Over the past couple of years, the concept of alternative assessment (AA) has become much more common in the regulatory environment. First, the Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) within the California Environmental Protection Agency (Cal-EPA) brought this to the forefront in its so-called “Green Chemistry Rule.” More recently, the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) has introduced AA in recent drafts of LEED v.4 within materials and resources credits designed to promote greener products. It also exists in regulations in several other states and countries.
However, to the average person in the adhesives and sealants industry in North America—save for those in EH&S, regulatory affairs or maybe sustainability functions—AA is a relatively new concept. A basic understanding of the various components of AA may be useful to those in the business.