Take Action

Call in week to congress: Safer chemicals please!

Posted on Jun 14, 2010

Child with phone Over the past couple months, we've been letting you know about the important overhaul of the Toxic Chemicals Safety Act (TSCA) -- a decades-old law that is so outdated that it was written before chemicals like Bisphenol-A (BPA), phthalates, flame retardants and cadmium had ever been studied or recognized for the health concerns to our families.

The Toxic Chemicals Safety Act is now being considered in Congress, which is the law that will help modernize our chemical policies and help get harmful chemicals out of our lives. The current draft of the bill is a good first step, but it's missing some key provisions.

Currently, harmful chemicals are not tested before getting to market. This is how the toxic chemical cadmium is getting into costume jewelry.

Take Action: Comment period on BPA open

Posted on Jun 2, 2010

Baby with spoon June is going to be a critical month for our Bisphenol A (BPA) campaign. If you've been following this story, you know that the Department of Public Health's (DPH) Public Health Council (PHC) met two weeks ago to hear a presentation from the DPH about a proposal for a limited ban on reusable food and beverage containers containing BPA and intended for use by children three and under, which would mean baby bottles and sippy cups. (Read the proposed regulation here.) The PHC has not yet recommended further action, but they still can!

The Department of Public Health has officially opened a public comment period for the proposed regulation that will last until June 30. It is very important that you do everything that you can to let DPH know that you want Massachusetts to phase BPA out of infant formula cans and all reusable food and beverage containers, as well as baby bottles and cups.

Please submit a comment to the DPH by adding your personal statement to our online petition.

Read on to find out about more ways you can help.

Current Action Alerts

Posted on Jun 1, 2010

There are many ways to take action to help protect our health from toxic chemicals. Here are some in Massachusetts and at the Federal level:

Massachusetts

Ask your representative to help pass the Safer Alternatives Bill

The Safer Alternatives Bill will create a pragmatic and flexible program in Massachusetts to replace toxic chemicals with Safer Alternatives wherever feasible.

Federal

1. Ask Congress to pass a Strong Safe Chemicals Act

Good news! The Safe Chemicals Act of 2010 was introduced on Thursday, April 15th by Senator Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) and Representatives Bobby Rush (D-IL) and Henry Waxman (D-CA). It is landmark legislation to overhaul the nation's outdated and ineffective toxics law, the Toxic Substances Control Act of 1976 (TSCA). We still need your help to strengthen the bill and make sure that it protects our nation's health from the dangers of toxic chemicals.

2. Join the Million Baby Crawl to demand toxic policy reform from Congress.

3. Ask Congress to Protect Pregnant Women from Chemicals in Cosmetics!

New research shows that pregnant women’s bodies are polluted with chemicals found in consumer products – including cosmetics. We need Congress to pass laws for safer cosmetics! You can also check out more action alerts for the Safe Cosmetics campaign at their website

I want to be toxic free!

Posted on May 6, 2010

Cindy Luppi, Clean Water Action

Cindy and Mom Mother’s Day is this Sunday and this year, we’re asking for a special gift for moms across the nation: a healthier future, free of toxic chemicals. Moms, dads, sons, daughters, and grandparents from coast to coast are raising their voices – and their cameras – in support of new legislation that would prevent harm to our health from toxic chemicals. Together we’re sending the message that chemicals linked to cancer, learning disabilities, reproductive disorders and other chronic health epidemics don’t belong in the products we use at home and at work. And that the time for change is now.

Let's make sure that our voices, here in Massachusetts, are heard loud and clear. Send a message to your legislators urging them to take action. Do it for your mom… Then, upload your photos with your loved ones and they will be posted on the Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families site as a mother's day "quilt."

BPA Action Week April 5th-9th: Call Governor Patrick!

Posted on Apr 5, 2010

Phone_Red_250 We have a big opportunity in Massachusetts to protect children from BPA, a toxic chemical linked to hyperactivity, impaired learning and other developmental issues.

Please call Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick today and ask him to phase-out BPA products for which there are safer alternatives including infant formula and baby food packaging and reusable beverage and food containers.

1. Dial: 617-725-4005

2. Deliver your message:

Give your name and where you live
Say "Thank you for protecting our health by calling for a phase-out of BPA products. Don’t just stop at baby bottles and cups, please include infant formula cans and food and beverage containers as well.”
If no one picks up the phone, you can leave a message.

