If there needs to be any more evidence for why ending the use of PFAS in products is urgent, just look at this year’s 2021-23 budget adopted by the state legislature.
An ounce of prevention will save millions for taxpayers
How do Washington Retailers Rank When it Comes to Toxic Chemicals on Store Shelves?
By Jen Dickman, Senior Program Associate at Safer Chemicals Healthy Families
Seattle is known for innovation, big ideas, and bold solutions. The use of harmful chemicals in products that cause pollution of our homes, communities, drinking water, and wildlife is one problem some Seattle-area retailers are tackling head on, while others are lagging behind. Continue reading
Why is getting pregnant so difficult these days? An interview with Dr. Shanna Swan on her new book
Count Down: How Our Modern World Is Threatening Sperm Counts, Altering Male and Female Reproductive Development, and Imperiling the Future of the Human Race, by Shanna H. Swan, Ph.D., peels back the curtain on a hidden danger all around us: toxic chemicals that are wreaking havoc on our reproductive health. Continue reading
Washington state takes one step forward, two steps back, on PFAS in food packaging ban
The Department of Ecology (Ecology) recently took a first step in implementing the state’s PFAS ban in food packaging by issuing an alternatives assessment that identifies safer alternatives for some important applications, including wraps and liners, plates, food boats, and pizza boxes. Because of this assessment, a statewide ban on PFAS in these four food packaging categories will now go into effect in early 2023. Continue reading
Volunteer Spotlight: Gabe Andres
Gabe Andres came to Toxic-Free Future in the fall of 2019 as a placement for the Field Studies class he was completing at the University of Washington Bothell. We recruited Gabe to help pull together the information we obtained from participants in our breastmilk study. He did the initial work so fast that he was able to really dig in and help us with the data analysis on the project, all while learning a new statistical program from scratch! Gabe continued with us in independent study and as a volunteer long after his initial placement was over, and we are so grateful for all of his hard work.
Gabe graduated in June 2020 and recently sent us this update:
“As a Clinical Research Assistant, I work alongside research coordinators, doctors, regulatory bodies, and research sponsors in recruiting and conducting cancer research at Virginia Mason. In research, the list of responsibilities are non-exhaustive but include taking vitals, pharmacokinetics, bio-banking, consenting patients, and checking in with patients along their treatment journey and beyond. Becoming a Clinical Research Assistant not only exposes me to the intricacies of research, but it provides me more opportunities to make a positive impact on cancer patients and solutions in the future.”
Protect low-income communities from toxic chemicals in affordable housing
By Colin Hartke
Update: Read the comments that Toxic-Free Future, Healthy Building Network, and Natural Resources Defense Council submitted to the Department of Commerce Evergreen Sustainable Development Standard Team.
From PFAS to toxic flame retardants, dangerous chemicals harmful to health are in the materials used to build housing, including affordable housing. These chemicals don’t stay put in flooring, insulation, and other materials; they get into indoor air and dust. This means that families and communities are exposed to toxic chemicals even at home. Continue reading
Update on Washington State’s Chemical Action Plan on PFAS
Last December Toxic-Free Future called for action, asking you to join us in submitting comments advocating for a stronger, swifter chemical action plan (CAP) on PFAS chemicals (per- and polyfluoralkyl substances) from Washington State’s Department of Ecology (Ecology). Along with our allies, we also just submitted comments directly to the Department of Ecology this month on their draft CAP, which can be found here. Continue reading
Not good enough: Washington state chemical action plan on PFAS is falling short
It’s crystal clear now that PFAS (per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances) are bad-actor chemicals that need to be eliminated. But with federal action slow and inadequate, it’s up to states like Washington to step out and show how we can turn off the tap, stopping PFAS at the source and cleaning up contamination. The Department of Ecology’s (Ecology) current draft chemical action plan (CAP) to address PFAS falls short by taking too long to take action on important PFAS sources and it is not comprehensive enough to end the PFAS contamination crisis. But we have a chance to improve it now with strong public support.
Science Review: PFAS, Covid-19, and the Immune System
Science Review: PFAS, Covid-19, and the Immune SystemPFAS-Free Paper Food Packaging Alternatives: A Resource for Restaurants and Retailers
