a better system for the Environ- mental Protection Agency to evaluate risks of both new and existing chemicals using the best available science. This will give the public confidence in the safety of the chemical products used every day. Regulatory modernization will also help strengthen and sustain America’s role as a leading inno- vator for chemical products – an area that drives 25 percent of the U.S. economy. To borrow a phrase from Daniel Yergin, plastics and chemical products are “the bricks and mortar of contemporary civilization.” They are found in 96 percent of manufactured goods – from lifesaving medical devices and personal technologies, to
food packaging and storage, to building materials. Chemicals are vital to making the world safer and healthier. They are also critical to using energy more efficiently, as well as helping us minimize man- kind’s impact on the environment. But over the decades, the regulatory landscape for the U.S. chemical sector has been mired in complexity and uncertainties because of anachronistic Wash- ington rules. Broken system The TSCA has made it difficult to greenlight innovations or effec- tively calculate the costs of various policy options. Because the federal legislation is so out of date, this system is not working. In the face of this dysfunction and ambiguity
in Washington, a patchwork of state and local laws now exists – further complicating interstate commerce and the industry’s investment decisions. Thanks to the efforts of leaders from both parties inWashington, we can look forward to clearing away that clutter and enacting reforms that bring clarity, certainty and consistency to America’s dy- namic and vital chemical industry. With these reforms, parents in ev- ery state can be confident that their children are adequately protected from any risks, while manufacturers fromNew Jersey to California will have the regulatory certainty they need to continue to innovate and create jobs. TSCA modernization passed the House this summer with over-
whelming bipartisan support. And in the Senate, a coalition of both Democrats and Republicans are pushing similar legislation across the finish line in the hopes of sending a final bill to the presi- dent’s desk. Those in Congress who are working together to modern- ize TSCA regulations deserve credit. They are acting in the best interests of our economy and our environment. They are also setting an example for modern Wash- ington – building bridges across parties to act with wisdom and common sense. It is a moment for which we can all give thanks – and which should guide the efforts of our elected leaders and policymakers in the future.
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