In his Fox & Hounds Daily blog post Sept. 22, Jim Conran, president of Consumers Union, asks a critical and important question about California’s emerging Safer Consumer Products initiative. Will consumers and businesses actually be better off as a result of this groundbreaking new approach?
He couldn’t be more right in his reasoning that California is taking a significant step forward in the way consumer products are designed and manufactured. And we agree fully with his case for a common-sense regulatory approach as it unfolds in coming years. The fundamental goal of our initiative is to reduce or eliminate harmful chemical ingredients in consumer products where there is the greatest exposure and harm.
In his concerns, however, about the state’s proposed regulatory process to bring about a shift to safer products, Mr. Conran overlooks one thing: The state’s regulation is designed to accomplish precisely the pinpoint approach that he seeks.
We suggest Mr. Conran might find, in another look at the regulatory details, that he and the Department really see eye-to-eye. He fears overregulation, and favors prioritizing chemicals and products with highest exposure to sensitive populations. This regulation does exactly that, enabling the Department of Toxic Substances Control to focus smartly as it improves our most common products. We believe the result of such focus will be safer products that help business bottom lines as they protect both our present generation and those to follow.
Mr. Conran’s key concern is that a one-size-fits-all regulatory approach will waste time and money analyzing lower-level risks and divert precious energy from an environmental and consumer safety goal he expressly admires.
But the state’s regulatory procedure is carefully written to avoid such needless efforts and shotgun approaches. Instead, it focuses squarely on the most dangerous chemicals present in our common everyday products and their exposure.
Smart priorities and productive decision-making that get to the heart of exposure are at the core of California’s pioneering Green Chemistry initiative. Three important steps in the proceedings will help minimize uncertainty for manufacturers and businesses while maximizing consumer safety.
Here’s how it works. The process will first produce a list of chemicals that are known to be bad for human exposure, especially for sensitive subpopulations such as infants, pregnant mothers and the elderly.
Then it will produce a list of products in widespread use that contain those dangerous chemicals. Those are products we interact with almost daily, greatly increasing our exposure to harmful substances.
In a third step, business and government will consider and find alternatives to make these products safer. The department defines a safer alternative to be one that functions as well as the original while being safer for humans and the environment.
This targeted three-phased process promises both lowered human exposure to the most dangerous chemicals, and to the products that contain those chemicals that are most commonly exposed to sensitive populations.
Mr. Conran’s fear that state regulators will find themselves dragging tens of thousands of chemicals and products through a cumbersome regulatory process is unfounded. So is the notion that businesses will face needless aggravation from government while navigating this new path in human commerce.
At its core, the process is narrowly tuned to Conran’s own expressed contention that "what matters is exposure – which is a calculation that considers how the product is used, who uses it and how long."
It is true that California’s regulation for Safer Consumer Products will bring changes to how we do business. Already, we see changes occurring every day. Forward-thinking companies large and small are turning to "greener" products. They are demanding safer ingredients from their suppliers and pushing the boundaries of product development.
This is an opportunity for California’s innovative business forces to open new markets globally. Researching, designing, capitalizing, manufacturing and selling safer products can create thousands of new jobs in California.
We encourage dialogue from all perspectives as the process unfolds. The goal is no less than a safer world for our families and a bright new sector for our green economy.