美國加州9月底通過兩項綠色化學法案，將減少甚至禁止消費性產品與環境中的危險化學物質。為了兌現這兩張支票，在2011年前，加州除在認證與管理有毒化學物需負起更多責任，更得研發安全的替代品。
加州州長阿諾史瓦辛格（Arnold Schwarzenegger）是在9月29日於洛杉磯（Los Angeles）簽署法條的。阿諾表示，這項立法「將替綠色化學產業開創研發的新世代，勢必會帶動這項產業的經濟成長與競爭力。」他還說，「通過這次跨黨派的包裹立法，加州等於走在全美、甚至全世界的前端，因為這是目前為止全球最全面的綠色化學品法規。」
阿諾說，以往一個個化學物質一一立法禁用的方式太沒效率，這次包裹立法是釜底抽薪，一次解決。他表示：「有了這兩項法案，有毒物質再也不是工業製造不可避免的副產品，相反地，它應該是可以從所有的產品設計中消失的東西。藉此，我們同時保障了人們的健康與環境！」
這次的立法行動，主要是回應了一群科學家與公共衛生倡導人是的建議，他們認為消費產品裡存有危險、未測試過的化學物質，令人憂心。
目前，許多消費產品如鉛污染玩具、含有毒阻燃劑的亞麻布等，都是有害物質，政府機構卻沒有要求問題商品下架，或是促進安全替代品的發展。
加州化學工業協會（The Chemical Industry Council of California）不僅支持這項新法律，也支持該會結盟會員「史密斯律師事務所」（ReedSmith.）對法案的評論聲明。
該律師事務所撰寫聲明的律師為梅登（Todd Maiden）與麥克勞夫倫（Eric McLaughlin）兩位律師，其中寫到，「這部加州綠化學法，最特別的地方在於它的訂定基礎──對化學品使用及其暴露風險的評估，不僅根植於科學，也根植於真實生活的評估。」「就像所有的新法律一樣，綠化學法所公佈的新規定，將強制業界改變作法，也使業界預先支付額外的成本；然而，改變也意味新機會的到來。」他們表示，「實施綠化學法，將可減少有害廢棄物的管理與處理費用，滿足職場安全與健康要求的花費也跟著減少；同時，友善生態的市場商品與加工業，也會有更多新機會。」
California will reduce or eliminate hazardous chemicals in consumer products and the environment under legislation signed Monday in Los Angeles by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.
The two bills enable the state to take more responsibility by 2011 for identifying and regulating dangerous chemicals and for analyzing safer alternatives.
Governor Schwarzenegger said the legislation "will spur a new era of research and innovation and promises to drive economic growth and competition in the green chemistry sector."
"This bi-partisan package of environmental legislation propels California to the forefront of the nation and the world with the most comprehensive green chemistry program ever established," the governor said.
"It also puts an end to the less effective 'chemical-by-chemical' bans of the past," he said. "With these two bills, we will stop looking at toxics as an inevitable byproduct of industrial production. Instead they will be something that can be removed from every product in the design stage - protecting people's health and our environment."
The legislation is a response to growing concerns raised by scientists and public health advocates about unsafe and untested chemicals in consumer products.
While many consumer products include harmful substances, from lead-tainted toys to linens with toxic flame retardants there is currently no state agency that has broad-based authority to take these products off the shelves or spur the development of safer alternatives.
The Chemical Industry Council of California is supportive of the new legislation, endorsing the comments of attorneys Todd Maiden and Eric McLaughlin of the council's affiliate member, the law firm of ReedSmith.
"The most prominent features of California's green chemistry law are its foundation on science and real-life assessment of chemical usage and exposure risk," write Maiden and McLaughlin. "Like all new regulations, those promulgated under the Green Chemistry law will impose operational changes and up-front compliance costs on the regulated community. However, change also presents new opportunity," they write. "Compliance with California's green chemistry law will likely reduce the costs of proper hazardous waste management and disposal, and satisfaction of workplace safety and health requirements. New opportunities to market products and processes as eco-friendly will also arise."
