Right To Know

We deserve the right to know what polluters are dumping into our communities. But the Bush Administration severely limited the information disclosed to the public about toxic pollution released into our communities. A campaign by PennPIRG and our coalition led Congress and the Obama administration to restore the public’s right to know. Read more.

Safer Communities

Across the U.S., more than 7000 facilities endanger more than 1,000 people in the event of an accident; 100 of those endanger more than 1 million people.  Most of these hazards are preventable.

Since 2001, more than 220 chemical facilities have switched to safer and more secure chemicals and processes, eliminating the risk to millions of people.  But thousands of facilities have yet to adopt safer technologies, leaving American communities at unnecessary risk.

PennPIRG is working with a coalition of labor, environment and public health groups to urge Congress to finally pass a comprehensive chemical plant security bill this year. Read more.  Read more.

Safer Alternatives

Every year tons of harmful, dangerous waste is released into our air, water and is used in the products we consume. PennPIRG is working to implement safer, healthier alternatives to this chemical assault on our health and the environment. Read more.

Product Safety

Our product safety net isn’t up to the job of protecting us from dangerous product.

For one, America is facing a hyper-competitive, globalized marketplace, with enormous pressure to cut costs—and cut corners.

And at the very moment that both corporate CEOs and top government officials should be demanding greater vigilance, we've seen regulations weakened or repealed and funding for watchdog agencies slashed. Read more.