Since President Trump’s reelection, the Household and Commercial Products Association (HCPA) has experienced what president and CEO Steve Caldeira called “gridlock” at the federal level on issues of critical importance to members including packaging, chemicals management, supply chain disruptions and sustainability. 

“Despite the political, legislative and regulatory landscape, HCPA continues to serve as a very strong, credible and trusted voice within the business community on behalf of the household and commercial products industry,” Caldeira said in a pre-recorded “State of the Association” video address shown during HCPA’s Annual Meeting last month in Fort Lauderdale, FL. 

This has been especially true for Extended Product Responsibility (EPR), which has emerged as one of the most significant policy trends across the country in recent years. As a chemist with experience in corporate product stewardship, global chemical regulation and green chemistry, Molly Blessing (HCPA vice president, sustainability and product stewardship, and division staff executive for the Air Care Products Division), has been instrumental in addressing this complex issue, fueling dialogue on evolving legislation and advocating for special considerations for certain product categories, including aerosols and pesticides. 

Aerosol Management 

During the State of Association address, Caldeira addressed many of HCPA’s key initiatives.

In addition to helping shape frameworks for states considering and implementing EPR programs, HCPA has been involved in targeted recycling initiatives, including participating in the “We Recycle” Open House on Capitol Hill in September to celebrate the relaunch of the congressional recycling caucus. Through the aerosol recycling initiative, HCPA and the Can Manufacturers Institute—the national trade association of the metal can manufacturing industry and its suppliers in the US—have been working with city officials in Portland, OR. to develop and pilot consumer-focused how-to tutorials on proper aerosol recycling. These efforts will encourage inclusion of aerosols on curbside recycling lists. 

To ease shipment of gas-holding aerosol products, the Department of Transportation in July proposed to amend an aerosol’s definition to align with international standards. HCPA’s Nicholas Georges, senior vice president, scientific and international affairs, has advocated for this change over the last eight years. Caldeira said the association places its faith in his efforts to secure a “key win” for the industry in due course. 

PFAS and Microplastics 

HCPA is actively engaging in chemical policies regarding PFAS and microplastics. 

“As PFAS legislation has taken shape in states across the country, HCPA has consistently advocated for practical, science-based policies with a specific focus on establishing a uniform definition for this chemical class and revival testing methodology,” noted Caldeira. 

In June, the California Department of Toxic Substances Control advanced a proposal to add microplastics to the Safer Consumer Products Candidate Chemicals list. HCPA opposes the proposal in its current form and has encouraged the agency to purse a data-driven approach for regulating microplastics that delivers measurable environmental and human health benefits. 

Elsewhere in the state, the Department of Pesticide Regulation recently implemented a pilot program to address the state’s growing registration backlog, which was the result of an advocacy effort that included recommendations for prioritizing and streamlining pending applications. 

“HCPA has always been engaged with the California Air Resources Board in preparation for the up-and-coming ruling-making that will establish new and revised standards for consumer products,” said Caldeira. “HCPA has made it a priority to educate members about a potential shift from the current mass-based VOC approach to a phot-chemical reactivity approach that uses Maximum Incremental Reactivity to address ozone-forming potential.”

Safer Choice 

Despite increased activity at the state level and gridlock in Congress that prevents significant progress, Caldeira said HCPA remains committed to ensuring that federal agencies like the Environmental Protection Agency, are equipped to operate effectively. The Pest Management Production Division (PRIA) and Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), for example, require an adequate level of funding and staff resources to maintain consistent review timelines and meet statutory obligations. On behalf of the PRIA coalition, HCPA penned a letter to congressional leaders to ensure that PRIA actions continue to be funded throughout the 43-day government shutdown. Dr. Steven Bennett, HCPA’s executive vice president of scientific affairs, and Mike Gruber, association executive vice president, government relations and public policy, who was named a “top lobbyist” by political newspaper “The Hill,” have initiated discussions to prepare for the reauthorization of PRIA, which expires in 2027. 

Meanwhile, the team has remained equally engaged with the EPA’s Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention and the Senate’s committee on Environment and Public Works as they evaluate and refine the TSCA New Chemicals Program. The program is the US EPA’s process under TSCA to review and regulate new chemical substances before they enter the market. This requires companies to submit Premanufacture Notices to assess potential unreasonable risks to health or the environment, aiming to ensure innovation doesn’t harm public safety through data review, risk assessments and regulatory decisions within a 90-day window. 

To bolster this effort, the HCPA built and led a robust coalition of nearly 300 organizations to preserve EPA’s Safer Choice Program. The program is a voluntary US EPA initiative that certifies household and commercial products containing ingredients safer for human health and the environment, helping consumer easily identify them through a distinctive label. Products must meet stringent standards, requiring companies to list all ingredients for EPA review, ensuring no known carcinogens, reproductive toxins or harmful aquatic chemicals, and proving the product performs as well as conventional alternatives. 

“We continue to take an active role in defending Safer Choice by educating EPA leadership about the program’s importance and engaging with House and Senate Committees to consider legislation that strengthens this program,” said Caldeira. 

Caldeira’s recent op-ed with Scotts Miracle-Gro CEO James Hagedorn published in The Wall Street Journal in late June, titled, “A Welcome Expansion” petitioned that the EPA address the backlog of new chemical and pesticide registrations. 

“In this nuanced public policy climate, we recognize President Trump and EPA Administrator [Lee] Zeldin for their efforts to expedite the registration process by reinciting certain agency staff,” he said. “We call on Congress to pursue legislation that provides long-term funding to help the EPA fulfill its mission of protecting human health and the environment, which [the HCPA] continues to champion through sustained education advocacy on Capitol Hill.”