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Jun
2
Toxic America Premiers Tonight on CNN
Filed Under Articles | Comments Off
- Z Recommends – BPA, PVC and Phthalates in Food Processors & Blenders: The gang at Zrecs did a fabulous article on this topic and I recommend giving it a once over. They found out for us that the Beaba BabyCook is BPA Free and now we have some insight on what the deal is with a bevy of other food prep items.
- CNN – Court Rules Vaccines Didn’t Cause Autism: This is a really volatile subject and one we chose not to cover here on SafeMama too indepth for a variety of reasons. One being, it’s a personal decision for every parent, and two and most important: We don’t know the right answer. Parents ask us whats the right course of action and we don’t feel that we’re qualified enough to make that kind of a judgment. We have our own theories and beliefs but in this case, we can’t make the decision for anyone but our own family. But we can share findings with you such as this article that broke on CNN yesterday which outlines a recent court ruling that vaccines don’t cause autism. We think they use very careful language and are weary of anything we read on the subject but it’s what popped up in the news yesterday. Thought I’d point it out. One thing is for sure, we both agree that MUCH more research is needed into this important topic.
- LovelyMama: Valentines Week! We did a week of articles on safer or sustainable V-Day gifts and sexy eco-tips. Statia wrote a really great article about greening your sex life too… check it out!
- Take Action! Kid-Safe Chemical Act: More and more, our babies and ids are being polluted with chemicals and toxins from our environment. We are in desperate need of reforming the laws ans regulations around household chemicals. Please consider letting your elected officials know you support this important change. Sign the Declaration today.
- Hain Celestial Group Inc – Earth’s Best Organic Formula
- Privately held PBM Nutritionals (store brand formulas)
- Mead Johnsons Enfamil LIPIL with Iron: 2 tests read 0.137ppm and 0.14ppm
- Nestle’s Good Start Supreme Infant Formula with Iron: 3 tests with an average of 0.247ppm
- For infants and young babies: Look for toys that are all natural or organic made with eco-friendly, natural dyes. There are plenty of toys out there that still bright enough and appealing to baby’s senses.
- Avoid dollar stores and other stores that sell generic branded cheaply made toys.
- Limit the amount of big name brand toys. While many companies will publish information and are cracking down on lead in their toys by taking extra measures, some companies seem to withhold that information, as if they seem to be hiding something. (That’s right, we’re looking at YOU Fisher-Price)
- We also realize that toddlers and younger children are at the age where they have to have a certain toy. A great website to turn to in this case would be Healthytoys.org which has a large database of toys that they’ve tested for lead and other harmful chemicals.
- Buy a lead testing kit. These are available at just about any hardware store.
- Keep up to date on the latest recalls by checking out the CPSC’s recall list
- Invest more money in few, better quality, environmentally friendly toys, rather than stocking up on more cheaply made toys. Kids tend to play better with less. And think about how much easier it’ll be to clean your house.
I don’t usually post about television here on SafeMama but I thought this was particularly relevent, and exciting that this information is making it to CNN. A two part televised look at “Toxic America” – hosted by Sanjay Gutpa, MD, the medical correspondent for CNN. In the two part series, the first which debuts tonight called Toxic Town, starts with a look at Mossville, Louisiana. The residents who have been struggling for decades to get government help for problems they say are related to toxic chemical plants (specifically the PVC plant in town). After a year-long study, Dr. Gupta goes on location to investigate and try to get answers.
Tomorrow night in the second part, Toxic Childhood, is where they’ll focus on the hidden effects of toxins on all of us, especially pregnant mothers. The team dissects the latest science on how to minimize risks to pregnant woman and children form potentially harmful chemicals found in the air, in homes, food and in common household products.
To watch, or set your DVR to record starting tonight June 2,2010 at 8pm on CNN. Check your local listings for channel.
CNN also has a great article and video on the Dirty Dozen, taping into pesticides in produce. Not new information to us but some might want to see the coverage of it on CNN.
Mar
12
SC Johnson phasing out phthalates in all products
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This came across the newswire this morning and I thought I’d share it. SC Johnson company, the makers of many family and household products is taking the initiative to not only phase out all phthalates from all products, but going one step further in creating three different means to let their consumers know the ingredient breakdown of their products. This is exciting news.
