Cornerstone Report Slideshow - Center for Occupational and ...

Addressing Policy Barriers toGreen ChemistryMichael P. Wilson, PhD, MPHMegan R. Schwarzman, MD, MPHProgram in Green Chemistry & Chemicals PolicyUC Berkeley School of Public Health – Center for Occupational & Environmental Health

University of California, Berkeley

University of California, BerkeleyHexane-induced peripheral neuropathy in the Californiavehicle repair industry.

Serial Phase-Outs & Substitutions1970: Stoddard solvent Fire hazard1978: CFCs Ozone depletion1980: Methylene chloride Carcinogen1985: 1,1,1-Trichloroethane Ozone depletion1990: Perchloroethylene Dioxin emissions2002: Hexane/acetone blends NeurotoxinNext: 1-BromopropaneReproductive toxin

35 Chemicals Bills in California, 2005-2006AB 121 (Vargas)AB 263 (Chan)AB 289 (Chan)AB 319 (Chan)AB 342 (Baca)AB 597 (Montanez)AB 623 (Aanistad)AB 639 (Aghazarian)AB 752 (Karnette)AB 815 (Lieber)AB 816 (Lieber)AB 848 (Berg)AB 908 (Chu)AB 912 (Ridley-Thomas)AB 966 (Saldana)AB 985 (Dunn)AB 990 (Lieber)AB 1125 (Pavley)AB 1337 (Ruskin)AB 1342 (Assem ESTM)AB 1344 (Assem ESTM)AB 1354 (Baca)AB 1415 (Pavley)AB 1681 (Pavley)SB 419 (Simitian)SB 432 (Simitian)SB 484 (Migden)SB 490 (Lowenthal)SB 600 (Ortiz)SB 838 (Escutia)SB 849 (Escutia)SB 982 (Sen EQ comm)SB 989 (Sen EQ comm.)SB 1067 (Kehoe)SB 1070 (Kehoe)

2006: Legislature to SPH_______________________Green Chemistry in California:A Framework for Leadership inChemicals Policy and Innovation.2008: California EPA to SPH_________________________Green Chemistry: Cornerstone to aSustainable California127 UC faculty signatories from seven campuses.

The design of chemical products and processes toreduce or eliminate substances hazardous tohuman health and the environment.1. Make safer products2. Use less-toxic feedstocks and processes3. Design for cradle-to-cradle use4. Account for energy efficiencyAnastas, P.T. and J. Warner. 1999. Green Chemistry Theory and Practice

Green Chemistry:Addressing the Source

Policy Barriers to Green ChemistryDATA GAP(Information)SAFETYGAP(Accountability)TECHNOLOGY GAP(Capacity)

Data Gap:Business and Consumer Choice• Necessary Information:• Current U.S. market:FunctionPricePerformanceHazards

Data Gap:State Governments’ Ability toPrioritize Risks• Necessary Information:• Available Information:IdentitySales volumeUsesHazards

Policy Barriers to Green ChemistryDATA GAP(Information)SAFETYGAP(Accountability)TECHNOLOGY GAP(Capacity)

Safety Gap: TSCA’s Logical ParalysisDefinitive evidence ofcause-and-effectStandard of evidencerequired for regulationBalance of the evidenceReasonable grounds forconcernDegree of certaintypossible based oninformation currentlyavailable to EPAScientific suspicion ofrisk

Policy Barriers to Green ChemistryDATA GAP(Information)SAFETYGAP(Accountability)TECHNOLOGY GAP(Capacity)

Technology Gap:Intellectual and technical capacity tosupport green chemistryChemistry education lacks• Toxicology• Exposure• Principles of green chemistryProducers lack• Metrics for continuous improvement• Assistance with commercialization

Entrepreneurs& VCChemicalProducersDownstreamBusinessesState & LocalGovernmentsChemicals PolicyStakeholdersConsumersEnvironmentalJusticeEnvironmentalGroupsPublic HealthLabor

• Total daily California sales of chemical products alone:644 million pounds (2,700 tankers)• Total daily U.S. chemical production and importation:42 billion pounds (623,000 tankers)Source: TSCA IUR and CA Air Resources Board

Global Chemical ProductionGrowing 3% per yearDoubling every 25 years

European Union Affecting Global ChangeREACH: Registration, Evaluation, Authorization, andRestriction of Chemicals• Data generation and disclosure to government, publicand through supply chains• Management of chemicals of concern• Global effects: applies equally to European and foreignproducers and importers

REACH vs. TSCA• Data disclosure for 30,000 chemicals• Reversal of burden of proof: “no data, no market”• Level playing field for new and existing chemicals• Public access to information• Two-way communication in supply chain• Substances in products• Authorization of substances of high concern

State &FederalLegislationEU: REACHBiomonitoringDataExpandingGlobalProductionDrivers of GreenChemistryEcosystemHarmRegrettableSubstitutionsProduct SafetyProduct &HazardousWasteOccupationalDisease

Product WasteGraphic arts courtesy of Chris Jordan -- chrisjordan.com

Two million plastic bottles discarded every 5 seconds in the U.S.

Plastic Contamination: the Pacific Gyre• 90% floating debris in oceans is plastic• Plastic outweighs phytoplankton 6:1• Projected to grow 10-fold in 10 years• Plastic found in 48-86% seabirds & marine mammals

426,000 cell phones retired each day in the U.S.

Global Transport of HazardsTransport of electronic waste to ChinaBasel Action Network

Occupational DiseaseCalifornia, 2004Source: Leigh et al. in preparation

Hazardous waste• 61 of 85 of CA largest hazardous waste sites leaking into groundwater• 94% pose “a major threat to human health or the environment.”• US EPA estimates 600 new sites needed each month until 2033

Biomonitoring StudiesHundreds of synthetic chemicals in breast milkand umbilical cord bloodMercuryPolyaromatic hydrocarbonsPolybrominated dibenzodioxinsPolybrominated dibenzofuranssPerfluorinated chemicalsPolychlorinated dibenzodioxinsPolychlorinated dibenzofuransOrganochlorine pesticidesPolybrominated diphenyl ethersPolychlorinated naphthalenesPolychlorinated biphenylsPBDE Levels in Breast Milk, SwedenDarnerud et al. 2002

Perception of Product Safety

U.S. Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA):An 82,000 Piece Jigsaw Puzzle

Green Chemistry Opportunity:Eliminating the Policy BarriersPolicy objectives• Close the data gap (Information)• Close the safety gap (Accountability)• Close the technology gap (Capacity)Policy strategies• Demand side: increasing the competitive advantageof safer substances• Supply side: building capacity to meet demand

Policy with Environmental & Economic AimsPer Capita Electricity Consumption, 1960-2007Source: California Energy Commission, 2007

University of California, BerkeleyProgram in Green Chemistry& Chemicals Policyhttp://coeh.berkeley.edu/greenchemistryUC Berkeley School of Public HealthCenter for Occupational &Environmental Health