Is There Gold In California's Green Chemical Rules?
From Gene Livingston, GT Sacramento.
In the 19th Century, California was known for Gold. In the 21st, it aims to be known for Green. The 
State's "Green Chemistry Initiative", described here, is a massive undertaking, at least as significant and wide-ranging as California's efforts to reduce GHGs.
The California Legislature has granted unprecedented authority to the State Department of Toxic Substance Control, authorizing the agency to identify and prioritize chemicals in consumer products as "chemicals of concern" and to require manufacturers to assess alternatives to limit exposure or reduce hazard levels. DTSC's powers include product bans.
For more than a year, DTSC has worked on regulations. At one point, it circulated a draft that would have covered hundreds of thousands of consumer products and required all products containing any identified chemical to be banned in two to twenty years. While DTSC has abandoned that draft, its public disclosures leave unanswered most questions about the scope of implementation. DTSC expects to release a detailed outline by mid-April that is certain to raise enormous concerns for businesses and consumers.
Updates will follow as events unfold.
