Toxics Found In Massachusetts Residents
Toxins are all around us. A new report issued today found that five Massachusetts residents who participated in a nationwide bio-monitoring project had all three types of toxic chemicals for which they were tested in their system.
The report, entitled “Is it In Us: Toxic Trespass, Regulatory Failure and Opportunities for Action,” found Phthalates, Bisphenol A and Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in all of its 35 subjects hailing from seven states. These chemicals are commonly found in everyday products, including baby bottles, shower curtains, cosmetics and personal care products, couch cushions, computers, and toys.
The Federal law regulating toxic chemicals, the 1976 Toxic Substances Control Act, is woefully out of date and does not reflect recent scientific advances. Massachusetts is among the many states that are moving to enact updated policies. A bill currently under consideration by the Massachusetts Senate, the Safer Alternatives Bill, would replace toxic chemicals like those featured in the report with non-hazardous substitutes.
According to a joint statement from Senator Pamela Resor (D-Acton) and Representative Frank Smizik (D-Brookline), the co-chairs of the legislature’s Committee on the Environment, Natural Resources & Agriculture: “As these test results show, toxic chemicals are a fact of life in Massachusetts today. But they don’t have to be — safer alternatives exist, and good government policy can help shift our economy towards green, non-toxic products. The Safer Alternatives bill will both better protect the public’s health and drive a new generation of green industry in the Commonwealth.”
