The Safe Chemicals Act of 2010 would require proof of safety
This bill, introduced by Senator Frank Lautenberg in 2010, did not make it to a vote but will be reintroduced again in 2011.
The “Safe Chemicals Act of 2010” requires safety testing of all industrial chemicals, and puts the burden on industry to prove that chemicals are safe in order stay on the market. Under current policy, the EPA can only call for safety testing after evidence surfaces demonstrating a chemical is dangerous. As a result, EPA has been able to require testing for just 200 of the more than 80,000 chemicals currently registered in the United States and has been able to ban only five dangerous substances. The new legislation will give EPA more power to regulate the use of dangerous chemicals and require manufacturers to submit information proving the safety of every chemical in production and any new chemical seeking to enter the market.
Read more about the Safe Chemicals Act at Senator Lautenberg's web page
Read analysis of the bill at Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families
Download the full 2010 bill here
Contact your Senators and Representatives to let them know you support this bill.