The Healthy Michigan, Healthy Kids Coalition is coordinated by the Ecology Center, a nonprofit organization.
114 North Division Street • Ann Arbor, MI 48104 • 734-761-3186
The Ecology Center works for a safe and healthy environment where people live, work and play.
Protecting children from toxic chemicals is an issue that Michiganders care very much about. Companies that make safer products and safer chemicals have an advantage in the marketplace and can help re-grow Michigan's economy. Michigan has already shown leadership in this area by signing the first ever Green Chemistry Executive Directive in 2006.
John Graziani is showing his support for this coalition to protect Michigan's children by integrating the Healthy Michigan, Healthy Kids platform into his campaign for State Representative of the 13th District. The platform calls for Michigan to follow the lead of other states and countries by taking initial, commonsense steps to begin to protect Michigan's children from toxic chemicals by phasing out the most dangerous chemicals, identifying other chemicals of concern in kids' products and providing incentives for safer product development.
If you have any questions about the coalition, the platform, or other ways to protect children from toxic chemicals, please call 734 663-2414.
Healthy Michigan, Healthy Kids Platform:
Eliminate Added Toxic Chemicals in Children’s Products
Support elimination of added* lead, mercury and arsenic in children’s products. Support measures to eliminate other important sources of childhood exposures – including lead in house paint, mercury in fish, and arsenic in water supplies.
Identify and Prioritize Chemicals of Concern
Require the state to create and regularly update a comprehensive list of chemicals known to cause cancer, reproductive or developmental harm, neurotoxicity, hormone disruption or which are persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic, based on published government lists and other existing sources of data. From this initial list, require the state to select and regularly update “chemicals of highest concern” based on their use in children’s products, presence in children, household dust, human breast milk or cord blood, or other specific relevance to the health of Michigan’s children.
Inform Consumers
Manufacturers of children’s products that contain “chemicals of highest concern” above a threshold level must publicly identify what products contain which chemicals and in what amounts. Manufacturers must publicly report whether Screening Information Data Set or equivalent information exists for all chemicals in their children’s products sold in Michigan.
Foster Cooperation and Planning
Authorize the state to participate in the proposed Interstate Clearinghouse for Safer Chemicals. Require state to develop chemical policy recommendations for other products to which children could be exposed.
Grow Michigan’s Green Economy
Create tax incentives, state assistance and partnerships for development and use of safer chemicals and products. Provide incentives for educational programs in Green Chemistry and safer chemical and product development. Require state government to procure safer products, including Michigan-grown bio-based products, to the maximum feasible extent.
* “Added” means a threshold of 40 parts per million, which represents a trace or background level of lead according to the American Academy of Pediatrics