In a bold industry leadership move that affects 99 million U.S. households,1 Chairman and CEO Fisk Johnson today announced that SC Johnson is continuing to go beyond regulatory requirements and is voluntarily leading by providing ingredient information for its home cleaning and air care products such as Windex®, Shout® and Glade®.
“As a family company, listening and responding to consumers is SC Johnson’s top priority,” said Johnson. “Today’s families want to know what’s in the household cleaning and air freshening products they use in their homes. Making information about the ingredients in our products readily accessible and easy to understand helps our consumers know they can continue to trust our products.”
This pleases me that they’re not only taking that extra step to phase out phthalates, but that they’re disclosing their ingredients. As it stands right now, it’s not mandatory (on household products), so a lot of people (including us) are left to guess as to whether or not it’s safe for our families. Now, this doesn’t mean that ALL of the ingredients in their products are good, but this is a good start. I should mention that they do have a natural line, called Nature’s Source, which is better than their conventional line.
They’re providing all of this information by three different means:
Information will be available through not one but three means – a dedicated web site (www.whatsinsidescjohnson.com), the company’s toll-free number (1-800-558-5252) and on product labels that will be phased in for all air care and home cleaning products.
The website is still a work in progress, but all ingredients are listed and then further broken down, so that you can actually research them individually if you so desire.
This is great news and I hope that other companies start to follow suit. It just goes to show that YOU, along with all of the green and parent safety bloggers are really making a difference.
Mar
5
BPA Banned in New York’s Suffolk County
Filed Under Articles, Bisphenol-A, Dear SafeMama, Skin Care | Comments Off
I just saw this once I had a chance to sit down and catch up on some news reading. The Associated Press reported that lawmakers in Long Islands Suffolk County have voted on approving a ban on baby products containing BPA:
GARDEN CITY, N.Y. (AP) — Lawmakers in a Long Island county have voted to approve what would be the nation’s first ban on baby bottles and toddler sippy cups made with a chemical that some studies suggest may be harmful to infants.
The ban on Bisphenol-A (BPA) was approved unanimously by the Suffolk County Legislature on Tuesday. It will take effect if County Executive Steve Levy signs it, but he has not indicated whether he will do so.
Not only does this please me in a Ban on BPA way but Suffolk County is where I grew up and I am so proud that my home county is helping pave the way.
Read the full article: Associated Press
Read about it on Safer States and I just saw a great post about this over at ZRecommends too… check it out.
Feb
13
End of the Week Link Roundup
Filed Under Articles, Dear SafeMama, Eco-Mama, Safe Mama Tips | Comments Off
Hi SafeParents! It’s been a busy week around here but we’re working on some new items that will hopefully be of some good use. In the meantime I wanted to share a few great links to fellow blogs that have done some really important and/or entertaining writing in the last week.
Happy Valentine’s to you and yours!
Jan
28
Mercury in High Fructose Corn Syrup
Filed Under Articles, Food Safety | Comments Off
If you needed another reason to avoid high fructose corn syrup in your food, then here it is. One of my favorite blogs Eco Child’s Play tipped me off to a new study that revealed that “Mercury was found in nearly 50% of tested samples of commercial high fructose corn syrup” according to an article published by Environmental Health.
Another study done by The Institute of Agriculture and Trade Policy found that one in three products with HFCS listed as a main ingredient was found to contain mercury.
In our own limited testing, we could detect mercury in about one of every three common foods or beverages where HFCS was the first or second labeled ingredient. Many of these foods are heavily marketed to children, who in turn are among those most vulnerable to mercury’s toxic effects.
…
Just published in the peer-reviewed scientific journal, Environmental Health, is the bombshell that commercial HFCS appears to be routinely contaminated with mercury. It turns out the contamination isn’t so much accidental as newly recognized, given the fact that much HFCS has been made and continues to be made using “mercury-grade” caustic soda.
Where is it found? It can be found in just abot everything… the obvious place is candy, soda and sweets but HFCS is also found in bread, breakfast cereals, tomato sauces, breadcrumbs, granola bars, ketchup, crackers, cough syrups, dill pickles, frozen pizzas, meats, marinades, barbecue sauces, salad dressing …. etc. It’s everywhere and some experts blame HFCS for the increasingly scary epidemic of obesity and diabetes in the U.S. All the more reason to eat real food, whole food and unprocessed food if you ask me.
