EPA Drops Rules That Would Have Added Chemical Recycling Regulations
Federal officials are scrapping a set of proposed rules that one trade group said created a cloud of uncertainty and dampened interest in chemical recycling of plastics for the past two years.
During the Joe Biden administration, in June 2023, the U.S. Environmental Protection proposed a set of new regulations, officially called Significant New Use Rules (SNUR), under the Toxic Substances Control Act that would have further governed plastics that undergo chemical recycling.
EPA originally wanted the new rules in place to give the agency at least 90 days of notice to study the significant new use of certain chemicals that can be included in plastics, and the impact of the chemical recycling process regarding those substances.
Chemical recycling, also known as advanced or molecular recycling, is a suite of technologies that breaks down used plastics to their molecular constituents to then create new products, commonly fuel. This approach differs from the more common mechanical recycling process that keeps the properties of plastics during reclamation process.
But the EPA under President Donald Trump's administration officially abandoned the proposed SNURs on June 9, saying an underlying TSCA order that was the basis for the new rules was withdrawn in December 2024, according to a notice in the Federal Register.
The American Chemistry Council trade group, which raised concerns at the time the proposed SNURs were first revealed in 2023, is happy to see the idea ditched.
"We welcome EPA's decision to withdraw the 18 proposed Significant New Use Rules (SNURs), which imposed unnecessary burdens and hindered investments in the advanced recycling industry. The SNURs lacked the scientific basis required under TSCA ," said Ross Eisenberg, president of America's Plastic Makers, in a statement.
America's Plastics Makers is an arm of the American Chemistry Council trade group that includes 19 ACC Plastics Division member companies.
"These proposed rules not only exceeded EPA's SNUR authority by attempting to regulate feedstock impurities, but also failed to recognize the thermal and chemical transformation processes — such as pyrolysis — that can remove these impurities during the advanced recycling process," he said.
"The uncertainty and regulatory overreach created by the SNURs had already slowed progress and stalled investment in advanced recycling and the solutions needed to improve recycling rates in the U.S.," Eisenberg said in his statement. "Advanced recycling is critical to scaling up a circular economy, where we reuse and recycle many more plastics than we do today — strengthening our domestic supply chains, creating American jobs, and conserving our natural resources."
ACC also previously said there is a separate set of rules created in 2021 that already regulates chemical recycling under the Clean Air Act.
The Plastics Industry Association trade group also applauded the move.
"We commend the EPA for its prudent decision to withdraw the proposed SNURs — a move that aligns with the broader goals of strengthening U.S. manufacturing and advancing a more circular economy," said Chris Rager, vice president of government affairs, in a statement.
"Regulatory clarity is essential to unlocking investment, accelerating innovation in recycling technologies and reinforcing America's leadership in materials science," he said.
US chem stocks rally as EPA withdraws proposed Biden-era rules restricting chemical uses
ICIS | Adam Yanelli | July 8, 2025
US-listed shares of chemical companies rose on Tuesday after the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) withdrew proposed rules under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA).
Chemours shares were up by more than 10% mid-afternoon on Tuesday, while the S&P 500 hovered around unchanged.
The withdrawn proposed rule, a significant new use rule (SNUR) under the TSCA, would have required businesses that intended to manufacture or import any of 18 specific chemical substances derived from plastic waste to notify the EPA at least 90 days prior to beginning any activity.
New uses under the SNUR included manufacturing, processing, use, distribution in commerce, or disposal that do not conform to restrictions imposed from other TSCA requirements.
Also, another proposed SNUR targeted manufacturing or processing of chemical substances using feedstocks containing any amount of heavy metals (chromium, cadmium, chromium VI, lead, or mercury), dioxins, phthalates, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), and benzophenone, bisphenol A, ethyl glycol and methyl glycol.
During its recent annual meeting in Colorado Springs, Colorado, the America Chemistry Council (ACC), a trade group that represents chemical companies, said it was optimistic that EPA regulatory shifts could emerge under the Trump Administration.
The ACC also submitted to the EPA a list of more than 30 regulations it felt the agency could examine.
TRUMP COULD ASSESS 50% COPPER TARIFFS
Trump, speaking to assembled media at the White House during a cabinet meeting on Tuesday, said that he was planning on announcing a 50% tariff on copper imports later in the day.
“Today we are doing copper,” Trump said. “I believe we are going to make it 50%.”
The Wall Street Journal, citing Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, said the copper tariffs will take effect on 1 August.
US copper futures prices for September delivery jumped by 12% after the announcement and were up about 10% when markets closed.