Today, after years of insisting that the hormone-mimicking chemical bisphenol A (BPA) was “safe for all uses,” the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has revised its stance.

EPA to phase out toxic chemical decabromodiphenyl ether (decaBDE), a brominated flame retardant that has been in the crosshairs of a coalition of states, scientists and public health professionals for nearly a decade

The U.S. Senate will hear testimony from key government agencies related to the 1976 Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), the law that governs chemical use and safety at the federal level.

Congressional hearing will examine how the EPA should begin the task of reviewing tens of thousands of chemicals in widespread use

A poll conducted in August, 2009 by the opinion research firm Lake Research Partners found that Americans are very concerned with the way chemicals are regulated for consumer use in the U.S. The findings come as new legislation—an overhaul of the 1976 Toxic Substances Control Act—is expected to be introduced soon in both Houses of the U.S. Congress.

In a signal that the EPA has entered a new era, Administrator Lisa Jackson said the time had come to strengthen EPA’s authority to regulate toxic chemicals, which are ubiquitous in the environment and human bodies.