with WPI, JapanRegulatory affairs liaison

George Dominguez with RACGlobal New Chemical Regulations

Bruce Davis, attorney-at-law(513) 731-5980

1988 - 1996: The Procter & Gamble Company

95/96 Senior Environmental Scientist, Safety & Regulatory Department, Paper Products, Cincinnati.

  • Responsible for assessing global solid waste related issues for the Paper Products Sector. This necessitated understanding the prevailing solid waste management practices in diverse geographies, penetrating current and potential future issues relevant to the paper business, and assisting regional colleagues with the development of country-specific management strategies. Example: the public perception of hygiene products in the solid waste stream.
  • Responsible for environmental safety and compatibility assessments for all new products and raw material changes in the feminine hygiene and adult incontinence categories (2-4 requests per month).
  • Represented the interests of the safety and regulatory department on the Design-Waste-Out teams of the Paper Sector. The teams implemented a process for identifying potential sources of waste by applying critical thinking in the early stages of the R&D cycle. They then used existing systems and resources around the world to prevent the generation of wastes that could be avoided. Example: uncover hidden costs such as waste disposal early in the R&D cycle. Cost savings opportunities ranged from $10K to several $100K per project. Pioneered the application of this process to a new technology for paper.

93/95 Senior Environmental Scientist, New Technology, Safety & Regulatory Department, Laundry & Cleaning

Products, Cincinnati.

  • Chaired global new surfactants technology team for the sector. This multidisciplinary team was responsible for designing and executing the toxicological, environmental and regulatory programs for new technologies within a time frame compatible with overall business needs.
  • Designed and executed environmental fate and toxicology programs for new surfactants.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE, continued

  • Screened new surfactant candidates for laundry detergents. Pioneered a rapid screening process that involved use of QSAR, any available data, screening-level tests and global regulatory resources to quickly determine the chance of success of new surfactants from a global environmental, safety, regulatory and business timing point of view. Using this approach, we screened 30+ surfactants in a year. Pioneered the use of probabilistic risk assessment for new chemical screening in this sector.
  • Provided a single, global point of contact to the product development organization, for safety & regulatory support for heavy-duty liquid detergents. This strengthened the partnership between Safety & Regulatory and Product Development.
  • Represented the interests of the safety and regulatory department on the interdisciplinary New Materials Development Team. Our efforts resulted in the implementation of a process to streamline new material development in R&D, eliminate waste and accelerate product launch. Ensured consistency in process and terminology between the NMDT's approach and the Safety & Regulatory department.
  • Expert on EPA's environmental risk assessment approach for PMNs.
  • Developed and implemented SmartProject, a customized Microsoft Project based software tool for management of large global projects. SmartProject enables the manager to create quick and accurate timelines, budgets, resource sheets and reports for projects. SmartProject removed the need for repetitive entries and opportunity for errors by providing test program modules and resource databases.

92/93 Group Leader, Environmental Risk Assessment Group, Environmental Safety & Regulatory Department,

Laundry & Cleaning Products, Cincinnati.

  • Assumed responsibility for managing two newly hired Ph. D. environmental toxicologists and two experienced research assistants. This group was responsible for providing environmental support for laundry and fabric conditioner products in North America.

90/92 Environmental Scientist, Laundry Products, Environmental Safety & Regulatory Department, Laundry &

Cleaning Products, Cincinnati.

  • Responsible for issue management and environmental safety and regulatory support for marketed as well as new technologies (especially surfactants and polymers) in North America.
  • Participated in the Company's reply to the EPA's Compliance Audit Program (CAP), which was the result of a re-interpretation of reportable findings by the Agency in 1990. This triggered a need to review numerous safety studies for potentially reportable findings.
  • Developed biodegradability policy, which was implemented by the sector.

89/90 Environmental Scientist, Fabric Softeners, Environmental Safety Department, Laundry & Cleaning Products Sector, Brussels.

