In a recent CHE Alaska webinar, Alaska Community Action on Toxics (ACAT) hosted a conversation with environmental health advocate and author Lindsay Dahl about her new book, Cleaning House: The Fight to Rid Our Homes of Toxic Chemicals.
Dahl, who has spent more than two decades working on environmental health and chemical safety policy, discussed how toxic chemicals end up in everyday products, why U.S. chemical regulation remains deeply flawed, and what we can do to push for systemic change. Rather than framing toxic exposure as an issue of individual consumer responsibility alone, Dahl emphasized that meaningful solutions require policy reform, corporate accountability, and collective action.
A systemic problem, not an individual failure
One of the webinar’s central themes was the tension between personal wellness culture and systemic environmental health protections.
Dahl explained that while many people are now more aware of toxic chemicals in household and personal care products, the broader public conversation has become increasingly distorted by misinformation and social media “wellness wars.” She warned against both fear-based messaging and dismissive claims that concerns about toxic chemicals are “pseudoscience.”
Instead, she advocated for what she called a “sane middle ground” rooted in scientific evidence, nuance, and practical solutions. Reading from the introduction of her book, Dahl said:
“Science — facts — shouldn’t have anything to do with party affiliation.”
She stressed that Americans across political lines generally agree on basic principles: products should be safe, public health should be protected, and harmful chemicals should not contaminate air, water, soil, or human bodies.
Toxic chemicals & environmental justice
A particularly moving moment came when Dahl read from Chapter 4 of her book, which highlights the work of ACAT's Pamela Miller and Vi Waghiyi.
The passage described congressional lobbying efforts around reforming the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) and focused on how persistent toxic chemicals disproportionately impact Indigenous communities in Alaska and the Arctic.
Dahl recounted how Waghiyi got the attention of an initially disinterested congressional staffer by explaining that chemicals from consumer products and industrial pollution accumulate in Arctic ecosystems and ultimately contaminate the breast milk of Indigenous mothers. The congressional staffer happened to be pregnant herself. The story illustrated how environmental contamination is not abstract or distant; it directly affects families, health, and future generations.
Why TSCA matters
Throughout the discussion, Dahl repeatedly returned to the importance of TSCA, the primary U.S. law regulating industrial chemicals.
Originally passed in 1976, TSCA has long failed to require adequate safety testing before chemicals enter the marketplace. Dahl explained that advocates fought for decades to strengthen the law, leading to reforms in 2016 that gave the EPA more authority to evaluate and restrict dangerous substances such as asbestos, certain solvents, and persistent bioaccumulative toxic chemicals.
She warned that current efforts to weaken or roll back these protections pose a serious threat to public health. Her strongest call to action during the webinar was clear: Contact members of Congress and oppose rollbacks to TSCA protections. Dahl emphasized that public pressure matters, and pointed to successful advocacy campaigns that helped strengthen federal asbestos regulations.
Communicating science in a polarized world
Another major topic was the challenge of communicating environmental health science in today’s media environment.
Dahl described social media as a powerful awareness tool on one hand, but also as a source of confusion and polarization. She expressed concern that complex scientific discussions are increasingly reduced to viral soundbites, influencer content, and culture-war debates.
She also discussed the limitations of traditional toxicology frameworks like “the dose makes the poison,” noting that newer research on endocrine-disrupting chemicals shows that some substances may affect human health at extremely low levels.
To communicate risk more effectively, Dahl highlighted the importance of storytelling and relatable examples rather than overwhelming people with statistics alone. One analogy she shared (borrowed from cancer researcher Richard Clapp) compared cumulative environmental exposures to slices of a blueberry pie: genetics, workplace conditions, pollution, and household exposures all contribute to overall health risk. Most people agree that if we can prevent one of those parts of overall exposure, then we should.
Equity, access & safer products
Webinar participants asked how safer consumer products can become more affordable and accessible.
Dahl argued that strong regulation (not just consumer demand) is what ultimately drives industry-wide change. She cited examples such as BPA-free baby bottles and flame-retardant-free furniture, noting that once regulations shift markets, safer products become widely available at many price points.
She emphasized that environmental health should not become a privilege available only to wealthy consumers shopping at niche retailers. At the same time, Dahl encouraged consumers seeking safer options to look for credible third-party certifications rather than vague marketing terms like “non-toxic.”
Looking ahead
When asked what gives her hope, Dahl pointed to growing public awareness about toxic chemical pollution and increasing bipartisan concern about environmental health. She encouraged participants to continue supporting organizations doing frontline advocacy work, including community-based environmental monitoring, science communication, and policy reform efforts.
Above all, she emphasized that collective action still matters:
“We do still have power.”
The webinar closed with a reminder that protecting public health from toxic chemicals is not only about individual choices; it is about building systems that prioritize human and environmental well-being for everyone.
For more, see the recording of the CHE Alaska webinar: Cleaning House: The fight to rid our homes of toxic chemicals.
Saoirse McAdams is a Science Writer at Alaska Community Action on Toxics (ACAT) and holds a Master of Public Health in Global Health and Environment from the University of California, Berkeley, where she focused on toxic exposures, environmental health, and sustainable food systems. Her graduate research examined demographic factors influencing PFAS levels in maternal blood, deepening her interest in the intersections of environmental justice, public health, and community resilience. She first joined ACAT as a research practicum student in 2023 and is excited to return in her current role, where she joins CHE-AK in addition to translating scientific research into clear, accessible information to support education, advocacy, and community-led action.