Safer Alternatives

What's New

A federal chemical security bill was introduced on March 11, 2008. H.R. 5577 was introduced by the House Homeland Security Chairman Bennie Thompson, with 18 original co-sponsors from the committee. Since the bill was “marked up” in the Homeland Security Committee before its formal introduction, our focus now turns to the House Energy and Commerce Committee.

PIRG activists from across the country met with members of the E&C committee to urge co-sponsorship, including an in-person meeting with Rep. Tammy Baldwin (WI) led by WisPIRG student Andrew Sellers, and a meeting with E&C committee vice-chair Diana DeGette’s (CO) office where CoPIRG students Dan Omasta and Katie Crowe presented 400 postcards in favor of chemical security to the staffer.

How You Can Help

Replace Toxic Chemicals

Send an e-mail to your representative and ask them to support legislation to improve chemical plant safety and security by replacing toxic chemicals with safer alternatives.

Overview

The soil underneath a local soccer field. The river that runs through the center of your town or city. The air circulating above a factory or industrial complex. All are important components of our communities—and all are extremely vulnerable to toxic contamination.

Maryland PIRG is working to keep our communities safe from toxic chemicals. At the federal level, Maryland PIRG is backing legislation to increase chemical security and protects our communities by replacing the most dangerous chemicals with safer alternatives.

There is simply no excuse, rationalization or justification adequate to allow our neighborhoods to become polluted by toxic waste. That’s why we’re fighting to make sure our environment is safe, healthy and secure.

Every year thousands of tons of toxic pollution is released into our communities. That’s why we’re working to substitute, replace, and eliminate industrial toxics.