Why fight AGAINST testing chemicals for dangerous health risks?

It does not make sense, but "the Bush administration is siding with the U.S. chemical industry to wage an unusually aggressive campaign against European proposals that would require testing tens of thousands of chemicals for potential health and environmental hazards..." (Wall Street Journal, 9/9/03). Just last week, the administration stepped up their efforts - U.S. diplomats in the EU were instructed to lobby against these tests (Financial Times, 3/28/04).

TELL THE U.S. GOVERNMENT AND THE EU COMMISSION THAT YOU SUPPORT THE EU PLAN TO TEST CHEMICALS FOR HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS!

The LAST thing we need is LESS testing of dangerous chemicals: The US fails to require any testing for more than 95% of the chemicals currently in commerce. Americans carry a "body burden" of more than 100 chemicals used in products such as Teflon pans, cosmetics and flame retardants used in fabrics and electronic goods.

Sign this petition to tell the EU and U.S. government that Americans and international citizens alike support efforts to keep people safe from dangerous chemicals!

Dear U.S. President George Bush and EU Commissioner for Health and Consumer Protection David Byrne,

I firmly support the goal of the EU’s "Registration, Evaluation, and Authorization of Chemicals" (REACH) framework, which is an environment free from toxic pollution and chemical hazards. We are continuing to discover new chemicals in our environment that cause lasting harm to our health, and we need to take action now to find out which chemicals are safe. It is only sensible to test the chemicals we bring into our homes and offices to make sure we are not sickening ourselves by going to sleep at night or going to work every day.

Where new testing is deemed necessary, it should be strictly limited to non-animal methods, such as cell cultures and computer models. I do not support the proposed animal testing requirements in the current REACH framework.

I also urge the EU not to fall into the same trap as the US by requiring further testing of toxic chemicals that should rightfully be banned. DDT, PCB’s, and more recently, PBDE’s in flame-retardants, serve as an ominous warning––please listen!

Thank you!

YOUR NAME