California and EPA to Work Together on Green Chemistry Promotion

The USEPA and the California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) have signed a formal Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to cooperate on the development of green chemistry.  The MOU is designed to use the combined resources of these two agencies to promote green chemistry and reduce the amounts of chemicals considered "toxic" in consumer products.  According to the DTSC press release:

This formal agreement outlines principles by which DTSC and U.S. EPA will cooperate to reduce toxic chemicals in consumer products, create new business opportunities in the emerging safer consumer products economy, and reduce the burden on consumers and businesses struggling to identify what’s in the products they buy for their families and customers.

More information about the cooperative MOU can be found in the DTSC press release.

The MOU itself can be read here.

European and Australian Chemical Agencies Agree to Cooperate on Chemical Safety

The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) and the Australian Government's National Industrial Chemicals Notification and Assessment Scheme (NICNAS), have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to "enhance co-operation" in an effort to "improve chemical safety."  The MOU will allow the two agencies to share expertise on technical matters on, among other things, "the hazards and emerging risks of chemical substances, risk management tools, scientific collaboration and information exchange."

This isn't the first cooperative arrangement for ECHA.   They signed a "statement of intent" with the USEPA last December in which the two agencies agreed to "share data, cooperate with each other on chemical reviews, and even exchange staff."

According to ECHA:

One of the anticipated areas of collaboration will be exchange of information. For example, the Memorandum of Understanding will promote the exchange of non-confidential information on hazards, uses and identity of chemical substances between ECHA and NICNAS. The agencies will also be sharing information on ways to more efficiently address chemicals of concern.

The full MOU can be downloaded as a PDF file here.