United States: Chemicals

The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry has released draft toxicological profiles for cadmium and hexachlorocyclopentadiene, two priority hazardous substances under the Superfund program. These comprehensive evaluations establish new minimal risk levels based on updated scientific evidence and propose health-based reference values that will inform regulatory risk assessments worldwide.

The 2016 Lautenberg Amendments promised to revolutionize chemical safety regulation in the United States, but have four administrations successfully implemented Congress's vision? This discussion brings together diverse stakeholders to debate whether EPA's decade-long implementation of TSCA reforms has achieved its public health goals, or if a fundamental reimagining of chemical regulation is needed.

In April 2024, EPA designated perfluorooctanoic acid (“PFOA”) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (“PFOS”) as hazardous substances under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (“CERCLA”). As previously discussed in Re:Torts, industry groups challenged the designation, arguing that EPA misread the phrase “may present substantial danger” as requiring only a “possibility” of harm. The groups also argued EPA gave inadequate notice of its cost-benefit methodology and acted arbitrarily and capriciously.

As U.S. utilities commit record capital to grid expansion, equipment procurement has emerged as a critical constraint. Lead times for transformers now stretch beyond two years, while material scarcity, inflation, and labor shortages compound delays across conductor, switchgear, and substation components.

The Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) posted a blog item on August 27, 2026, entitled “American Chemical Safety Decisions Should Be Based on American Conditions of Use.” As we reported in our January 27, 2026, and March 6, 2026, memoranda, the House and Senate have each held hearings on discussion drafts of legislation that would amend the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA).

A decade after the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act transformed TSCA, how have four administrations shaped EPA's approach to chemical risk evaluation? This panel discussion examines the evolution of risk evaluation methodologies, the controversial formaldehyde assessment, and the proposed Risk Evaluation Framework Rule's implications for protecting public health.

The Trump administration's approach to environmental enforcement has defied expectations, particularly regarding chemical imports under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). A recent EPA case against Wego Chemical Group demonstrates unprecedented scrutiny of TSCA compliance, including stringent penalties for violations and rejection of "not known or reasonably ascertainable" claims. This enforcement pattern reveals a regulatory landscape where chemical importers face heightened accountability despite bro

Directs federal agencies to expand support for regenerative agriculture and precision farming technologies while promoting research, innovation, and public-private partnerships...

Last year, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced increased enforcement of requirements related to imports of toxic chemicals.