As you might imagine, I've seen my share of movies about toxic chemicals. There are a bunch, many of them excellent.

This one struck me because of the director's personal inspiration to track down the source of her parent's shiny new (practical, affordable, durable) vinyl siding. I love how she just won't stop short of convincing them it's not as simple as they think (been there?).

She had a hunch that vinyl had a dark side and, not surprising to me or Enviroblog readers, it does.

Find out about PVC for yourself by following co-director Judith Helfand's investigative globe trot to understand the real (not-so-simple) source of her parents' blue vinyl.

By Lisa Frack

"This is the beginning of the end for brominated flame retardants."

So said Richard Wiles, EWG senior VP for policy, upon learning last week that the major manufacturers of decaBDE have agreed to stop making it.

Who agreed to what, with whom and when?
Late on December 17th, three large chemical companies and officials of the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a deal to voluntarily phase out the toxic flame retardant Decabromodiphenyl ether (Deca), which is heavily used in consumer electronics, furniture, textiles and plastic shipping pallets.

The voluntary agreement with bromine industry giants Chemtura, Albemarle and ICL Industrial Products would end production, importation and use of Deca in all consumer products by December 2012. A full ban would take effect one year later.

A voluntary agreement isn't enough
The joint announcement came just two days after legislation to force a phase-out of Deca was introduced in the House of Representatives by Rep. Chellie Pingree (D-Maine). The Decabromine Elimination and Control Act of 200 (H.R. 4394) would ban Deca in all products, including those designed for children, by the end of 2013. In a statement issued on December 17th, Rep. Pingree said,

I am encouraged by this [industry-EPA] eleventh hour agreement, and if it is followed it will achieve my primary goal with this legislation--getting Deca out of our environment. The chemical industry hasn't always lived up to voluntary agreements. This bill will make sure they do.

EWG Senior Scientist Sonya Lunder had a similar take on the need for Congressional action, despite the agreement:

Deca is a potent neurotoxin and suspected carcinogen that puts children at risk. It needs to be banned. We applaud the Deca phase-out deal. It's an important step forward, but as a voluntary agreement, it does little to ensure that the substitutes for Deca are safe.

Rep. Pingree's bill will give this phase-out the force of law and it will ensure that substitutes for Deca are safe. Until congress takes action to reform the federal toxic chemical law, it will take actions like this against individual chemicals to protect public health.

Why is deca a health concern?
EWG tests in show that Deca accumulates in people and their homes, and that children have the greatest exposures to the chemical. This is especially concerning because single-day exposures to Deca cause permanent changes learning, memory and behavior in newborn mice. In our 2008 report on PBDEs in toddlers and their mothers, we explain the risks associated with Deca exposure:

Like other PBDEs, Deca upsets the developing brain and reproductive system. But recent studies indicate that it also impacts the reproductive system, possibly at even lower exposure levels.

In addition to its direct toxicity there are serious concerns that Deca breaks down in the environment to form PBDEs with fewer bromines, which are more persistent and bioaccumulative in people.

In the meantime, we recommend that you follow EWG's Healthy Home Tip 3 on how to avoid fire retardants to reduce your family's exposure to PBDEs.

EWG staffers put our heads together to come up with this list of bad news environmental stories of the last decade that people might have missed. But there were plenty of big stories that hardly anyone could have missed, such as climate change. What's on your list of the biggest environmental stories of the last 10 years?

1. Secret Gas Drilling Chemical Almost Kills Colorado Nurse
Doctors ran into a medical mystery -- and a stone wall from industry -- when they tried to find what was in a gas drilling chemical that nearly killed a Colorado nurse. Aren't you glad that Congress exempted these "fracking" chemicals from regulation under the Safe Water Drinking Act?

2. Intersex Fish Turn Up All Over
Are you a boy or are you a girl? That's the question that scientists are asking as they study the organs of supposedly male fish from coast to coast and find eggs in many of them. The chief suspects: endocrine-disrupting pollutants that even in tiny amounts can mimic hormones and affect sexual development.

3. Prescription Drugs in Your Drinking Water
Take a swallow and call me in the morning. Antibiotics, anti-convulsants, mood stabilizers and sex hormones - they've all turned up in tests of drinking water around the country. Could there be health risks from decades of drinking water laced with combinations of potent drugs?

4. And Rocket Fuel, Too
Perchlorate -- the stuff is used in rocket fuel and explosives and turns up not just in water but also in milk, lettuce, other foods - and in our bodies. It's been linked to thyroid problems in pregnant women, newborns and infants. The EPA is reconsidering its earlier decision not to regulate it in water. Stand by.

5. Ethanol -- Not Just Bad Energy Policy
There are a lot of reasons to question the drive for biofuels, especially corn-based ethanol, but there has been much less attention paid to what it means for air pollution and health. For people who like to breathe clean air, the balance doesn't look promising.

6. Non-stick, No-Stain and No-Good
They were the miracle products that were supposed to make life easier - keeping spills from staining our couches and making it easy to clean our pots without scrubbing -- until it all went sour. Chemicals in the original Teflon and now off-the-market Scotchgard were linked to cancer and developmental problems. They have a way of polluting everything and they refuse to go away.

