From Winter 2008 Maine Environment
NRCM Helps Fight Toxics Rollbacks
The Environmental Protect Agency (EPA) will allow thousands of companies to avoid disclosing information to the public about toxic chemicals they use, store, and release into the environment by rolling back chemical reporting requirements.This change means that citizens will have no way of knowing when industries are spewing up to 5,000 pounds of toxic chemicals into our environment. “This effectively changes the Toxic Release Inventory [TRI] to the ‘toxics secrecy act’—protection of polluters at the expense of public health,” say Matt Prindiville, NRCM’s toxics and federal policy advocate. “These chemicals include those linked to cancer, learning disabilities, birth defects, immune suppression, and decreased respiratory and cardiac function.” Children are most vulnerable since their systems are still developing, and pound for pound, kids are exposed to higher levels than are adults. The Bush administration decision to reverse the TRI protections comes despite urgings from Maine’s Congressional delegation, who heard NRCM’s concerns about the roll-backs. Maine is one of 12 states now suing for the restoration of the public’s right to know about harmful chemicals in their communities.