There are an estimated 80,000 chemicals on the market today, and most of them have never been tested to determine if they could cause cancer or interfere with our hormones. Chemicals that damage breast tissue are of particular concern, because breast cancer is one of the leading causes of death in American women. While federal legislation to strengthen chemical regulations is under consideration in Congress, a number of states, most notably California, have taken matters into their own hands by adopting stricter policies.

San Francisco-based NRDC staff scientists Sarah Janssen and Gina Solomon are among the 20 experts and advocates working to identify the type of toxicity information needed to evaluate a chemical's effect on the development of breast tissue and cancer susceptibility. "In the past, pathways linked to breast cancer haven't been considered in chemical toxicity tests, so there are no screens in place to detect potentially harmful chemicals," Janssen says. "This study will be a big step to address that gap." The California Breast Cancer Research Program, a state-endowed initiative administered by the University of California, provided funding.

Meanwhile, NRDC and other groups are pushing for reform of the Toxic Substances Control Act of 1976, a federal law widely regarded as ineffective because of its failure to require manufacturers to test new chemical products for toxic effects. Janssen and Solomon believe their California project will help guide this much-needed national reform and ultimately improve breast cancer prevention efforts.