Toxics Action Center

At Toxics Action Center, we believe everyone has the right to clean air and clean water, that our communities should be sustainable and that our government should operate responsively and democratically. Our children should be able to grow up free of exposure to dangerous chemicals, and with every opportunity to thrive. Yet too often, these fundamental rights are ignored or bypassed, endangering the health of both people and the environment. We know that polluters will often go to great lengths to avoid taking responsibility for their messes, and that government agencies can be very slow to do the right thing. When our communities are threatened by pollution, it is often up to everyday citizens to take action.

Toxics Action Center's mission is to work side-by-side with communities, providing them with the skills and resources needed to prevent or clean up pollution at the local level. Since 1987, we have organized over 700 communities across New England to put together the plans and strategies to effectively solve the problems they face. In doing so, we train neighbors to not only defend their health and safety, but to think strategically and come together for proactive, positive change. In our 25 year history, we have helped win hundreds of campaigns to protect the health of citizens and neighborhoods across the region. See the Communities in Action section for examples of communities we're working right now, organizing with residents to achieve real victories for their health and environment.

Every day, we receive and respond to calls from all corners of New England, from residents cleaning up hazardous waste spills, curbing pesticide use, and opposing poorly sited waste, energy, and industrial facilities. Along the way, we've brought the thousands of citizens we've worked with together, organizing for common-sense solutions, from helping to pass the nation's strongest toxics reform law in Maine to promoting safer, sustainable ways to recycle and reduce waste region-wide. By helping ordinary citizens stand against toxic pollution, we develop leaders within communities, guiding them toward their vision of a safe, healthy, sustainable society.