Momentum for revamp of toxins law
The News Journal
Andrew Eder
November 8, 2010
For the conscientious consumer, the ubiquity of chemicals in daily life has lately produced more questions than answers.
Is it safe to microwave leftovers in a plastic container? To eat canned foods? To cook with nonstick pots and pans?
Conclusive answers to questions like these are hard to find, and everyone from consumer advocates to industry groups to government officials blame an outdated regulatory system.
"Consumers are naturally concerned about what is in the products they buy and use every day," said Daryl Ditz, a senior policy adviser at the Center for International Environmental Law, a nonprofit in Washington, D.C. "The grim reality is that under existing U.S. law, they are vulnerable to a wide range of potentially harmful chemicals."