Malloy Vetoes First Bill Of 2013; Would Have Required Regulations And Safety/Certification Standards For Spray Foam Insulation

Would you do anything to protect your child from death and serious injury? Take a few minutes and read the following. Connecticut has led the nation in environmental and chemical regulations and tried to protect consumers from inept, untrained, and negligent Spray Polyurethane Foam applicators.

So, what went wrong last Monday?

CT HB 5908 would have been the first state to protect consumers from untrained, inept, and negligent Spray Polyurethane Foam (SPF) applicators by establishing standards of applicator certification and regulating the spray polyurethane foam insulation industry.  The EPA warns that asthma in schoolchildren has been caused by exposure and off-gassing from Spray Foam Insulation.  SPF principle component - isocyanate - is one of the most toxic and deadly chemical manufactured. 

Safety certification of SPF applicators is critical because

SPF is heavily marketed to school boards as a "green solution" to rising energy costs and applied onto and into school buildings with children present and without any safety warnings.  For more than thirty years, exposure to SPF has caused children and teachers serious and permanent respiratory and brain injury, and is known to cause cancer.  And yet, SPF industry claims their product programs leads to Healthy Schools for Healthy Children. Perhaps Governor Malloy wants us to believe that line as well. 

Application of SPF on Long Beach Schools in Mississippi 

Why is SPF so dangerous? Foam products are usually manufactured in strictly controlled factory settings. But SPF insulation is manufactured "on-site" by applicators in and on consumer's homes and businesses: attics, wall spaces, and on roofs.  Governor Malloy may not been aware that SPF also contains fire retardants, yet produces thick toxic smoke if ignited. 

Although the photos in SPF advertisements depict applicators wearing protective clothing and breathing apparatus, the photo to the left is closer to the truth. School children were present and sitting beside open windows directly below applicators.  I wonder if Governor Malloy would have allowed SPF applicators to hose down his children with toxic chemicals?

Applicator safety is protected by OSHA, but employees of businesses, homeowners and their children have no agency to protect them from the off-gassing, over-spray, and contact with deadly chemicals released by SPF application.  HB 5908 was passed unanimously by both the CT House and Senate. But why did CT Governor Dan Malloy veto Bill 5908?

Governor Malloy used an effective trick common with politicians - deception. He hid his support of the chemical industry by claiming HB 5908 didn't go far enough to protect the public health. In other words, no regulation is better than some regulation. The millions of dollars paid by chemical industries each year in dark money to bribe politicians with hidden campaign contributions paid off.  Governor Malloys veto is classic smoke and mirrors politics.  Let's look look closer at Malloy's veto.

Hair dressers are required to have safety certification and state licensing to apply hairspray. But applicators of Spray on Foam roofing and insulation containing one of the most dangerous and deadly chemicals manufactured are not required to have certification and safety licensing to spray onto and into homes, schools, and daycares?  In fact no state in the US requires safety certification of SPF applicators.  Had the governor of my state, Mississippi, passed a similar bill, I and the children at my school would not have been injured by these chemicals.

In 1985 was seriously and permanently injured by Spray Foam Insulation when a non-trained

applicator sprayed these chemicals on the Long Beach School District where I had been teaching. I was an award winning athlete and teacher until SPF applied during the school day left me and more than two dozen children and teachers fighting to breathe.

Spray foam insulation was proven to have caused my severe asthma, resulted in surgical removal of almost all my sinus tissue, scarred my lungs, burned my eyes, causing early onset cataracts, and damaged my brain and peripheral nerves. The Spray Foam industry never disputed my injuries from their product.  http://www.toxicjustice.com

The next injury from SPF in Ct will have the fingerprints of Connecticut Governor Dan Malloy.

If Governor Malloy's veto angers you, please comment on the article linked below instead of commenting on this Facebook update. Chemical lobbies are buying up politicians who pretend they are protecting the public health.

Children are harmed by chemicals and poor environment because their parents remain silent.  Despite ease and availability of texting, computer and cell phone access to the internet, responsible adults have failed to take charge of their government and the protection of public health. Its your turn to say something to change this.


Commenting is easy and does make a difference.  Please share this post. I wish someone had done this for me. 

