Cancer-Causing Chemicals On The Way Out?

15 States Work to Ban Toxic Flame Retardant as New CA Draft Regulation On Flame Retardants Is Unveiled

Safer States & Alliance for Toxic-Free Fire Safety Respond

PORTLAND, Ore., Feb. 8, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- As at least 15 states consider legislation banning the use of certain flame retardant chemicals including chlorinated Tris in furniture and baby products, a new draft California fire safety regulation was announced today that would no longer require the use of the cancer-causing flame retardant chemical in products.

"These cancer-causing chemicals have no business in products in our homes.  With a change to California's obsolete regulation and the passage of state laws banning the use of the chemicals, we can protect the health of children and families from this toxic chemical," said Sarah Doll, National Director of Safer States, a network of diverse environmental health coalitions and organizations in states around the country. "That's why we expect at least 15 states to have legislation this year to restrict or ban toxic flame retardants."

"The chemical corporations have spent millions to defeat restrictions on these toxic chemicals in every state, and were found by a Chicago Tribune investigation to use deceptive tactics to keep their chemicals in products in our homes," comments Laurie Valeriano, Executive Director at the Washington Toxics Coalition. "With our allies in the health and fire fighter communities, we are supporting a bill that would ban chlorinated Tris here in Washington."

"In New York, California, and elsewhere, the flame retardant industry has targeted communities of color to attempt to get them to defend their products. This is particularly egregious, since people of color are disproportionately impacted by flame retardant chemicals," says Kathleen A. Curtis, LPN, national coordinator, Alliance for Toxic-Free Fire Safety.

"We are relieved that our Governor Jerry Brown's proposal halts a bad policy that has enabled toxic flame retardants to contaminate the world," says Ana Mascarenas, Policy and Communications Director for Physicians for Social Responsibility Los Angeles. "Now, the public must weigh in over this next 45-day comment period so we can stay on track for better fire safety without harmful flame retardant chemicals."

Safer States
Alliance for Toxic-Free Fire Safety

http://www.toxicfreefiresafety.org/CaliforniansForToxicFreeFireSafety.php
http://www.toxicfreefiresafety.org/index.php

SOURCE Alliance for Toxic-Free Fire Safety