To the editor:

I am a concerned Maine grandmother and nurse who has been participating in efforts to revise our chemical policy regulations for the better part of a decade. I started to pay attention to this issue, thanks to my involvement with Health Care Without Harm and its Nurses Work Group (NWG).

Last month, I joined a bus of 25 Mainers and headed to Washington, D.C., to meet with our congressional delegation to advocate for the passage of the Safe Chemicals Act.

The Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) of 1976 is a badly outdated law that has failed to protect our health. In its 36 year existence, only 200 out of more than 85,000 chemicals have been tested for safety, and only five have been regulated.

The Safe Chemicals Act would require that chemicals are tested for safety before they are sold, and that the public has access to important safety information about chemicals.

We the people of this country should not need a degree in chemistry to know what is in our products.

We should not be given dental sealants that contain Bisphenol A or mercury. We should not need to worry if our new carpet or sofa contains toxic flame retardant chemicals.

Baby mattresses, changing table pads and nursing pillows should not contain toxic chemicals.

We need the Safe Chemicals Act now.

I ask that all citizens become informed on the toxicity of the products of daily use and ask our decision makers to change the current law.

I am so glad to have shared this extremely meaningful event with Maine moms, nurses, grandmothers, college students and activists in Washington, D.C. We all understand the seriousness of protecting ourselves and our families from toxic chemicals.

Now we need Congress to act!

Bettie Kettell
Durham