Safer States released on February 18, 2026, its 2026 Analysis of State Policy Addressing Toxic Chemicals and Plastics.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on October 9, 2025, that it is beginning a 30-day comment period on its 2024 final risk management rule for carbon tetrachloride (CTC). 90 Fed. Reg. 48203.

On November 13, 2025, the California Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) held a webinar to discuss potential changes to its Enforcement Response Regulations set forth...

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has activated its Emerging Viral Pathogen Guidance in response to hantavirus, a rare but serious disease spread by infected rodents.

On July 29, 2025, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued final significant use rules (SNUR) for certain chemical substances, including graphene nanoplatelets (generic)...

The EPA has issued a final significant new use rule for multi-walled carbon nanotubes, establishing strict workplace protections, hazard communication requirements, and usage restrictions for battery manufacturing applications. Companies planning to manufacture or process these nanomaterials must notify the EPA at least 90 days before commencing activities and await regulatory review and approval.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Inspector General has released its Oversight Plan for Fiscal Year 2027, outlining key review areas including EPA's mission effectiveness following organizational changes, the status of strategic research plans after staff relocations, and the agency's handling of backlogged chemical assessments under the amended Toxic Substances Control Act. Will these oversight efforts address critical gaps in EPA's regulatory authority and operational efficiency?

On November 10, 2025, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that it is rescheduling the November 18, 2025, preparatory meeting for the Science Advisory Committee on Chemicals (SACC).

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on November 10, 2025, that it will publish a final rule extending the compliance date for laboratories using methylene chloride to ensure long-term compliance with the requirements of the May 2024 final risk management rule.

The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) announced on August 14, 2025, a WatchBlog item entitled "EPA's New Chemicals Program Could Improve Safety If Better Managed" that examines GAO's January 2025 report on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) New Chemicals Program (NCP).

The House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Environment will examine the EPA's proposed fiscal year 2027 budget, which seeks $4.2 billion in discretionary funding—a 52.4 percent reduction from the previous year's enacted level. Administrator Lee Zeldin will testify on the agency's budget priorities, including new investments in chemical review processes, artificial intelligence applications, and Make America Healthy Again initiatives.

On December 18, 2025, the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Environment will hold a hearing on "Examining the Impact of EPA's CERCLA Designation...

Before the New Mexico Environmental Improvement Board (NMEIB) began its hearing on February 23, 2026, on the New Mexico Environment Department's (NMED) proposed rule to implement the Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances...

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on September 10, 2025, that it is seeking nominations of scientific and technical experts to be considered as ad hoc reviewers...

A decade after the Lautenberg Amendments transformed chemical safety regulation, experts convene to examine the ongoing debate over EPA's new chemical review process under TSCA Section 5. The discussion addresses whether current implementation adequately protects public health while fostering innovation, and explores persistent challenges in evaluating reasonably foreseen conditions of use and the effectiveness of significant new use rules.

The National Security Commission on Emerging Biotechnology (NSCEB) has published a January 2026 discussion paper entitled "Creating Clear Regulatory Pathways for Biotechnology.

The OECD has published a comprehensive policy paper examining how member countries are adapting their governance frameworks to support responsible innovation in synthetic biology. The analysis reviews national strategies, policy instruments, and governance initiatives across five key dimensions, revealing emerging practices while highlighting uneven implementation across jurisdictions. Drawing on examples from multiple countries, the paper identifies policy considerations for strengthening anticipatory gove

On March 5, 2025, Representatives Ro Khanna (D-CA) and Stephanie Bice (R-OK) and Senators Todd Young (R-IN) and Alex Padilla (D-CA), all commissioners on the National Security Commission...

The IRS has scheduled a public hearing to consider adding a specific chemical copolymer to its list of taxable substances under Superfund excise tax regulations.

On December 19, 2025, the National Security Commission on Emerging Biotechnology (NSCEB) announced the publication of a paper entitled "The Future of U.S.-China Biotechnology Competition."