CSPA Lauds Improved Chemical Regulatory Bill

CSPA Lauds Improved Chemical Regulatory Bill

The Consumer Specialty Products Association (CSPA) welcomed a bill introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives that would move forward the modernization of the nation’s chemical regulatory law. Earlier this summer, Representatives Bobby Rush (D-IL) and Henry Waxman (D-CA) released a draft discussion bill on which CSPA commented.

“We commend chairmen Rush and Waxman for their decision to engage in a stakeholder process in the House prior to introducing their bill. The process worked; while much work needs to be done on the new bill, the stakeholder sessions resulted in positive changes and a collaborative framework for further discussions,” said CSPA president Chris Cathcart.

“We support the approach taken in the legislation to direct EPA to implement a risk-based approach that will consider both intended use and exposure in their review and assessment of safety for a chemical substance. CSPA member companies have committed to providing EPA the use and exposure information they need to complete a safety determination on chemicals in commerce.”

“We all agree that it is time to modernize the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) of 1976 given the more than three decades of scientific and technological advancements since TSCA was enacted. A modernized TSCA will help improve confidence in the safety of chemical used in the United States,” Cathcart said.

TSCA provides the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) the regulatory authority over chemicals in commerce. Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) introduced The Safe Chemicals Act of 2010 in May.

CSPA advocates the following in a modernized TSCA:
Ensuring the EPA has proper exposure and use data;
Establishing a mechanism and deadlines to prioritize chemicals for review and assessment by EPA;
Providing clarification on what chemicals present risk to public health and/or the environment;
Determining what improvements will promote and not stifle innovation; and
Providing appropriate funding for EPA.
More info: www.cspa.org



ACI Says Safety Is in the Label Regarding Cleaning Product Study
Research compiling statistics on injuries from misuse of household cleaning products reiterates a major message for parents: the most important information on the product label is the safety and usage information. The American Cleaning Institute (ACI – formerly The Soap and Detergent Association) responded to interpretations of data published by the journal Pediatrics, which reported that “early childhood injuries from household cleaning products dropped by almost half over the past two decades.”

ACI, which represents cleaning product manufacturers, pointed to the importance of supervision and storage to ensuring safe and effective use of household cleaning products.

“Any injury that occurs from unintended exposures is always one too many,” said Nancy Bock, ACI vice president of consumer education. “When it comes to cleaning products, parents and caregivers truly have safety in their hands. The most important information on the product label is the safety and usage information. When you’re finished using the product, store it up and away.”

Bock noted that numerous products have safety caps and other child-resistant packaging, but that adherence to the time-honored message on the product label—“Keep out of the reach of children”—will help reduce injuries from unintended uses.
More info: www.cleaninginstitute.org



CSPA’s Third Edition Aerosol Manual Now Available
The Aerosol Propellants Safety Manual (Aerosol Propellants: Considerations for Effective Handling in the Aerosol Plant and Laboratory) is now available from the Consumer Specialty Products Association (CSPA).

“The Aerosol Propellants Safety Manual is a must-have for all aerosol product manufacturers and laboratories,” said D. Douglas Fratz, vice president, scientific and technical affairs, CSPA. “It includes the latest best practices in aerosol propellant safety and includes references and explanations of all the relevant standards that have been created or updated since the Second Edition was published in 1999.”

First published in 1979, the Aerosol Propellants Safety Manual contains information on propellants shipping, receiving, storage and handling; compressed and soluble gas propellants; location and construction, ventilation, gas detection, electrical equipment, piping systems, fire prevention and control in propellant charging and pump rooms; disposal of reject aerosol containers; laboratory safety; and safety seminars.
More info: www.cspa.org