California outlines draft framework for safer products Regulation

In the USA, California’s Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) has published a draft flowchart covering the Regulation for safer products as part of its Green Chemistry Initiative (CW Briefing December 2009). The document covers a three-stage process including:

• Prioritisation, in which chemicals and consumer products are assessed to generate a list of prioritised consumer products containing chemicals of concern, and a set of “green products”
• Alternatives assessment, covering work plans, the work itself and reports, carried out by manufacturers and feeding into the
• Regulatory response, which could include various measures from no action to a ban of uses

The Department has organised two meetings of the Green Ribbon Science Panel later this month to discuss the framework. A further public meeting will be held on 16 March.

DTSC says regulations will be submitted later this year, opening a formal rulemaking procedure.

• DTSC draft flowchart
• Consultation meetings