ADAO: Bill to Overhaul Chemical Regulation Lacks Bite

U.S. legislators may soon update the nation's antiquated Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) with a proposed bill aimed at strengthening existing laws that protect us from hazardous chemicals in our homes, schools and workplaces. But officials with the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO) say the bill, known as the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act (S.697), lacks teeth. ADAO President Linda Reinstein says the proposed reform, expected to be heard when the U.S. Senate reconvenes in September, could be a rollback that handicaps the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency because it fails to specifically address asbestos or a ban on the toxic mineral that causes deadly mesothelioma. "It's reprehensible that a reform bill like this doesn’t address asbestos the way we know it should," Reinstein told Asbestos.com. "It won't be worth the paper it's printed on if it doesn't empower the EPA to act on asbestos. Everyone needs to speak up and let their senators know how badly flawed it is." Current Version of S.697 Is Inadequate Democratic Sen. Tom Udall of New Mexico and Republican Sen. David Vitter of Louisiana introduced S.697 in early March. The bill is designed to "reauthorize and modernize" the TSCA, originally written in 1976. As written, S.697 shows it "protects the health of children, pregnant women, the elderly, workers, consumers, the general public and the environment from the risks of harmful exposures to chemical substances and mixtu...
Source: Asbestos and Mesothelioma News - Category: Environmental Health Authors: Tags: Legislation, Laws & Litigation Source Type: news