Flaws in the Toxic Substances ‘Control’ Act

In September of 1976 the Congress passed the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA).  This act was supposed to monitor the safety of chemicals through the EPA, as well as give the EPA authority to regulate them.  Instead, ever since the EPA has systematically been defunded, and the TSCA itself has not been overhauled since it’s creation. Worried yet?

At the time of it’s creation the TSCA grandfathered in more than 60,000 chemicals at one time. In the 36 years following it’s creation apx. 200 of those chemicals have ever been tested.  Truth is, few chemicals are ever tested.  The TSCA does not require chemicals to be tested for safety before they are introduced.

It is also worth noting that the United States has not taken action or any steps since, to  stem the manufacture of ever more toxic chemicals, with an estimated 100,000 synthetic chemicals now flooding our air, water and soil. The majority of which are not tested for safety.

Common sense alone tells us we should be evaluating the potential risks, if for no other reason than based on the science we DO know.  Let alone the thousands upon thousands of toxic chemicals we have yet to study, or follow up on, for potential risks to our children, our water, our pets, ourselves, our environment and our planet as a whole.

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EDF’s (Environmental Defense Fund) Richard Denison testifies before a House subcommittee (February 2009) on the urgent need for chemical policy reform.