There’s an important and ongoing debate in the U.S. and the EU about chemicals that may interact with the endocrine system to cause harmful effects in wildlife or on human health. In this post, we’ll work to answer some of the key questions driving the debate: What are endocrine disruptors? What does the latest science [...]
Tag Archives: Risk
TSCA Work Plan Chemicals Program: What’s working, what more could be done?
EPA is continuing to use the Agency’s existing authority to improve the way chemicals are regulated under TSCA. EPA’s latest approach to conducting targeted risk assessments on priority work plan chemicals has landed the Agency on virtually solid ground, although EPA’s methodology still needs some fine tuning to ensure it can produce high quality, scientifically [...]
NAFRA companies look forward to working with EPA on flame retardant assessments
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a press release this week saying it would begin assessments on 23 commonly used chemicals, including some flame retardants, in order to fully understand their health and environmental effects. The North American Flame Retardant Alliance (NAFRA) is encouraged that EPA has undertaken an initial screening of a number [...]
Emerging theme at this year’s GlobalChem: Partnerships lead to progress
GlobalChem presents a great opportunity to bring industry leaders, the regulatory community and other stakeholders together to discuss the important roles each of us can play to improve how chemicals are managed. Based on Monday’s pre-conference TSCA fundamentals workshops and Tuesday’s regulatory discussions, this year’s GlobalChem has proven no different. Forging partnerships, at home and [...]
With fraudulent studies on the rise, consumers must read between the headlines
Consumers have borne the brunt of a barrage of pseudo-scientific studies in mainstream media over the past ten years claiming that the chemistry behind everyday products could be harmful to them or their families. Over the course of that same decade, retractions of “scientific” studies found to be fraudulent or inaccurate increased by tenfold — [...]
New report could improve the scientific foundation for regulatory decisions
A new report by the Research Integrity Roundtable, designed to improve the scientific analysis and independent expert reviews underpinning many important regulatory decisions, could lead to science-based improvements to EPA’s Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) and other critical assessment programs. A product of 18 months of stakeholder dialogues between scientists and policy experts from industry, [...]
Precautionary principle can do more harm than good, CPSC commissioner says
Commissioner Nancy A. Nord of the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) says “it’s time to discard the precautionary principle at the CPSC,” referring to work underway as mandated by Congress and the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008. Currently, the CPSC appears to be making decisions to limit or ban a substance [...]
Efforts to safeguard chemical facilities cannot be overstated, but the promise of old ideas can
An editorial appearing in the New York Times last week reads more like a teaser to an action movie – overblown and out of touch (“The Risk From Chemical Plants,” May 3, 2012). All one needs to do is take a closer look at the facts to get an accurate picture of the progress that [...]
Unenlightened “How Chemicals Affect Us” gets a D+ in endocrine disruption
Twenty years of scientific literature on “endocrine disruptors” cannot be drummed up in 790 words, but consumers’ fear of them can (“How Chemicals Affect Us,” May 2, 2012). A good writer, but not a science reporter, New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof, before all else, failed even to define “endocrine disruptor.” This is important because [...]
Jeff Stier: Look to Canada for ways to improve the science behind chemical assessments
Jeff Stier, risk analyst with the National Center for Public Policy Research, offered several interesting insights the other day regarding how chemicals are assessed and managed in different countries — pointing out there are lessons to be learned from our neighbors up north. Northern Exposure We agree with Stier that chemical management regimes in other [...]
- A new year, but the same unworkable Safe Chemicals Act
- Re: “Think Those Chemicals Have Been Tested?” in Sunday’s NYT
- PR stunts miss the point on safety
- See how chemistry helps the U.S. save up to $85 billion a year in reduced energy costs
- New video and report: The chemistry behind energy efficient buildings
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News Releases
- ACC Commends Senators Lautenberg and Vitter for Bipartisan Leadership to Reform TSCA May 22, 2013
- American Chemistry Council Convenes Capitol Hill Discussion on Safety of Chemicals in Consumer Products May 22, 2013
- New York Policy and Business Leaders Host Forum on How Shale Gas Can Transform State’s Manufacturing Sector, Economy May 21, 2013
- ACC President Highlights Shale Gas and Manufacturing at Senate Energy Committee Natural Gas Forum May 21, 2013
- Expansion of Consumer-Driven Chemical and Plastics Applications Suggests Continued Modest Economic Growth May 21, 2013
