Legislators Look To Ban Toxic Chemicals

On Monday state lawmakers will discuss a bill to ban the sale of certain flame-retardants and toxic chemicals.

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By Alexis Fernandez

Story Created: Mar 13, 2011 at 10:32 PM AKDT

Story Updated: Mar 14, 2011 at 10:39 AM AKDT

On Monday, legislators will be holding a hearing on the dangers of flame-retardants and toxic chemicals found in products sold throughout the state.

Officials from the environmental group Alaska Community Action on Toxics said the public needs to be aware of the dangers certain chemicals present to the human body.
 
In an effort to bring awareness to the issue, ACAT has brought in biologists as part of their Environmental Reproductive Health Speaker Series to talk about the dangers facing the country.
 
Dr. Sandra Steingraber, author, scientist, poet, and cancer survivor, spoke about the dangers of certain toxic chemicals on Sunday at the Louusac Library as part of the ACAT speaker series. She is the author of three books, Living Downstream: An Ecologist’s Personal Investigation of Cancer and the Environment, Having Faith: An Ecologist’s Journey to Motherhood, and Post Diagnosis.
 
She also spoke about issues concerning the state such as large development projects and the impacts of toxic transports to the Arctic.
 
“We’re quite concerned that Alaska is on the receiving end for chemicals that are transported on wind and ocean currents which end up in our northern environment and Arctic environments,” ACAT Executive Director Pamela Miller said.
 
“I consider the environmental crisis to be the biggest threat to children today, and fundamentally, it is a crisis of family life,” Dr. Sandra Steingraber said. “It robs us of our abilities as parents to keep our children away from harm when their bodies, their blood, are flowing with toxic chemicals.”

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