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Md. Moms Raise Awareness Of Toxins In Household Products At Capitol Hill

BALTIMORE (WJZ)-- Raising awareness, one stroller at a time. Maryland women join moms across the country, raising awareness of toxic chemicals in household products.

Jessica Kartalija explains.

From the cobblestone streets of Fells Point to the City of Brotherly Love and straight to Capitol Hill, they're moms on a mission.

"This is something we have to do for our children," said Barbara Friend of the Stroller Brigade.

Mothers across the country take part in Stroller Brigades demanding better protection from toxic chemicals.

"The fact that chemicals are such a huge part of our lives and only 10% of the chemicals are tested," Friend said. "So out of the millions and millions of chemicals out there, only 10% have been tested for safety."

Moms marching down Thames Street deliver letters to Senator Barbara Mikulski's staff urging Congress to be superheroes in the quest for safer chemicals.

"We are asking her and Senator Cardin and we are asking them to be our Superheros," said one Stroller Brigade mother.

In response, Senator Mikulski says: "I support efforts to ensure chemicals are safe for families through the Environmental Protection Agency and the Consumer Product Safety Commission. I will look carefully at this bill."

"Chemicals can bring health or threats to children's well-being," said Sen. Frank Lautenberg introducing his bill.

That bill is the Safe Chemicals Act of 2011. If passed, the bill would increase chemical safety, inform consumers of hazardous chemicals and protect pregnant women and children.

"This is an incredibly important piece of legislation," Friend said.

Safer chemicals, healthy families--organized today's stroller brigade. It is a coalition of 280 public health and community organizations.

Mothers from 17 states participated in today's stroller brigade, including New York, Delaware and Pennsylvania.

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