This is a post sent to me by one of my favorite resources Environmental Working Group. It is a subject that I have followed for some time and showcases where a good idea to protect company trade secretes went bad. In order for sustainable practices to really work, there must be transparency and laws such as the 1976 Toxic Substances Control Act must not allow companies to hide from consumers chemicals and compounds that may pose a threat to people and/or the environment. Enjoy the read and if you have any questions or comments please don’t hesitate to contact me or comment!
Washington Post, Lyndsey Layton
Published January 4, 2010
Of the 84,000 chemicals in commercial use in the United States — from flame retardants in furniture to household cleaners — nearly 20 percent are secret, according to the Environmental Protection Agency, their names and physical properties guarded from consumers and virtually all public officials under a little-known federal provision.
The policy was designed 33 years ago to protect trade secrets in a highly competitive industry. But critics — including the Obama administration — say the secrecy has grown out of control, making it impossible for regulators to control potential dangers or for consumers to know which toxic substances they might be exposed to.
At a time of increasing public demand for more information about chemical exposure, pressure is building on lawmakers to make it more difficult for manufacturers to cloak their products in secrecy. Congress is set to rewrite chemical regulations this year for the first time in a generation.
Take me to the full article at the Washington Post please.
