In an effort to put an end to a summer of bad publicity, the makers of toxic flame retardants recently announced that they have severed ties with the now infamous front group of their own creation, Citizens For Fire Safety. But even though they’ve abandoned their front group, don’t be fooled! This latest move is nothing more than putting lipstick on a pig.
Citizens For Fire Safety, and the chemical companies financing them, came under increased scrutiny this summer after a Chicago Tribune investigation revealed CFFS used questionable lobbying tactics when defending toxic flame retardants in state legislatures. We have profiled this front group’s efforts to undermine flame retardant legislation here in Washington state this winter.
The outcry over their tactics was swift and loud as state legislators, advocates, and firefighters, denounced the actions. Even Congress got into the act, holding a hearing on toxic flame retardants.
Turns out the heat was too much for the multi-million dollar flame retardant corporations and they’re now doing damage control by disbanding Citizens For Fire Safety. They announced they will now rely on the American Chemistry Council, a trade group made up of chemical makers, to defend their bottom line.
Their lobbyists may have changed but these companies are still set on doing everything they can to make sure their toxic chemicals remain in products in your home. They said as much in New York last Thursday at a hearing on flame retardants. These latest actions show they’re still intent on opposing efforts to get toxic chemicals out of kids’ products.
The good news is that legislators now know the lengths the toxic flame retardant makers will go to defeat restrictions on their products.
Hopefully, next legislative session the chemical industry and their tactics will be met with skepticism in state legislatures no matter what front group they might employ.
