[cid:734590815@13042010-2075] August 2010 LEGISLATION Safe Cosmetics Act The Safe Cosmetic Act of 2010<http://safecosmetics.org/sectio=n.php?id=3D74%20> was introduced in the US House of Representatives on July 20, 2010. The Act (H.R. 5786) will help ensure that all personal care products are safe and non-toxic by establishing a common-sense system to assess the safety of cosmetic ingredients and to phase out harmful substances that are shown to be linked to cancer, reproductive harm, or other serious health issues. It will also empower consumers to make informed choices by ensuring that all product ingredients are disclosed. PRODUCT STEWARDSHIP IN NORTH AMERICA Ontario Debates Future of Blue Box Recycling Programs The Ontario Environment Minister recently issued a new report to the Ontario Legislative Assembly. The report, Getting It Right: Paying for the Management of Household Hazardous Wastes<http://www.eco.on.ca/eng/uploads/eng_pdfs/2010/2010%20Ecofees.pdf>, is intended to provide clarity surrounding issues related to the management of household hazardous wastes in order to help Ontario policymakers debate the issue. The report is particularly timely given recent actions in Ontario that will indefinitely postpone the move to fully privatize the province's blue box recycling program<http://www.thestar.com/News/Ontario/article/839901>. California Reaches 100 Local Producer Responsibility Resolutions The Product Policy Institute reported on July 28, 2010 that 100 local governments in California<http://www.productpolicy.org/ppi-press-release/local-governments-push-producer-responsibility> have now adopted resolutions for extended producer responsibility (EPR). The city of Roseville, California became the 100th local government, agency or association to sign on in support. Local resolutions have been adopted in five other states around the country, often by members of state Product Stewardship Councils: New York (7 resolutions), Texas (4), Minnesota (6), Massachusetts (4), and Rhode Island (1). The resolutions call for extending producers' responsibility for product waste beyond the sale to ensure products and packaging are properly reduced, reused and recycled and call for support of product stewardship legislation. RESOURCES & REPORTS Story of Cosmetics Video Released Annie Leonard, producer of the renowned "The Story of Stuff," has released a new video, "The Story of Cosmetics<http://storyofstuff.org/cosmetics/downloads/>." The video, produced in conjunction with the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, gives background on the health and environmental risks of chemicals contained in personal care products. PRODUCT STEWARDSHIP IN THE NEWS KCTS 9 Examines the Hidden Costs of Waste On August 6, 2010, KCTS 9-TV ran an episode entitled "Following Trash<http://kcts9.org/series/kcts-9-connects>" on their Connects Show. The episode gave a great introduction into product stewardship concepts, and included interviews with Annie Leonard, Hans Van Dusen from the City of Seattle, and Tom Watson ("The EcoConsumer") from King County. Oregon's New Paint Program in the News The Oregonian featured a story on Oregon's new paint program. The article, Oregon's first-in-the-nation paint stewardship law makes it easy to recycle<http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2010/07/oregons_first-in-the_nation_pa.html>, ran on July 2, 2010, one day after the program launch. The article gives background on the new program and stresses the convenience factor for consumers and the financial contributions of manufacturers to make the program a reality. Need for a Pharmaceuticals Take-Back Program Highlighted The issue of the need for a secure take-back system for pharmaceuticals has been gaining traction with the media with recent articles in the Everett Herald and Seattle Times. The Everett Herald op-ed, Industry ought to fund it<http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20100707/OPINION01/707079945/-1/OPINION#Industry.ought.to.fund.it>, ran on July 7, 2010 and pushed for the need for a producer responsibility solution for this issue. California looks to Washington and Oregon for Lessons Learned on Electronics The Sacramento Bee ran an article on July 18, 2010 encouraging California to look to Washington and Oregon for guidance on how to design and implement a successful producer responsibility solution for electronics. The article, California's pioneering e-waste program a model gone wrong<http://www.sacbee.com/2010/07/18/2897609/californias-pioneering-e-waste.html#ixzz0u9Zx1L9F>, points to the programs in Washington and Oregon as more efficient and more effective than the California system and encourages the state to take a look at changing the way that their program is managed. WHO IS THE NWPSC? The Northwest Product Stewardship Council (NWPSC)<http://www.productstewardship.net/> is a coalition of local government agencies related to solid waste, recycling, resource conservation, environmental protection, water quality and other issues. Together with non-government agencies (NGOs), individuals, and businesses across Washington and Oregon, they form a network supporting product stewardship and extended producer responsibility (EPR). 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