In a consequential policy shift, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the Trump administration announced its intent to reevaluate a cornerstone of modern chemical regulation: the risk evaluation framework rule...more
On April 8, 2025, New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham signed and thereby enacted House Bill 140 and House Bill 212, which are designed to address per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) contamination across New...more
Rhode Island recently passed the Consumer PFAS Ban Act of 2024, which will ban the manufacture, use and distribution of certain products with intentionally added PFAS starting January 1, 2027. The Act further states “[i]t is...more
3/11/2025
/ Consumer Protection Laws ,
Environmental Policies ,
Hazardous Substances ,
Manufacturers ,
New Legislation ,
PFAS ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Rhode Island ,
State and Local Government ,
Sustainability ,
Toxic Chemicals
The legal landscape surrounding per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) is rapidly evolving, with industrial users now facing heightened risks, even if they never directly manufactured these chemicals. This shift is...more
3/3/2025
/ Civil Liability ,
Contamination ,
Corporate Counsel ,
Environmental Liability ,
Environmental Litigation ,
Environmental Policies ,
Manufacturers ,
PFAS ,
Public Health ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Toxic Chemicals
Senator Jerry McNerney of California has introduced Senate Bill 454 (SB 454) to address the growing problem of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) contamination in California’s water supply. The legislation seeks to...more
The fashion industry is facing a major regulatory shift as states implement bans on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in textiles and apparel. PFAS, often called “forever chemicals,” persist in the environment,...more
Recently, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed a rule to revoke most food crop tolerances for chlorpyrifos, a pesticide extensively used in agriculture. This decision comes after the US Eighth Circuit Court...more
The State of Maine, through the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), is seeking proposals from experienced environmental consulting firms for a comprehensive statistical analysis of per- and polyfluoroalkyl...more
A Nevada state court handed down a monumental verdict in a case involving alleged contamination of an “alkaline water” health drink, with a jury awarding $5 billion in punitive damages. This decision follows a series of...more
11/12/2024
/ Chapter 11 ,
Compensatory Damages ,
Contamination ,
Corporate Counsel ,
Health Claims ,
Jury Awards ,
Liability ,
Punitive Damages ,
Reputation Management ,
Safety Standards ,
State Courts ,
Toxic Chemicals ,
Water
The United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit is set to adjudicate complaints regarding the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) asbestos ban, a significant regulation that holds the potential to influence the...more
In the realm of environmental science and sustainability, researchers in Maine are pioneering efforts to combat the pervasive presence of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) by investigating alternative materials...more
As the age of tobacco-based nicotine products shrinks in the rearview mirror, it comes as no surprise that consumers, young and old, are increasingly being drawn to its modern equivalent: e-cigarettes, also known as vapes....more
On Friday, April 26, 2024, Michigan Supreme Court Justices accepted a briefing from the Homebuilders Association of Michigan in support of a manufacturer’s challenge to the State’s maximum containment levels for certain per-...more
On February 8, 2024, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed changing the Resources Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) to include nine per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) to the list of hazardous...more
Recently, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) automatically expanded the list of chemicals covered under the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) via inclusion of seven additional per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances...more
Aquagga, Inc., a Tacoma, Washington-based startup that launched in 2019, recently released a pollution-fighting device which is said to destroy over 99% of per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in water. In 2019,...more
Recently, the US Department of Defense (DOD) added a fluorine-free firefighting foam to its Qualified Products List (QPL). This new Synthetic Fluorine-Free Foam (SFFF) is the first of its kind to be added to DOD’s QPL, and...more
If you escape for a leisurely weekend of fishing at New Hampshire lakes this summer, you might be able to call yourself a “citizen scientist” if you donate your of your catch to science. Dartmouth College researchers are...more
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl (PFAS) pollution has presented challenges to companies, governments and landowners worldwide. However, a recent study conducted by researchers at Northern Michigan University discovered a possible...more
A federal court has dismissed an industry challenge to the EPA’s Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), which establishes health advisory levels (HALs) for perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in drinking water. The...more
On December 5, 2022, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a proposed rule that would affect industries required to report the use of per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) to the Toxics Release Inventory...more
Recently, a three-judge panel of the US Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit granted interlocutory review of an enormous class action that could significantly impact the future of PFAS litigation. ...more
In June 2022, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released new lifetime health advisories (LHAs) for per-fluoroalkyl and poly-fluoroalkyl chemicals (PFAS). PFAS are a type of man-made chemicals found in many industrial...more
California has just added per- and poly-fluoralkyl substances (PFAS) to the list of chemicals requiring consumer warnings under Proposition 65, meaning that state residents can soon expect to see the words “cancer” and...more
7/13/2022
/ California ,
Cancer ,
Consumer Product Companies ,
Environmental Policies ,
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ,
PFAS ,
Proposition 65 ,
Public Health ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Retail Market ,
Toxic Chemicals ,
Toxic Exposure ,
Warning Labels