For Immediate Release
January 27, 2026
State House Legislative Briefing January 28, Room 428, 1:00
Boston, MA - Children in the United States are surrounded all day long by toxic chemicals. Toxic chemicals are in mattresses, bedding, car seats, strollers, lotions, sunscreens, shampoos, diapers, band-aids, clothing, and toys. Meanwhile, exposure to toxic chemicals, especially in childhood, is linked to diseases that are on the rise among young people, including cancer, neurodevelopmental disorders, reproductive problems, and asthma.
Senator Jo Comerford (D-Northampton) and Representative Jim Hawkins (D-Attleboro) have filed An act relative to toxic free kids (H4357/S2660) to get the worst chemicals out of children’s products.
They are hosting a legislative briefing in collaboration with Clean Water Action this Wednesday, January 28, from 1:00 to 2:00 in Room 428 at the Massachusetts State House to give an overview of the bill and explain how it can protect children and reduce preventable illness.
Speakers at the legislative hearing will include:
- Dr. Mary Beth Miotto, Pediatrician, Immediate Past President, American Association of Pediatrics-Massachusetts Chapter;
- Ms. Syndey Engel, Pediatric Nurse Practitioner;
- Erica Kyzmir-McKeon, Director, Toxics and Communities Program, Conservation Law Foundation;
- Laura Spark, Environmental Health Program Director, Clean Water Action;
- Liz Harriman, Senior Research Associate, Lowell Center for Sustainable Production.
"While our federal government is holding hearings and enacting policies that make children less safe, we have an opportunity in Massachusetts to pass meaningful legislation to protect all kids from toxic harms,” said Laura Spark.
“All children deserve to grow up in healthy and safe environments, and that means ensuring the products made for them are free from harmful and toxic chemicals,” said Sen. Comerford. “I am proud to partner with Representative Jim Hawkins to file legislation that would identify and remove the most dangerous toxic chemicals from newly manufactured children’s products. I look forward to working with my colleagues in the Legislature and with organizations across the Commonwealth, including Clean Water Action, to take meaningful action to protect our children and put their health first.”
Examples of children’s products containing toxic chemicals will be on display.
The Massachusetts effort comes as the chemical industry is working to weaken the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), a federal law that regulates chemicals. While parents across the political spectrum want safe, non-toxic products for their children, proposed changes at the federal level could drastically reduce oversight of the chemical industry, resulting in less transparency and more toxic chemicals in everyday products.
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Clean Water Action is a national 501(c)(4) environmental organization with nearly one million members nationwide. Since the organization’s founding during the campaign to pass the landmark Clean Water Act in 1972, Clean Water Action has worked to win strong health and environmental protections by bringing issue expertise, solution-oriented thinking, and people power to the table.