In Memoriam: Eula Bingham, 1929-2020

(The U.S. Supreme Court later overturned the initial benzene standard on the grounds that OSHA had not established that the standard was “reasonably necessary,” but the Court also rejected the industry claim that OSHA was required to conduct a cost–benefit analysis.) The cotton dust fight was especially hard. Eula and Secretary of Labor Ray Marshall were forced to fight, using not just scientific evidence and legal argument but also behind-the-scenes politics, effective ties with unions and community groups, and in Eula’s case, a reported threat to quit. [...]her influence paid off when labor, environmental, and community groups passed state and local right-to-know laws all around the country, forcing the chemical industry itself to lobby for uniform federal regulation and leading to the Hazard Communication Standard.