EPA’s Jim Jones And DTSC’s Dr. Meredith Williams Share Insights At Safer Consumer Products Summit
The 4th Annual Safer Consumer Products Summit was held May 6-8, 2014, in Santa Clara, California, and with the first draft Priority Products (PP) having been announced by California's Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) in March 2014, the regulators, manufacturers, brand owners, and retailers gathered for the Summit were able to engage in substantive and practical discussion and learn from case studies on California's implementation of the Safer Consumer Products Regulations (SCPR), the most expansive Green Chemistry law in the world. B&C was the Platinum sponsor of the Summit.
Summit Chair Lynn L. Bergeson introduced Meredith Williams, Ph.D., DTSC Deputy Director, who gave the Keynote Address. Dr. Williams discussed DTSC's decision-making process with regard to its three selections in its draft initial PP 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(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate (TDCPP)) and other DTSC efforts, including its development of a work plan identifying potential future PPs and guidance for companies to prepare "Alternatives Analysis" assessments. DTSC also held on May 7, 2014, the first of three workshops related to its draft initial PPs. The other two workshops are scheduled for May 28, 2014, and June 4, 2014. B&C's memorandum on the draft PP list is available online.
Lisa R. Burchi, Of Counsel with B&C, moderated a panel discussion focused on the immediate challenges of complying with SCPR, including panelists from the consulting and legal community, as well as Chin Kuay, Senior Manager, Regulatory Compliance, Office Depot, and Mary-Ann Warmerdam, Regulatory Affairs Leader, Global Stewardship, The Clorox Company. The panel discussed immediate steps manufacturers and retailers are taking, how companies can prepare their long-lead-time products without knowing if or when they might be affected by a PP listing, and what steps companies should consider if there is confidential information they need to protect.
The afternoon session Keynote Address was made by Jim Jones, EPA Assistant Administrator for the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention (OCSPP), who provided an overview of the federal chemicals management program, and the many critically important initiatives that OCSPP is spearheading to give expression to the Obama Administration's commitment to improving chemical safety.
For copies of Dr. Williams', Mr. Jones', and other presentations made at the Summit please contact chad.howlin@lawbc.com.