Oct 18 2010
Dr. Margaret L. Kripke, a member of the President's Cancer Panel which recently advocated for green chemistry approaches to address cancer in the United States, was the keynote speaker for the symposium "Green Chemistry Through the Lens of Public Health" hosted today by the California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) and the California Department of Public Health (DPH).
California leads the way on the issue of green chemistry in public policy and today's symposium expands the dialogue on the impact of current chemicals policy on public health and our children.
The symposium featured interactive discussions with physicians, scientists and stakeholders dedicated to improving public health. Kripke, a Ph.D., and professor of immunology at the University of Texas, was joined as keynote speaker by Steve Owens from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention.
"This symposium reflects our state's commitment to creating a safer environment and reducing threats to public health," said DTSC Acting Director Maziar Movassaghi. "Earlier this year, the President's Cancer Panel reported that nearly 80,000 chemicals on the market in the U.S. are having a negative effect on the nation's health."
California's Green Chemistry Initiative is a collaborative approach for identifying options to significantly reduce the impacts of toxic chemicals on public health and the environment.
"The Green Chemistry Initiative will help us develop consensus on new strategies to reduce the impact that toxic chemicals are having on public health", said Mark Horton, director of the California Department of Public Health.
One of the Green Chemistry Initiative's key goals is to remove toxic chemicals from everyday consumer products, replacing them with safer alternative chemical components. This approach will create a cleaner environment that poses less toxic harm to Californians.