Search Climate Insights Directory

The Institute for Policy Integrity warns that the EPA is implementing unsupported changes to its toxic chemicals risk evaluation framework and specific assessments, such as for formaldehyde, which may lead to flawed decisions and inadequate safety standards.

The report examines how wastewater treatment plants can be transformed into carbon removal hubs by managing alkalinity and repurposing biosolids. It identifies two primary intervention categories: alkalinity management (including Wastewater Alkalinity Enhancement and Ocean Alkalinity Enhancement) and biosolids management (including biomass burial, biochar, supercritical water oxidation, and incineration with CCS). The document highlights synergies such as the safe destruction of PFAS and the use of existing pumping infrastructure to reduce capital and energy costs. Globally, the biogenic carbon in municipal wastewater represents a theoretical removal potential of 120–460 MtCO2 per year, though current treatment rates limit this to 70–260 MtCO2. Key barriers to scale include feedstock supply chain development, quantification challenges for carbon credits, and ecological risks.

Earthjustice's Counter/Act report details its multifaceted legal and advocacy response to the second Trump administration's environmental policy rollbacks. The organization has scaled up litigation, launched a dedicated enforcement team to fill gaps in federal oversight, and shifted focus toward state-level protections for clean energy and public health. Key achievements include defending electric vehicle infrastructure, challenging the repeal of the endangerment finding, and securing state-level wins on landfill emissions in Colorado and environmental justice laws in New Jersey.

The statement contends that EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin has overseen a period of significant deregulation and funding cuts that undermine public health and environmental protection. It highlights the removal of human life valuation from air pollution analyses, the cancellation of $22 billion in environmental justice grants, and a 90 percent budget cut to the Clean Water State Revolving Fund despite PFAS reduction being listed as a priority. The author asserts that these actions, alongside the dismantling of the Office of Research and Development and a 52 percent overall budget cut, prioritize industry interests over scientific integrity and community health.

The brief supports the reversal of a district court decision that dismissed claims against the EPA for failing to regulate PFAS in sewage sludge. It asserts that PFAS are highly toxic 'forever chemicals' commonly found in sewage sludge used as fertilizer, which contaminates soil, water, and food chains. The authors argue that local governments in Pennsylvania and New York face significant technical, fiscal, and legal hurdles—including state preemption and 'Right to Farm' laws—that prevent them from protecting residents. Legally, the brief contends that CWA Section 405(d)(2)(C) requires the EPA to not only review but also promulgate regulations for newly identified toxic pollutants at least every two years.

The Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) empowers the U.S. EPA to regulate chemicals across their lifecycle. Following 2016 amendments, the EPA must conduct risk evaluations based on hazard and exposure, without considering costs, to determine if a chemical poses an 'unreasonable risk.' If such a risk is found, the EPA must implement risk management rules, which can include bans or restrictions. The TSCA does not regulate chemicals in pesticides, tobacco, weapons, food, drugs, cosmetics, or medical devices, though these are considered as background exposures.

The report details how industrial actors employ strategies such as suppressing harmful data, funding biased research, and using front groups to avoid regulation of toxic chemicals. It provides case studies on PFAS, Bisphenol A (BPA), benzene, and neonicotinoids to illustrate these patterns of disinformation. The document concludes that to protect public health and the environment, companies producing hazardous substances should be prohibited from influencing the formulation of the policies that regulate them.

The document outlines a 'playbook' of industry tactics used to block chemical regulations, including the suppression of harmful data, the funding of biased research, and the use of front groups. It provides detailed case studies on PFAS, Bisphenol A (BPA), benzene, and pesticides to illustrate these patterns. The authors argue that because of this history of manipulation, chemical manufacturers and their trade associations should be prohibited from participating in the regulatory processes that govern their products, similar to the WHO's approach to the tobacco industry.

The document outlines a 'playbook' of corporate strategies used to avoid regulation of hazardous substances, including withholding data, undermining independent science, and using front groups. It provides case studies on PFAS, Bisphenol A (BPA), benzene, and neonicotinoids to illustrate these tactics and recommends banning industry participation in regulatory policymaking to protect human health and the environment.

A joint submission by multiple NGOs and experts to the UN Special Rapporteur detailing systemic human rights violations in the U.S. linked to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). The authors argue that the U.S. government has failed to regulate PFAS as a class, allowed military and industrial contamination of drinking water, and permitted corporate structures to shield polluters from accountability. The report highlights disproportionate impacts on Arctic Indigenous Peoples and Black and Latino communities, while noting the global transboundary movement of PFAS waste and pollution originating from the U.S.

The document examines the application of the Polluter-Pays Principle (PPP) to the PFAS pollution crisis, noting that clean-up costs in Europe could exceed €100 billion per year. It argues that the PPP must be expanded to cover legacy, present, and future pollution, regardless of whether it was legal at the time, and should target both producers and users. The authors recommend combining taxes, fees, and extended producer responsibility (EPR) schemes with strict phase-out measures and criminal penalties to ensure that the financial burden of direct and indirect societal costs is shifted from citizens to polluters.

