Brazil - Home

On May 13, the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change (MMA) officially launched a public consultation on the draft Decree intended to implement Law No. 15.022 of November 13, 2024. The law establishes the National Inventory of Chemical Substances and outlines procedures for the assessment and management of risks posed by chemicals produced, imported, or used within Brazil.

The consultation, led by the Secretariat for Urban Environment and Environmental Quality, will remain open until June 13, 2025. Interested parties must log in to the government’s platform to participate. 

Objective: Minimizing Risks to Health and the Environment

The proposed Decree provides a comprehensive regulatory framework aimed at systematically managing chemical substances and their potential risks. It establishes mechanisms to:

• Register chemical substances used, produced, or imported in Brazil;

• Prioritize substances for risk assessment;

• Assess risks to human health and the environment; and

• Implement risk management measures.

Key Provisions in the Draft Decree

• Thresholds for Registration: Chemicals that exceed 1 tonne/year of production or import (average over the past three years) must be registered.

• Committee Structure: The Technical Committee for Chemical Substances Assessment and a Deliberative Committee will oversee evaluation and decision-making processes.

• Use of Alternative Methods: The decree strictly regulates the use of animal testing, requiring it only as a last resort.

• Confidential Business Information (CBI): Provisions are included to protect trade secrets, with a clear process for requesting confidentiality.

• Fees and Enforcement: The decree introduces a Chemical Substance Registration, Evaluation, and Inspection Fee (TCAFSQ) and details the responsibilities of various regulatory bodies such as IBAMA, ANVISA, INMETRO, and the Ministry of Labor and Employment.

Call for Public Participation

Stakeholders from industry, academia, civil society, and government are encouraged to contribute comments and suggestions. The decree represents a critical milestone in the development of Brazil’s chemical regulatory infrastructure, offering a strategic tool to improve risk management, public health, and environmental safety. For more information and access to the draft decree, you can find it here (in Portughese).

A bill aiming to establish a national policy for the control of PFAS per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, often referred to as "forever chemicals" (PFAS) is gaining momentum in the Brazilian Chamber of Deputies.

Introduced by Deputy Juninho do Pneu (UNIÃO-RJ) on May 22, 2023, Bill PL 2726/2023 seeks to regulate the use, monitoring, and elimination of PFAS across Brazil. These synthetic chemicals, found in a wide range of consumer products from non-stick cookware to firefighting foams, are known for their persistence in the environment and links to serious health issues, including cancer and hormonal disruption.

The bill is currently ready to be placed on the agenda of the Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development (CMADS) after a series of deliberations. Most recently, on April 8, 2025, CMADS issued a favorable report recommending the approval of the bill with a substitute text proposed by Deputy Duda Salabert (PDT-MG). Two amendments to the substitute text were rejected during this process.

Despite progress, the bill faced a temporary setback when it was removed from the committee’s agenda on April 9, 2025, due to an agreement among members. Meanwhile, requests have been filed by other lawmakers to expand the bill's analysis to include the Committee on Economic Development and the Committee on Industry, Commerce and Services, suggesting broader implications for national economic and industrial policy.

The legislative journey of PL 2726/2023 reflects growing concern in Brazil about the environmental and public health risks posed by PFAS, and aligns with international trends seeking stricter controls over these hazardous substances.

If passed, the bill will mark a significant step in Brazilian environmental legislation and reinforce the country’s commitment to safeguarding public health and ecological integrity. For more information, you can find the proposal (in Portughese) here.