Top global EHS regulatory changes – November 2024

By: Sydney Sybydlo

Here are a few noteworthy global EHS regulatory changes in November 2024. We cover EHS legislation and standards for over 30 countries and 400 jurisdictions. If you would like to track legislative changes for specific regions, countries, or jurisdictions, we are happy to help. Please send us a request for more information here, and we will contact you shortly. Note that descriptions with an asterisk (*) were generated with artificial intelligence.

• Canada – Alberta
• Canada – Newfoundland & Labrador
• Canada – Nova Scotia
• Canada – Ontario
• Canada – Yukon
• United States – Federal
• United States – Maine
• United States – New Jersey
• United States – Washington
• European Union
• Brazil
• Italy
• Peru
• Singapore
• South Africa
• Thailand
• United Kingdom

Canada – Alberta

New Principal Document – Manual 028: Buried Geothermal Heat Distribution Pipelines, Best Practices for Planning, Design, Operation, and Closure

First Effective Date: 28 November 2024
Industry Sector: Utilities & Communications

This document applies to owners and operators of geothermal heat distribution systems. It provides best practices for the safe and reliable design, construction, commissioning, operation, and decommissioning of buried heat distribution pipelines. The document emphasizes environmental protection, public safety, and the importance of qualified personnel throughout the system’s life cycle.*

Canada – Newfoundland & Labrador

New Principal Document – Offshore Area Petroleum Operations Framework Regulations

First Effective Date: 28 October 2024
Industry Sector: Oil & Gas Industry, Water Transportation

This document applies to operators in the offshore petroleum industry. It outlines comprehensive regulations for offshore oil and gas operations, covering safety, environmental protection, equipment standards, emergency procedures, and reporting requirements. Key aspects include management systems, risk assessments, personnel qualifications, and detailed operational guidelines for installations and activities.*

It replaces the Offshore Area Oil and Gas Operations Regulations. According to the government, the new document “modernize[s] existing regulatory requirements [for offshore petroleum installations] where performance-based requirements are used to the extent possible,” and consolidates the requirements of five previous regulations (Offshore Area Oil and Gas Operations Regulations; the Offshore Area Petroleum Geophysical Operations Newfoundland and Labrador Regulations; the Offshore Certificate of Fitness Newfoundland and Labrador Regulations; the Offshore Petroleum Drilling and Production Newfoundland and Labrador Regulations, 2009; and the Offshore Petroleum Installations Newfoundland and Labrador Regulations).

Canada – Nova Scotia

New Principal Document – Guideline for the Occupational Health and Safety Regulations

First Effective Date: 28 October 2024
Industry Sector: Oil & Gas Industry, Water Transportation

This document applies to operators, employers, employees, and others with statutory responsibilities in the offshore petroleum industry. It provides guidance on occupational health and safety regulations, covering topics such as emergency response, medical care, workplace hazards, and personal protective equipment. The document outlines requirements for risk assessments, training, and the implementation of safety measures in offshore workplaces.*

Canada – Ontario

Amended Document – Energy and Water Efficiency — Appliances and Products
Amending Document – Amending O. Reg. 509/18 (Energy and Water Efficiency — Appliances and Products)

First Effective Date: 1 January 2025
Industry Sector: General Industry, Building Management & Maintenance

According to the government, the change to the document “fully harmonizes Ontario requirements and efficiency metrics for 42 products through rolling incorporation by reference to the federal Energy Efficiency Regulations and removes now obsolete efficiency requirements for 3 existing products.”

Canada – Yukon

New Principal Document – Resource Roads Regulation

First Effective Date: 28 November 2024
Industry Sector: General Industry

This document applies to individuals and businesses involved with resource roads in Yukon. It outlines regulations for constructing, using, maintaining, and decommissioning resource roads. Key requirements include obtaining permits, following operational plans, providing security, and complying with environmental and safety standards. The document also covers access authorizations and enforcement procedures.*

United States – Federal

New Principal Document – 40 CFR 99 Subpart A General Provisions

First Effective Date: 17 January 2025
Industry Sector: Oil & Gas Industry

This document applies to owners and operators of certain petroleum and natural gas systems facilities. It outlines requirements for filing and paying waste emission charges. Key provisions include designating representatives, submitting annual filings with emissions data and payments, maintaining records, and complying with verification and audit procedures.*

