LOWELL — Ken Geiser, an outspoken authority on the dangers of toxic chemicals and 25-year veteran of UMASS Lowell, has released a new book focusing on the use of dangerous chemicals in America.
The book, “Chemicals without Harm: Policies for a Sustainable World,” details the current situation on chemical control and what needs to be done to bring about safer policies for the use of dangerous chemicals. Geiser proposes a new strategy calling for the creation of safer alternatives to toxic chemicals instead of the current model of strictly controlling them.
Dr. Geiser is a professor emeritus at UMASS Lowell, founder and co-director of the Toxics Use Reduction Institute at UMASS Lowell and the co-director of the Lowell Center for Sustainable Production.
Q. What was your inspiration behind writing Chemicals without Harm?
A. Some 25 years ago I helped write the Massachusetts Toxics Use Reduction Act and worked with industries to reduce the use of hazardous chemicals, and ever since then I have been on a long journey to move our country, and the world, to use safer chemicals and prevent damage and illness to ourselves and the environment. Seeing the damage that had been caused to people who had been exposed to chemicals made me realize that we really needed to find ways to manufacture products without using chemicals that can cause serious harm to ourselves or the environment.
Q. What were some of the challenges you faced while writing this book?
A. Writing this book turned out to be very complicated, mostly for two reasons. The first is that the book deals with current events, and what’s current with chemicals is always changing. So I would write an idea of what the argument should be and then realize that things have changed and I would have to completely reorganize my ideas. The second reason is that I began planning my retirement around the same time I began writing the book, which turned out to be much more work than I ever expected. In the end I wound up breaking my ankle, which laid me up for six weeks and gave me the time needed to finish the book.
Q. What has been UMASS Lowell’s response to your research?
A. The university has always been very supportive of my work. I have been here for 25 years, and they have always supported the centers that I have set up. I am very pleased with their response.
Q. What steps can Lowell residents take to improve the current situation?
A. People can become more informed about chemicals and what is on the market, but it is impossible to shop our way to a better world. What they can really do to help is work with their local retailers, big and small, who are beginning to slowly phase out some of the most hazardous chemicals in their products.
Q. What will readers find most surprising about Chemicals without Harm?
A. What has been very surprising is the amount of activity that is going on across the country and how many different companies, nonprofits, schools and municipalities, are working to adopt safer chemicals. I think that is very encouraging.
Q. How effective has the U.S. government been with controlling harmful chemicals?
A. When I started my work in the 1970’s, the U.S. government was seen as the world leader in environmental policy and pioneered new laws that really benefited the environment. But after the 1980’s, all of that great work just stopped. So right now, I would personally give the government a C- in terms of its federal chemical work. There are good people doing good things out there, but there has been no movement in congress or support from the administration.
Q. How does your work at UMASS Lowell tie into your work on Chemicals without Harm?
A. I am involved with the Toxics Use Reduction Institute here at the university and the Lowell Center for Sustainable Production, and both do a lot of work on chemical policy that really tied into the book. In the book, I write a lot about the work I do at the center here and the teaching I have done in the past. So the two are definitely related.
Q. What is your biggest criticism about the current model of chemical control?
A. The current model of chemical control focuses on one dangerous chemical at a time. So while we end up with controls on one specific chemical, there are still so many more chemicals out there that are harmful and they are interacting with one another. The regulation of one chemical at a time is a simple way to control chemicals, but not an effective one.
Q. What immediate changes can be made to reduce the effect of toxic chemicals?
A. More consumer education, more work with major retailers, and more work with the big product producers will all lead to change. But the biggest thing is to support science and the chemists that have the ability to create newer and safer chemicals. Right now, the current model of chemical control is to protect against the negative effects of these chemicals when it really should be finding alternatives to these dangerous chemicals so we do not need to expose ourselves to them in the first place.
Q. Where can potential customers find Chemicals without Harm, and how can they contact you?
A. They can buy the book by going to MITpress.com or any of the other online retailers out there. I’m launching a web site shortly where people can contact me, called materialspolicy.org, and that will probably be the best way to reach me.
