Our Heroes: Fathers, Grandfathers, Legislators
When it comes to toxic chemical reform across the nation, many of the legislative heroes are dads, husbands and grandfathers who are not only working hard to protect the lives of the electorate, but more personally to remove toxic chemical...Read More...
Cancer and our Environment: States leading the fight
Dear Mr. President: Though overall cancer incidence and mortality have continued to decline in recent years, the disease continues to devastate the lives of far too many Americans. In 2009 alone, approximately 1.5 million American men, women, and children were...Read More...
Safer States: News Round-Up
There has been a lot of toxics news coming from the states lately. The Safer States organizations have been doing an amazing job of protecting their state's citizens through legislation restricting toxic chemicals. Moreover, elected officials have been hearing the...Read More...
The Safe Chemicals Act: The states weigh in
This month, the Safe Chemicals Act was introduced into Congress. This bill will be the overhaul to the Toxic Substances Chemicals Act -- the decades-old law that regulates toxic chemical use in this country. Time magazine said it well when...Read More...
The Safe Chemicals Act: States Still in the Lead
by Laurie Valeriano, Policy Director for the Washington Toxics Coalition. This is a big moment for environmental health advocates and organizations like the Washington Toxics Coalition: today Congress released the Safe Chemicals Act, which is the first draft of a...Read More...
BPA Update: Victory in WA, Other News
More than 200 scientific studies have linked Bisphenol-A (BPA) to known health effects including impaired brain and reproductive development in unborn babies, miscarriage in pregnant women, diabetes, obesity and cancer. Populations that are particularly vulnerable to BPA are infants, children...Read More...
Focus on Connecticut
This week, we checked in with Sarah Uhl, the coordinator for Coalition for a Safe and Healthy Connecticut. It's no surprise that the state that passed the most comprehensive bisphenol-a bill in the nation has lots of exciting toxics news...Read More...
BPA update: Wisconsin, Maryland, Washington
More than 200 scientific studies have linked Bisphenol-A (BPA) to known health effects including impaired brain and reproductive development in unborn babies, miscarriage in pregnant women, diabetes, obesity and cancer. Populations that are particularly vulnerable to BPA are infants, children...Read More...
1 in 3 toys contain toxic chemicals
It's nearly the same story that we told you a year ago: The Ecology Center has released research this week which reports that 1 in 3 toys contain lead, cadmium, arsenic or mercury. While levels of lead in toys is...Read More...
13 states dictate principles for toxics reform
Officials from thirteen states joined forces today to dictate a set of eight guiding principles to be used for reform of the Toxic Substances Control Act, or TSCA -- a law from 1976 which provides the EPA with the authority...Read More...
AG takes on industry plot to deceive public about BPA
Connecticut’s Attorney General is going after the food packaging and chemical industries for their plans to use fear tactics and misleading advertising to convince the public that bisphenol A is a safe chemical for food and drink containers. Connecticut just...Read More...
Connecticut passes groundbreaking BPA ban
Connecticut is the first state in the nation to ban the toxic chemical bisphenol A from infant formula and baby food cans and jars, as well as the full range of reusable food and beverage containers. Governor M. Jodi Rell...Read More...
Connecticut: Senate passes BPA ban
Connecticut’s Senate has passed a bill that will ban bisphenol A from baby bottles and reusable food and drink containers with a nearly unanimous vote of 35-1. Connecticut is on its way to become the second state this month to...Read More...
States hope to join Minnesota in banning BPA
As legislative sessions in some states come to a close, the effort to pass bans on bispehnol A (BPA) has intensified. The chemical industry seems to be pulling out all the stops to block passage of the remaining bills. On...Read More...
BPA bills on the move in key states
Bills that would ban bisphenol A from children’s products are scheduled to make their way through key committees and legislative bodies during the next week. Although Suffolk County, New York passed its ban on BPA in baby bottles earlier in...Read More...
