The Washington Department of Ecology has recently taken bold new steps to regulate toxic chemicals in products. The action comes as the agency implements its groundbreaking Safer Products for Washington law, adopted in 2019 to protect the health of the most vulnerable, including pregnant women, children, highly impacted communities, and marine life including salmon and orcas. The law directs Ecology to identify priority products that are a significant source of or use of PFAS, toxic flame retardants, industrial phenolic compounds, phthalates, and PCBs.
Washington state raises the bar for action on toxic chemicals in products
Earth Day at home: 10 films to make you laugh, cry, and yell
In Seattle, we are proud to be the home of Denis Hayes, founder of Earth Day and current President and CEO of the Bullitt Foundation. Denis recognized decades ago how critically important it is to end the unnecessary use of dangerous chemicals that contribute to chronic disease. Now more than ever, this must be a public health priority because people with chronic diseases are at increased risk of dying from COVID-19.
Safer cleaning in the age of the novel coronavirus
Now that we are spending more time at home to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus, many are wondering how to safely and effectively clean house to prevent infection. We are fortunate that our partners at Women’s Voices for the Earth have done the research, which we’ve adapted into three safer cleaning tips.
Eight reasons to actually celebrate on National Teflon Day
Editor’s Note: This post was written by Beth Kemler of Safer Chemicals Healthy Families.
Today is National Teflon Day—but that is NOT cause for celebration. It is one of the worst “holidays” we can imagine because it’s the anniversary of the accidental invention of the first non-stick chemical that would eventually become Teflon in 1938. Since then, chemical companies have invented many other chemicals in the same class—per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). And these chemicals, which are used for stain, grease, and water resistance, have gone on the market with little to no testing, ending up in everyday products and contaminating our food, air, water, and bodies. Scientists have found links between PFAS chemicals and health problems such as cancer, hormone disruption, and harm to the immune system. Some PFAS never break down in the environment, leading scientists to call them “forever chemicals.” Continue reading