ARLINGTON, Va., July 29 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- In a letter addressed to House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Bobby Rush (D-IL) and Ranking Member Ed Whitfield (R-KY), National Association of Chemical Distributors (NACD) President Chris Jahn outlined the Association's concerns with H.R. 5820, the Toxic Chemicals Safety Act.

"NACD has advocated for a workable risk-based system that protects innovation and job creation," said Jahn. "Unfortunately, H.R. 5820 creates a framework that would place an impossible burden of proof on industry, hampering innovation and sacrificing jobs.

"Of particular concern to NACD is the treatment of mixtures in H.R. 5820. Over 70% of NACD Members provide customized chemical mixture processing services to a wide array of customers, including pharmaceuticals, water treatment, and electronics industries.  Despite certain improvements in the discussion draft, the treatment of mixtures and articles in the legislation, specifically in regards to the new chemicals program, is problematic in that it would create an unfathomable and unnecessary burden not just on chemical distributors, but the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as well."

NACD is also concerned with the potential market effects this legislation could have on chemical distribution companies and their over 750,000 customers.

Because of NACD members' vital role in the supply chain, "the data generation requirements for other areas of the supply chain, such as manufacturers and downstream users, will place an increasingly impossible burden on chemical distribution companies," said Jahn.  "The market pressures on top of the explicit requirements in H.R. 5820 would make the system unworkable for the industry."

NACD and its 380 member companies are vital to the chemical supply chain providing products to over 750,000 end users.  They make a delivery every six seconds while maintaining a safety record that is more than twice as good as the safety standards set by DOT.  NACD members are leaders in health, safety, security, and environmental performance through implementation of Responsible Distribution, established in 1991 as a condition of membership and is a third-party verified management practice. For additional information on our members, their safety record or NACD, visit NACD's website — http://www.nacd.com.

SOURCE National Association of Chemical Distributors (NACD)

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