WASHINGTON, D.C. — This morning, the U.S. Senate voted to approve the 2020 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which includes several important provisions that begin to take action on the PFAS contamination crisis. The final NDAA includes important provisions to phase out the military’s use of firefighting foam containing PFAS chemicals, which has led to contamination of water supplies for millions of Americans. At the same time, key provisions were left out of the bill that would have required cleanup of PFAS-contaminated communities and industrial water pollution. Continue reading
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Toxic food packaging at the grocery store?
Editor’s Note: This post was written by Erika Schreder, the Science Director for Toxic-Free Future, and Mike Schade, the Mind the Store Campaign Director for Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families.
There’s nothing like spending an evening on the couch with our families, binge-watching the Great British Baking Show and passing around a bowl of scrumptious popcorn. But that popcorn may be carrying a hidden hazard.
Continue readingWashington Attorney General Compels Amazon to Remove Toxic School Supplies – More Action Needed
Editor’s Note: this post was written by Laurie Valeriano, the Executive Director of Toxic-Free Future, and Mike Schade, the Mind the Store campaign director of Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families.
Yesterday, Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson and Amazon announced an important enforcement action that will keep brain-damaging lead and cancer-causing cadmium out of the hands and mouths of children. This follows an investigation that revealed consumers in Washington and across the country made at least 15,188 purchases of products with illegal levels of lead and cadmium from amazon.com.
Washington State Governor Signs Nation’s Strongest Law Regulating Toxics in Products
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 8, 2019
CONTACT: Laurie Valeriano, lvaleriano@toxicfreefuture.org 206-200-2824 (cell) or
Jamie Nolan, jamienolan@saferchemicals.org 410.463.9869 (cell)
(Olympia, WA) — Washington Governor Jay Inslee has signed precedent-setting legislation protecting people and orcas from toxic chemical pollution. Washington now has the nation’s strongest policy regulating toxic chemicals in products, a major source of harmful chemicals in our homes and environment. The new law prioritizes five chemical classes for action: PFAS, organohalogen flame retardants, phthalates, alkylphenol ethoxylates and bisphenols, and PCBs.
Continue readingBill to Prevent Toxic Pollution Passes House
(Olympia, WA) A bipartisan majority (60-37) of the Washington State House of Representatives has passed precedent-setting legislation to protect people and orcas from toxic chemical pollution.
Continue readingSave the Swimmers! Top 5 Reasons to Support the Pollution Prevention for Our Future Act
What do sperm, kids, salmon, and orcas have in common besides that they all swim? All can be harmed by toxic chemicals put in consumer products!
Continue readingFAA Urged to Allow Use of Safer Firefighting Foams
The dangerous class of nonstick chemicals called “PFAS” contaminates drinking water, communities, and people across the United States. One of the culprits: PFAS put into firefighting foams used at airports as required by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The FAA requirement means that these foams remain a big concern when it comes to PFAS pollution, unnecessarily exposing communities and firefighters to the dangerous chemicals.
Continue readingBill to Stop Toxic Pollution Harmful to Orcas and People Passes Senate
(Olympia, WA) – The Washington State Senate has passed precedent-setting legislation to eliminate sources of toxic chemicals that are harmful to orcas and humans. The Pollution Prevention for Our Future Act (SSB 5135), sponsored by Senator Christine Rolfes (D-Bainbridge Island), implements recommendations put forward by Governor Inslee’s Orca Task Force. It passed the Senate with a vote of 25-24.
Continue readingUnderwear!? Lip Gloss!? PJs!? Oh My!
Underwear!? Lip gloss!? PJs!? Oh my! That was our reaction when we looked at the over 8700 new reports of toxic chemicals in kids’ products sold in Washington state. Manufacturers reported putting chemicals linked to cancer, hormone disruption, reproductive problems, and neurological problems in products kids use to play, bathe, and sleep. When you consider that just one report can mean there are hundreds or even thousands of that product for sale in Washington, that’s a lot of toxic chemicals on store shelves.
Continue readingCongress Directs FAA to Stop Requiring Toxic Firefighting Foams at Airports
(Seattle, WA) – Today Congress directed the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to allow airports to use firefighting foam free of highly fluorinated chemicals or PFAS. PFAS-containing firefighting foam is responsible for the contamination of drinking water of millions of Americans across the country, including in the Washington state communities of Issaquah, Whidbey Island, and Airway Heights. Continue reading