Member Resources

ACTION ALERT!

Safer Alternatives to Toxic Chemicals (S2406)

The League of Women Voters of Massachusetts strongly supports An Act for a Healthy Massachusetts:  Safer Alternatives to Toxic Chemicals (S2406) and needs your help to ensure that the Senate votes to support this bill as written. It is currently scheduled to be voted on in the Senate on Thursday, January 17th an important step to making this vital bill a law.

Purpose of the Bill

This legislation proposes a scientific, fact-based process to identify the worst chemicals and to study and encourage safer substances in products on store shelves.  It will establish a subcommittee (The Science Advisory Board) to the Advisory Committee of the Administrative Council on Toxics Use Reduction which will establish and maintain a list of all chemicals commonly used in Massachusetts industry or used in products sold in Massachusetts and categorize them as to level of concern.

The bill charges the Toxics Use Reduction Institute at the University of Massachusetts Lowell to seek to reduce the presence of toxic or hazardous substances in products manufactured for use in the Commonwealth by promoting feasible safer alternatives to those chemicals of high concern.

The bill defines the process for assessing feasibility of safer alternatives, developing plans for substitution  of safer alternatives, and minimizing the fiscal impacts of implementing these substitutions, as well as educating the public and sponsoring research to develop safer alternatives to priority toxic substances.

The bill also establishes a fund to receive specified fines and fees for the purpose of implementing the requirements of this bill to be paid by Massachusetts’s manufacturers and distributors of priority toxic substances.

Senate co-sponsors

Steven Tolman (Primary sponsor), Edward Augustus, Steven Baddour, Stephen Brewer, Scott Brown, Gale Candaras, Harriette Chandler, Robert Creedon, Cynthia Creem, Benjamin Downing, Susan Fargo, Anthony Gallucio,  Jack Hart, Robert Hedlund, Patricia Jehlen, Brian Joyce, Thomas McGee, Joan Menard, Mark Montigny, Richard Moore, Robert O'Leary, Marc Pacheco, Steven Panagiotakos, Anthony Petruccelli, Pamela Resor, Stanley Rosenberg, Karen Spilka, Bruce Tarr, James Timilty, Susan Tucker, Marian Walsh, and Dianne Wilkerson

Talking Points

• The global and US markets are requiring toxic chemical elimination and this bill will help MA businesses catch up and compete in the changing marketplace.
• The bill assists MA businesses to transition to safer alternatives with a very flexible approach. This bill does NOT propose banning chemicals the way other countries and states have already done.
• The bill can result in cost savings for businesses and prevent job loss.
• The bill will support innovation while creating a predictable environment.

TAKE ACTION NOW:

•    If your Senator is not listed as a co-sponsor Call or Email them to urge them to vote in favor of this bill. Please click here for contact information for your Senator.

For more information contact VP of Program and Action Carole Pelchat cpelchat@lwvma.org or Environment and Natural Resource Specialist Lynn Wolbarst lwolbarst@lwvma.org