Chemicals In Toys, Furniture May Face Tighter Standards

Feb. 22. 2010, — -- People used to laugh at Richard Wiles when he started lobbying Congress 10 years ago for tighter rules on the chemicals allowed in consumer products.

Although chemicals known to harm human health -- such as mercury and asbestos -- were making it into everything from computers to carpets, the government had no power to enforce bans. The chemical industry seemed untouchable.

This is all changing. Wiles and other consumer advocates are now helping to shape what is expected to be a massive overhaul of American chemical policy.

"There's been non-stop pressure from the scientific community and the media on the hazards of some of the industry's signature chemicals," says Wiles, co-founder of the Environmental Working Group, a Washington-based advocacy, arguing that consumers are increasingly reluctant to buy products they believe might leech poisons. "Consumer groups have driven up the heat so much that it has affected the companies' bottom line."

Products on American store shelves now contain a whopping 89,000 chemicals, with a core group of 3,000 making up about 95 percent of the chemicals in use. Some of these chemicals have been proven in studies to increase the risk of cancer, neurological disorders or reproductive defects. Mercury, for example, used to make button-sized batteries, can damage neurological development in fetuses and children. Asbestos, used in home insulation and brakes, among others, can cause cancer.

Yet the Environmental Protection Agency, which has primary responsibility in this area, is virtually powerless to regulate these chemicals.

But now, thanks in part to a change of heart by chemical companies such as DuPont and Dow Chemical, Congress may soon be considering a bill which would overhaul the EPA's regulatory powers.

Senator Frank Lautenberg, D–N.J., who has been pushing for reforms of America's outdated chemicals regulation for years, is expected to introduce a new Senate bill in coming weeks.

Consumer advocates say a bill has a better chance of passing than ever, largely because the chemical industry now supports reform.

"Our industry understands there are fundamental hazards and risks in chemicals," says Mike Walls, vice president of regulatory and technical affairs at the American Chemistry Council. "As part of our efforts as good stewards, we want to make sure these risks are minimized to the extent possible."