EPA Updates Clean Air Act Standards Applicable to Small Waste Incinerators
On June 30, 2025, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finalized updates to its New Source Performance Standards (NSPS) and Emission Guidelines for Other Solid Waste Incineration (OSWI) units under the Clean Air Act (CAA). These units — combustion systems that incinerate solid waste from commercial or institutional sources not otherwise regulated under specific incinerator categories — include very small municipal waste combustors and institutional incinerators. The final rule includes applicability-related and definitional changes expanding the class of incinerators subject to NSPS, revises the OSWI subcategories and tightens emission limits for key pollutants. It also adopts changes to startup, shutdown, and malfunction (SSM), and expands testing, monitoring, reporting, and recordkeeping requirements that will affect both existing and new OSWI units.
California Proposes Adding Microplastics to Candidate Chemicals List – Comment Period Open Through August 4, 2025
The California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) has proposed to amend its Safer Consumer Products (SCP) regulations by adding microplastics to the Candidate Chemicals List (Cal. Code Regs., tit. 22, § 69502.2). While this proposed action does not impose immediate compliance obligations, it has substantial implications because once microplastics are listed as Candidate Chemicals, DTSC may identify consumer products containing microplastics as Priority Products. The identification of a Priority Product triggers requirements under California law for manufacturers and entities throughout the supply chain, who must assess alternative product formulations and are subject to response measures prescribed by DTSC.
