The Safer Alternatives Bill
An Act for a Healthy
Safer Alternatives to Toxic Chemicals
The goals
Scientific evidence increasingly indicates that
a wide array of toxic chemicals we use in our everyday lives are contributing
to an epidemic of chronic diseases and disorders, including asthma, birth
defects, cancers, developmental disabilities, diabetes, endometriosis,
infertility, Parkinson’s disease, and others. Yet many of these toxic chemicals
can be replaced with safer alternatives. The Safer Alternatives bill
establishes a unique program to
promote these alternatives, thereby protecting
our health.
Develop a Health y Economy
Choosing safer alternatives will not only help
prevent widespread suffering, it will reduce the burden on our economy by
averting high health care and special education costs as well as lost
productivity. Innovative industries and green chemistry can create the safer
products and sustainable jobs that are increasingly demanded in today’s
economy. The European Union and other countries have already adopted more
health protective requirements for products, and over 37% of
What this bill does
Expands TUR A
This bill expands the successful Massachusetts
Toxics Use Reduction Act (TURA) program, which has demonstrated that reducing
the use of toxic chemicals both protects health and saves businesses money. It
builds upon TURA’s proven pragmatic approach to helping MA industries by
creating a comprehensive program to replace toxic chemicals with safer
alternatives in consumer products and other businesses. It provides technical
and financial assistance to businesses to support implementation of safer
alternatives. The program would address
a few chemicals at a time, to demonstrate
expertise and success at substitution of safer alternatives.
Creates a Flexible Pragmatic Program
First an analysis is done to determine whether
there are feasible safer alternatives for each general use of the toxic
chemical, (i.e. a type of product or industrial use). Then there are flexible
choices:
• If
there are feasible safer alternatives, businesses develop their own substitution plans and can either a)
certify they are using a safer alternative, b) propose a different safer
alternative (subject to review) or c) apply for a waiver showing that there is
no safer alternative that is technically or economically feasible for that use.
• If
there are not feasible safer alternatives, state agencies create research and development plans, but do not
take regulatory action on that product or use.
Components of the Safer Alternatives Program
The Toxics Use Reduction Act (TURA) already has
a highly successful system in place for assisting industrial users of large
quantities of toxic chemicals to reduce their toxics use. Not only have TURA’s
programs been good for public health in the Commonwealth, but many of the
businesses that have worked with the TURA programs have realized substantial
cost savings. The Safer Alternatives bill preserves the existing programs of
TURA and expands them to seek safer substitutes for toxic chemicals in consumer
products and other sources. These programs would utilize the existing agencies
established under TURA, the Office of Technical Assistance (OTA), the Toxics
Use Reduction Institute at UMass Lowell (TURI) and the TURA Science Advisory
Board.
For priority toxic chemicals, the steps to the
substitution program would be:
1. For each use of the priority chemicals, TURI
conducts a study to determine whether there are one or more feasible safer
alternatives.
2. Chemical Action Plans, prepared by state
agencies, establish state-wide priorities for substitution based on the
exposure danger of each chemical and how easily the chemical can be replaced.
3. The Department of Environmental Protection
(DEP) sets deadlines by which companies must implement safer alternatives,
based on state priorities. The deadlines will take into account the costs of
the transition and the availability of assistance for substitution.
4. Businesses and other users make their own
substitution plans and choices and can apply for waivers if safer alternatives
are not technically or economically feasible.
5. The Business Transition Assistance Program
helps businesses switch to the safer alternative. The program includes
technical assistance, grants and loans, and research and development
assistance. It is supported by funds raised through fees on toxic chemicals.
The Safer Alternatives program would thus
combine technical and financial assistance to businesses to help them switch to
safer alternatives, with flexible options for business innovation and
implementation, and clear deadlines for action to create a level playing field
for all businesses.
Massachusetts can lead the way on technological innovation,
globally competitive businesses, and the protection of workers, communities and
consumers!
For more information contact the Alliance for a Healthy Tomorrow
617-338-8131, info@healthytomorrow.org
Dowload a PDF of the factsheet:
10-SA-bill-5.07-final-fixed.pdf