In an article published on March 12, 2015 in the newspaper The Hill, journalist Lydia Wheeler reports that U.S. senators Barbara Boxer and Ed Markey drafted a bill to reform the U.S. Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). The bill comes in response to “the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety Act for the 21st Century Act” introduced by Senators Tom Udall and David Vitter on March 10, 2015 (FPF reported), which has been criticized as being driven by the chemical industry. The new legislation, named “The Alan Reinstein and Trevor Schaefer Toxic Chemical Protection Act” in honor of two cancer victims, requires the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to protect communities from dangerous toxic chemicals. It specifically calls for:
- stronger safety standards and quicker safety reviews of chemicals
- actions to ensure that exposure from chemical spills and leaks are addressed
- a ban on asbestos.
U.S. citizens deserve nothing less than a bill that protects them – not chemical companies, says Boxer.
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Lydia Wheeler (March 12, 2015). “Boxer introduces her own chemical reform legislation.” The Hill
