Maine Identifies Toxic Chemicals

Posted on Aug 4, 2009

From www.saferstates.org:

The Maine Department of Environmental Protection and the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention last week released a list of chemicals of "high concern" for their effects on human health, including phthalates andbisphenol A.

Release of the list, which was mandated by the state's 2008 Kids Safe Products Act, is an essential step in protecting residents from toxic chemicals in consumer products. Environmental Health Strategy Center Executive Director Michael Belliveau said the historic step should send a message to manufacturers and the market that these chemicals must not be used.

He said in a statement:

"Hundreds of these chemicals, known to wreak havoc on our hormone systems and cause cancer and learning disabilities are in the products used by Maine families everyday and concern is building among the public about the long-term effects on our health.

Parents demand assurance that the products we buy for our families are safe. Maine should act swiftly to replace these Chemicals of High Concern with safer alternatives, but states cannot be expected to solve this major public health threat alone. We need Congress to act now to fix our broken federal chemical safety system.”