• Toxics in People

• Chemicals of Concern

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Chemicals of Concern

Most people assume that products must be tested for safety before being sold. Sadly, when it comes to chemicals, often this isn't true. There is virtually no government oversight to ensure the safety of chemicals used in commerce. Over 62,000 chemicals commonly used today were assumed safe when the federal Toxic Substance Control Act was passed in the late 1970s. Since then, scientific study has raised concerns about many chemicals, but the vast majority have never been fully tested for their health or environmental impacts. Today, many manufacturers don't know which chemicals are in their products - one reason for 2007's massive recalls of millions of toys due to lead contamination.

Toxic chemicals, including lead, brominated flame retardants, phthalates, bisphenol A, and others, linked to serious health and environmental problems. Yet these chemicals are legally allowed to be added to the products used by people, including children, every day under current regulations.

Hazardous Chemicals in Health Care Professionals

Physicians for Social Responsibility, along with JustGreen Partner Clean New York, SAFER States partners in nine other states, Health Care Without Harm, American Nurses Association and the Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families campaign, released a new biomonitoring report, Hazardous Chemicals in Health Care: A Snapshot of Chemicals in Doctors and Nurses.  

20 doctors and nurses from ten states donated blood and urine samples which were tested for six categories of chemicals (62 individual chemicals in all) and the results were disturbing - though sadly, not surprising.  Each of the 20 participants had at least five of the chemical categories, and at least 24 individual chemicals.  All participants had the same four categories and the same 18 individual chemicals in their bodies.

Declare Your Independence from Toxic Chemicals!

From www.saferstates.com:

This summer, declare your independence from toxic chemicals and then become part of the Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families campaign!

The Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families campaign is a national effort to create the strongest, most comprehensive solution to fix the law that is failing to protect our families from toxic chemicals that harm our health and the environment.

If you believe you have the right to be healthy, the right to work in a safe environment, and the right to know what chemicals are in your body, this is the national campaign you’ve been waiting for!

Massachusetts Issues Public Health Warning on BPA

Earlier this week, Massachusetts public health officials issued a public health warning to inform consumers about the risks of Bisphenol A (BPA) exposure, after an exhaustive year-long literature review. They are also still considering a ban on some BPA-based products.

The Department of Public Health (DPH) warning has caught attention nationwide, and provides additional support as we continue our efforts in New York and nationally to protect families and phase out BPA.

Supporters view the warning as an important first step for MA, but caution that products in stores should still be BPA-free.

Maine Identifies Toxic Chemicals

From www.saferstates.org:

The Maine Department of Environmental Protection and the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention last week released a list of chemicals of "high concern" for their effects on human health, including phthalates andbisphenol A.

Release of the list, which was mandated by the state's 2008 Kids Safe Products Act, is an essential step in protecting residents from toxic chemicals in consumer products. Environmental Health Strategy Center Executive Director Michael Belliveau said the historic step should send a message to manufacturers and the market that these chemicals must not be used.

Endocrine Disruptors Threaten our Reproductive Health

From www.saferstates.com:

The alarming health threat posed by endocrine-disrupting chemicals including phthalates and bisphenol A was clearly distilled Sunday in a column, It's Time to Learn From Frogs, by the New York Times’ Nicholas Kristof.

Kristof, who often writes about global conflict, was drawn to the subject after viewing a documentary about polluted waters and the resulting reproductive deformations in frogs, fish and other wildlife living in the ecosystem.

Kristof brilliantly connects these environmental happenings with a similar cause-and-effect playing out in humans.

Advocates call on County Exec. Levy to Protect Babies from BPA

Suffolk County residents gathered today with children’s health advocates from across the state at a hearing for the Toxin-Free Toddlers and Babies Act, to call on County Executive Steve Levy to sign the important initiative to safeguard children’s health.  Earlier this month, the Suffolk County Legislature took the groundbreaking step of unanimously passing the bill, 18-0, sponsored by Legislator Steve Stern (D-Huntington, 16th L.D.) (Intro. 1017), becoming the first jurisdiction in the nation to restrict the use of bisphenol A (BPA) in children’s products.  

“We applaud County Executive Levy for his strong leadership in cancer prevention and protecting public health.  We look forward to him signing this bill,” Legislator Stern said.

Cancer Causing Chemicals Contaminate Baby Bubble Baths

Despite label claims like “gentle” and “pure,” dozens of top-selling children’s bath products are contaminated with the cancer-causing chemicals formaldehyde and 1,4-dioxane, according to a new report and product tests released today by the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics and the JustGreen Partnership. The chemicals are not disclosed on product labels because contaminants are exempt from labeling laws.

The Campaign study is the first to document the widespread presence of both formaldehyde and 1,4-dioxane in bath products for children, such as shampoos and soaps. Formaldehyde and 1,4-dioxane are known to cause cancer in animals, and are listed as probable human carcinogens by the US EPA. Formaldehyde can also trigger skin rashes in some children.

Suffolk County Poised to Pull Toxic Baby Bottles

Bisphenol A: Endocrine Disruptor Extraordinaire

Bisphenol A (BPA) was first synthesized before 1900, and has been known to act like estrogen since the 1930s.  Like so many now-commonplace chemicals, BPA's use began to rise starting in the 1950s.  Today, over 6 billion pounds of BPA are produced each year, making it one of the most highly produced plastics in the world.  BPA is used to make hard plastic (polycarbonate) used in baby bottles, toddler sippy cups, polycarbonate water bottles, eye glasses, CDs and DVDs, children's toys and more.  As an epoxy, BPA is used in food and beverage can linings, high-durability industrial paints, dental sealants, and glues.

Federal Chemical Policy Failures

Major shortcomings in the outdated federal law designed to regulate toxic chemicals, the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), has left the public unprotected from chemical exposure. Passed by Congress in 1976, TSCA empowers the Environmental Protection Agency to regulate chemical usage based on the risk to human health. 

Since then, only an estimated 2 percent of the 62,000 chemicals in commerce at that time have been reviewed for human health risks; now it is estimated that more than 80,000 chemicals are in use today.  Many newer chemicals have also avoided full review.