California Pares Back Green Chemistry Initiative in Latest Draft Regulation

Keith Walker wrote an article published in Bloomberg's Chemical Regulation Reporter on Jan. 28, 2013 about the California Department of Toxic Substances Control's recently revised Safer Consumer Products Proposed Regulations. Among the biggest changes, Walker wrote, is that the number of Chemicals of Concern proposed to be regulated in Priority Products has been reduced from a previously anticipated 3,000-plus chemicals, to about 1,200.
 
“DTSC has not yet indicated the Priority Products that will be regulated for concentrations of COCs, however, which is the multimillion-dollar question,” Walker wrote. “Another key question is how the costs of implementing the initiative will be funded – a topic that underlies nearly all discussions regarding the regulations.”
 
Walker noted that although the number of chemicals proposed to be regulated has decreased, the goals of regulation remain the same – to identify chemicals that exhibit a hazard or “an environmental or toxicological endpoint.” The other goal is to identify chemicals listed or identified by one or more authoritative bodies specified by the regulations.
 
In addition, Walker's article discussed other aspects of the proposed regulations that have changed as well as funding issues.

To read the entire article, please click here.
(Reprinted with permission from Bloomberg BNA)