Presentation for the Sustainable Communities and Campuses Conference on March 29, 2019 in Cambridge, MA

1. Strategies to Reduce
Toxics In Products and Processes
Ken Geiser
Distinguished University Professor Emeritus
University of Massachusetts Lowell
March 29, 2019
Shaping the Future of Sustainability

2. Today, many Products contain Toxic Chemicals
“In high consumption economies the most likely source of exposure to
hazardous chemicals now comes from consumer products.”
--United Nations, Global Chemicals Outlook-II, Synthesis Report
released March 16, 2019

3. Strategies for reducing Chemicals of Concern in
Products and Processes
• Government bans and regulations
• Government or Institutional Procurement
• Consumer boycotts
• Consumer awareness resources
• State toxics use reduction programs
• State consumer product assessments
• Private retailer restrictions on chemical ingredients
• Sector based chemical reduction programs

4. Strategies for reducing Chemicals of Concern in
Products and Processes
• Government bans and regulations
• Government or Institutional Procurement
• Consumer boycotts
• Consumer awareness resources
• State toxics use reduction programs
• State consumer product assessments
• Private retailer restrictions on chemical ingredients
• Sector based chemical reduction programs

5. Toxics Use Reduction in Massachusetts
Promoting Industry Planning
• State program focused on reducing or eliminating
toxic chemicals used in the state’s largest industries
• Some 190 chemicals are targeted
• 550 firms must prepare plans on how to reduce or eliminate these chemicals
• Firms must report annually on their progress
• Firms must pay an annual fee to support
• the Department of Environmental Protection
• The Office of Technical Assistance
• The Toxics Use Reduction Institute at UMass Lowell

6. History of the Massachusetts Toxics Use
Reduction Program
• 1980’s – Significant public concern about hazardous waste dumping and waste
incineration
• 1986-1989 - NGO community built a movement for reducing hazardous wastes
by reducing the use of toxic chemicals in industrial production
• 1989 –Toxics Use Reduction Act enacted by unanimous vote of the Legislature
• 1990-2000 -TURA Program built, laboratory built, technical assistance provided
• 2006 - List of Higher Hazard Substances established

7. Results of 25 Years of TUR Progress
Theory of Change: A government regulatory framework can drive industry
planning and innovation.
Result: Reducing or eliminating the use of toxic substances in manufacturing
facilities reduced toxic chemicals going into products and the environment.
• From 1990-2016, Massachusetts companies reduced hazardous chemical use by 40%, onsite
releases by 90% and waste by 72%.
• Trichloroethylene (TCE) From 1990 to 2016 there has been a 93% reduction for use of TCE
(over 3 million pounds) and a 96% reduction of TCE releases (over 1 million pounds).
• Over 50% of surveyed firms reported that one of the biggest benefits realized was a safer
working environment for employees

8. Safer Consumer Products in California
Targeting Specific Product Markets
• State program focused on requiring manufacturers
wishing to sell products in the state to seek safer
alternatives to toxic chemicals in selected products
• Every two years State identifies three toxic chemicals in products for
which firms must conduct Alternative Assessments to identify safer
substitutes
• Based on these Alternative Assessments state may take actions
ranging from required product labeling to chemical bans

9. History of California Safer Consumer Products
Program
• 2006 -- UC Berkeley released Green Chemistry in California calling for a
new state program to promote safer chemicals in products and
industrial production
• 2008 -- California enacts legislation to establish the Safer Consumer
Products Program, advised by a Green Ribbon Science Panel
• 2018 – ten year Evaluation finds limited program success

10. Results of the Safer Consumer Products
Program
Theory of Change: Chemical specific government regulations can drive the market to
search for safer chemical ingredients. Requiring firms to seek safer alternatives can
drive innovation.
Result: industry fought back
Six chemicals in six products have been targeted:
First Tier
• Tris(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl)phosphate (TDCPP) phosphine in children’s mattresses Market shifted
• Targeted methylene chloride in paint strippers Federal action
• methylene diphenyl diisocyanate is spray foam insulation Industry challenged
Second Tier
• Perfluoro/polyfluoro alkyl substances (PFAS) in rugs and carpet Delayed
• Nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPEs) in Laundry detergents Delayed
• 1-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) in varnish and graffiti removers Delayed

11. Retailers Restricted Substance Programs
Promoting Industry Competition
• Over the past decade some major US retailers have been using
Restricted Substance Lists (RSLs) to guide their efforts in reducing the
use of chemicals of high concern
• In 2013, 8 of the largest retailers formed the Retail Leaders Council to
• understand which chemicals of concern are in their products
• develop and implement chemicals policies/strategies
• engage their suppliers in identifying safer alternatives and improving chemicals
management
• adopt safer alternatives that perform and are cost-effective
• educate their customers about safer products

12. Retailer’s Chemical Policies
Theory of Change: Promoting competition and co-operation among firms in
consumer-facing industries can drive change in supply chains
Result: Majority of “big box” retailers are actively driving out lists of chemicals of high
concern in products they sell
• Walmart (2013)--- instituted a chemical policy to reduce 10%
of the hazardous chemicals in 50,000 products in the beauty, personal care, baby care
and cleaning products categories.
• Target (2015)----policy launched to remove formaldehyde and phthalates from its
beauty, baby care, personal care and household cleaning products and remove all
per-fluorinated compounds and flame retardants in its apparel by 2022.
• CVS (2018)---- updated its list of chemicals restricted from use in its over 600 private-
label baby, beauty, personal care and food products.

13. Mind the Store
• Since 2016, the Mind the Store Campaign has released an annual
Score Card grading 40 major North American retailers on their
initiatives to disclose and replace dangerous chemicals in their
products.
• In 2018, Apple, Walmart, Target and Ikea received the highest scores
• The lowest scores included Subway, Starbucks, McDonalds and Office
Depot
See: https://retailerreportcard.com/2018/10/executive-summary-2018/.

14. Lessons
• State regulatory programs can drive the search for safer chemicals in
products and processes
• Such programs should set frameworks that provide flexibility, rather
than target specific chemicals
• Competition and cooperation among competitors within economic
sectors (retail, textiles, auto manufacturing, electronic product
manufacturing) focused on flexible frameworks can drive safer
chemical selection
For more Information, see Ken Geiser, Chemicals without Harm, Policies for a
Sustainable World, MIT Press, 2015.