§ 4 — Administrative council on toxics use reduction

Section 4. There shall be an administrative council on toxics use reduction. The council shall be composed of the secretary of environmental affairs or his designee; the commissioner of environmental protection or his designee; the secretary of economic development or his designee; the commissioner of public health or his designee; the secretary of labor and workforce development or his designee; and the secretary of public safety or his designee. The members of the council shall serve without additional compensation. The secretary of environmental affairs shall be the chairperson of the council and direct and coordinate the activities of the council. The council shall be considered a government body for the purposes of, and shall be subject to, section 11A1/2 of chapter 30A. The council shall have its own staff. In addition to any other requirements of this chapter, the council's duties shall include the following:(A) By January 1, 1991, and on an annual basis thereafter, the council shall identify all federal or state laws or regulations pertaining to chemical production and use, hazardous waste, industrial hygiene, worker safety, public exposure to toxics, and releases of toxics into the environment. The council shall promote increased coordination of efforts to enforce these laws and regulations and also determine how state programs should be coordinated to promote most effectively toxics use reduction in the commonwealth.(B) The council shall, by January 1, 1991, identify all state agency and POTW requirements for reporting on chemical or hazardous substance production, use, release, disposal, and worker exposure and to the maximum extent practicable shall make recommendations to said state agencies and POTW operators in order to standardize, consolidate and coordinate these reporting requirements to minimize unnecessary duplication and provide for up-to-date and consistent information about manufacturing, worker exposure, distribution, process, sale, storage, disposal, release or other use of chemicals on a facility, regional and statewide basis.(C) The council shall adopt, and from time to time amend or repeal, rules and regulations which it deems necessary for the proper administration of its responsibilities pursuant to this chapter.(D) The council shall annually make policy recommendations in a report to the governor regarding toxics use reduction, the implementation of this act, including a detailed report of the expenditures made from the Toxic Use Reduction Fund, a summary of its deliberations and actions regarding its designation of substances as higher hazard substances or lower hazard substances and the achievement of increased toxics use reduction, and shall file a copy of this report with the clerk of the House of Representatives and the clerk of the Senate.(E) In order to promote and effect toxics use reduction, the council may comment on all proposed regulations pertaining to toxics production and use, hazardous waste, industrial hygiene, worker safety, public exposure to toxics, or releases of toxics into the environment prior to their promulgation.(F) The chairperson of the council shall appoint an advisory committee to the council including, but not limited to, the attorney general, or his designee; 2 persons representing statewide environmental organizations; 2 persons representing organized labor; 4 persons representing businesses in the commonwealth, including 2 representatives of small businesses; 1 person certified as a toxics use reduction planner; 1 person representing a water authority; 2 persons representing a statewide health policy advocacy organizations and 2 members of the general public, 1 of whom shall be a citizen who has been active in a local toxics-related environmental organization.(G) The council shall, whenever it considers it necessary or favorable, establish ad hoc committees. The chairperson of the council, subject to the approval of the majority of the council, shall appoint members of ad hoc committees. Membership of the ad hoc committees shall not be limited to members of the advisory board.