ACI Tells Congress: Strengthen the Toxic Substances Control Act

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Nov 13, 2013, 11:34 ET

-- At Congressional Hearing, ACI CEO Says Bipartisan Senate Bill Would Improve Consumer, Environmental Protections, Enable New Product Innovations

-- Changes to TSCA Must be Practical, Achievable, Workable

WASHINGTON, Nov. 13, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The American Cleaning Institute (ACI – www.cleaninginstitute.org) urged Congress to strengthen the nation's main chemical control law, the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), in testimony before a House subcommittee.

ACI President & CEO Ernie Rosenberg told the House Subcommittee on Environment and the Economy that the cleaning products industry is supportive of bipartisan Senate legislation, the Chemical Safety Improvement Act (CSIA), which would modernize TSCA, the nation's 37-year-old law governing chemicals in commerce.

"A strengthened TSCA has the potential to promote consumer and environmental protection while enabling innovation for new and improved products," said Rosenberg. "That's why we support the Chemical Safety Improvement Act."

"The legislation would remove barriers to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) data-gathering and regulatory actions. It would call upon EPA to evaluate the safety of chemicals already in use and enable EPA to identify and act on chemicals that may pose safety concerns.

"EPA's enhanced ability to obtain data would encourage industry to provide health and safety information to the Agency without regulatory delays and with fewer demands on Agency resources."

Rosenberg added that the proposed legislation would preserve the efficiencies in EPA's new chemicals review process, which are widely acknowledged to have worked well, and are critical to innovation.

"To remain innovative, we need strong protection for confidential business information," Rosenberg said. "A strengthened TSCA can and must be risk-based and use the best science. EPA must be able to get the information it needs to make informed chemical assessment and risk management decisions."

"The Chemical Safety Improvement Act would allow EPA to meet its regulatory obligations and restore confidence in the Agency's ability to do so.

"For the law to become more credible, changes in TSCA must be practical, achievable, and workable," added Rosenberg.

Read more about the American Cleaning Institute's views on modernizing TSCA at www.cleaninginstitute.org/policy/toxic_substances_control_act_tsca.aspx.

The American Cleaning Institute^® (ACI) is the Home of the U.S. Cleaning Products Industry^® and represents the $30 billion U.S. cleaning products market. ACI members include the formulators of soaps, detergents, and general cleaning products used in household, commercial, industrial and institutional settings; companies that supply ingredients and finished packaging for these products; and oleochemical producers. ACI (www.cleaninginstitute.org) and its members are dedicated to improving health and the quality of life through sustainable cleaning products and practices.

SOURCE American Cleaning Institute