Toy Association’s Alan Kaufman Appointed to Additional Term on EPA Committee

January 21, 2020 | Alan Kaufman, senior vice president of technical affairs at The Toy Association, has been appointed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to serve another term on the Science Advisory Committee on Chemicals (SACC).

His next term will run through July 20, 2020. During this time, the SACC is expected to review risk assessments on several chemicals of concern to the toy industry over the coming months including 1,3-butadiene (potential contaminant in polystyrene, ABS, and some synthetic rubber), TBBPA (sometimes added as an FR agent in printed circuit boards), and formaldehyde (some fabric finishes, composite wood, acetal plastics, and a number of other materials, usually as a residual). In addition, several solvents that may be present in paints and inks are on the list.

SACC is made up of experts from academia, government and industry, and provides impartial advice and expert consultation, at the request of the EPA Administrator, regarding the scientific and technical aspects for chemicals reviewed under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA).

Kaufman has served on the committee since 2017, where he provides independent judgment on whether there is adequate scientific support for the EPA’s conclusions regarding risk, based on his expertise in scientific studies and manufacturing materials and processes.

To learn more about The Toy Association’s ongoing work with the EPA, members may contact The Toy Association’s Alan Kaufman.