7. Monsanto Owns Corn (and also soybeans)
80% of the corn and 95% percent of the soybeans grown in America contain genes inserted by Monsanto scientists, and the company writes tough - and secret - licensing agreements to maintain control and lock out competitors. Now the Justice Department and some states are thinking these practices might violate anti-trust laws. Turnips, anyone?

8. Occupational Hazard: Microwave Popcorn
This fun food turned to be no fun for people who make it. A strange lung malady that sickened workers in plants that make microwave popcorn was traced to a widely used butter flavoring. And one popcorn-crazy consumer was felled, too. It took a while, but OSHA finally took a look, and the stuff is being phased out.

9. Dead (Zone) on Arrival
In the Gulf of Mexico, Chesapeake Bay and elsewhere, vast expanses of ocean have been turned into biological deserts as fertilizer runoff from farms washes downstream and nourish runaway algae growth, which deplete most of the oxygen when the tiny organisms die and decompose. The Gulf dead zone has more than doubled in size since the 1980s - accelerated by the boom in crops grown to make biofuels. In 2009, it was smaller than predicted, but more intense, in 2009.

10. The (Not So) Great Pacific Trash Gyre
It's hard to spot from the water or even from space, but an estimated 3.5 million tons of mostly plastic trash from all over the world floats just below the surface of the Pacific, swirling slowly around in an area of circular currents twice the size of Texas. It's devastating to birds and sea creatures that think the plastic bits are food. It's time to stop adding to the mess - and then see if there's any way to clean it up.

What stories top your list of the decade's biggest environmental news??

'Tis the season to be jolly cooking. Fa la la la la, la la la la.

In the next two weeks, you're probably going to do some (or possibly tons of) holiday cooking. You'll buy ingredients, cook, clean -- and enjoy some leftovers. It's a great time to do a little "greening" before the guests arrive.

EWG makes it easy to prepare your holiday feasts with your family's environmental health in mind. Just follow these simple tips as you shop, cook, eat and clean:

Cook with safer foods
The food we eat can contain ingredients we don't want to eat -- from pesticides to food packaging chemicals. To find safer foods, we suggest that you:

• Buy organic when you can. Organic produce is grown without pesticides, so when you eat it you're not also eating toxic chemicals. Organic meat and dairy products also limit your family's exposure to growth hormones and antibiotics.


• When you can't buy organic, look for less-contaminated conventional produce. Our Shopper's Guide to Pesticides in Produce ranks popular fruits and vegetables based on the amount of pesticide residues found on them. Check out the Shopper's Guide to Pesticides.


• Avoid food containers that leach packaging chemicals into food, especially canned foods (the can linings contain bisphenol-A) and greasy fast-food wrappers. Instead, head for fresh food or prepared foods in glass containers. Pick recipes that call for fresh, not canned, foods.

Use non-toxic cookware
Skip the non-stick so you don't breathe toxic fumes (that can kill your pet bird!) while cooking on high heat. Non-stick pans are coated with a synthetic chemical (think Teflon), and, while convenient, they emit toxic fumes when overheated.

Non-stick cookware is in most American kitchens. Is it in yours? If it is, use it safely. If you can, cook with safer alternatives. Here's how:

• Choose safer cookware. We suggest cast iron, stainless steel and oven-safe glass. Yes, there are many new products on the market, but we don't know enough about them to know if they're safe. Even if they're advertised as "green" or "not non-stick," manufacturers do not have to release their safety data to the public. If you're in the market for a new pan, purchase it through Amazon and a portion of your purchase total will go to EWG!


• Cook safer with non-stick if you're 'stuck' with it. You can reduce the possibility of toxic fumes by cooking smart with any non-stick cookware you happen to own: never preheat nonstick cookware at high heat, don't put it in an oven hotter than 500 degrees F and use an exhaust fan over the stove.

• Skip the plastic food storage containers if you can. We know that chemicals routinely migrate, or leach, into food and liquids placed in plastic containers. Ceramic or glass food containers (like Pyrex) are safer.


• Don't microwave food or drinks in plastic containers, even if they claim to be "microwave safe." Heat can break down plastics and release chemicals into your food and drink. Microwaves heat unevenly, creating hot spots where the plastic is more likely to break down.


• If you must use plastics, handle them carefully. Use them for cool liquids only; don't reuse single-use plastics; wash plastics on the top rack of the dishwasher, farther from the heating element (or by hand!); use a paper towel instead of plastic wrap to cover food in the microwave.

Clean greener
You clean before holiday guests arrive and after they leave -- and while you cook. But do you clean green? We recommend that you do, because our homes aren't safe and clean if the air inside is polluted with chemicals from household cleaners. It's really quite easy:

• Choose safer cleaning products. Try natural alternatives (vinegar, baking soda and water!). Avoid anti-bacterials (here's how). Avoid the biggest hazards (acidic toilet bowl cleaners, air fresheners, oven cleaners, and corrosive drain openers).


