TIP TALKS
The e-Newsletter of the
Toxics Information Project (TIP)
May, 2012
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MAY 2012 TIP TALKS
This month’s TIP newsletter addresses several very important
concerns – and provides hot weather resource information from
the great non-profit group, EWG.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
SUNSCREEN TIPS: Honest, well-researched sunscreen Info from EWG
FIRE RETARDANTS: Surprising Facts - Do They "Protect"? Warnings,
Action & a New Research Project
CHILDHOOD OBESITY & CHEMICALS: Should you learn to spell "Phthalates"
- and avoid them?
AIR FRESHENERS: How safe are they? The label won't tell you.
Links to some natural alternatives.
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TIPS FOR HEALTHIER LIVING: SUNSCREEN
It’s that start of summer time! Don’t suffer from sunburn.
Environmental Working Group (EWG) is back with valuable info
about sun protection products. (Of course, you should also
avoid too much time in the sun).
2012 EWG Sunscreen Guide
Does your sunscreen actually protect your family? Or are the claims
just marketing hype? Only a quarter of the more than 800 beach & sports
sunscreens analyzed EWG for our 2012 Sunscreen Guide meet our standards
for effectiveness and safety. But we're happy to report that's actually
progress! The sunscreen industry is taking notice. This time last year
we could only recommend 20 percent of the sun protection products we
evaluated, and in 2010 it was even worse: just 1-in-12.
You demanded that the market offer you better options, and sunscreen
makers listened. To keep up the momentum, we need you to keep demanding
improved sunscreens. One-in-four is better than last year, but it's not
good enough for your family. A quarter of this year's products still
contain vitamin A ingredients that accelerate the growth of skin tumors
and lesions on sun-exposed skin, according to recent government studies.
Also, 56 of the products we reviewed had no active ingredients that
protect against the sun's damaging UVA rays. And the industry continues
to load store shelves with sunscreens that claim misleading, sky-high
SPF ratings that may protect against sunburn-causing UVB rays but leave
skin vulnerable to UVA.
Sort through the sunscreen noise - click here for EWG's 2012 Sunscreen
Guide. http://breakingnews.ewg.org/2012sunscreen You'll find:
·Our top-rated sunscreens.
·Our updated Hall of Shame, which highlights many of the gimmicks used
to market children's sunscreens.
·How your sunscreen ranks in our database. (Hint: Leading brands like
Hawaiian Tropic and Banana Boat didn't make the cut.)
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FLAME RETARDANTS – A PERVASIVE & DECEPTIVE PRODUCT
(Toxic and Useless)
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From Healthy Child, Healthy World
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FLAME RETARDANT SECRETS & LIES
www.healthychild.org/blog/comments/050812_flame_retardant_secrets_lies
Necessary News, Tuesday, May 08, 2012:
The flame retardants’ industry star witness lied in testimony that
was “part of a decades-long campaign of deception that has loaded
the furniture and electronics in American homes with pounds of toxic
chemicals linked to cancer, neurological deficits, developmental
problems & impaired fertility,” according to the Chicago Tribune.
And a new study published by the National Institutes of Health found
women whose mothers were accidentally exposed to brominated flame
retardants at higher risk of miscarriage as adults — even more so
if they were additionally exposed through their mother’s breast milk.
WATCHDOG UPDATE: PRESSURE GROWS
FOR LIMITS ON FLAME RETARDANTS
www.chicagotribune.com/news/watchdog/flames/ct-met-flames-reaction-20120523,0,312828,full.story
Contact E-Mail: mhawthorne@tribune.com
May 23, 2012: New York moves toward banning cancer-causing chemical in
children's products; nurses and moms march in D.C. for tougher
regulations. At the U.S. Capitol, more than 100 nurses, mothers &
cancer survivors marched for tougher federal regulation of the
chemicals. And in Washington state, environmental groups are calling for
a crackdown on a popular flame retardant. Since the Tribune published
its "Playing With Fire" series, momentum has been building for stricter
oversight of flame retardants and other toxic chemicals. More on
“Playing With Fire” at:
http://media.apps.chicagotribune.com/flames/index.html)
The newspaper's investigation documented a deceptive campaign by
industry that distorted science, created a phony consumer watchdog group
to stoke the fear of fire and organized an association of top fire
officials to advocate for greater use of flame retardants in furniture
and electronics. (NOTE: “Citizens for Fire Safety turned out to consist
of three fire retardant manufacturers!)
