PSX, Live and in-Person

PSX, Live and In-Person

PSX 2021 will be held at the Hyatt Regency in Anaheim, California, Sept. 28–30. Here, The Synergist previews a few of the planned sessions. For the full program, including how to register, visit the conference website.

Opening General Session Tuesday, Sept. 28, 8:00–9:30 a.m. PT Michal Ilana Freedhoff joined EPA in January as the principal deputy assistant administrator for the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention. She has over 20 years of government experience, beginning in 1996 in then-Congressman Ed Markey’s office as a Congressional Science and Engineering fellow after receiving a PhD in physical chemistry at the University of Rochester. Her legislative work includes the fuel economy provisions in the 2007 Energy Independence and Security Act, a law requiring the creation of an online database of dangerous consumer product safety defects, the 2016 reauthorization of the Toxic Substances Control Act, and 2019 legislation to address per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) contamination.

Communicating Science to Non-Scientists: Lessons Learned from a Health Risk Communicator Tuesday, Sept. 28, 10:00–11:00 a.m. PT One result of the rise of misinformation in recent years is broad acknowledgement of the general public’s lack of facility with science-based information. This session presents practical suggestions product stewards can apply to ensure their messages are heard and understood by both the public and the media. Presenters will also discuss ways to translate health risk information for corporate decision-makers.

Getting What You Want: How to Persuasively Request Product Stewardship Resources Tuesday, Sept. 28, 1:30–2:30 p.m. PT This session includes a panel discussion of persuasive techniques that can be used to convince company management to approve requests for funding for product stewardship initiatives. An interactive component will invite attendees to practice these requests, through both written and oral communication.

PFAS in Products: Emerging Compliance Challenges and Solutions Tuesday, Sept. 28, 1:30–2:30 p.m. PT EPA’s announcement this summer that it would seek voluntary withdrawals of low-volume exemptions for PFAS was just the latest evidence of regulatory scrutiny for these chemicals. PFAS face regulation or potential regulation in approximately 75 jurisdictions. This session offers help to product stewards who need to stay on top of developments with these substances.

Implications of U.K. REACH on U.S.-Based Manufacturers and Suppliers Wednesday, Sept. 29, 9:30–10:30 a.m. PT Following the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the European Union, the British government adopted the EU’s Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals legislation for U.K. law. Per U.K. REACH, substances imported into the U.K. in quantities over one ton per year must be registered by Oct. 28. This session will discuss companies’ new legal obligations under U.K. REACH.

Harnessing AI and Machine Learning to Future-Proof Chemical Management and Product Stewardship Programs Wednesday, Sept. 29, 4:15–5:15 p.m. PT Existing and emerging technologies can help product stewardship programs move beyond mere compliance to proactive chemical management. This presentation describes steps taken by GE Appliances to enhance its chemical management and will provide an overview of new tools and technologies that are becoming available for product stewards, including predictive analytics.

Registering Products with Residual Antimicrobial Efficacy Wednesday, Sept. 29, 4:15–5:15 p.m. PT Now that EPA is registering antimicrobial products for use against SARS-CoV-2 under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act, manufacturers of these products face significant regulatory hurdles in the U.S. This presentation provides practical help for companies seeking to register these products.

Closing General Session: Lauren Zeise, Director, California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment Thursday, Sept. 30, 10:30 a.m.–12:00 p.m. PT Lauren Zeise, PhD, has been director of California’s Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment since December 2016 and has been with OEHHA since its inception in 1991. She has held various leadership positions at OEHHA, including managing the Proposition 65 program, co-leading the team that developed the hazard trait regulation for California’s Safer Consumer Products program, and has conducted hundreds of health risk assessments. Zeise was the 2008 recipient of the Outstanding Risk Practitioner Award from the Society for Risk Analysis and is also an honorary lifetime National Academies of Sciences National Associate.

The health and safety of all PSX 2021 attendees is paramount. PSX staff are working with the Hyatt and suppliers to ensure compliance with all local, state, and national guidelines and regulations. For more information about health and safety at PSX, visit the conference website.