From July 21, 2006
Public Health
Protections and States’ Rights at Risk with Pending U.S. Legislation
(Beyond
Pesticides, July 21, 2006)
House
Republicans are rushing forward with controversial amendments to U.S.
laws on toxic chemicals before the November elections. Changes in federal
toxics legislation are required before the U.S. can ratify a global
treaty phasing out persistent organic pollutants (POPs), some of the
most harmful pesticides and industrial chemicals in the world.
Environmental, public health and labor advocates say current bills under
consideration to implement the Stockholm Convention (the POPs treaty)
make it virtually impossible for the U.S. to meet its obligations under
the treaty. “These bills set up ridiculous hurdles to U.S. action
on new chemicals targeted for global phase-out under the treaty,”
says Kristin Schafer, Program Coordinator at Pesticide Action Network.
“If they become law, the U.S. will lag years behind the international
community and seriously undermine the treaty’s goals.”
In a rush before the Congressional break, a House Agriculture Committee
hearing on HR 3849 to amend FIFRA (Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and
Rodenticide Act) is scheduled for this Thursday, July 20, at 10am (EDT)
at 1300 Longworth on Capitol Hill.
If the FIFRA POPs bill passes out of the Agriculture Committee, it will
be paired with HR 4591, an extremely controversial bill modifying TSCA
(the Toxic Substances Control Act) by Rep. Paul Gillmor (R-OH). HR 4591
is actively opposed by 11 state Attorneys General, the American Nurses
Association, the United Steelworkers, and more than 60 public health
and environmental groups. Gillmor’s bill ignores the precautionary
principle, an important concept underlying the Stockholm Convention,
and sets a dangerous precedent by preempting states' rights to protect
people from POPs chemicals. HR 4591 passed on a July 12th committee
vote divided mostly along party lines.
The sole witness expected for Thursday’s hearing, EPA Administrator
Stephen Johnson, was recently accused by the agency’s staff scientists
of siding with the pesticide industry on human testing and for speeding
the approval of more than 20 harmful pesticides without adequate scientific
review. At a time when the agency’s scientific integrity is in
question, the FIFRA POPs bill (HR 3849) would allow EPA to disregard
findings of international public health specialists, scientists and
policy experts concerning the addition of new chemicals to the Convention.
“Pesticides languish for years in EPA’s regulatory Neverland,
with dangerous chemicals still on the market and threatening public
health,” says Jay Feldman, Executive Director of Beyond Pesticides.
“The agency needs to expedite its review process with respect
to chemicals identified by the world community as highly hazardous and
damaging, a process ignored in this legislation.”
Persistent Organic Pollutants, or “POPs,” are toxic chemicals
that persist in the environment, build up in our bodies and follow water
and air currents around the globe. Twelve chemicals are on the initial
phase out list under the treaty, including notorious substances like
dioxins, DDT and PCBs. Five more chemicals have been nominated and are
already being evaluated through a rigorous international scientific
review process.
Examples of pesticides that have been under EPA review for decades,
ranging from 12 to 17 to 26 years respectively, include the herbicide
atrazine (special review 1994 to interim registration 2006), the herbicide
2,4-D (special review 1988, completed re-registration in 2005), and
wood preservative pentachlorophenol (special review 1978, preliminary
risk assessment in 2004), which led EPA to conclude in 2005 that it
is ”premature for EPA to reach conclusions about potential risks”
of penta’s contaminants hexachlorobenzene and dioxin.
The next meeting of the Stockholm Convention takes place in May 2007.
Meanwhile, 127 countries have ratified the Convention. HR 3849 is co-sponsored
by Reps. Frank D. Lucas (R-OK) and Collin Peterson (D-MN). Expedited
markup of the bill is expected before Congress leaves for a summer recess
July 31.
Contact:
Jay Feldman 202 543 5450 [email protected]
Available
for interviews:
Kristin Schafer, Pesticide Action Network North America, [email protected], tel. 415 981-6205 ext 327, web: www.panna.org
Jay Feldman, Beyond Pesticides, [email protected], tel. 202 543-5450
Andy Igrejas, National Environmental Trust, [email protected], 202 549-3958
Daryl Ditz, Ph.D.,
Senior Policy Advisor, Center for International Environmental Law,
[email protected], tel. 202 785-9700,
web: www.ciel.org
For further information:
Global
Treaty Targets Dangerous Pollutants
POPs Ratification
Working Group
Stockholm Convention
official site
EPA
Scientists Protest Pending Pesticide Approvals, Public Employees for
Environmental Responsibility Press Release