Massachusetts legislature considers chemical restrictions

Massachusetts is considering four bills that would restrict, ban, or require additional disclosure for the use of certain chemicals in consumer products. The bills, subject of a 28 July public hearing, have provisions restricting flame retardants, listed toxic chemicals, asthmagens and solvents.

The affected uses include children's products, upholstered furniture, dry cleaning operations, and cleaning products used in public buildings.

The four bills are as follows:

• S1139 proposes to establish a toxic chemicals list and would require manufacturers of children's products to submit annual reports, noting the presence of listed chemicals. The initial list would incorporate the Washington and Maine toxic chemicals lists, at a minimum;
• S1132, a bill covering flame retardants in children's products and upholstered furniture, would ban certain designated substances. It would set a maximum permissible usage of TRIS and PBDEs in covered products at 1,000ppm;
• H2067, the Safer Cleaning Products Act, would establish a state-run safer cleaning products list, and ban the use of unlisted cleaning products in schools, day care centres and public buildings. The state would list products that satisfy “environmentally friendly purchasing criteria” and that do not contain ingredients that the commissioner deems asthmagens; and
• H2068 would require dry cleaners to post a sign, informing customers and neighbours if they are using a solvent system. This must include the type of solvent, its manufacturer, and a colour-coded hazard designation, as determined by the state.

Staff at the Joint Committee on Public Health report that the Massachusetts legislature may not vote on the bills for several more months. It will have until March 2016 to pass them into law.