WHAT WE’RE WORKING ON

Our nation’s chemical safety law, the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), was overhauled in 2016 with bipartisan support—and Moms Clean Air Force’s support too. The 2016 law contains critical reforms to ensure that dangerous chemicals don’t contaminate our health. Even so, there is more to be done to make TSCA as strong as possible. Moms are working to demand that EPA and our elected officials prioritize human safety over economic costs when deciding if new chemicals can be used. We are also calling on FDA to set meaningful standards for lead and other heavy metals in baby food.

Take Action

MOMS ACTION

To safeguard families and communities from dangerous chemicals, we:

EDUCATE Our popular Ask Mom Detective series educates our community about chemicals we all encounter daily. Our useful answers are always rooted in recent science.
PETITION Since 2023, Moms members have sent tens of thousands of messages to EPA demanding that the agency work toward a ban on vinyl chloride, first by designating this carcinogen as a high-priority substance under TSCA.
AMPLIFY Moms has been making headlines about the importance of chemical safety for nearly a decade. We have been featured in dozens of articles in the last couple of years, in outlets ranging from the Texas Tribune to MSN.
SUCCEED In December 2024, after two years of Moms’ advocacy around vinyl chloride, EPA announced it would formally designate this carcinogen as a high-priority substances under TSCA.

OUR CHEMICAL SAFETY EXPERTS

Alexandra Zissu

Mom Detective

Elizabeth Bechard

Public Health Manager

Melody Reis

Director of Federal Policy

Cynthia Palmer

Senior Analyst, Petrochemicals

FEATURED RESOURCES

Fact Sheet

Protections Against Toxic Chemicals are at Risk

Fact Sheet

Vinyl Chloride 101

Fact Sheet

PFAS 101

Article

Ask Mom Detective: Are Polyester and Polypropylene Rugs a Safe Choice for My Family?

WHY WE CARE

Household goods are often formulated with synthetic chemicals that can affect our health. Cleaners, construction materials, carpeting, mattresses, upholstered furniture, and craft supplies are among the products that may contain toxic chemicals. Chemicals in everyday products may include flame retardants, water repellents, fragrances, plasticizers, and solvents. Unfortunately, not all these chemicals are required to be tested for human health before making their way into consumer products.

HEALTH IMPACTS

Many of the chemicals found in household products are detectable in our bloodstreams, indicating that we are routinely exposed to these substances and they are getting in our bodies. The number of chemicals is vast and health impacts vary, but some found in everyday products have been linked to a range of potential health problems, including cancer, developmental disorders, reproductive problems, endocrine problems, and more. Children and pregnant people are uniquely vulnerable.

Many of the chemicals found in household products are
detectable in our bloodstreams, showing that we are
routinely exposed to these substances.

COMMUNITY IMPACTS

Black women and babies are frequently overexposed to toxic chemicals in everyday products. For example, many of the beauty products marketed specifically to women of color contain high levels of toxic chemicals known to cause cancer and reproductive harm. Women of color who work in the beauty industry, especially as hair care professionals, are also routinely exposed to an outsize amount of toxic chemicals in hair straighteners, relaxers, and dyes.

A landmark lawsuit against Johnson & Johnson awarded billions to a group of women with cancer, saying that the company knew there was asbestos in its baby powder. The majority of women in the lawsuit were Black; the powder was heavily marketed to them.

BACK STORY ON
CHEMICAL SAFETY

The first Trump administration made efforts to weaken TSCA, and we expect the second one to also. Moms will continue to support the strongest possible version of TSCA in an effort to advance a broader vision of health protection for everyone. We also support people and organizations asking manufacturers and retailers to step in where our government won’t to make sure the products they make and sell are safe for children and families.