News
New developments in the EU environmental policy regularly appear in the news. We select publications prioritizing chemicals and waste information and upload them to this website. News is updated periodically to keep readers well informed.
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Executives sentenced to jail in Italy over PFAS pollution
(26 June 2026) An Italian court convicted, in a first-instance judgement, 11 former chemical executives to prison terms for having caused widespread PFAS pollution that affected thousands of people in the Veneto region. For decades, the PFAS manufacturing plant Miteni discharged chemical waste into the waterways, contaminating the drinking water and soil over a vast area…
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PFAS: 11 French municipalities prohibit drinking water supply for vulnerable people
(20 July 2025) The Saint-Louis area in France, with a population of 80,000 inhabitants, has prohibited vulnerable people, including children under 2 years old, breastfeeding mothers, pregnant women, and frail elderly people, from drinking tap water because of high PFAS pollution. PFAS concentrations in tap water in the area exceed the EU PFAS standards, which will…
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Chemical Omnibus Draft Raises Consumer Safety Concerns
The European Commission draft of the Chemical Omnibus clashes with consumers’ expectations
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New OECD Report Highlights Challenges in Replacing PFAS in Lubricants and Hydraulic Oils
The OECD has released a new report examining the use of PFAS in hydraulic oils and lubricants across critical sectors like transport, defense, energy, and manufacturing. PFAS are valued for their unique performance under extreme conditions, particularly for corrosion inhibition in hydraulic systems. However, the report finds limited progress in substituting PFAS due to significant technical and…
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Sign-on campaign: Preserving Scientific Integrity of PFAS Definition
The intent of the sign-on campaign is secure the OECD chemical definition of PFASs.
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EEB Urges Bold Transformation Ahead of EU’s Chemical Action Plan Release
As the European Commission prepares to unveil its long-awaited Chemical Action Plan on 2 July, the European Environmental Bureau (EEB) is calling for a radical shift in the chemical industry to end decades of environmental and social harm. In a newly released briefing and 10 key messages, the EEB lays out a clear and compelling…
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EU Parliament and Council reach a deal for a stronger chemical data platform
12 June 2025: Negotiators from the Parliament and Council agreed on an ambitious super data platform for chemicals to be hosted by ECHA, as part of the overall deal on the one substance one assessment package. The original Commission proposal will be strengthened by including additional data in the new platform, such as the safety data…
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Scientists Urge EU to Strengthen Chemical Mixture Regulations
A group of leading scientists from across Europe has called on the European Commission to enhance regulatory measures against chemical mixtures in the upcoming revision of REACH, the EU’s main regulation for chemicals. In an open letter, the researchers emphasized that chemical mixtures pose significant risks to ecosystems, biodiversity, and human health, which are currently…
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PFAS and Cancer: A Call for Urgent Action in Europe
PFAS are found in thousands of everyday items, including non-stick cookware, water-repellent clothing and food packaging.
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Europe Must Not Trade Public Health for Regulatory Convenience
How can Europe claim to lead the fight against cancer while simultaneously opening the door to carcinogens in personal care products?
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EU to ban EDCs, bisphenols and PFAS from Toys
(10 Apr. 2025) The EU Parliament and the EU Council agreed to extend the generic restriction for the most harmful chemicals in toys. The Toy Safety Regulation will now cover known and suspected endocrine-disrupting chemicals that are classified (EDCs categories 1 and 2), PFAS, and a group of ten bisphenols. There is a transition period…
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New French Ban on PFAS in Consumer Products
By January 1, 2030, manufacture of textile containing PFAS will be prohibited in France
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Final round of stakeholder consultation on the REACH revision
Several key aspects of the REACH revision have been agreed upon, including improvements in the registration and evaluation of chemicals
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Evaluation of PFAS uses in new sectors
The European Commission proposed to allow continued use of PFAS in essential industrial applications
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Revision of the EU Waste Framework Directive: New Rules for Textiles, but No Reduction Targets
The revision of the EU Waste Framework Directive introduces significant changes for the textile industry. For the first time, Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) will be mandatory for textile companies and fashion brands. This means: ✅ Mandatory EPR systems in all member states: Companies will have to pay for the collection, sorting, and recycling of textiles,…
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EU Clean Industrial Deal
On February 26, the European Commission introduced a comprehensive legislative package featuring a Clean Industrial Deal. While this package does not abandon the Green Deal, it compromises its holistic approach by using competitiveness as justification for making unacceptable concessions to polluters, according to the European Environmental Bureau (EEB). The tone of the EU Commission has…
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The Clean Industrial Deal & Chemicals Industry Package
The Chemicals Industry Package is anticipated to be released in Q4 2025, concentrating on “simplifying” REACH and “clarifying” PFAS regulations.
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New Reference Substance Package for SCIP Notifiers Reflects Latest Candidate List Updates
ECHA has released an updated reference substance package that includes the most recent hazardous chemicals added to the Candidate List. It advises companies to import this package into their IUCLID systems to create SCIP notifications for articles that contain the newly added substances. When using this updated package to validate the dossier in IUCLID*, users…
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Protest against chemical industry lobbying
NGOs request a comprehensive ban on PFAS
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PFAS Phase Out: A Prerequisite for a Water-Resilient Europe
To protect Europe’s water resources, we urge policymakers to enact a universal PFAS ban.
