Statement of Andy Igrejas, Manager of the Pew Charitable Trusts' Environmental Health...

Statement of Andy Igrejas, Manager of the Pew Charitable Trusts' Environmental
Health Campaign, on Today's Passage of the 'Green Chemistry' Package Passed by
the California Legislature

WASHINGTON, Sept. 2 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Andy Igrejas, manager of The
Pew Charitable Trusts' Environmental Health Campaign, today issued the
following statement in response to the "Green Chemistry" package passed by the
California legislature. Governor Schwarzenegger had negotiated the language
in the bills and is expected to sign them.

"California's new 'Green Chemistry' package marks a milestone in state action
on unsafe chemicals. California is taking a great step by moving away from
responding to the 'chemical-danger-of-the-week' and taking a more
comprehensive approach designed to fix the broken system of consumer
protections.

"This legislation does not go as far as the proposed federal-level Kid-Safe
Chemical Act. For example, it allows too much information to be classified as
trade secrets, making the process less transparent for the public. However,
California has acted significantly to protect the public health by passing a
measure that Europe already has in place and that Congress needs to adopt. It
represents important progress in the growing political effort to better
protect consumers from unsafe chemicals.

"California has recognized that the chemicals in toys and baby bottles that
have made recent headlines -- including phthalates and Bisphenol A -- are
symptoms of a deeper problem that cannot be ignored. Congress should follow a
similar path and follow up their achievements this year on phthalates and toys
with the Kid-Safe Chemicals Act. That bill would force the development and
disclosure of health and safety information for all chemicals and require that
protecting our children and other vulnerable groups be the highest priority."

The "Green Chemistry" package of bills will:

-- Direct the California Environmental Protection Agency to develop a process
for reviewing industrial chemicals and ensuring they are used safely;

-- Direct Cal/EPA to use the health and safety information being developed by
chemical companies to comply with new safety regulations in Europe; and

-- Direct the agency to ensure that the new process addresses children's
special vulnerability to chemicals and that chemicals be evaluated for their
impacts throughout a child's life-cycle.

Pew's Health and Human Services program aims to improve the health and
well-being of all Americans with practical policy solutions developed through
rigorous research and analysis. In a policy environment that is often
polarized, we seek consensus for fundamental, positive change. For more
information, please go to:
http://www.pewtrusts.org/our_work_detail.aspx?id=558

CONTACT: Dan Klotz of Pew Charitable Trusts, 202-887-8855, 347-307-2866

SOURCE Pew Charitable Trusts

Dan Klotz of Pew Charitable Trusts, +1-202-887-8855, +1-347-307-2866