PORTLAND — Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber signed an executive order Friday intended to shift the state toward cleaner alternatives to toxic products.
Legislators balked at approving a bill that would have enshrined these “green chemistry” goals into law. But advocates say the order Kitzhaber signed accomplishes the same things.
“This executive order is an effort to try to accelerate and increase support and really visibility of the whole field of green chemistry, through a number of specific actions that the state can take to promote this,” he told reporters.
The order directs the Department of Environmental Quality to reduce chemical use by state government. It also asks agencies to use “sustainability” criteria when making purchasing decisions.
The governor says there’s an opportunity for the state’s economic development arm, Business Oregon, to expand Oregon’s green chemistry industry. Higher education reps are excited because the state and businesses will tap research public universities have been doing for years.
(This was first reported for OPB News.)
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