Debra Coyle

WEC and allies, including the Professional Fire Fighters Association of NJ, have been working together for more than two years on a bill that would make communities safer from ultra-explosive crude oil trains. The Oil Train Safety Bill A2463 (S806) is scheduled for a floor vote in the NJ Assembly this Thursday, March 23, 2017. Please contact your Assembly members and urge them to vote for community safety by voting yes on bill A2463.  Issue Details Crude oil and other high-hazard trains travel through both our urban and rural communities. They are visible and easily identifiable to anyone who has ever been stuck at a railroad crossing. Each train carrying hazardous chemicals is required by the US Department of Transportation to have a placard on it identifying the material inside. Placards are an important source of information for emergency responders and railroad employees and others. However, if trains are damaged, or worse, on fire, the placards may not help our first responders. The State has refused to release information regarding how often trains travel through our communities and the volume of hazardous materials contained within, both of which are vital for emergency preparedness and response. This contradicts other states that [...]

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is exercising their new authority under the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act, which amended the outdated (and ineffective) Toxic Substance Control Act (TSCA). EPA named the first ten priority chemicals for assessment and is tasked with evaluating these chemicals to ensure there is not an unreasonable risk of injury to health.  In determining risk, EPA is required to consider vulnerable populations including: workers, infants, children, pregnant women and the elderly. WEC is highlighting the chemicals in a series of blog posts with information on how to make your voice heard and tell your story about chemical exposure. Chemical Eight of Ten: Pigment Violet -29 (Perylene-3,4:9,10-tetracarboxydiimide) This chemical is a red-purple dye used to coat products and is found in inks, toners and polymers. Pigment Violet-29 is used in printing and recorded media reproduction and in the manufacture of plastic products, machinery and vehicles. Pigment Violet 29 is suspected of causing cancer and reproductive problems. Chemical Nine of Ten: Trichloroethelene (TCE) TCE is used in the manufacturing of refrigerants and is used as a commercial degreaser. It is also used as a spotting agent in dry cleaners, [...]

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is exercising their new authority under the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act, which amended the outdated (and ineffective) Toxic Substance Control Act (TSCA). EPA named the first ten priority chemicals for assessment and is tasked with evaluating these chemicals to ensure there is not an unreasonable risk of injury to health.  In determining risk, EPA is required to consider vulnerable populations including: workers, infants, children, pregnant women and the elderly. WEC is highlighting the chemicals in a series of blog posts with information on how to make your voice heard and tell your story about chemical exposure. Chemical Five of Ten: Hexabromocyclododecane (a.k.a. HBCD or HBCDD) Hexabromocyclododecane, or HBCD, is used as a flame retardant in expanded polystyrene foam (EPS) and extruded polystyrene foam (XPS) used in the building and construction industry, mainly in the form of insulation boards. HBCD is also added to plastics used for electronics and appliances to make them more fire resistant and mixed into the back coating of textiles. While it is no longer widely used in the coatings of new home furnishings like upholstery, window blinds, draperies and wall coverings, HBCD is [...]

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is exercising their new authority under the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act, which amended the outdated (and ineffective) Toxic Substance Control Act (TSCA). EPA named the first ten priority chemicals for assessment and is tasked with evaluating these chemicals to ensure there is not an unreasonable risk of injury to health.  In determining risk, EPA is required to consider vulnerable populations including: workers, infants, children, pregnant women and the elderly. WEC is highlighting the chemicals in a series of blog posts with information on how to make your voice heard and tell your story about chemical exposure. Chemical Two of Ten:  1-Bromopropane (a.k.a. n-Propyl Bromide, 1-BP) One of the most common uses of this chemical is a spray adhesive. It is used in workplaces that make foam cushions, fiber products, seat cushions, laminated products, and furniture.  Workers who are exposed to it may feel drunk, get a headache, or feel unusually nervous. Workers can also develop numbing in their hands and feet, tremors, and walking with a limp. Besides these neurological problems, this chemical is suspected to be a carcinogen and may cause reproductive disorders. 1-BP is also [...]

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is exercising their new authority under the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act, which amended the outdated (and ineffective) Toxic Substance Control Act (TSCA). EPA named the first ten priority chemicals for assessment and is tasked with evaluating these chemicals to ensure there is not an unreasonable risk of injury to health.  In determining risk, EPA is required to consider vulnerable populations including: workers, infants, children, pregnant women and the elderly. Over the next ten days, the NJ Work Environment Council (WEC) will be highlighting the chemicals in a series of blog posts with information on how to make your voice heard and tell your story about chemical exposure.   Chemical One of Ten: Asbestos Asbestos was once called the “magic mineral” because its microscopic fibers are indestructible. Although it causes a deadly lung disease and cancer, hundreds of millions of tons of asbestos were used in construction material and consumer products in the U.S.  Workers involved in building maintenance, renovation and demolition can be exposed to asbestos, in particular in buildings constructed prior to 1980 when the chemical was used more widely. Some automotive brakes and clutches [...]

Urge Your Representatives to Stand Up for First Responders and Public Safety Vote NO on House Joint Resolution 59 and Senate Joint Resolution 28 After the West Texas Fertilizer Explosion in 2013 that killed 15 people, including first responders, the Obama Administration focused on chemical policies. President Obama signed Executive Order 13650, Improving Chemical Facility Safety and Security, to reduce risks associated with hazardous chemical incidents by enhancing the safety and security of chemical facilities; the EO also created an interagency working group including the Department of Homeland Security, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)and Occupational Safety and Health Administration. The Obama Administration spent more than three years conducting listening sessions and getting stakeholder input to strike the right balance while updating the Environmental Protection Agency’s Risk Management Program (RMP).  RMP covers 12,500 commercial and industrial facilities that use or store large amounts of toxic chemicals. The final rule was issued January 13, 2017. The amendments were modest, but important steps for preventing chemical disasters. However, with the election of a new President, we can expect changes in chemical policies. The ink is barely dry in the federal register and House Joint Resolution 59 was introduced by Representative Markwayne Mullin (R –OK-2) and [...]

As of January 26, 2017, we believe the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is still exercising their new authority under the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act, which amended the outdated (and ineffective) Toxic Substance Control Act (TSCA). On Nov. 29, 2016, the EPA named the first ten priority chemicals for assessment. EPA is tasked with evaluating these chemicals to ensure there is not an unreasonable risk of injury to health.  This determination is made without consideration to costs. In determining risk, EPA is required to consider vulnerable populations including: workers, infants, children, pregnant women and the elderly. Although we have already witnessed changes at EPA, we do anticipate that TSCA reform work will continue to move forward. The 2016 reform was passed with bipartisan support. The ten priority chemicals to be evaluated are: 1,4-Dioxane, 1-Bromopropane, Asbestos, Carbon Tetrachloride, Cyclic Aliphatic Bromide Cluster, Methylene Chloride, N-methylpyrrolidone, Pigment Violet 29, Tetrachloroethylene, also known as perchloroethylene, and Trichloroethylene. Don’t recognize any of these chemicals? The Environmental Defense Fund has developed an excellent factsheet on products that contain these chemicals.  And for more information on how TSCA may impact workplaces, see the National Institute for Health Sciences Factsheet. [...]