Regulatory Review: June 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 Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water
A draft threat abatement plan for ecosystem degradation, habitat loss and species decline due to invasion by introduced grasses is open for comments until 13 June.
A draft conservation advice proposing listing changes for several species and ecological communities—including the golden bosun and Oenpelli python—is open for public comment. Deadlines are in July and vary by species.
Canada
Canada announced legislation to enable the development of offshore renewable energy in Newfoundland and Labrador. The legislation will support Canada’s marine conservation agenda and modernize the land tenure regime for offshore petroleum development.
China’s Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress
China released the draft Ecological and Environmental Code for public comment on 30 April. The sweeping legislation consolidates existing environmental laws, introduces new rules on pollution and climate change, and strengthens enforcement authority. Comments are due by 13 June 2025.
European Chemicals Agency (ECHA)
ECHA proposed an EU-wide restriction on certain hexavalent chromium, Cr(VI), substances, with an aim to reduce the harmful effects of these carcinogenic chemicals for both workers and the public.
Consultation is expected to launch 27 June and end 11 August on the consideration of three new substances as substances of very high concern (SVHCs).
ECHA redesigned its Classification and Labelling (C&L) Inventory, which is now available in the agency’s new chemicals database, ECHA CHEM. The ECHA’s Biocides Committee supported the renewals and approval of 11 uses for 8 anticoagulant rodenticides.
ECHA released new guidelines for the measurement of formaldehyde releases from articles and formaldehyde concentrations in the interior of vehicles.
European Union
The European Commission has proposed changes to agricultural policy rules, including easier payments, simplified environmental requirements and controls, strengthened crisis management and simpler procedures for national administrations, and enhanced competitiveness and digitalization.
Taiwan Ministry of Environment
Three hundred and fifty-seven per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), 12 nonylphenol substances and 28 nonylphenol polytheoxylate substances will be added to Taiwan’s list of toxic chemical substances in June 2025.
United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA)
The USEPA announced that it plans to keep the current maximum contaminant level (MCL) limits for PFOA and PFAS while pulling back on its use of a hazard index and regulatory determinations for additional PFAS. The USEPA also plans develop a rule to allow two extra years for drinking water systems to come into compliance with maximum PFAS levels (currently 2029) and to allow states to grant temporary exemptions to public water systems challenged to meet the deadline.
Author’s contact: [email protected]