Which State You Live In Matters For How Well Environmental Laws Protect Your Health, Says Researcher

Your child can go to PE class on Monday mornings and play soccer on the 2.4D sprinkler field on the weekend. Alternatively, school grounds can be treated with a less toxic herbicide. Or the area has been treated with safe, non-toxic products and methods.

Which of these terms apply depends primarily on your state laws and regulations, not federal law.

For example, the state of Texas requires all school districts to adopt a comprehensive school building pest control program. IPM prioritizes non-chemical pest control and includes specific preventative measures for area spraying. Massachusetts also restricts the use of pesticides on school campuses. Illinois requires IPM for school buildings only when economically feasible. States also vary in the level of education and technical support they provide to implement these practices.

Although the US Environmental Protection Agency is involved in some of the basic functions of pesticides, flaws in basic pesticide legislation combined with industry influence mean that vulnerable groups, such as children, are inadequately protected from this exposure.

The EPA states that products do not pose an "unreasonable" risk, but rather considers cost and economic benefit to use, an approach that leads to health risk decisions. Mandatory labels must not contain any material considered a trade secret.

As a lawyer and professor of environmental health, I teach, write, and reflect on the internals and externals of various levels of government governing environmental health—the impact of natural and human-made environments on human health. Pesticides in schoolyards are just one example of the state-by-state equal protection problem.

Congress gave in and the states intervened

As the federal government retreats from passing basic environmental health laws, policy decisions to limit people's exposure to pollutants and toxins become increasingly important.

Many of the nation's major environmental health laws were passed in the 1970s with environmental activism and bipartisan support rarely found today.

For example, the Clean Air Act amendments of 1970 required the US Environmental Protection Agency to regulate many types of air pollution, in some cases on the basis of protecting human health. It passed the House of Representatives 374-1 and the Senate 73-0 and was signed by President Richard M. Nixon. Nixon signed the Occupational Safety and Health Administration in 1971.

One analyst wrote that groups pushing lawmakers to protect the environment later split into groups for and against environmental legislation, reflecting the debate over the appropriate level of regulation.

At the same time, after the success of many federal environmental health laws, attention has shifted to more difficult issues that Washington must address. As government environmental programs have proliferated, some have suggested that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's role is shifting from enforcement to catalysis -- from requiring specific action to reduce pollution to providing states with more information and assistance. for compliance with the implementation. However, this view recognizes that residents of some states would receive greater environmental health protection than others in such a situation.

Given these dynamics and the extent of political division in the US, strict environmental regulations, even when enacted by the federal government, are often overturned by successive governments or challenged in court.

Sometimes states have to make a decision

In some cases it makes sense to leave decisions to the federal states. The ministry of health in the western province can focus on protecting vulnerable populations from wildfire smoke in that part of the country. Some states may allow hydraulic fracturing operations, while others choose not to.

States can serve as innovation laboratories, and lessons learned from government programs and policies can inform action at the federal level.

However, this leads to regulatory imbalances. If you live in one of the dozens of states that follow California emissions standards rather than the less stringent federal standards, you can benefit from reduced air pollution.

The same goes for East Coast residents, who are part of the Confederation of Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiatives that limit emissions of greenhouse gases and other air pollutants. A recent study comparing RGGI states to neighboring non-RGGI states found that "RGGI provided significant health benefits for children," including a reduction in childhood asthma.

Drinking water limits -- or labeling requirements -- for perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl PFAS substances also vary by state. PFAS are found in products ranging from non-stick cookware to some personal care products and have been linked to a variety of health problems. Because of its toxicity, widespread environmental exposure and long persistence, 18 attorneys general are seeking federal legislation.

How to hold MPs accountable

Environmental health often suffers from panic and neglect. People worry about one problem like a chemical alert to process apples until the next problem arises. The public can pressure state and federal decision makers to think about how the environment affects health in different ways.

• Someone can be removed as unique, so create a group or join other groups with similar interests.

• Learn about the problem, best practices, and solutions such as program or policy development, training, or increased enforcement. Next, call, email, or write your elected officials and request a meeting to express your concerns and ideas clearly and concisely.

• Find an "advocate" who can lead the change, such as B. a school nurse or a housekeeper and contact them.

• Publicize the issue in the local media by writing articles and social media posts. Be sure to communicate the benefits of actions that protect you, such as: B. improved school attendance or achievement.

• Attend public meetings and talk about the issue in public comments. Achievements at the local level can be a model for officials.

This article is reprinted from the discussion under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Citation: The state you live in depends on local state laws that protect your health, says researcher (March 1, 2023), March 2, 2023, from https://phys.org/news/2023-03-state-interbaronal-laws -health.html

This document is protected by copyright. No part may be reproduced for study or personal research purposes without written permission, except as part of a fair transaction. The content is provided for informational purposes only.

Climb a building in a real Spider-Man suit!