Environmental Health
Making Vermont a safer and healthier place to live by reducing waste and eliminating toxins from consumer products, drinking water, and our environment.
Thousands of toxic or untested chemicals are used in products we’re exposed to every day in our homes, schools, and workplaces. From PFAS in our drinking water to pesticides in our natural environment to harmful chemicals found in single-use plastics and other consumer products, there are simply too many hidden dangers. These toxins are building up in our bodies and contributing to alarming trends in public health, including increased rates of birth defects, developmental disabilities, reproductive disorders, cancers, and more.
VPIRG supports federal and state legislation that will get known toxins out of consumer products and require health and safety testing before chemicals make it into products on our store shelves. We are also committed to promoting a circular economy that reduces waste, creates jobs, and holds manufacturers accountable for environmental impacts from the full life cycle of products they create.
Learn more about our Environmental Health campaigns:
Recent Environmental Health News
Protecting our Pollinators: A Lakeside Chat with Charlie Nardozzi and Samantha Alger
If you’re anything like me, you probably enjoy spending time in or around the garden…
2023 Legislative Recap
The 2023 Vermont legislative session has come to a close, marking the halfway point of…
2023 Mid Session Legislative Update
We are officially halfway through the 2023 legislative session, with both legislative and money crossover…
Key Committee Advances Bill to Protect Vermonters from PFAS and Other Toxic Chemicals
On Friday, the Vermont Senate Committee on Health and Welfare unanimously passed legislation (S.25) to…
REI Announces It Will Ban PFAS In All Textiles
New commitment follows nationwide campaign and state regulatory actions On February 21st, leading outdoor retailer…
2022 VT Legislative Session Recap
We’ve recently wrapped up a busy, successful – and, in some cases, challenging – legislative…