All Knowledge & Insights By Date

Register Now For “TSCA Reform – 10 Years Later” Hybrid Live And Virtual Conference Register now for the tenth annual TSCA Reform Conference to be held on June 10, 2026, in-person at the George Washington University Jack Morton Auditorium and livestreamed on YouTube. The event is free and open to the public, but all attendees must register on the Environmental Law Institute website. Thirty-six distinguished presenters and moderators representing all segments of the stakeholder...

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced on May 12, 2026, “two decisive actions focused on food chemical safety.” First, FDA released two final documents for its new proactive food chemical safety post-market assessment program. Second, FDA launched reassessments of butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) and azodicarbonamide (ADA), “chemical additives commonly used in a variety of food products.” As part of the reassessment, FDA issued two requests for information regarding the use and...

The Strengthening Environmental Protection for a Healthier Canada Act (the Act), enacted in 2023 to modernize the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 (CEPA), requires the creation of a “Watch List” of substances capable of becoming toxic to inform Canadians and businesses of substances that they may wish to avoid. On April 28, 2026, Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) announced the publication of the Watch List Approach (the Approach) in the CEPA Registry. The Approach...

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on May 5, 2026, the availability of the final risk evaluation under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) for 1,2-dichloroethane (also known as ethylene dichloride (EDC)). 91 Fed. Reg. 24230. EPA notes that the purpose of TSCA risk evaluations is to determine whether a chemical substance presents an unreasonable risk of injury to health or the environment under the conditions of use (COU), including unreasonable risk to potentially...

The Chair of the New Mexico Environmental Improvement Board (NMEIB) signed a Final Order and Statement of Reasons on April 17, 2026, regarding the adoption of a rule on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in consumer products. The final rule, scheduled to be published in New Mexico’s Register on May 5, 2026, with the Final Order and Statement of Reasons, includes prohibitions for certain consumer products in 2027 and 2028; reporting due January 1, 2027; a labeling requirement for...

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on April 24, 2026, the release of a publicly accessible list of Confidential Business Information (CBI) claims scheduled to expire under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). EPA states that the list includes claims that will expire between June 22, 2026, and July 31, 2026. According to EPA, to maintain accuracy and provide timely updates, it will refresh the list on a monthly basis as claims continue to approach their expiration dates....

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on April 10, 2026, that it is advancing its review of four chemicals under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) -- 1,3,4,6,7,8-Hexahydro-4,6,6,7,8,8-hexamethylcyclopenta [g]-2-benzopyran (HHCB), phthalic anhydride, o-dichlorobenzene (oDCB), and p-dichlorobenzene (pDCB) -- by releasing draft documents related to the review of these chemicals and convening a Science Advisory Committee on Chemicals (SACC) peer review meeting. According to...

Richard J. Fehir, Ph.D. Joins Bergeson & Campbell, P.C. And The Acta Group Bergeson & Campbell, P.C. (B&C®) and The Acta Group (Acta®) are pleased to announce that Richard (Rick) J. Fehir, Ph.D. has joined our firms as Senior Chemist/Regulatory Scientist. Dr. Fehir joined B&C and Acta after a distinguished 17-year career at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), during which he provided science and regulatory leadership across three major regulatory frameworks: the...

On April 6, 2026, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released the draft of its sixth Contaminant Candidate List (CCL) issued under the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), including for the first time microplastics as a priority contaminant group. 91 Fed. Reg. 17186. Section 1412(b)(1)(B)(i) of SDWA, as amended in 1996, requires that EPA publish the CCL every five years. The contaminants on the List are not regulated under national primary drinking water regulations, but either occur or...

On March 26, 2026, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) released the final opinion of its Risk Assessment Committee (RAC) and the draft opinion of its Socio-Economic Analysis Committee (SEAC) on the proposal to restrict per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) under the European Union’s (EU) Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) Regulation. According to ECHA, RAC and SEAC “support an EU-wide restriction, subject to specific derogations, on the...

