Receta What you need to know about reforming the Toxic Substances Control Act
As a brain tumor survivor, I wonder how exposure to toxic chemicals in my environment may have played a role. Did you know that more than 80,000 chemicals available in the United States – substances that we use in our homes, workplaces and schools – have never been tested for their toxic effects on our health and environment?
When passed into law in 1976, the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) approved more than 60,000 chemicals that were in existence prior to 1976. Only 200 of the original 60,000 chemicals were tested for safety. In fact, some uses of only FIVE of these toxic substances have been restricted. Since then, TSCA has never been updated! Over 80,000 chemicals have been on the market and available for use since TSCA was enacted in 1976. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has required very few of these to be tested for their impacts on human health and the environment.
TSCA allows chemical manufacturers to keep the ingredients in some chemicals secret — nearly 20 percent of the 80,000 chemicals are secret, according to the EPA. In addition, TSCA makes it difficult for consumers and businesses to find the information they need to identify which chemicals are safe or unsafe. Instead of requiring chemical manufacturers to demonstrate that their products are safe before they go into use, the law says the government has to prove actual harm in order to control or replace a dangerous chemical.
No wonder that we need to reform the Toxic Substances Control Act now and pass meaningful legislation to protect the health of our families and the environment!
You can help by signing the petition at fighttoxins.com to let Congress know that you support updating TSCA to protect the health of our families and the environment.
What does meaningful reform look like?
Meaningful chemical reform should:
Protect the most vulnerable among us including pregnant women, children, workers, and low income communities who are disproportionately exposed to chemicals.
Require easy public access to information regarding the safety of chemicals.
Respect the rights of states and local governments to protect their residents when the federal government fails to do so.
Require the EPA to take fast action on the most harmful chemicals and include specific timetables for such regulatory actions.
How you can help!
The Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families coalition is calling for an overhaul of TSCA based on the law’s inability to protect the health of the American public from exposure to harmful chemicals. By updating TSCA, Congress can create the foundation for a sound and comprehensive chemicals policy that protects public health and the environment, while restoring the luster of safety to US goods in the world market.
You can help by signing the petition at fighttoxins.com to let Congress know that you support updating TSCA to protect the health of our families and the environment.