All regulatory updates
1373 results found
EPA final rule adds sodium perfluorohexanesulfonate (PFHxS‑Na) to TRI as a PFAS chemical of special concern (100 lb threshold); reporting starts 2026 with first reports due July 1, 2027
US EPA finalized a TRI rule adding sodium perfluorohexanesulfonate (PFHxS‑Na) to the Toxics Release Inventory as a PFAS chemical of special concern. Facilities subject to TRI must begin tracking releases and other reportable waste management quantities for PFHxS‑Na for the reporting period beginning January 1, 2026. The first Form R submissions covering PFHxS‑Na will be due July 1, 2027. The rule applies a 100 lb reporting threshold as a chemical of special concern, increasing compliance and data management obligations for TRI reporters handling PFHxS‑Na.
EPA opens public comment on proposed updates to TSCA Title VI formaldehyde emission standards for composite wood products (new QC test method and updated referenced standards)
EPA released a proposed rule under TSCA Title VI (Formaldehyde Emission Standards for Composite Wood Products) to add a new quality control (QC) test method (including ISO 12460-2:2024(en) as referenced in the EPA materials) and make technical updates to incorporated voluntary consensus standards. The proposal is open for public comment via docket EPA-HQ-OPPT-2017-0245. Compliance teams in composite wood products and downstream product supply chains should track potential changes to acceptable QC testing methods and referenced standards used for demonstrating conformity.
EPA publishes “year one” roundup of PFAS actions highlighting ongoing regulatory and enforcement initiatives
EPA issued a news release summarizing major PFAS actions taken during the first year of the administration, signaling continued cross-program PFAS priorities (e.g., regulatory actions, implementation efforts, and enforcement posture). While not itself a binding legal change, this roundup can influence compliance planning by indicating areas of anticipated scrutiny and policy direction.
EPA proposes updates to TSCA Title VI formaldehyde emission standards for composite wood products (new QC test method and updated incorporated standards)
EPA issued a proposed rule to amend the Formaldehyde Emission Standards for Composite Wood Products regulations under TSCA Title VI by adding a new quality control test method (ISO 12460-2:2024(en) small-scale chamber method) and making technical updates to incorporated voluntary consensus standards. Compliance teams in the composite wood products supply chain should review the proposed updates to referenced standards/test methods and submit comments within the stated comment period once published in the Federal Register.
EPA publishes ‘year one’ roundup of PFAS actions highlighting ongoing regulatory and enforcement initiatives
EPA issued a public roundup summarizing major PFAS actions taken during the first year of the current administration, including coordination and continued emphasis on regulatory and enforcement activities addressing PFAS risks. While the release is programmatic rather than a discrete rule text amendment, it can inform compliance teams about EPA priorities, active PFAS initiatives, and likely areas of near-term regulatory attention.
Maryland SB 686 proposes comprehensive PFAS product bans and registration requirements
Maryland SB 686 (2026 Session, First Reader) proposes comprehensive bans on products containing intentionally added PFAS. Starting January 1, 2028, the bill would ban sale/distribution of PFAS-containing cleaning products, cookware, cosmetics, personal care products, feminine hygiene products, pet food packaging, juvenile products, and intimacy products. Additional product bans (fabric treatments, ski wax, textiles, mattresses, upholstered products, paint) would take effect January 1, 2029. Manufacturers would be required to register PFAS-containing products with MDE and pay registration fees. The bill was set aside after committee hearing but sponsors indicated willingness to revise and reintroduce.
EPA proposes updates to incorporated voluntary consensus standards for TSCA Title VI formaldehyde emissions standards (incl. adding ISO 12460-2:2024 QC test method)
EPA issued a proposed rule to update the incorporation by reference (IBR) of multiple voluntary consensus standards in 40 CFR Part 770 (TSCA Title VI—Formaldehyde Emission Standards for Composite Wood Products). EPA also proposes adding ISO 12460-2:2024(en) as an additional small-scale quality control chamber test method and making related conforming updates (e.g., scope/definitions). Compliance teams in composite wood products and downstream supply chains should review whether current QA/QC testing methods and referenced standards would need updating if the rule is finalized, and should consider submitting comments to the docket by the stated deadline (March 13, 2026).
