TIP TALKS
The e-Newsletter of the
Toxics Information Project (TIP)
March, 2014
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IN THIS ISSUE
**LIB TALKS: Comments on TIP TALKS
**ACTIONS: Tell Starbucks to Shape Up Re: GMOs
Worse Than BPA – From the frying pan to the fire?
Axodicarbonamide in Our Food – another
unpronounceable toxin to banish;
** “CUTTING COSTS” TIPS:
A Spicy, Inexpensive New Household Helper
**SURPRISE OF THE MONTH:
EPA Scientists Oppose Water Fluoridation
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DIRECTOR DECISIONS: Choosing & editing a monthly newsletter
is challenging. Partly, there are so many very important concerns
& actions, & helpful info. Which to choose? Include more, and keep
them short? Include less, but provide more depth of info? There’s no
one right answer, so, I’m basically doing the best I can each month.
This time around, I decided that a new and controversial issue,
Fluoridation, deserved more space than the usual quick item. I think
this makes sense because it is challenging, a pervasive substance
– and it rarely appears in my informational sources. (Also true of
Axodicarbonamide, hardly a household word). So, for this one time,
TIP TALKS will have less topics, less common ones, but a longer
finale. (It’s placed at the end for those who don’t want to read all
through it before seeing the other items, especially actions).
Blessings, Liberty Goodwin, TIP Director
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INFO AND ACTION
IS STARBUCKS MONSANTO’S NEW BEST FRIEND
http://action.fooddemocracynow.org/sign/tell_Starbucks_to_dump_GMOs_and_stop_fighting_GMO_labeling/?akid=1184.94384.3LGvjt&rd=1&t=1
Tell Starbucks to Support Organics and Stop Fighting GMO Labeling!
Right now, Starbucks is serving milk to millions of customers every day
from factory farms along with baked good products chock full of GMOs.
As if that weren’t bad enough, as a dues paying member of the Grocery
Manufacturers Association (GMA), Starbucks has helped lead the
charge in fighting against common sense GMO labeling in the U.S.
In the past 2 years alone, Starbucks has been a part of a GMA-led
coalition that has donated more than $70 million dollars to defeat
GMO labeling efforts in California and Washington State.
By opposing GMO labeling, Starbucks has willingly climbed in bed
with Monsanto and the GMA and is intentionally misleading customers
about their commitment to “sustainability” and “ethical sourcing”.
Tell Starbucks to stop fighting against GMO labeling and commit
to serving the most sustainable dairy option - organic milk - at all
of its locations. Take action here:
http://action.fooddemocracynow.org/sign/tell_Starbucks_to_dump_GMOs_and_stop_fighting_GMO_labeling/?akid=1184.94384.3LGvjt&rd=1&t=1
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STOP THE TOXIC REPLACEMENT CHEMICALS
THAT ARE WORSE THAN BPA
Ken Cook, Environmental Working Group (EWG) Mar 29, 2014
http://act.credoaction.com/sign/even_worse_than_bpa
In 2008, consumers across the country were outraged that the EPA
was allowing the endocrine disruptor BPA in products for kids. Thanks
to the public outcry, containers from sippy cups to the linings of
canned food now offer BPA-free alternatives. Unfortunately, that victory
isn't looking so great anymore. New studies have found that many of
those "BPA-free" plastics contain other chemicals that are just as bad -
or worse - than BPA.1 These replacement chemicals can interfere with
hormone signaling and show the potential to damage DNA.2
Just as alarming, two years ago the EPA quietly withdrew rules that
would classify plastic toxics like BPA and others as "chemicals of
concern," making them subject to more regulation.3 Now that we
have even more evidence about the dangers of estrogenic chemicals
in plastics, it's time for the EPA to finally protect us from their
dangers, not keep sweeping them under the rug.
The real problem here is the deeply flawed and outdated 1976 Toxic
Substances Control Act, which gets our safety standards backward by
presuming that chemicals are safe until proven otherwise. That’s why
more than 80,000 chemicals are approved for use but have never been
tested for their effects on our health. This results in a dangerous
"toxic shell game" where corporations that are under pressure to remove
chemicals known to be dangerous from their products simply replace them
with less-well-known ones, which may turn out to be just as dangerous.
Unfortunately, congressional action is required to change the Toxic
Substances Control Act. That's highly unlikely in this Congress.
But the EPA can step in right now and ensure that chemical companies
can't keep swapping one toxic chemical for another. One of the rules
the EPA withdrew two years ago would have closed a major loophole
that lets companies keep the results of their health and safety studies
private by claiming they contain "confidential business information."
That information needs to be public so that the EPA can begin to
evaluate which chemicals are safe and which need to be regulated
or removed from the market. Tell the EPA: Don't let chemical
companies put toxins in the plastics our families use.
