On September 29th, Governor Schwarzenegger signed into law two historic peices of legislation creating the “Green Chemistry Initiative” to regulate toxic chemicals in consumer products.
Environment California views the following principles as central to the success of California’s Green Chemistry Initiative and, ultimately, to protecting Californians from toxic chemicals:
1. Decisions affecting human health and the environment should be based on the intrinsic hazards of a chemical and a new approach to toxicity testing.
2. Chemical manufacturers should prove their products are safe.
3. Hazardous chemicals and chemicals with inadequate safety data should be phased out.
4. Industry should bear the costs associated with their chemical production or use.
5. Safer alternatives to hazardous chemicals should be required.
6. The public has a right to know about chemicals in use and participate in decisions affecting the impact of these chemicals on their communities.
