Facts About Safe Chemicals Act 2011
Purpose:
To make sure that risks from chemicals are completely understood
and under control.
Why is this important (facts taken
from http://lautenberg.senate.gov/assets/SafeChem.pdf):
-Each year human beings and the environment are exposed to a large number
of chemical substances
-The chemical industry provides valuable products that are used
in diverse manufacturing industries and other commercial, institutional, and
consumer applications
-The incidence of some disease and disorders linked to chemical
substance exposures is on the rise
-Biomonitering of chemical substances in humans reveals that people in
the United States carry hundreds of hazardous chemicals in their bodies
-Differences in metabolism and physiology at certain stages of
development can make infants and children more vulnerable than adults to the
effects of chemical exposure
-A revised policy on the safety of chemical substances will assist in
renewing the manufacturing sector of the United States, create new and safer
jobs, and spur innovations in green chemistry
United States Policy on this issue:
-To protect the health of children, workers, consumers, and the public,
and to protect the environment from harmful exposures to chemical substances
-To promote the use of safer alternatives and other actions that reduce
the use of and exposure to hazardous chemical substances and reward innovation
toward safer chemicals, processes, and products
-To require that chemicals in commerce meet a risk based safety standard
that protects vulnerable and affected populations and the environment
-To guarantee the right of the public and workers to know about
the hazards and uses of chemical substances that the public and workers may be
exposed to by maximizing public access to information on chemical safety and
use
US Government's Primary Goal for this Act:
-Reviewing all chemical substances and identifying the highest priority
chemical substances for expedited review
-Determining whether chemical substances in commerce meet the safety
standard under this title
-Applying appropriate restrictions to the use of a chemical substance,
where warranted
-Encouraging the replacement of harmful chemicals and processes with
safer alternatives
