The Path Forward: Green Chemistry and Chemicals Policy Reform

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The Path Forward Green Chemistry and Chemicals
Policy Reform

Ken Zarker, Manager Pollution Prevention
Regulatory Assistance Section ken.zarker_at_ecy.wa.go
v Spokane River Forum March 27, 2013
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Sound Chemical Management Strategies
Products
Materials
Production Processes
Wastes
Source Ken Geiser, Ph.D. Professor of Work
Environment University of Massachusetts Lowell
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Sound Chemical Management Strategies Waste
Management Pollution Control
Products
Materials
Production Processes
Wastes
Command and Control Regulations 1970s to 1980s
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Sound Chemical Management Strategies Pollution
Prevention Cleaner Production
Products
Materials
Production Processes
Wastes
Clean Production Audits Facility Planning and
Technical Assistance 1980s-1990s
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Sound Chemical Management Strategies Safer
Product Policy Chemicals Policy
Products
Materials
Production Processes
Wastes
Design for Environment Life Cycle Assessment and
Alternatives Assessment 2000s
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Sound Chemical Management Strategies Green
Chemistry
Products
Materials
Production Processes
Wastes
Chemical Design
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Growing the Green Economy through Green Chemistry

• Green chemistry is the utilization of a set of
• principles that reduces or eliminates the use
• or generation of hazardous substances in the
• design, manufacture and application of
• chemical products.
• Paul Anastas and John Warner, Green Chemistry
• Theory and Practice, 1998

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12 Principles of Green Chemistry

• 1. Prevent waste rather than treat it or clean it
  up.
•  
• 2. Incorporate all materials used in the
  manufacturing process into the final product. 
• 3. Design synthetic methods to use and generate
  substances with little or no toxicity to people
  and the environment.
•  
• 4. Design chemical products to be effective, but
  to have little or no toxicity.
•  
• 5. Avoid the use of harmful solvents and
  auxiliary substances.
•  
• 6. Minimize energy requirements and conduct
  processes at ambient temperature and pressure.

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12 Principles of Green Chemisty

• 7. Use renewable feedstocks. 
• 8. Avoid the use of chemical intermediates to
  reduce waste. 
• 9. Use catalysts that carry out a reaction many
  times instead of less efficient reagents. 
• 10. Use chemicals that readily break down into
  innocuous substances in the environment.  
• 11. Use in-process real-time monitoring and
  control to avoid or reduce the formation of
  hazardous substances.
• 12. Use chemicals with low risk for accidents,
  explosions, fires, and releases.

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NIKE GREEN CHEMISTRY
FILTER CHEMICALS
EVALUATE HAZARDS
PRIORITIZE THE LIST
INNOVATE PRODUCT PROCESS
considered chemistry
EVALUATE EXPOSURE
Source Nike, Inc., Used by Permission
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TRADITIONAL RUBBER
ENVIRONMENTALLY PREFERRED RUBBER
Number of Red Chemicals 5
Number of Red Chemicals 1
considered chemistry
TOXICS REDUCTION EPR
Red Chemicals by weight 12
Red Chemicals by weight 1
REDUCED TOXICS 96 BY WEIGHT
Source Nike, Inc., Used by Permission
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• Question
• How can the Spokane River Forum promote green
  chemistry?

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• Growth of State Green Chemistry Programs
• Michigan establishes Green Chemistry
  Strategy
• California launches Green Chemistry
  Initiative
• Minnesota, New England
• Oregon Executive Order
• Washington Green Chemistry Center EPA
  Green Chemistry Centers (2 molecular design 2
  chemical life-cycle

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Californias Green Chemistry Initiative

• 2007---Department of Toxic Substances Control
  launches the state Green Chemical Initiative
• Six Objectives
• Expand Pollution Prevention
• Develop Education and Training, Research and
  Development and Technology Transfer
• Create an On-Line Product Ingredient Network
• Create an On-Line Toxics Clearinghouse
• Accelerate the Quest for Safer Products
• Move Towards a Cradle to Cradle Economy

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• California Green Chemistry Initiative
• Two bills enacted in 2008
• AB 1879 creates a process of identifying and
  prioritizing
• chemicals of high concern and a process for
  regulating them where there are safer
  alternatives
• SB 509 requires the establishment of a public
  Toxic Chemicals Clearinghouse
• Established a California Wiki tool for public
  input
• Established a Science Panel for advice

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Green Chemistry for Michigan

• 2005 Governor Granholm Executive Order on Green
  Chemistry
• 2007 Michigan DEP commences first Stakeholder
  Meeting on Green
  Chemistry
• 2008 Lowell Center contracted to prepare
  Policy Study on Green Chemistry
• Building Awareness
• Building the Program
• Building the Future
• Michigan Department of Environmental Quality
  adopts a three phase Action Plan and sets aside
  1 million for implementation

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Governor Kitzhaber, Oregon April 2012 EXECUTIVE
ORDER NO. 12 - 05 FOSTERING ENVIRONMENTALLY-FRIEN
DLY PURCHASING AND PRODUCT DESIGN

• Build Awareness for Green Chemistry
• Environmental Preferable Purchasing Reforms
• Oregon Interagency Toxic Chemical and Pollutant
  Reduction Strategy
• Identify at least two industries in Oregon where
  green chemistry should be applied to reduce the
  use and generation of chemicals of concern.

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• Washington State Green Chemistry Roadmap-
  Framework Document
• Green Chemistry Awareness and Outreach
• Advancing Green Chemistry Education
• Driving Safer Product Innovation through Tools
  and Information
• Incentivizing Green Chemistry Through Supply
  Chains
• Accelerating Economic development New
  Collaborations
• Harmonizing Policy and Regulatory Frameworks
• Emerging Technology Green Nanotechnology

Washington State Green Chemistry Roundtable
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• WA State Green Chemistry Innovation
• Green Chemistry Roadmap
• Green Chemistry Center
• Green Chemistry Research Projects
• Better Brakes
• Roofing Assessment
• PCBs in Inks/Dyes Pigments
• Educational Network Project

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Prospects for TSCA Reform Safe Chemicals Act of
2011 (S. 847)
Senator Frank Lautenberg
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TSCA Reform Key Issues for States

• Preserve states ability to protect public
  health and the environment.
• Require minimum data for all chemicals and
  require manufacturers to show that chemicals meet
  safety standards.
• Require EPA to define criteria for safer
  alternatives using a hazard and risk-based
  approach that considers the entire chemical life
  cycle, and encourage use of safer alternatives
  through market incentives and other means.

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TSCA Reform Key Issues for States

• Give EPA authority to take immediate action to
  reduce threats from the most harmful chemicals,
  especially Persistent, Bioaccumulative and Toxic
  chemicals (PBTs), including chemical bans where
  needed.
• Reward innovation and help safer chemicals and
  alternatives get to the market place faster.
• Share information and coordinate between state
  and federal programs to maximize use of resources
  and ensure a predictable regulatory environment
  for all stakeholders.

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• States Leadership on TSCA Reform
• States Legislation
• States Principles on TSCA Reform (2009)
• Environmental Council of the States Resolution
  (2010)
• Congressional Testimony (2011)