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Download the Healthy Michigan, Healthy Kids Platform (pdf).

Download Toxic Chemicals, Healthy and Economy - A Guide For Candidates (pdf).

Are your kids’ toys safe?

Lead, mercury, arsenic and other toxic chemicals simply don’t belong in kids’ products. But as the over 5 million children’s product recalls for lead in the first seven months of 2008 demonstrate, our national system for protecting children from toxic products has failed.  It’s time for Michigan’s leaders to take action.

We need your help!

Please encourage candidates running in your district to sign the Healthy Michigan, Healthy Kids platform. You can send candidates an online postcard right now. CLICK HERE TO SEND A POSTCARD TO CANDIDATES IN YOUR DISTRICT.

If you are a Michigan House candidate, and you haven’t already, we hope that you will show your support for protecting Michigan’s children by signing and returning this platform, and integrating its message throughout your campaign.

 

Healthy Michigan, Healthy Kids: A Commonsense First-Step

The Healthy Michigan, Healthy Kids platform calls for Michigan to follow the lead of other states and countries by taking commonsense steps to protect Michigan’s children from toxic chemicals in children’s products by: eliminating added lead, mercury and arsenic; giving the public the right to know what other high-priority toxics are in kids’ products; and encouraging “Green Chemistry” and safer product development in Michigan.

Candidates running for the Michigan House of Representatives are responding enthusiastically and endorsing the Healthy Michigan, Healthy Kids platform.

 

It’s time to protect kids from toxic toys!

If you have questions about Healthy Michigan, Healthy Kids please contact us.

 

Healthy Michigan, Healthy Kids

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

 

Ecology CenterVoices for Earth JusticeMECMLCVEnvironment Michigan
LDA of MIMI Nurses AssociationACMH
EMEACClean Water Fund

The Healthy Michigan, Healthy Kids Coalition is coordinated by the Ecology Center, a nonprofit organization.
117 North Division Street • Ann Arbor, MI 48104 • 734-761-3186 ext. 125

The Ecology Center works for a safe and healthy environment where people live, work and play.

Healthy Michigan, Healthy Kids is a nonpartisan organization that does not support or oppose candidates for office.

©2008 Healthy Michigan. All rights reserved.