Foreseeable Renovation of US Chemical Safety Laws

Congress has reached agreement on the most sweeping overhaul of U.S. chemical safety laws in 40 years. “It could be one of the most historic moments in environmental law in our country,” said Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass). The compromise will provide the industry with greater certainty while empowering the Environmental Protection Agency to obtain more information about a chemical before approving its use.  After passage, the EPA must start reviewing at least 10 toxic chemicals that permeate communities across the country, a list that is likely to include asbestos, formaldehyde and flame retardants. Many are interwoven into people’s experience with everyday products, including the ink on their morning newspaper and the fabric protector on their family’s sofa. The deal, which both sides have pursued since President Obama first term in office, gives the Environmental Protection Agency the power to require companies to provide health and safety data for untested chemicals and to prevent substances from reaching the market if they have not been determined to be safe. The measure could come up for a vote in both chambers as soon as next week. Read more here.

Comment
Share

Convergence

convergence is an environmental, health, safety and social management consultancy that specializes in multi-country (international) projects and programs.  We are able to meet our clients’ needs on a global scale while recognizing the important regional differences that our clients face in conducting business. Our country health and safety legal compliance tools for offices, retail and service sectors, known as CORE, are the foremost resource of its kind.

Pier 1 Imports Faces $101k In OSHA Fines for Exposing Employees to Workplace Hazards

One of the store locations in Glendale, Wisconsin is facing up to $101,420 in fines for five repeated, two serious and one other-than-serious violation. These include improper use of ladders, exposing employees to fall hazards, lack of railings on the stair and storage areas, blocking electrical panels, and electrical junction boxes without covers. The employees at this store were also put at risk from failure to prevent boxes from blocking aisles and being piled at dangerous heights. Federal workplace safety inspectors have found similar safety hazards at several other U.S. store locations. Christine Zortman, OSHA’s area director in Milwaukee, said “haphazardly stacked boxes can fall and injure workers, or block exit routes in an emergency.” She continues to state how “Pier 1 must take responsibility to ensure the safety of its workers in all of its stores before someone is hurt or worse.” Read more here.

Taking Advantage of Increasing Green Bonds

Green bonds are fixed income, liquid financial instruments that are used to raise funds dedicated to climate-mitigation, adaptation, and other environment-friendly projects. According to the international Climate Bonds Initiative (CBI), $27.3 billion dollars has already been issued in 2016 for projects supporting environmental sustainability—alongside the $41.8 billion that had been issued in 2015. One of the key drivers of the market is the growing number of asset managers with mandates to increase investment in instruments that support low-carbon growth. World Bank Group Vice President, Rachel Kyte, has proclaimed that these green bonds “are providing green investment opportunity for an ever wider investor group, including those who wish to divest and diversify from fossil fuel-intensive portfolios, and they have proven that a stream of investor capital exists for green assets.” The benefits of these projects can be measured both in the benefits to society and in the reduction of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. Proceeds from these bonds are earmarked for green projects but are backed by the issuer’s entire balance sheet. Read more here.

Comment
Share

Convergence

convergence is an environmental, health, safety and social management consultancy that specializes in multi-country (international) projects and programs.  We are able to meet our clients’ needs on a global scale while recognizing the important regional differences that our clients face in conducting business. Our country health and safety legal compliance tools for offices, retail and service sectors, known as CORE, are the foremost resource of its kind.