Press Statements

On May 8, 2019, Washington Governor Jay Inslee has signed precedent-setting legislation protecting people and orcas from toxic chemical pollution. Washington now has the nation’s strongest policy regulating toxic chemicals in products, a major source of harmful chemicals in our homes and environment. The new law prioritizes five chemical classes for action: PFAS, organohalogen flame retardants, phthalates, alkylphenol ethoxylates and bisphenols, and PCBs.

Today the U.S. EPA issued a final rule on asbestos that adds four categories of products to a Significant New Use Rule (SNUR) proposed in June 2018.  

Washington, DC — On Friday, a bipartisan group of senators introduced legislation (S.638) to classify fluorinated chemicals (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, known as “PFAS”) as hazardous substances under the Superfund law (Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act or CERCLA).

A new U.S. EPA PFAS management plan released today does not include the urgent actions needed to help affected communities or protect the health of residents and the environment.

This morning, the EPA announced its federal PFAS action plan. In response, Safer Chemicals Healthy Families Director Liz Hitchcock issued the following statement.

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency indicated that it will finalize a long-delayed ban on the use of methylene chloride in paint strippers for consumer use by advancing the measure to the White House Office of Management and Budget for final approval.

Yesterday the U.S. Senate confirmed Alexandra Dunn’s nomination to be Assistant Administrator for the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention (OCSPP) at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). In response, Liz Hitchcock, Director of Safer Chemicals Healthy Families issued the following statement:

Governor Inslee’s Orca Task Force released its recommendations for protecting the endangered southern resident orca population, including recommendations for reducing threats posed by toxic contaminants. Toxic pollution is one of the major threats to orcas, not only affecting orca health but also the availability of their favored food source, Chinook salmon.

Washington, DC - Today, Congress took bipartisan action to protect drinking water from contamination by passing legislation that directs the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to allow airports to use firefighting foam free of highly fluorinated chemicals or PFAS. The use of PFAS-containing firefighting foam is responsible for drinking water contamination for millions of Americans.

Advocates call on Pruitt EPA to end delay, protect Americans from toxic products