For General Media Assistance
Contact Coming Clean, (802) 251-0203, info@comingcleaninc.org.
Additional contacts are noted on individual news releases below.
News Release, June 23, 2016
[Washington, DC] – In response to President Obama signing the ’Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act' into law, Judy Robinson, Co-Director of Coming Clean, a collaborative network of over 200 community and environmental health organizations, issued the following statement:
“Although we desperately need to update our nation’s 'Toxic Substances Control Act of 1976' (TSCA) to address public health problems caused by today’s ubiquitous chemical exposures, Congress’s most recent effort falls far short of the protections families and at-risk communities deserve. The Lautenberg Chemical Safety Act does make some important improvements to our current toxic chemical regulations, however, this is a low bar to clear given that our preceding rules failed to ban even the most dangerous substances such as asbestos and dioxin. Today, while the din of self-congratulation still resonates, we ask Congress-members to take stock of the communities still in danger—and the work yet to be done—to ensure that every child grows up free from birth defects or learning disabilities and every adult need not worry about cancer or health problems related to toxic chemical exposures.”
News Release, February 8, 2016
New report shows that 63 million Americans are endangered by chlorine bleach plants despite availability of safer alternatives.
News Release, July 22, 2015
(Washington, DC) Yesterday the Environmental Justice Health Alliance for Chemical Policy Reform (EJHA), a national environmental justice network, joined People Concerned About Chemical Safety and the Natural Resources Defense Council in filing suit against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for failing to adopt mandatory regulations to protect communities against toxic chemical spills from thousands of industrial facilities.
News Release, March 31, 2015
Advocates from more than 50 environmental justice, health, sustainable business and community organizations delivered a letter to the United States Senate in opposition to S. 697, which could block states from taking new actions to protect consumers and communities from exposure to toxic chemicals.
News Release, March 19, 2015
As the public comment period for a newly proposed national limit on ozone pollution (smog) came to a close this week, hundreds of organizations and concerned individuals from across the nation expressed their support for improved public health, cleaner air, and a more protective ozone standard of 60 parts per billion (ppb).
News Release, March 11, 2015
(New York, NY) A new bill that claims to update how chemicals are regulated in the United States, introduced today by Senators David Vitter (R-LA) and Tom Udall (D-NM), is a sweet deal for the chemical industry that would keep exposing Americans to harmful chemicals while exposing the nation to billions in health care costs, a coalition of community, environmental and health groups said today.
News Release, February 4, 2015
The Campaign for Healthier Solutions – a group of over 100 health, community, and environmental justice organizations around the country – released a report today about toxic chemicals found in dollar store products. The report -- A Day Late And A Dollar Short: Discount Retailers are Falling Behind on Safer Chemicals – includes testing results for 164 dollar store products such as toys, jewelry, school supplies and other household items, that found over 81% (133 of 164) contained at least one hazardous chemical above levels of concern.
News Release, February 4, 2015
El día de hoy, la Campaña para Soluciones Saludables — integrado por más de 100 organizaciones de la salud, comunitarias, y de justicia ambiental a lo largo de Estados Unidos — dio a conocer un informe sobre las sustancias químicas toxicas que se encuentran en los productos de venta en las tiendas Dólar. El informe, Siempre Tarde y a Medias: Cadenas de Descuento Se Están Quedando Atrás En Cuanto A Sustancias Químicas Más Seguras (A Day Late and a Dollar Short: Discount Retailers are Falling Behind on Safer Chemicals por su título en ingles) — detalla los resultados de los estudios de 164 productos, tales como juguetes, joyería, útiles escolares y otros artículos del hogar, de las tiendas Dólar. Los estudios encontraron que más del 81% (133 of 164) de los productos contienen por lo menos una sustancia química nociva, que sobrepasa los niveles de preocupación.
News Release, December 8, 2014
Local Families Deserve Toxic Free Toys This Holiday Season
(Albany, NY) Less than a month after a major report, Toxic Toys in Albany County,found dangerous chemicals in children's toys and products in Albany County, the County Legislature voted on legislation Local Law “J” to ban the sale of toys and products containing the most toxic chemicals. The law passed 35-4, enjoying broad bipartisan support. The bill now goes to the County Executive McCoy to be signed.
News Release, October 30, 2014
UN Experts: Pentachlorophenol should be eliminated globally
(Rome, Italy) A UN expert committee recommended the global elimination of pentachlorophenol – a pesticide used for wood treatment including utility poles. In its recommendation for the Stockholm Convention, the Committee cited pentachlorophenol’s persistence, bioaccumulation, long-range transport, and its toxic impacts. The Committee found wide availability of non-chemical alternatives that were much safer than pentachlorophenol. Governments around the world will decide on the recommendation in May 2015, but typically accept the recommendations of its expert committees.