AB 289: Detecting Commercial Chemicals (2006)

Commercial Chemicals: Finding a needle in a haystack

Commercial chemicals are a daily part of our lives, yet countless go undetected. In fact, over 85,000 chemicals are in commercial use. With unknown levels of toxicity, many of these chemicals leach out into our environment, are absorbed by our bodies, and are potentially extremely dangerous. Assembly Bill 289 (Chan) will help state regulatory agencies detect these chemicals in the air, water, soil, and human body.

In California alone, over 58 million pounds of chemicals are discharged into the environment annually. Currently, state scientists are capable of tracking only about 25% of the chemicals that end up in our air, drinking water, and food. Compounding the problem, chemical manufacturers can legally put products on the market without any review of their health and environmental impacts. AB 289 mandates that manufacturers of high volume chemicals must provide analytical methods to the state to detect and track the specific chemicals they make.

Under current law, the state is responsible for developing and verifying analytical detection methods for chemicals, which can cost up to one million dollars in taxpayer money per year. This responsibility and cost should fall to the companies introducing new chemicals into California’s environment. In most cases, chemical manufacturers already have this information—often as part of the research and development of their product. Since chemical companies are most familiar with the chemicals they manufacture, if they have not yet developed tracking techniques, they bear the most logical and direct responsibility to do so as a condition of selling their product. By shifting the burden of developing detection methods from the state to manufacturers, AB 289 will save taxpayer dollars and eliminate a time-intensive process from state responsibility.

Chronic illnesses, from cancer epidemics to respiratory illnesses like asthma, pose a serious and growing problem in California. Evidence is mounting that millions of Californians are feeling the health impacts of living in an environment filled with chemicals and their largely unknown effects. Having the tools to track and detect chemicals in the air, soil, water, and human body could lead to the prevention and reduction of life-threatening illnesses.

Update

Victory: Governor Schwarzenegger has signed AB 289!