Microplastics Regulation: EPA Declines to Act, California Moves Forward
EPA and California took opposite approaches to microplastics regulation within weeks of each other. On July 1, 2026, EPA proposed to omit microplastics from the Sixth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR 6). Two weeks earlier on June 18, California’s Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) finalized a regulation adding microplastics to the state’s Safer Consumer […]
DTSC Releases Microplastics Background Document Ahead of December Workshop
This month, California’s Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) released a public background document summarizing its research on products that contain or generate microplastics. DTSC is requesting comment on the specific product categories evaluated in the document through January 16, 2026. The department will also hold a virtual workshop to receive public input on December […]
California Proposes Listing Microplastics as an SCP Candidate Chemical
California’s Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) has proposed to designate microplastics as a “candidate chemical,” a move that could lead to future regulation of products that contain or generate microplastics under the state’s Safer Consumer Products (SCP) program. Adding microplastics to the SCP candidate chemical list would not in itself create new regulatory requirements. However, […]
DTSC Finalizes SCP Priority Product Work Plan
This October, California’s Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) released the final version of the Safer Consumer Products (SCP) Program’s Three-Year Priority Product Work Plan for 2024–2026. The work plan identifies eight categories of consumer products that DTSC will evaluate to determine whether specific products within those categories should be designated as Priority Products—product-chemical combinations […]
DTSC Approves Preliminary Report on 6PPD Alternatives
This August, the California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) approved a revised stage 1 alternatives analysis report for 6PPD (CASRN 793-24-8) from the U.S. Tire Manufacturers Association (USTMA). The preliminary report identified seven potential 6PPD alternatives for use in tires, which will be further assessed in the stage 2 alternatives analysis report due in […]
Microplastics and PPD Derivatives Proposed for Regulation in California
California state regulators recently announced plans to potentially regulate two additional groups of chemicals under the state’s Safer Consumer Products Program (“SCP”). The California Department of Toxic Substances Control (“DTSC”) has proposed adding microplastics and para-Phenylenediamine (“PPD”) derivatives to its Candidate Chemicals List (“CCL”) due to their reported impacts on human health and the environment. […]
California Department of Toxic Substances Hosted Engagement Sessions on Sustainable Chemistry Definition
The California Department of Toxic Substances Control (CDTSC) hosted two engagement sessions encouraging stakeholders to share their perspectives on an actionable definition of sustainable chemistry that was provided by the Expert Committee on Sustainable Chemistry (ECOSChem). ECOSChem is a 20-person group including representatives from academia, government, industry, and non-governmental organizations. The group has been tasked […]
California Issues Expanded Draft Priority Product Workplan
The California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) recently issued a Draft Three-Year Priority Product Work Plan (2018-2020) under the state Safer Consumer Products program (also known as the “green chemistry” program). The draft Work Plan would supersede the current plan adopted in 2015, and lists the categories of products that DTSC intends to investigate […]
Draft Alternatives Analysis Guide released for California’s Safer Consumer Products program.
On Monday, the California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) released a draft version of its Alternatives Analysis Guide, a document that will be critical to the implementation of the state’s Safer Consumer Products (SCP) program. Once finalized, the Guide will provide a framework and steps to help responsible entities (the manufacturers, importers, assemblers, and […]
California’s Department of Toxic Substances Control is Seeking Collaboration on the Next Round of Products
The Safer Consumer Products (SCP) program, under CA’s Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC), is using a four-step process to reduce toxic chemicals in products that consumers buy and use. One of these steps includes developing Priority Products, which are products that contain one or more Candidate Chemicals. The DTSC is now seeking stakeholder engagement […]