Discovering a preservative that can extend the life of rubber tires, brakes and hoses, translating into fewer of these products ending up in the landfill sounds like a good environmental solution to the problem of rubber degradation. Now, what if such an anti-degradant exists in your garden hose and in the brakes and tires on your car, but it’s so toxic that it kills salmon and has recently been linked to Parkinson’s disease in humans?
Often, the solution to one problem can absolutely ravage our safety in a completely different area. What I am talking about in this case is: 6PPD-quinone (6-phenyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroquinoline quinone or 6PPDQ) (CAS No. 2754428-18-5). Developed in the early 1960s and patented in 1965, 6PPDQ was widely used by the 1970s. It is not an additive exactly, but a transformation product that forms when 6PPD (CAS No. 793-24-8) reacts with ozone and oxygen. The idea behind it was to make tires last longer, which is a great environmental objective, however, 6PPDQ has been found to have a devastating effect on salmon, specifically coho and chinook salmon.
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Tags:
Stormwater,
chemical safety,
California,
British Columbia,
Washington,
Environmental Compliance,
EPA Regulations,
Environmental Health and Safety,
EHS Compliance,
EHS Software,
ESG Compliance,
Compliance Management,
6PPDQ,
salmon,
tire manufacturing,
rubber tires,
rainwater
In today's rapidly evolving regulatory environment, meeting compliance obligations is more than a legal requirement—it's a business imperative. For organizations committed to excellence in Environmental, Health, and Safety (EHS) management, a well-designed and agile EHS audit program is a vital tool. Beyond simply checking boxes, it helps identify risks, protect workers, ensure environmental stewardship, and drive continuous improvement.
This blog explores the key elements of a successful EHS audit program, the critical role of the Audit Program Manager, and how to effectively integrate emerging regulatory requirements to stay ahead of change.
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Tags:
Environment,
Environmental Health and Safety,
EHS Technology,
AI,
Artifical Intelligence,
EHS Innovation,
EHS Compliance,
PFAS regulations,
EHS audit program
On August 21, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) posted updated guidance for battery energy storage system (BESS) installation and incident response. EPA has added a 3-page Fact Sheet, “Battery Energy Storage Systems: Main Considerations for Safe Installation and Incident Response” to its online compilation of information for “Sustainable Management of Electronics and Batteries.” EPA notes that BESS operations help stabilize electrical grids by providing steady power flow, particularly where there may be interruptions in grid power or fluctuations in production from renewable energy sources. However, EPA also notes that lithium battery fires at some installations (notably at commercial facilities in San Diego and Moss Landing, California) have raised safety concerns in many communities. EPA intends its new guidance to help address these concerns; the remainder of this note summarizes EPA’s new guidance.
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Tags:
EHS,
EPA,
sustainability,
Clean Energy,
Fire Safety,
Environmental Health and Safety,
Fire Risk Management,
Risk Management,
Battery Energy Storage
The US environmental Protection Agency (EPA) continues to narrow its enforcement focus in order to follow Trump administration priorities. I recently wrote about EPA’s May 2025 statement of new enforcement policies (I wrote about that memo HERE). Now, EPA has announced further changes, to align its activities with the President’s Executive Order “Fighting Overcriminalization in Federal Regulations” (EO 14294). The remainder of this note summarizes these changes.
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Tags:
EPA,
Environmental Policy,
Environmental Compliance,
EPA Regulations,
EPA Standards,
Trump Administration,
Environmental Health and Safety,
Environmental Protection Agency,
EPA enforcement
In the aftermath of January’s massive southern California wildfires, the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) has recompiled and highlighted its guidance for post-wildfire cleanup. Although this guidance is not unique (I’ve written about similar websites HERE), it provides a timely reminder to organizations in areas that may be subject to wildfires, and to other harmful incidents as well. The remainder of this note summarizes Cal/OSHA’s latest compilation.
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Tags:
workplace safety,
Cal/OSHA,
Fire Safety,
Wildfire Cleanup,
Occupational Health,
Hazard Assessment,
Environmental Health and Safety,
Wildfire Preparedness,
Health Hazards,
Safety Regulations,
Fire Risk Management,
Emergency Response,
Worker Safety,
Post-Wildfire Recovery,
Workplace Safety Guidelines
