NRCM Blog

Dr. Sandra Steingraber is coming to Camden - join us Friday night

For all of you Mid-Coasters without plans this Friday night, come on down to the Camden Opera House!  NRCM is sponsoring “Action Plan for a Toxic-free World: the Movement for Safer Chemicals and a Healthier Planet” featuring Dr. Sandra Steingraber, with Maine House Speaker Hannah Pingree.  

We promise this event will be among our most memorable this year, and Dr. Steingraber’s message is one you won’t want to miss.   

The evening begins with a reception from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m., which will feature a light buffet and a cash bar. The program begins at 7:00 p.m.  

Ecologist, author, and cancer survivor Sandra Steingraber, Ph.D., is an internationally recognized expert on the links between environmental pollution and disease.  More and more, scientists are finding that common consumer products contain chemicals that are harmful to our bodies, to wildlife, and to the environment. Furniture, cosmetics, even baby bottles contain chemicals that are often unnecessary and are linked to learning disabilities, cancer, and other health problems. Maine is helping lead the way toward a national chemical policy revolution.  

Dr. Steingraber will discuss the growing movement to reform the way we produce, use, and manage chemicals, and what we can do as citizens and consumers to move our country to policies that ensure that the products we buy are safe for our families and the environment.  To get a flavor for who Sandra is and what she’s all about I encourage you to read a powerful piece in Orion magazine by Dr. Steingraber, or check out this video.

With humor and unabashed honesty, Steingraber delivers a compelling message of hope for how we can achieve a safer, sustainable future. Having heard Sandra's message, I can assure you that you don't want to miss this event. 

I hope to see you there! Learn more and register for this event at www.nrcm.org.

Matt Prindiville
Project Director, Toxics and Clean Production

Another first-in-the-nation law for Maine! CFL recycling bill passed

NRCM just achieved a big legislative victory with passage of a sweeping, first-in-the-nation bill to collect and recycle light bulbs that contain mercury (compact fluorescent lights, or CFLs).  Building off the success of Maine’s landmark electronic waste law, the new CFL bill directs light bulb manufacturers to share the costs and responsibility of recycling mercury-containing light bulbs.  The bill’s passage will set a national precedent for other states to follow. 

At one point during the legislative process, the bill appeared to be headed for a bitter partisan fight – with Democrats at the Natural Resources Committee supporting and Republicans opposed.  That was not the outcome we were looking for, so we redoubled our efforts to talk with every Republican with the goal of building bi-partisan support.

That is when lobbyists representing the manufacturers expanded their ranks and pushed hard for a weakening amendment that would have completely gutted the bill and absolved manufacturers of all responsibility to collect the mercury.  We worked with our friends in the retail community to get letters of opposition to the amendment.  The manufacturers backed down off their amendment strategy, and focused instead on spreading false information about the bill – with the hope of delaying action until next year, so that “more studies” could be done.  In other words:  study the issue to death. 

As the bill was about to head for a final vote, we knew it was make or break time, so we called in reinforcements: Sierra Fletcher from the Product Stewardship Institute, who co-chaired the national stakeholder group on mercury lamps recycling, and Michael Bender, from the Mercury Policy Project and chair of the Multi-state Mercury Campaign.  Michael and Sierra drove up the morning before the committee vote, and we talked with swing committee members right up to the vote.  We prepared documents the night before showing that the manufacturers have been pushing for delay and studies, studies and delay, around the country.  “Anything but action,” has been their refrain.

The vote was taken, and we won with 12-1 vote out of committee, leading to a 130-13 victory in the house, and a near unanimous vote in the Senate.   

We’re very excited about this victory.  The Governor will hold a bill signing of the legislation next week – sending a clear message nationally - and globally - that a new day is dawning for total life cycle management and shared responsibility - from ‘the cradle to the grave’ for products containing mercury and other hazardous substances.  This new law also sends a message to manufacturers that they need to assume their share of responsibility to reduce and wherever possible eliminate the toxicity of their products, and also to alleviate the increasing waste management cost burden on local governments.  

We need to keep mercury and other hazardous materials in products out of the environment.  This bill contributes to that goal.

NRCM appreciates the work of all the legislators who contributed to this victory, especially the bill’s sponsor, Representative Seth Berry from Bowdoinham, the lead co-sponsor, Senator Kevin Raye from Perry, and the two committee chairs, Representative Bob Duchesne and Senator Seth Goodall.  They helped craft the final language that won overwhelming support in both Houses. 