CARB Posts Draft Tier 5 Off-Road Diesel Engine Emission Standards
CARB posted draft potential Tier 5 Regulation Order, Tier 4 In-Use Compliance Test Procedures, and Tier 5 Test Procedures on February 5, 2026. A public workshop was held on February 27, 2026. The Tier 5 standards would establish new criteria pollutant and CO2 emission standards for off-road diesel engines.
ECHA refreshes the Registry of SVHC intentions until outcome (pipeline tracker)
ECHA updated its public “Registry of SVHC intentions until outcome”, which tracks Member State/Agency intentions and progress for identifying substances as SVHCs prior to potential Candidate List inclusion. While this is not itself a Candidate List change, it is a key monitoring tool for compliance teams to anticipate upcoming SVHC identifications, assess potential future article communication/notification exposure, and monitor process status information as ECHA transitions regulatory information to its ECHA CHEM database (with parallel maintenance for a period).
BIS removes Cambodia from Country Group D:5 arms embargo list
BIS removed Cambodia from Country Group D:5 (U.S. Arms Embargoed Countries) to conform with the State Department's November 7, 2025 removal of Cambodia from ITAR §126.1. Cambodia remains in Country Group D:1 (National Security concerns), and military end-user restrictions under §§744.21 and 744.22 remain in effect. This reflects renewed U.S.-Cambodia defense cooperation.
ECHA updates Registry of SVHC intentions until outcome (last updated 4 Feb 2026)
ECHA refreshed the “Registry of SVHC intentions until outcome” (pipeline tracker for planned/ongoing SVHC identification via Annex XV dossiers), showing a last-updated date of 04 February 2026. This registry provides early visibility into substances that may later proceed to SVHC identification and potential Candidate List inclusion, supporting proactive monitoring and consultation planning for downstream impacts (e.g., Article 33 supply-chain communications and potential future SCIP-related implications if substances are later listed).
ECHA updates SVHC intentions registry (pipeline tracker) with transition messaging to ECHA CHEM (last updated 04 Feb 2026)
ECHA’s 'Registry of SVHC intentions until outcome' shows a last-updated date of 04 February 2026 and includes messaging that the information is available in ECHA CHEM as part of ECHA’s data transition. This registry is used to monitor upcoming Annex XV SVHC identification intentions and follow dossiers through the identification process; compliance teams use it for early-warning screening, supplier engagement and internal substance-risk assessments ahead of potential Candidate List actions.
ECHA Candidate List table migration notice: legacy Candidate List dataset maintained until July 2026 during transition to ECHA CHEM
ECHA’s Candidate List table pages include a transition notice indicating Candidate List regulatory information is available in ECHA CHEM and that ECHA will keep the legacy Candidate List dataset/table up to date until July 2026. This affects compliance operations that rely on the legacy Candidate List table for SVHC screening, Article 33 communication workflows, and system integrations; teams should plan to validate and, if needed, migrate data sourcing to ECHA CHEM while maintaining continuity during the parallel-run period.
ECHA updates REACH SVHC Candidate List: n-hexane and BPAF added (list total reaches 253)
ECHA updated the REACH Candidate List of Substances of Very High Concern (SVHCs) on 4 February 2026 by adding two new entries: (1) n-hexane (EC 203-777-6; CAS 110-54-3) identified under Article 57(f) for specific target organ toxicity after repeated exposure, and (2) 4,4′-[2,2,2-trifluoro-1-(trifluoromethyl)ethylidene]diphenol and its salts (group entry, commonly referred to as BPAF and its salts), identified under Article 57(c) (toxic for reproduction). The update increases the Candidate List total to 253 entries. Compliance teams should assess impacts on Article 33 communication duties for articles containing these SVHCs and update SVHC screening and supplier declarations accordingly.
ECHA SVHC intentions registry updated (pipeline tracker shows last updated 4 Feb 2026)
ECHA’s official “Registry of SVHC intentions until outcome” (the pipeline tracker for planned/ongoing SVHC identifications under Annex XV leading potentially to Candidate List additions) indicates it was last updated on 04 February 2026. While this is not itself a legal SVHC listing change, it is an authoritative process update used by compliance teams as an early-warning signal for upcoming Candidate List activity (intention → dossier → consultation → MSC opinion → identification).