Promoted as lifesavers, flame retardants added to furniture cushions
actually provide no meaningful protection from fires, according to
federal researchers and independent scientists. Some of the most widely
used chemicals are linked to cancer, neurological deficits,
developmental problems and impaired fertility.
For more on this concern, and an opportunity to take action, go to:
http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/1421/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=10631
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From Environment & Human Health, Inc.(EHHI)
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May 19, 2012 Environment and Human Health, Inc. (EHHI) has just
learned that it has received a grant to conduct a research report
on flame retardants -- the history, health effects , the
composition of the chemicals - and where they are found in our
everyday lives. The report will contain recommendations for how to
protect human health from flame retardant exposures. EHHI will use
this report to work to improve public policy to be more protective
of human health.
At the present - flame retardants are in almost everything. Think
about bringing a 7 pound baby home and putting the infant on a
mattress, in clothes, covered with a blanket that all contain fire
retardants. A study in the journal Environmental Science &
Technology found that 80 of 101 samples of baby products
researchers tested--including nursing pillows, changing table pads
& car seats--contained chemical flame retardants.
Below is an excerpt from Environmental Health news on flame
retardants.from Environmental Health news - November 16, 2011
Flame retardants are incorporated into foam cushions for couches and
chairs, as well as children's car seats, changing pads, nursing pillows,
portable cribs and other upholstered products. They also are found in
some electronics and electrical equipment. And the $4.6 billion industry
is growing. Global flame retardant revenues will reach $5.8 billion by
2018, led by a record increase of 7 percent a year in China, according
to a study released in July by the industrial market analysis firm
Ceresana Research.
Evidence of the chemicals' ubiquity, persistence and potential health
hazards grows. Somehow escaping the polyurethane foam, they contaminate
dust and food, and are accumulating in the bodies of people and wildlife
worldwide, even as far away as the Arctic, scientists say. Health
experts worry that high concentrations of the chemicals found in many
people might pose a risk, especially to children. In a pilot study
released in August, researchers found the highest levels detected so
far, and they were in pregnant women in California.
In experiments with animals, flame retardants have caused cancer, liver
and thyroid damage, altered hormones, damaged DNA and impaired
reproductive and brain development. Several studies have reported sharp
increases in the levels of the compounds in the breast milk of American
women. Whether there are human health effects is largely unknown,
although some studies have reported links between exposure to the
chemicals and lower IQs in children, reduced fertility in women, early
onset of puberty in girls and altered thyroid hormones in men.
Facing growing concerns over the health risks of flame retardants in
household products, the chemical industry spent at least $23.2 million
over the past five years to lobby California officials and donate to
campaigns in a successful effort to defeat legislation, according to an
investigation by Environmental Health News.
Nancy Alderman, President, Environment & Human Health, Inc.,
North Haven, CT. 203-248-6582, www.ehhi.org & http://ehhijournal.org
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WHAT IS THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN
CHILDHOOD OBESITY & CHEMICALS?
www.healthychild.org/blog/comment/052112_what_is_the_relationship_between_childhood_obesity_chemicals
Monday, May 21, 2012 . It’s well established that childhood obesity is
linked to poor nutrition and a lack of exercise. But new evidence shows
a toxic chemical used to infuse shampoos and lotions with fragrance may
also play a role in the soaring rates of childhood obesity. A type of
phthalate present in personal care products was found at high levels
in overweight children, according to a recent study published by the
Children’s Environmental Health Center at Mount Sinai School of
Medicine.
Phthalates are endocrine-disrupting chemicals, which interfere with
regular hormone functioning. Health and safety concerns about certain
phthalates have led the U.S. Congress to ban their use in specific
products intended for babies and children, including soft toys.
The Mount Sinai study directs a new, harsh light on phthalates,
as it’s the first evidence of their link to childhood obesity.
