(WASHINGTON, D.C.) — Consumer Healthcare Products Association (CHPA) President and CEO Scott Melville released the following statement today, commending the U.S. House of Representatives for swift passage of the Microbead-Free Waters Act of 2015 (H.R. 1321). The bill, sponsored by U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-N.J.) and U.S. Rep. Fred Upton (R-Mich.), provides a feasible timeframe for the removal of synthetic plastic microbeads from over-the-counter (OTC) and personal care products.
The bill cleared the House today without objection after previously passing the House Energy and Commerce Committee, also without objection, on November 18.
“The OTC medicine industry applauds Representatives Pallone and Upton for shepherding legislation that sets forth feasible phase-out dates for plastic microbeads in OTC products, appropriate definitions of key terms, and ensuring uniform enforcement across the nation.
“Our industry takes concerns about these solid plastic microbeads possibly entering the marine environment very seriously, and we are committed to reformulating cosmetic OTCs – such as acne face washes and toothpastes – to remove plastic microbeads. CHPA member companies have already taken steps to voluntarily remove these solid plastic microbeads from their products by ceasing the development of any new products containing synthetic plastic microbeads and working toward formulating replacement products. The timeframe allocated in this bill provides manufacturers adequate time to identify and phase in alternatives.”
CHPA along with the American Chemistry Council, Personal Care Products Association, and SPI: The Plastics Industry Trade Association sent a letter of support for the legislation to Reps. Upton and Pallone on Nov. 17.