Protect us from dangerous plastics chemicals like BPA and
its replacements. Take Action at:
http://act.credoaction.com/sign/even_worse_than_bpa
AXODICARBONAMIDE IN OUR FOOD: HOW TOXIC IS IT?
http://consciouslifenews.com/azodicarbonamide-food-toxic/#
Dr. Edward Group | globalhealingcenter.com
**Azodicarbonamide Disrupts the Immune System: In 2001,
lab tests found that direct exposure to azodicarbonamide inhibited
human immune cell formation and function. And, the bigger problem
happens when azodicarbonamide is heated up, as when it’s a
bread ingredient…
**Azodicarbonamide Creates Toxic By-Products When Heated
While azodicarbonamide is used to condition bread dough, when it’s
baked, the heat causes it to break down. Two by-products can result:
semicarbazide and ethyl carbamate. Semicarbazide belongs to a
family of chemicals known as hydrazines that are especially
carcinogenic. A 2003 study using animal models found that it
caused free radical damage to DNA. Other studies have found
that semicarbazide damages human immune cells and the DNA
of animals. [The other half of the gruesome twosome is no better.
The National Institute of Health’s Hazardous Substances
Data Bank states that ethyl carbamate is a carcinogen to animals;
in fact this is backed by over 200 studies. Research from
17 years ago confirmed that adding azodicarbonamide to
bread increased ethyl carbamate levels. The awful truth is
that industry has known for nearly two decades that this
is toxic trash and fed it to us anyway.
** Harmful to Hormone Function: Exposure to semicarbazide can
present another health risk. Animal studies have found it has a
toxicimpact on hormone function and the hormone-regulating
organs, including the thyroid, thymus, spleen, testes, ovaries,
& uterus. As is the case with all endocrine disrupting compounds,
this stuff is poison!
**Europe and Australia Have Banned It: While US Officials continue
to claim the amount of azodicarbonamide found in most baked
products poses no serious health threat, European and Australian
officials have banned its use in bread.
TAKE ACTION! TELL FOOD COMPANIES TO STOP USING ADA!
When the Food Babe, Vani Hari, challenged Subway to remove
azodicarbonamide - a chemical used to make yoga mats - from its bread,
EWG suspected this was only the tip of the iceberg and decided to find
out what other foods contain ADA. Our analysis found it in nearly 500
foods. This chemical, nicknamed ADA, is used in the plastics industry
as a "foaming agent" and in the food industry as a dough conditioner
for the convenience of industrial bakers. Now we're taking the fight
to major brands, including Pillsbury, Sara Lee, Shoprite, Safeway,
Smucker's, Fleischman's, Jimmy Dean, Kroger, Little Debbie, Tyson
and Wonder. Food should be food - not contain chemical foaming agents.
We need you to add your voice to tell these food brands to
stop using the same chemical found in yoga mats and flip-flops.
Click here to take action:
http://action.ewg.org/p/dia/action3/common/public/?action_KEY=2070&tag=201403ADAActionResend&utm_source=201403adaactionresend&utm_medium=email&utm_content=first-link&utm_campaign=food
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CUTTING COSTS WHILE CUTTING CHEMS
THE TARTAR IN YOUR LIFE!
:www.care2.com/greenliving/surprising-uses-for-cream-of-tartar.html#ixzz2xZxvctAt
Hopefully, you are all aware of the cost-cutting champion duo, baking
soda and vinegar! Uses for these are endless! However, here’s a new
entry in the household gems playbook:
You might not realize it, but you probably have one of the most
versatile cleaning agents sitting on your spice rack. Cream of tartar,
chemically known as potassium bitartrate, is typically used in baking.
What would snickerdoodles be without it? But that’s not all cream of
tartar is good for — not by a long shot! From zapping ink stains to
making toys, read on for some of the most surprising uses for cream
of tartar. Tip: Look for cream of tartar at craft stores, or online,
for
better deals than you would get in your supermarket’s baking aisle.
Cleaning.
1. Clean Aluminum Cookware. If your pots and pans are looking a
little worse for the wear, try cleaning them with a paste of cream of
tartar and water. Apply on the stains and wash as usual.
2. Clean Your Bathroom. Stained tub, sink or toilet? Don’t reach for
harsh commercial cleaners. Instead, make a thick paste of cream of
tartar and hydrogen peroxide and apply it to the stain. Let the paste
dry fully before wiping clean.
3. Clean Stainless Steel and Other Metal Appliances. Polish your
stainless steel and small metal appliances with a paste of water and
cream of tartar.
More Great Uses.
4. DIY Baking Powder. If you’ve run out of baking powder, combine
1 part baking soda with 2 parts cream of tartar — it’s pretty much
the same thing as baking powder. This is an especially good trick
for people on gluten-free diets; many commercial baking powders
contain gluten.
5. DIY “Play-Dough.” Do the little ones in your life love sculpting
with Play-dough? Make your own with this great no-cook recipe.
6. Remove Clothing Spots. Cream of tartar is a fantastic alternative
to harmful bleach. Make a paste out of cream of tartar and lemon
juice and apply to the stain. Let it soak for about 20 minutes and
then throw it in the wash.
7. Rehab Scratched Dishes. Make your dishes good as new by
rubbing a paste of water and cream of tartar onto the scratch
marks. Rinse clean.
