Congress Unveils Most Extensive Overhaul Of Chemical Safety Laws In 40 Years
The agreement, which empowers the Environmental Protection Agency to gather more information about a chemical before approving its use, will deeply affect Americans' lives, as the chemicals can be found in everything from the ink in newspapers to detergents. The compromise has won support from Sen. Barbara Boxer, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. Meanwhile, the EPA has issued stricter guidelines on a cancer-causing chemical found in drinking water.
The Washington Post:
Congress Is Overhauling An Outdated Law That Affects Nearly Every Product You Own
Congress has reached agreement on the most sweeping overhaul of U.S. chemical safety laws in 40 years, a rare bipartisan accord that has won the backing of both industry officials and some of the Hill’s most liberal lawmakers. The compromise, which lawmakers unveiled Thursday, will provide the industry with greater certainty while empowering the Environmental Protection Agency to obtain more information about a chemical before approving its use. And because the laws involved regulate thousands of chemicals in products as diverse as detergents, paint thinners and permanent-press clothing, the result also will have a profound effect on Americans’ everyday lives. (Eilperin and Fears, 5/19)
The Associated Press:
EPA Suggests Tighter Limits For Industrial Chemical In Water
Federal regulators announced tighter guidelines Thursday for human exposure to an industrial chemical used for decades in such consumer products as non-stick pans, stain-resistant carpets and microwave popcorn bags. The cancer-causing chemical perfluorooctanoic acid, known as PFOA, has been found in the tap water of dozens of factory towns near industrial sites where it was manufactured. DuPont, 3M and other U.S. chemical companies voluntarily phased out the use of PFOA in recent years. (Biesecker, 5/19)