European Commission issues draft standardisation request for precast concrete products requiring EN 15804+A2-aligned environmental sustainability characteristics and PCR development
The European Commission (DG GROW) published a draft standardisation request (standardisation mandate) addressed to CEN to revise/draft harmonised standards for precast concrete products under the Construction Products Regulation framework. The draft explicitly links environmental sustainability essential characteristics to lifecycle assessment and Product Category Rules (PCRs) and references EN 15804:2012+A2:2019+AC:2021 as the methodological basis for environmental declarations in this context. The document includes a feedback deadline (3 March 2026) and indicates intended target dates (e.g., annex tables referencing 30 Oct 2026) for delivery/adoption of standards. For EPD/EN 15804 compliance teams (especially construction product manufacturers), this is an early but actionable signal that future harmonised product standards may embed EN 15804-aligned environmental declaration mechanics (via PCRs and required indicators) into EU product documentation (e.g., DoP/DoPC workflows) once finalized and implemented.
ECHA adds n-hexane and bisphenol AF (and its salts) to the REACH SVHC Candidate List (total 253 entries)
On 4 February 2026, ECHA updated the REACH Candidate List of Substances of Very High Concern (SVHCs) by adding two new entries: (1) n-hexane (EC 203-777-6; CAS 110-54-3), identified under REACH Article 57(f) (human health) due to specific target organ toxicity after repeated exposure; and (2) 4,4′-[2,2,2-trifluoro-1-(trifluoromethyl)ethylidene]diphenol and its salts (group entry including bisphenol AF and salts), identified under REACH Article 57(c) (toxic for reproduction). The Candidate List total increased to 253 entries. Compliance teams should assess impacts on downstream REACH SVHC obligations triggered by Candidate List inclusion, including Article 33 communication obligations for SVHCs in articles above 0.1% w/w, Article 7(2) notification duties for SVHCs in articles (within six months of inclusion date as described by ECHA), and ensuring SDS are updated when supplying the substances as such or in mixtures. The official Candidate List table serves as the authoritative record of inclusion and entry details.
EU proposes TBPH for Stockholm Convention Annex A/B listing
The European Commission has proposed a Council Decision authorizing the EU to submit a proposal for listing bis(2-ethylhexyl) tetrabromophthalate (TBPH) in Annex A or Annex B to the Stockholm Convention. TBPH is a brominated flame retardant used in plastics, electronics, construction materials, and wire insulation. If the Council adopts this decision, the EU will formally submit the TBPH nomination to the Stockholm Convention, initiating the POPRC review process for potential global restriction under the Convention.
European Commission notifies draft standardisation request to CEN for precast concrete products requiring EN 15804:2012+A2:2019+AC:2021-based product category rules for environmental sustainability characteristics
The European Commission (DG GROW) issued a notification under Article 12 of Regulation (EU) No 1025/2012 containing a draft standardisation request (draft Commission Implementing Decision text) to CEN for precast concrete products. The draft explicitly calls for harmonised standards to enumerate essential characteristics related to environmental sustainability and to establish product category rules enabling whole life-cycle analysis and performance declaration, referencing EN 15804:2012+A2:2019+AC:2021 and horizontal standards under Mandate M/350. For EPD/EN 15804 compliance planning, this indicates the direction of future harmonised standards that will embed EN 15804-style EPD methods/data into CPR compliance for the precast concrete product family. Monitor this draft through its adoption and subsequent CEN standard development, as it can drive future mandatory environmental declaration content for affected construction products.
EU Proposes TBPH for Stockholm Convention Annex Listing
The European Commission proposes to submit TBPH (bis(2-ethylhexyl) tetrabromophthalate) for listing in Annex A or B of the Stockholm Convention. The scientific dossier will be reviewed at the POPRC meeting in October 2026, with a proposal submission deadline of April 2026. Companies using TBPH as a flame retardant should monitor this nomination process.