You Acted, Congress Answered
Originally posted on the Safer States Blog:
You've been hearing us talk about Safe Chemicals legislation pending in Congress -- the Safe Chemicals Act in the Senate and the Toxic Chemicals Safety Act in the House -- two bills which will overhaul the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), the decades-old federal law that oversees chemical regulation. It is hopelessly out of date, and we are working hard to reform it. These bill proposals are our chance to pass meaningful toxics reform in the US that will protect our families from toxic chemicals that are currently found throughout our homes.
In the past six months, we've been asking for persistent, bioaccumalative toxics (PBTs) to be given special attention in the proposed bills.
PBTs are just a fancy way of identifying chemicals that build up in our systems, and cause problems with our health and with the environment. These are the worst of the worst chemicals like lead, mercury, the compound used to make Teflon and some flame retardants.
PBTs are uniquely dangerous because they pose a triple threat. They persist in the environment for long periods of time and can be transported long distances; they accumulate in living organisms and increase in concentration as they move up the food chain; and, they are highly toxic, often at very low levels of exposure.
When the bill proposal was first floated a few months ago, it looked like PBTs were not going to be given special consideration, despite our best efforts. We asked for your support, and many of you called Congress to ask that PBTs be included in the Safe Chemicals Act.
The House bill, (HR 5820) was introduced last Thursday by Representatives Bobby Rush (D-IL) and Henry Waxman (D-CA) and included important provisions for PBTs.
The public was heard. We thank you for all your support in helping to push through this important provision, and give a standing ovation to Representatives Rush and Waxman for their hard work. Of course, we won't rest until a strong federal bill is passed, and we are protected. It will be a tough fight against the powerful chemical industry who wants to keep the status quo and have ultimate control over secret formulas and hidden ingredients that are harmful to our health.
Here's what the states had to say about the introduction of the Toxic Chemical Safety Act:
"The Toxic Chemical Safety Act is much improved now that it includes a phaseout of chemicals we know pose serious health and environmental threats. Washington State has been targeting these chemicals for over a decade and it's time the federal government caught up. This legislation is just plain commonsense and long overdue."
- Ivy Sager-Rosenthal, Campaign Director, Washington Toxics Coalition
"The Toxic Chemicals Safety Act of 2010 follows on the heels of essential work in Minnesota to protect public health from toxic chemicals. The bill directs the EPA to take action on certain high risk chemicals that build up in the human body, like brominated flame retardants, which have been the subject of state regulation across the country."
- Kathleen Schuler, Co-Director, Healthy Legacy
"We're really pleased that this bill reflects modern science and gives the EPA additional tools to reduce exposure to PBT chemicals for all communities. It's especially important that the bill acknowledges the needs of vulnerable populations including low income communities of color that are unfairly overburdened, pregnant women, infants, workers and the elderly."
- Mark Mitchell, M.D., MPH, Connecticut Coalition for Environmental Justice, President and founding member of the Coalition for a Safe and Healthy Connecticut, who will be testifying on the bill before the Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade and Consumer Protection this Thursday.
"People have been led to believe that chemicals are proven safe before added to products we use every day, but the law doesn’t offer that protection ... Today’s legislation gives EPA both the authority and a mandate to begin making up for 34 years of neglect. Congress should seize this opportunity immediately."
- Andy Igrejas, Director of Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families, a coalition of 250 environmental and public health groups.
"It's not enough to have packages that are green on the outside if what's inside is wreaking havoc on our health. We applaud Bobby Rush for his leadership on this crucial legislation and -- as the bill makes its way through the legislative process -- we urge him to fight to keep it strong."
- Sara Tamez, Campaign Coordinator, Illinois PIRG, in the Chicago Tribune.
To keep apprised of the latest news on the Safe Chemicals Acts as they move through Congress, read the Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families blog, and check back here to see how reform in the states continues to sway the national agenda toward a safer toxic chemical policy.
Call in week to congress: Safer chemicals please!
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.
Read more...I want to be toxic free!
Cindy Luppi, Clean Water Action
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."
Read more...
Safe Chemicals Act of 2010
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). This is the first draft of landmark legislation to
overhaul the Toxic
Substances Control Act of 1976 (TSCA), which is our nation's outdated and ineffective law regulating toxic chemicals.
