All regulatory updates
1479 results found
EPA publishes 'year one' roundup of PFAS actions
EPA published a program-level roundup summarizing actions taken on PFAS across regulatory programs. While not itself a binding rule, the announcement signals EPA’s current PFAS policy and implementation priorities and can affect compliance planning by indicating where rulemaking, implementation support, or enforcement emphasis may occur next.
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 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 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.
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 Candidate List legacy dataset transition notice: Candidate List information available in ECHA CHEM; legacy dataset maintained until July 2026
ECHA indicates that regulatory information for the Candidate List is available in its ECHA CHEM database and that the legacy Candidate List dataset/location will be maintained until July 2026 to support a smooth transition. Compliance and data-management teams relying on automated retrieval or integrations with the legacy Candidate List table should plan and validate updates to their data pipelines and internal SVHC tracking tools to ensure continuity ahead of the July 2026 endpoint.
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 Registry of SVHC intentions until outcome (pipeline tracker shows last updated 4 Feb 2026)
ECHA’s Registry of SVHC intentions until outcome (used for horizon scanning of potential future SVHC identifications) shows it was last updated on 4 February 2026. This registry supports early identification of substances moving through the SVHC identification process (intention, dossier preparation/submission, opinion, identification/withdrawal). Compliance teams can use this as an early-warning input for supplier engagement and internal product/material risk assessments ahead of Candidate List updates.
ECHA updates SVHC Candidate List (data access transition notice: legacy Candidate List dataset maintained until July 2026; ECHA CHEM is primary access point)
ECHA communications indicate that Candidate List regulatory information is available via the ECHA CHEM platform and that the legacy Candidate List dataset/table will continue to be maintained only until July 2026 to support the transition. This is operationally relevant for REACH SVHC compliance teams that rely on the Candidate List as the authoritative source for SVHC status (e.g., Article 33 communication, supplier declarations, internal substance screening evidence capture) and may need to update SOPs, bookmarks, and any automated data pulls to point to ECHA CHEM endpoints before the transition deadline.
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).
ECHA adds n-hexane and bisphenol AF (and its salts) to the REACH SVHC Candidate List (total 253 entries)
ECHA updated the REACH Candidate List (SVHC) by adding two new entries: (1) n-hexane (EC 203-777-6; CAS 110-54-3) identified under Article 57(f) (human health; STOT RE), and (2) 4,4'-[2,2,2-trifluoro-1-(trifluoromethyl)ethylidene]diphenol and its salts (bisphenol AF and its salts) identified under Article 57(c) (toxic for reproduction). The Candidate List total increased to 253 entries. This update triggers standard REACH Candidate List compliance actions, including Article 33 communication for articles containing listed SVHCs >0.1% w/w, potential Article 7(2) notifications for article producers/importers where conditions are met, and SDS updates for substances/mixtures supplied in the EU/EEA.
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.
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 refreshes the Registry of SVHC intentions until outcome (last updated 4 Feb 2026)
ECHA’s Registry of SVHC intentions until outcome shows an update (last updated 4 February 2026), reflecting the current status of SVHC identification intentions (e.g., intentions marked withdrawn or progressed). This is SVHC-relevant operational guidance for compliance and regulatory intelligence teams because it provides an official forward-looking view of substances that may be proposed for SVHC identification, supporting proactive supply-chain risk screening and substance substitution planning.
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.