SDA tackles global regulatory issues; as the economy slows, regulatory activity picks up in the U.S. and around the world.

UNLIKE SO MANY other sectors of the economy, the soap and detergent industry has held up well in the face of a growing recession. No wonder then, that the Soap and Detergent Association was able to do more than put on a brave face at its annual meeting; SDA members actually put their best foot forward during the annual meeting which was held Jan. 27-31 in Boca Raton, FL. More than 550 industry executives attended the annual meeting, which was dedicated to sustainability and featured presentations on major regulatory issues.

Industry suppliers insisted that while business levels may have been off a bit from the highs enjoyed in recent years, sales still remained good and innovation continues apace. (To read more about supplier views and activities, turn to p. 96 in this issue).

SDA also said goodbye to Boca Raton Resort & Club at the conclusion of the 83rd annual meeting. Next year's meeting will be held at the Grande Lakes Orlando, Jan. 26-30, 2010 (see p. 94).

The annual meeting opened with a session on international regulations, moderated by Ernie Rosenberg, president and chief executive officer, SDA. In his remarks, Mr. Rosenberg reviewed the status of the Globally Harmonized System for Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS). However, he noted that GHS is not a priority for the Environmental Protection Agency and that the Consumer Product Safety Commission is understaffed and lacking four of five commissioners. Meanwhile, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration is currently reviewing proposed amendments to GHS, but adoption could be held up by leadership changes, according to Mr. Rosenberg.

Elsewhere, the UN GHS subcommittee continues to develop and revise GHS. The good news for industry is that the subcommittee adopted a favorable U.S. approach for sensitization classification as well as sound approaches for chronic aquatic hazard labeling.

In other parts of the world, the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) formed a "virtual" group on GHS implementation under its Chemicals Dialogue. The group is currently surveying APEC members on implementation plans, while a project, led by Japan, will develop GHS guidance for consumer products. A draft guidance for human health endpoints is under review, as are risk-based labeling for chronic effects.

Mr. Rosenberg also told the audience that the Second International Conference on Chemicals Management (ICCM2) will be held in Geneva in May.

During the event, international cleaning product associations will highlight the industry's efforts in the areas of chemical management, product stewardship and other sustainability activities and programs.

Mr. Rosenberg also gave a presentation on behalf of Shannon Coombs, president of the Canadian Consumer Specialty Products Association (CCSPA), who was unable to attend the meeting.

Mr. Rosenberg lauded Canada's efforts by stating "Canada is leading the world in chemical management."

In fact, he insisted that the Canadian program made the U.S.-Canada-Mexico Montebello/SPP program possible.

Within that program, the U.S. component is the Chemical Assessment and Management Program (CHAMP).

Canada's Chemicals Management Plan has reviewed 23,000 existing substances and found that approximately 4000 substances need further screening assessment. Approximately 500 of them were listed as priorities and 197 are being pursued as "nigh" priorities.

"There are chemicals in this batch that affect us, especially in personal care," asserted Mr. Rosenberg.

Regarding other issues, regulations for volatile organic compounds were to be proposed by the end of the first quarter.

In the meantime, CCSPA is working to ensure that Canadian VOC regulation is in harmony with U.S. EPA. Also, Canada's Hazardous Products Act is being revised due to the pressures of recalls on imported consumer products.

The Canadian Consumer Product Safety Act will contain regulations for consumer product labeling.

In urging attendees to join CCSPA, Mr. Rosenberg noted that Canada has a huge impact on the U.S. and the globalization of chemical management.

"Lobbying in Ottawa can't be done by Americans," he observed.

What's New in Europe?

Following Mr. Rosenberg's remarks, attention turned toward Europe, as attendees heard from Sylvie Lemoine, director of technical and regulatory affairs at AISE, the international Association for Soaps, Detergents and Maintenance Products, which is the official industry representative in Europe.

The group is developing sustainability profiles that, when completed, will provide environmental safety parameters that are based on risk assessment principles.

At the same time, the group is leading six laundry sustainability projects with the aim to promote compaction of household laundry detergents.

