Staff Changes at DTSC, Presentation on Safer Consumer Products Regulations at Conference

Bergeson & Campbell, P.C.
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The California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) announced that Director Debbie Raphael will be leaving her position on May 30, 2014, to lead San Francisco's Department of the Environment. Raphael's replacement has not yet been announced.

In Raphael's place, Dr. Meredith Williams, DTSC Deputy Director, gave the keynote address at the 4th Safer Consumer Products Summit in Santa Clara, California, sponsored by B&C. Dr. Williams discussed DTSC's decision-making process with regard to its three selections in its draft initial Priority Product list (Paint and Varnish Strippers, and Surface Cleaners containing Methylene Chloride; Spray Polyurethane Foam Systems containing Unreacted Diisocyanates; and Children's Foam-padded Sleeping Products containing tris or tris(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl) (TDCPP)) and other DTSC efforts, including its development of a work plan identifying potential future Priority Products and guidance for companies to prepare alternative analysis assessments. DTSC also held on May 7, 2014, the first of three workshops related to its draft initial Priority Product list. The other two workshops are scheduled for May 28, 2014, and June 4, 2014.

Dr. Williams was introduced by Summit Chair Lynn L. Bergeson, whose comments are excerpted below.

"We have witnessed over the past years a dramatic shift in environmental law and policy from the regulation of end-of-pipe discharges of chemical substances into the environment (and their subsequent cleanup) to a more proactive focus on the presence of chemicals in products -- especially consumer products, and disciplined efforts to make better choices about ingredient selection and smarter production decisions to prevent pollution at the source. This shift is to ensure that product design and manufacture utilize greener materials and engage in smarter manufacturing processes to lessen the environmental footprint of product manufacture and use, and ensure the sustainability of product development and use.

"The Safer Consumer Products Regulation that went into effect last October is a bold, game-changing, historic development. The regulations reflect the newest chapter in California's implementation of its 2007 Green Chemistry Initiative. Whether the program in practice will be a faithful fulfillment of the goals underlying the Green Chemistry Initiative or evolves into something else remains to be seen. We are, after all, at the very early stages of the implementation phase of the SCP program. What is indisputable, however, is that the Safer Consumer Products Regulations are here to stay. They will have a considerable impact here in California and far beyond the state's borders."

Next week's Biobased and Renewable Products Advocacy Group (BRAG™) Report will include a full recap of the Summit, which will include contact information to receive copies of select presentations, including Dr. Williams' detailed PowerPoint.

 

DISCLAIMER: Because of the generality of this update, the information provided herein may not be applicable in all situations and should not be acted upon without specific legal advice based on particular situations.

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