New Principal Document – 40 CFR 99 Subpart B Determining Waste Emissions Charge

First Effective Date: 17 January 2025
Industry Sector: Oil & Gas Industry

This document applies to WEC obligated parties in the oil and gas industry. It outlines methods for calculating waste emissions thresholds, applicable emissions, and net WEC emissions for facilities. It also details procedures for transferring negative emissions between parties and determining WEC obligations based on net emissions.*

New Principal Document – 40 CFR 99 Subpart C Unreasonable Delay Exemption

First Effective Date: 17 January 2025
Industry Sector: Oil & Gas Industry

This document applies to WEC obligated parties in the offshore and onshore petroleum and natural gas production industry segments. It outlines requirements for reporting and calculating methane emissions caused by unreasonable delays in environmental permitting of gathering or transmission infrastructure. Key requirements include determining eligible time periods, quantifying emissions from various sources, and maintaining detailed records.*

New Principal Document – 40 CFR 99 Subpart D Regulatory Compliance Exemption

First Effective Date: 17 January 2025
Industry Sector: Oil & Gas Industry

This document applies to operators of certain oil and gas facilities. It outlines requirements for claiming a regulatory compliance exemption from methane emissions charges. Key elements include eligibility criteria, reporting obligations, and methods for calculating exempt emissions based on compliance status and facility type.*

New Principal Document – 40 CFR 99 Subpart E Exemption for Permanently Shut-in and Plugged Wells

First Effective Date: 17 January 2025
Industry Sector: Oil & Gas Industry

This document applies to operators of petroleum and natural gas facilities. It outlines exemption requirements and reporting procedures for permanently shut-in and plugged wells. Key requirements include calculating and reporting methane emissions from specific well types and components, using prescribed equations and data sources.*

Amended Document – 40 CFR 751 Subpart E Persistent, Bioaccumulative, and Toxic Chemicals
Amending Document – Decabromodiphenyl Ether and Phenol, Isopropylated Phosphate (3:1); Revision to the Regulation of Persistent, Bioaccumulative, and Toxic Chemicals Under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA)

First Effective Date: 21 January 2025
Industry Sector: Chemical Industry

The changes to this document affect rules concerning decabromodiphenyl ether (decaBDE) and phenol, isopropylated phosphate (3:1) (PIP (3:1)). According to the government, they notably:

• require the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) during certain activities involving decaBDE and during domestic manufacturing and processing of PIP (3:1);
• prohibit “releases to water during the manufacturing, processing, and distribution in commerce of decaBDE and decaBDE-containing products”;
• extend “the compliance date for the phase-out of processing and distribution in commerce of decaBDE-containing wire and cable insulation for nuclear power generation facilities”;
• add “an export notification requirement for decaBDE-containing wire and cable for nuclear power generation facilities”;
• add “an allowance for unintentional amounts of decaBDE present in products and articles at concentrations less than 0.1% by weight”;
• add “phase-outs on processing and distribution for certain uses” of PIP (3:1);
• establish “new exclusions from the prohibitions on processing and distribution in commerce of PIP (3:1) for use in wire harnesses and electric circuit boards and for the processing and distribution in commerce of such PIP (3:1)-containing harnesses and circuit boards, […] an exclusion to allow for distribution in commerce of new and replacement parts containing PIP (3:1), and an allowance for unintentional amounts of PIP (3:1) present in products and articles at concentrations less than 0.1% by weight”; and
• exclude from some requirements “processing and distribution in commerce of an article that contains [either of those substances], and where the [substances have] not been newly added, for the purpose of repair or maintenance.”

United States – Maine

New Principal Document – CMR Chapter 01-001-35 Rules for Operation of the Maine Healthy Soils Fund

First Effective Date: 12 November 2024
Industry Sector: Agricultural Industry, Animal Production & Aquaculture, Public Administration & Institutions

This document applies to Maine farmers and agricultural service providers. It outlines rules for the Maine Healthy Soils Fund, which provides grants and incentives to improve soil health on farms. Key requirements include soil testing, implementing best practices, and reporting on outcomes. The document details eligibility criteria and application processes for various funding programs.*

United States – New Jersey

Amended Document – NJAC Chapter 7-27 Air Pollution Control
Amending Document – NJAC Chapter 7-27 Air Pollution Control 2024-11-04 Amendments

First Effective Date: 1 January 2025
Industry Sector: General Industry, Building Management & Maintenance

According to the government, the changes to the document increase annual emission fee by 3.18%, increase fees for preconstruction permits and certificates, operating permit significant modifications, general permits, and general operating permits by 22.7%, and apply a consumer price index adjustment of 105.83% for threshold dollar amount for reconstruction.

