News Clips

Explore the lastes news and information from around the globe on environmental regulatory issues that are relevant to the retail industry.

OSHA Reveals Top 10 Violations for 2019 at NSC Congress and Expo (Source: National Safety Council)

This list challenges us to expect more from employers and recommit to safety as employees.

9/10/2019

Staples launches new policy to drive toxic chemicals out of office supplies, electronics, textiles, and other products (Source: Safer Chemicals)

New commitment targets PFAS, organohalogen flame retardants, phthalates, bisphenols, and other dangerous chemicals for safe substitution.

10/31/2019

Packaging EPR on the way in another Canadian province (Source: Resource Recycling)

New Brunswick will require that manufacturers pay for the end-of-life collection and processing of the packaging materials they produce.

11/5/2019

EPA settlement with Kansas-based pesticide distributor resolves alleged violations of pesticide labeling requirements (Source: EPA News Release)

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today announced a settlement with PBI-Gordon Corporation (PBI) of Shawnee, Kansas, resolving alleged violations of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) in Longmont, Colorado, and Monroe, Washington.

11/6/2019

EPA’s Methylene Chloride Consumer Ban Will Take Effect Soon (Source: The Well)

Even though the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency issued its ban of methylene chloride for consumer use in paint and coating removal on March 27, 2019, the prohibition actually takes effect on November 23, 2019.

11/6/2019

Compliance Deadline Approaching for California Cleaning Product Disclosures while New York Program Stalls (Source: Beveridge & Diamond)

By January 1, 2021, the California RTK Act will require ingredient disclosures on product labels.

11/8/2019

FDA flag retailer for selling over-the-counter drugs made by companies with ‘pattern of serious violations’ (Source: CNBC)

FDA issues a warning letter to a discount retailer for allegedly selling drugs from foreign companies that have violated U.S. federal law.

11/14/2019

U.S. EPA settles with Arizona pesticide manufacturer for selling unregistered and misbranded pesticides (Source: EPA)

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a settlement with Decon7 Systems LLC (Decon7) related to two pesticides produced by the Scottsdale company that were not registered with the EPA and were labeled with false and misleading claims about their safety and efficacy.

11/18/2019

Increasing Recycling: Adding Aerosol Cans to the Universal Waste Regulations (Source: EPA)

With this rule, EPA adds hazardous waste aerosol cans to those “universal wastes” regulated under title 40 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), part 273.

11/18/2019

New report reveals top retailers making major chemical safety advances (Source: Safer Chemicals)

Largest-ever analysis finds dramatic improvements among retailers between 2016 and 2019.

11/19/2019

Greening Up Your Ecommerce Operations During the Holiday Sprint (Source: Multi-channel Merchant)

The holiday shopping season is well underway, and The National Retail Federation is predicting holiday retail sales will total between $727.9 billion and $730.7 billion this year, and ecommerce is projected to grow 14.1% this holiday season, according to Adobe Analytics.

11/19/2019

Fertilizer dealers settle with EPA over risk management violations (Source: AgriPulse)

Fertilizer retailers in Nebraska and Iowa have settled complaints with EPA over their management of anhydrous ammonia — specifically, allegations they did not comply with risk management provisions in the Clean Air Act.

11/20/2019

DEP fines Car Dealership $17k for alleged air quality, waste violations (Source: Telegram)

The state Department of Environmental Protection Friday announced a $17,021 fine against The Harr Motor Company for alleged violations of environmental regulations at two city facilities.

12/6/2019

Disruptor of the Year: ThredUp (Source: Retail Dive)

This year could be considered the year the circular economy really took hold, particularly the resale space, and a major force leading the charge was e-commerce platform ThredUp.

12/9/2019

California fines retailer a record $3.6 million for failing to recycle (Source: Market Watch)

California is one of 10 states with a deposit-refund system for beverage containers

12/9/2019

Companies Say They Want to Save the Planet—but They Can’t Agree How (Source: Wall Street Journal)

IKEA, Henkel and H&M are among those promising to go climate positive, but differ on what the term means

12/10/2019

Hawaii’s Most Populated Island Passes Sweeping Single-Use Plastic Ban (Source: Huffington Post)

Honolulu passed a bill banning most plastic utensils, food containers and straws on the island of Oahu, where almost 70% of the state’s residents live.

12/16/2019

Expert Opinion: Three Waste Regulations Making Big Impact in 2020 (Source: CSA)

There are several key regulations that will impact all industries that generate waste in 2020, including the Hazardous Waste Generator Improvements Rule, varied electronic waste policies and further implementation of the e-Manifest system.

12/17/2019

Come Jan. 1, Oregonians must pay 5 cents for grocery bags (Source: Oregon Live)

Oregon became the fourth state in the nation when lawmakers passed a statewide plastic bag ban earlier this year. The new law takes effect Jan. 1.

12/27/2019

Polybags in the Fashion Industry: Evaluating the Options (Source: Fashion for Good)

Polybags are the ubiquitous packaging of the fashion industry – something that unites brands small and large, from sportswear to luxury, to fast fashion retailers. This is the clear plastic bag which covers every garment from manufacturing to retail stores or consumer homes. In some cases, it is removed before it gets to a consumer, but polybags are still present ‘behind the scenes’.

12/31/2019

Wegmans to Phase Out Single-Use Plastic Bags in New York (Source: Supermarket News)

Wegmans Food Markets plans to pull single-use plastic bags from all of its 47 New York stores on January 27.

1/6/2020

Advocacy Groups Have a New Opening to Enforce the CWA When States Do Not Act (Source: National Law Review)

A district court judge adopted the rarely applied “constructive submission” doctrine, which could ultimately give advocacy groups leverage over states that ignore Clean Water Act (CWA) requirements.

1/8/2020

Local Business Owner Arrested for Illegal Tire Dumping (Source: Daily Commercial)

Investigators reportedly found more than 10,000 dumped tires, many of them containing still water, which creates a prime breeding ground for mosquitoes among other things.

1/8/2020

OEHHA Adopts Amendments to Prop 65 Retail Seller Responsibilities (Source: National Law Review)

On January 14, 2020, California’s Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) adopted amendments it proposed on November 16, 2018, and modified on October 4, 2019, to the Proposition 65 (Prop 65) regulations setting forth the circumstances when a “retail seller” is responsible for providing consumer product exposure warnings. The amendments are effective on April 1, 2020.

1/17/2020

How the Textile Exchange's new index aims to make a material difference (Source: GreenBiz)

A new tool aims to push apparel and home furnishings companies further toward sustainability, and ramps up efforts by the textile and fashion industries to align material choices with the Sustainable Development Goals.