With California's new green chemistry plan, the state is moving from 'claims of green' to 'metrics
of green.'
Green is not a useful term when a company does one thing to make their product green, but their overall footprint is not good. The state of California will now start looking at how green is green. And how to compare this product to that product."
"The federal government has not required ingredients disclosure for all products," Gorsen said. "Now for the first time, we will know what is in products -- and not just those made in California but anything sold in California."
Two California laws passed last fall have jump-started the program. AB 1879, sponsored by Assemblyman Mike Feuer (D-Los Angeles), requires the state to identify "chemicals of concern" and to evaluate safer alternatives. SB 509, sponsored by Sen. Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto), creates a scientific clearinghouse for information on chemicals' effects.
Automakers and electronics manufacturers lobbied against the bills, saying that, given the new European standards, they could be subjected to a patchwork of warning labels.
Read more at the LA Times
Green is not a useful term when a company does one thing to make their product green, but their overall footprint is not good. The state of California will now start looking at how green is green. And how to compare this product to that product."
Approximately 100,000 known chemicals are used in manufacturing production today, but safety data is available on only a few thousand. In California, 644 million pounds of chemical products are sold each day.The proposed "Green Chemistry" initiative comes at a time of growing concern that the federal Toxic Substances Control Act, passed three decades ago, has failed to control an explosion of hazardous materials.
"The federal government has not required ingredients disclosure for all products," Gorsen said. "Now for the first time, we will know what is in products -- and not just those made in California but anything sold in California."
Two California laws passed last fall have jump-started the program. AB 1879, sponsored by Assemblyman Mike Feuer (D-Los Angeles), requires the state to identify "chemicals of concern" and to evaluate safer alternatives. SB 509, sponsored by Sen. Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto), creates a scientific clearinghouse for information on chemicals' effects.
Automakers and electronics manufacturers lobbied against the bills, saying that, given the new European standards, they could be subjected to a patchwork of warning labels.
Read more at the LA Times