IHMM Today is an online publication of the Institute of Hazardous Materials Management® (IHMM®).

Other than content specifically provided by IHMM, articles contained in IHMM Today are compiled from

independent sources and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of IHMM.

Inside IHMM

IHMM launched its “Open to Work” online COLLABORATION community exclusively for IHMM certificants looking to connect, share resumes, and discover job opportunities together in a supportive environment.

You can find this community after logging into COLLABORATION here: https://community.ihmm.org/home

Sean Grady, CHMM – Environmental Transformation Podcast

Sponsored Content

Environmental Protection Agency Issues its Spring 2025 Regulatory Agenda – Read more here

Department of Transportation Issues Spring 2025 Regulatory  Agenda – Read more here

Department of Labor Issues its Spring 2025 Regulatory Agenda – Read more here

IHMM Files Comments on National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants From Secondary Lead Smelting Technology Review

On November 16, 2025, IHMM filed comments on EPA’s proposed rulemaking – EPA–HQ–OAR– 2025–0078; FRL–5774–01– OAR – National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants From Secondary Lead Smelting Technology Review.

Deadline November 17, 2025

IHMM’s Comments Here

As always, IHMM’s comments are led by illustrating the breadth and strength of IHMM’s credentials; in this case, the CHMM and CHMP.

On behalf of the hazardous materials management community and the Institute of Hazardous Materials Management, we submit these comments in response to EPA’s proposed rule entitled “National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants from Secondary Lead Smelting—Technology Review”, published October 1, 2025. IHMM is an ANSI-accredited, ISO 17024-compliant credentialing body whose certificants—including Certified Hazardous Materials Managers (CHMM®) and Certified Hazardous Materials Practitioners (CHMP®)- are responsible for environmental compliance, hazardous materials management, emissions monitoring, incident response, and operational safety across a wide range of regulated industries.

Read more here.

EPA Extends Compliance Dates For Laboratories Using Methylene Chloride

EPA published on November 13, 2025, a final rule extending the compliance date for laboratories using methylene chloride to ensure long-term compliance with the requirements of the May 2024 final risk management rule. 90 Fed. Reg. 50894. According to the EPA’s November 10, 2025, press release, the final rule will extend the Workplace Chemical Protection Program (WCPP) compliance dates for non-federal laboratories by an additional 18 months, aligning them with the dates required for federal laboratories and their contractors in the May 2024 final rule. EPA states that it received comments on the May 2025 proposed rule from various laboratories that use methylene chloride.

• For initial monitoring: from May 5, 2025, to November 9, 2026.

• For establishing regulated areas and ensuring compliance with the Existing Chemical Exposure Limit (ECEL): from August 1, 2025, to February 8, 2027.

• For ensuring the methods of compliance as well as developing and implementing an exposure control plan: from October 30, 2025, to May 10, 2027.

Next Funding Fight Already Taking Shape After Government Reopens

With the federal government now reopened, Congress is turning its attention to the next funding battle.

Why it matters: The deal that ended the 43-day stalemate funds most government operations only through January 30, 2026, giving lawmakers less than three months to negotiate the next spending package and avert another disruption.

At the heart of the upcoming negotiations are deep divisions between House and Senate appropriators over topline spending levels for fiscal year 2026. Lawmakers remain tens of billions of dollars apart on critical bills funding the Defense Department and the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education.

What’s next: Looking ahead, four additional contentious bills will further test lawmakers’ dealmaking abilities. These include funding measures for the Departments of Energy, Homeland Security, State, and Treasury, including the IRS.

Read more here.

Environmental News for This Week

During this week, two major items merit legal and regulatory attention:

1. The Environmental Working Group resolved its claim against Tyson Foods, resulting in the company agreeing to cease making “net-zero” and “climate-smart beef” marketing claims unless supported by rigorous expert verification. From a compliance perspective, this outcome reinforces the risk of litigation and enforcement under consumer-protection statutes and state green-marketing laws for unsubstantiated environmental claims.

2. A new study reported that U.S. data-centers—including those serving the artificial-intelligence industry—could consume as much annual water as 10 million Americans and emit CO₂ equivalent to 10 million cars if current growth trends continue. For corporate users and developers of these facilities, exposure spans permitting, resource-allocation planning, utility contracts, and potential regulatory scrutiny under federal and state clean-water/spent-water statutes. https://e360.yale.edu/digest/data-centers-emissions?

Legal implications: Organizations should reassess marketing and sustainability communications to ensure they align with documented, verifiable action. Meanwhile, industries dependent on intensive resource use should evaluate emerging regulatory risk associated with water and energy demands and ensure compliance-ready data for permitting, disclosure, and stakeholder expectation management.

