PROTECT

OUR KIDS FROM DANGEROUS CHEMICALS REFORM TSCA

The Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act, introduced by U.S. Senators Tom Udall and
David Vitter, protects Americans from toxic chemicals by enacting common-sense and necessary reforms to update
the Toxic Substances Control Act of 1976 (TSCA), the United States' wholly ineffective, outdated law regulating
chemicals in commerce and manufacturing. This bipartisan, comprehensive bill is the best opportunity to take
action and strengthen safeguards against dangerous chemicals to protect our children.
1.

The Toxic Substances Control Act of 1976 (TSCA) has failed since Day 1
In almost 40 years, TSCA has restricted just five chemicalsand even failed to ban asbestos.
TSCA has prevented only four new chemicals from going to market, out of more than 23,000 new
chemicals manufactured since 1976.

2.

Everyone agrees we need a new lawDemocrats, Republicans, environmentalists and manufacturers

Our broken law doesnt work for anyone: not for the public, for consumers or for business. After
years of denial, many companies are now willing to accept more regulation to secure a predictable
system that restores consumer confidence in the safety of their products.
TSCA is the only major environmental law that has not been updated. The Clean Air Act, Clean
Water Act, Safe Drinking Water Act and others have all been modernized.

3.

We need a federal solution

There are tens of thousands of chemicals in use today, which is a problem far too vast for states,
individual consumers, companies, or retailers to tackle on their own.
All Americans deserve certainty that the EPA is overseeing the safety of chemicals in markets.
The Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act maintains a very strong role for statesall existing laws
like Californias Prop 65 are preserved and states can act where EPA doesnt.

4.

This Congress has the best chance in a generation to protect health and the environment
After years of inaction and partisan stand-off, a bipartisan group of senators invited all stakeholders
to the table and crafted compromise legislation to eliminate key barriers to EPA action and fix the
fatal flaws that have crippled TSCA.
This bill builds on over two years worth of engagement by senators, environment and health NGOs,
states, industry groups and others. It has broad support.

5.

We have to act now

We need TSCA reform to protect the health of all Americans, but especially our most vulnerable
infants, children, pregnant women, the elderly and others.
Bipartisanship and compromise has opened up a narrow window to pass meaningful reform. More
work can be done throughout the legislative processbut we should move forward.

Americans are exposed to a toxic soup of more than 80,000 different chemicals, but we have no idea what the impact of
those chemicals is on our bodiesor those of our children. I want a law that is strong enough to protect our children from
dangerous chemicals and keep our communities safe. - Senator Tom Udall (D-N.M.)