Other AISE developments include the recent launch of www.cleanright.com, a website that aims to become the reference point for European consumers on household cleaning and maintenance projects.

Ms. Lemoine also explained to the audience that the EU's Ecodesigu program, with its recently amended directive that extends the scope from "energy-using" products to "energy-related" products, could impact the cleaning industry by 2012. She warned too, that the EU's Ecolabel program, a voluntary initiative designed to encourage green products, lacks a full life-cycle dimension, relies on hazard-based criteria and is out of date relative to technological advances. To effectively confront the Ecolabel initiative, Ms. Lemoine said AISE needs to remain proactive and credible with its own initiatives.

Although REACH pre-registration was completed in December, Ms. Lemoine noted that "significant uncertainties" remain regarding registration scope and exemption; i.e., ionic mixtures.

Other stumbling blocks include a lack of guidance documents and diverging interpretations among member states.

Elsewhere, although there are no EU regulations on phosphates, there are scattered and increasingly stringent restrictions at the national level. For its part, AISE favors EU regulation on household laundry products, but wants to keep options open to use phosphates in ADW and I&I applications.

News from Japan

Shigeo Ishii of the Japanese Soap and Detergent Association (JSDA) brought attendees up-to-date on the issues confronting JSDA. One of its key activities last year was the voluntary effort to reduce plastic use per unit volume by 30% (vs. 1995) by 2010. Initial results from 2007 reduced the total amount of plastic used by 11.7% and the use per unit volume by 31.8%.

Also last year, JSDA developed GHS guidance documents for classification and labeling and is currently considering environmental endpoints. At the same time, the Association is closely monitoring changes to the Pollutant Release, Transfer and Register system as class 1 and 2 lists have changed, but no amendments have been issued.

An Update on Fragrance

Ladd Smith, president of the Research Institute for Fragrance Materials (RIFM), provided an overview of current activities in the fragrance sector and raised several interesting questions regarding fragrance usage. For example how common is fragrance allergy in the general population? To learn more, RIFM is using quantitative risk assessment with the goal of eliminating fragrance allergy in the general population.

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Meanwhile, RIFM developed its respiratory science program to gain understanding about the physiological effects of exposure to fragrance materials inhaled from consumer products when used as intended.

To help the industry find answers to these issues and other issues, last year RIFM gave non-members access to its database.

U.S. Issues & Answers

While the international regulatory scene is fraught with questions, the U.S. industry faces many challenges on the home front. In a special issues briefing session, the SDA staff reviewed the status of key issues facing the industry.

In his opening remarks, Mr. Rosenberg noted that the new Administration is dominated by Californians who are likely to reflect California policies. Moreover, he said that cleaning products are among the most vulnerable to general chemical management legislation and regulation. It's no wonder then, that the SDA is opposed to state-by-state chemical management and undue targeting of consumer products.

Instead, the association favors a federal approach and is trying to foster a risk-based, comprehensive effort. More specifically, SDA advocates the EPA's CHAMP system even as it defends the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), which faces reform this year under a new Administration. Dennis Griesing, VP-government affairs, SDA, explained that many environmentalists oppose federal preemption under TSCA, because they favor legislation at the state level that, in turn, may be used as a precedent for federal implementation.

Also this year, SDA is working to prevent new and expanded biofuel credits, modify the Renewable Fuel Standard as it relates to fats and seek exclusion of fats from broad feedstock definitions, according to Mr. Griesing.

Regarding Environmentally Preferable Products (EPP), the SDA last year defeated legislation in California, Maryland, Virginia and Washington. But the fight continues as new EPP Procurement legislation is shaping up in South Carolina and Washington and is expected in Alabama, Tennessee, New Jersey and Oregon. At the federal level, House Bill HR58 (Green School Act) has been sponsored by representatives from Illinois and Pennsylvania.

Brian Sansoni, VP-communications and membership at SDA, told the audience that despite efforts by the industry, "product categories, brands and ingredients remain under attack" from a variety of sources including anti-chemical activists, academics and sympathetic reporters. Many of the most ardent foes are working toward outright bans, restrictions and mandatory ingredient labeling.