Legislative and regulatory battles are always at the top of every industry trade association’s agenda. But at the recent mid-year meeting of the Household and Commercial Products Association (HCPA), CEO Steve Caldeira reminded 300 attendees to celebrate their successes, too. At the state level, HCPA stopped an onerous Extended Producer Responsibility bill in Hawaii, defeated a burdensome PFAS testing requirement in Maryland, and is currently advancing a “Do Not Flush” labeling fix in Washington state.

But one of the biggest successes achieved by HCPA staff and member companies was reauthorization and implementation of the Pesticide Registration Improvement Act (PRIA).

“I want to recognize the work of Mike Gruber, Dr. Steve Bennett, Jim Jones and the PRIA Coalition for drafting key provisions of the bill, fine-tuning fee tables and facilitating countless bipartisan meetings with Congressional staff to further educate them about the critical importance of this legislation,” said Caldeira.

He told meeting attendees that HCPA continues to coordinate with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on PRIA implementation, including new renegotiation limitations, the Agency’s plan to address backlogs and the law’s bilingual labeling requirements.

On the topic of EPA, Caldeira recalled that on April 6, HCPA launched the Partnership for the Future of EPA, a joint initiative with the Environmental Working Group (EWG) to advocate for increased funding for the EPA and further educate policymakers about the EPA’s responsibilities, economic impact and organizational needs.

“This initiative will go a long way in helping the EPA to execute its mission of protecting human health and the environment,” said Caldeira.

HCPA continues advocating for funding for the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). Under TSCA, the EPA reviews new and existing chemicals, including those used in household and commercial products. But Caldeira warned EPA does not have sufficient staff or resources to go through the mandated regulatory and scientific review process within a predictable timeframe. As a result, delays and backlogs continue to grow, and the Agency is months, or even years, behind and is constantly missing deadlines for chemical approvals.

“Without clear federal direction, states are filling the gaps by passing legislation related to chemicals of concern in products, such as 1,4-dioxane, PFAS and ethylene oxide, noted Caldeira. “Regardless of the issue, it is always our goal to reign in regulatory overreach and advocate for common-sense, uniform standards across the country.

More State Issues

Caldeira warned that chemicals of concern are not the only area where states are taking legislative and regulatory action. Specifically, he pointed to Extended Producer Responsibility, or EPR, which requires state and local governments, waste management entities, producers and consumers to take accountability for developing effective recycling systems. California, Colorado, Maine and Oregon have already passed EPR legislation. HCPA is engaged in other states that are considering their own EPR proposals.

But at the same time, HCPA is working to improve US recycling systems. For example, last year, the Association and the Can Manufacturers Institute launched the Aerosol Recycling Initiative (ARI). ARI aims to develop new data to support the recycling of aerosol containers and will go a long way in reducing the amount of waste that ends up in landfills, according to Caldeira. The program is sponsored by more than 20 companies across the aerosol value chain. Now, ARI is close to publishing research that can be used to show that it’s safe and financially beneficial for recycling systems to accept aerosol cans. 

States are also trying to drive end-markets for plastic recycled material. California, Colorado, New Jersey and Washington have passed post-consumer recycled content legislation that requires product packaging to contain certain levels of recycled plastic. On the issue of household hazardous waste, Vermont is attempting to make industry responsible for leftover household products, which can sometimes contain hazardous ingredients and require special care when disposed.

On the microplastics issue, HCPA is leading a coalition to align a California microplastics bill with a European Union proposal. According to Caldeira the California legislation was amended to include two critical components, that HCPA advocated for, to achieve that alignment, specifically related to biodegradability and solubility.

“While the coalition no longer opposes the measure, HCPA remains engaged on this issue and will testify about certain technical issues of the bill that still need to be addressed,” added Caldeira.

Air Quality Issues

HCPA has been involved in air quality issues for more than 30 years. Most of the activity has centered on California, which has the most stringent volatile organic compound regulations in the country. But rather fight a patchwork of air quality measures, HCPA is working with seven states and the District of Columbia to develop new or revised VOC regulations, using the California Air Resources Board’s standard as the foundation.

At the international level, Nicholas Georges, HCPA’s international affairs and aerosol expert, is supporting allied trade associations around the world on proposals and implementation of their respective VOC regulations, including Canada, Hong Kong and Mexico.

“HCPA has built a reputation as a trusted and quality source for information because of the strong relationships we’ve been able to build with a wide range of stakeholders, including lawmakers and NGOs,” concluded Caldeira. “We will continue to leverage these relationships to advocate for the best interests of the household and commercial products industry for the rest of 2023 and in the future.”

Michael Urevich Named Glauberman Memorial Scholarship Award Winner The Household & Commercial Products Association (HCPA) has awarded the 2023 Murray Glauberman Memorial Scholarship to Michael Urevich. He is a 2023 graduate of the Valley Forge Military Academy and will attend Villanova University in the fall to study operations management. The Glauberman Memorial Scholarship is awarded to a child or grandchild of a full-time employee of an HCPA member company. Named for the late Murray Glauberman, HCPA’s 1986 chairman of the board, the scholarship recognizes achievement in the classroom, leadership skills and a commitment to community service. Since the scholarship’s inception in 1988, HCPA and Malco Products have awarded a total of $272,000 to 34 deserving recipients to pursue their collegiate studies. “Michael is the perfect example of a Glauberman Memorial Scholarship recipient for his hard work, leadership and selfless commitment to service,” said Steve Caldeira, president and CEO, HCPA. “In addition to earning the number one rank in his class, Michael is president of the National Honor Society and tutors more than 100 students through his role as an English Teaching Assistant. Michael’s accomplishments extend beyond the walls of school. He regularly volunteers to support veterans and active-duty military through fundraisers and community service. HCPA is proud to award Michael the Glauberman Memorial Scholarship and wish him all the best at Villanova and beyond.”

Toxicology and Chemophobia Most consumers have an unhealthy fear of chemistry. Their chemophobia may be the result of a D in high school chemistry class or, perhaps, doom-scrolling misinformation online. But whatever the reason, Deborah Blum, a toxicologist journalist said people are afraid of chemistry—and that spells trouble for industry. “People don’t know much about it. They see the word ‘chemistry’ and panic,” said Blum during the Air Care Division meeting at HCPA. “The general public is afraid of chemicals.” The industry must make concerted efforts to overcome this bias. That means working closely with reporters on topics. “Journalists get their information from activists,” noted Blum. “If a reporter is researching flame retardants for an article, the Environmental Working Group will be there to hold his hand and walk him through it. Journalism has daily, even hourly deadlines. Reporters work with their most accessible sources.” She also cautioned about single-source studies. Too many articles rely on quotes or data from only one “expert.” Finally, Blum said too many consumers have regulatory memory failure. They don’t realize how bad things were before protective laws were put in place. For example, during the US Civil War, dairy farms began putting formaldehyde in milk to keep it from spoiling. It wasn’t until 1899 when The New York Times published an article on “embalmed” milk that regulators began to take notice. The result? The 1906 Food and Drug Act went into effect.