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What is PVC plastic? PVC (polyvinyl chloride) is a widely-used plastic that is made from vinyl chloride—a known human carcinogen associated with liver cancer, brain and lung cancers, and cancers of the blood. The largest uses of PVC include building materials like [...]

"When facing federal inaction on vital issues facing the American public — some of which are matters of life or death — retailers have a responsibility and an opportunity to do right by their customers," Mike Schade, Mind the Store campaign director for Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families, said in a statement. "Lowe’s has set the pace for the rest of the retail sector with its announcement today. The company’s actions will also help drive the development of safer green chemistry solutions."

PFAS are not the only harmful chemicals in commerce. Many more unregulated chemicals continue to be produced and used with little regard to their hazard or ability to contaminate our water, food, homes and bodies. Here are four elements of a healthier economy: First, commitment: We need laws, regulations and corporate policies driving companies away from toxic chemicals and materials and toward safer solutions. Second, transparency: We need to disclose what chemicals and materials are in products, packaging and manufacturing, which will enable retailers, manufacturers and consumers to choose the safer option. Third, ban the bad: When evidence shows chemicals are harmful, eliminate their use. And finally, we must move toward safer solutions: Use those substances that are the least harmful during production, use and disposal.

Liz Hitchcock, director of a safer chemicals program for the advocacy group Toxic-Free Future, praised the new rule but added: “As glad as we are to see today’s rule banning all consumer and most commercial uses, we are concerned that limits to its scope will allow continued exposure for too many workers to methylene chloride’s dangerous and deadly effects.”

EPA's final rule prohibits all consumer uses and most industrial and commercial uses of methylene chloride, including degreasers, spot removers, and paint or coating removers.

My husband Greg told me he wanted a new raincoat. I found the perfect PFAS-free coat with about an hour’s work. Here’s how I did it.

What is the Safer Products for Washington Act? The Safer Products for Washington Act is the nation’s strongest law regulating toxic chemicals in products—a major source of contamination in our homes, food, waterways, and bodies. Washington state passed this precedent-setting legislation [...]

The rule will make it easier to hold polluters accountable for cleaning up their toxic contamination  Safer States and Toxic-Free Future applaud this important step while urging EPA to take the next step and list all PFAS as hazardous under Superfund  WASHINGTON, DC⸺Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a final rule to designate […]

What is TSCA? The Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) is the main federal law that regulates chemicals allowed in commerce. The outdated Toxic Substances Control Act of 1976 was reformed for the first time in 2016 when President Obama signed into law [...]