Demand Congress reform TSCA!

Since 1976, the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) has failed to protect public health!

In one of the most horrifying examples, asbestos – a known carcinogen – has killed more than 10,000 Americans every year! And, under current law, cannot be banned.

Now, there are two competing bills in the Senate to update TSCA: The Alan Reinstein and Trevor Schaefer Toxic Chemical Protection Act (S.725) is a real TSCA reform proposal that will protect public health and will once and for all empower and ensure the EPA to expeditiously ban asbestos and manage the risk of the most hazardous chemicals.

But, The Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act (S.697) authored by Sens. Tom Udall (D-NM) and David Vitter (R-LA) is NOT the reform we need. Embraced by the chemical industry, it doesn't even mention "asbestos" and would take more than a century to analyze and regulate the 1,000 chemicals EPA has flagged for review on the grounds they appear to be particularly dangerous to human health.

We need you to take action today to fight for chemical reform that protects our families from dangerous chemicals like asbestos, not a bill that protects the chemical industry’s bottom line. The Udall-Vitter bill should be opposed unless its numerous flaws are fixed so the public is protected and endless litigation won’t tie the hands of EPA.

I stand with EWG Action Fund, the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization, the Trevor's Trek Foundation and Safer Chemicals Healthy Families and demand REAL chemical reform. Any meaningful TSCA reform must include these five things:

  1. Requires the Environmental Protection Agency to act quickly to consider a ban on asbestos
  2. Protects children and vulnerable populations from harmful toxins
  3. Provides stronger safety standards and quicker safety reviews of chemicals
  4. Ensures exposure from chemical spills and leaks are addressed
  5. Maintains states' rights to protect people from dangerous toxic chemicals

As your constituent, I urge you to take immediate action in support of S.725, the Alan Reinstein and Trevor Schaefer Toxic Chemical Protection Act.