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on March 24, 2026, that it will propose to extend certain compliance dates in the December 2024 final risk management rules for perchloroethylene (PCE) and carbon tetrachloride (CTC) under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). According to EPA, it continues to revise the final rules “to ensure they are practical and implementable to protect human health and the environment and maintain uses that power the U.S. economy.” Until EPA...

“TSCA CBI Re-substantiation: When, Why, and How to Prepare,” April 9, 2026, 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. (EDT), via webinar The Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) provides critical protections for commercially sensitive information related to a company’s business, processes, and chemicals. The 2016 Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act amendments included a ten-year cap on many confidential business information (CBI) claims, absent a U.S. Environmental Protection...

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) held a webinar on February 26, 2026, on its currently unavoidable use (CUU) rule concepts. Under Minnesota’s per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) statute, beginning January 1, 2032, intentionally added PFAS in almost all products will be prohibited in Minnesota unless MPCA issues a CUU determination for the use of the PFAS. MPCA has posted a recording of the webinar, presentation slides, and a summary of the draft rule concepts. Comments on...

The Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works (EPW) held a hearing on a discussion draft of S.__, the Toxic Substances Control Act Fee Reauthorization and Improvement Act of 2026 (Discussion Draft) on March 4, 2026. The Committee’s one pager on the Discussion Draft notes that since the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) was enacted 50 years ago, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) “approval process for new chemicals has not been substantively improved. The current...

Richard E. Engler, Ph.D., To Speak On TSCA New Chemicals At GlobalChem 2026 Richard E. Engler, Ph.D., Director of Chemistry, Bergeson & Campbell, P.C. (B&C®), will be joined by Shari Barash, Director of the New Chemicals Division, Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics (OPPT), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and Caroline Tuckhorn, Associate Director, Chemical Management, American Chemistry Council (ACC), topresent “TSCA New Chemicals: Trends, Challenges, and...

On January 5, 2026, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released its draft Pesticide Registration (PR) Notice, entitled “Pesticide Registration Notice 2026-NEW: Notifications, Non-Notifications, and Minor Formulation Amendments” (Draft PRN 2026-NEW), and announced a 45-day public comment period. 91 Fed. Reg. 271. Since the January 5, 2026, announcement, a 30-day extension to the comment period has been approved but not yet published. In the Draft PRN 2026-NEW, EPA provides...

The House Committee on Energy and Commerce held a hearing on January 22, 2026, on “Chemicals in Commerce: Legislative Proposal to Modernize America’s Chemical Safety Law, Strengthen Critical Supply Chains, and Grow Domestic Manufacturing.” The hearing focused on a draft bill titled Discussion Draft of Legislation to Modernize the Toxic Substances Control Act (Discussion Draft). As reported in our January 17, 2026, memorandum, the Discussion Draft would impose sweeping changes to many of...

On January 15, 2026, the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Environment announced it will hold a legislative hearing on January 22, 2026, entitled “Chemicals in Commerce: Legislative Proposal to Modernize America’s Chemical Safety Law, Strengthen Critical Supply Chains, and Grow Domestic Manufacturing.” The hearing will focus on a draft bill titled Discussion Draft of Legislation to Modernize the Toxic Substances Control Act (Discussion Draft).  While additional details for the...

B&C, Acta, And BCCM Publish 2026 Forecast For U.S. Federal And International Chemical Regulatory Policy  Bergeson & Campbell, P.C. (B&C®), its global consulting affiliate The Acta Group (Acta®), and consortia management affiliate B&C® Consortia Management, L.L.C. (BCCM) are pleased to share with you our Forecast 2026. Our distinguished global team of chemical experts worked hard to summarize our collective best guess on what to expect in the New Year regarding global...

In December 2025, the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA), the state agency responsible for implementing Proposition 65 (Prop 65), issued two “Information Letters” regarding Prop 65 compliance issues. Each is discussed below. Warnings for Receipts/Labels Accompanying a Consumer Purchase On December 8, 2025, OEHHA issued an Information Letter to provide guidance regarding Prop 65 warnings for Bisphenol S (BPS) in receipt paper and shipping labels. BPS was first...

