“The Safe Chemicals Act of 2011,” a bill introduced April 14 by Senator Lautenberg and co-sponsored by Senators Schumer, Boxer and Klobuchar, would overhaul the woefully outdated Toxic Substances Control Act of 1976 (TSCA). CIEL welcomes this proposal because it provides an important opportunity for Congress to address the concerns of millions of Americans about toxic chemicals at work, in everyday products, and in our air, water and food.
The Safe Chemicals Act of 2011 would:
- Place responsibility on chemical manufacturers to demonstrate that their products meet a health-based safety standard, or face restrictions on uses;
- Develop a system for prioritizing action on the most dangerous chemicals and identifying chemicals of low concern;
- Provide States, businesses, and the public with ready access to health and safety data;
- Create powerful incentives to innovative safer products, at home and abroad;
- Enable the United States to join our allies and trading partners in international agreements that protect American from global pollution.
In recent years, the United States has fallen behind many global allies and trading partners who are taking action to protect their people and environment from toxic chemicals. Throughout the world, the United States as a laggard, rather than leader, on chemical safety.
Daryl Ditz, Director of CIEL’s Chemicals Program said: “The Safe Chemicals Act represents the best way to reestablish U.S. leadership on chemicals in a fast changing world.” CIEL is a member of Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families – a coalition of nearly 300 health and environmental organizations representing 11 million Americans working to reform U.S. policy on chemicals.
Under TSCA, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has inadequate information and hardly any authority to act. Of the 62,000 chemicals on the market when TSCA was enacted, EPA has required testing on barely two hundred in more than three decades. Meanwhile more than 23,000 new chemicals have entered the market. Under TSCA the chemical industry has no obligation to provide basic safety and health to their customers, workers, or EPA.
Scientific evidence points to toxic chemical exposures as significant contributors to childhood cancers, asthma, learning and developmental disabilities, neurological disorders like autism and Alzheimer’s, and fertility problems. Comprehensive reform of TSCA will not only protect public health, it will also steer innovation toward safer chemicals and position the United States to compete in the fast-changing global economy.
For more information, please contact Baskut Tuncak.
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