Introducing Decabromine Elimination And Control Act

Floor Speech

* Ms. PINGREE of Maine. Madam Speaker, I am very proud to introduce the Decabromine Elimination and Control Act today.

* Since 2005 there have been 44 state-based initiatives to ban brominated flame retardants (PBDEs), but only four have been signed into law, including one in my home state of Maine. That bill was sponsored by my daughter, Maine Speaker of the House Hannah Pingree, and passed by the Maine legislature.

* Today, I am honored to continue the long tradition of bringing good ideas from Maine to Washington.

* PBDEs are known endocrine disruptors, interfering with the transmission and regulation of thyroid and reproductive hormones. Exposure of infants to PBDEs is of particular concern because these chemicals have produced developmental neurotoxicity in laboratory animals, impairing memory, learning and behavior. Even more worrisome is the fact that breastfeeding infants are exposed to higher concentrations of PBDEs because of the presence of these chemicals in mother's milk. The time has come to remove this chemical from our children's toys and clothing. We must take immediate steps to ban this toxic and dangerous chemical.

* This bill phases out, and ultimately bans, the last hazardous type of PBDE, Decabromine, by 2013. It mandates disclosure of products containing Decabromine to the Environmental Protection Agency and requires safer alternatives to be created to replace this toxic chemical. I have worked closely with the International Association of Fire Fighters, the Environmental Working Group, Maine Department of Environmental Protection and Environmental Health Strategy Center to develop this important piece of legislation, and I greatly appreciate the contributions of each of these groups in getting us to this critical point.

* I look forward to working with my colleagues in the 111th Congress to pass this vital legislation and finally enact a long overdue ban on Decabromine.

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