Chemicals Policy In California

California needs to tighten its regulatory system for chemicals because federal controls are deficient, says a report presented to the state legislature on March 14.

California also needs to improve the amount and type of information available to the public about commercial chemicals, says the report, which was prepared by University of California researchers at the request of the legislature.

In addition, the report recommends that California support research, development, technical assistance, and education related to green chemistry. ???California should be on the leading edge of these technologies,??? says Michael P. Wilson, lead author of the report and assistant research scientist in occupational and environmental health at UC Berkeley.

California needs a comprehensive policy on chemicals for a variety of reasons, the report says. First, the federal regulatory system for commercial chemicals under the Toxic Substances Control Act has ???extensive deficiencies??? that pose problems in California for public health, environmental quality, businesses, and the state government.

The lack of comprehensive and standardized information about the toxicity of most chemicals makes it difficult for companies to identify hazardous substances in their supply chains, the report says. Consumers and small businesses don???t have the information to identify safer chemical products, it continues.

Meanwhile, state agencies lack data needed to systematically identify and prioritize hazards posed by chemicals. They also lack the legal authority to mitigate known chemical hazards, according to the report.

It recommends that California lawmakers form a task force to develop comprehensive chemicals legislation they can consider during 2007.

The chairman of the California Senate's Committee on Environmental Quality, Sen. S. Joseph Simitian (D), endorses this idea. ???Given the lack of attention at the federal level,??? he says, ???I'm convinced that unless the State of California tackles these issues, they are not likely to get resolved.???

John R. Ulrich, senior consultant to the Chemical Industry Council of California, an association of manufacturers and distributors, warns that any changes in the state's policy on chemicals must be risk-based and scientifically sound.

Michael P. Walls, American Chemistry Council managing director for regulatory and technical affairs, criticizes the report for failing to recognize that the chemical industry is the leader in green chemistry. Walls adds, ???The report displays a shocking ignorance of the federal regulatory system.???

Bill Walker, the Environmental Working Group's West Coast vice president, faults the current system for examining only one chemical at a time, rather than looking at all substances in commerce comprehensively. Sticking with the existing system in California or nationally ???will never produce anything but piecemeal reform,??? Walker says, endorsing the report's calls for change.

The report is available at coeh.berkeley.edu/GreenChemistryReport.pdf.