Cleanzine: your weekly cleaning and hygiene industry newsletter 18th April 2024 Issue no. 1110
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ACI'S Richard Sedlak to retire after 42-plus years
Richard Sedlak, the American Cleaning Institute's executive vice president of technical & international affairs, is retiring from ACI at the end of 2019 after more than 42 years at the Association.
As of 1st January, 2020, Dr James Kim, ACI's associate vice president, science & regulatory affairs, will lead the Institute's technical and regulatory department.
'Rich's vast knowledge, experience and legacy within our industry is virtually unmatched,' says Melissa Hockstad, ACI president & CEO.
'We will miss him as a colleague and friend, and wish him the best in his well-deserved retirement. Rich is committed to ensuring a smooth transition and will consult with ACI through early 2020 on key projects he was involved with at the Association.'
Dr Kim, who joined ACI in July 2018, 'has been a tremendous addition to ACI and has had responsibility for a range of ACI initiatives, such as the toxicology, human safety and efficacy of topical antiseptics, including research, regulatory affairs and outreach,' adds Melissa.
Prior to joining ACI, Dr Kim was a senior toxicologist at the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, where he served as a scientific lead on interagency reviews of regulations, regulatory actions and human health risk assessments. He also represented OMB on various interagency task forces and committees, such as the President's Task Force on Environmental Health & Safety Risks to Children, the Nanotechnology Environmental and Health Implications Working Group, and the Nanoscale Science, Engineering, and Technology Subcommittee.
Rich Sedlak, who has a BS in Biology and MS in Environmental Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, joined ACI in 1977. During his time there, he has overseen a broad range of initiatives addressing the environmental fate and human and environmental toxicology of cleaning product chemicals. His experience includes research on the treatability and compatibility of detergent ingredients in municipal and on-site wastewater treatment systems, the fate and effects of residual releases to the environment, assessment of risks posed by product ingredients during and after use, and the shaping of laws, regulations and voluntary initiatives based on state-of-the-art science.
He has also been a leader in coordinating US and international industry input to United Nations and OECD initiatives to develop harmonised systems for managing chemicals based on best practices. These international initiatives have spanned the development of risk assessments for high volume chemicals, enhanced tools for chemical risk communication, and enhancements to existing chemical management systems.
7th November 2019