By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, Feb. 3 -- Chemical safety laws need to protect the public while encouraging economic growth, the National Petrochemical & Refiners Association said in a written statement submitted for a Feb. 3 hearing of the US Senate Subcommittee on Superfund, Toxics, and Environmental Health.
“There is nothing more important to NPRA’s members than the safety of the products they produce,” NPRA said. “Our industry supports the reasonable modernization of our chemical safety laws, such as the Toxic Substances Control Act, but we also believe that any modernization must be tiered, targeted, and risk-based.
The Toxic Substances Control Act, enacted in 1976, provides the Environmental Protection Agency with authority to regulate chemicals in commerce. Past attempts to modify the law have been unsuccessful, but similar legislation is expected to be introduced in Congress this year.
“It is pivotal that any chemical regulation program protect human health and the environment while at the same time promoting innovation, economic growth, and American competitiveness in the global marketplace,” NPRA said.
US Government Accountability Office.