Hartford Courant, Capital Watch <http://courantblogs.com/capitol-watch/malloy-vetoes-first-bill-of-2013-would-have-required-regulations-and-safetycertification-standards-for-spray-foam-insulation/>

Gov. Dan Malloy vetoed his first bill of 2013 on Monday, saying rather than have the state develop regulations and safety standards for spray foam insulation in homes, he would encourage installers to “obtain training, credentialing or certification under programs … developed on a national basis.”
House Bill 5908, “An Act Concerning Safety and Certification Standards for the Spray Foam Insulation Industry,” sailed through both the House and Senate without any “no” votes or controversy; the House voted 145-0 on April 24, and the Senate 34-0 on May 30. . .

Read more: http://courantblogs.com/capitol-watch/malloy-vetoes-first-bill-of-2013-would-have-required-regulations-and-safetycertification-standards-for-spray-foam-insulation/#comment-129615

Thank you,
Nancy Swan, Director of Children's Environmental Protection Alliance (Children's EPA)

Healthy Schools Day Proclamation in the state of Tennessee April 30, 2013 signed by TN Governor Bill Haslam

Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam signs Healthy Schools Day Proclamation in the state of Tennessee in honor of National Healthy Schools Day, April 30, 2013.    Children's Environmental Protection Alliance (Children's EPA), Children's EPA Director Nancy Swan, and Children's EPA TN Chair Daniela Kunz sponsored this proclamation.

Tennessee governors have signed Healthy Schools Day Proclamations for the last four consecutive years, endorsing the EPA Tools for Schools Program and healthy indoor air quality and safe environmental and chemical practices in all Mississippi schools.  Please thank Governor Haslam <http://www.tn.gov/governor/contact.shtml>

For ten years parents, teachers, school nurses, custodians, advocates, and agencies have promoted National Healthy Schools Day activities nationwide. Whether you are at the beginning stages of investigating school environments or have an established Indoor Air/Environmental Quality program, we invite you to host a local activity that educates others and celebrates your school’s successes.

National Healthy Schools Day is coordinated by Healthy Schools Network in cooperation with US EPA and promotes the use of EPA's IAQ Tools for Schools guidance as well as other EPA environmental health guidelines and programs for schools and children’s health--  Healthy Schools Network

Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant signs Healthy Schools Day Proclamation in the state of Mississippi

Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant signs Healthy Schools Day Proclamation in the state of Mississippi in honor of National Healthy Schools Day, April 30, 2013.    Children's Environmental Protection Alliance (Children's EPA) and Children's EPA Director Nancy Swan sponsored this proclamation.

Mississippi governors have signed Healthy Schools Day Proclamations for the last four consecutive years, endorsing the EPA Tools for Schools Program and healthy indoor air quality and safe environmental and chemical practices in all Mississippi schools.  Please thank Governor Bryant.

For ten years parents, teachers, school nurses, custodians, advocates, and agencies have promoted National Healthy Schools Day activities nationwide. Whether you are at the beginning stages of investigating school environments or have an established Indoor Air/Environmental Quality program, we invite you to host a local activity that educates others and celebrates your school’s successes.

National Healthy Schools Day is coordinated by Healthy Schools Network in cooperation with US EPA and promotes the use of EPA's IAQ Tools for Schools guidance as well as other EPA environmental health guidelines and programs for schools and children’s health--  Healthy Schools Network

Healthy Schools Day in Alabama April 30, 2013, signed by Alabama Governor Robert Bentley in honor of National Healthy Schools Day

Alabama Governor Robert Bentley signs Healthy Schools Day Proclamation in the state of Alabama in honor of National Healthy Schools Day, April 30, 2013.  Children's Environmental Protection Alliance (Children's EPA) and Children's EPA Director Nancy Swan sponsored this proclamation.

Alabama governors have signed Healthy Schools Day Proclamations for the last five consecutive years, endorsing safe and healthy indoor air quality and safe environmental and chemical practices in all Alabama schools.  Please thank Governor Bentley for this  Healthy Schools in Alabama Proclamation. <http://governor.alabama.gov/contact.aspx

For ten years parents, teachers, school nurses, custodians, advocates, and agencies have promoted National Healthy Schools Day activities nationwide. Whether you are at the beginning stages of investigating school environments or have an established Indoor Air/Environmental Quality program, we invite you to host a local activity that educates others and celebrates your school’s successes.

