The department may establish a PBDE advisory committee to assist the department in determining the risk posed by the release of PBDEs, other than penta-BDE or octa-BDE, to human health and the environment. The department may use existing programs to monitor the presence of PBDEs in the state‘s environment to determine exposure and risk. If new scientific information gathered by the advisory committee indicates a significant risk to human health and the environment in the state, the advisory committee shall inform the department of risk or risks and, if the department concurs, the department shall advise the legislature of the risk. Nothing in this section shall preclude the department from issuing recommendations to the legislature independent of any actions of the advisory committee.