Report round-up: Toxic chemicals in hidden places
Recent reports show that toxic chemicals are found in every corner of our lives. They are being found in everything from foam in children's products to household cleaners and canned foods. This month, we rounded up some of the most...Read More...
Obesity: What do chemicals have to do with it?
It's no secret that the United States is battling overwhelming issues with obesity. Current statistics show that 34% of Americans are clinically obese, and 68% are overweight1, and the federal government has found that a third of American children are...Read More...
Toxic flame retardants: In our homes, our dust, our lives
Updated October 13, 2011 Toxic flame retardants are one of the most common sources of toxicity in our homes and our lives. They are used on everything from computer casings, to furniture, to carpeting, to children's products. "The problem is,...Read More...
States join together to get rid of the worst-of-the-worst chemicals
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...Read More...
Industry Opposition to Toxics: How the chemical industry undermines state efforts.
In 2010, dozens of laws were passed in statehouses and localities to protect children, families and workers from toxic chemicals. The laws ranged the gamut from bisphenol-A (BPA) restrictions, to laws promoting green chemicals in state buildings, to comprehensive laws...Read More...
Toxic Toys 101
Originally published by Washington Toxics Coalition. This post was written by science teacher Garrison Dyer. As a teacher he sees first hand the toll developmental and learning disabilities have on children, families, and the classroom. He also knows some of...Read More...
BPA in Money: The reaction
Last week, we shared with you a report that found Bisphenol-A (BPA) on our receipts and the cash money in our wallets. This finding points to the ubiquity of BPA -- it's in our wallets, in our plastic, in our...Read More...
BPA is in our money and our receipts
A new report from Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families and Washington Toxics Coalition found significant quantities of Bisphenol-A (BPA) in receipts; 95 percent of dollar bills tested were positive for lower amounts of BPA. BPA is a ubiquitous chemical which has...Read More...
Finally! Toy Makers Come Clean On Hidden Chemicals
Originally published at Washington Toxics Coalition. Remember the Fall of 2007 when Thomas, Elmo, Dora, and over 20 million toys were pulled from toy store shelves because they contained high levels of lead? Parents and other concerned consumers were left...Read More...
Is BPA making our kids grow up faster?
This was originally published at Washington Toxics Coalition. A lot has changed for kids growing up these days. But besides the obvious factors, like the ubiquity of cell phones, more fundamental changes have been taking place. Today, it’s not unusual...Read More...
PVC: From our bounce houses to our back-to-school supplies
Polyvinyl chloride, commonly known as PVC or vinyl, is a plastic that is ubiquitous in children's products including lunch bags, backpacks, binders, commercial cling wrap and plastic food storage containers. The problem with PVC is that it has chemical additives...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...
Cancer and the Environment: The President's Cancer Panel
Last week, the President's Cancer Panel -- a panel of doctors originally appointed by President Bush -- released a damning report underlining the acute need for stronger toxics laws. The report, which was submitted to President Obama before it was...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 in our oceans: Hard plastics affecting whales and wildlife
This post was originally published by Washington Toxics Coalition. Japanese scientists have uncovered evidence that plastics are decomposing in oceans and releasing toxic chemicals. In tests from more than 200 sites in 20 countries, they discovered higher-than-expected levels of bisphenol...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...
Flame Retardant Report on NPR
This month, The Environment Report ran a series of stories about flame retardants which were broadcast on NPR affiliates throughout the country. The stories clearly summarized the threat that flame retardants—-also known as PBDEs—-play in our everyday lives. PBDEs accumulate...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...
Washington State mom testifies before Congress
In November, we told you about the Earliest Exposures Report -- a report which described the test results of pregnant women who were tested in Washington, Oregon and California. Despite their best efforts, the mothers-to-be tested with high levels of...Read More...
Washington State gets close to a BPA ban
Great news out of Washington state: Bisphenol-A (BPA) is close to being banned, which would make it the third state in the nation to pass a BPA ban in some form. Here’s the current status: The Washington State House of...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...
EPA needs to look to states for reform
by Laurie Valeriano, Policy Director for the Washington Toxics Coalition. It was a moment I had been waiting for, for over a decade as an environmental health advocate -- the day that the federal government would finally acknowledge there is...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...
Washington State BPA bill fails
The Washington State Legislature finished their session April 26 with the Senate failing to take action on a bill to eliminate the hormone disrupting chemical bisphenol A (BPA) from baby bottles and sippy cups. Opponents of the bill included the...Read More...
Washington State BPA bill resuscitated
The Washington State legislation that would prevent the use of bisphenol A (BPA) in baby bottles and sippy cups has been rescued by Senate leadership, just one day after the bill was thought to be dead. One member of the...Read More...
