Shrek glasses with cadmium?! Canned food contaminated with the sex hormone bisphenol A?! Cancer-causing formaldehyde in furniture?! If you’ve followed
the stories in the media in the last few months, it’s probably not news to you that current law isn’t protecting us from harmful chemicals.
Fortunately, the Safe Chemicals Act of 2010 was just introduced in Congress. It aims to
protect our families from harmful chemicals by overhauling our outdated chemical laws. The current draft of the bill is a good first step, but it’s
missing some key provisions, like phasing out the worst chemicals first and ensuring that chemicals are tested for safety BEFORE they are allowed on
the market.
The House of Representatives is poised to act on toxic chemical legislation this month so your representative needs to hear from you!
How to call:
Call your representative in Congress by dialing the Capitol switchboard in Washington, DC at 202-224-3121. Let him or her know that you support
putting health first by getting rid of the worst chemicals first! (If you want to check who is your representative, visit this website)
Here’s a sample message you can use when you reach your representative.
“Hi my name is ____ , and I live in Representative’s X district. I am really concerned about toxic chemicals in consumer products and their impact on
my family’s health. Please vote to strengthen the Safe Chemicals Act of 2010 by making sure chemicals are safe before they are allowed on the market
and getting rid of the worst toxic chemicals, like lead and toxic flame retardants, first.”The reasons to support a stronger Safe Chemicals Act keep mounting. Chemicals found in products we use every day have been linked to negative health
effects including cancer, early puberty, learning disabilities, and sexual dysfunction.A few weeks ago, the President’s Cancer Panel released a damning report underlining the acute need for stronger toxics laws. The report specifically
recommends removing cancer-causing chemicals and other toxins from our food, water, and air that “needlessly increase health care costs, cripple our
nation’s productivity and devastate American lives.”
Please call your representative TODAY at 202-224-3121.
We’ve got a once-in-a- generation opportunity to change the way chemicals are regulated. Congress is listening — now is the time to push for stronger
reform. Your representative needs to hear from you today! Make the call right now, and then let us know what you learn by sending an email to [email protected].
