As Enviroblog readers know, EWG has been pushing for years to reform the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), the nation's chemical "safety" law. What's reportable, today, is this:
The chemical industry, the EPA and the Obama Administration all now agree that the law needs to be reformed.
And no, I'm not making this up.
To make the most of this unprecedented opportunity to move the reform process forward, EWG is co-hosting an historic stakeholder conference in Washington on October 6th to discuss exactly what how that should be done.
As Jane Houlihan, EWG's Senior Vice-President for Research, said in response to EPA's recent support for chemicals policy reform:
The system we have now assumes that chemicals are innocent until proven guilty. The reforms introduced today would flip that.
About the conference: Exploring fundamental changes to U.S. chemicals policy
At the day-long event, organizations representing chemical manufacturers, environmental and public health advocates, environmental justice leaders and consumer product companies will come together to explore fundamental changes to U.S. chemical policy.
The conference will begin a long-overdue conversation with key stakeholders about how best to update the chemical review and management system.
EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson will kick start the day by describing the Obama administration's newly-released principles for modernizing the federal Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), setting the tone for a spirited exchange of ideas and perspectives.
Join the conference online, Tuesday, Oct. 6 Whether you watch, read, or comment, we think it's important to share this historic conversation with the stakeholders who can't be there in person -- you. Watch it live or after the fact, and check our live blogs to hear what the experts are saying.
After all, it's not everyday that environmental health advocates, the industry, and the EPA sit down at the same table to better protect public health.
