More Dialogue Needed To Tackle TSCA

The American Cleaning Institute (ACI – www.cleaninginstitute.org) said today there needs to be additional in-depth dialogue with Congress to appropriately modernize the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), the nation’s key chemical control regulation.

During the past several months, ACI has been extensively engaged in stakeholder meetings with staff members of the Senate Subcommittee on Superfund, Toxics and Environmental Health to discuss the “Safe Chemicals Act.”That bill (S. 847), introduced by subcommittee chair Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ), is aimed at updating TSCA.

In a letter to Sen. Lautenberg and Sen. James Inhofe (R-OK, ranking member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee), ACI President & CEO Ernie Rosenberg said improvements in the law should recognize changes in science and technology and advance innovation.

“The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) needs to take full advantage of information and data in chemical management programs undertaken by other nations,” wrote Rosenberg.“The Agency needs sufficient information to better inform Agency chemical management and assessment decisions.

“ACI remains concerned, though, that the whole of S. 847 would create high hurdles to American manufacturing, particularly when it comes to product and process innovations, and ACI suggests development of new legislation. This can occur through the stakeholder process, which has been valuable and constructive for ACI member companies, and the process should continue.

“ACI remains committed to a bipartisan, bicameral dialogue to fashion a reasonable approach to updating TSCA in order to promote the safe use of chemicals; build public confidence in the chemical management system; protect American jobs, and maintain the U.S. global leadership role in chemical innovation.”

ACI’s letter was sent prior to a Nov.17 Senate hearing to discuss the Safe Chemicals Act.