The American Apparel & Footwear Association applauded President Barack Obama for signing the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act (H.R. 2576).
The AAFA-supported legislation, an update of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), regulates the manufacture, importation, and processing of chemicals while strengthening the Environmental Protection Agency's ability to evaluate and regulate potentially hazardous chemicals.
"Passage of this groundbreaking legislation is a significant win for AAFA and our members," said AAFA President and CEO Rick Helfenbein. "As downstream users of chemicals, the apparel, footwear, travel goods, and textiles industry is committed to making risk-based, informed decisions to protect the health and safety of their consumers and the environment."
This act establishes a new national chemical management standard that protects consumers, addresses product safety, and provides regulatory predictability for industry. The apparel, footwear, travel goods, and textiles industry has taken the lead in positioning itself to make informed chemical decisions regarding the health and environmental impacts of textile products and processes, thus driving and maximizing product safety and industry sustainability.
Through the use of AAFA's chemical management tools such as the AAFA Restricted Substances List (RSL) and the Voluntary Product Environmental Profile (VPEP), our members have demonstrated their continued commitment to develop safe and sustainable consumer products.