United States – Washington

New Principal Document – WAC Chapter 173-446B Climate Commitment Funds Reporting

First Effective Date: 8 November 2024
Industry Sector: General Industry, Office Spaces, Building Management & Maintenance

This document, according to the government, notably establishes reporting requirements for recipients of funding from the Climate Commitment Act (CCA) accounts. It also includes “requirements for recipients to report on the quantity of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reductions expected to result from work funded by the CCA.”

European Union

New Principal Document – Directive (EU) 2024/2831 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2024 on improving working conditions in platform work (Text with EEA relevance)

First Effective Date: 1 December 2024
Industry Sector: General Industry, Office Spaces

This document applies to digital labor platforms and individuals performing platform work in the EU. It introduces measures to facilitate determining the correct employment status of platform workers, promotes transparency and human oversight in algorithmic management, and improves transparency regarding platform work, including cross-border situations.*

Amended Document – 1272/2008 (EC) – Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 December 2008 on classification, labelling and packaging of substances and mixtures
Amending Document – Regulation (EU) 2024/2865 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2024 amending Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 on classification, labelling and packaging of substances and mixtures (Text with EEA relevance)

First Effective Date: 10 December 2024
Industry Sector: General Industry, Building Management & Maintenance

The changes to the document, according to the European Commission, notably:

• expand information submission requirements to distributors, requiring them to submit information relating to emergency health response;
• introduce new definitions, such as the definition of “acute toxicity estimates”, “data carrier”, and “refill station”;
• specify that a substance or mixture shall not be sold in the EU market unless the supplier, who must be established in the Union and named on the label, meets all the rules in this regulation for that concerned substance or mixture;
• add “data obtained from new approach methodologies” as a new type of information that manufacturers, importers, and downstream users must consider when identifying relevant available information with regard to a substance’s physical, health, or environmental hazards;
• provide more detailed rules for the evaluation of substances containing more than one constituent and for the classification of chemical substances;
• set out physical and digital labelling requirements;
• specify that the distance sales offers need to clearly and visibly indicate the required label elements;
• establish requirements for supplying hazardous substances or mixtures via refill stations
• clarify the labelling requirements for substances or mixtures supplied without packaging; and
• update advertisement rules “to ensure that advertisements for hazardous substances and mixtures contain the most important information in terms of safety and protection of human health and the environment”.

Brazil

New Principal Document – Law No. 15.021, of November 12 2024 – Provides for the control of animal genetic material and the obtaining and supply of clones of domestic animals intended for the production of domestic animals of zootechnical interest and contains other provisions.

First Effective Date: 11 February 2025
Industry Sector: Animal Production & Aquaculture

This document applies to suppliers and handlers of animal genetic material and clones for livestock production. It outlines regulations for the control, inspection, and commercialization of such materials. Key requirements include registration with federal authorities, maintaining closed production cycles for certain animals, and adhering to safety and traceability standards.*

Italy

Amended Document – Legislative Decree 3 April 2006, n. 152 Rules on the environment
Amending Document – Decree-Law 17 October 2024, n. 153 Urgent provisions for the environmental protection of the country, the rationalization of environmental assessment and authorization procedures, the promotion of the circular economy, the implementation of interventions in the field of remediation of contaminated sites and hydrogeological instability

First Effective Date: 18 October 2024
Industry Sector: General Industry, Office Spaces, Building Management & Maintenance

The changes to the document notably:

• update the prioritization system for environmental impact assessments, such as by giving new priority to projects declared to be of major national strategic interest;
• establish more detailed timeframes for the environmental impact assessment screening and consultation processes, such as by specifying a deadline for proponents to provide any missing documentation;
• update the distance restrictions for hydrocarbon-related activities off the Italian coast by reducing the protected buffer zone by 3 nautical miles, from 12 miles to 9 miles; and
• update provisions in relation to water usage, such as by introducing the definition of “refined water” and clarifying conditions for temporary deterioration due to natural causes.