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on January 5, 2026, the availability of the final risk evaluation under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) for 1,3-butadiene. 91 Fed. Reg. 264. EPA states in its December 31, 2025, press release that it found “potential unreasonable health risks for workers who breathe in this chemical at their jobs in 11 specific industrial settings.” As required by TSCA, EPA will now develop a risk management rule to protect workers from the...

Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are attracting global legal, regulatory, commercial, and litigation attention as no other “emerging contaminant” has. Companies producing, processing, distributing, and/or using these substances must be aware of global legal and scientific developments and take steps now to minimize legal, regulatory, and commercial risk. Bergeson & Campbell, P.C. (B&C®) and its global consulting affiliate The Acta Group (Acta®) have prepared...

Fluoride, well-known for its anticavity properties, has seen a growing number of state and federal initiatives seeking to limit or prohibit various uses of the substance. Federal agency heads, as well as top state officials, have expressed a strong interest in “taking action” against existing fluoride use in public drinking water and ingestible drug products.  Evolution of Fluoride Regulation, Past to Present Fluoride has a long history of regulation in the United States. The U.S....

Bergeson & Campbell, P.C. extends its best wishes to our clients and many friends. We wish you and your family a safe and healthy New Year. As we have for many years, the firm has made a contribution to the House of Ruth, empowering women, children, and families to rebuild their lives and heal from trauma, abuse, and houselessness, in lieu of gifts to our clients, and on our clients’ behalf. B&C, Acta, And BCCM To Publish Forecast 2026 Start 2026 with the information you need --...

On December 3, 2025, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the availability of and solicited public comment on an Updated Draft Risk Calculation Memorandum (Draft Memorandum) to inform a revised draft risk evaluation for formaldehyde under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). 90 Fed. Reg. 55726. EPA states that after further consideration of comments raised during the scientific peer review process, it is reconsidering the use of certain hazard values in the formaldehyde...

The European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) appears to be headed for yet another full-year delay following growing political pressure, concerns about the readiness of the European Commission’s (EC) information technology (IT) systems, and intensifying industry warnings that the current December 30, 2025, compliance deadline is becoming increasingly unrealistic. While the EC has not yet officially postponed the implementation date, the signals coming out of Brussels are clear that an...

On Thanksgiving Eve, November 26, 2025, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) requested input from interested parties on federal policy updates “that aim to accelerate the American scientific enterprise, enable groundbreaking discoveries, and ensure that scientific progress and technological innovation benefit all Americans.” 90 Fed. Reg. 54412. OSTP states that “[t]hrough this Request for Information (RFI), OSTP seeks input from academia; private sector...

On November 24, 2025, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released the key default values that it uses in its risk assessments of new chemicals under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). EPA is making the assumptions available on its website in the New Chemicals Division Reference Library. EPA states that it expects the publication of the default values “to improve efficiency, reducing the likelihood that submissions need to be reworked or resubmitted.” According to EPA,...

On November 19, 2025, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the availability of and requested comment on a draft risk evaluation under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) for 1,2-dichloroethane (Chemical Abstracts Service Registry Number® (CAS RN®) 107-06-2, also known as ethylene dichloride or EDC). 90 Fed. Reg. 52054. EPA notes that the purpose of risk evaluations under TSCA is to determine whether a chemical substance presents an unreasonable risk of injury to health...

Register Now For “31st Annual Green Chemistry Challenge Awards: New Categories and Expanded Opportunities,” December 4, 2025, 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. (EST), via webinar Bergeson & Campbell, P.C. (B&C®) and the American Chemical Society (ACS) are pleased to present “31st Annual Green Chemistry Challenge Awards: New Categories and Expanded Opportunities.” During this webinar, Richard E. Engler, Ph.D., Director of Chemistry at B&C and former leader of the U.S. Environmental...

