BOSTON—The Massachusetts Toxic Use Reduction Institute's scientific panel has recommended TDI should be classified as a higher hazard substance, and the recommendation brought a swift reaction from the U.S. Polyurethane Foam Association.
“We oppose this,” said PFA legal counsel Jim McIntyre at the association's spring meeting in Tampa, Fla. “If they do, it sets a precedent for other states and will require companies that use TDI to find alternative ways to manufacture their products. It will impose additional reporting requirements on these companies and, incidentally, it will also increase the taxes. We are trying to forestall this.”
The PFA has created information to send to local legislators in conjunction with member companies in the state. The aim is to explain the wider economic impact to the wider business community.
“The goal is to demonstrate, through multiple communications channels, that the TURI classification is unnecessary, unsupported by risk analysis and would have significant negative consequences,” PFA president Bill Gollnitz said.
The American Chemistry Council's diisocyanates panel also is fighting the TURI recommendation. The panel's Bill Robert claimed TURI did not follow its own due process and transparency procedures, and it will have a big impact.
“(This) HHS directly impacts downstream users,” Robert said at the Florida meeting.
ACC state affairs staff members have met with the Massachusetts governor's office to express concerns of a lack of process and scientific basis. While the rule could go through, this seems unlikely, Robert said; more likely is an outright rejection, or it will be sent back to the scientific advisory board for further investigation.