-Matt Prindiville, Toxics Project Director

Matt Prindiville testifies on LD 973, "An Act to Provide for the Safe Collection and Recycling of Mercury-Containing Light Bulbs"

Matt Prindiville, NRCM's toxics project director, testified at the Maine Legislature this morning. For those of you who were unable to attend this public hearing, we thought you would like to see Matt testifying on behalf of NRCM, urging the safe collection and recycling of CFL bulbs. 

NRCM's staff, members, and activists are hard at work during this busy legislative session - and we encourage you to join our Action Network so that you can be notified at a moment's notice when your calls, letters, and testimony are needed most to protect Maine's environment and the health of Maine's citizens and wildlife.

SC Johnson Announces Phthalates Phase-Out

I wanted to let folks know about an exciting development regarding hazardous chemicals in products.  SC Johnson, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of household cleaning products will now 1) provide ingredient information for all of its air care and home cleaning products, and 2) voluntarily phase out remaining uses of phthalates, potent hormone disrupting chemicals that affect reproductive health.

The disclosure development allows customers and interested parties to screen the ingredients to ensure they’re safe before purchasing.  It also allows environmental health groups, investors and customers to put pressure on the company to phase out other toxic compounds.  Lastly, SC Johnson is demonstrating real leadership to phase out phthalates in all their products, even before a regulatory ban, because of the evidence showing health impacts, especially for children.

Rather than taking the position so many other companies have taken -“the regulators say our products and chemicals are safe,” or “we are in compliance with all applicable rules and regulations” - SC Johnson is acknowledging that such positions are no longer adequate for consumer-facing manufacturers and retailers.

Read the full story here: www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/community-news/phthalates-johnson-47131202?src=rss

- Matt Prindiville, NRCM Toxics Project Director

Is Your Child's Car Seat Toxic?

Last week, I found out about an important new report on toxic chemicals found in cars and car seats. 

Let me tell you why this report is important. 

My daughter was born a little over a year ago, and right before she was born, my wife and I went out and purchased what we thought was the best and safest car seat available.

And last week - a year after we’ve been religiously strapping her into it daily - we looked at this report, and we find out that it’s the most toxic car seat on the market.

We were outraged and you should be too. 

Nobody should have to choose between exposing their children to toxic chemicals and exposing them to the dangers of car collisions.

This report makes it abundantly clear that there are plenty of car seats that are made from materials that aren’t toxic, and there’s no reason that all car seats shouldn’t be made from safer materials that are non-toxic to children.

I work day-in and day-out trying to prevent toxic chemicals from coming into our environment here in Maine.  If I couldn’t see this coming, then how can the average parent be expected to know about the toxic chemicals in the products they buy and use for their families?

We need to fix the broken system which lets unnecessary, dangerous chemicals be put into everyday products without question and without consequence. 

We shouldn’t have to worry about putting our kids at risk every time we strap them into their car seats.

For more information about the report and NRCM’s work to phase out unnecessary dangerous chemicals that threaten our health, go to www.nrcm.org.

Matt Prindiville
NRCM Project Director, Toxics and Sustainable Production

Taking Toxics Out of Maine's Environment - an interesting national news story and more.

I don’t know if all of you saw the CBS Evening News story about Hannah Pingree that aired earlier this week, but I wanted to share it with you in case you missed it.  You can watch it here:   http://www.cbsnews.com/sections/i_video/main500251.shtml?id=4109474n I am one of those people who get really excited when the national news covers a story from my home state, and even more excited when it is related to someone or something that I know about.  Over the past two years I have gotten to know a lot about Hannah Pingree and her incredible work to eliminate toxic chemicals from use in Maine.  I first got to see her appear in our “You’re In Jeopardy” movie that was used during the campaign to ban Deca (a toxic flame retardant) from use in household products like mattresses and other furniture and electronics.  She then introduced one of our top priority bills this legislative session – LD 2048, “An Act to Protect Children’s Health and the Environment from Toxic Chemicals in Children’s Products.”  This bill passed by a huge margin in both the House and Senate (passing unanimously in the Senate!) and will require manufacturers to disclose information about certain chemicals in their products, and look for ways to replace those toxic chemicals in their products. 

Kid Safe Products Bill - LD 2048 passes in the Legislature!