Dec
17
FDA to continue to study BPA
Filed Under Articles, Bisphenol-A | Comments Off
After a year of nothing but controversy for the FDA regarding it’s (in)decision about BPA, they’ve stated that while they won’t change their decision about its safety, they will continue to “study” the chemical over the next several years:
The FDA has maintained that BPA is safe, relying largely on two studies that were funded by the chemical industry.
In October, the FDA was faulted by its own panel of independent science advisers, who said the agency’s position on BPA was scientifically flawed. The panel said the agency should revisit its assessment and take into account the studies it had ignored.
Yesterday, Laura Tarantino, director of the FDA’s Office of Food Additive Safety, said the FDA will respond to that recommendation by performing additional analysis. She said she did not know if it would last months or years.
“I can’t tell you when we will finalize this,” she said. “There is a lot of work.” [full article]
Is it me, or does it smell a bit like the FDA is stalling? I don’t think we’ve made it a secret that we distrust the FDA and its inability to look out for the safety of the public. From BPA to melamine in formula, I think I know where the American public stands. It’s behind the coporation giving the biggest donation in order to skew the results their way.
The FDA might maintain the safety of BPA, but plenty of independent studies show otherwise, and we will continue to promote alternatives and spread the word about the dangers of BPA. Thankfully, a lot of companies are following suit and giving the customers what they want, and that’s safer products to feed our children with.
Nov
27
US Formula Makers Say Products are Melamine Free
Filed Under Articles, melamine, Product Safety | Comments Off
Well this is weird… first the FDA says they found trace amounts of melamine in their tests of 77 US formula samples including those from Mead Johnson, the makers of Enfamil. But now they say “The FDA has confirmed with Mead Johnson that melamine was not found in any of our products they tested”. Hmm. People panicked over the FDA’s claims to traces of melamine in leading brands but in an effort to squelch consumer worries companies are saying their in-house testing finds no traces at all.
Companies coming forward claiming their own testing shows no melamine content:
Abbott Nutrition, Nestle uSA, and Solus Products were not reached for comment on the FDA’s findings reported yesterday. The FDA said the low level of melamine (and melamine byproducts) posed no risk, but reports of the finding caused alarm among parents. None of this is sitting well with us. We’ll keep up with the news in the meantime…
Source: Reuters
Learn More: What is Melamine – A Crash Course
Nov
26
Melamine Found in US Baby Formula
Filed Under Green Mama, melamine, Product Safety | Comments Off
Oh boy. Well, I’ve have had my head firmly up my butt this week with Thanksgiving around the corner but apparently there is good reason to pull it out. News reports swirled yesterday and today regarding Melamine detection in US made baby formula. Since the news that melamine was found in baby formula in China, the US Government (FDA) began quietly testing US brands of baby formula for melamine.
In China, melamine was being intentionally dumped into watered-down milk to trick food quality tests into showing higher protein levels. In this case, the melamine detected was probably not intentional but the result of food packaging or the process plants. The levels that were found in China’s formula were around 2,500 parts per million. In the tests done in the US the results were between 0.137ppm – .247ppm.
The FDA tested 77 infant formula samples and found trace amounts of melamine in the following baby formulas:
The FDA did tests on Abbott Laboratories brands including Similac but none was detected in the 18 samples. However an Abbot spokesman said some in-house tests did find trace amounts though which brands were not specified.
McBean (Abbott spokesman) did say the detections were at levels far below the health limits set by all countries in the world, including Taiwan, where the limit is 0.05 parts per million.
“We’re talking about trace amounts right here, and you know there’s a lot of scientific bodies out there that say low levels of melamine are always present in certain types of foods,” said McBean.
Trace amounts are said to not be enough to cause problems (melamine exposure can cause kidney stones and other problems) in infants at these trace amounts. However, FDA critics think there should be no safe level of melamine contamination and that any formula with ANY amount of melamine should be recalled immediately.
Dr. Jerome Paulson, an associate professor of pediatrics at Children’s National Medical Center in Washington, D.C., said he didn’t think the FDA’s decision was unreasonable. He added, however, that the agency should research the impacts of long-term, low-dose exposure, “and not just assume it’s safe, and then 15 years from now find out that it’s not.”