Connecticut’s BPA ban moves forward
Connecticut came closer to becoming the first state to ban bisphenol A from food and beverage containers Tuesday. The ban passed an important hurdle when a legislative committee unanimously endorsed the bill, according to a story in Forbes. While legislators...Read More...
Toxic flame retardants - and their defenders - in the news
Two new studies released this week raise concerns about the widespread contamination of the environment and human health from brominated flame retardants. Flame retardants are found in every day items from sofas to televisions and computers to mattresses. Yet the...Read More...
BPA found in soda cans
That the synthetic sex hormone BPA can be found in baby bottles and some water bottles is well known. State and federal legislation, actions by state attorneys general, and market forces have been engaged in the effort to get BPA...Read More...
Connecticut: AG says baby bottle companies to stop using BPA
Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal declared a "public health victory" as he announced today that six baby bottle companies have agreed to stop using bisphenol A (BPA) in baby bottles. The six companies that agreed to pull BPA from baby...Read More...
Connecticut: Doctor says state should shield kids from BPA
In an opinion piece in the Hartford Courant, Dr. Carl Baum urged Connecticut's legislature and Governor to "write children a prescription for prevention to chemical exposure." A bill that would prohibit the use of BPA in food containers, such as...Read More...
BPA exposure puts girls at risk for breast cancer
A new study has shown that exposure to bisphenol A at levels lower than what the Environmental Protection Agency currently says is safe increases the risk of girls developing breast cancer as women. The study was conducted on rats, whose...Read More...
Chicago takes on BPA while FDA continues to defend its use
An editorial in the Chicago Tribune on Feb. 11 praises city aldermen for sponsoring a resolution to ban children’s products made with bisphenol A (BPA), a synthetic sex hormone linked to breast cancer, diabetes, male infertility, and other health problems....Read More...
Toy safety law takes effect today
A new federal law regulating lead and phthalate levels in children’s toys takes effect today. The law is a big step forward for children’s health and safety. After today retailers cannot sell toys with more than 600 parts of lead...Read More...
Connecticut: Public sends legislators a message in a bottle
Advocates and public officials gathered at Connecticut’s Legislative Office Building Jan. 27 to send legislators a message in a bottle: toxic bisphenol A does not belong in food and beverage containers, and Connecticut needs to lead the way toward safer...Read More...
Toymaker to pay states $12 million for toxic toys
Toy manufacturer Mattel has settled a lawsuit filed by states after last year’s massive toy recall. Mattel and subsidiary Fisher Price will pay $12 million to 39 states as a part of the settlement, according to an Associated Press story....Read More...
Parents test toys for toxic chemicals at Healthy Toys event in Connecticut
West Hartford parents gathered Dec. 3 at Our Children’s Center daycare, patiently waiting as a representative from the Coalition for a Safe & Healthy Connecticut tested their children’s toys for chemicals of concern. Parents were drawn to learn what their...Read More...
Second annual consumer guide to toxic chemicals in toys to be released for 2008 holiday shopping season
In response to the overwhelming demand for information about toxic chemicals in toys, environmental health groups are releasing the second annual guide to help parents make informed decisions this holiday season. In addition to listing the toxic chemicals found in...Read More...
State attorneys general ask companies to avoid Bisphenol A in baby products
Based on evidence that bisphenol A may harm infants, attorneys general in Delaware, Connecticut, and New Jersey sent letters to 11 companies that make baby bottles and baby formula containers asking that they voluntarily stop using BPA in those products,...Read More...
Coalition for a Safe and Healthy Connecticut
The Coalition for a Safe and Healthy Connecticut is comprised of citizens, health professionals, workers, environmental justice groups, educators and others seeking preventive action on toxic hazards. Unfortunately, current environment and health policies do not protect us. In recent years,...Read More...
Connecticut: Hartford Courant calls for limits on BPA
The Hartford Courant published an editorial on Sept. 23, taking a strong stand against the FDA’s position on the safety of Bisphenol-A. The editorial questions the FDA’s refusal to adjust its position – asserting that BPA is safe – in...Read More...
