EHPS Publishes Evidence on Environmental Tobacco Smoke

manufacturer. However, Durbin maintains that difficulties still exist in establishing a clear flow of information from manufacturers and EPP program staff to the often bewildered purchasing officials at the end of the line. Goidel is hopeful that the soon-to-bereleased guidance, as well as the environmental considerations that are now incorporated in the Federal Acquisition Regulations (as she describes it, a "bible to purchasing officials"), will help in this respect. Meanwhile, the concept of EPP is getting some strong congressional support. A bipartisan group of senators led by Tom Harkin (D-Iowa), recently requested a $4 million budget increase for the program from the Office of Management and Budget. Harkin, who advocates increased use by the federal government of agricultural by-products as substitutes for synthetic materials such as inks, lubricants, and adhesives, has also called for the creation of an interagency environmentally preferable products coordinating council to coordinate product identification and information dissemination. According to Goidel, state governments are instituting programs similar to the EPP program, and international interest in the U.S. experience is growing. "Many companies are excited about the trend [toward environmentally preferable products]," she says. "Other companies could lose market share unless they change their products as well. We're encouraging environmental concerns as well as price and performance. Companies that optimize all three will be the winners."