Kids Safe Chemical Act

Have you heard of the Kids Safe Chemical Act? You may have seen my badge for it here on the right. Have you ever clicked on it and explored what it's all about? If you have, kudos to you. If not, well, that is what I wanted to discuss today just in case you haven't heard about it.

According to the Environmental Working Group, in 1976 the Toxic Substances Control Act was put on the books. It is said to be one of the WEAKEST environmental laws. Since then, it has never been AMENDED. Hmmm, lets do the math, 2009-1976=33! 33 years is a long time with no amendments. Don't you agree? Oh, and there are around 82,000 chemicals declared "safe" with very little data to support this claim.

The EWG has identified 455 chemicals in people and has also shown that babies are BORN pre-polluted with as many as 300 industrial chemicals in their bodies. Pollution can be associated with many diseases in children, as we are now learning, such as ADHD, childhood cancer, learning deficits, infertility and birth defects. And did you know that with all this information, the government, our government, has almost no authority to protect us from these harmful chemicals?

According the the EWG, this pollution in people is the direct result of a statute that does not require chemicals to be proven safe to get on the market, or stay on the market. Under federal law EPA does not have the authority to demand the information it needs to evaluate a chemical's risk, and neither manufacturers nor the EPA are required to prove a chemical's safety as a condition of use.

Here is what The Kid-Safe Chemical Act will change:

requires that industrial chemicals be safe for infants, kids and other vulnerable groups;

requires that new chemicals be safety tested before they are sold;

requires chemical manufacturers to test and prove that the 62,000 chemicals already on the
market that have never been tested are safe in order for them to remain in commerce;

requires EPA to review "priority" chemicals, those which are found in people, on an expedited schedule;

requires regular biomonitoring to determine what chemicals are in people and in what amounts;

requires regular updates of health and safety data and provides EPA with clear authority to
request additional information and tests;

provides incentives for manufacturers to further reduce health hazards;

requires EPA to promote safer alternatives and alternatives to animal testing;

protects state and local rights;

requires that this information be publicly available.

So, what can you do to help? Here is a list of 5 things you can do today:

1. Sign the Declaration

2. Spread the Word with your email contacts

3. Receive Email follow ups by signing up for EWG Newsletters

4. Support EWG & Donate

5. Advocate

Downloads:

Kids Safe Chemical Fact Sheet
EWG Everyday Pollution Solutions