[/caption]Editor - Chemical exposure is a major worry on the Gulf Coast with Corexit, the major ingredient in the dispersants, and
the health care sector is stepping in for new reform legislation to help
deal with issues like this.
Given what is occurring on the Gulf, the whole issue of toxic chemicals has become a front-burner item.
Health care sector leaders are now telling Congress it's time to move swiftly to
pass legislation in the public interest. This comes just days before
this week's hearing on the "Toxic Chemicals Safety Act of 2010." This
bill is intended to overhaul the nation's chemical regulatory system.
What the health care people says is that toxic chemicals are increasing health
care costs. There needs to be a law to deal with these issues, is the contention.
"In order to reduce the chronic disease burden of Americans and to contain health
care costs, we need to eliminate toxic chemicals that have trespassed
into our bodies and into our lives," stated Gary Cohen,
President of Health Care Without Harm. This is an organization that
works to help hospitals reduce the amount of environmental harm
associated with the delivery of health care. "There is a wave of real
concern in the health community about the link between the widespread
exposure to chemicals and the overwhelming epidemic of chronic disease
burdening the U.S. health care system."
The President's Cancer Panel issued strong warnings about cancer and
chemicals and how chemicals are often involved in the development of
certain cancers.
Health care agencies are asking President Obama to use his powers "to remove the
carcinogens and other toxins from our food, water, and air that
needlessly increase health care costs, cripple our Nation's
productivity, and devastate American lives."
There is considerable evidence linking chemical exposures to a wide range of
diseases and health conditions. Therefore the health care sector
believes it has a responsibility to work in the area of environmental
issues.
"This is an important issue for Catholic health care providers because of our
commitments to improve public health, to provide safe health care, and
to protect all aspects of creation," said Julie Trocchio, senior director for community benefit and continuing care with the Catholic Health Association of the United States,
representing Catholic sponsored hospitals, health systems, and
long-term care facilities. "We welcome legislation that seeks to
eliminate exposures to harmful chemicals and protects the health of our
communities, especially vulnerable populations who may be most harmed."
"Kaiser Permanente invests significant time and resources to identify products
free from chemicals that are harmful for humans or the environment,"
stated Kathy Gerwig, Vice President,
Workplace Safety and Environmental Stewardship Officer of Kaiser
Permanente. "That degree of investment is simply not feasible for most
products and materials we buy, nor is it possible for most organizations
that do not have the resources and skills that we have developed over
decades."
One of the major issues of health care organizations is the fact that in order to
reduce chemical exposure there needs to be better education and also
information and labels on certain products used in daily care
facilities.
At present chemical companies are not required to disclose the ingredients or the
health and safety of their chemicals to product manufacturers. That
raises major concerns among healthcare workers that need to know the
source of the toxin in order to prevent and treat diseases.
The legislation would require chemical manufacturers to make that basic
health and safety information available and give assurance on chemicals
being safe for the public and the safety tips regarding those with
toxicity.
"In health care, we have a moral imperative to do no harm. We are very pleased
this legislation gives the EPA the proper authority to restrict the most
toxic chemicals," stated Gina Pugliese,
vice president of the Premier Healthcare Alliance's Safety Institute.
"Requiring the EPA to incorporate the latest science will go far to help
determine the impact these chemicals could have on patients, healthcare
workers, the environment and local communities, thereby achieving a
higher standard of safety."
The legislation—H.R. 5820—was introduced by Congressmen Bobby Rush (D-IL) and Henry Waxman
(D-CA) and is similar to a bill introduced in the Senate in April by
Senator Lautenburg (D-NJ), called the "Safe Chemicals Act of 2010".
If the bills are enacted, it would be the first time that the Toxic Substances
Control Act (TSCA, the legislation involved in the standards of the
EPA's regulation of chemicals, has been updated since it was passed 34
years ago. In that period, the EPA has only required testing on
approximately 200 of the more than 80,000 chemicals on the market,
according to information provided by the health care organizations
meeting with governmental leaders on this issue.
"Most people believe that the chemicals we use today would not be on the market
unless they are safe," stated Cohen. "Unfortunately, this is not true.
Chemicals have been regulated under a lax and ineffective system that
puts the burden of proof on consumers and those harmed by the chemicals,
not on the chemical industry itself. The bill would give the EPA the
authority and tools it needs to better protect our society from
unregulated toxicants."
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