• Adopt safe cleaning routines. Open the window. Use gloves. Keep kids away from toxic products. Dust and vacuum often because dust often contains toxics.


• A few tips for the kitchen. Microwave your sponge. Wash your hands with plain soap and water -- it's just as effective. Use a baking soda & water paste instead of commercial oven cleaner.

These tips are part of our Healthy Home Tips series - read all 7 and sign up for the rest here.

By Alex Formuzis, EWG Director of Communications

What's the world coming to when your freakin' flip-flops are laced with toxic chemicals dangerous to human health and the environment?

I mean, the main pillar of my decades-old No Socks policy between May and September include the purchase of a new pair beginning each spring.....INSERT EXPLETIVE-FUELED RANT HERE:

So, when I saw the headline in the Manila Bulletin "Sandals, flip-flops found with harmful chemicals" it really harshed my mellow.

Then there's this from yesterday's Business Report:

"In a study released last week, the Swedish Society for Nature Conservation (SSNC) found high levels of a toxic chemical known as diethyl-hexyl phthalate (DEHP) in 17 out of 27 pairs of shoes manufactured in various countries including India, Indonesia, Tanzania, The Philippines, Sweden and South Africa.

The chemical can cause cancer, severe damage to a developing fetus and the central nervous system."

Now, I love the Swedes and all they've done to advance science throughout the years, and the meatballs at Ikea are the best in town, but this is one study I'd just as soon had not been done.

I won't hang up my flip-flops but, what gives, sandalistas?

[A big thx to flickr and theogeo for the pink flops]

Our homes are filled with plastics, and most of us don't really know what they're made of -- or whether they're safe.

Tired of being confused??
Making sense of plastics can be confusing and time-consuming: Can I recycle it? Can I microwave it? Can I drink out of it? And personally, I'm tired of wondering if I'm ditching plastics where it really matters, or not. A person can get a wee tired of it all.

So, rather than despair, throw it all out, or do nothing (all options I've considered), I'm going to follow my EWG colleagues' advice to pick plastics carefully. It's important to me that they rely on solid science and suggest safer choices that are truly do-able when it comes to my family's environmental health.

To simplify our choices, they shared their top plastics advice for this month's Healthy Home Tip. You'll learn how to choose, use and (sometimes) avoid plastics. We discuss:

• Why you should avoid certain plastics.
• How to choose and use safer plastics -- where it matters most.
• When to use safer alternatives.

Like our healthy home tips? We hope so.
Producing top-notch research and helpful tips is important -- and costly. A contribution from supporters like you ensures that we can continue keep these useful, trustworthy tips coming - thanks!

You can find our first three Healthy Home Tips and sign up to get the rest right here. Talk to you in a month when we discuss our next tip: Wash those hands.

PS - If you try to use less plastic to reduce its overall impact on the environment, check out Lisa's posts on buying no plastic for a week.

By Lisa Frack

As you might imagine, I read labels before I buy pretty much anything. But when they don't tell me a thing, why bother? Take, for example, bottled water.

Labels disclose very little. Makes you wonder, doesn't it?
Our new research into 200 popular brands of bottled water shows that less than 2 percent disclose the water's source, how the water has been purified and what chemical pollutants each bottle of water may contain. Just 2 of the 188 individual brands EWG analyzed disclosed these three very basic - and arguably essential - facts about their water. You can easily find your brand with our searchable (and embeddable) widget.

Some brands are better than others
Somewhat surprisingly, mainstream brands such as Sam's Club and Walgreen's scored relatively high marks, while waters marketed as elite, including Perrier, S. Pellegrino and the Whole Foods store brand, flunked because they provided almost no meaningful information for consumers. Ahhhh, marketing.

Speaking of marketing...
Wenonah Hauter, executive director of the non-profit consumer advocacy group Food & Water Watch explains the industry's marketing scam:

The Bottled water industry's strategy has been to market bottled water as the safe and clean alternative to tap water. This myth has been used to trick consumers into paying thousands times more for a product that is the same or even more polluted than the water available from our faucets.

Tap water in the United States undergoes rigorous testing for contaminants--as often as 480 times a month, far more than the once-a-week test for bottled water.

Why the glaring lack of disclosure?
When EWG's Jane Houlihan testified in Congress yesterday, she reported that bottled water companies enjoy a regulatory holiday under the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, which give beverage corporations complete latitude to choose what, if any, information about their water they divulge to customers.

In contrast, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) -- the federal agency that oversees the nation's municipal water utilities -- requires all 52,000 community tap water suppliers nationwide to produce an annual water quality report: The utilities' reports detail water source and pollutant testing results for customers, as required under the Safe Drinking Water Act. An estimated 58 percent of these reports also describe water treatment methods. Houlihan notes:

Many people assume bottled water is healthier and safer to drink than ordinary tap water. But some companies have lured consumers away from the tap with claims of health and purity that aren't backed by public data. The ugly truth is that under lax federal law, consumers know very little about the quality of bottled water on which they spend billions every year.

You can hear it for yourself on the Today Show:

PS - Thanks a million to our fans who provided us with the bottled water labels - we couldn't have done it without you.