Since the chemical industry is clearly signaling it won’t give up
phthalates without a fight, it’s up to consumers to find a way to
avoid the ubiquitous chemicals. Check out these tips from Lori at
Groovy Green Livin’.
How to Avoid Phthalates:
1. Avoid fragrance. Fragrance mixtures are considered a trade secret or
proprietary information and this enables companies to get away with not
disclosing their “secret” ingredients. If a product lists “fragrance”
steer clear.
2. Use EWG’s Skin Deep Cosmetic Database to check the safety level of
your personal care products. Find safe alternatives for nail polish and
other cosmetics with toxic chemicals.
3. Avoid buying plastic as much as possible. Get to know your plastics
& stick with numbers 2 or 5. Avoid plastic shower curtains & #3 plastic.
4. Make your own cosmetics. The only way you will know with certainty
what was used in your product.
5. Check the HealthyStuff.org database for toys bought before 2009 –
they may contain phthalates.
6. Look for products labeled “Phthalate Free”.
7. Read the ingredients. Avoid anything with:
·DBP (di-n-butyl phthalate) and DEP (diethyl phthalate) are often found
in personal care products, including nail polishes, deodorants, perfumes
and cologne, aftershave lotions, shampoos, hair gels and hand lotions
(BzBP,
see below, is also in some personal care products.)
·DEHP (di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate or Bis (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate) is
used in PVC plastics, including some medical devices.
·BzBP (benzylbutyl phthalate) is used in some flooring, car products
and personal care products.
·DMP (dimethyl phthalate) is used in insect repellent and some plastics
(as well as rocket propellant)
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AIR FRESHENERS - HOW SAFE ARE THEY?
Posted September 19, 2007 in Health and the Environment
I swear these things are everywhere. When I'm at the hospital, there's
a can in every bathroom. The nurses and housekeeping staff spritz away
in patient rooms, in the nurses' station, and in the hallways. When I
go into people's homes there's often one plugged into the wall in the
bathroom, another in the bedroom, and sometimes even one in the kitchen.
When I get my car washed I need to remember to tell them not to spray
the car, or else I get behind the wheel again and smell that tell-tale
"floral fresh" scent. I know some people like the smell, but personally
it makes my throat tickle and my nose itch. The question is - is it a
health threat?
I took a look at this issue recently, and found a few interesting
things. First of all, there are no government requirements that air
freshener products get tested for safety or that there is any public
information available on their ingredients. So forget about figuring out
whether
there's anything nasty in the bottle by reading the label. Secondly,
there's not much testing info out there from independent sources either.
We did find a European study done by their equivalent of Consumers
Union. However the air fresheners industry sued them and got the study
suppressed, so it is essentially contraband, and is mostly only reported
indirectly by the European Commission. The European study tested 74
products, including sprays, plug-ins, gels, and things like incense and
scented candles. They found lots of chemicals of concern. The highest
levels of ultra-toxic chemicals like benzene were actually in the
incense. However, the standard air fresheners contained benzene,
formaldehyde, irritants, allergens...
and a chemical called DEP.
NATURAL ALTERNATIVES TO TOXIC AIR FRESHENERS
Blog Of The Week Thursday, May 24, 2012:
http://www.healthychild.org/blog/comments/052412_natural_alternatives_to_toxic_air_fresheners/#ixzz1w7Df9K5q
According to Gina Solomon, Senior Scientist at National Resources
Defense Council (NRDC), “there are no government requirements that air
freshener products get tested for safety … So forget about figuring out
whether there’s anything nasty in the bottle by reading the label.
Secondly, there’s not much testing info out there from independent
sources either…Solomon does note a study done in Europe which tested “74
products, including sprays, plug-ins, gels, and things like incense and
scented candles. They found lots of chemicals of concern. The highest
levels of ultra-toxic chemicals like benzene were actually in the
incense. However, the standard air fresheners contained benzene,
formaldehyde, irritants, allergens … and a chemical called DEP” better
known as phthalates, a potential hormone disruptor.
Read more:
http://www.healthychild.org/blog/comments/052412_natural_alternatives_to_toxic_air_fresheners/#ixzz1w7EAI58Z
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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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