An Ideal Chemical Policy

I really like the six reforms under the Louisville Charter for Safer Chemicals, which are:

1. require safer substitutes and solutions
2. phase out persistent, bioaccumulative, or highly toxic chemicals
3. give the public and workers the full right-to-know and participate
4. act on early warnings
5. require comprehensive safety data for all chemicals
6. take immediate action to protect communities and workers

In my opinion, these reforms would all be included in an ideal chemical policy. I especially like the consideration of the precautionary principle, or preventing harm before it happens. When dealing with chemicals for which health effects may only be seen many years after exposure, it is important to take the precautionary approach. If a policy that proposes the aforementioned reforms is ever passed in the United States, I fear that it won't be enough to protect U.S. consumers considering many products and food items are imported from other countries. So, a truly ideal chemical policy would be one that includes these reforms at an international level, like the Stockholm Convention. This would ensure better health and safety for all people. In watching the short video, The Pesticide Trap, I was stunned as I watched a man spray harmful pesticides on his cotton crops with no protective gear and his clothing drenched in the pesticide. I became even more upset when I learned that the man could not read the pesticide container nor did he understand the symbols on the container and thus did not know the adverse health effects of exposure. This scenario could be avoided if an international chemical policy existed that would, for instance, give workers the right-to-know (Reform No. 3) and protect workers (Reform No. 6).