Category Archives: chemical safety regulation

China’s viral enviro health documentary and US TSCA reform malaise

Posted on April 6, 2015 by tbach

Last month, this Chinese documentary about the country’s legendary air pollution problems went viral. Now available with English subtitles, Under the Dome has the look and feel of Al Gore’s An Inconvenient Truth, from TED style narration and eye-grabbing background slides to shots of rapt … Continue reading →

Posted in air pollution, chemical safety regulation, China, TSCA | Comments Off on China’s viral enviro health documentary and US TSCA reform malaise

Same old DC gridlock on TSCA reform

Posted on April 30, 2014 by tbach

Just moments ago I posted on yet another state’s successful lawmaking on commercial chemicals regulation.  Now, unfortunately, I get to update you on the continued paralysis in Congress on federal TSCA reform. The Hill reports today that Rep. Shimkus’s floating … Continue reading →

Posted in chemical safety regulation, congress, environmental health, public health, synthetic chemicals, TSCA | Comments Off on Same old DC gridlock on TSCA reform

“Overwhelming support” for Vermont chemicals law

Posted on April 30, 2014 by tbach

This in from local on-line news source, the Vermont Digger: “In one of the most decisive votes of the session the Vermont House supported the regulation of toxic chemicals found in children’s products.  The vote was 114-27.” As blogged a … Continue reading →

Posted in BPA, chemical safety regulation, children's products, flame retardants, label laws, synthetic chemicals | Comments Off on “Overwhelming support” for Vermont chemicals law

Spring reading

Posted on April 10, 2014 by tbach

Two new articles of mine on environmental health law topics have just been published and can be found on SSRN.  The article on the Chemical Safety Improvement Act, a bill pending in Congress to overhaul TSCA, can be found at the … Continue reading →

Posted in chemical safety regulation, environmental health law, synthetic chemicals, toxicology | Comments Off on Spring reading

Vermont strives for comprehensive chemical regulation

Posted on March 28, 2014 by tbach

Vermont has enacted a variety of commercial chemicals laws over the last decade in response to specific issues.  For example, 18 V.S.A. § 1511 limits the concentration of  phthalates in products intended for children under 3 years old; 9 V.S.A. … Continue reading →

Posted in chemical safety regulation, children's products, flame retardants, label laws, phthalates, public health, synthetic chemicals | Comments Off on Vermont strives for comprehensive chemical regulation

EU enforcement of consumer product safety laws steps up

Posted on March 27, 2014 by tbach

The European Union’s Consumer Affairs Commission reports that an increasing number of toxic toys and skin-irritating textiles are being removed from supermarket shelves.  Europe’s Rapid Information System (RAPEX) issued 2,364 notifications of unsafe non-food products in 2013, a 3.8% increase … Continue reading →

Posted in chemical safety regulation, children's products, China, RAPEX, REACH, synthetic chemicals, TAFTA | Comments Off on EU enforcement of consumer product safety laws steps up

West Virginia Responds to the Elk River Spill With SB373

Posted on March 19, 2014 by caitlin

At least nineteen lawsuits have been filed in Kanawha County Circuit Court in response to the January 9, 2014 chemical spill, where the company’s Charleston facility leaked MCHM into the Elk River. The claims, mainly filed on behalf of the … Continue reading →

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Update on the commercial chemicals bill

Posted on March 13, 2014 by tbach

As explored in earlier posts here and here and here, the Chemicals Safety Improvement Act (CSIA), a bipartisan bill introduced in the Senate last May to address many shortcomings of the Toxic Substances Chemical Act (TSCA), has been slowly making its … Continue reading →

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Inert but potent

Posted on March 6, 2014 by tbach

Three environmental and public health groups represented by Earthjustice filed suit yesterday, asking the U.S. District Court in San Francisco to require the EPA to promulgate final rules requiring public disclosure of specific pesticide ingredients. The Center for Environmental Health, Beyond Pesticides, and Physicians for … Continue reading →

Posted in agriculture and human health, carcinogens, chemical safety regulation, consumer pressure, environmental health, EPA, FIFRA, label laws, pesticides, PSR, public health, risk communication, synthetic chemicals | Comments Off on Inert but potent

Alaska Making Headway on its Chemicals Bill

Posted on February 23, 2014 by tbach

Newsflash from the Last Frontier:  The Toxic-Free-Children’s Act (SB 151) decribed in this earlier post received a hearing in the Senate Health and Social Services Committee on Wednesday and was speedily passed out of committee two days later.  Guest blogger … Continue reading →

Posted in chemical safety regulation, children's products, flame retardants, synthetic chemicals | Comments Off on Alaska Making Headway on its Chemicals Bill