VINACHEM

Confidence is high among chemical industry leaders in the US that Congress will come to an agreement on chemical regulation reform this year.

A bill could be ready for President Obama’s signature before legislators depart for their Memorial Day holiday on 30 May, according to American Chemistry Council (ACC) president and chief executive Cal Dooley.

Speaking at GlobalChem, the annual chemical regulation conference and exhibition run by the ACC and the Society of Chemical Manufacturers and Affiliates, Dooley said of the much-anticipated legislation that would update the 1970s-era Toxic Substances Control Act: “We are rounding third base and heading home.”

After decades of failed attempts, one version of the bill passed the US House of Representatives by a 398-1 vote in June and another draft was approved by unanimous consent in the Senate in December.

A conference committee is currently working to reconcile the differences between the 45-page House bill and the more ambitious, 200-plus page Senate version.

Dooley also said that he was confident growth in the US chemical market would continue despite current short-term price volatility, carried largely by the domestic 40-year natural gas supply that serves the industry as a feedstock as well as an energy advantage.

“We will maintain that global competitive advantage for decades to come,” he said.

Good regulation was key to that continued growth, Dooley said. With an improved chemical regulation law on the books and increased cooperation between regulators and industry under a more efficient and less bureaucratic system, the US can lead the world in chemical safety – as long as industry does its part.

“It’s going to take more than just passing a law,” he said. “Implementation is key if are going to set the gold standard on chemical safety. We have a lot of work to do.”