  • Responsible for environmental fate and safety programs for new, proprietary fabric softener ingredients. Designed and executed the environmental program in support of the company's first biodegradable fabric softener actives, which eventually replaced DTDMAC in Lenor (Europe) and Downy (N. America). The environmental chemistry program was particularly challenging and required about a year of intensive collaboration with the analytical chemists.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE, continued

88/89 Toxicologist, Human Safety Department, Laundry & Cleaning Products, Brussels.

  • Responsible for design and execution of toxicology and clinical program for a new proprietary fabric softener active. This included analytical methods development as well as animal and clinical testing in collaboration with large contract laboratories.
  • Support of existing fabric softener active. Developed a concise dossier on existing safety and clinical data on a currently marketed key softener active. This dossier provided support, which could be used to defend the company's use of this material in an environment of intense public scrutiny in many European countries.
  • Volunteer participant in pilot program for new computer system rollout.

1988 Toxicologist, Human Safety Department, Paper Products, Brussels.

  • Responsible for external relations program for adult incontinence products. In Europe, such products were being criticized for perceived negative environmental impact. Program involved preparing a technical handbook for medical professionals and one-on-one discussions with health care providers throughout Europe.
  • Responsible for human safety clearances for new raw materials and new product launches in adult incontinence category, Europe.
  • Designed and executed a clinical trial for adult incontinence briefs in nursing home in the Netherlands.
  • Responsible for managing any external relations issues that followed the introduction of super absorbing polymers into adult incontinence products in Europe.

EDUCATION

Ph. D. in Microbial Ecology (1982 - 1987)

Graduated 12/87 from Michigan State University, Department of Crop & Soil Sciences, specializing in microbial ecology and microbial biochemistry. Advising professor: Dr. James M. Tiedje.

Teaching assistant for undergraduate microbiology, graduate level soil microbiology and microbial ecology courses (1982-84).

Summer intern at U. of Virginia, Charlottesville in 1986. Laboratory of Dr. B. Averill. Purified nitrite reductases to be used for enzyme kinetics work at MSU.

Thesis title: "The biochemical mechanism of microbial denitrification".

Agricultural Engineering (1977 - 1982)

Graduated 6/82 from University of Ghent, Belgium, College of Agricultural Engineering, specialty Aquatic Biology. Obtained teaching certificate to teach high school science (physics, life sciences, math).

Thesis subject: Bioconcentration of organophosphate insecticide in fish.

HONORS AND AWARDS

  • Research Assistantship from MSU, Crop & Soil Sciences Dept. (1982-1987).
  • Ph. D. research funded by 3-year grant from National Science Foundation, supported by own research.
  • NICHE (New Industrial Chemistry and Engineering) Keystone, CO, 1992. By invitation.

MEMBER OF:

  • Society for Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry (SETAC).
  • National Association of Environmental Professionals.

LANGUAGES

Fluent English, Dutch, French.

COURSES AND WORKSHOPS ATTENDED

  • High Production Volume Chemicals related workshop offered by the Alliance for Chemical Awareness under the auspices of the American Chemistry Council in Washington, D.C. (September 2001).
  • P2 (pollution prevention) workshop by EPA in Chicago (1999).
  • Lead risk assessment course offered by the University of Cincinnati (1997).
  • QSAR 92: Fifth International Workshop on QSAR in Environmental Toxicology. July 1992, U. of Minnesota, Duluth, MN.
  • Second New Industrial Chemistry and Engineering (NICHE) Conference, May 1992, Keystone CO. "Environmental Science and Technology". Offered by Council for Chemical Research. By invitation.
  • Fourth Advanced Course on Ecotoxicology, 1992. Texel, the Netherlands. Offered by the European Environmental Research Organization. By invitation.
  • Annual Meetings of the Society for Environmental Technology and Chemistry of 1990, 1992 and 1993.
  • Identifying Effluent Toxicity with Biomonitoring and Toxicity Reduction Evaluations. Sept. 1990, Milwaukee, WI. Offered by the Dept. of Engineering, U. of Wisconsin, Extension program.
  • Introductory Toxicology, BIBRA course in London, U.K. Summer of 1988.

