Regulatory Review: February 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].
Australia’s Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW)
The DCCEEW submitted its first Biennial Transparency Report as part of its commitment to global transparency on climate action under the Paris Agreement.
Federal Government of Brazil
The new Offshore Wind Bill enables the development of offshore wind farms and greatly expands the potential for Brazil to generate clean energy.
China’s Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE)
The MEE’s released its 2024 annual report on China’s Policies and Actions Addressing Climate Change.
Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) and Health Canada (HC)
The update to the human health assessment of melamine and the Revised Risk Management Scope for 1,3,5-Triazine-2,4,6-triamine (Melamine) were published for a 60-day public comment period ending 26 March.
The draft assessment for the Fourteen Terpene and Terpenoid Substances Group and the Risk Management Scope for Certain Substances in the Fourteen Terpene and Terpenoid Substances Group were published for a 60-day public comment period ending 26 March.
European Chemicals Agency (ECHA)
A joint study conducted by five EU health and environment agencies reviewed how the use of azole fungicides outside human medicine affects public health. The report highlights that the broad use of azole substances in agriculture, veterinary medicine, as wood preservatives, and industrial chemicals contributes to the risk of Aspergillus fungi becoming azole resistant. A One Health approach was used to come up with a list of recommended actions to reduce this risk.
ECHA added five new chemicals to the Candidate List of substances of very high concern.
European Union (EU)
As of January 2025, stricter CO2 emission standards for passenger cars and light commercial vehicles apply under Regulation (EU) 2023/851 and Regulation (EU) 2019/631, requiring a 15% reduction in fleet-wide emissions compared to 2021 levels across all new vehicles registered in the EU.
Falkland Islands Government (FIG)
Public consultation on the FIG Land Recovery Program closes 4 May. This initiative is aimed at supporting farmers and other land managers in restoring degraded land, sustaining agricultural productivity and enhancing biodiversity.
The FIG published the engagement report on the public consultation on the potential for future development of large-scale commercial salmon-farming in Falkland waters.
International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD)
The IISD released a publication presenting case studies of instances where mining companies adopted policies and practices to support gender equality and social inclusion in Chile, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mauritania and South Africa. Each case study is accompanied by an analysis of the relevant regulatory framework enabling good mining practices as well as key lessons learned.
Mexico
A proposed reform to Mexico’s constitution seeks to protect the country’s corn heritage by prohibiting the planting of transgenic corn. Mexico produces at least 59 varieties of white corn, and there is concern that transgenic yellow corn could threaten the diversity of native corn and seeds.
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)
The OECD launched a global framework for companies to report their efforts to promote safe, secure and trustworthy AI.
United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
UNEP is co-organizing an online and in-person webinar on 5 March about “Unmasking Mercury and Colorism in Cosmetics.” In 2023 the Minamata Convention Conference of Parties made it explicit that no mercury can be added to cosmetics. The event will explore the socio-cultural norms around skin-lightening products containing harmful ingredients like mercury.
United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA)
Building on two previous reports, the USEPA released a report on the current and likely future impacts of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) Program on the nation’s air, land and water resources.
The USEPA has deployed more than a thousand personnel in California to safely remove hazardous materials from wildfire-hit properties, helping to prevent contamination of the environment.
The USEPA released a draft assessment of the potential human health risks associated with the presence of toxic per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) chemicals in biosolids.
Comments are being accepted until 12 June on the interim decision to enhance worker protections on the use of Ethylene Oxide (EtO), a carcinogenic pesticide used in sterilizing medical devices, dried herbs, libraries and museums, cosmetics, beekeeping equipment and more.
The USEPA will host a webinar on 19 February to discuss ongoing research related to alternative water sources, including decentralized water reuse, protein processing plants, treated produced water from oil and gas activities, and enhanced or managed aquifer recharge.
Many rural communities in Alaska participate in “backhaul,” a relatively expensive process that involves shipping waste out of villages in barges and planes that would otherwise return to port empty. The USEPA published a report on how the use of human-centered design led to the development of a hazardous waste management app for use in rural Alaska.
Author's contact: [email protected]