On August 29, 2019, the U.S. state of Washington’s Departments of Ecology and Health will host a public webinar to explain Senate Bill 5135 that was signed into law in May 2019 (FPF reported) and how the agency is working to implement the requirements. Known commonly as “Safer Products for Washington,” the law authorizes the state agencies “to regulate classes of chemicals in consumer products” following a process of designating a set of priority chemicals. Products that contain these chemicals will then be identified, and the authorities will determine notice requirements or chemical restrictions to be applied. However, any “chemical restrictions require safer alternatives be feasible and available.” A first set of priority chemical classes have already been identified and include: per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), phthalates, organohalogen flame retardants, phenolic compounds, and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). An article published by news provider Chemical Watch informed that work within the state agencies has been focusing on PFAS, including an alternatives assessment following a state law to prohibit all PFASs in plant fiber-based food packaging by January 1, 2022 (FPF reported). Registration for the webinar is open.
On September 18, 2019, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will host a public workshop titled “Implementing FDA’s Predictive Toxicology Roadmap: An Update of FDA’s Activities.” The event aims to inform the public about work the agency has completed to develop its Predictive Toxicology Roadmap (FPF reported). In September 2018, the FDA held a public hearing on the roadmap (FPF reported).
References
Washington Department of Ecology (August 2019). “Safer Products for Washington.”
FDA (August 20, 2019). “Implementing the Food and Drug Administration’s Predictive Toxicology Roadmap: An Update of the Food and Drug Administration’s Activities; Public Workshop.”
Read more
Lisa Martine Jackson (August 22, 2019). “Washington state begins chemicals in products law implementation process.” Chemical Watch
Chemical Watch (August 21, 2019). “US FDA to host public workshop on predictive toxicology.”
