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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 26, 2006

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:
Sarah Mason (916) 651-4011

SENATE ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY COMMITTEE TO HOLD HEARING ON IMPACTS OF CHEMICAL USE IN CALIFORNIA


WHAT:
The Senate Environmental Quality Committee will hold a hearing to discuss findings in the University of California Policy Research Center’s Report, “Green Chemistry in California:  A Framework for Leadership in Chemicals Policy and Innovation.”  Panelists will provide information about how and where Californians are using various chemicals and what effect these substances are having on the public’s health and the environment.

WHEN:
Wednesday, June 28 at 10:00 AM


WHERE:
State Capitol, Room 113
           
PARTICIPANTS:

  • State Senator Joe Simitian, Committee Chair
  • Aditi Vaidya, Program Director, Sustainable Technologies Program, Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition, will discuss the high costs associated with the current regulation of chemicals, which include impacts to health, communities, and workers.
  • Steve Elliott, State Coordinator, Parkinson’s Action Network, will discuss the impacts to health from chemical exposure and, specifically, chronic disease.
  • Alida Hernandez, a cancer-surviving electronics worker from San Jose, will discuss the impact of the chemicals problem on workers and address the economics of moving to green chemistry from workers’ perspective.
  • Kathy Gerwig, Vice President, Workplace Safety, Kaiser Permanente will discuss the significant efforts underway at Kaiser to implement a chemicals policy.
  • John Ulrich, Senior Consultant, Chemical Industry Council of California (CICC), will discuss the CICC’s perspective on the current regulation of chemicals in the state.
  • Debbie Raphael, Toxics Reduction/Green Building Program Manager, San Francisco Department of the Environment, will discuss the way in which our regulation of chemicals impedes local government implementation of both current environmental laws and more progressive approaches to protect public health and the environment.
  • Robert Donkers, Environment Counselor, Delegation of the European Commission to the United States: As the person credited with authoring REACH (Registration, Evaluation and Authorization of Chemicals—the European Union’s proposed chemicals policy), Donkers will discuss the impact of REACH on business and how and why businesses in California can and must remain competitive.
  • Peter Sinsheimer, Director, Pollution Prevention Education & Research Center, Occidental College, will discuss the phasing out of toxic chemicals such as perchloroethylene by the California Air Resources Board and the need to create a framework for phasing-out other toxic chemicals.

HOW:
Media can also listen in by phone:
Dial-In Telephone Number:  (877) 214-0402
Participant access code:  437073

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