Congress Takes Steps Toward Stronger Chemicals Regulation

Two pieces of federal legislation introduced in April 2010 would, if passed, radically update the 1976 Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), the federal law giving the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) the authority to regulate new and existing chemicals that may pose an environmental or health risk.

Action is warranted, according to Senator Frank Lautenberg of New Jersey, sponsor of the Safe Chemicals Act, because EPA has been able to require testing for only 200 of the more than 80,000 chemicals currently registered in the U.S. and has been able to ban only five dangerous substances.