Environmental Health Public Witness
As Christ followers, we are called to repsond when we witness injustices. As we learn about the links between chemical exposures, chronic disease, and developmental delays in society, we as people of faith cannot remain silent. We must lift up our voices and work to ensure that chemicals are safe before they end up in the products we use, the air we breathe, soil we till, water we drink, and into our own bodies.
We are called to stand up for the most vulnerable among us. Children, women of child bearing age, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems, low-income communities and communities of color, and chemical workers are most vulnerable. Below are the NCC's environmental health priorities.
BPA
Bisphenol-a (BPA), is a chemical used in baby bottles, sippy cups, and canned food and formula. It is also used in thermal receipt paper. While used for other products, these products are of particular concern because many of them represent a significant source of exposure. According to the CDC, BPA is found in over 92% of the population. A study of pregnant women done by UC San Francisco, reported in Environmental Health Perspectives in January 2011, found that BPA is in the bodies of 96% of the women they surveyed. BPA is linked to early puberty in girls, prostate and breast cancers, behavioral changes in children, type II diabetes and cardiovascular disease among other health conditions.
Canada, the European Union, and China have all moved to ban BPA in baby bottles, and in some cases, other products. Individual states are also taking action in the face of federal inaction. In 2011, 33 bills were introduced in 21 states. Already legislation banning BPA from baby bottles has passed in nine states.
TSCA Reform
In 1976, the Toxic Substances Control Act (ToSCA) was established under the Environmental Protection Agency to ensure the safety of industrial chemicals in commerce. But from the beginning the law was flawed. More 62,000 chemicals were grandfathered in at that time with little concern about their safety. Chemical companies were also not required to share data with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), placing all the testing and burden of proof on the EPA.
Today, more than 84,000 synthetic chemicals are registered for use. Only 200 chemicals have been fully tested for safety by the EPA and five classes of chemicals have been banned in over thirty years (U.S. Government Accountability Office). Due to more sophisticated testing and increased knowledge, we now know that not all of these chemicals are safe. We need Congress to step up and ensure that all chemicals are safe for God's Creation, including the human community.
Get Involved
- Legislation was recently introduced in the Senate to update our nation's chemical policy to protect children and God's Creation. Tell your Senators you would like to see strong chemical policy reform that ensures chemicals are safe for workers, children, and God's precious Creation. Click here to send a message.
- Join our network of commited eco-justice stewards by emailing us. Receive updates on what people are doing around the country and what you can do specifically to improve environmental health for all God's children and Creation.