美國加州阿拉曼達郡高等法院日前裁定,用來保障民眾知的權利與飲用安全的法案「65提案」(Proposition 65),必須延伸到目前在勞工安全保護標準規範下,已知會致癌以及傷害生殖功能的有毒化學物。
高等法院認定,加州政府有義務每年一度更新「65提案」的有毒物質清單,將職業災害中的有害化學物質納入。
法院的裁決有利於勞工及環保團體。此案源自於自然資源保護委員會、美國鋼鐵工人聯合會、美國山巒協會等對加州商業總會提起的訴訟。
「這是一個對全加州家庭及社區健康的大勝利,當他們暴露在致癌以及生育缺陷之下時,他們都有知的權利,」自然資源保護委員會的資深律師威爾(Michael Wall)如此表示,「這個裁定將會防止官僚延誤而阻礙了健康和飲用水安全保障。」
在65提案之下,加州每年都會發佈一個化學藥品清單以警告消費者有害物質並禁止清單內的化學品排放入飲用水源中。
這個清單現在仍在爭議中,因為清單內對工作場合安全有疑慮的新增化學品超過90項。
有可能被列入這份清單的化學品包括苯乙烯,這是在多種塑膠以及泡棉的主要原料;另外上有石油添加物第三甲戊醚(Methyl tert Amyl Ether,簡稱TAME),以及普遍作為草皮和園藝殺蟲劑──可濕性粉劑中加保利(carbaryl)。
California's right-to-know and safe drinking water protection law, Proposition 65, must be extended to toxic chemicals known to cause cancer and reproductive harm that are already identified under worker protection standards, the Alameda County Superior Court has ruled.
The court held that California has an annual legal duty to update the Proposition 65 list with carcinogens and reproductive toxins identified under worker protection standards.
The court ruled in favor of labor and environmental groups, including the Natural Resources Defense Council, United Steelworkers and Sierra Club that fought the case against the California Chamber of Commerce.
"This is a victory for the health of all California families and communities, who have a right to know when they are exposed to chemicals that cause cancer and birth defects," said Michael Wall, senior attorney with the Natural Resources Defense Council. "This decision will prevent bureaucratic delays from standing in the way of health and drinking water protections."
Under Proposition 65, California annually publishes a list of chemicals that warns consumers of harmful substances and prohibits the discharges of listed chemicals into drinking water sources.
The list of chemicals California must now add to the Proposition 65 list is still in dispute, but more than 90 additional chemicals identified in workplace safety standards are at issue.
Chemicals that are likely to be listed as a result of this ruling include styrene, a ingredient in various plastic and foam products, gasoline additives such as tert-amyl methyl ether, and carbaryl, a common lawn and garden pesticide.