Regulatory Review: July 2025
Trudy Watson-Leung, Bugsrock Environmental 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].
Australian Government
Updates to the Offshore Carbon Capture Sequestration (CSS) under the Environment Protection (Sea Dumping) Act 1981 have been issued. Consultation is open until 12 September.
Following community consultation, the Australian Government is updating the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting scheme.
Brazil National Water and Basic Sanitation Agency (ANA)
ANA released its 2024–2025 dam safety report, identifying 241 dams that failed to comply with national safety standards. The report documents structural risks to people, infrastructure and essential services, underscoring ongoing regulatory challenges in dam oversight.
Health Canada
Health Canada released a framework for pesticide water monitoring programs. The framework provides guidance and recommendations on program design, important secondary information, deciding which pesticides and transformation products should be monitored, management and reporting of the data and collaboration with Indigenous partners. Long-term monitoring programs that use the framework are expected to generate data that will be reliable and relevant to inform regulatory decisions for the protection of human health and the environment.
China’s Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE)
MME added 11 hazardous substances associated with mining, manufacturing and agriculture to the Catalogue of Hazardous and Toxic Water Pollutants (Second Batch), including thallium, cyanides, pentachlorophenol, benzene, toluene, nitrobenzenes, anilines, 1,1-dichloroethylene, hexachlorobutadiene, Poly Aromatic Hydrocarbons, and dioxins.
European Chemicals Agency (ECHA)
ECHA scientific committees developed provisional conclusions for PFAS uses in medical devices, lubricants and transport. Focus of upcoming meetings include PFAS uses in electronics, semiconductors, energy production, lubricants and PFAS manufacturing.
A proposal for restriction of certain Chromium VI substances opened for a 6-month consultation on 18 June.
The Committees for Risk Assessment recommended the occupational exposure limit of 24 µg/m3 for 4,4’-isopropylidenediphenol (Bisphenol A).
ECHA added three substances to the Candidate List of substances of very high concern for a new total of 250 entries on the list.
India’s Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change (MoEFCC)
To improve waste management, MoEFCC published Environment (Construction and Demolition) Waste Management Rules earlier this year and is seeking public feedback until 30 November on a draft of the Plastic Waste Management (Second Amendment).
United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA)
The USEPA proposed to rescind Biden-era CO₂ emission limits for new and existing fossil-fuel power plants under Clean Air Act Section 111 as well as roll back recent amendments to the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS) that would have forced coal plant retirements. The public comment period ends on 7 August.
The USEPA signaled its intent to revise wastewater rules and effluent limitations guidelines under the Clean Water Act to support electric energy reliability. A formal comment period is expected later this year.
Vietnam National Assembly
Vietnam’s National Assembly approved revisions to its Law on Chemicals, with new provisions for classifications, labeling and chemical risk assessment. It is proposed to come into effect 1 January 2026.
Author’s contact: [email protected]