Congress moves to revamp toxic chemical law

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Reuters

Congress moves to revamp toxic chemical law
May 25, 2016

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Legislation with bipartisan support that would revamp U.S. chemical safety law for the first time in decades is advancing in Congress, winning overwhelming passage in the House of Representatives as backers sought quick Senate action.

Senate leadership aides said the timing was still being worked out for a Senate vote on the first update of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) in about 40 years.

The House's 403-12 vote to pass the measure updating the regulation of toxic chemicals aided the bill's chances, with the Senate also expected to strongly embrace the bill, according to leadership aides.

"By removing 40-year-old barriers and modernizing procedures, we reduce the risk to consumers. This means the chemicals and products we use every day will be safer for Americans," Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan said.


Read more: https://www.yahoo.com/news/u-congress-moves-revamp-toxic-chemical-law-172636519.html?nhp=1

[Marty McGraw]

1. whenever a republican...

...speaks of removal of barriers, I never hold any credibility of the legislation being being pushed going toward good for any living creature of this planet.

[cstanleytech]

2. Same here but I read the article and some it does seem to make sense on the surface but I am still

hesitant to trust it because Ryan supports it.

[proverbialwisdom]

3. Check it out.

http://www.ewg.org/enviroblog/2016/05/new-tsca-bill-falls-short-protecting-americans-toxic-chemicals

New TSCA Bill Falls Short of Protecting Americans From Toxic Chemicals

By Melanie Benesh, Legislative Attorney and Scott Faber, Vice President of Government Affairs
Tuesday, May 24, 2016

While the new version of the Toxic Substance Control Act, or TSCA, that is likely headed to President Obama’s desk includes some important improvements, the bill falls short of adequately protecting Americans from exposure to hazardous chemicals.

Is the bill better than current law? It’s a low bar, because TSCA is widely considered the least effective environmental law on the books.

<>

http://www.progressivereform.org/CPRBlog.cfm?idBlog=DCC744AA-DE30-519C-874E812BFA8BE657

One Step Forward and Two Steps Back on Toxic Chemicals

by Rena Steinzor
May 24, 2016

...The domestic chemical industry brags that it sells $800 billion worth of chemicals annually, accounts for 25 percent of Gross Domestic Product, and "directly touches" 96 percent of all manufactured goods.

Yet industry fees needed to support EPA's vital work to prevent toxic chemical exposures – a Herculean task that includes the backlog produced by 40 years of weak oversight – are capped at $25 million annually.

In fact, the legislation would cancel these fees in any year that Congress does not maintain general taxpayer revenues devoted to the revival of this vital program at the levels appropriated in Fiscal Year 2014. Or, in other words, the legislation would cancel what industry must pay if Congress cuts the revenues you and I spend to support this weak program below what we paid a few years ago, perpetuating the resource gap that has confounded EPA's efforts to get a grip on toxics.

http://www.greenpeace.org/usa/summer-break-polluters-congress-bows-chemical-lobby-toxics-regulation/
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/24/opinion/congress-moves-finally-on-toxic-chemicals.html

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10141453153#post5
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10141453153#post1

[Baobab]

4. There is a 30 YEAR BACKLOG OF UNREGULATED TOXIC CHEMICALS

and neither of the proposed bills goes far enough. Both have serious issues.

[Scientific]

5. Good. I hope they'll clean up the food, too. Study shows 93% of Americans have glyphosate in urine

That's all of us. We are all eating glyphosate all the time. Deeply concerning.

http://detoxproject.org/1321-2/