The Environmental Protection Agency is looking to AI to speed up chemical reviews, with Administrator Lee Zeldin prioritizing the development of tools like the AI Chemist Assistant and EcoVault. The American Chemistry Council supports the EPA's "continued exploration" of AI solutions and the technology has "the potential to significantly reduce review times, improve consistency, and alleviate resource burdens" as long as the right safeguards are in place, said spokesperson Telly Lovelace.

The US and the EU have formalized a trade deal that includes a 15% US tariff on most EU imports, such as autos and pharmaceuticals. The US will reduce tariffs on cars and parts once the EU introduces legislation to cut tariffs on US goods. The EU has committed to eliminating tariffs on US industrial goods and increasing energy purchases from the US.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent described the current US-China trade truce as "working pretty well," a comment that came about a week after the Trump administration extended a pause on higher rates. "We have had very good talks with China. I imagine we'll be seeing them again before November," Bessent said.

Sumitomo Chemical has started a pilot project at its Chiba Works site in Japan to demonstrate a new ethanol-to-propylene process. The pilot aims to gather data for scaling up industrialization, with the company targeting commercialization and licensing of the process in the early 2030s.

Dragos reports that ransomware activity remained high in Q2 2025, with 657 incidents affecting industrial organizations globally. Most attacks targeted North America and Europe, and manufacturing accounted for 65% of incidents. New ransomware groups have emerged, and threat actors have become more sophisticated, using AI-driven tactics and exploiting vulnerabilities in IT and OT environments.

Scientists at the Institute for Biology in Serbia are exploring the use of mealworms to break down polystyrene, with support from the government and the UN Development Program. The project, which aims to help Serbia meet European Union waste treatment standards, has shown that mealworms can digest polystyrene without leaving microplastic residue, potentially offering a sustainable solution to plastic waste.

Empathy is more than a soft skill leaders ought to have; it is a strategic asset that can help you connect authentically and build trust within your teams, writes LaRae Quy, who recommends creating an "empathy protocol" to define empathy, encourage active listening and establish healthy boundaries. "Empathy requires us to gain the perspective of a person who may be quite different from us. It means we become the learner as we listen," Quy writes.