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Smart discussion of the latest science and news on toxins in your food, water, and air, and what government agencies should be doing to protect public health. Written by EWG staff.

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House Threatens Food Safety Standards

Pombo Operatives in Interior Department

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Toxins in our Kids' Foods: Where is the FDA?

Why, oh why is there plastic in my aluminum water bottle?

Fluoride in Your Water: How much is too much?

Borax: Not the Green Alternative It's Cracked Up to Be

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Monthly Archive

Mass. Sets Strong Standard for Rocket Fuel in Drinking Water

By EWG

Massachusetts has proposed the nation's most protective limits and clean-up standards for the rocket fuel chemical perchlorate in drinking water. The standards are higher than EPA's, the military's or any others proposed by states. Massachusetts officials say they set the standard at just 2 ppb (parts per billion) to protect sensitive populations like babies, which can ingest the chemical through breast milk or formula made with contaminated water. Read more in the Cape Cod Times.

Perchlorate can affect thyroid function, especially in children, who are at risk for developmental problems.

EWG's work on rocket fuel in drinking water and food is available here.

Parents Take Precautions on Toxics

By EWG

The New York Times has a great profile on parents who don't care how safe the chemical companies say their products are -- they want toxics-free kids, and they'll protect them as best they can by choosing the greenest products available. It's another endorsement for using purchasing power and word-of-mouth to let industry know that consumers want them to err on the side of safety for families and children, rather than introducing chemicals and products before they've been fully assessed for health risks.

EWG's word on pollution in newborns is available here.

The Green House

By EWG

Earlier this week it was eco-furniture -- now here's a green house to put it in. And like the furniture, the new green building is going beyond energy conservation and land use to focus mainly on building materials. Sustainable, non-toxic substitutes for PVC, insulation and piping all made the list. Find out how to build your own green dreamhouse.

Enviro-Friendly Furniture

By EWG

If you're looking for couches with wood from sustainable forests, fabric free of flame retardants and finished off with non-toxic dyes, stains and glues, Q Collection makes them not just green, but also good-looking. Consumers may be surprised by how unhealthy furniture can be, but the pieces you live with contribute to the toxic mix of chemicals floating in the air of the average home. Fire retardants, polyurethane, formaldehyde and even heavy metals like chromium-6 can all be used in furniture production, although these chemicals have been linked to birth defects and cancer.

If you're particularly interested in harmful fire retardants in everything from your mattress and computer or TV to your kids' toys (and you live in Washington), take heart: the state is considering the nation's first ban on a fire retardant that has been found to break down into other banned chemicals in the environment.

EWG's work on fire retardants is here.

House Threatens Food Safety Standards

By EWG

No point rewriting Marian Burros' lead from Wednesday's New York Times: "The House is expected to vote Thursday on a bill that would pre-empt all state food safety regulations that are more stringent than federal standards."

That's right -- states that are doing their best to protect consumers are about to be preempted by a Congress that's only interested in protecting its industry donors. The powerful food lobby is crying crocodile tears about -- surprise -- excessive regulation, and wants uniform standards that would conveniently fall at the loweset common denominator of consumer safety. In particular, the new law would overthrow California's landmark Prop. 65, legislation that requires warning labels on products containing chemicals related to cancer or birth defects.

EWG's got a lot of content on food safety: Our pesticide guide, tuna calculator and rocket fuel reports are all of interest to concerned consumers.

Pombo Operatives in Interior Department

By EWG

The Hill reports that two staffers who work for the Department of Interior have spent almost three years pushing Rep. Richard Pombo’s agenda, including controversial provisions for off shore drilling and selling off public lands. Problem is, there are laws designed to keep the government’s branches separate, including one that limits this kind of crossover to one year. Complicating things, the member of Congress who approved the extension of these two staffers’ tenure on Pombo’s Resources Committee is Ohio Congressman, Bob Ney – one of Jack Abramoff’s best friends in Congress. FYI, Abramoff’s history with the Bush Dept. of Interior going back to 2000 is blogged here. Find out about one of Pombo's worst schemes here.

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