Blogs

The California Department of Toxic Substances Control (CDTSC) released on February 25, 2026, a draft Product-Chemical Profile for Floor Maintenance Products Containing Perfluoroalkyl or Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) (draft Profile) for public comment. The draft Profile states that PFAS “are a large class of manufactured chemicals with at least one fully fluorinated carbon atom.” The draft Profile notes that all PFAS are Candidate Chemicals under the Safer Consumer Products (SCP) Program...

In February 2026, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) published several petitions seeking a determination of nonregulated status for products developed using genetic engineering. Each petition states that the information provided indicates that the product is unlikely to pose a plant pest risk and therefore should not be regulated. In each case, APHIS prepared a draft plant pest risk assessment (PPRA) to assess the plant pest risk of...

On March 4, 2026, the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works (EPW) will hold a hearing on a discussion draft of S.__, the Toxic Substances Control Act Fee Reauthorization and Improvement Act of 2026. Witnesses will include: Richard E. Engler, Ph.D., Director of Chemistry, Bergeson & Campbell, P.C.; David Isaacs, Vice President, Government Affairs, Semiconductor Industry Association; and Michal Freedhoff, Ph.D., Senior Policy Advisor, Holland & Knight. As reported in our January...

Before the New Mexico Environmental Improvement Board (NMEIB) began its hearing on February 23, 2026, on the New Mexico Environment Department’s (NMED) proposed rule to implement the Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) Protection Act, NMED posted clean and redline versions of a “Rebuttal Proposed New Rule.” As reported in our January 23, 2026, blog item, NMED posted a revised proposed rule in January 2026. The February 2026 revisions state that the label shall include the symbol of...

On February 18, 2026, the New Mexico legislature passed House Joint Memorial 3, requesting that the New Mexico Environmental Improvement Board (NMEIB) and the New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) provide a report on the implementation of the 2025 Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) Protection Act and recommendations to improve consumer protections from PFAS. Passed less than a week before NMEIB’s February 23, 2026, hearing on NMED’s proposed rule implementing the Act, House Joint...

Recent headlines have declared that the Olympics have “banned PFAS,” with athletes reportedly disqualified after testing revealed the presence of so-called “forever chemicals” on their equipment. The reality is more nuanced, and that nuance matters. The policy at issue does not originate with the International Olympic Committee (IOC), but with the International Ski Federation (FIS), which governs ski and snowboard competitions under its International Competition Rules (ICR). FIS has...

Safer States released on February 18, 2026, its 2026 Analysis of State Policy Addressing Toxic Chemicals and Plastics. According to Safer States, in 2026, at least 15 major state laws and regulations are taking effect, while 33 states are expected to consider at least 275 policies addressing toxic chemicals and plastics. The 15 laws and regulations taking effect this year include broad restrictions on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in consumer products, “first-in-the-nation bans on...

The Department of the Treasury (Treasury Department) and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) issued a proposed rule on February 4, 2026, regarding the clean fuel production credit enacted by the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 and amended by the One, Big, Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA). 91 Fed. Reg. 5160. The proposed regulations would provide rules for determining clean fuel production credits, including credit eligibility rules, emissions rates, and certification and registration requirements. In...

The U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) announced on February 13, 2026, that it is investing up to $100 million to establish a nationwide network of open-access research facilities for quantum and nanoscale technologies, innovation, and workforce training. According to NSF, the NSF National Quantum and Nanotechnology Infrastructure (NSF NQNI) program will support up to 16 sites over five years, providing students, researchers, and industry with access to state-of-the-art fabrication and...

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on February 6, 2026, a list of significant actions that the Agency has taken in the first year of the Trump Administration to combat risks from per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) contamination and Make America Healthy Again. EPA notes that it plays a key role in responding to PFAS contamination using its scientific expertise and existing environmental authorities. EPA states that working under several federal laws, it...

In January 2026, the Institute of Technology Assessment of the Austrian Academy of Sciences published a NanoTrust Dossier entitled “Occupational Exposure Limits for Nanomaterials.” The Dossier provides an overview of occupational exposure limits (OEL) for engineered nanomaterials in Europe. It highlights the challenges in establishing OELs for nanomaterials and safeguarding workers and presents initiatives to accelerate the toxicity assessment of nanomaterials. The Dossier notes that...

As reported in our January 27, 2026, memorandum, the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Environment held a legislative hearing on January 22, 2026, focused on a draft bill entitled Discussion Draft of Legislation to Modernize the Toxic Substances Control Act (Discussion Draft). On February 9, 2026, the Coalition for Chemical Innovations (CCI) offered four principles to guide Congress’s efforts to modernize the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). CCI notes that the U.S. Environmental...

Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) announced on February 2, 2026, that it fined Estee Lauder Cosmetics Ltd. $750,000 for two violations of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 (CEPA). ECCC states that the offences were related to the failure to inform the government regarding a significant new activity and the failure to comply with a compliance order. In addition to the fine, the Ontario Court of Justice ordered the Company to notify its shareholders about the conviction....

The release of a discussion draft to amend the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) offers an early window into how chemical policy may evolve in Congress, even as the legislative path forward remains uncertain. While the proposal itself has already been examined in detail elsewhere, its broader significance lies in what it reveals about congressional priorities, institutional pressures, and the ongoing effort to recalibrate chemical regulation nearly a decade after the 2016 TSCA amendments. The...

On February 4, 2026, the National Security Commission on Emerging Biotechnology (NSCEB) announced the release of a fact sheet on biotechnology solutions for critical minerals. NSCEB notes that the United States is overly reliant on China for critical minerals. According to NSCEB, biotechnology “creates new paths to reduce our reliance on China by unlocking new sources of critical minerals right here in the United States.” NSCEB states that the recently-announced Project Vault and other...

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) posted a working paper on January 30, 2026, entitled A comparison of the innovation and regulatory environments for biotechnology and biosolutions across the European Union and the United States. According to the authors, the working paper “strengthens the evidence base for biotechnology policymaking by examining two critical dimensions: innovation-enabling conditions and regulatory practices.” Focusing on the European Union...

BB-REG-NET, a United Kingdom (UK) regulatory science network for biobased and biodegradable materials, published a report on January 29, 2026, entitled “Seven steps to fairness -- An LCA Framework for Impact Category Selection and Development in the Comparison of Fossil-Based, Bio-Based and Biodegradable Materials.” BB-REG-NET notes that existing lifecycle assessment (LCA) standards “were often developed with mature, fossil-based systems in mind, resulting in frameworks that may...

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) announced on January 30, 2026, that the online system for reporting products containing intentionally added per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), the PFAS Reporting and Information System for Manufacturers (PRISM), is now available. Manufacturers or their representatives will use PRISM to report on intentionally added PFAS in products sold in Minnesota by July 1, 2026. MPCA notes that all information will be available to the...

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced on January 29, 2026, that its Agile BioFoundry (ABF) is hosting its 2026 Industry Day on February 17, 2026, from 8:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. (PST) in Emeryville, California. Virtual participation will be available via Zoom. DOE invites stakeholders to join ABF to discover partnering opportunities and provide perspective on how DOE national laboratories can best support the biomanufacturing industry. The ABF Industry Day will include: Lightning talks on...

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) website, EPA received a petition on January 6, 2026, under Section 21 of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) regarding certain chemicals in consumer laundry detergents. The petition requests that EPA initiate a TSCA Section 6(a) rulemaking regarding the following chemical substances that are “widely used in consumer liquid laundry detergents”: Sodium C10-16 alkylbenzenesulfonate; Sodium laureth sulfate (SLES); and 1,4-Dioxane...