It is the policy of the State, consistent with its duty to protect the health, safety and welfare of its citizens and the quality of the environment, to continually and as expeditiously as practicable reduce the use of toxic chemicals, particularly those identified by the State as being priority toxic chemicals, by commercial and industrial facilities through comprehensive environmental management practices, the use of inherently safer products, the use of materials and processes that are reasonably available and the more efficient use of resources. The department shall work with commercial and industrial facilities to establish goals to reduce the use of priority toxic chemicals based on the reasonable availability of safer alternatives and other factors. The policy represented in this chapter is consistent with the reduction of toxic chemicals in children’s products under chapter 16‑D.   [PL 2009, c. 579, Pt. A, §3 (NEW).]