Chemical Reform Agenda
PEER has a long track record of representing whistleblowers and working with anonymous government employees who want to hold their agencies accountable for protecting public health and the environment from toxic chemicals and pollution.
Our work focuses on five areas:
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Protecting scientists in their work.
- Ensuring that any chemical in commerce is safe or can be managed to protect human health and the environment.
- Fighting to have systems in place to ensure we use the safest and healthiest products possible.
- Making sure that if industry causes unsafe levels of pollution or chemical accidents, the public knows immediately, and the responsible party pays to clean it up
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Increasing government transparency to allow for better decision making and accountability.
Because of chemicals, humans have progressed in extraordinary ways.
However, the overuse and mismanagement of chemicals are causing significant long-term threats to a livable planet. Exposure to toxic chemicals can harm children, shorten life expectancy, and negatively affect the well-being of all living things for generations. Together with climate change and biodiversity loss, the mismanagement of chemicals is a significant obstacle to a livable planet.
LEARN MORE
New Chemicals Need Closer Scrutiny
EPA does not have reasonable assurance that the new chemicals review process is properly considering and addressing risks to public health and the environment. PEER is working to change that. Learn more»
EPA Scientists Punished for Identifying Chemical Risks
The Inspector General found EPA retaliated against scientists because they protested watering down risk assessments for new chemicals being approved for commercial release. Learn more»
Strengthening the Chemical Safety Board
The Chemicals Safety Board suffers from personnel issues, industry influence, and weak regulations. PEER works to strengthen this agency’s capacity to respond to accidents. Learn more»
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A SNAPSHOT OF PEER’S PAST EFFORTS
Here are some examples of how PEER has made a difference:
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Revealed that EPA had hidden thousands of industry reports from the public and their own scientists about the substantial health risks from chemicals already on the market. Our subsequent legal action caused EPA to post these reports once again.
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Identified the presence of PFAS, a toxic class of chemicals known as “forever chemicals,” in products such as plastic containers, fertilizers, pesticides, and artificial turf. We are working to get these products off the market and to promote safer alternatives.
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Helped to stop the use of radioactive phosphor-gypsum to build highways. This dangerous scheme was a big giveaway to the fertilizer industry over the objections of EPA’s staff experts.
PEER’S PERSPECTIVE
Reforming EPA’s New Chemicals Program
READ MORE NEWS ON PUBLIC HEALTH
Fraud Charged in EPA Pesticide Risk Assessment
Downgrade of Fumigant Cancer-Potential Due to Pervasive Misconduct
EPA Scientists Sound Alarm on Chemical Assessments
Agency’s Toxic Internal Chemistry Reflected in New Employee Survey
BLOG | Research Suppression at USDA and Stagnation of Agricultural Science
Jonathan Lundgren was a top-rated USDA research scientist until he started revealing the environmental harms of the neonicotinoid insecticides and other favorite products of the pesticide industry.
Newsom Backs Off Santa Susana Clean-Up Guarantee
Permanent Pollution OK Is Focus of Closed-Door Negotiation with Boeing
Federal Wildlife Disease Labs in Dangerous Shape
Biosafety Breaches Risk Zoonotic Outbreaks and Hinder COVID Research
BLOG | Social Distancing to Curb COVID-19 and Park Overcrowding
Biden Executive Order on COVID-19 protocols on federal property puts the National Park Service under a direct presidential order to do something it’s resisted for years – manage overcrowding.
Statement | Biden Administration’s New Direction on Climate
Biden’s executive orders are the first steps to a rapid transition from fossil fuels and increased protections for our communities, public lands and oceans.
Op-Ed | Viewpoint: EPA Needs to Return to Its Public Health Roots
By returning to its public health roots, the EPA can begin to restore the public’s trust in its ability to protect both public health and the environment.
