Manufacturers Wrestle With Chemicals Regulation

IndustryWeek (Katz) - Producers worry that changes to existing rules will put the industry at a competitive disadvantage...Proposed changes to a decades-old federal toxic substances law has the U.S. chemicals industry concerned that the proposed reforms could stifle innovation and move production offshore. Any changes to existing regulations also could have a far-reaching impact throughout manufacturing supply chains. At issue are proposed reforms to the Toxic Substances Control Act of 1976. Representatives Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) and Bobby Rush (D-Ill.) introduced HR 5820, known as the Toxic Chemicals Safety Act of 2010, on July 22. The bill would strengthen the federal government's authority over chemical substances in the marketplace by increasing chemicals manufacturers' reporting requirements to the Environmental Protection Agency.