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NGOs urge the EU Commission to include the plastics and polymer sector in ESPR Working Plan
The letter highlights the significant environmental impact of plastic and polymer production
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270+ organisations demand strict chemical regulations from EU Commission
NGOs call on European Commission’s President Ursula von der Leyen to shun deregulation and prioritise the protection of people and nature
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MEPs Raise Alarm on PFAS in Drinking Water
PFAS water pollution should be tackled at source and the polluter pays principle has to be applied.
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Ministers Collaborate on Ambitious REACH Revision
Several Ministers have joined the Swedish Environment Minister in calling for an ambitious REACH revision
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Toxic-free Europe now!
European NGOs urge the European Commission to phase out PFAS
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EU Commission Proposes PFHxA Restriction Guide Amid Environmental Concerns
The European Commission has proposed a non-binding guide on PFHxA restriction
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Widely used PFAS-pesticide about to lose EU approval
(4 and 5 December 2024) Flufenacet, a widely used active ingredient in pesticides, is about to lose its EU approval granted in 2003, if Member States agree to a draft decision by the European Commission. This follows concerns by Polish authorities who received an application for renewing the approval that will expire in June 2025.…
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Head of ECHA says grouping can simplify REACH procedures
(4 December 2024) “Chemical grouping […] is a good way to simplify […]. By looking at groups [of chemicals], we can in a way address all the chemicals in one setting but also give the industry the certainty about the actions that are going to happen to a particular chemical”, said Dr. Sharon McGuinness, Executive-director…
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The EEB Chemical Working Group Newsletter of October 2024
HEJSupport’s work on the Global Plastics Treaty and a new project on plastic waste in Eastern Europe, Caucasus and Central Asia is featured in the EEB Chemical Working Group Newsletter published in October 2024. This issue explores vital topics in EU policy and chemical regulations, including on PFAS. Significant policy changes following the EU elections,…
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EU officials broke the law by delaying bans on dangerous chemicals
Each moment of inaction allows more toxins to seep into our daily lives
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Only 29.5% of European surface waters achieve good chemical status
The decline of European surface water quality is largely due to the presence of toxic substances
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Open letter – reaction to Draghi Report
HEJSupport joined a group of civil society organizations expressing concerns regarding the recently published Draghi report. The report aims to assist the European Commission in shaping a plan for sustainable prosperity and competitiveness, including the creation of a Clean Industrial Deal. A key takeaway from the Draghi report is that the chemicals sector, by far…
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No more hypocritical, cruel, unfair and intolerable trade
“Unfair” trade loopholes allow European companies to export toxic products banned from the EU market
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Prioritizing PMT and vPvM Chemicals: UBA’s Regulatory Actions to Protect Water Resources
UBA’s focus on PMT chemicals stems from a critical need to protect water resources, as many substances remain difficult to assess.
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NGOs call on EU policymakers to put an end to PVC
PVC exposes us to toxic chemicals, threatening water sources, the ozone layer, and other critical natural systems essential to planetary health.
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EU is planning to stricter regulate BPA in food contact materials
BPA in food contact materials has been a topic of public and scientific concern for many years, with continuous research examining its toxicity.
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Toxic-Free Toys: Internal Market Committee Reaffirms Previous Parliament’s Stance
The European Parliament stands for restricting the most harmful chemicals in toys
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Chancellor Scholz Supports Industry-Friendly PFAS Strategy Amid Environmental and Health Concerns
Germany is one of the five countries that submitted the universal PFAS restriction proposal to ECHA in March 2023
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The Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) is in effect
Successful implementation of the ESPR will depend on strong stakeholder engagement
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Von der Leyen to simplify REACH for more circularity and resilience
(18 July 2024) Newly elected President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, wants to simplify the chemicals safety law REACH as part of a “continued shift to a more sustainable pattern of production and consumption, retaining the value of resources in our economy longer”, according to her political guidelines. This provides an additional…
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Push for the European Pact for the Future
By supporting the European Pact for the Future you can help drive policies that foster sustainability and social equity across Europe.
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Ministers Call on the EU Commission to Maintain Ambition in Chemical Strategy for Sustainability
Environmental ministers urged “the Commission to keep a high level of ambition in the implementation of the strategy”
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ECHA Initiates Review to Classify ‘Forever Chemical’ TFA as Reprotoxic 1B
A classification as reprotoxic 1B would lead to a ban of PFAS pesticides
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The BANner PFAS initiative
We, European civil society organisations, urge to ban all PFAS in consumer products by 2025 and to have a complete ban by 2030.
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Countries Approve Ban on Hazardous Bisphenols in Food Contact Materials
A Member State committee has issued a favorable opinion on a proposed ban of bisphenol A and “other hazardous bisphenols” in specific food contact materials.
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Have you heard about PFAS?
Less than 1 in 4 Eastern Europeans have heard of PFAS pollution. There is a similarly low level of awareness in France and the Iberian Peninsula.
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Creating a better world for future generations
As the new 2024-2029 mandate approaches, EU politicians must urgently address widespread pollution, and its negative impacts on health and the economy.
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Particular PFAS found in rivers and groundwater across Europe
PFAS was present in all 23 surface water samples and six groundwater samples in 10 EU countries
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The European People’s Party has shown more ambition on pollution than on other green issues
Environmental groups rated EPP at 30% for fighting pollution, compared to 19% for nature protection and 25% for climate action.
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Our vision for a prosperous and sustainable industry: a positive blueprint for the future
To ensure sustainable industry, a zero-pollution, toxic-free, socially just, resource-preserving, and decarbonized industry are needed.