DTSC Requests Public Comment on Scientific Peer Review of Green Chemistry Regulations

California Green Chemistry Regulations:

Yesterday, the Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) notified the public that the agency is adding two external scientific peer review reports to the Safer Consumer Products rulemaking, which was published in the California Regulatory Notice Register (Z-2012-0717-04)on July 27, 2012.  A public comment period for the external scientific peer review reports will commence on November 30, 2012, and close at 5 p.m. on December 30, 2012.

According to the notice, DTSC has complied with Health and Safety Code section 57004 regarding submission of the scientific portions of the proposed safer consumer product regulations to an external scientific peer review. Documents were submitted to scientific peer reviewers through the University of California. Their written reports, which contain an evaluation of the scientific basis of the regulations, have been added to the rulemaking file.  (If truly independent and objective, these comments should make interesting reading, potentially providing ammunition for the legal challenge that seems likely.)

Comments may be submitted by e-mail to gcregs@dtsc.ca.gov, by fax to  (916) 324-1808, or by mail to:

Ms. Krysia Von Burg

Regulations Coordinator

Department of Toxic Substances Control

 P.O. Box 806

 Sacramento, CA 95812-0806

 Tel: (916) 324-2810

 Fax: (916) 324-1808

 The external scientific peer review reports are available at http://www.dtsc.ca.gov/LawsRegsPolicies/Regs/index.cfm or  http://www.dtsc.ca.gov/SCPRegulations.cfm and for public inspection between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. at the Regulations Section located at 1001 I Street, 22nd Floor, Sacramento, California. Requests and inquiries concerning this matter may be directed to Ms. Krysia Von Burg at the address indicated above or by telephone at (916) 324-2810. If Ms. Von Burg is unavailable, please call Ms. Jacqueline Arnold at (916) 322-2004.

Inquiries regarding technical aspects of the external scientific peer review report should be directed to Mr. Jeff Wong at (916) 322-2822. If Mr. Wong is unavailable, please call Ms. Odette Madriago at (916) 323-4927. However, such oral inquiries are not part of the rulemaking record.

New EPCRA TRI Website

EPCRA Toxics Release Inventory (TRI):

On November 19, 2012, EPA rolled out a new website to provide information on how industrial facilities are preventing releases of chemicals. The site shows how industry is making progress in reducing releases reported under Section 313 of the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (ECPCRA).  The site and additional information about the TRI program is available  here