Yesterday the California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) convened a Green Ribbon Science Panel (GRSP) to continue work on the state's Green Chemistry initiative.

Readers may recall from previous posts that the GRSP was established with the passage of two "green chemistry laws" in 2008, and is charged with providing advice and serving as a resource to DTSC and the public regarding the California Green Chemistry Initiative. On the agenda for the meeting this week was input from the GRSP on the recently-posted “Safer Consumer Products Informal Draft Regulations”, which were published late last month. An earlier draft of those regulations, released by the DTSC last November, drew strong commentary from both industry and environmental groups. According to DTSC, a wide range of stakeholders, including those from industry, environmental groups, scientists, and legislative leaders, raised "substantive and valid concerns" about the prior draft of the regulations. DTSC eventually withdrew the draft regulations.