Persistent, bioaccumulative toxics, commonly known as PBTs, are a group of toxic chemicals that are joined together by some common features. Common PBTs in our lives include mercury, DDT, cadmium, lead, and several groups of chemicals including PCBs, toxic flame retardants (PBDEs) and dioxins. While these chemicals have many different uses in our lives, and different effects on our health, they are joined together by the following facts:

1. PBTs are persistent. These chemicals are often used in manufacturing because of the exact features that cause great, great trouble in our environment: they don't break down, and they stay in the environment for a very long time. PCBs, for instance, are man-made mixtures of chlorinated compounds that are used in manufacturing because they are non-flammable, have a high boiling point, and are insoluble in water: all features that make them very difficult to dispose of.
2. PBTs are bioaccumulative. Once these chemicals are ingested by living creatures, they build up in fatty tissue, and move up the food chain as they are consumed by bigger creatures, eventually making their way into our diets.
3. PBTs are toxic. These chemicals have been associated with all manner of health effects: mercury affects the nervous system of developing fetuses, chronic exposure to DDT affects the liver and kidneys among other parts of the body, cadmium has been labeled by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as a probable carcinogen, lead exposure in adults results in neurological effects like seizures, PCBs pose a cancer risk, PBDEs have been found to be endocrine disruptors, and dioxins cause reproductive and developmental problems.

When the President's Cancer Panel released a report in May 2010 advising Americans to take specific steps to reduce environmental toxins in their lives and thus reduce cancer risk, it was a watershed moment. The report recommended that Americans drink filtered water, avoid bisphenol-A (BPA), eat food grown without pesticides, and carefully choose the household products they use.

In an interview with the Breast Cancer Fund, Dr. Margaret Kripke, member of the President's Cancer Panel, commented on the creation of the report: "This was an enormously eye-opening experience for me." The panel decided to focus on cancer-causing environmental toxins because they are of concern to many Americans, and because 6% of cancers are thought to be caused by environmental carcinogens – this means that about 20,000 Americans are dying each year due to cancer caused by their environment.

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 message from their voters: we deserve to be protected from toxic chemicals in our lives.

Here's what's happening, state by state:

Alaska

This year's legislative calendar included a ban on Deca-BDE in mattresses and electronics. The bill ultimately failed, but the momentum for the bill was encouraging.

This week, we checked in with Peter Starzynski, Coalition Coordinator for Healthy Legacy. This is an organization that supports the passage of laws and policies in Minnesota that will help its citizens lead healthy, toxic-free lives.

BPA BAN

Last May, Minnesota made national news by becoming the first state in the nation to ban Bisphenol-A (BPA). The BPA Free Baby Bottle Bill went into effect on January 1, prohibiting use of BPA in baby bottles and sippy-cups.

Retailers have until January 1, 2011 to sell existing stock, so Minnesotan babies will be using BPA-free bottles next year.

Minnesota has become the the first state in the nation to pass a ban on bisphenol A (BPA).

An incredible grassroots campaign powered by a diverse coalition of parents, scientists, environmentalists, and health advocates shut down the chemical industry's efforts to beat the bill and secured the signature of Governor Tim Pawlenty.

Minnesota’s Governor Pawlenty (R) signed the legislation banning BPA in children’s sippy cups and baby bottles Thursday May 7, just days after it passed the legislature with tremendous bipartisan support; only 13 of the 179 votes cast opposed the ban.

A bill that would ban bisphenol A (BPA) in baby bottles and sippy cups passed the Minnesota State Senate last week, 55-8, and just passed the State House yesterday, 126-5. The bill was passed with outstanding bi-partisan support.

Now it’s up to Governor Pawlenty to sign the bill into law, which would make Minnesota the first state to ban BPA in baby products.

BPA is a synthetic sex hormone that leaches out of baby bottles and “sippy” cups. Emerging independent science shows that low dose exposure to BPA is linked to a variety of health problems, including breast cancer, prostate cancer, hormone disruption, early onset of puberty, ADD/ADHD and more.

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 April, no state government has yet passed BPA legislation.

Swarms of plastics industry and chemical lobbyists have descended on states with BPA legislation and are investing untold thousands of dollars and using their considerable political muscle to defeat the bills.

Environmental health advocates are looking for help to pass their legislation to eliminate the toxic chemical from baby bottles, sippy cups and even infant formula cans.

Our friends at Healthy Legacy sent along this blog post about the effort to ban bisphenol A (BPA) from baby bottles and sippy cups in Minnesota. 

The post was written by Megan Gamble at MN Publius.  She makes the point that the chemical industry's arguments in opposition to the proposed state ban on BPA sounds alot like those used by the tobacco industry, when it was trying to convince the public that smoking was safe. 

And we all know how that turned out.

Folks at Healthy Legacy reported the other day that at least 25 industry lobbyists and representatives from  out of state groups were at the state capitol lobbying against the BPA bill.  

You know how we've been hearing a lot about chemicals in children's toys? BPA in baby bottles? Formaldehyde in baby shampoo? Well, the American Chemistry Council (ACC), a trade group representing the world's largest oil and chemical companies has set up shop in Minnesota to try to stop two bills aimed at protecting children from exposure to toxic chemicals.

The BPA Free Baby Products bill (HF326/SF247) would phase out bisphenol A or BPA, a synthetic sex hormone linked to diabetes, breast and prostate cancer, and learning disabilities from baby bottles and "sippy" cups.