EDC Policy Updates

A sweeping government report on children’s health has reignited criticism of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)’s outdated approach to food packaging chemicals, as researchers call for stronger oversight of endocrine disruptors and toxic mixtures. Brian Bienkowski reports for The New Lede.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has extended a key deadline requiring manufacturers to disclose internal safety data on 16 toxic chemicals, shifting away from earlier regulatory timelines under the Biden administration. Amudalat Ajasa reports for The Washington Post.

More than 90 countries have renewed calls for a binding international treaty to reduce plastic production and eliminate harmful chemicals, setting the stage for contentious negotiations this August. France 24 reports.

The Trump administration’s proposed reversal of major U.S. Environmental Protection Agency pollution rules could lead to tens of thousands of premature deaths and erase hundreds of billions in annual health and climate benefits, according to an Associated Press analysis. Seth Borenstein, M.K. Wildeman, Melina Walling, Joshua A. Bickel and Matthew Daly report for The Associated Press.

Swati Rayasam, a public health scientist at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s San Francisco office, was put on administrative leave as part of a broader Trump administration move to dismantle environmental justice programs, despite laws requiring protection of vulnerable populations from chemical risks. Sean Reilly and Ellie Borst report for E&E News.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has lost more than 700 career staffers since January, with further reductions expected under President Trump’s budget plan to slash science and environmental programs. Rachel Frazin reports for The Hill.

The Biden-appointed leadership of the Chemical Safety Board says its work is more important than ever, but the White House wants it gone by 2026. Maxine Joselow reports for The Washington Post.

Despite growing concerns over PFAS contamination in water, soil, and food across Texas, legislators ended their 2025 session without passing any bills to study or regulate the toxic chemicals. Alejandra Martinez reports for The Texas Tribune.

Texas lawmakers passed a food labeling bill that unites parts of the political spectrum by targeting chemical additives in food, though critics warn it may raise costs and create national supply chain issues. Terri Langford and Jess Huff report for The Texas Tribune.

President Trump has revoked federal rules on water conservation and plastic use, stirring concern among experts who warn that the U.S. faces worsening water shortages and growing health risks from plastic pollution. William S. Becker writes for The Hill.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is walking back water limits for several toxic PFAS chemicals, sparking outcry from scientists and public health advocates. But how much of a difference can limits on individual PFAS compounds make if thousands of others remain unregulated? Joseph Winters reports for Grist.

Vermont officials are reassessing their tighter drinking water standards for toxic PFAS chemicals after the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency rolled back parts of its landmark 2023 regulations and extended deadlines for compliance. Olivia Gieger reports for VTDigger.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is moving to gut its independent chemical risk program, potentially stalling regulation of dangerous substances and handing a long-sought victory to the chemical industry. Molly Taft reports for Wired.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will retain strict limits for two common PFAS chemicals in drinking water but delay enforcement and rescind standards for four others. Hiroko Tabuchi reports for The New York Times.

Editor’s note: This op-ed was written by Frederick vom Saal and 15 co-authors. The full list of co-authors, their affiliations, and their contact information is included below. As senior environmental health researchers and physicians, we are united in our concern about the escalating prevalence of chronic diseases in the United States. To stop the increase of these chronic disease epidemics, it is essential to change the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s current lack of regulatory oversight of toxic chemicals in food.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced plans to phase out ingestible fluoride supplements for children, aligning with Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s push to limit fluoride use over health concerns. Matthew Perrone reports for The Associated Press.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is backing off parts of a major drinking water rule targeting toxic PFAS chemicals, raising fears of weaker protections for millions of Americans. Amudalat Ajasa reports for The Washington Post.

A new federal push to eliminate synthetic food dyes highlights broader failures in U.S. food safety regulation and growing concerns about the health effects of thousands of additives in everyday products. Julia Belluz writes for The New York Times.

A proposed law in France that would weaken the authority of the country’s health watchdog and potentially reauthorize banned pesticides has drawn strong opposition from over 1,000 doctors and scientists. Radio France Internationale reports.

In a dramatic shake-up, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is moving dozens of scientists from its research office to chemical review roles, prompting fears of weakened environmental protections. Lisa Friedman and Hiroko Tabuchi report for The New York Times.