Aug. 29 – California: Bill AB 1879

From the LA Times:

AB 1879 from Assemblyman Mike Feuer (D-Los Angeles) started out like any number of other bills targeting individual chemicals known to cause such problems as birth defects, cancer and lung disorders. But this week, Feuer and the bill’s coauthors reached a deal with the California Environmental Protection Agency and the state Department of Toxic Substances Control to amend the bill so that it takes a more comprehensive approach — and lays the framework for the governor’s Green Chemistry scheme.

California environmental regulators have long focused on emissions from industrial facilities and vehicles. Feuer’s bill would for the first time give them the power to regulate chemicals in consumer products. That doesn’t necessarily mean banning such chemicals, though the state would have that option if there were clear evidence of health risks; it might mean simply requiring better product labeling or restricting the use of some substances. The bill also would set up an Internet database containing current information and research on toxic chemicals, create an advisory panel of scientists to guide chemicals policy and establish regulations for analyzing greener alternatives.

Click on the above link for more information or here for the text of AB 1879.