Blumenthal Statement Following Senate Passage of Toxic Chemical Reform Law

[WASHINGTON, DC] – U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) released the following statement in response to Senate passage of the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act, landmark legislation to make long overdue reforms to the forty-year-old Toxic Substances Control Act:

“From household products like detergents and cosmetics to the substances used to make and maintain cars and industrial equipment, consumers and workers are exposed to thousands of chemicals every day. Left unregulated, these chemicals accumulate in our homes and in the environment, causing myriad harms including increased rates of cancer and neurological disorders. An overhaul of the outdated and ineffective Toxic Substances Control Act, the principal federal law that ensures chemicals are used safely, was long overdue. That is why I am pleased that the Senate is sending the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act to the President’s desk for signature.”

“This bill’s new health-based safety standard and testing requirements are critical for protecting public health and the environment. The Environmental Protection Agency still requires greater resources to review the significant number of existing chemicals that remain unregulated. But I believe that this bipartisan agreement will give the federal government important new tools to more effectively protect American families from harmful chemicals.”

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