California's Green Chemistry Initiative

In response to the societal pressures presented by the growing healthcare burden of toxic chemicals and pollution-related diseases, the state of California launched California's Green Chemistry Initiative (CGCI) in April 2007. The initiative was designed as a set of legislative tools aimed to prevent health problems and environmental hazards associated [Page 74]with toxic chemicals used in consumer products. The initiative's goal is to develop a comprehensive program for managing chemicals used in consumer products. The innovative approach of the initiative lies in developing policies shifting the spotlight from the point of discovering a problem presented to human and environmental health by hazardous substances used in consumer goods to the initial development stage of designing and manufacturing the chemicals destined to be used in everyday products. ...