It's Time For Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families

What would happen if national environmental health leaders, thousands of nurses and doctors, top-notch state groups like Washington Toxics Coalition, and key labor unions all joined forces to tackle on of our country's biggest health problems? We're about to find out!

We've joined the Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families Coalition, a national effort to reform the way chemicals are regulated and to put in place the strongest, most protective standards for toxic chemicals. We're excited to get started and have you involved!

We’re lucky to live in Washington state where overwhelming public demand for better protections from toxic chemicals combined with visionary leaders has resulted in groundbreaking policies to protect kids from harmful chemicals in toys, eliminate toxic flame retardants, and phase out the worst chemicals for our health and environment.

While all of these policies are great, it’s just the beginning of what it will take to protect our families and the environment. One state can only do so much. The big problem is that current federal chemical laws are failing us.

Since the passage of the Toxics Substances Control Act (TSCA) in 1976, health and safety testing has been required for only 200 chemicals out of the 80,000 on the market. Currently, manufacturers can legally keep products on the shelf despite evidence that the chemicals in them cause harm. Even the most careful consumer can’t know what chemicals are in common household items because companies aren’t required to disclose the chemicals they use. As a result, every day we are unknowingly exposed to toxic chemicals where we live, where we work, and where our children play.

That’s why we’ve joined the Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families Campaign. We’ll be working with groups across the country to take our message to Congress and ask for commonsense, family friendly chemical laws. When chemicals threaten our health and safety, we have a right to know and expect they won’t be allowed in products we use. Learn more about the campaign.

Stay tuned for further updates and how you can get involved.