How Does Alternatives Analysis Affect Me?
Manufacturers (or other responsible entities) of a product that is listed as a Priority Product must submit an Alternatives Analysis (AA). The AA must be performed for the product and the Chemical of Concerns in the product to determine how best to limit exposures to, or the level of adverse public health and environmental impacts posed by, the Chemical of Concern in the product.
An Alternatives Analysis is a process described in the Safer Consumer Products Regulations that compares the existing Priority Product (product-chemical combination that contains a Chemical of Concern) with potential alternatives (e.g., chemical substitution or product redesign) using factors evaluated at each state of the product’s life cycle. Upon conclusion of the AA, the manufacturer (or another responsible entity) will select an alternative chemical ingredient or alternative product design, or decide to retain the existing product-chemical combination.
An Alternatives Analysis report is required to be submitted to the Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) once the AA is completed. DTSC will evaluate the completed AA report to determine if there is adverse public health or environmental impacts associated with the product that can and need to be remedied by one or more regulatory responses.
Alternative Analysis Guide
The California Department of Toxic Substances Control’s Safer Consumer Products (SCP) Program is releasing version 1.0 of the Alternatives Analysis Guide. The initial draft version, released in December 2016, has been updated based on feedback that was received through February 3, 2017.
The AA Guide is designed to help responsible entities understand and complete an AA that fulfills SCP regulatory requirements. It provides useful approaches, methods, resources, tools, and brief examples.You can download version 1.0 of the AA Guide and the Stakeholder Feedback paper by clicking the AA Guide link below. Ongoing feedback, suggestions, and improvements regarding the AA Guide may be sent to SaferConsumerProducts@dtsc.ca.gov.
- Alternatives Analysis Guide, Version 1.0 [June 2017]
To receive email notifications regarding the AA Guide, please subscribe to the Safer Consumer Product electronic mailing list (e-list).
