Call to Action: Ask your lawmakers to protect your family

Originally posted on Safer States.

Over the past couple months, we've been letting you know about the important overhaul of the Toxic Chemicals Safety Act (TSCA) -- a decades-old law that is so outdated that it was written before chemicals like Bisphenol-A (BPA), phthalates, flame retardants and cadmium had ever been studied or recognized for the health concerns to our families.

The Toxic Chemicals Safety Act is now being considered in Congress, which is the law that will help modernize our chemical policies and help get harmful chemicals out of our lives. The current draft of the bill is a good first step, but it's missing some key provisions.

Currently, harmful chemicals are not tested before getting to market. This is how the toxic chemical cadmium is getting into costume jewelry. 

Cadmium is a persistent chemical that builds up in the body. It is associated with birth defects and central nervous system damage in animals, and there is concern that children ingest cadmium by putting jewelry in their mouths which could cause health problems including kidney and bone damage.

The good news is that the states are taking up the slack where the federal government is failing. Washington, Wisconsin, Connecticut, Minnesota, Maryland and Vermont have banned BPA, and many have passed laws banning cadmium and harmful flame retardants.

But we need the backing of the federal government in order to make sure that we are protected. We need to make sure that the worst-of-the-worst chemicals are prioritized and eliminated for our lives as quickly as possible. The reasons to support a stronger Toxic Chemicals Safety Act keep mounting. Chemicals found in products we use everyday have been linked to negative health effects including cancer, early puberty, learning disabilities, and sexual dysfunction.

We're asking you to call your representative today to make sure the Toxic Chemicals Safety Act is as strong as possible.

Call Instructions

We need to seize the opportunity to overhaul our toxic chemicals laws and protect our families.

Call your Congressmember and to ask that Congress put health first by getting rid of the worst chemicals first! You can call the Congressional Switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and they will connect you. Leave a comment here and let us know how the call goes.

Don't know who your Congressional representative is? Check the House of Representatives website to find out.

Here's a sample of what you can tell your representative:

We have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to change the way chemicals are regulated. Congress is listening but we’ve got to push for stronger reform. Your representative needs to hear from you today!