Debbie Raphael, Director - Department of Toxic Substances Control

Debbie Raphael has spent the last 20 years working for the Cities of Santa Monica and San Francisco and has dedicated her professional career to creating partnerships that protect human health and the environment by managing the use of chemicals in commerce. She has forged alliances between diverse stakeholders in order to build support for benchmark environmental initiatives, which in many cases have been replicated across the nation. 

Raphael is recognized internationally as the architect of San Francisco’s groundbreaking Precautionary Principle legislation and spearheaded the citywide adoption of a precautionary approach to environmental decision-making.
 
Raphael takes a pragmatic approach to chemical regulation. She relies on the best available science when designing and implementing programs, including San Francisco’s award-winning Integrated Pest Management, Environmentally Preferable Purchasing, Green Business Certification, and Green Building programs. She has successfully crafted and implemented local legislation regulating toxic chemical content in consumer products including phthalates in children’s products and mercury in fever thermometers.

Raphael has been at the forefront of a statewide effort to reformulate consumer products through product re-design, incentives, and consumer right-to-know efforts.  Working with sectors such as garment cleaning, wood preservatives, dental offices, nail salons, and janitorial services to identify safer alternatives to the use of hazardous chemicals.  She served as co-chair of California’s AB1109 Taskforce and Green Ribbon Science Panel, advising the state on issues around end-of-life management of fluorescent lights and the development of Green Chemistry regulations. She has been part of numerous statewide efforts to craft policy on hazardous waste management and extended producer responsibility.

As Director of the Department of Toxic Substances Control, Raphael is honored to work side-by-side with departmental staff dedicated to protecting public health and the environment from toxic harm.

Debbie discusses the Safer Consumer Products regulation at Berkeley's Center for Green Chemistry.