Environmental Research Center Inc

Programs: Erc safeguards the public from health hazards that impact families, workers, and the environment. Erc is dedicated to reducing the use and misuse of hazardous and toxic chemicals/substances, facilitating a safe work environment for consumers and employees and encouraging corporate responsibility. Below are some of the highlights of erc's activities and accomplishments in the 2017 fiscal year. In 2017, erc purchased and tested over 2,183 products, erc also issued 68 notices of violations to companies. Further, in 2016 erc had 53 settlements that involved 628 products. Erc initiated various legal actions to eliminate lead, cadmium, and/or arsenic in dietary supplements. (see schedule o for continuation)because of erc's efforts, 53 companies became proposition 65 compliant and approximately 628 products were brought into compliance. As part of our program efforts, below are some programs and services erc continued to implement in 2017 in its continued commitment to safeguard the public from health hazards. These activities are detailed below and support erc's overarching goal of reducing and/or eliminating hazardous and toxic chemicals in dietary supplement products in california. Erc's activities have had, and will continue to have, a direct and primary effect within the state of california because california consumers will be benefitted by the reduction and/or elimination of exposure to lead and/or cadmium in dietary supplements and/or by providing clear and reasonable warnings to california consumers prior to ingestion of the products. Erc is providing the following list of activities/services erc engaged in to protect california consumers through proposition 65 citizen enforcement. Enforcement:analyzing, obtaining, and having tested dietary supplement products that may contain lead, cadmium and/or arsenic are sold to california consumers. This work includes continued monitoring and enforcement of past consent judgments and settlements to ensure companies are in compliance with their obligations thereunder, with a specific focus on those judgments and settlements concerning lead and/or cadmium. This work also includes investigation of new companies to ensure compliance with proposition 65. Voluntary compliance program (vcp):frequently, erc's testing of products results in exposures of lead or other toxic chemicals that slightly exceed the levels acceptable under proposition 65, but erc declines to pursue legal action. Erc contacts the company to notify them of the possible contamination and then collaborates with the companies to encourage the company to reevaluate the levels of toxins in all of their products. Erc initiates dialog with these companies, shares the results of our laboratory testing, and offers guidance in various alternative compliance remedies. A more collaborative approach in these cases generally accomplishes the goals of proposition 65, protects the citizens of california and the public at large, and while at the same time encourages companies to take a more pro-active approach in product testing and compliance.