Peru

New Principal Document – Supreme Decree No. 011-2024-JUS Supreme Decree approving the Environmental Management Regulations of the Justice and Human Rights Sector

First Effective Date: 7 October 2024
Industry Sector: General Industry, Public Administration & Institutions, Other

This document applies to businesses and individuals in the Justice and Human Rights sector in Peru. It outlines environmental management regulations, including requirements for environmental impact assessments, public participation, and environmental consulting. Key provisions cover project classification, evaluation procedures, and obligations for businesses to obtain environmental certifications and implement management plans.*

Singapore

Amended Document – Electricity Act
Amending Document – Energy Transition Measures and Other Amendments Act 2024

Publication Date: 25 October 2024 (comes into force on appointment by the Minister)
Industry Sector: General Industry, Office Spaces, Building Management & Maintenance

The changes to the document notably-

• expand the definition of “transmit” to include cross-border electricity conveyance;
• require companies to comply with the authority’s directives for public interest and security;
• require companies to allow connections and use of their facilities by electricity licensees;
• set terms for agreements and wayleaves between companies and electricity licensees;
• expand the definition of designated entities to include those engaging in licensable activities critical to energy security;
• extend control measures to different levels of equity interest in companies;
• prohibit the repurposing of relevant installations without approval, making it an offense;
• prescribe rules for companies on gas acquisition and void contracts that contravene these rules;
• clarify who is equivalent to the electricity licensee in infrastructure applications;
• clarify the presumption application in unauthorized use of electricity cases involving causing or permitting conduct by another person; and
• enable regulations for gas contracts to prescribe terms, including minimum gas amounts, between prescribed generation entities and gas importers.

South Africa

Amended Document – Waste Classification and Management Regulations, No. 634 of 2013
Amending Document – National Environmental Management: Waste Act: Regulations: Waste Classification and Management: Amendments

First Effective Date: 7 November 2024
Industry Sector: General Industry, Office Spaces, Building Management & Maintenance

The changes to this document notably:

• revise various definitions;
• remove the mechanism and procedure for the listing of waste management activities that do not require a Waste Management License;
• revise various rules concerning waste classification and safety data sheets;
• clarify the rule that waste must be re-used, recycled, recovered, treated, and/or disposed of within eighteen months of generation by the waste generator or the waste manager;
• add that waste may be blended or pre-treated to reduce potential negative impact associated with the management of waste;
• revise various rules relating to offences and penalties;
• clarify that waste packaging must not contain hazardous waste or hazardous chemicals in order to be considered as general waste that does not require classification or assessment;
• add expired, spoilt or unusable consumer products in the list of general wastes that do not require classification or assessment; and
• add waste oil and mercury-containing waste in the list of hazardous wastes that do not require classification or assessment.

Thailand

New Principal Document – Announcement of the Office of Atoms for Peace on Criteria and Procedures for the Disposal of Radioactive Waste from Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials, B.E. 2567 (2024)

First Effective Date: 31 October 2024
Industry Sector: General Industry, Building Management & Maintenance

This document applies to those who generate radioactive waste. It outlines requirements for radioactive waste disposal facilities, including safety analysis reports, site selection criteria, facility design, waste characterization, environmental monitoring, emergency preparedness, and quality management systems. Operators must comply with these regulations throughout the facility’s lifecycle.*

United Kingdom

New Principal Document – The Renewable Transport Fuel Obligations (Sustainable Aviation Fuel) Order 2024

First Effective Date: 1 January 2025
Industry Sector: Oil & Gas Industry, Utilities & Communications

This document applies to aviation fuel suppliers in the United Kingdom. It establishes a Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) obligation, requiring suppliers to provide evidence of supplying a specified amount of sustainable aviation fuel. It outlines certificate issuance, obligation discharge methods, and penalties for non-compliance.*

New Principal Document – The Environmental Protection (Single-use Vapes) (England) Regulations 2024

First Effective Date: 1 June 2025
Industry Sector: General Industry, Office Spaces, Building Management & Maintenance

This document applies to businesses and individuals in England. It prohibits the supply of single-use vapes and establishes a civil sanctions regime for violations. Key requirements include not supplying, offering to supply, or possessing for supply single-use vapes. Enforcement officers have powers to investigate potential offenses.*

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