EDC Policy Updates

A coalition of European Editors-in-Chief to a wide array of toxicology journals published an editorial highlighting the extensive consequences of the Trump administration’s layoffs within U.S. regulatory agencies, including the Food and Drug Administration, the Environmental Protection Agency, The National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In short:

Farm groups praised the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency this week for easing restrictions on insecticide use, a move that critics say could harm endangered species and public health. Carey Gillam reports for The New Lede.

Florida lawmakers passed a bill that would ban fluoride in public drinking water, setting the stage for the state to become the second in the U.S. to prohibit the widely used dental health additive. Mirna Alsharif reports for NBC News.

A North Carolina teacher’s cancer diagnosis and a surge in contaminated drinking water systems highlight the stakes as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency prepares to defend or alter its limits on PFAS chemicals. Michael Phillis reports for The Associated Press.

A major United Nations meeting opened this week in Geneva to consider banning the pesticide chlorpyrifos and two other toxic compounds linked to long-lasting environmental and health effects. Leigh Krietsch Boerner reports for Chemical & Engineering News.

The EPA says it’s getting serious about PFAS, but advocates say it smells like a stall tactic wrapped in bureaucratic jargon. Keerti Gopal reports for Inside Climate News.

Microplastic pellet spills from European industry and shipping could face stricter oversight under new European Union regulations, though environmental groups warn of major enforcement flaws. Alex Shaw reports for Mongabay.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin defended the Trump administration’s sweeping environmental deregulation agenda Sunday, saying it would not harm the environment and aligns with Americans’ economic concerns. Lauren Irwin reports for The Hill.

A major industry group has urged the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to dismantle key pollution and chemical safety rules adopted under former President Biden. Sean Reilly and Ellie Borst report for E&E News.

Dutch neurologist Bas Bloem believes the global explosion of Parkinson’s disease is less a mystery of aging than a consequence of widespread chemical exposure — and that regulators have failed to act on the science. Bartosz Brzeziński reports for Politico.

A bill that would have blocked lawsuits against pesticide companies over health warnings failed again in the Iowa legislature, despite a push from Bayer-backed lobbyists and support from Senate Republicans. Anika Jane Beamer reports for Inside Climate News.

A sweeping new executive order from President Trump would force federal agencies to eliminate key environmental regulations unless they’re reapproved annually, a move legal scholars say is likely unlawful and could endanger public health. Kiley Bense reports for Inside Climate News.

A new European Union regulation bans PFAS and other hormone-disrupting chemicals in toys, aiming to curb health risks and tighten online toy safety. Richard Connor reports for Deutsche Welle.

As more states try to ban PFAS in consumer products, industry groups are mobilizing to protect their bottom line — even as health risks mount. Molly Taft reports for Wired.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will reexamine the safety of fluoride in drinking water — marking a win for Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has long pushed to end the practice. Ellie Borst and Ariel Wittenberg report for E&E News.

Firefighters stand on the front lines of disaster, battling wildfires that may consume thousands of acres, responding to emergencies in rural communities, and putting themselves in harm’s way to keep their communities safe. Yet many do not know that the greatest threat may not be the blazes they extinguish but the very gear designed to safeguard them. The PFAS Alternatives Act offers a long-overdue path to protecting firefighters from these harmful substances. The bill, which intends to fund the development of safer alternatives and train first responders on how to minimize chemical exposure, represents a turning point in the fight against the prevalent contamination.

The Trump administration is poised to announce whether it will weaken or uphold Biden-era rules limiting toxic PFAS in drinking water and holding polluters accountable for cleanup. Rachel Frazin reports for The Hill.

A plan under the Trump administration to rewrite U.S. Environmental Protection Agency chemical risk evaluations could wipe out hundreds of state-level bans on hazardous substances like PFAS, exposing Americans to higher levels of toxic chemicals in everyday products. Tom Perkins reports for The Guardian.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. wants the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to stop recommending fluoride in U.S. drinking water. Anumita Kaur reports for The Washington Post.

As the Trump administration reconsiders strict federal PFAS limits, states and advocates worry a rollback could leave millions exposed to toxic chemicals in their drinking water. Shannon Kelleher reports for The New Lede.