Alliance for a Healthy Tomorrow has educated thousands of parents, child care workers, health professionals, businesses, and environmentalists about the risks of toxic chemicals in consumer products. We have convened hundreds of house parties, meetings, film screenings, lectures, and plain old 1:1 conversations to educate and engage Massachusetts residents in the fight for a safer tomorrow. We have:
Encouraged the Massachusetts PFAS Interagency Task Force to issue strong recommendations to restrict the use of PFAS. In June 2022, the Massachusetts PFAS Interagency Task Force issued its final report, which included almost all of our policy recommendations. 2022
Passed legislation to ban 11 toxic flame retardants from being used in children’s products, upholstered furniture, mattresses, window treatments, and bedding in Massachusetts. 2021
Convinced Boston City Council to change the city’s Fire Code. Code now allows flame-retardant free furniture in institutional, sprinklered buildings such as assembly spaces, lobbies, hotels, and dorms. 2016
Made national change
As one of the partners in the national Mind the Store campaign, we:
Convinced hardware stores to stop selling products with methylene chloride
Got major furniture manufacturers and retailers, including Ashley, Crate and Barrel, Room and Board, and Williams Sonoma, to stop making and selling upholstered furniture with toxic flame retardants
Encouraged major companies, including Whole Foods, McDonald’s, Burger King, Sweetgreens, and Starbucks, to stop using PFAS-containing food packaging
Got REI to commit to eliminate PFAS in its texiiles and cookware
Encouraged major retailers to develop meaningful commitments to assess and reduce their use of toxic chemicals in all areas of operations. Staples and TJX are two of the Massachusetts-based brands moving forward on commitments.
Protected children
Encouraged the Massachusetts Department of Public Health to ban bisphenol A (BPA) in baby bottles and cups, making Massachusetts the 8th state to restrict the use of this endocrine disrupting chemical. 2010
Convinced the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) to issue a consumer warning for pregnant women to avoid products containing bisphenol A. 2009
Got the Massachusetts Department of Public Health to ban the manufacture, transport or sale of children’s jewelry containing more than 600 ppm lead content. State ban was later pre-empted by a federal law, but Massachusetts regulations helped set the stage of federal action. 2008
And more!
Eliminated most mercury containing products by passing An Act Relative to Mercury Management after a six year campaign. This bill remains one of the strongest state laws phasing out mercury containing products and requiring manufacturers to keep discarded products out of the waste stream. 2006
Pushed the Toxics Use Reduction Act Administrative Council to list five chemicals as Higher Hazard Substances. Previously, only seven chemicals were listed as higher hazard. The additional five designated substances were hydrogen fluoride and cyanide compounds, 1-bromopropane, and methylene chloride.
Convinced the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner, Laurie Burt, to join forces with officials from 12 other states to define a set of 8 guiding principles to be used for reform of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) —a federal law passed in 1976. 2009
Encouraged Governor Patrick to issue the Environmentally Preferable Purchasing Executive Order, which requires Massachusetts state agencies to purchase products and services that are less toxic and more environmentally sustainable. 2009
Alliance for a Healthy Tomorrow
c/o Clean Water Action/Clean Water Fund
40 Court Street
6th Floor
Boston, MA 02124
