Safer chemicals on the horizon

by kiwilog

Close your eyes and imagine a future where you can buy any food, cleaning, personal care, or other product without having to turn over the label and determine whether the item is safe for your family. OK—maybe that’s wishful thinking, but if it passes, the Safe Chemicals Act of 2010 will help consumers feel at least a little more at ease in the store aisle.

The Safe Chemicals Act of 2010 was introduced to Congress yesterday by U.S. Senator Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) in an effort to improve the Environmental Protection Agency’s ability to protect the public from toxic chemicals. Current legislation is more than 30 years old, and has only required testing of 200 of the 80,000 + (!!!) chemicals used in consumer products. Should the Safe Chemicals Act of 2010 pass, it will afford the EPA greater power to test and regulate more chemicals, keeping people (and the planet!) healthier.

Families can show support for the new legislation by writing to their Congressional representative via democracyinaction.org. Or, add your voice to Seventh Generation’s Million Baby Crawl, a campaign by the natural cleaning product manufacturer that supports toxic chemical reform.

-Marygrace, KIWI staff writer

Tags: 2010 safe chemicals act, million baby crawl