3. Report to us that you called. Click to report your call.

4. Tell you friends to call too!

Take Action Now on Notorious Offenders!

Posted on Feb 25, 2010

skull and bones sign How serious is Congress about reforming our Nation’s chemical laws?

Last week we told you about the congressional process in Washington, DC to reform our federal law that governs toxic chemical production and use, The Toxic Substance Control Act (TSCA). Some of the chemicals under consideration are PBTs or Persistent, Bioaccumulative Toxins, which include some of the most notorious chemicals ever studied. These notorious offenders include: DDT, dioxin, mercury, cadmium, lead, mercury, the compound used to make Teflon and some flame retardants.

Save TURI Now!

Posted on Jul 24, 2009

Lowell For 20 years, Massachusetts businesses have had a unique resource to help them reduce their toxic chemicals use and release: the Toxics Use Reduction Institute (TURI). We are on the verge of losing this incredible resource; TURI’s funding was eliminated in the state budget. Please write to your state legislators now!

On June 29th, Governor Patrick signed the FY2010 state budget which, unfortunately, eliminated funding for the Toxic Use Reduction Institute (TURI) at UMass-Lowell. For the past two decades, TURI has worked with companies in Massachusetts to reduce their use of toxic chemicals and their toxic waste.

Tell Congress to Take Action on Toxic Chemicals!

Posted on Jul 10, 2009

Kid Did you know that 82,000 chemicals are in use today in the U.S. and only around 200 of these chemicals have been assessed for their safety? In other words, thousands of toxic chemicals, which have not been tested for safety, have been added to products that you use everyday from children’s toys, food can linings, mattresses, make-up to shampoo! And now there are hundreds of scientific studies out there showing that these chemicals are ending up in our bodies.

In addition, the law governing toxic chemicals in the U.S., the Toxic Substance Control Act (TSCA), is 33 years old and completely outdated.

Call-In Day Success!

Posted on May 20, 2009

People Jumping for Success Thanks to everyone that called the Governor's Office last Tuesday, May 12th and helped get friends, family, neighbors and co-workers to do the same. We had 140 plus people call the Governor and ask him to take action on toxics. We even had people say that when they called, the call volume was so high that they were too busy to take down names and addresses!

We are eagerly waiting for a response from the Governor's Office. Whatever happens, we have to keep up the pressure! Governor Patrick cannot get away with doing nothing on toxics: supporting neither the Safer Alternatives Bill nor a regulation on BPA in children's products! If we do not get a response very soon, we will be contacting you with our newest action. So stay alert!

Today is the Day to Call the Governor!

Posted on May 12, 2009

We need you to call Governor Patrick RIGHT NOW and urge that he support both the Safer Alternatives Bill and a sales ban on bisphenol-A in children's products.

These two actions will not cost the state government significant funding, and will create a healthier community and future.

What to do right now: Call the governor at 617-725-4005

What to say:

Give your name, address, and phone number

I'm calling to urge Governor Patrick to Take Action on Toxics. We need him to ban BPA in children's products and actively support the Safer Alternatives bill (H-757 and S-442).

Once you're done, please tell us that you called! And one more critical step is to find other people who will call as well.

Help Protect Children from BPA

Posted on Jan 19, 2009

Baby Drinking from Bottle We should be able to trust that products in our stores are safe!

Sign the Petition to Governor Patrick Today!

Aren't all consumer products safe?

The short answer is NO! Toxic chemicals are in widespread use in common household products. For example, many baby bottles, water bottles, and other products contain BPA, or Bisphenol A. BPA is linked to obesity, early onset puberty, breast cancer, low sperm counts, hyperactivity, depression and other health effects. In scientific studies, BPA-exposed animals have altered development of the male and female reproductive tracts, mammary tissues, the immune system, fat tissue, and the thyroid.

Ask your legislators to co-sponsor the Safer Alternatives Bill

Posted on Jan 5, 2009

Contact Your Legislator The Safer Alternatives Bill, sponsored by Representative Jay Kaufman and Senator Steven Tolman, will create a pragmatic and flexible program to replace toxic chemicals with safer alternatives, wherever feasible. In 2008 the bill passed the Senate but not the House and so this session we need your help to make sure that the bill passes both houses! Please call your state legislators today and ask them to co-sponsor the bill.