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Moore votes for a healthy Massachusetts Legislation reduces hazards of household products February 11, 2008 ... During a recent session of the Massachusetts Senate, Sen. Richard T. Moore, D-Uxbridge, voted for legislation aimed at protecting the health of all Massachusetts residents through the reduction of toxic chemicals used in common household products, ranging from plastics and cleaning products to cosmetics. “We consistently hear of the threats and dangers of pollution to our environment, but we rarely hear of the serious dangers throughout our own homes,” said Moore. “This legislation helps address those very real and very dangerous threats such as toxic chemicals. It is about time we provide a safer home and work environment for the families of the Commonwealth.” The bill authorizes the Toxic Uses Reduction Institute (TURI) at UMASS Lowell to promote safer alternatives “in products manufactured for use and for sale in Massachusetts” through the annual assessment of existing substances in an effort to identify those that are the most toxic. One of Sen. Moore’s primary concerns with the legislation was that it would ban the use of lead ammunition. After working with his colleagues in the Legislature and the Gun Owner’s Action League (GOAL), the final legislation passed in the Senate contains no reference to lead. Additional steps built into the legislation allow the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to develop a Chemical Action Plan around priority toxic substances. The plan would include a determination on appropriate safer alternatives to use in place of specified toxic chemicals. Safer alternatives would be used only if they are found to be “technically or economically feasible”. The DEP would be authorized to prohibit the sale or distribution of products from any manufacturer or distributor whose products contain a designated priority toxic substance. Additional provisions of the bill include:
The bill will now go the House of Representatives. |
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