ANA Hails Introduction of Toxic Chemicals Safety Act of 2010 in U.S. House of Representatives
The American Nurses Association (ANA) applauds the introduction of legislation to bring much needed reform to our nation’s chemical policy. The Toxic Chemicals Safety Act of 2010 (H.R. 5820), introduced by Congressmen Bobby Rush (D-IL) and Henry Waxman (D-CA), would make much needed changes to the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), such as requiring publicly available safety and health data on chemicals, and putting the burden on the industry to prove that chemicals are safe in order stay on the market. In April, a similar bill was introduced in the Senate by Senator Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) called the Safe Chemicals Act of 2010 (S. 3209).
Under current U.S. law, chemicals are allowed to enter our homes, workplaces, and communities with little or no testing for human toxicity. Consumers and workers are not informed about harmful chemicals in products or equipment they use at home and on the job, and there is no requirement that safer chemicals be substituted for toxic ingredients. Furthermore, it can take years, sometimes even decades, to remove a chemical from the market once it has been identified as harmful.
Studies continue to demonstrate the links between these toxic chemicals and serious illnesses such as cancer, reproductive disorders, developmental disorders and asthma. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) 133 million people in the U.S. –almost half of all Americans—are now living with these and other chronic diseases and conditions, which now account for 70% of Deaths and 75% of US health care costs. ANA is deeply concerned about the public health implications of this chemical exposure. We also know that, because of the many chemicals nurses and other health care workers are exposed to in the workplace, they are at even higher risk.
ANA strongly supports the introduction of the Toxic Chemicals Safety Act (H.R. 5820) which would significantly strengthen public health protections from toxic chemicals. For the first time, the chemical industry would be required to demonstrate that chemicals are safe, rather than the EPA having to prove they are unsafe. In a major shift the legislation would require chemical manufacturers to provide basic health and safety information for all chemicals as a condition for them remaining on or entering the market and to make that information public. Other elements of the legislation would require:
- Chemicals to meet a health standard to enter or remain on the market.
- EPA to identify and restrict the most toxic chemicals that build up in our food chain and in our bodies, such as brominated flame retardants.
- Populations most vulnerable to toxic chemicals, including pregnant women, infants and children, and those living in environmental ‘hot spots’, to have extra protections from toxic chemicals.
- EPA to rely on the National Academy of Sciences’ recommendations to incorporate the best and latest science when determining the safety of chemicals.
ANA urges all nurses to contact their members of Congress and urge them to cosponsor the Toxic Chemicals Safety Act (H.R. 5820) and the Safe Chemicals Act of 2010 (S. 3209) to reduce our exposure to toxic chemicals, protect nurses and other workers, and improve the health of all Americans. Click here to learn more about H.R. 5820 and S. 3209 and Take Action!
More TSCA News!
- On Thursday, July 29, 2010 the U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce’s Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade, and Consumer Protection held a hearing on the Toxic Chemicals Safety Act of 2010. The witnesses on the panel included Steve Owens, Assistant Administrator, Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention, Environmental Protection Agency; Richard Denison, Ph.D., Senior Scientist, Environmental Defense Fund; Calvin M. Dooley, President and Chief Executive Officer, American Chemistry Council; Howard Williams, Vice President, Construction Specialties, Inc.; Mark Mitchell, M.D., M.P.H., President, Connecticut Coalition for Environmental Justice; Beth Bosley, Society of Chemical Manufacturers and Affiliates, Inc.; and Ken Cook, President, Environmental Working Group. Click here to watch the hearing, review testimony of witnesses and read additional documents pertaining to the Toxic Chemicals Safety Act of 2010.
- The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families held a Rally for Safe Chemicals on the National Mall on July 29, 2010 following the U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce’s Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade, and Consumer Protection’s hearing. Nurses, including ANA staff and members, were present to support meaningful and immediate chemical reform. Other rally participants included scientists, college students, healthcare professionals and environmentalists. The rally featured a “mock” race ran backwards by participants to symbolize looking back for the possible cause, namely toxic chemicals, of many chronic diseases. NRDC, Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families and the Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments concluded the rally with a press conference expressing concerns with the ineffectiveness of current legislation, the negative health impacts of hazardous chemicals, and the need for reform imposing limits on toxic chemicals. ANA is a member of the Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families’ diverse coalition.
Rachel Conant and Holly Carpenter
Tags: and Consumer Protection, August_September 2010, Congressman Bobby Rush (D-IL), Congressman Henry Waxman (D-CA), Safe Chemicals Act of 2010 (S. 3209), Senator Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ), The Toxic Chemicals Safety Act of 2010 (H.R. 5820), Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), Trade, U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce’s Subcommittee on Commerce
