Collaborative problem solving is hard work, and progress on some of the most challenging issues facing society does not always take the form of complete consensus. In some cases advancing the dialogue and laying the groundwork for further discussion is a worthwhile effort that ultimately may set the stage for a win-win solution further down the line.

The Minnesota Chemical Regulation and Policy Project has just about concluded, after countless hours of creative and constructive dialogue stretched over fourteen stakeholder Work Group meetings spanning more than two years. Environmental Initiative has appreciated the opportunity to work with such a dedicated and capable group of individuals to wrestle with this difficult issue. Over the course of the project, we’ve learned that chemical management and policy is extremely complex and multi-dimensional – regulators and decision makers need to weigh complicated scientific information against public health and economic considerations and try to provide adequate assurance of safety while making sure we all continue to benefit from robust chemical and consumer product industries. This is not an easy task, and as I described in a past post, Chemicals Policy 101 – What You Need to Know, government officials across the country at all levels (federal, state and local) have been grappling with this challenge for quite some time.

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