Fragrance Notes Issue 1, 2019 | Page 38

DEVELOPMENTS Developments The Fragrance Conservatory Fragrance Creators is continuing development of The Fragrance Conservatory—an engaging and interactive website to house credible, consumer friendly, and relatable information about fragrance ingredients subject to disclosure under California’s Cleaning Product Right to Know Act (SB 258). This effort is being steered by an Interested Party Group of Fragrance Creators members: Arylessence, Citrus and Allied, Chanel, Firmenich, IFF, Johnson & Johnson, P&G, SC Johnson, Revlon, Robertet, and Takasago. The website will be launched in 2019. Important note: This website does not include detailed odor descriptors at this time. However, Fragrance Creators is working with the International Fragrance Assocation (IFRA) on incorporating the information in the Fragrance Conservatory. Importance & Benefits of Fragrance Program In late 2018, Fragrance Creators announced its new program on the Importance and Benefits of Fragrance. This program is being supported by a new committee, the Importance & Benefits Committee (IBFC), chaired by Matthew Wagner, PhD, of Procter & Gamble. The IBFC’s focus is on compiling information—studies, stories, and examples—supporting the importance and benefits of fragrance, as well as uncovering potential areas of new research. This information will be used as part of Fragrance Creators’ communications strategy to educate, inspire, and endear the public to fragrance. Trade/Tariff Advocacy Fragrance Creators established its Trade and Tariff Policy Committee. Having demonstrated that the association can influence trade policy (our China 301 List 3 tariff removal rate was 10%—twice that of the overall removal rate and more successful than significantly larger 38 | FRAGRANCENOTES.ORG | Issue 1, 2019 industries), the Board agreed to further invest in trade advocacy. The Committee focuses on tariffs and trade agreements while leveraging the influence of the Congressional Fragrance Caucus and Fragrance Creators’ relationships with the United States Trade Representative and the Department of Commerce.   Cosmetics Policy Fragrance Creators is actively engaged in cosmetics policy at the federal and state level. Fragrance Creators has regular interactions with federal stakeholders and is pursuing nationwide solutions for cosmetics modernization. A number of states, including California and New York, are considering cosmetic ingredient proposals. Fragrance Creators is partnering with allied trades to have a coordinated state approach while taking ownership of fragrance policy. TSCA Modernization: EPA New Chemical Approvals As a direct result of its efforts to actively engage with industry groups, leverage Congressional relationships, and advance the Congressional Fragrance Caucus, Fragrance Creators persuaded the Envi- ronmental Protection Agency (EPA) to prioritize the fragrance industry. We have noted an acceleration of EPA’s review of new fragrance ingredients as well as im- provements in the agency’s willingness to incorporate feedback and find solutions for improving the New Chemicals program. Fragrance Creators worked with Congressional House Representatives and Senators to encourage Acting Administrator Wheeler to improve the agency’s review of New Chemicals. And as part of a multifaceted approach, the Fragrance Creators New Chemicals Working Group has finalized a comprehensive report to facilitate EPA’s work by describing process improvements that could enable EPA to approve many fragrance ingredient PMNs while still remaining true to the changes wrought by the Lautenberg Chemical Safety Act. On March 15, 2019, at the invitation of EPA’s Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention (OCSPP), Fragrance Creators staff and members met with Assistant Administrator Alex Dunn and key EPA OCSPP staff to share the report. The meeting was engaging and productive, with Administrator Dunn requesting a follow- up meeting and further dialogue. The fragrance industry’s priority is to ensure that TSCA modernization—in accordance with congressional intent and industry support—promotes safety, innovation, and sound science. VOC Activity: California Air Resource Board The California Air Resource Board (CARB) recently published supplemental information on its 2013-2015 Surveys as well as its 2016 Fragrance Formulator Survey. Fragrance Creators has been a regular stakeholder in reviewing these surveys. In its recently released survey result, CARB contends that fragrance is a fairly large component of the VOC inventory, representing about 8% of the 2013 Survey total organic gases (TOG) mass, i.e. total VOCs released. Data suggests that a number of fragranced consumer products are among the most vulnerable to further regulation. In the second quarter, CARB plans to use survey data to move forward with restriction recommendations. Though the implementation of such restrictions would not be effective until 2023, CARB aims to have a proposal by 2020. Fragrance Creators provided comments on the preliminary draft of the 2016 Fra- grance formulator survey results and CARB incorporated most of the association’s edits into its published survey. Fragrance Creators also worked with its members to review and provide comments on the most recent draft survey result, and it continues to have dialogue with and help educate CARB staff. By being a resource to CARB, Fragrance Creators leverages the industry’s knowledge and expertise on fragrance in- gredients as CARB drafts recommendations for reducing VOC emissions from consumer products. Fragrance Creators is also coor-