The state of Oregon’s packaging and paper Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) program, enacted in 2021, has progressed into its enforcement stage. With the first fee obligations and real-world compliance deadlines now in place, the risk of litigation under and against the program has transitioned from theoretical to real. In July 2025, a major trade association, National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors (NAW), filed a constitutional challenge to Oregon’s law, raising issues that are...

On November 13, 2025, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a proposed rule to amend the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) Section 8(a)(7) regulation for reporting and recordkeeping requirements for perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). 90 Fed. Reg. 50923. As reported in our October 3, 2023, memorandum, the final rule requires manufacturers (including importers) of PFAS and PFAS-containing articles in any year since 2011 through 2022 to report information...

On October 23, 2025, the Senate Environment and Public Works Subcommittee on Chemical Safety, Waste Management, Environmental Justice, and Regulatory Oversight held a hearing on “Examining the Beneficial Use and Regulation of Chemicals.” The Subcommittee heard from the following witnesses: Peter Huntsman, President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Huntsman Corporation (written testimony); Dr. Gwen Gross, Senior Technical Fellow, The Boeing Company (written testimony); and Dr. Tracey...

Bergeson & Campbell, P.C. (B&C®) and The Acta Group (Acta®) are pleased to announce that Ryan N. Schmit has joined our firms. A 15-year veteran of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention (OCSPP), Mr. Schmit worked on the front lines of EPA’s Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) implementation efforts, including significant and precedent-setting policy matters regarding the establishment of TSCA procedural frameworks; new...

On October 14, 2025, the Australia Industrial Chemicals Introduction Scheme (AICIS) announced that it has initiated an evaluation on the introduction and use of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in Australia under Section 74 of the Industrial Chemicals Act 2019 (IC Act). According to AICIS, the evaluation will review the 522 PFAS listed on the Australian Inventory of Industrial Chemicals. The evaluation will confirm whether the listed PFAS have been introduced in Australia, and if so,...

Register Now For “Phthalate Risk Evaluation under TSCA and the Potential Impacts to the Plastics Industry,” October 30, 2025, 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. (EDT) Bergeson & Campbell, P.C. (B&C®), The Acta Group (Acta®), and B&C® Consortia Management, L.L.C. (BCCM) are pleased to present “Phthalate Risk Evaluation under TSCA and the Potential Impacts to the Plastics Industry,” a complimentary webinar exploring the background and current status of the U.S. Environmental...

On September 23, 2025, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed highly anticipated amendments to the procedural framework rule for conducting existing chemical risk evaluations under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). 90 Fed. Reg. 45690. When conducting an existing chemical risk evaluation under TSCA, EPA must determine whether a chemical substance presents an unreasonable risk of injury to health or the environment, without considering costs or nonrisk factors, including...

FIFRA Fundamentals, September 24-25, 2025, via webinar Bergeson & Campbell, P.C. (B&C®) and Chemical Watch are pleased to present FIFRA Fundamentals, a two-day course taught by professionals from B&C’s renowned Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) team. Lisa R. Burchi, Of Counsel; Heather F. Collins, M.S., Regulatory Consultant; Dana S. Lateulere, Regulatory Consultant; and Meibao Zhuang, Ph.D., Senior Scientist/Regulatory Consultant, will share legal,...

Bergeson & Campbell, P.C. (B&C®) is pleased to share details with clients and friends about these premiere conferences and trainings in September and October, during which B&C professionals will present valuable and actionable information covering plastics waste and recycling, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) regulations, Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) developments, and Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) issues. Environmental Regulation in...

Microplastics are, in recent years, at the forefront of regulatory and policy driven conversations across the United States. Regulatory measures to address microplastics at both state and federal levels have been introduced with increasing frequency. This trend holds true in 2025, which has already seen a significant quantity of legislative, regulatory, and policy proposals and actions in the microplastics sphere. Ongoing interest in microplastics and regulations suggests continued increases in...