National Healthy Schools Day is coordinated by Healthy Schools Network in cooperation with US EPA and promotes the use of EPA's IAQ Tools for Schools guidance as well as other EPA environmental health guidelines and programs for schools and children’s health--  Healthy Schools Network

City of Mobile Alabama Mayor Sam Jones Proclaims April 30 National Healthy Schools Day

Mobile, Alabama Mayor Sam Jones presents National Healthy Schools Day 2013 Proclamation on behalf of the City of Mobile to Nancy Swan, Director of Children's Environmental Protection Alliance (Children's EPA)

Please thank Mayor Jones <http://www.cityofmobile.org/cityofficials/mayor.php>

For ten years parents, teachers, school nurses, custodians, advocates, and agencies have promoted National Healthy Schools Day activities nationwide. Whether you are at the beginning stages of investigating school environments or have an established Indoor Air/Environmental Quality program, we invite you to host a local activity that educates others and celebrates your school’s successes.

National Healthy Schools Day is coordinated by Healthy Schools Network in cooperation with US EPA and promotes the use of EPA's IAQ Tools for Schools guidance as well as other EPA environmental health guidelines and programs for schools and children’s health.

 

Thank you, Mayor Sam Jones and the Mobile City Council for your continued support and recognition of National Healthy Schools Day, April 30, 2013.

Proposed Connecticut House Bill 5908 -To protect the health and safety of spray foam insulation installers and their customers,

Proposed Connecticut House Bill 5908 -To protect the health and safety of spray foam insulation installers and their customers,

Introduced by: General Law Committee,  referred by House to Committee on the Environment on April 4, 2013

To monitor status of this Bill: http://www.cga.ct.gov/asp/cgabillstatus/cgabillstatus.asp?selBillType=Bill&bill_num=HB05908&which_year=2013

Proposed Connecticut House Bill 5908: an act concerning safety and certification standards for the spray Foam Insulation Industry.

SPF application on Long Beach Middle School (Mississippi). Applicators were not trained and  not certified to provide safe application. As a result, more than two-dozen children and teachers were seriously and permanently injured.

Spray Polyurethane Foam (SPF) Spray on Foam roofing and insulation industry has been named by the US EPA and major health organizations as responsible for injuring schoolchildren, employees, and homeowners for more than thirty years, yet no state or federal government has succeeded in regulating this powerful and reckless industry.

The SPF industry continues to exploit a regulatory loophole which causes tens of thousands of injuries and deaths - each year.  Storage of deadly chemicals and their use in the manufacture of products and safety of employees is regulated only in manufacturing facilities.  However, SPF are transported off-site where manufacture of the foam takes place in individual homes, businesses, day cares, and schools.  

Odd as it may seem,  SPF applicators are not required to be certified in the safe storage, manufacture or application of one of the most deadly chemicals manufactured - isocyanate. SPF sellers are too eager to make a profit and applicators are "intermediaries."  

The Intermediary Defense is a legal term used to manipulate the judge and confuse juries by pointing the finger of blame at each other- the manufacture or the applicator- so that neither is held accountable for injuries. 

As a result the failure to regulate the SPF industry, innocent consumers and inhabitants of these buildings are not warned of the known and potential health dangers caused by SPF, no first aid is provided, and injury and death end up drawn out in civil court for sometimes fifteen or more years, like my case.

Spray Polyurethane Foam (SPF) roofing, Spray on Foam roofing and insulation, and Spray on Foam sealant have been heavily marketed to school boards around the world for the last 30 years as a "green solution."   A bill has been introduced in Connecticut to regulate the use of Spray on Foam products.  

Get involved: 

• If you live in Connecticut, call your lawmaker to support CT H. B. 5908.  Find you CT Representative, Senator - <http://www.cbia.com/ga/get_involved/contact_ct_legislators/>

• If you live outside Connecticut, write a letter in support of federal SPF regulation to President Obama using the CT Bill 5908.  

