TOXICS INFORMATION PROJECT (TIP)

(Lighting the way to Less Toxic Living)

Liberty Goodwin, Director

P.O. Box 40572, Providence, RI 02940

Tel. 401-351-9193, E-Mail: TIP@toxicsinfo.org

Website:  www.toxicsinfo.org

 

YOUR WORKPLACE MAY BE HAZARDOUS TO YOUR HEALTH

http://www.dienviro.com/index1.aspx?BD=17660

 

Employment is viewed by most Americans as a means to secure a happy lifestyle and promising future for workers and their families. Ironically, environmental hazards that exist in many workplaces can have the reverse effect on this ideal by causing serious illness and even premature death. Studies conducted at some of the country's leading institutions have revealed the following startling facts about health hazards in the workplace:

OSHA estimates that poor indoor air quality, also known as Sick Building Syndrome (SBS) affects:

 

The EPA warns that:

 

Source: "CM Cleaning and Maintenance Magazine" May 2002

Collectively, fewer than 10% of all malignancies are thought to involve inherited mutations.2 Today, most scientists believe that environmental factors cause or contribute to many cancers in children.3

Environmental causes for childhood cancer are less well defined. Various small studies have implicated pesticides as a cause of leukemia, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, and brain tumors. The public is generally unaware of these statistics. These toxins can invade our bodies through a variety of gateways, including:

 

Sources:

1 excerpted from www.cleaningpro.com and Physicians for Social Responsibility –

http://www.envirohealthaction.org/toxics/health_effects/

 

2 Natural Resources Defense Council –

www.nrdc.org/health/kids/kidscancer/kidscancer1.asp

3 NCI, Understanding Gene Testing, NIH Pub. 96-3905 (Bethesda, Md.: NCI, 1995)

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2006 -- S 2627 SUBSTITUTE A

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LC02072/SUB A

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S T A T E O F R H O D E I S L A N D

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2006

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S E N A T E  R E S O L U T I O N

RESPECTFULLY URGING THE DEPARTMENT OF ADMINISTRATION TO USE

ENVIRONMENTALLY-SAFE AND HEALTH-FRIENDLY CLEANING PRODUCTS IN

STATE FACILITIES AND WORKPLACES

 

Introduced By: Senators Perry, Goodwin, Paiva-Weed, Gallo, and Alves

Date Introduced: February 09, 2006

Referred To: Senate Health & Human Services

 

WHEREAS, It is a priority of this Senate of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations to protect the environment and the health and safety of workers and citizens of Rhode Island; and

 

WHEREAS, Cleaning products are necessary for maintaining sanitary conditions in State facilities; and

 

WHEREAS, Chemicals contained in certain cleaning products can be released into the 6

environment during normal use; and

 

WHEREAS, Utilizing less hazardous cleaning products in our State facilities and workplaces, and implementing measures to reduce exposure to those products, can minimize harmful impacts to office and custodial workers, as well as improve air quality and reduce water pollution; now, therefore be it

 

RESOLVED, That the Department of Administration is encouraged to use environmentally-safe and health-friendly cleaning products in state facilities and workplaces; and be it further

 

RESOLVED, That all State departments and authorities with purchasing responsibility shall procure and use cleaning products having properties that minimize potential impacts to human health and the environment, consistent with maintaining the effectiveness of these products for the protection of the public health and safety; and be it further

 

RESOLVED, That the Department of Administration, in consultation with the Department of Health and the Department of Environmental Management, shall establish guidelines or regulations to provide guidance to covered State entities in connection with the implementation of this Resolution; and be it further

 

RESOLVED, That the Department of Administration shall provide the Governor and the General Assembly with a report assessing the effectiveness of and compliance with this Resolution within one year of the effective date of this Resolution; and be it further

 

RESOLVED, That municipal governments and school districts are hereby encouraged to review their purchasing and use of cleaning products and are urged to comply with the provisions of this Resolution where deemed appropriate; and be it further

 

RESOLVED, That wherever feasible, State entities shall transition to environmentally- safe and health-friendly cleaning products as soon as possible in a manner that avoids wasting of existing inventories, accommodates establishment of supply chains for new products, enables the training of personnel in appropriate work practices, and allows the phase-out of products and practices inconsistent with this Resolution. Additionally, new purchasing contracts for the purchase of such products or cleaning services should include an appropriate requirement consistent with this resolution and the guidelines provided by the Department of Administration; and be it further

 

RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and he hereby is authorized and directed to transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to the Department of Administration.

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