The "precautionary principle" – adopted by the European
Union in 1992 as the basis for regulation of toxic chemicals –-
holds that in the face of scientific uncertainty, government should
err on the side of protecting public health and safety. In other
words, if scientific evidence indicates there is a good chance that
a chemical may pose a risk of irreversible harm, regulators should
not wait for absolute proof before acting.
One of the major themes running through the internal chemical industry
documents investigated in TRADE SECRETS: A MOYERS REPORT is the
industry's opposition to the precautionary principle. It has used
its wealth to win favorable treatment from politicians, sponsored
surrogates to promote the industry point of view with the media,
and now is quietly pushing legislation through state legislatures
that will overturn many of the gains citizens believe they have
made in their right to information about toxic chemicals.
The chemical industry long kept secret vital information about
the potential health effects of some of its manufacturing
processes and some of its products. When challenged by citizens'
initiatives to reveal those secrets, it mounted extensive
– and expensive – campaigns to defeat them. |
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In its decades-long effort to limit the regulation of chemicals,
the industry's Washington trade association declared: "This
is war – not a battle." |
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"PAC contributions improve access to members," a
1980 CMA document exhorts. Since then, the chemical industry has
contributed at least $117 million to help elect Senators, congressmen
and Presidents. |
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In
the late 1980s, people began to agitate for the right to know
more about the chemicals that they and their children were
being exposed to. |
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