As reported in our December 5, 2023, memorandum, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed updates to the Safer Choice Standard on November 14, 2023, that include a name change to the Safer Choice and Design for the Environment (DfE) Standard (Standard), an update to the packaging criteria, the addition of a Safer Choice certification for cleaning service providers, a provision allowing for preterm partnership termination under exceptional circumstances, and the addition of several product and functional use class requirements. 88 Fed. Reg. 78017. On January 16, 2024, California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced that, alongside a coalition of 12 attorneys general, he submitted a comment letter that:
- Supports EPA’s proposed revisions to its Safer Choice Standard;
- Recommends that EPA not allow products with plastic primary packaging to use the Safer Choice label or DfE logo;
- Recommends that if EPA does allow products with plastic primary packaging to use the label and logo, EPA should prohibit the use of chemical recycling in meeting the proposed standard’s plastic packaging recycled content requirements; and
- Calls on EPA to exclude any products or packaging that contain any per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), “whether intentionally introduced or not.”