Armed with one of the country’s strongest state chemicals laws, the state of Washington is solidifying its status as a global player in product regulation. We discuss the latest developments below....more
On April 18, 2023, the Washington state legislature passed SB 5144: Providing for responsible environmental management of batteries (the Bill). It is now on the Governor’s desk for signature. The Bill creates an extended...more
New “Right to Repair” legislation worldwide seeks to extend product lifespan and increase circularity, thereby reducing premature waste. The legislation often aims to facilitate consumer and independent company repair of...more
Green Marketing Updates in the European Union (EU) -
Background -
On March 22, 2023, the European Commission (Commission) published a Proposal for a Directive on Green Claims (Proposal). The Proposal is part of the EU's...more
The Brazilian government continues to fulfill its early commitment to combat the climate crisis, end deforestation, promote sustainable development, and enable energy transition, maintaining the trend reported in our two news...more
What's Happening?
The California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle) published proposed regulations to amend the Recycling and Disposal Reporting System (RDRS) to increase the specificity of waste...more
In line with our November 2022 news alert, Brazil’s new administration has had a very busy January pursuing its social, environmental, and climate agendas. In his first week in office, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva...more
On December 15, 2022, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published a proposed rule restricting the use of certain hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) in aerosols, foams, refrigeration, air conditioning, and heat pump...more
Advertising claims about the environmental attributes of a product continue to become more important, and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is seeking to change how it regulates advertising. The FTC is seeking comment on a...more
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) June 2021 proposal of a Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) reporting rule targeting manufacturers of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) sparked a major outcry from...more
On Sunday, October 30, 2022, Brazil’s Superior Electoral Court pronounced Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (“Lula”) the winner of Brazil’s 2022 presidential election. Lula succeeds current President Jair Bolsonaro and will assume...more
Companies that import, produce, or reclaim HFCs should carefully review – and consider submitting comments on – a new rule proposed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which will determine not only the process...more
On September 16, 2022, Governor Newsom signed AB 2440 and SB 1215, overhauling California's existing battery extended producer responsibility (EPR) schemes and expanding the state’s e-waste program. AB 2440, the Responsible...more
On Wednesday, September 21, 2022, the U.S. Senate gave its advice and consent to the ratification of the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer by a bipartisan vote of 69-27. The...more
At the end of August 2022, the California Legislature passed AB 2440 and SB 1215, overhauling the state’s existing battery extended producer responsibility (EPR) schemes and expanding the state’s e-waste program. AB 2440, the...more
The state of Washington has become a global player in product regulation. This month, the Department of Ecology issued a determination to restrict or require reporting on the use of five classes of chemicals in products. In...more
On May 24, 2022, China State Council issued an Action Plan on New Pollutants Governance (“Plan”) to set out a regulatory roadmap to control new chemicals and outline an enhanced enforcement framework for compliance. The Plan...more
Background -
The European Commission (EC) is undertaking an aggressive overhaul and expansion of the Ecodesign Directive to allow for the future regulation of the environmental sustainability of a wider range of products...more
Today, the United Nations Environment Assembly adopted a broad negotiating mandate for a new legally binding international agreement on plastic pollution. Inger Andersen, the Executive Director of the United Nations...more
On December 31, 2021, New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed a new law that imposes obligations on manufactures of consumer “electronic displays,” upholstered furniture, and mattresses. Beginning January 2024, any new products...more
Following up on the short-term extension that it issued in September, EPA has issued a notice of proposed rulemaking that will further extend the compliance deadline for the processing and distribution in commerce of certain...more
October 26, 2021 Update:
Following up on the short-term extension that it issued in September, EPA has issued a notice of proposed rulemaking that will further extend the compliance deadline for the processing and...more
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published a final rule on October 5, 2021 establishing an allowance allocation and trading program for hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs). The rule implements certain key requirements...more
On October 5, 2021, California’s Governor Newsom signed Senate Bill 343 (SB 343) prohibiting the use of the chasing arrows symbol on non-recyclable products and packaging. Under the new law, a product or packaging that...more
What is happening? Connecticut has joined several other states in imposing plastic recycling mandates on manufacturers. These laws seek to improve the market for recyclables by establishing recycled content minimums for...more