EPA Proposes to Narrow Scope of TSCA Section 8(a)(7) PFAS Reporting Rule; Exemptions Would Include De Minimis Amounts, Imported Articles

On November 13, 2025, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a proposed rule to amend the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) Section 8(a)(7) regulation for reporting and recordkeeping requirements for perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). 90 Fed. Reg. 50923.

Read more here.

Workplace Safety News This Week

During the week commencing November 17, 2025, two salient developments merit legal attention:

1. Occupational Safety & Health Review Commission (OSHRC) welcomed a newly sworn-in Commissioner, Jonathan Snare, following his Senate confirmation on October 7. His appointment signals potential shifts in adjudicatory approach to contested citations under the Occupational Safety and Health Act—employers should anticipate renewed focus on employer liability, evidentiary standards and enforcement clarity.

2. With the end of the recent federal funding lapse, employers should expect an imminent uptick in regulatory activity from federal agencies, including the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). A legal advisory notes that inspection, audit, and enforcement functions will “ramp up” as the backlog clears — the period of regulatory pause may now be succeeded by intensified oversight and liability exposure.

Legal Implications:

• Employers should reassess compliance portfolios and ensure documentation of hazard controls, especially in previously under-inspected facilities.

• As OSHRC leadership changes, litigation strategy ought to account for possible shifts in Commission precedent and enforcement posture.

• The resurgent oversight environment demands immediate internal audit and risk-review programs to mitigate potential enforcement action.

DG Transportation Issues

IHMM Global DG Transport Compliance Matrix (2025–2026)

IHMM Certificant Compliance Checklist

Aligned with ADR 2025, UN Model Regulations (Rev. 24), PHMSA/HMR, ADN, and national regimes

✅ 1. Documentation & Shipping Papers

United States / Global Multimodal

• □ Confirm your shipping papers follow 49 CFR §172.201(a) sequence and may include a “Dangerous Goods” header only if the regulated description remains fully compliant. (PHMSA Interpretive Letter Ref. No. 25-0103).
• □ If shipping lithium batteries internationally, ensure you possess and can submit:
  • □ UN 38.3 test report (now required at Ningbo Port, China and may be demanded elsewhere).
  • □ Multimodal Dangerous Goods Declaration (IMDG/ICAO), consistent with ADR 2025 terminology.
• □ Ensure that proper shipping names (PSN), UN numbers, packing group, and special-provision references reflect ADR 2025 and UN Rev. 24 updates—especially for:
  • Lithium-ion & sodium-ion batteries.
  • Battery-powered vehicles/equipment.
  • Waste DG (including asbestos waste, lab-smalls, and mixed inner-packagings).

For more see here

School Safety Communications Planning Guide

As a school safety leader, you may be faced with widespread misinformation and polarized public opinions. These often leave your local school boards, administrators, teachers, and parents with mixed messages that make it difficult to discern the truth. According to a 2018 MIT Sloan study, false information is 70% more likely to be retweeted than the truth, causing it to reach more people faster than the truth.

You can help prevent incorrect information sharing and create a positive school climate by initiating preemptive conversations about misinformation and disinformation. Students and families are vulnerable to these types of incorrect information, so it is important to discuss these issues in your school and the community.

One way to be prepared to respond appropriately to incorrect information is to create a crisis response communications plan. You can use preplanned and scripted messages to prevent or stop the spread of inaccuracies on social media platforms.  Learn More

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Podcast Highlight: Trauma-Informed, Resilience-Oriented Leadership

In this excerpt from our podcast series, What It Means to Be a School Leader, Dr. Linda Henderson-Smith shares her perspective on trauma-informed leadership in schools: Listen here

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Resource Highlight: Returning to School After a Crisis

There is no one-size-fits-all approach to supporting students after a traumatic event. The information below contains lessons learned from research on previous school shootings. However, it’s most important to let students know you are there for them, however they need, and encourage them to talk. Learn more here.

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• FY25 Office of Justice Programs Community Based Violence Intervention and Prevention Initiative
• OJJDP FY25 Strategies To Support Children Exposed to Violence

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Additional School Safety Resources

• 11/19 – Enhancing School Safety Using Behavioral Threat Assessment
  Hosted by the Department of Homeland Security

Recent News from the European Chemicals Agency

• We help SMEs to comply 

• Consultations on applications for authorisation 

• Screening report published for RP-HP in articles 

• Consultation on harmonised classification and labelling 

• New intention and proposal to harmonise classification and labelling 

• Treated articles: List of allowed substances updated 

• List of biocides suppliers updated 

• List of notifications updated 

• Call for evidence on substances in batteries and waste batteries 

• Nanopinion: Onion-like nanoparticles identified in aircraft exhaust 

• Biocides decision on Union authorisation