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Toxic Chemicals and You
It is a sad fact that toxic chemicals have become common place. Not just "pollution" pouring from smokestacks, oozing from landfills or clogging waterways, these dangerous chemicals can be found everyday products. They can be in our cars, our couches, our canned goods. According to data gathered in Massachusetts and New Jersey, over 90% of toxic chemicals that enter a manufacturing plant leave in the form of products.
Toxic chemicals are even found in just about everyone's bodies - and at higher levels in young children, who are more vulnerable because of their rapid development. Toxic chemicals are even found in newborn cord blood.
Assembly Schedules Hearing on Toxics in Kids Products
The New York State Assembly committees on Environmental Conservation, Health, and Consumer Affairs and Protection are holding a public hearing on the Child-Safe Products Act, and the broader subject of toxic chemicals in children's products. The public is invited to attend and speak - and our Assemblymembers need to hear from parents and others concerned about children's health.
Join JustGreen Partners as we call for the Child-Safe Products Act to be made into law!
Where: 250 Broadway, New York, NY - Assembly Hearing Room
When: 10 am, Monday, December 5, 2011
To testify: Fill out this form, and call Steve Liss at 518-455-5787.
Full details about the hearing can be found here.
On the Money: BPA Found on Receipts, Dollar Bills
A new study was released today giving new meaning to the phrase “toxic assets.” On The Money: BPA on Dollar Bills and Receipts set out to investigate how widely stores use thermal receipt paper containing bisphenol A (BPA), and whether this hormone-disrupting chemical is escaping onto the money next to these receipts in people’s wallets.
Researchers found that half of the thermal paper receipts tested had large quantities of freely available BPA; 95% of the dollar bills tested positive for lower amounts. Unlike BPA in water bottles and other products, BPA on thermal paper isn’t chemically bound in any way: it’s a powdery film on the surface of receipts. Data from this report indicate that this highly toxic chemical easily transfers to our skin and likely to other items that it rubs against.
Read more...Reforming laws on toxic chemicals could save billions
The Health Case for Reforming the Toxic Substances Control Act, a recent report by the Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families Campaign, shows that the U.S. has the opportunity to prevent rising rates of chronic disease and reduce health care costs by overhauling federal chemical policy. Evidence is strong and growing that chemical exposures contribute significantly to the rise in many chronic diseases, according to this new report synthesizing peer-reviewed science.
As the U.S. debates the costs of health care and its reform and New York State continues to be in a fiscal crisis, “The Health Case” documents the enormous health care costs of treating cancer, learning and developmental disabilities, asthma and other diseases and conditions linked to chemical exposure, according to recent studies. By updating toxic chemical laws, the report found that Congress would reduce exposure to chemicals contributing to chronic diseases.
Read more...Is It In Us?
With recent headlines about toxic chemicals in everything from cars and computers to lipstick and toys, 5 New Yorkers and 30 other Americans - including a commercial fisherman from Alaska, a 9/11 first responder from New York, a U.S. naval veteran from Illinois, a Massachusetts minister, a Connecticut State Senator, a Michigan seventh grader, and a stay-at-home mom in Minnesota - volunteered to find the answer to one simple question: If toxic pollution is in products, is it in us?
The simple answer: yes. The project found toxic chemicals in every person tested. You can see the full results at www.IsItInUs.org.
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