Read more: Associated Press: FDA finds traces of melamine in US infant formula
What Should I Do? These are trace amounts of Melamine detected and the FDA is standing firm that there is no danger involved like the China scare. FDA scientists conclude there is a very low risk. But there is that word again… risk. We encourage our readers to call your formula makers regarding this latest news and find out what their position is on the subject. Unfortunately, we don’t know for sure what brands are free of any trace melamine contamination. We only know what the FDA has stated thus far regarding any need to worry: Here is the current stance from the FDA regarding Melamine.
Currently, the trace amounts detected are below any level of concern according to the FDA, so it is important you not stop feeding your baby formula. Talk to your pediatrician about changing brands if you really feel it’s necessary and check back with us as the information develops. We’ll keep you as posted as we can!
Nov
20
Fewer Lead Recalls This Year
Filed Under Articles, Toy Safety | Comments Off
No doubt that last year was the year of the “toy recall.” Everywhere you looked there was another toy being recalled for one reason or another, but one of the big offenders was lead. It was really overwhelming for just about every parent you talked to. When was the madness going to end?
The good news is, that after last year, there are fewer lead recalls this year, the bad news is, that there are still lead recalls, and experts are telling parents to still use caution when buying toys for their kids:
“I don’t think at this point that anyone who makes a toy is looking to save a little bit extra on the margin by using cheap materials,” says Michael Green, executive director of the Center for Environmental Health in Oakland, Calif. “But I am not confident that they’re all going to be able to do the job and get the lead out.”
Recalls of toys or children’s products because of lead paint or lead content are down sharply, from a record 112 in 2007 to 64 this year. There were 20 lead recalls in 2006 and only 13 in 2005.
While it’s a little more comforting to know that companies are still taking precautions to avoid lead, there’s still no federal limit on the amount of lead allowed in toys. For babies and small children, this could pose to be really dangerous. And do you really want ANY lead near any of your children, regardless of age? While parents agree that there should be a law on the amount of lead (as in, NONE) allowed in toys, especially ones geared towards infants and toddlers, there are precautions you can take to help minimize lead exposure:
We know you’re not perfect. We still have mindless plastic toys floating around the house. Sometimes, you just need peace and quiet, but following these simple guidelines should help you minimize not only the amount of lead your child could be exposed to, but also your impact on the environment.
Oct
29
FDA Ignored Evidence of Harm Regarding BPA Ruling
Filed Under Articles, Bisphenol-A | Comments Off
From the Washington Post today:
In a highly critical report to be released today, the panel of scientists from government and academia said the FDA did not take into consideration scores of studies that have linked bisphenol A (BPA) to prostate cancer, diabetes and other health problems in animals when it completed a draft risk assessment of the chemical last month. The panel said the FDA didn’t use enough infant formula samples and didn’t adequately account for variations among the samples.
Taking those studies into consideration, the panel concluded, the FDA’s margin of safety is “inadequate”. The panel is part of the Science Board, a committee of advisers to the FDA commissioner, and was set up to review the FDA’s risk assessment of BPA.
I can’t even begin to express my utter frustration with the current state of Bisphenol-a in food packaging and baby products and this just solidifies the fact that this chemical has no business being near our food and that the FDA didn’t take real scientific evidence into consideration when they carelessly said it was safe.
Canada just recently declared BPA a dangerous toxin and has banned its use in childrens products.
Read the article on WashingtonPost.com
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Latest CPSC Childrens Products and Toy Recalls
- Bumbleride Recalls Indie & Indie Twin Strollers Due to Fall Hazard
- Weeplay Kids Recalls Infant Bodysuits Due to Choking Hazard
- Infant Rattles Recalled by Lee Carter Co. Due to Choking Hazard
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- Chariot Carriers Recalls Child Bicycle Trailers and Conversion Kits Due to Injury Hazard
Car Seat Recalls
Latest FDA Recalls
- North American Rescue, LLC Announces A Follow-Up to the Recall of Crickit Convenience Kits Because of Possible Health Risk Related to Nationwide Recall of Triad Povidone Iodine Prep Pads
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- Nest Collective Voluntarily Recalls Select Revolution Foods Jammy Sammy - Strawberry Jam & Peanut Butter Snack Size Sandwich Bars Due to a Labeling Error (Undeclared Peanut on Inner Wrapper)
Latest Recalls in Canada
- Seymour Custom Solvent recalled over labelling
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Safer States Action Alerts
- 28 states to consider toxic chemicals legislation in 2012
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