January 1, 1970
Gradient scientists have provided comments on new alternative assessment (AA) requirements for children’s products being proposed by the State of Oregon Health Authority (OHA) under the Toxic-Free Kids Act of 2015. By January 1, 2022, manufacturers of three categories of children’s products containing high priority chemicals of concern for children’s health (HPCCCH) will either have to replace those chemicals with less hazardous alternatives or petition the state to be allowed to continue selling the products in Oregon. Petitions can be based on a regulatory exemption (e.g., the product is already covered by a certain standards or regulations), a quantitative exposure assessment demonstrating no detectable exposure to the chemical, or an alternatives assessment demonstrating that chemical substitutes are not feasible from a hazard, technical, or cost standpoint. See Gradient’s diagram of Oregon’s proposed scheme for product evaluation, shown below.