driving innovation

This executive summary by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) argues that stricter laws and regulations regarding hazardous chemicals act as drivers for innovation rather than obstacles. By analyzing patent filings and case studies, the document demonstrates how the prospect of stronger regulation encourages the development and market adoption of safer chemical alternatives.

• Stricter laws and the prospect of stronger regulations regarding toxic chemicals accelerate the invention and adoption of safer alternatives. A study of international patent filings showed a correlation between the timing of new laws protecting people and wildlife from phthalates and a spike in the patenting of phthalate-alternatives. Similarly, the phase-out of ozone-depleting substances is cited as an example of how global rules drive sustained efforts to invent safer alternatives.
• Government intervention is often necessary to pull safer chemical inventions into the market by overcoming barriers to entry. These barriers include the lack of information about current products, the externalization of costs, and the economies of scale enjoyed by existing toxic chemicals.
• The European Union's REACH Regulation, specifically its Candidate List of Substances of Very High Concern (SVHC), serves as a major driver for innovation through withdrawal, reformulation, and substitution. The Candidate List identifies chemicals based on intrinsic properties such as whether they are toxic, persist in the environment, accumulate in living organisms, cause cancer, create genetic mutations, or negatively affect reproduction.
• While consumer demand from retailers and global brands (such as Nike, Adidas, H&M, and Zara) is pushing for the removal of hazardous substances like phthalates and nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPEs) from supply chains, businesses argue that government action is still required to ensure a level playing field.

APA

Tuncak, B., Ditz, D., Azoulay, D., & Muffett, C. (2013). driving innovation. Center for International Environmental Law. https://ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Innovation_Summary_Feb2013.pdf

Chicago

Tuncak, Baskut, Daryl Ditz, David Azoulay, and Carroll Muffett. driving innovation. Center for International Environmental Law, 2013. https://ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Innovation_Summary_Feb2013.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Tuncak |first1=Baskut |last2=Ditz |first2=Daryl |last3=Azoulay |first3=David |last4=Muffett |first4=Carroll |title=driving innovation |publisher=Center for International Environmental Law |date=February 2013 |url=https://ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Innovation_Summary_Feb2013.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{tuncak2013driving, author = {Tuncak, Baskut and Ditz, Daryl and Azoulay, David and Muffett, Carroll}, title = {{driving innovation}}, institution = {Center for International Environmental Law}, year = {2013}, month = feb, url = {https://ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Innovation_Summary_Feb2013.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }