Trump EPA relied on industry science to weaken formaldehyde cancer rules, documents show
Quick Insights
The Bottom Line
Trump EPA weakened formaldehyde cancer rules using industry-funded science instead of independent research.
How This Affects You
Workers and consumers face increased cancer risk from formaldehyde in cosmetics, furniture, and craft supplies due to weaker EPA exposure limits.
AI Summary
The Trump EPA relied on industry-funded science to weaken formaldehyde cancer regulations, reversing stricter limits imposed by the Biden administration, according to newly released documents showing chemical producers' influence over policy. Formaldehyde is a known carcinogen widely used in consumer products including cosmetics, furniture, and craft supplies, and the Biden EPA had determined in late 2024 that any exposure increased cancer risk. Documents reveal an "elaborate industry operation" by chemical producers that effectively blocked strong regulations on the toxic substance. The reversal illustrates how the Trump administration has prioritized industry input in rolling back environmental protections established in the previous administration. Public health advocates argue the weaker standards leave workers and consumers exposed to a substance classified as carcinogenic to humans.
This article is part of a story we're tracking:
Should this be getting more attention?
You Might Have Missed
Related stories from different sources and perspectives
Government TransparencyJustice Department settles lawsuit from Trump ally Michael Flynn for $1.2 million, AP source says - AP News
<a href="https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiqAFBVV95cUxPVUgwdTNpVlJZYkllRDJDVUdtcHVudzUxRFVrWUJlSU1HTUh2UGlTYTVDcTY1Mkd6aVJ0ek15N1JMQmhoOUc0X2hJNkxFUjl6WnNSM3NWdjZoZFhWZ1pjTmdpQXVZQ1laU0tzNGMxUEtZZF9kTmJULXBaT2Z5OEZJVEI1ZEdHeW5uUEFTMW55ckgwNTRxd2hRelJ2VFBTUzlyd29VNFNxWFY?oc=5" target="_blank">Justice Department settles lawsuit from Trump ally Michael Flynn for $1.2 million, AP source says</a> <font color="#6f6f6f">AP News</font>
PoliticsEducation Department headquarters will relocate as part of Trump’s dismantling - AP News
<a href="https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMioAFBVV95cUxQM0R0elp0Z1pfQk5CTnpJOXBJNWZTVFZFVXZ3dW5GVnYxY0IyTVMxUE5mRVJ0RERxeTRYQ0pweHdKTVpTYjk0SUlaeUhiTTRlOWV2VF9fM2FWSlhlRkJSZm5IVndTUDR5enVKRmYxMm4xRzNoS1ZDNEIwQ1Btb3hwdmZmM2kxd3FWNWU3Y19UeF9PUVdnMk1JWThZaHNRU25K?oc=5" target="_blank">Education Department headquarters will relocate as part of Trump’s dismantling</a> <font color="#6f6f6f">AP News</font>
PoliticsFormer Justice Department workers accuse Trump of degrading department
Since President Trump took office for a second time, the Justice Department has undergone significant changes. Former DOJ litigator Stacey Young, founder and executive director of Justice Connection, joins "The Takeout" to discuss her organization's efforts to reform the Department.
PoliticsTrump's name is headed to dollar bills as cash use continues to decline
<p><a href="https://www.axios.com/politics-policy/donald-trump" target="_blank">President Trump</a>'s signature is set to appear on <a href="https://www.axios.com/2026/03/27/trump-money-signature-dollar-currency" target="_blank">U.S. currency</a> — a first for a sitting president — as Americans use physical cash less than ever.</p><p><strong>Why it matters:</strong> Cash still carries outsized symbolic power — even as its role in everyday payments shrinks.</p><hr><p><strong>Driving the news:</strong> The Treasury Department <a href="https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/sb0425" target="_blank">plans</a> to put Trump's signature on all new U.S. paper currency, tied to the <a href="https://www.axios.com/2026/01/01/trump-america-250-celebration-new-years-eve-dc" target="_blank">nation's 250th anniversary</a> in 2026.</p><ul><li>Traditionally, U.S. bills carry the signatures of the Treasury secretary and treasurer — not the president.</li></ul><p><strong>State of play: </strong>...
Government TransparencyBlanche boasts of having ‘cleaned house’ at DOJ, FBI following Trump prosecutions
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche boasted Thursday about the number of firings at the Justice Department (DOJ) and FBI, saying the administration had “cleaned house” by ousting a number of agents that worked on cases involving President Trump. Blanche, a former defense attorney for Trump, said DOJ had seen the departure of 200 employees between…
EnvironmentTrump Officials Claim They Gutted This $400 Billion Climate Program. They Didn’t.
This story was originally published by Grist and is reproduced here as part of the Climate Desk collaboration. In January, the Trump administration announced that it had completed its dismantling of yet another Biden-era climate program. This time, the target was the Department of Energy’s Loan Programs Office, which Democrats had injected with almost $400 billion to support ambitious […]
Pentagon Wants It to Be Illegal for Reporters to Ask “Unauthorized” Questions
The Trump admin wants to criminalize a key part of journalists doing their jobs — a broadside attack on a free press. The post Pentagon Wants It to Be Illegal for Reporters to Ask “Unauthorized” Questions appeared first on The Intercept .
Did this story change how you see things?
Stories like this only matter when people see them. Help us get verified journalism in front of more eyes.
The Verity Ledger curates verified investigative journalism from trusted sources only.
See our sourcesMost Read This Week
Fentanyl found inside Barbies sold at Missouri discount store, police say
Senate deal reached to cap insulin costs
The West's historic snow drought could bring water shortages, wildfires
Washington ignores America's fiscal cliff
Iran built a vast camera network to control dissent. Israel used it to track targets, AP sources say
