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Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] Cotton content of jeans
Date: Mon, 29 Jul 2013 08:50:12 -0700
Author: Laurence Doemeny 		Next by Date:
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] GHS and cleaning chemicals
Date: Mon, 29 Jul 2013 16:13:18 +0000
Author: "Weeks, Robert W"

(Note: This post is 12 years old and may contain outdated information.)

From: Monona Rossol <actsnyc**At_Symbol_Here**cs.com>
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] GHS and cleaning chemicals
Date: Mon, 29 Jul 2013 12:02:21 -0400
Reply-To: DCHAS-L <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**MED.CORNELL.EDU>
Message-ID: 8D05A8C248E1AC6-1A2C-2144**At_Symbol_Here**webmail-m152.sysops.aol.com
In-Reply-To <5564F9EDC11C09468EE5DAF02B5CB30F43AC5310**At_Symbol_Here**BY2PRD0410MB376.namprd04.prod.outlook.com>


Withholding the identity of chemicals will be done by manufacturers taking advantage of one of the really bad things about the GHS..  It uses as the definition of toxic as the "weight of evidence" can be interpreted as a majority of studies showing a hazard.   The old US definition said if even one study done with proper  protocol shows it is toxic in some way, it is hazardous.  
 
And since only around 1000 chemicals worldwide have been studied more than once and evaluated by a major cancer, and fewer have been evaluated for other chronic effects, we are in for a rocky ride.  Especially because there are now over 21,000,000 individual CAS # chemicals available for purchase according to CAS  who will help you connect with a supplier.   And the EU has registered over 143,000 chemicals manufactured in amounts over one tonne a year which are proposed for inclusion in products to be sold in the EU, we really have a problem with consumer products.  The EPA's piddling 83,000 under TSCA are probably close to half of the chemicals used here.
 
We've always been the lab rats for the unstudied chemicals, but at least we knew what most of them were.  Now we will be lab rats in an experiment in which we will not have access to the identity of the chemical which means we are also incapable of then providing informed consent to be exposed.  If I were young, I'd be in the streets over this issue.   But young people in the US seem to accept this and, in fact, don't even want to be told about it.  Mazeltov  on the next generation.
Monona Rossol, M.S., M.F.A., Industrial Hygienist
President:  Arts, Crafts & Theater Safety, Inc.
Safety Officer: Local USA829, IATSE
181 Thompson St., #23
New York, NY 10012     212-777-0062
actsnyc**At_Symbol_Here**cs.com   www.artscraftstheatersafety.org

 
-----Original Message-----
From: Ralph B. Stuart <rstuart**At_Symbol_Here**CORNELL.EDU>
To: DCHAS-L <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**MED.CORNELL.EDU>
Sent: Mon, Jul 29, 2013 11:02 am
Subject: [DCHAS-L] GHS and cleaning chemicals

A friend with lab safety experience who now works for as a custodial trainer 
passed along this question that I thought people on DCHAS-L might have some 
knowledge of:
   I notice on the new GHS compliant safety data sheets from the manufacturer of 
the cleaning chemicals used here that they have taken the opportunity to remove 
the names of all chemicals in the product that are supposedly nonhazardous. 
Unfortunately that removes a lot of information for knowing how hazardous the 
product REALLY is. Has anyone mentioned this as a limitation of GHS or is this 
company unique in removing that information?

I wonder if anyone on the list has noticed this as well?

Thanks for any information on this.

- Ralph


Ralph Stuart CIH
Chemical Hygiene Officer
Department of Environmental Health and Safety
Cornell University

rstuart**At_Symbol_Here**cornell.edu

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