On Wednesday, November 5, 2025, the Supreme Court of the United States heard arguments on executive tariff authority, a case that promises to have ripple effects far beyond the bounds of pure trade law. Trump v. V.O.S. Selections, Inc., No. 25-250. In the chemical sector -- where global chemical feedstocks, complex supply chains, and regulatory compliance are already famously complicated -- the stakes are especially high. If the Court limits or invalidates the President’s ability unilaterally...
On October 29, 2025, Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER) announced that it filed an Information Quality Act (IQA) request with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regarding statements on EPA’s website that perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) has been phased out of domestic production. According to PEER, two EPA publications on its website contain erroneous information about PFOA: “EPA Questions and Answers About TSCA,” Q8 states: “[Is] … perfluorooctanoic acid...
The Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) announced on October 30, 2025, that the European Commission (EC) requested a scientific opinion on the safety of hydrated silica (nano), pyrogenic silica (nano), silica silylate (nano), and silica dimethyl silylate (nano). The request states that given the continued and widespread use of these silica materials in cosmetic products, and in view of the previous inconclusive assessments by SCCS and the new submission of safety data by industry, the...
The New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) has posted frequently asked questions (FAQ) regarding New Mexico’s Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) Protection Act labeling requirements. As reported in our October 15, 2025, memorandum, NMED petitioned New Mexico’s Environmental Improvement Board (EIB) to adopt a proposed rule to implement the PFAS Protection Act, including labeling requirements, and EIB voted to proceed with the rulemaking during its October 24, 2025, meeting....
November 5, 2025
BB-REG-NET Report Finds Biodegradable Plastics Can Mitigate Long-Term Environmental Impacts of Conventional Plastics
On October 14, 2025, BB-REG-NET, a United Kingdom (UK) regulatory science network for biobased and biodegradable materials, published a report entitled “Addressing Persistent Plastic Pollution: The Case for Biodegradable Solutions.” Alder BioInsights conducted a literature review of the evidence around the presence, impact, and persistence of microplastics in the open environment due to the use of biodegradable materials. The report documents evidence from case studies in agriculture,...
November 4, 2025
OECD Preparing Guidance on In Vitro Testing for Intestinal Fate of Orally Ingested Nanomaterials
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has published a draft guidance document on in vitro testing for intestinal fate of orally ingested nanomaterials. According to OECD, the new guidance document “would establish a conceptual framework and procedures for determining intestinal fate of orally ingested nanomaterials using an integrated in vitro approach simulating the human [gastrointestinal tract] environment.” The primary objective of the draft guidance document...
November 4, 2025
European Bioeconomy Alliance Report Confirms Benefits of Using First-Generation Biomass for Food, Fuels, and Chemicals in Europe
The European Bioeconomy Alliance (EUBA) announced on October 1, 2025, the release of an expert paper from the nova-Institute entitled “Benefits of Using First-Generation Biomass for Food, Fuels, Chemicals and Derived Materials in Europe: Science-based Argumentation Paper.” According to EUBA’s October 1, 2025, press release, using first-generation agricultural biomass (i.e., crops like cereals, sugar, and oil plants) to produce biobased energy and materials in Europe results in important...
November 3, 2025
UNEP Report Provides Roadmap to Advance Biobased Technologies
On October 22, 2025, the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) announced the availability of a report entitled The Climate Technology Progress Report 2025: Advancing Biobased Technologies in the Bioeconomy, which finds that biobased technologies, such as the conversion of food waste into fuel, could reduce reliance on fossil fuels, lowering greenhouse gas emissions and helping countries combat climate change. UNEP states that as technical innovation is making biobased technologies more...
On October 29, 2025, the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works favorably reported several nominations, including Jeffrey Hall to be an Assistant Administrator for the Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance (OECA) at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Douglas Troutman to be Assistant Administrator for Toxic Substances at EPA, each by a vote of ten to nine along party lines. The Committee considered Hall’s nomination during a July 23, 2025, hearing, during...
November 1, 2025
Grassley Leads House and Senate Members in Calling on EPA to Issue Final Import RIN Reduction Rule
Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) announced on October 2, 2025, that he led over 45 Senate and House colleagues in urging the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to issue a final rule on imported Renewable Identification Numbers (RIN) and hold firm on the proposed biomass-based diesel volumes. As reported in our June 18, 2025, blog item, the proposed rule would reduce the number of RINs generated for imported renewable fuel and renewable fuel produced from foreign feedstocks. The bipartisan,...