US Environmental Protection
Agency's
National Environmental Justice Advisory Council
Passes "Resolution on Multiple Chemical
Sensitivity"
On May 26, 2000, the National Environmental
Justice Advisory
Council (NEJAC) passed a
"Resolution on Multiple Chemical
Sensitivity."
NEJAC is a federal advisory committee that was established by the
U.S. EPA in 1993 to provide independent advice, consultation, and
recommendations to the EPA on matters related to environmental
justice.
It is comprised of 25 members representing various stakeholders
including academia; environmental organizations; state, local, and
tribal governments; non-governmental organizations; and industry.
The resolution advised the EPA Administrator to take the following
actions:
NEJAC urges EPA to work with other agencies to:
1. Establish disease registries and
make MCS a reportable
condition. Investigate and report the prevalence and incidence
of MCS in minority communities, low income communities and
tribes, especially those heavily impacted by environmental pollutants;
2. Provide funding and programs to
support increased
understanding, education and research that will aid in
identifying causes, diagnosis, treatment, accommodation
and the prevention of MCS;
3. Include MCS as a factor when setting
standards and
establishing regulations, especially with regard to multiple
exposures and cumulative effects from environmental
chemicals;
4. Examine existing environmental
laws and revise or add
standards as appropriate to assure protection from chemicals
that cause initial sensitization and those that trigger existing
sensitivities;
5. Encourage states and other government
and non-government
entities to take regulatory and voluntary actions, including
notices and restrictions as necessary, to protect individuals with
MCS in the workplace, office, home and in public places;
6. Assure that accurate information
on minority and low income
populations is included in the final version of the Interagency
Workgroup report on MCS and other policy documents issued
on the matter of MCS;
7. Establish a fragrance-free policy
for meetings and identify
and utilize facilities that actively attempt to reduce and minimize
use of toxic chemicals, for example, that use non-toxic building
materials, cleaning agents and pest control measures.
For further info on NEJAC, see website:
http://es.epa.gov/oeca/main/ej/nejac
.
Letters and comments may be directed to:
Administrator Carol Browner
USEPA, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20004.
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