The Environmental Protection Agency has proposed to list two “forever chemicals”—perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS)—as “hazardous substances” under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA or
Continue Reading What Difference Will Listing ‘Forever Chemicals’ as Hazardous Substances Make?
As the April column in this series pointed out, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 reinstituted the Superfund chemical excise tax. Somehow, more than a few of our
Continue Reading A Brief Overview of the Superfund Chemical Excise Tax
On April 29, 2020, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment of China (MEE) promulgated the Measures on Environmental Management Registration of New Chemical Substances (MEE Order 12) (link in Chinese), which will come into effect Jan. 1, 2021, and replace the Measures for the Environmental Management of New Chemical Substances (promulgated by the Ministry of Environment Protection of China, MEP Order 7). MEE Order 12 focuses on mass-use of new chemicals, and highly hazardous chemicals, chemicals with persistence and bioaccumulation (PB), chemicals with persistence and toxicity (PT), and chemicals with bioaccumulation and toxicity (BT).
Background: MEE the ‘China REACH
MEE is sometimes also called the ‘China REACH’ for short. ‘China REACH’ references the EU Regulation No 1907/2006 concerning the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals. Both the Chinese and EU legislation aim to improve human health and the environment through the identification of chemical substances. Both pieces of legislation make distinctions in their application depending on annual tonnage and may restrict the usage of highly hazardous chemicals. The main difference between MEE and the EU REACH is that EU REACH focuses on the chemical registration requirement whereas MEE focuses on new substance notification.
Continue Reading China’s New Regulation on New Chemicals Aims to Make Life Easier
At the end of last week, Minnesota became the first state to ban use of trichloroethylene (TCE). TCE is used as a solvent in degreasing and other manufacturing operations, an
Continue Reading Minnesota Becomes First State to Ban TCE: Considerations Once a Chemical Is Banned
On Dec. 11, the House of Representatives passed S. 1790, the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) conference report. The Senate followed suit on Dec. 17, bringing an end
Continue Reading Congress Takes Initial Steps to Address PFAS in the National Defense Authorization Act Conference Report
Does compliance with environmental regulations suffice to prove that an operation is safe? Maybe not, for purposes of land use approvals in Massachusetts.
Last week, the Massachusetts Appeals Court decided
Continue Reading Environmental Compliance and Land Use “Special Permits” in Massachusetts
Lawmakers in Congress have their sights set on increased regulation of PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances).
What are PFAS?
PFAS are a class of widely used chemicals, some of which
Continue Reading Congress Is Gearing Up to Address PFAS
29 March 2019, the date currently fixed in United Kingdom (UK) and European Union (EU) law as when the UK will leave the EU, is now just two weeks away.
Continue Reading Brexit & REACH: Potential Changes to UK Chemical Regulation
EPA concluded in draft risk assessments that a widely used herbicide in the United States that controls weeds and grasses— glyphosate—is “not likely to be carcinogenic to humans.” Importantly, the
Continue Reading EPA Concludes Glyphosate is Not Likely to be Carcinogenic to Humans
The UK government has recently published a series of position papers outlining its thinking on a range of potential issues resulting from the June 2016 Brexit vote. The papers cover
Continue Reading The UK’s Position Paper on the Post-Brexit Availability of Goods – Implications for Chemicals