8. Repel Ants. A paste made of cream of tartar and vinegar
works wonders for repelling ants around the house.
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SURPRISE OF THE MONTH
EPA SCIENTISTS OPPOSE WATER FLUORIDATION
by Heidi Stevenson Gaia-Health.com
http://healthimpactnews.com/2013/epa-scientists-oppose-water-fluoridation/
“I’ve never seen scientific evidence discounted and refused to be
looked at the way they’re doing with fluoride.” We’re facing a
bottom-line reality. There can be no question that the US government’s
policy is that water will be fluoridated no matter how much harm is
done to the people.
In this age of repression on genuine scientific research, we need
to take note that scientists free to do open and honest research,
and report on it, have often taken stands that dispute their agencies’
officials stances. Nowhere has that been more true than in the
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on the issue of fluoride.
Rank and file EPA scientists have strongly opposed water fluoridation.
A statement issued by EPA scientists went public and they filed an
amicus curiae brief supporting a public interest group’s suit
against the EPA
EPA Scientists’ Conclusion: For governmental and other organizations
to continue to push for more exposure in the face of current levels of
over-exposure coupled with an increasing crescendo of adverse toxicity
findings is irrational and irresponsible at best. They used the EPA’s
own risk control methodology, called the Reference Dose, to determine
what an acceptable fluoride dose is. By that method, they determined
that the Reference Dose for fluoride is 0.000007 mg/kg of body
weight/day. In Washington DC, they determined that people drinking
only one quart from the public water supply each day ingest 0.01 mg/kg
a day. That is more than 1,428 times the safe dose of fluoride!
Some of the Concerns
Studies Showing Fluoride Lowers Intelligence
Research by Phyllis Mullenix, PhD, who had established the
Department of Toxicology at the Forsyth Dental Research Institute,
and was also involved with a research program at Harvard’s
Department of Neuropathology and Psychiatry, documented
significant neurotoxic effects of fluoride.
Fluoride and Cancer. Dr. William Marcus, the chief toxicologist of the
EPA’s Office of Drinking Water, was fired for his refusal to be silent
about his work on fluoride. Dr. Marcus was particularly concerned
about several studies showing that fluoride causes osteosarcoma
(bone cancer), particularly in young men. A 2-year study conducted
by the National Toxicology Program documented bone cancer
and cancer in other tissues in rats. This coincided with other
studies documenting fluoride’s ability to cause cellular mutations,
which are associated with cancer, and osteosarcomas in young
men in New Jersey.
Brain and Kidney Damaging Effects of Fluoride The EPA scientists
noted a study by JA Varner, KF Jensen, W Horvath, and RL Isaacson
that demonstrated as little as 1 ppm (part per million) of fluoride in
water causes damage to the brains and kidneys of rats. The scientists
referred to this as: … especially disturbing because of the low dose
level of fluoride that shows the toxic effect in rats – rats are more
resistant to fluoride than humans.
Pineal Gland and Early Maturation. The scientists reported on a
study documenting that fluoride collects in the pineal gland, resulting
in early sexual maturation in children. A comparison of girls in two
different towns, one with flouridated water and one without, showed
that those drinking the treated water matured an average of six
months earlier.’
Bone Pathology Caused by Fluoride EPA scientists expressed
concerns about crippling skeletal fluorosis. It was ethical deficiencies
in the standards-setting process that resulted in them filing the amicus
curiae brief discussed above. Many of the symptoms from dioxin
poisoning are indistinguishable from fluoride poisoning, an unsurprising
fact, since dioxins usually contain fluoride. It’s probably the primary
reason for dioxin’s devastating effects.
Lack of Efficacy in Preventing Dental Decay Finally, the scientists
pointed to the lack of double-blind studies in support of caries
prevention. They pointed out that a study done by dentists of the
National Institute of Dental Research, involving more than 39,000
children aged 5-17, documented no significant differences in tooth
health among fluoridated, partially fluoridated, and nonfluoridated
communities. The study considered decayed, missing, & filled teeth.
The implication for the general public of these calculations is clear.
Recent, peer-reviewed toxicity data, when applied to EPA’s standard
method for controlling risks from toxic chemicals, require an immediate
halt to the use of the nation’s drinking water reservoirs as disposal
sites for the toxic waste of the phosphate fertilizer industry.
In 2005, 11 EPA employee unions representing more than
700 professional environmental and public health officials,
officially called for a moratorium on fluoridation. It was based
primarily on “an apparent cover-up of evidence from Harvard
School of Dental Medicine linking fluoridation with elevated risk
of a fatal bone cancer in young boys” by the EPA.
The EPA still hasn’t taken a stand on the dangers of fluoride in the
environment or water. They even help in the promulgation of outright
lies about its safety. Who does the EPA really represent? It certainly
isn’t the people. As Dr. Robert Carton, former President of the EPA
Headquarters Union, stated: This whole thing is politics. You’re not
talking science at all.
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Liberty Goodwin, Director
Toxics Information Project
P.O. Box 40572,
Providence, RI 02940
Tel. 401-351-9193
Website: www.toxicsinfo.org
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