ABOUT

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.

DONATE TO EWG!

Help us protect your health and environment!  Please donate $5 to EWG today.

GET EWG'S TIPS & ACTION ALERTS

Sign Up here to receive email updates and tips from EWG and stay informed on the issues that matter most to you.

ENVIROBLOG VIA EMAIL

Delivered by FeedBurner

 Enviroblog in your Reader

Get EWG widgets & blog badges.

Join EWG's live chat with Chef Ann Cooper

School lunch: More fruits & veggies, please!

Texas Schools are Drilling for Dollars

Why do blowouts take so long to fix?

SEARCH ENVIROBLOG

FIND PAST POSTS

select month November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 May 2007 April 2007 March 2007 February 2007 January 2007 December 2006 November 2006 October 2006 September 2006 August 2006 July 2006 June 2006 May 2006 April 2006 March 2006 February 2006 January 2006 December 2005 November 2005 October 2005 September 2005 August 2005 July 2005 June 2005 May 2005 April 2005 March 2005 February 2005 January 2005 December 2004 November 2004 October 2004 September 2004 August 2004 July 2004 June 2004 May 2004 April 2004

FEATURED

Support the 2010 Safe Cosmetics Act. It's Urgent.

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

Cell phone radiation series - Part 2: 8 Ways to reduce your exposure

So what products CAN we use?

Test Your Knowledge of Cosmetics Safety: 8 Myths Debunked

EWG's Tips for Parents: The Series

EWG's Tips to avoid BPA exposure

EWG on TV

Cutting the Pork from U.S. Farm Bill

Toxic Tub?

Sunscreen safety & DC drinking water

Perchlorate in people, kids' personal care products & plastics, and sunscreen

BPA in baby formula & safe cosmetics

Ask EWG

What can I do about fluoride in my water?

What is new carpet treated with? What can I do?

What is "fragrance"?

Which infant formula is best?

Are stainless steel water bottles safe?

Is mineral-based makeup safer?

Ask EWG Archives

PEOPLE TALKING TOXICS

Breast Cancer Fund

The Daily Green

Eco Child's Play

Environmental Defense Fund

Green Moms Carnival

Grist

Healthy Child, Healthy World

Huffington Post Green

NRDC's Switchboard

Organic.org

Safer States

TreeHugger

TALK TO US

Did we miss something? Email Enviroblog.

« Ready, Set, No Plastic | Main | Are we using the best available science to prevent breast cancer? »

Don't mess with my milk!

Last week I met one of the co-founders and current director of Make our Milk Safe (aka M.O.M.S.), an inspiring Oakland-based grassroots group that is fighting hard around the country to get toxic chemicals out of breast milk. This group strikes a real chord with me because they are motivated by the outrageous fact that human breast milk is loaded with chemicals. Chemicals that nursing mothers transfer directly into their tiny, new babies. Of course EWG firmly believes that breast milk is still the best milk, despite its contamination.

I can still recall the day when I first learned about this, long before working for EWG. I was nursing my first child, who is now 5. I've rarely been angrier than the moment I read in the New York Times Magazine about Swedish studies showing that PBDE's in human breast milk had doubled every five years since the 1970's (when they had taken samples), and that levels in the U.S. were 10 to 100 times higher than women in Europe and Japan. And to my amazement, no-one appeared to be doing anything about it. How could this first, amazing food of human life be toxic and we weren't marching on Washington? If not that, I wondered, then what?

So when I came across M.O.M.S. recently it was like coming home. Here they were, the mothers marching on Washington, fighting to get toxics out of their milk. Here's how they describe their mission, the reason for their fight:

Let's face it, moms—heck parents in general— are a busy bunch. We shouldn't have to worry about whether the products we buy are safe, but we do. Why? Because there is growing evidence that everyday consumer products we buy for our homes and families are tainted with chemicals that cause birth defects, reproductive, developmental, and behavioral harm, and even cancer. It's an outrage. And we want to do something about it.

We are working to build a massive movement of mothers and others who will step out from behind the changing table and speak out against the presence of toxins in our environment, our bodies, and breast milk.

Like EWG, these moms are working from a number of angles to make the world we live in more environmentally healthy. Two approaches that we share are educating consumers and supporting progressive legislation, like the Kid Safe Chemicals Act. They offer some excellent guidance for pregnant and nursing mothers, and of course you can join the MOMSquad if you're ready to make some noise about all this (not the crying baby kind). If nothing else, get on their mailing list so you know what they're up to. And if you're like me and always need a baby gift on hand, their onesie is perfect - it says what I feel so well: Don't mess with my milk!

« Ready, Set, No Plastic |