The Toxic Substances Control Act passed in 1976, which took control of toxic substances by simply grandfathering all 62,000 of the current chemicals into the market with no effort to find out just what they were. Including MCHM, the chemical that was unceremoniously spilled into the Elk River, which is used as water intake for 300,000+ West Virginians. The act gave the EPA only 90 days to determine regulation on any of the hundreds of new chemicals introduced each year. And if the EPA is unable to review the chemicals in the 90 day period, they are totally free to use. In addition, the laws are vague in their definition of "hazardous" chemicals.
The facilities of Freedom Industries had not been inspected in 23 years!
This entire situation is unacceptable.