• Ask national and state health and environment organization to fax a letter of support to CT House Committee on the Environment.   Write Connecticut Governor Dannel Malloy to support Proposed CT House Bill 5908 <http://www.governor.ct.gov/malloy/site/default.asp>

http://landing.newsinc.com/shared/video.html?freewheel=91060&sitesection=WTIC_hom_non_fro&VID=24462819

• SPF is not "green." The terms "Green" and "Green solution" are not regulated by USA and most other countries, and therefore have no useful meaning to school boards or to the consumer.  "Green" and "Green solution" are product and advertiser hype words only.  Spray on Foam products may help to reduce energy consumption, 

• SPF is not safe.  SPF causes cancer,  serious and permanent burns and scarring of respiratory tissue including lungs, and brain and nervous system damage.  SPF application and off-gassing increases a children's exposure to deadly, asthma causing, and cancer-causing chemicals.  

  The SPF industry has failed to self-regulate to protect both its workers and to protect consumers from one of the most dangerous chemicals manufactured- isocyanate.

Sale and use of this product needs to be tightly regulated throughout the USA and other countries.

Spray on Foam products seriously and permanently injured me and more than two dozen children at the school where I had been teaching.   Toxic Justice - Nancy Swan (See photo above)

This tragedy is happening in every city and in thousands of schools, homes, and businesses across the USA. 

How can you prevent this product from harming you or your child? You can't.  Applicators are not required to issue warnings or advisories.  But we can start by supporting CT Bill 5908, to be the first state to require safety certification for SPF applicators.

After watching the following video, please visit http://www.childrensepa.org/ 

Bill to regulate Spray on Foam use in Connecticut http://landing.newsinc.com/shared/video.html?freewheel=91060&sitesection=WTIC_hom_non_fro&VID=24462819

Tags: SPF, Spray Polyurethane Foam, SPF Insulation, Spray On Foam, Spray On Foam Roofing, Spray on Foam Sealant, Spray on Foam products, School Board, Brain damage, Asthma, Green Solution, Green, Connecticut, WTIC, Homeowners, insulation, Children's EPA, Toxic Justice, legislation, environment, health, children's health, asthma, brain damage, respiratory irritant, cancer, American Chemical Council, EPA, CDC, Connecticut, H. B. 5908, chemical safety, OSHA, FEMA, NIOSH, CDC

Mississippi Jackson County students sickened by crystals thought to be candy

Below is the link to a Sun Herald newspaper article about school children injured by ingesting crystal they were told was candy, but was actually a part of a science project.

This frightening poisoning of school children stresses the need for stronger regulation of hazardous chemicals on school grounds. Even more frightening is that schools in Mississippi are not required to warn parents of hazardous chemicals and cancerous conditions on school property. Nor are schools required to inform parents if children have been harmed by dangerous chemicals and poor environmental conditions.

Readers of the article below should note that vital information was omitted or missing concerning the source of the chemicals ingested, the name of the chemicals, and other vital health information needed by parents.

Rumors abound when viable information is withheld from parents and the community and not given in a timely manner. Failure to provide chemical and health information further threatens the health of children.


I was injured while teaching in Long Beach School District in Mississippi. More than two dozen children were injured as well. Chemical information was withheld from the public at that time, including that the cancer causing chemicals also caused brain damage and asthma.
Mississippi parents should be outraged when school districts withhold valuable information that affects the health of children and staff members.
Nancy Swan
Director, Children's Environmental Protection Alliance (Children's EPA)
Join Children's EPA on facebook, Children's EPA (Children's Environmental Protection Alliance)

Jackson County students ingest crystals thought to be candy

ead more here: http://www.sunherald.com/2013/02/27/4495472/jackson-county-students-ingest.html#storylink=cpy

Twenty-one students and two adults at St. Martin Upper Elementary School ingested aluminum potassium sulfate crystals that were mistakenly thought to be candy, the Jackson County Sheriff's Office said today.

Read more here: http://www.sunherald.com/2013/02/27/4495472/jackson-county-students-ingest.html#storylink=cpy

Read more: http://www.sunherald.com/2013/02/27/4495472/jackson-county-students-ingest.html