Thousands of hazardous and untested chemicals should be removed from children's products.

See Alliance Position Statements on Proposed Legislation

The Body of Evidence study, released in June 2007, revealed that Maine people are exposed routinely to many toxic chemicals in consumer products. Young children and fetuses are especially vulnerable to toxic chemicals. The federal safety system for regulating industrial chemicals is badly broken. We need state leadership to push for chemical policy reform.

Maine must build on state legislation enacted over the last eight years that eliminates the use of specific chemicals (lead, mercury, arsenic, brominated flame retardants) in consumer products and establishes manufacturer responsibility to pay for environmental safety programs such as collection and disposal of electronic waste, lead paint, mercury thermostats.

The Alliance encourages all Mainers and their elected representatives to support state action to:

• List Chemicals of High Concern. Adopt a list of chemicals known to cause cancer, harm to reproduction or development, neurotoxicity, hormone disruption, or which are persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic, based on published government lists.
• Identify Priority Chemicals. Select priority chemicals based on their use in children’s products, presence in household dust, or human breast milk or cord blood.
• Notify Consumers. Ensure that manufacturers of children’s products that contain priority chemicals publicly identify which products contain which chemicals and in what amounts.
• Require Safer Alternatives. Phase out the use of a priority chemical in children’s products if a safer alternative is found to be available, effective and affordable.
• Foster Cooperation. Participate in an Interstate Clearinghouse for Safer Chemicals to cooperate with other states to share information and solutions.
• Plan for the Future. Develop further chemical policy recommendations to address other consumer products.

Related Legislation Under Consideration In Maine

• LD 2048 - An Act To Protect Children's Health and the Environment from Toxic Chemicals in Toys and Children's Products. Sponsored by Representative Hannah Pingree, this bill requires manufacturers of children's products that contain chemicals of high concern to disclose information to the Department of Environmental Protection on their chemical use if the department designates the chemical as a priority chemical based on potential exposure of a child or fetus to that chemical. The bill authorizes the department to require replacement of a priority chemical in children's products with a safer alternative whenever it determines that a safer alternative is available for a specified use. The bill exempts use of priority chemicals for industrial or manufacturing purposes, in motor vehicles and components, as fuels or that are generated as combustion by-products. The bill authorizes the department to participate in an interstate clearinghouse to share information and cooperate with other states to promote safer chemicals in consumer products. The bill requires the department to report to the Legislature on implementation plans and related issues.