California's DTSC releases policy recommendations for State's Green Chemistry Program
As noted in the prior post of 8/5/08, DTSC released six reports containing various recommendations about California's green chemistry initiative. A brief overview of the recommendations was set forth. DTSC has now released its "Green Chemistry Policy". The final policy contains six recommendations:
*Expand DTSC's pollution prevention program. The recommendation expands the industrial sectors covered by the current program, and seeks to reorient the program to emphasize "green chemistry" in lieu of "source reduction". Industry participation would be "voluntary". However, the program seems to anticipate an expansion of the current mandatory source reduction reports filed under the current program by businesses generating wastes above specified amounts.
*As noted in the prior post, efforts would be made to expand the Green Chemistry workforce, and the education and training of the public and new and existing personnel.
*As noted in the prior post, an online product ingredient network would be created. The objective is to encourage informed choices about products bought and used.
*As noted in the prior post, an online toxic clearinghouse would be created. This web-based portal would provide information on hazards and toxicological end-points for all chemicals, including chemical compounds and nanomaterials.
*Accelerate the quest for "safer products". A lifecycle analysis would occur during the design phase of a process to encourage manufacturers to use less toxic alternatives. The analysis would be applied in some manner to all manufacturers, importers, and retailers of products sold in California that contain a "chemical of concern." AB 1879, signed into law in 2009, establishes the process of identifying "chemicals of concern" and creating the lifecycle analysis. [See http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/07-08/bill/asm/ab_1851-1900/ab_1879_bill_20080929_chaptered.html; the legislation was described in a prior post.]
*Cradle-to-Cradle. "Market forces" would be used to accelerate innovation and the selection of more sustainable non-toxic choices for consumers. A "green scorecard" would be provided with products describing the product's environmental "footprint", which would reflect information from the aforenoted toxic clearinghouse on chemicals.