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Regulatory Arena… and the new WHMIS 2015. Companies are struggling with the new ingredient disclosure requirements and many are turning to applying for “trade secret status.” We expect the trickle of applications to become a flood later in the year, which could slow down the process entirely. The primary focus of the incoming Canadian government, in regard to the chemical industry, will be working with each of the provinces to develop carbon policies in 2016. Alberta has recently announced a slate of carbon pricing policies designed to reduce emissions and to help the country gain social license on oil pipeline projects such as Keystone XL. Expect other provinces to follow suit, which will have a ripple effect through the North American petrochemical industry. Francine Lamoriello, Executive VP, Global Strategies, Personal Care Products Council (PCPC) Recently, President Obama released the final text of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), which provides a historic opportunity to facilitate international trade of personal care products and cosmetics by aligning regulatory policies. With the inclusion of an Annex on cosmetic products, TPP is the first trade agreement to promote regulatory convergence and address technical barriers to trade that impede the personal care products industry. The Annex provides an important framework for international regulatory best practices that will raise standards and allow our industry to continue to provide safe, innovative products in a timely fashion to consumers around the world. The personal care and cosmetic products industry is a global industry that requires open markets and transparent, consistent regulatory environments. International trade is a critical component to the success of our industry, and significantly contributes to our ability to compete globally, to expand manufacturing and employment, and to support other industries such as advertising, packaging and transportation. The personal care products industry also promotes continued technological innovation and supports small- and medium-sized businesses. Passage of this extraordinary agreement will mean a stronger global personal care products industry, a stronger U.S. economy and more U.S. jobs. We urge Congress to recognize this historic achievement and ratify this agreement. Richard Sedlak, VP, Technical & International Affairs, The American Cleaning Institute (ACI) ACI will once again be thoroughly engaged in regulatory activities in 2016—at the federal and state levels—affecting the cleaning product supply chain. ACI submitted in-depth comments on Oct. 28 to the U.S. 18 Spray January 2016 Food & Drug Administration (FDA) addressing its concerns with the agency’s proposed rules governing healthcare antiseptic drug products—including alcohol-based hand sanitizers and antibacterial soaps, washes and scrubs. It brought together ACI formulators and antibacterial ingredient makers to ensure it provided FDA with the best information available so hospitals and healthcare facilities can continue to have a variety of safe and effective products to choose from that best meet their infection control needs. The challenges posed by the FDA’s proposed testing requirements are significant, taking many years of work and millions of dollars to accomplish if they go unchanged. In the near term, ACI is moving efficacy testing protocols forward for both consumer and healthcare products that will soon be brought to FDA for review and approval. We also expect FDA to propose new rules later in 2016 governing consumer hand sanitizer products. Manufacturers of liquid laundry detergent packets are working to apply changes called for in a recently-approved standard by standards organization ASTM International, focusing on guidance for packaging closures and labeling and characteristics of the packet films. Companies will inform the Consumer Product Safety Commission on their progress on meeting the standard and ACI will provide updates on outreach efforts to educate parents and caregivers about what they can do to help reduce exposures to liquid laundry packets. In California, ACI will continue to monitor the evolving implementation of the state’s Safer Consumer Product Regulations, specifically as to how they would affect fabric care and cleaning products. Another big issue in California may be revived attempts to pass a bill to mandate ingredient information on cleaning product labels. The legislation is unnecessary as cleaning products are already subject to many state and federal laws that require sufficient label information to ensure consumers are adequately informed about potential hazards. ACI members participate in the Consumer Product Ingredient Communication Initiative, a successful voluntary program in effect since January 2010. As an example, over 94% of the top-selling detergent brands in the U.S. are following the ingredient listing guidance under the initiative. California VOCs The California Air Resources Board’s (CARB) 2014 data reporting for the Consumer Products Program began July 1, 2015 and ended Nov. 1, 2015. This was the second year of a three-year reporting cycle and is mandatory for all companies who sold or supplied consumer products in California. The collection of 2015 data in 2016 will be the last survey. In addition, low vapor pressure (LVP) volatile organic compound (VOC) research continues. A final report, The Environmental Fate of Low Vapor Pressure—Volatile Organic Compounds from Consumer Products: A Modeling Approach, was made available in July 2015. A report focusing on the air quality impact of LVP–VOCs is forthcoming from UC Riverside. The results of these studies could be used as part of CARB’s assessment as to whether the exemption for LVP–VOCs in Consumer Products Regulations should be modified. Spray Lamoriello Sedlak


Spray January 2016
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