If you’ve delved even a little bit into the dizzying world of toxic chemicals – because you are a mom, nurse or doctor, an artist, a public servant, or simply someone trying to be healthy – you’ve probably become, well, quickly appalled. Known carcinogens and chemicals of concern persist in your cosmetics and personal care products, children’s toys, and flame retardants that give fire fighters cancer but don’t actually stop fires (ever heard of a sprinkler system?). The creative brains in your community are facing unusually high exposure to harm in their studios, and yes, your favorite chain drug store is selling purses with Phlathates (endocrine disruptors), dogs toys with lead, or maybe even toxic tampons.
Federally, attempts to revisit the clearly dysfunctional Toxic Substances Control Act of 1976 have been hijacked by the Tea Party. 13 Attorney Generals recently protested House GOP, industry-stained legislation that would pre-empt states’ ability to better regulate chemicals. NPR recently ran a Associated Press story in which MA State Senator Michael Moore, testifying on behalf of the National Conference of State Legislators, noted: “To strip states’ residents of protections enacted by their elected officials would be a serious breach of state sovereignty and would leave everyone more susceptible to increased harm from toxic chemicals.”
That isn’t to say that the Bay State has its chemicals in order. In Massachusetts, efforts to pass effective chemical reform legislation, spearheaded by Rep. Jay Kaufman and Senator Ken Donnelly (a former fire fighter), have been stymied by industry groups like the American Chemistry Council, who retain a disturbing influence over state and federal policies. Here is the basic concept of proposed reforms: grow healthier families and businesses by replacing known toxins with Safer Alternatives. This is an idea that moms, enviros, faith leaders and the labor movement resoundingly agree upon. In fact, speaking at Workers’ Memorial Day this year, MA AFL-CIO’s Steve Tolman was swift to note the “50 workers who died in the past year on the job, and many more who died over time from long-term occupational hazards – that’s why we need to pass the Safer Alternatives bill.”
Frustrated by the inability to address chemical hazards in the legislature, activists nationwide taken another tack: deshelve toxic products. Recently, Clean Water Action and the Alliance for a Healthy Tomorrow partnered with national outfit Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families to launch the Mind the Store Campaign, which calls on the the nation’s Top 10 Retailers to Get Tough on Toxics. Most companies on the list have begun dialogue with the campaign, but Walgreens has been stubborn. So, teens from Breath of Life Dorchester, Suffolk Students, faith leaders from Mass Council of Churches, environmental advocates in Boston and the North Shore, and many others nationwide paid their local Walgreens a visit.
Watch the video here. There is a guest appearance by another Tolman who has long been a friend of the environment.
Disclaimer: I am an employee of Clean Water Action, which convenes the Massachusetts coalition the Alliance for a Healthy Tomorrow. We have not endorsed in the MA AG race, but did offer an early endorsement of Warren Tolman in his gubernatorial run years ago. I also want to exclaim that I went to Emerson College, but I promise I don’t have anything against the Suffolk students we partnered with in this video…
If I were manufacturing these products and there were a perfectly viable non-toxic alternative materials available of course I would go that route because I am, you know, human.