The California Senate recently passed a bill, SB 682, that would essentially eliminate the use of per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), also known as “forever chemicals,” in food packaging within the state, as of January...more
First effective in 2024, the Act bans the sale or distribution of various products that contain intentionally added PFAS chemicals. On January 1, 2026, as part of the product phase-out timeline, the new law bans the sale or...more
This week, I sat down with Lisa R. Burchi, Of Counsel to Bergeson & Campbell, P.C. and resident expert on Proposition 65, among many other chemical laws. Lisa explains why businesses doing business in California need to know...more
Key Takeaways - What happened: Two recently enacted laws in Louisiana and Texas will each require separate warning labels on the packaging of food sold in their state if the food contains any of 44 specific ingredients....more
Influenced by laws in existence in multiple states, including California, Colorado, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, New Jersey, Oregon, and Washington, the New York State Legislature has examined in recent years extended producer...more
A lot is going on in the extended producer responsibility (“EPR”) packaging world this month. Maryland and Washington became the sixth and seventh states respectively to enact EPR packaging laws. And this week, just a...more
Our blog has reported previously on California PFAS regulations, including its watershed laws with novel definitions of PFAS and the noted problems with the total organic fluorine testing method. (Prior CA blog posts on...more
Lawsuits were recently filed against Apple Inc. and Samsung Electronics America, Inc. related to their watch bands. Other lawsuits were also recently filed against The Hershey Co. related to the packaging of some of its...more
In the absence of comprehensive federal regulation of PFAS in food packaging, states are dishing out their own laws. Thus far, 13 (thirteen) states have enacted laws addressing PFAS substances in food containers and packaging...more
A recent conference led by Connecticut Attorney General (AG) William Tong discussed the alleged problems and potential solutions associated with plastics use and waste. Conference attendees included nearly two dozen...more
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) recently announced that grease-proofing substances containing per and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (“PFAS”) are no longer being sold by manufacturers for food contact use in the...more
2024 is off to a busy start for folks following state laws related to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in products. Multiple states have passed legislation impacting product manufacturers and retailers. Maine and...more
PFAS (per- and poly- fluorinated alkyl substances) are everywhere, in our drinking water and all over the news. A serious concern for the health of humans and the environment, federal and state agencies are taking a proactive...more
Manufacturers, distributors, and retailers of consumer products across a broad spectrum of industries are being impacted by laws regulating the presence of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (“PFAS”) in their products. This...more
Odds are that businesses involved in any kind of manufacturing or sale of physical products will be impacted by developments in legislation or case law involving per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). How big of an...more
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is not the only federal agency that regulates per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). And states aren't the only ones scrutinizing PFAS in food packaging products. PFAS,...more
Minnesota is competing with Maine to have the most rigorous regulations for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz signed HF 2310 into law on May 24, 2023. Similar to Maine's PFAS requirements,...more
In recent years, the topic of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (“PFAS”) has become well-known to the general public. State and federal regulators have implemented new regulatory standards for PFAS in groundwater, drinking...more
The subject of six lawsuits filed in three states, paraquat is widely used in the agricultural industry and, sadly, often causes illnesses to those least able to care for themselves: workers. Workers on farms and ranches...more
The continued efforts of federal, state, and local governments to legalize cannabis, both in medical and recreational uses, leaves many potential impacts, including environmental law and regulatory issues in the...more
The latest front in the ever-expanding Proposition 65 enforcement battle: plastic packaging. Since the start of the year, dozens of notices of violation have been filed, not for actual products, but for the packaging in...more
The use of beauty products is “an understudied source of environmental chemical exposures” with a disparate effect on women of color, George Washington University and Occidental College researchers argue. Ami R. Zota, et al.,...more
Welcome to California! California is a great place to live and work, and we are fortunate to call it home. But there is no sugarcoating the fact that California presents unique and daunting challenges to product...more