The House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee held its first hearing to evaluate a 34-year-old law related to toxic substances. The Toxic Substances and Control Act is under review after many environmental and public health leaders have asked for better, more updated policies. New legislation has been proposed and is being called the Toxic Chemicals Safety Act. The new law would require a company to prove a chemical is safe to use in the environment in order to be kept on the market.
Companies
A spokesperson from a chemical manufacturer’s society states the new act could be dangerous to the industry as a whole. Beth Bosely testified against the act, stating it is too vigorous in its safety demands and should not be applied to industrial chemicals. Bosely goes on to state that the strict safety testing standards would be costly and would deter new chemicals from being created. She also states there would be too much paperwork involved if the act is passed.

Advocates for the new legislation feel it is time the government regulates the amount of chemicals being put into the environment. Many toxic chemicals are blamed for the increasing number of cases involving asthma, diabetes, heart disease and several other illnesses that result in premature death.