Recently, many exporters to the U.S. have been required to comply with GCC (General Certificate of Conformity) requirements. More importantly, the CPSC issued a final rule on January 8, 2025, mandating that from July 8, 2026, covered imported consumer products must be submitted via mandatory electronic filing (eFiling) of certificate data.
On June 19, 2026, Rhode Island Governor Dan McKee signed House Bill H7734. This bill amends the state's Consumer PFAS Ban Act of 2024.
6PPD, N-(1,3-dimethylbutyl)-N'-phenyl-p-phenylenediamine, with CAS number 793-24-8, serves as an antioxidant and antiozonant in tires, playing a crucial safety role by protecting tire components from erosion by ozone, oxygen, and other harmful factors. However, as tires wear against the road surface during driving, particles containing 6PPD are released, which can transform into the highly toxic 6PPD-quinone upon reaction with ozone, posing risks to aquatic life.
Last month, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released enforcement actions taken nationwide in 2023 to protect children and their families from health hazards associated with exposure to lead paint. Cases included an Indiana contractor sentenced to jail for violating lead paint regulations and a renovation company in Anchorage, Alaska fined $25,609. EPA's enforcement actions aim to ensure that remodeling contractors, landlords, property management companies, and real estate agents comply with rules safeguarding the public from lead exposure in paint.
On September 28, 2023, U.S Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced an important new rule under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), requiring manufacturers of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) to provide more data for better regulation. PFASs are a large class of chemically stable organic fluorides known for their water and stain resistance, as well as good insulation. They find extensive use in various industrial sectors, including food packaging, electronics, leather and apparel, construction and household applications, firefighting, and medical supplies. However, PFASs are persistent and migrate in the environment, making them difficult to degrade. They are also called persistent chemicals and have posed a significant threat to human health and the ecological environment.
On October 13, 2023, the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) released the toy safety standard ASTM F963-23. Currently, the federal regulation 16 CFR 1250 still adopts ASTM F963-17.
In July 2023, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued the final rule on "Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) Requirements for Asbestos Reporting and Records" which mandates specific companies to report relevant information on asbestos and asbestos-containing products (including as impurities) manufactured (including imports) or processed in the past four years.
Minnesota has passed a restriction bill for PFAS with a vote of 72 in favor and 57 against in the House of Representatives, and 35 in favor and 32 against in the Senate. On May 19th, the restriction bill was submitted to the governor. If the bill (HF 2310) becomes law, Minnesota will become the first state in the Midwest to mandate disclosure and comprehensive restrictions on products containing intentionally added PFAS substances.
In October 2021, the US EPA developed a PFAS strategic roadmap. In the absence of comprehensive federal legislation, several states are developing or updating their own PFAS regulations. This article compiles the current regulatory situation. According to the OECD, PFAS are defined as any substance containing at least one perfluorinated methyl (CF3-) or methylene (-CF2-) carbon atom (with no H/Cl/Br/I attached to that carbon atom). PFAS include thousands of synthetic chemicals such as perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS). PFAS have non-stick, oil-resistant, water-resistant, and grease-resistant properties. Since the 1960s, PFAS have been used in food contact substances (FCS) in the US, including cookware, food processing equipment (such as gaskets and O-rings), processing aids for other FCS (such as reducing buildup on manufacturing equipment), and food packaging (such as a grease-resistant coating).
Recently, several countries and regions have issued or drafted environmental regulations in succession, all of which aimed at restricting the use of one same hazardous substance - PFAS (Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, also known as PFCs). The frequent legislative and regulatory trends around the world have brought PFASs into the limelight once again.
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