Proposed TSCA Amendments to implement the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs)

A joint statement from 41 environmental, health, and labor organizations urging the U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce to reject a June 17 draft of amendments to the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) intended to implement the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs). The signatories argue the draft contains flaws that would hinder the U.S. from fulfilling treaty obligations and instead advocate for a draft proposed by Representative Hilda Solis.

• The signatories oppose the June 17 Discussion Draft of TSCA amendments, claiming it contains "fundamental flaws" that would prevent the adequate regulation of POPs chemicals added to the treaty in the future and "inhibit full U.S. implementation" of the Stockholm Convention.
• The organizations identify several specific failures in the June 17 Draft, including its failure to require the EPA to act when the Stockholm Convention adds a new POP, and the introduction of a "reasonable balance" requirement between health/environment and economic costs, which the authors claim contradicts the Convention's "precautionary manner" requirement.
• The June 17 Draft is criticized for establishing a "regulatory ceiling" that prevents the EPA from implementing standards stricter than the minimums set by the Convention, and for including "sweeping preemption language" that could invalidate state and local efforts to manage POPs.
• The signatories express concern that the June 17 Draft introduces "sound science" requirements that they believe would increase litigation rather than improve decision-making, and would constrain the EPA from considering all relevant scientific information.
• The organizations support the Stockholm Convention as a global treaty to eliminate POPs—such as PCBs, dioxins, and DDT—which bioaccumulate in food chains and particularly affect indigenous communities in the Arctic region.

APA

Goldtooth, Guth, J. H., Harden, M., Harvie, J., Hathaway, J., Hind, R., Hirshfield, M., Hurwich, E. M., Igrejas, A., Kropp, T. J., Larson, D., McPherson, A., Miller, P. K., Monk, D., Nudelman, J., Patton, S., Perciasepe, B., Perry, K. L., Jr., G. T. S., ... Wright, M. J. (2004). Proposed TSCA Amendments to implement the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs). Center for International Environmental Law. https://www.ciel.org/news/ciel-joins-41-environmental-health-and-labor-organizations-urging-congress-to-support-effective-legislation-to-implement-the-stockholm-pops-convention/

Chicago

Goldtooth, Joseph H. Guth, Monique Harden, Jamie Harvie, Julia Hathaway, Rick Hind, Mike Hirshfield, et al. Proposed TSCA Amendments to implement the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs). Center for International Environmental Law, 2004. https://www.ciel.org/news/ciel-joins-41-environmental-health-and-labor-organizations-urging-congress-to-support-effective-legislation-to-implement-the-stockholm-pops-convention/.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=Goldtooth |last2=Guth |first2=Joseph H. |last3=Harden |first3=Monique |last4=Harvie |first4=Jamie |last5=Hathaway |first5=Julia |last6=Hind |first6=Rick |last7=Hirshfield |first7=Mike |last8=Hurwich |first8=Evelyn M. |last9=Igrejas |first9=Andy |display-authors=etal |title=Proposed TSCA Amendments to implement the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) |publisher=Center for International Environmental Law |date=1 September 2004 |url=https://www.ciel.org/news/ciel-joins-41-environmental-health-and-labor-organizations-urging-congress-to-support-effective-legislation-to-implement-the-stockholm-pops-convention/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{goldtooth2004proposed, author = {Goldtooth and Guth, Joseph H. and Harden, Monique and Harvie, Jamie and Hathaway, Julia and Hind, Rick and Hirshfield, Mike and Hurwich, Evelyn M. and Igrejas, Andy and Kropp, Timothy J. and Larson, Denny and McPherson, Alexandra and Miller, Pamela K. and Monk, David and Nudelman, Janet and Patton, Sharyle and Perciasepe, Bob and Perry, Karen L. and Jr., G.J. Thomas Sadler, and Schafer, Kristin S. and Schettler, Ted and Sease, Debbie and Small, Gregg and Smith, Carl and Thorp, Lynn and Walsh, Bill and Waskow, David and Wiser, Glenn and Wright, Michael J.}, title = {{Proposed TSCA Amendments to implement the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs)}}, publisher = {Center for International Environmental Law}, year = {2004}, month = sep, url = {https://www.ciel.org/news/ciel-joins-41-environmental-health-and-labor-organizations-urging-congress-to-support-effective-legislation-to-implement-the-stockholm-pops-convention/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }