Congress Must Act to Remove Toxic Substances from Products Our Families Use Everyday: Flame Retardants TDCP and TCEP

When the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) was enacted in 1976, it was intended to ensure that chemicals are safe throughout their lifecycle, from manufacture to use and disposal. But weaknesses in the law have left the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) unable to act on known health dangers. Other laws, such as those setting air, water, and workplace safety standards, do not adequately regulate exposure to most chemicals, nor do they address the hazards a chemical may pose over its entire lifecycle. New legislation is needed to rapidly reduce exposure to toxic chemicals, such as the flame retardants TDCP and TCEP, which are found in a wide variety of household products -- including strollers, nursing pillows, and couches and chairs -- and are suspected to cause cancer, and neurological and reproductive harm. NRDC urges Congress to update TSCA to protect people and the environment from toxic chemicals.