Changes in U.S. Chemical Law

Earlier this summer, a bipartisan bill was introduced in the Senate that could have profound implications for companies that manufacture or import consumer or industrial products that are made using routine chemical products, such as coatings, paints, adhesives, and insulators, among others.  The bill, dubbed the Chemical Safety Improvement Act of 2013, could become a game-changer for a large swath of the manufacturing sector.  Among the bill’s key features are the following:

• For the first time in its history, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) would be required to review the health and environmental effects of all chemical substances in active commerce in the United States;
• The Act would establish a new safety standard that all chemicals in active commerce would have to meet.  Substances that fail to meet this new standard will be subject to restrictions – including a ban or phase-out, if appropriate; and
• Importers will be subject to new reporting and certification requirements.  For the first time, these requirements are expressly made applicable to importers of manufactured articles, not just chemical substances.
   

On Wednesday, September 4, 2013 from 2:00-3:30pm EST, please join Crowell & Moring's team of chemical regulatory and public policy attorneys, along with a subject matter expert from Exponent, for a webinar that examines the current status of TSCA modernization efforts and their potential impacts on manufacturers and importers.  Specific topics that will be covered include: 

• The most up-to-date status of legislative efforts, including recent hearings in the House and Senate, and the outlook for passage of reform legislation;
• Practical implications of proposed legislative changes for manufacturers and importers;
• Impacts of the proposed legislation on state chemical regulation initiatives, such as California’s Safer Consumer Products (Green Chemistry) regulations; and
• Changes in scientific assessments under the proposed legislation.