Voters Care

There is support for public health measures that limit exposure to toxic chemicals among voters. 

Women, the largest voting block expected at the polls in 2008, are particularly concerned about the public health consequences of exposures to toxic chemicals.

Voters support public health measures when they learn that pregnant women exposed to high levels of pollution are more likely to give birth to children with birth defects and that children are at a higher risk of harm from exposure to environmental toxic chemicals.

Fifty-eight percent of U.S. adults believe that chemicals and pollutants are more of a threat to people like them than they were 10 years ago and 61 percent of adults have taken at least one step to reduce their exposure to chemicals or pollutants.

Voters of both sexes accept there is a link between toxic chemicals and health problems. There is near unanimous agreement among voters that toxic chemicals and industrial pollutants can cause health problems (97 percent agree, 78 percent strongly agree) and can cause disease (97 percent agree, 82 percent strongly agree).

Eighty-four percent of Americans list cancer as a health problem that concerns them, with 27 percent responding that it is their top health risk concern.