Regulatory Review: January–February 2024
Trudy-Watson Leung, Bugsrock Consulting
This digest provides an overview of some of the latest regulatory news announcements of interest to the SETAC community. Please send your suggestions to [email protected].
China – Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE)
Interim Regulations on the Management of Carbon Emissions Trading
The MEE announced that the Interim Regulations on the Management of Carbon Emissions Trading will come into effect on 1 May. These regulations are formulated to address carbon emissions trading and related activities, strengthen the control of greenhouse gas emissions, actively and steadily promote carbon peak carbon neutrality, promote green and low-carbon economic and social development, and promote the construction of ecological civilization.
European Centre for Ecotoxicology and Toxicology of Chemicals (ECETOC)
Report on Quantitative Adverse Outcome Pathways Workshop
The presentations and breakout group summaries from the October 2022 workshop on Quantitative Response-Response Relationships (qAOPs) are now available and summarized online.
European Commission (EC)
EC proposed allowing EU farmers to Keep Certain Areas Non-Productive
The Commission proposes to allow EU farmers to derogate for one year from certain agricultural rules to provide appropriate relief to farmers facing numerous crises on the one hand and protecting biodiversity and soil quality on the other hand.
Recommendations for 2040 Target to Reach Climate Neutrality by 2050
A target of 90% net greenhouse gas emissions reduction by 2040 compared with 1990 levels was recommended and five key actions were proposed to be able to achieve this targe.
European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) ECHA
First Release of ECHA Chemicals Database
REACH registered substances data is being used to create a database that can be searched by CAS or EC number or chemical name. A substance dashboard provides non-confidential information on substance identity, links to registration dossiers, and the list of all registrants and registration numbers, with the possibility to export the results per substance.
New Guidance to Assess Biocides Risks to Bees
ECHA released a short scientific guidance document with comprehensive guidelines to assess the risk to bees from biocidal active substances and products. There will be a webinar on 5 March to learn more.
Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) and Health Canada (HC)
The final assessment for the Commercial Napthenic Acids Group was published.
The Draft Assessment for the Substituted Phenols Group and the Risk Management Scope for Certain Substituted Phenols are availabe for public comment until March 13, 2024.
The Draft Assessment for Aluminium-containing Substances and the Risk Management Scope for Aluminum hydroxychloride, CAS RN 1327-41-9 and Aluminum chlorohydrate, CAS RN 12042-91-0 and the Updated Draft Assessment for NMP and NEP and the Risk Management Scope for NMP were published for public comment until 27 March 27.
United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA)
Seven PFAS Added to the List of Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) Chemicals
The USEPA announced the addition of Ammonium perfluorohexanoate, Lithium bis[(trifluoromethyl)sulfonyl] azanide, Perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA), Perfluoropropanoic acid (PFPrA), Sodium perfluorohexanoate, 1,1,1-Trifluoro-N-[(trifluoromethyl)sulfonyl] methanesulfonamide and dimethyl Betaines to the TRI, requiring companies to track their activities involving these PFAS.
United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP)
State of the World’s Migratory Species Report Released
A landmark first-ever comprehensive report launched by the convention of the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS) revealed migratory species are in decline and the global extinction risk is increasing. Nearly half of CMS-listed species are showing population declines, more than 1-in-5 are threatened with extinction. 97% of CMS-listed fish are threatened with extinction. The two greatest threats are habitat loss due to human activity and overexploitation. Globally, 399 migratory species that are threatened or near threatened with extinction are not currently listed under CMS.