The document examines the systemic failure to apply the Polluter-Pays Principle (PPP) to PFAS pollution, noting that clean-up costs in Europe could exceed €100 billion annually. It proposes a framework where the PPP covers legacy, present, and future pollution—regardless of legality—and targets both producers and users. The authors advocate for a combination of taxes, Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes, and risk-pooling funds to prevent public funds from bearing the cost of remediation, while emphasizing that the PPP must be paired with a total phase-out of PFAS.

The document examines the health and economic impacts of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), known as "forever chemicals," and advocates for a categorical regulatory approach. It highlights that current U.S. efforts, such as EPA drinking water limits, are insufficient because manufacturers can replace banned individual PFAS with other similar chemicals. The brief notes that annual health damages in the U.S. are estimated between $920.91 million and $62.6 billion across different studies, though these are likely underestimates. While cleanup technologies for water exist, those for soil and air remain undeveloped, making restrictions and bans the most cost-effective way to address ongoing contamination.

Friends of the Earth conducted lab tests on Target's Good & Gather baby food in August 2025, finding 29 different pesticides across apple and pear purées. The analysis identified 16 highly hazardous pesticides, including carcinogens, endocrine disruptors, and neurotoxins, as well as five PFAS 'forever chemicals'. The report highlights that while levels were below U.S. EPA limits, these standards are outdated and fail to account for the vulnerability of developing infants. It further links the use of these pesticides to biodiversity loss, specifically harming pollinators and soil health, and advocates for a transition to organic farming to reduce toxic exposure and mitigate climate change.

CAPE identifies a public health crisis linked to plastics and PFAS, noting that 98.5% of Canadians have detectable PFAS in their blood. The document highlights severe health risks including cancer and endocrine disruption, emphasizes the disproportionate burden on vulnerable populations and communities like Sarnia's Chemical Valley, and urges the Canadian federal government to phase out non-essential PFAS and stop fossil fuel subsidies.

The document criticizes the US government for granting 'licenses to pollute' to chemical and coal companies, which exposes children to hazardous substances like PFAS, lead, and pesticides. It argues that children are uniquely vulnerable to these toxins and demands the immediate phase-out of organophosphate pesticides, stricter air and water quality standards, and the prohibition of phthalates in consumer products.

The document highlights the environmental and health risks associated with spreading sewage sludge on approximately 70 million acres of U.S. farmland, noting that such sludge often contains per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). It criticizes the EPA for failing to finalize risk assessments for PFOA and PFOS and for underestimating the risks of over 150 other PFAS chemicals detected in sludge. The text cites specific farm failures in Maine and Michigan due to contamination and notes that while some states like Maine have banned the practice, others still encourage it. The author calls for federal regulations, the protection of local government authority to restrict sludge use, and corporate accountability for clean-up.

A coalition of 42 organizations, including Earthjustice and the NRDC, submitted comments on the EPA's Draft Sewage Sludge Risk Assessment for PFOA and PFOS. The coalition argues that the EPA's assessment confirms that these 'forever chemicals' in sewage sludge pose unacceptable risks to human health and the environment, particularly through land application on farms. They claim the EPA's risk calculations are underestimates because they use low-end concentration models and ignore combined exposure effects. The document calls for the prompt finalization of the assessment, the establishment of numerical limitations and management practices under the Clean Water Act, and the expansion of future risk assessments to include other PFAS, synthetic organic fluorine compounds, and microplastics. Additionally, they advocate for stricter pretreatment standards for industrial dischargers to prevent PFAS from entering publicly-owned treatment works.

Earthjustice reports on its efforts to secure and defend health protections against pollution and toxic chemicals. The organization highlights the use of 'citizen suits' under the Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act to hold polluters accountable, such as litigation against Suncor Energy and the County of Hawai‘i. The report emphasizes a strategic shift toward state and local legal avenues—including constitutional 'right to a healthy environment' claims in Hawai’i and New York—to mitigate the impact of federal rollbacks by the Trump administration. Key achievements include pushing for bans on PFAS in menstrual products in New York, reducing flame retardants in Washington state, and implementing zero-emissions truck rules in California. The document also details the projected life-saving impacts of federal rules secured in 2024, such as the Air Toxics Rule and the Mercury and Air Toxics Rule Update.

The SFY2025-26 New York State Budget provides significant funding for climate and water initiatives, including $1 billion for the Sustainable Future Program and a record $425 million for the Environmental Protection Fund. However, Earthjustice criticizes the budget for entirely omitting funding for the Energy Affordability Program and the NY HEAT Act, and for including amendments that weaken the Electric School Bus program.