North American Commission for Environmental Cooperation Chemicals Management Forum

1. North American Commission for Environmental Cooperation Chemicals Management Forum Jim Jones Acting Assistant Administrator Office of Chemical Safety & Pollution Prevention

2. Sound Management of Chemicals at the CEC • Part of Healthy Communities & Ecosystems area of the 2010-15 CEC Strategic Plan • Ministers provided direction for SMOC core work: • Establish compatible approaches to identify & track chemicals in commerce • Implement risk reduction strategies • Environmental monitoring & assessment to support risk reduction strategies Office of Chemical Safety & Pollution Prevention

3. Highlights of Recent CEC SMOC Activities • Identify & track chemicals in commerce • Support compilation of national chemical inventory in Mexico • Compare three countries’ inventories to identify potential substances of interest to all three • Implement risk reduction strategies • Analyze country regulations for specific chemicals • Training workshops to improve risk assessment approaches • Environmental monitoring & assessment • Training to increase effectiveness of monitoring & assessment • Support creation of monitoring sites in Mexico Office of Chemical Safety & Pollution Prevention

4. EPA Chemical Management Efforts • A key priority of Administrator Jackson is assuring the safety of chemicals • Support reform the Toxic Substances Control Act • Use existing tools to ensure a workable, consistent, comprehensive approach for existing chemicals Office of Chemical Safety & Pollution Prevention

5. Enhancing EPA’s Chemicals Management Program • Multi-pronged Approach for Existing Chemicals Program Strategy: • Risk assessment and risk management • Data collection and screening • Public access to chemical data and information Office of Chemical Safety & Pollution Prevention

6. EPA Risk Assessment & Management • 2009 –2011: Developed ten chemical action plans which outlined potential risks and associated risk management actions or alternative assessment efforts. • March 2012: Following stakeholder engagement on criteria, EPA released a work plan of 83 chemicals for review and assessment. • EPA will identify more candidates for assessment. Office of Chemical Safety & Pollution Prevention

7. EPA Data Collection & Screening • Developing an approach to screen compounds to determine need for: • risk assessment • additional data • This year, EPA will engage stakeholders on: • Accessing existing data sources • Utilizing Chemical Data Reporting information • Future screening and data collection approaches Office of Chemical Safety & Pollution Prevention

8. Public Access to Chemical Data & Information • EPA has greatly increased transparency • Launched Chemical Data Access Tool • Increased chemical information in Data.Gov and Envirofacts • Challenged companies and trade associations to decrease new CBI claims and declassify old claims • Issued new policies for review of CBI claims for health & safety studies • Stakeholder process on presenting data to the public Office of Chemical Safety & Pollution Prevention

9. EPA Alternatives Assessment • Green Chemistry & Green Engineering Programs • Recognize greener chemicals and technologies • Encourage design of safer chemicals from the outset • Design for the Environment Program • Promote design of safer consumer, industrial and institutional chemical-based products Office of Chemical Safety & Pollution Prevention

10. In Conclusion • Sustained progress in ensuring chemical safety requires active participation & collaboration from all of us • Understanding chemicals in commerce, monitoring and developing risk reduction strategies important to North American sound management of chemicals Office of Chemical Safety & Pollution Prevention