- The U.S. EPA says it will defend its rule designating certain PFAS as hazardous substances under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act, according to a court document filed by the Justice Department on behalf of the EPA on Wednesday.
- The hazardous substance designation for two types of PFAS — PFOS and PFOA — was first set last year under the Biden administration. The National Waste & Recycling Association and other groups sued the EPA in 2024 over the matter, saying the designation unfairly exposes them to liability expenses because they are “passive receivers” that do not have control over PFAS-laden materials that enter their facilities.
- The EPA also said it intends to develop a new rule on how it might craft any future hazardous substance designations under CERCLA, including cost considerations. “The best, most enduring solution to this issue is a statutory fix to protect passive receivers from liability, which EPA would follow to the letter of the law,” the agency said.
EPA announces intent to defend PFAS hazardous substance designation | Waste Dive
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2014 Sustainability Highlights
•Verso demonstrated industry-leading safety performance, with a 2014 Total Incident Rate of 1.43, which is approximately one-half the U.S. Paper Industry's last reported average of 2.8 (2013).
•The Quinnesec Mill in Michigan was recertified to Star status in the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration's (OSHA) Voluntary Protection Program (VPP). VPP recognizes facilities for having safety systems that exceed OSHA standards, a strong safety commitment and sustainable health and safety management systems.
•Fifty percent of the fiber Verso used to manufacture its products was third-party certified to a credible forest certification standard and 32 percent of the total paper it sold was chain-of-custody certified.
•Carbon-neutral, wood-based biomass accounted for more than 65 percent of onsite energy generation at Verso's mills.
Rottneros' subsidiary Vallviks Bruk AB has on January 12th been granted permission by the Land and Environment Court in Östersund to produce the requested 255,000 tons of sulphate pulp. It is a comprehensive permit under the Swedish Environmental Code, which is associated with a number of conditions, which are broadly in line with the company's previously stated position.
"The new permit will ensure that we can continue with our long-term industrial plan, Agenda 500 and increase the capacity of both our mills. The permit also ensures that we can continue to develop the company and our organization," says Per Lundeen, CEO of Rottneros.