Controlling Toxic Substances
Chemical Safety and Technological Innovation
The U.S. chemical industry has grown rapidly since the 1940s, giving the United States a reputation for innovation but also making chemicals ubiquitous in modern life. In 1971, the President’s Council on Environmental Quality issued a report calling for comprehensive Federal legislation to control chemicals whose manufacture, processing, distribution, use, or disposal was potentially dangerous to public health. It wasn’t until 1976, however, that Congress passed the first chemical regulation bill, the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). Congress has since amended the law to control risks associated with asbestos, lead, elemental mercury, and radon; however, unlike other environmental laws enacted…
