It's Time for Common Sense Limits on Toxic Chemicals: Congress Proposes to Overhaul TSCA

Using common sense principles and current science, the Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families coalition is working with Congress to repair our broken chemical system so that chemicals are proven safe before being added to our homes, schools, and places of work. The 1976 Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) is out of date and ineffective at protecting the public from chemicals that have been linked to cancer, learning disabilities, asthma, reproductive problems, and other serious diseases.

This page provides documentation of the both the current and past legislative activity in support of reforming TSCA.

Signaling their clear intention to protect families from toxic chemicals linked to serious health problems, Senators Frank Lautenberg, Barbara Boxer, Amy Klobuchar, Charles Schumer and others introduced Senate Bill S.847, the "Safe Chemicals Act" to upgrade America’s outdated system for managing chemical safety.

"The Safe Chemicals Act is a win for both public health and the economy. Smart businesses want to help make reform happen because it’s in their financial interest to make safer, healthier products," said Andy Igrejas, Director of Safer Chemicals, Health Families.

Campaign Director Andy Igrejas Makes the Case for Safe Chemicals

Legislative History: The Path to TSCA Reform

April 7, 2011 Educational Briefing

Download a PDF of the panelists' presentations.

Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families held a widely attended educational briefing on chemicals and health. In cooperation with Senator Frank Lautenberg (NJ) and Senator Barbara Boxer (CA), co-sponsors of the Safe Chemicals Act of 2011, the briefing addressed how everyday chemicals found in our homes, places of work and communities are contributing to higher rates of cancer, intellectual and developmental disabilities, and dangers to reproductive health. Panelists included Kirtly Jones, MD, of the University of Utah; Tom Zoeller, PhD, of the University of Massachusetts Amherst; and Gina Solomon, MD, MPH, of the University of California San Francisco and the Natural Resources Defense Council.

February 3, 2011 Congressional Hearing

U.S. Senate Committee on Environment & Public Works Subcommittee on Superfund, Toxics and Environmental Health hearing "Assessing the Effectiveness of U.S. Chemical Safety Laws."

View the Senate webcast of the hearing and read the Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families press release.

Testimony provided by:

Senator James M. Inhofe, Minority Statement.

Steve Owens, Assistant Administrator, Office of Prevention, Pesticides and Toxic Substances United States Environmental Protection Agency. Testimony (PDF).

Kelly Samrau, Senior Vice President, for Global Corporate Affairs Communication, and Sustainability SC Johnson. Testimony (PDF).

Mr. Steve Goldberg, Vice President and Associate General Counsel, BASF. Testimony (PDF).

Ms. Frances Beinecke, President, Natural Resources Defense Council. Testimony (PDF).

Mr. Cal Dooley, President, American Chemistry Council. Testimony (PDF).

Dean Lynn Goldman, MD, MPH, Dean, George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services. Testimony (PDF).

Legislative News

For Immediate Release
November 17, 2011

Safe Chemicals Act Hearing Builds Momentum for Reform

Washington, DC - Today's Senate hearing on the Safe Chemicals Act was a milestone in the reform effort. Infertility, cancer, and learning disabilities are just some of the health problems linked to toxic chemicals that touch millions of American families. Senators should know that all those families are rooting for their success when they take this issue on.

Senator Lautenberg and Senator Inhofe deserve enormous credit for the dialogue they have undertaken on reform over the last several months and the rare bipartisan atmosphere it has created for this issue on Capitol Hill. Because of that work, there is an enormous opportunity that both parties can seize to make a difference in people's lives. We're encouraged by the statements made by Senators on both sides.

"Senators Lautenberg and Inhofe deserve enormous credit for the dialogue they have undertaken on reform over the last several months..."

We were also encouraged by the very constructive comments of the Consumer Specialty Products Association which represents some of America's best known companies and brands, like Procter and Gamble and SC Johnson. Perhaps because these companies sell directly to consumers they recognize the economic costs of the current collapse of confidence in our federal safety regulations.

The only disappointment in the hearing was the comments of the American Chemistry Council, the main trade group for chemical makers. We hope members of the American Chemistry Council can soon recognize the opportunity to make progress on reform and work constructively with the committee to achieve it in a bipartisan way.

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For more information please contact Trevor FitzGibbon at 202.406.0646, Trevor@FitzGibbonMedia.com

The Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families coalition represents more than 11 million individuals and includes parents, health professionals, advocates for people with learning and developmental disabilities, reproductive health advocates, environmentalists and businesses from across the nation. For more information visit our website at www.saferchemicals.org.

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