MANAGEMENT TRAINING

  • Advanced Learning Conference (winter 1995). Career guidance.
  • Systems Management Workshop (Nov. 1994). Team building.
  • Positive Power and Influence (Feb. 1993). Working within diverse teams.
  • Relationship Building and Feedback Workshop (spring 1992).
  • Helping Others Succeed (Fall 1991).
  • Leadership I (summer 1991). Required corporate training.
  • Interpersonal Management Skills (summer 1990).
  • How To Make Powerful Presentations (May 1989).
  • Implementing Total Quality (summer 1988). Required corporate training.

SPECIAL INTERESTS

  • Arts and crafts, various sports, culinary.
  • The Wyoming Junior Women’s Club, a philanthropic organization. We carry out service projects and fundraising activities. I have been a member since 1999; during the current service year (2001/2002) I am in charge of marketing and one of the service committees.
  • Volunteering at our local schools.

PUBLICATIONS/PRESENTATIONS

  1. Stalmans, M., E. Matthijs, E. Weeg and S. Morris (1993). The Environmental Properties of Glucose Amide, a New Nonionic Surfactant. Seife, Öle, Fette & Wachse, vol. 13.
  1. Fendinger, N. J., D. J. Versteeg, E. Weeg, S. D. Dyer and R. A. Rapaport (1992). Environmental Behavior and Fate of Anionic Surfactants. Chapter in America Chemical Society's Advancement in Chemistry Series no. 237 "Environmental Chemistry of Lakes and Reservoirs". ACS, Washington, DC.
  1. Weeg-Aerssens, E., W. Wu, R. W. Ye, J. M. Tiedje and C. K. Chang (1991). Purification of Cytochrome cd1 Nitrite Reductase from Pseudomonas stutzeri JM 300 and Reconstitution with Native and Synthetic Heme d1. J. Biol. Chem. vol. 12, p. 7496.
  1. Dwyer, D. F., E. Weeg-Aerssens, D. R. Shelton and J. M. Tiedje (1988). Bioenergetic Conditions of Butyrate Metabolism by an Anaerobic Bacterium in Coculture with Hydrogen-Oxidizing Methanogenic and Sulfidogenic Bacteria. Applied and Environmental Microbiology vol. 54, p. 1354.
  1. Weeg-Aerssens E., J. M. Tiedje and B. A. Averill (1988). Evidence from Isotope Labeling studies for a Sequential mechanism for Dissimilatory Nitrite Reduction. J. Am. Chem. Soc. vol. 110, p. 6851.
  1. Weeg-Aerssens E., J. M. Tiedje and B. A. Averill (1987). The Mechanism of Microbial Denitrification. J. Am. Chem. Soc. vol. 109, p. 7214.
  1. Aerssens, E., J. M. Tiedje and B. A. Averill (1986). Isotope Labeling Studies on the Mechanism of N-N Bond Formation in Denitrification. J. Biol. Chem. 21, 9652.
  1. Weeg-Aerssens, E. Ph. D. Thesis (MSU, 1987). The Biochemical Pathway of Dissimilatory Nitrite Reduction.
  1. Weeg-Aerssens, E. (4/93). Poly Hydroxy Fatty Acid Amides: An Environmental Safety and Fate Profile. American Oil Chemists Society Meeting in Anaheim, CA. Platform presentation.
  1. Stalmans, M., E. Matthijs, E. Weeg and S. Morris. (3/93). The Environmental Properties of Glucose Amide, a New Nonionic Surfactant. Society for Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, first world congress. Poster presentation.
  1. Weeg-Aerssens, E. (1992). Professional & Regulatory Services Symposium. P&G annual meeting of toxicologists worldwide. Oral presentation on experience gained during the filing of a PMN on a large volume new surfactant.
  1. Weeg-Aerssens, E. and R. J. Larson (1992). Anaerobic Biodegradation and Environmental Acceptability. 15th Midwest Environmental Chemistry Workshop at the U. of Wisconsin. Platform presentation.
  1. Aerssens, E. (1986). Annual Meetings of American Society of Microbiology. The biochemical mechanism of microbial denitrification. Platform presentation.

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