EDF Publishes Report On Trump EPA’s Implementation Of The Lautenberg Act

By Lynn L. Bergeson

The Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) announced on June 17, 2019, a report entitled Toxic Consequences: Trump’s attacks on chemical safety put our health at risk. EDF notes that “[c]oncern over toxic exposures and a lack of confidence in the badly outdated chemical safety system” led to Congress passing the Frank R. Launtenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act (Launtenberg Act) to reform the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). The bipartisan bill “finally” gave EPA “the power to strengthen health protections for American families and the environment.” EDF claims that the Trump Administration “is seeking to dismantle the new authorities and mandates under the law with the goal of shifting policies to serve the chemical industry’s agenda,” however. According to EDF, EPA has taken the following actions that undermine the Launtenberg Act:

• Approving new chemicals without regard for the law or public health;
   
• Ignoring real-life exposures when evaluating risks of existing chemicals; and
   
• Blocking or weakening bans of toxic chemicals.