The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) announced on August 20, 2025, that it published an updated proposal to restrict per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) under the European Union’s (EU) Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) Regulation. The authorities from Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, and Sweden (Dossier Submitters) submitted the initial proposal in January 2023 and have now completed their evaluation of more than 5,600 scientific and...

On August 15, 2025, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker (D) signed a bill (HB 2516) amending the PFAS Reduction Act to ban certain consumer products containing intentionally added per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). As of January 1, 2032, intentionally added PFAS are banned in cosmetics, dental floss, juvenile products, menstrual products, and intimate apparel. The Act defines PFAS as “a class of fluorinated organic chemicals containing at least one fully fluorinated carbon atom.” The bill...

Lynn L. Bergeson And Richard E. Engler, Ph.D. To Present On Chemical Issues At Regulatory Summit North America Bergeson & Campbell, P.C. (B&C®) affiliate The Acta Group (Acta®) is a proud sponsor of Chemical Watch’s Regulatory Summit North America 2025, a four day conference providing a comprehensive overview of developments in chemicals control legislation, chemicals management for electronics, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), and product sustainability. Richard E....

2025 has been a busy year for extended producer responsibility (EPR) policy, especially for packaging and paper products. States have enacted new EPR programs and laws to assess the need for EPR. Existing programs have been altered or updated. Compliance deadlines have come and gone. EPR legislation has been introduced in many states. With so many moving parts, the status of EPR in the United States can be hard to follow. Bergeson & Campbell, P.C. (B&C) provides the following overview of...

Register Now For “Regulation Without Borders: The EUDR and the New Era of Global Due Diligence,” August 5, 2025, 10:00 a.m. – 11:15 a.m. (EDT) Bergeson & Campbell, P.C. (B&C®) and The Acta Group (Acta®); EPPA; and Preferred by Nature (PBN) are pleased to present “Regulation Without Borders: The EUDR and the New Era of Global Due Diligence,” a complimentary webinar providing a detailed exploration of the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) and how it applies to...

As reported in our April 11, 2025, blog item, applications for currently unavoidable use determinations for products containing intentionally added perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and scheduled to be prohibited in Maine on January 1, 2026, were due June 1, 2025. The agenda for the July 17, 2025, meeting of the Maine Board of Environmental Protection (MBEP) includes a proposed amendment to Chapter 90: Products Containing PFAS. According to the Maine Department of...

On June 25, 2025, Bergeson & Campbell, P.C. (B&C®), the Environmental Law Institute (ELI), and the George Washington University (GWU) Milken Institute School of Public Health presented “TSCA Reform -- Nine Years Later.” This virtual conference marked the ninth Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) Annual Conference, reflecting on the accomplishments and challenges since the implementation of the 2016 Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act (Lautenberg Act) and...

Register Now For “TSCA Reform – Nine Years Later” Virtual Conference, 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. (EDT), June 25, 2025 Complimentary registration is now open for this dynamic virtual conference providing updates and insights regarding the current state of Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) implementation, ongoing and emerging issues, and related developments. As with our previous TSCA anniversary events, a stellar faculty of speakers from government, non-governmental organizations, industry,...

The Council of the European Union (EU) announced on June 12, 2025, that it reached a provisional agreement with the European Parliament (EP) on the “one substance, one assessment” (OSOA) legislative package, “which aims to streamline assessments of chemicals across relevant EU legislation, strengthen the knowledge base on chemicals, and ensure early detection and action on emerging chemical risks.” The package contains three proposals: a directive concerning the re-attribution of...

On May 27, 2025, President Trump signed an Executive Order (EO) on “Restoring Gold Standard Science.” 90 Fed. Reg. 22601. The EO states that the Trump Administration “is committed to restoring a gold standard for science to ensure that federally funded research is transparent, rigorous, and impactful, and that Federal decisions are informed by the most credible, reliable, and impartial scientific evidence available.” The EO restores the scientific integrity policies of the first Trump...