Non-food legislation – April 2025

Hazardous substances - rules and regulations in the EU
REACH places controls on chemicals that may be potentially hazardous for humans, animals or the environment. One of its accompanying acts – Regulation (EC) 440/2008 – lists the approved methods for testing chemicals. On 3 April 2025, the EC opened a consultation on adding a number of new/updated methods to that list.
The EC has released an Explanatory Guide to help stakeholders implement the REACH microplastics restriction.
ECHA (183 kB) has announced the 28 substances that are up for evaluation under the REACH Community rolling action plan (CoRAP) for the years 2025-2027.
SGS reports that ECHA has launched a consultation on the listing of three chemicals as substances of very high concern (SVHCs). If approved, the number of SVHCs on the Candidate List will expand from 247 entries to 250 entries.
In March 2025, the EP published an update (80 kB) on the ‘one substance, one assessment’ (OSOA) package. The reform is part of the 2020 EU Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability. During the April 2025 plenary session, the EP adopted its position on the OSOA package.

Hazardous substances - rules and regulations in the UK and the US
UK: The government has published two amendments to the legislation on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs): UK SI 2025/296 and UK SI 2025/297. DEFRA has updated the guidance documents.
SGS reports that HSE has announced the sixth edition of its GB mandatory classification and labelling list (GB MCL list) for substances and mixtures. This latest edition incorporates new or revised mandatory classification and labelling for 46 substances.
US: An analysis by Safer States shows that at least 32 US states will be considering toxic chemicals and plastics legislation in 2025. At least 29 states will likely consider policies to address PFAS.
New Mexico: The government (197 kB) has adopted legislation banning PFAS in a number of items like food packaging as of 2027. By 2032, all non-exempt products with intentionally added PFAS will be banned.

EU toy safety
The EP and the Council have reached a provisional agreement on new EU toy safety rules. All toys sold in the EU will have to bear a clearly visible digital product passport (DPP) showing compliance with the relevant safety rules. The DPP will also offer consumers easy access to safety information and warnings, via a QR code, for example.

Research on PFAS and on microplastics
Researchers from the University at Buffalo have identified a strain of bacteria that can break down and transform at least three types of PFAS and some of their toxic byproducts. The study (abstract) is published in Science of the Total Environment.
Researchers from the University of Oxford have developed a method to destroy PFAS while recovering their fluorine content for future use. The study (5.86 MB) is published in Nature.
Tiny bits of plastic found in the ocean may be tied to a higher risk of disability for people who live in coastal areas with high levels of microplastics, according to a study by the American Academy of Neurology.

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