`Green Chemistry’ InitiativeIs Launched by California Governor

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and California officials have proposed a sweeping series of “green chemistry” measures aimed at forcing companies to reduce use of toxic chemicals in their products and reveal to consumers the potential dangers and environmental footprint of goods sold in the state. The green chemistry proposals — a combination of regulatory and voluntary measures — would eventually enable customers to use their cell phones to scan bar codes on products and obtain information on toxicity and environmental impact. Roughly 644 million pounds of chemical products are sold in California every day and a significant percentage contain chemicals that may be harmful to humans. “These recommendations usher in a new era of how we look at household products,” said Schwarzenegger. “Instead of paying attention to the toxic substances in our everyday products only when it comes time to throw them away in the landfill, we will now pay attention when the product is designed, manufactured, used, and recycled.”