Municipal Resolutions
Every day Connecticut citizens are exposed to toxins that can damage their health. Toxic cleaning chemicals and lawn pesticides have attracted the attention of coalition members because of the significant harm to health - especially children's health. Children exposed to home and garden pesticides are more likely to get sick with leukemia. Toxic cleaning chemicals can trigger asthma and some are linked with infertility.
To protect our children and our health, please join us in asking your municipality and your schools to pass resolutions that would replace toxic pesticides and cleaning chemicals with safer alternatives. For more information, contact Sarah Uhl, suhl@cleanwater.org, 860-232-6232.
Several Connecticut towns have already initiated the transition to safer alternatives in their schools, municipal buildings, parks and/or playing fields. Essex, Cheshire and Waterbury are showing that we can take care of buildings and grounds without threatening our health, our children's development, and the environment.
Governor M. Jodi Rell helped encourage a statewide transition to safer alternatives by issuing Executive Order #14, recently signed into law as Public Act 07-100. This policy requires that all state agencies buy and use cleaning and/or sanitizing products that meet criteria for low toxicity, when practicable. This includes all higher education and educational institutions.
Soon we'll have a packet of materials on this site to help you ask your town and school administrators to pass a resolution or formally approve a policy of using only safer cleaning and safer lawn care products! Visit us again soon, or contact Sarah Uhl at suhl@cleanwater.org, 860-232-6232.
In 2006/2007 we helped introduce the following bills into the legislative process with the Connecticut General Assembly:
H.B. No. 5702 -An Act Concerning Safe Workplaces: Encourages Connecticut businesses to replace toxic chemicals with safe alternatives
S.B. 7020 / H.B. 6886 – An Act to Promote Innovation, Safe Workplaces and Health in Connecticut: Establishes a gradual process to replace hazardous chemicals with safer alternatives where feasible. To assist businesses in this transition, the bills establish an institute at the University of Connecticut that would assess safer alternatives to toxic chemicals and aid in the transition to safer workplaces. Lead sponsors include: Rep. Roy, Sen. Meyer, Rep. Tercyak, and Rep. Willis |
Pictured above: Senator Don Williams, President Pro Tempore, speaking on behalf of the Coalition
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S.B. 985- An Act Concerning Environmental Justice: Establishes safeguards for low income communities and communities of color burdened by three or more polluting facilities within a 3 mile radius. Lead sponsor: Sen. DeFronzo and Sen. Edith G. Prague, Sen. Toni Nathaniel Harp, Sen. Eric D. Coleman, Rep. Patricia A. Dillon, Rep. Art Feltman, Rep. Marie Lopez Kirkley-Bey
H.B. 6871- An Act Concerning Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers: Phases out the sale of products containing toxic flame retardants where there are safer alternatives to protect public health and the environment. Lead sponsors: Sen. Duff, Rep. O’Rourke, Rep. Diana S. Urban, Rep. Mary M. Mushinsky, Sen. Bob Duff, Rep. Elissa T. Wright, Rep. Roberta B. Willis
H.B. 5234 – An Act Banning Pesticide use on School Grounds: Prohibits the application of toxic lawn care pesticides on any public or private school with students in grade 8 or lower and instead encourages the application of organic pesticides. Lead sponsor: Sen. Meyer and Rep. Livvy R. Floren, Sen. Edward Meyer, Rep. Lawrence G. Miller, Sen. Joseph J. Crisco, Rep. James Field Spallone
Campaign for Safe Cosmetics
The Coalition for a Safe and Healthy Connecticut is a leading member of the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, a national coalition of women’s, public health, labor, environmental health and consumer rights groups. The Campaign’s goal is to protect the health of consumers and workers by requiring the health and beauty industry to replace chemicals linked to cancer, birth defects and other health problems with safer alternatives. We know that this is do-able: The new European Union standards prohibit the use of known or suspected carcinogens, mutagens and reproductive toxins in cosmetics.
We are asking personal care product companies to sign the Compact for Safe Cosmetics , a pledge to remove toxic chemicals and replace them with safer alternatives in every market they serve. The good news: so far, over 600 companies have signed this voluntary commitment to modern safety standards. These innovators, including some of the largest companies in the natural products market, are making safer products today and striving to make even safer products in the future. These Connecticut companies have signed on to the compact:
The bad news: none of the cosmetic industry giants have taken this step, and – even worse – many of these companies are actively opposing proposed policies at the state and national level to upgrade safety standards in this country.
Bottom line: we need YOUR help to convince Avon, Estee Lauder, L’Oreal, Procter & Gamble, Revlon and other personal care companies to sign the Compact.
Please join us in our efforts to give the cosmetics industry a makeover! For more information and to take action, visit: http://www.safecosmetics.org
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