June 5, 2012 The Honorable Sharon Treat House of Representatives of the State of Maine 22 Page Street Hallowell, ME 04347 Dear Ms. Treat: I am writing in response to the letter you and other state representatives sent regarding recent news reports about Citizens for Fire Safety and the flame retardant chemistries produced by Albemarle Corporation, Chemtura Corporation and ICL Industrial Products. These three companies are long-time members of the American Chemistry Council (ACC), but ACC does not advocate with state legislatures or state regulatory agencies on their behalf related to flame retardant chemistries. ACC is not affiliated with Citizens for Fire Safety, and neither ACC staff nor resources were used to support activities undertaken by the group. Albemarle, Chemtura and ICL Industrial Products have great confidence in their chemistries, supported by substantial testing and studies on safety and efficacy. However, they understand that the questions raised in the recent news stories should be addressed in order to dispel misinformation; therefore, each company plans to make available existing scientific information that supports the safety and efficacy of their products in the markets they supply. In addition, each company is committed to pursuing additional testing where warranted and is willing to partner with government authorities, such as the National Institute of Standards or other independent bodies, to undertake such testing. The recent news reports and efforts to leverage them politically reaffirm ACC’s commitment to bipartisan reform of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), the primary law that governs our nation’s chemical regulatory system. For a number of reasons, there is a lack of confidence in EPA’s ability to effectively regulate chemicals in commerce, and because of this, even when chemicals have received federal regulatory approval, they are often subjected to attacks at the state level that breed misperceptions. americanchemistry.com®                                  700 Second St., NE   Washington, DC  20002   (202) 249.7000                                                                   June 5, 2012 Page 2 We continue to support bipartisan reform that will produce a federal chemical regulatory system that protects health and safety, ensures the ability of U.S. manufactures to innovate and compete globally, and instills confidence in the public. To this end, ACC has consistently called for the launch of a bipartisan Congressional process to develop a fresh legislative approach to modernizing TSCA. We also have invited members of the NGO community to work with us to find a legislative path that can achieve common-sense, science-based reform that is in the best interest of public health and our economy. Thank you for writing and please let me know if I can provide additional information. Sincerely, Cal Dooley President and CEO American Chemistry Council americanchemistry.com®                                  700 Second St., NE   Washington, DC  20002   (202) 249.7000