Policy
Following California's finalization of SB 54 regulations on May 1, CalRecycle issued multiple guidance documents on May 11 to address key producer compliance questions. The guidance covers a producer identification flowchart, the scope of covered materials, submission requirements for food and agricultural packaging exclusion notices, and reiterates the June 1 registration deadline and the June 15 deadline for submitting draft program plans.
On August 26, the Office of Critical Minerals and Energy Innovation under the U.S. Department of Energy proposed providing a total of $10 million in funding for seven projects, led by the Critical Materials Innovation Center, focusing on early-stage recycling and refining research for critical materials such as heavy rare earths, gallium, and copper. Assistant Secretary Audrey Robertson stated that this move will unlock new production methods and strengthen the domestic supply chain. The projects involve universities, companies, and national laboratories, covering innovative processes such as molten salt electrolysis, bioleaching, and nanobubble leaching. Previously, the Department of Energy had announced $500 million in funding for battery material projects, and the Department of Defense, through its Strategic Capital Office, had signed loan agreements exceeding $2 billion to support related enterprises.
The Canadian government announced on Tuesday that it will impose retaliatory tariffs of up to 50% on a range of U.S. goods, covering hundreds of steel and aluminum products and derivatives, in response to U.S. tariffs implemented under Section 338 of the Trade Act of 1974 and Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962. This move surprised metal industry experts, as market research institutions had previously anticipated a possible agreement to lower tariffs between the two sides. Canada also introduced a C$7.5 billion support package to mitigate the impact on domestic businesses and workers.
The U.S. Department of Commerce Office of Inspector General (OIG) released a final audit report on September 19, stating that the Ohio Department of Development (ODOD) failed to accurately report financial results, ensure subcontractor cost compliance, and had oversight deficiencies while managing Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) grants. The report questioned $20.9 million in costs and found $2.8 million in unreported income. NIST has suspended related grants, ODOD stated it will seriously implement corrective actions, while subcontractor MAGNET disputed most of the findings.
SandboxAQ is using artificial intelligence and computational physics methods to develop fluorine-free alternatives to PFAS for the semiconductor industry within 2 to 4 years. The company has received $500 million in funding from the U.S. Department of Commerce, focusing on four key areas: catalysts, rare-earth-free magnets, battery systems, and PFAS-free chemicals. Its Vice President of Engineering, Stefan Leichenauer, explained how large quantitative models (LQM) avoid hallucinations and accelerate materials discovery.
U.S. President Trump announced a 15% tariff on polysilicon and its derivatives, including solar cells and certain semiconductor devices, citing that imports threaten national security and undermine domestic U.S. production capacity. The tariff, implemented under Section 232, takes effect on December 4 and replaces the safeguard tariffs on solar cells and modules that expired in February. Additionally, the announcement sets a minimum import price and allows companies to obtain tariff relief by committing to build plants in the U.S.