Hi everyone,

Well, after a long day and evening of lobbying on Tuesday, LD 2048 was passed unanimously by the Senate.

Opponents of the bill didn't even bother to float the bad chemical industry amendments.

We won with several friendly amendments which also passed unanimously.

Thanks to everyone who worked so hard on this campaign.  The constituent contacts really helped make the difference. 

Thanks again,
Matt Prindiville

Call your senator today to pass LD 2048, the kid-safe products bill!

I am headed back to the State House, where I’ve spent most of the day yesterday going up against more than 25 lobbyists from the chemical industry who want to seriously weaken protections for Maine children and families. They have been trying hard for weeks to kill LD 2048, “the kid-safe products bill.” The toxics vote in the senate continues to be a moving target, but I expect the vote to happen this morning. Time is of the essence!

Please call (800) 423-6900 now to leave a message for your senator urging them to vote in favor of the LD 2048, with no amendments.

These lobbyists – from American Chemistry Council, American Petroleum Institute, Merck & Co., Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, Toy Industry Association, Rite Aid Corporation, and others (link to full list) - have been bending the ear of every senator they can get a hold of, to try to get them against the bill, or in favor of amendments that would undercut the protections provided by the bill to our kids and families.

Please don't let lobbyists win!

Please call (800) 423-6900 to leave a message for your senator. If you don’t know who your senator is, take action here.

Your senator needs to hear the simple message below: 
- Please SUPPORT LD 2048 as passed by the House.
- Please OPPOSE any amendments to the bill.

LD 2048 passed the House unanimously last Wednesday, but the lobbyists are now trying to sabotage the bill with a long list of crippling amendments. One amendment would even make Maine's laws on chemicals in consumer products weaker than they are now.

The Kid-Safe Products bill is supported by the Maine Medical Association, American Academy of Pediatrics, American Nurses Association, Maine Center for Disease Control, the Catholic Diocese of Maine, Planned Parenthood, and a broad range of other environmental, public health, and citizen groups.  These are the people to whom Maine lawmakers should be listening.  Not the special interest lobbyists.

Don't let the chemical industry have the last word with YOUR Senator.

Thank you for taking action on this important issue. For more information, please visit our website at www.nrcm.org.

Matt Prindiville
Toxics Policy Advocate

Kid-Safe Products Bill Passes Out of Committee 9-4 yesterday evening!

Hi folks,

We’re very excited about this strong vote out of committee.  But with 25 industry lobbyists working the Senate, the real work begins now. Please contact your Senator in the next couple of weeks and urge them to support this bill.

Thanks for all your help.

-Matt

Here is a press release from the Maine House Majority Office that we received today:

For Immediate Release
March 10, 2008
Contact: Travis Kennedy, Communications Director, 287-1433

Natural Resources Committee Endorses Bill to Track and Prohibit Toxins in Children's Products

Committee combines two similar bills into Pingree proposal - measure now heads to full House

AUGUSTA - A majority of the Legislature's Natural Resources Committee voted Monday in support of a bill to test, track and eliminate dangerous chemicals from products that are exposed to children in Maine.

The bill, proposed by House Majority Leader Hannah Pingree, would require the State to create a regularly-updated list of chemicals that the Maine Department of Environmental Protection identifies as harmful, and require manufacturers to disclose if their products contain those chemicals. It would establish a process for replacing them with safer alternatives, and allow the Department to cooperate with other states, share information and promote safer chemical use.

Pingree, D-North Haven, said that the federal EPA has failed to keep up with identifying and regulating the use of chemicals in household products, and manufacturers are using toxic substances in products that children and adults are exposed to every day. Chemicals like phthalates and bisphenol-A, which have proven negative effects on fetal brain development and behavior, turn up in everything from shampoo to teething rings, and are among thousands of chemicals of concern that are currently unregulated by the federal government.

Her bill would start with a list of already identified chemicals of concern that an authoritative government agency has determined are hazardous to health or the environment based on credible scientific evidence. After a review of the evidence, the Maine Department of Environmental Protection would identify the priority chemicals that come in contact with children.

Keep Toxic Chemicals Out of Maine Children - Attend Public Hearing on Thursday, Feb. 28

Please plan to attend the public hearing on LD 2048, "An Act to Protect Children's Health and the Environment from Toxic Chemicals in Children's Products," on Thursday, February 28 at 1 PM in Augusta.  To learn more, please visit www.nrcm.org/kid_safe_products_2008.asp