Some of the biggest reforms in the bill are:
- increasing safety standards to protect vulnerable populations, such as pregnant women and children
- requiring chemical companies to develop and make publicly available basic health and safety information for all chemicals
- creating a new program to strengthen protections for environmental justice communities, or communities identified as "hot spots" with increased exposure
Take Action Now on Notorious Offenders!
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.
Read more...
In D.C. the wheels are turning for chemical policy reform
The effort to update and reform our toxic chemical laws is moving from the state level to the federal level and was kicked off with a US Senate hearing on Thursday February 4th. The Senate Subcommittee on Superfund, Toxics and Environmental Health held the hearing to find out what scientists know about chemicals that are affecting our health. This is the first step in the journey to overhaul the Toxic Substance Control Act (TSCA). TSCA is our federal law that governs toxic chemical production and use, but it is decades-old and in desperate need of updating.
In a crowded hearing room, Senators mulled over TSCA and seemed to be in agreement that current laws are inadequate to protect families and children from health effects linked to toxic chemical exposure. TSCA is due to be updated with new legislation in early 2010.
Read more...
MA DEP Commissioner signs principles for toxics reform
Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner, Laurie Burt, joined forces with officials from twelve other states today to dictate a set of eight guiding principles to be used for reform of the Toxic Substances Control Act, or TSCA -- a law from 1976 which provides the EPA with the authority to regulate toxic chemicals.
The Obama Administration and Lisa Jackson, Administrator of the EPA, recently acknowledged that a major overhaul of this decades-old law is imperative for public safety.
There is concern, however, about the way that the Administration is setting out to reform TSCA. Some advocates are concerned that the changes are proposed by EPA will results in endless government studies and gridlock, rather than action.
Read more...Join the Million Baby Crawl!
Seventh Generation, a company known for a focus on safe, non-toxic cleaning products, is sponsoring the Million Baby Crawl to to demand toxic chemical policy reform from Congress.
The Crawl consists of a virtual baby march. On the site, you can create a baby avatar to add to the march as fun way to show your support for a new law to protect us from health-harming chemicals.
Join us at the Crawl to Action:
Where: Burlington Mall - Kids Play Area, 75 Middlesex Turnpike, Burlington, MA
When: Wednesday, November 18th from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM
What: Support toxic chemical policy reform, learn more about safe household products, enjoy family-friendly live entertainment and children's interactive activities, and receive free Seventh Generation products.
EPA announces overhaul of nation's toxic law
The tides are changing! Tuesday night, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa Jackson announced that chemical management reform will be one of the top priorities of the Obama EPA.
In a speech in San Francisco, Jackson said the time had come to strengthen EPA’s authority to regulate toxic chemicals, which are ubiquitous in the environment and human bodies.
The nation’s toxic chemical law, the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) has been on the books since 1976 but has been woefully under-enforced. The EPA needs better tools.
Read more...HealthyStuff.org: new information on toxic products
We have good news and bad news. Which do you want first?
Let's start with the good news: there is a new website, just launched, where you can go to get lots of information to help you deduce which products are safe and unsafe for you, your family, and ... your pets (more on that later). HealthyStuff.org is your one stop shop for information over 5,000 common items such as pet products, women’s handbags, back-to-school products, children’s toys, cars and children’s car seats. That's what's there now, and the list keeps growing!
Read more...
Join Book Club on August 25th!
On Tuesday, August 25 Stacy Malkan, author of Not Just a Pretty Face, will share her knowledge of safe cosmetics through a webinar! It will be hosted by our very own Cindy Luppi at Clean Water Action's Boston Office, where you will join a webinar run by Stacy Malkan, herself (so almost like being in your own living room).
When: August 25, 7:00 PM, webinar at 8:00 PM
Where: 262 Washington St. #301, Boston, MA 02108
The book tells the story of how the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics discovered toxic chemicals in our personal care products and their efforts to clean up the U.S. cosmetics industry. This is your chance to ask the author any questions you might have, learn to avoid toxic chemicals in your personal care purchases and learn how you can help change the cosmetics industry.
Read more...
Tell Congress to Take Action on Toxic Chemicals!
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.
Read more...
