Harmful toxic chemicals added to consumer products, like TVs or carpeting, can escape the product and contaminate our homes, food, breastmilk, and bodies. The same toxic chemicals, including toxic flame retardants, phthalates, and nonstick PFAS, are making their way into the environment and affecting the health of orcas, their young, and their food sources too. Continue reading
Five classes of chemicals in consumer products are emerging as particular concern for the health of both humans and orcas. Continue reading
By Laurie Valeriano, Toxic-Free Future, and Mike Schade, Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families
Yesterday, our new report revealed that toxic PFAS chemicals are hiding in common takeout packaging and other food contact materials at some of the nation’s largest and most popular grocery stores.
Toxic-Free Future’s Science Director, Erika Schreder, recently traveled to a conference in Dallas to gain more expertise on firefighting foams. She wanted to find out how well PFAS-free foams perform as we work with airports and refineries to stop the use of PFAS-containing foams. This research is critical as states and the Federal Aviation Administration consider restrictions on PFAS containing foams. Continue reading
Seattle – Today, Governor Inslee’s Southern Resident Killer Whale Task Force released its recommendations for protecting the endangered southern resident orca population, including recommendations for reducing threats posed by toxic contaminants. Toxic pollution is one of the major threats to orcas, not only affecting orca health but also the availability of their favored food source, Chinook salmon. Continue reading
Over the last month we’ve been glued to news reports about Tahlequah, the 22-year-old Southern Resident Killer Whale that carried her dead calf hundreds of miles for nearly three weeks. I had tears in my eyes more than once thinking about the baby orca that had deadly chemicals flowing from its mother to its body before it even had a chance to be born. We know that this is what happens with human babies too. Continue reading
Governor Jay Inslee spoke at the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) Convention last week. In his remarks, Governor Inslee talked about Washington’s commitment to reducing toxic chemical exposures for firefighters – specifically calling out the state’s first-in-the-nation bans on PBDE flame retardants and nonstick PFAS chemicals. Continue reading
You may not find them included in the ingredient list, on the nutrition label, or anywhere on the food package. Yet they can impact your health just as sugar or hydrogenated oils can. They are hidden toxic chemicals and they’re contaminating our food. Continue reading
The legislative session has ended and I am excited to report that the legislature passed not one, but TWO bipartisan bills to protect our water, food, firefighters, health, and environment from harmful nonstick PFAS chemicals! Continue reading
An important new article from Sharon Lerner in The Intercept highlights the health and environmental problems of newer generation PFAS chemicals used in certain firefighting foams. It uncovers the chemical industry’s dubious claims of safety and efficacy of these foams and why PFAS-free foams could be the better choice. Continue reading