Washington: BPA bill dead in Senate
Washington State has lost its opportunity to be the first state to ban bisphenol A from children’s products. Rep. Mary Lou Dickerson told the Associated Press that the bill has died in the Senate. The bill had strong support in...Read More...
BPA legislation moves forward in states
In the wake of the nation’s first ban on bisphenol A (BPA) in children’s products passing in Suffolk County, NY, several trailblazing states are pursuing their own bans of the toxic chemical. California and Washington are in a crowded field...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...
Congress to consider toxic chemical reform
On the heels of a new report by Congress’s watchdog identifying chemical policy as a “High Risk Area” in need of reform, Congressman Bobby Rush will kick-off the debate on Thursday over whether and how to reform the 33-year-old law...Read More...
Help Washington State ban bisphenol A
Washington State has proven to be a leader in protecting children's health from harmful chemicals. All eyes are on Washington as it has an amazing opportunity to set the stage for national change. If Washington passes the Safe Baby Bottle...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...
Washington bans toxic flame retardants
Washington state is taking the lead in protecting residents from exposure to toxic flame retardants, enacting a ban on a class of flame retardants that have been found harmful to human health. A new scientific study shows that the chemicals...Read More...
Washington state’s legislature pursues BPA ban
Since the Food and Drug Administration has not acted on the controversial chemical bisphenol A, many states will consider their own bans of the chemical this legislative season. In Washington state, legislators in the House and Senate will consider bills...Read More...
Washington: Help your state ban bisphenol A
What if you opened the newspaper one day and saw this headline: Washington State Fails to Ban Toxic Chemical BPA. That’s what the headlines could read if we don’t take action now to urge our state legislators to eliminate BPA...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...
Protect orca whales in the Puget Sound
Just this month, researchers confirmed that seven orcas – 10 percent of the Puget Sound population – are missing and believed to be dead. Toxic pollution is a big part of why the orcas are struggling. It’s time we take decisive action to clean up and restore Puget Sound.Read More...
Washington group advises how to choose toxic-free cookware
It’s the season for turkey, stuffing and pumpkin pie! Planning special meals and gatherings provides many opportunities to choose healthier products, like organic produce or seafood low in mercury and other toxic chemicals. But did you know that your choice...Read More...
A mom's story about healthy toys
Natasha Freidus is a filmmaker and mother who was spurred to create her most recent digital story "The Arsenic and the Crab" after checking out the Web site www.HealthyToys.org and learning that some of her baby daughter’s toys contained lead...Read More...
Washington group offers tips for choosing toxic-free rain gear
Rain, rain, go away… But the rain is here to stay in the maritime Northwest and many other parts of the country. During the rainy season your choice of rain gear can make all the difference. There are many chemicals...Read More...
Washington: Tell state officials to get lead out of products
Right now Washington State’s Department of Ecology is developing a plan for phasing out the use of lead in our state. We need your help in asking Ecology to protect children’s health by adopting a stronger lead phase-out plan.Read More...
Washington: Win a visit from the Toxic Truth Sleuths
What are scariest things lurking around your home this October? The mob of young witches and vampires clambering at your door this Halloween might not be all you have to fear. Because of lax regulation, chemicals that can be harmful to our health are turning up in the consumer products we use everyday in our homes.Read More...
Washington Toxics Coalition
Washington Toxics Coalition protects public health and the environment by eliminating toxic pollution. WTC promotes alternatives, advocates policies, empowers communities, and educates people to create a healthy environment. Guiding Principles We believe that all people and other species have the...Read More...
Toxic Free Legacy
What kind of legacy do we want to leave our children? A legacy of fresh air, clean water and healthy bodies or a legacy of chemical-laden air, unsafe drinking water, and health threats from continuous exposure to toxic chemicals? It's...Read More...
Washington: Hormone-altering cosmetics chemicals found in teenage girls
Teenage girls across America are contaminated with hormone-altering chemicals found in cosmetics and body care products, confirms a new study released by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) in partnership with the Washington Toxics Coalition. The first-of-its kind study found 16...Read More...
Washington: Sign up to be a citizen lobbyist
The Washington Toxics Coalition is calling upon regular people like you to sign up as citizen lobbyists. To counter the efforts of industry lobbyists, who are meeting with candidates and elected officials to push their agenda, citizen lobbyists will meet...Read More...
Washington: New produce pesticide guide released
Washington State's King County has released a new consumer Pesticide Guide. The guide is being re-released after 500 citizens wrote to King County Executive Ron Sims to complain after the guide was suspended. This is the anchor The guide offers...Read More...
Washington: Tell candidates to protect kids from toxic chemicals
In the past two years, the Washington legislature has passed precedent-setting laws to protect kids from toxic chemicals. This success has drawn the attention of the chemical industry and their allies. They will be working hard to thwart our success...Read More...
