DC Mayor Signs Bill Banning Toxic Chemicals in Household Products

Professional fire fighters and the citizens they protect are safer now that DC Mayor Muriel Bowser yesterday signed into law the Carcinogenic Flame Retardant Prohibition Act. The new law prohibits the manufacture, sale, or distribution of any children’s product or residential upholstered furniture containing carcinogenic flame-retardants or chemicals known to be carcinogenic to humans. It authorizes the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs to request and obtain a certificate of compliance from manufacturers who must respond within 30 days.  “Studies have confirmed that flame retardant chemicals found in these products are a deadly cancer risk to families and fire fighters,” said Ed Smith, President of the D.C. Fire Fighters Association, IAFF Local 36. “Signing this bill into law is an important and proactive step to continue to fight back against this scourge of cancer.” photo courtesy IAFF 36 Twitter feed

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