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Nov
17
American Moms Will Be Watching To See If Congress Will Make Products Safer
Filed Under Chemicals, Take Action | 3 Comments
- What was your Skin Deep toxicity rating score?
- Were you surprised with the score and/or ingredients?
- What would you like your score to be?
- Take the How Low Can You Go challenge
- Use the Action Tool to contact your representative
- Leave a comment on this entry sharing your score from the How Low Can You Go Challenge
- Click here to send an email directly to EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson. The link (sponsored by Organic Consumers Association) sends an automated message to Lisa Jackson, or;
- Submit your own comments to the docket directly by clicking here. Fill in the form to submit your comments to the Federal Register (this method offers different levels of privacy). You can visit HealthyChild.org to get a sample letter or check out BeyondPesticides.org for information that can help you develop your own letter.
- Keep the computer in a common area. I realize now that most kids have their own laptops, which may be necessary for older kids to use for school work, but have them stay in view of you. If they’re teenagers, have a common agreement where you respect their need for privacy, while still being able to make sure they’re not getting into trouble. This is also somewhat critical for teens who are apt to lock themselves away, never to be seen by their families again.
- Install web filters to keep young children away from sites intended for adult eyes only.
- Share Login Info. If you’re allowing them to create a Facebook or other type of social media account, let them know that you’ll want their login info. Not because you want to spy on them, but because you want to keep them safe. If that’s not something you can agree on with your child, at the very least, have it be a requirement that you’re “friends” on Facebook.
- Consider using a monitoring software. If you wanted to use something like this, be honest with them, and let them know that you’re able to see what they’re doing, and not because you intend to watch their every move. Make sure you don’t violate that trust just to get the daily dish of what’s going on in their social lives. Hopefully you’ll have the lines of communication open enough that they’ll keep you in the loop of what’s going on, but older kids need some privacy. We all have stories we tell our parents when they’re at prime heart attack age, of the things we did as kids. You may even get the old line of “don’t you remember what it’s like to be my age?” And sometimes, we forget, but we also didn’t have the technology that they have so readily available to them. If you were lucky, you actually had a computer, and if you were even luckier, you had a 2400 baud dial-up modem. “And we LIKED IT!”
- 17 out of 28 products tested – 61 percent – contained both formaldehyde and 1,4-dioxane.
- 23 out of 28 products – 82 percent – contained formaldehyde at levels ranging from 54 to 610 parts per million (ppm).
- 32 out of 48 products – 67 percent – contained 1,4-dioxane at levels ranging from 0.27 to 35 ppm.
- Less is More. Use less products.. .babies and kids don’t need that many products to be clean. Especially babies… their skin is already perfect, skip the lotion.
- Pick Safer Products: We’ve compiled lists of product lines that use natural and less synthetic ingredients and we are constantly reviewing safe baby care lines on our site. Formaldehyde and 1,4 dioxane are often by-products of synthetic chemical processing so the more natural the better. Check out our Safer Skin Care Cheat Sheets.
- Avoid synthetic fragrances, dyes, or products with a huge list of ingredients that you don’t recognize.
- No More Toxic Tub
- Press Release: Children’s Bath Products Contaminated with Formaldehyde, 1,4-Dioxane
- SafeMama’s Safer Skin Care Cheat Sheet
- EWG: Safety Guide to Children’s Care Products
- Lead will be essentially eliminated from all children’s products.
- Toys and other children’s products will be required to be tested for safety before they are sold.
- Toxic phthalates will be banned from children’s products.
- CPSC will receive substantial increases in its resources including its budget, staffing levels, computer resources and its various authorities to conduct recalls and take other actions.
- CPSC will have the authority to levy more significant civil penalties against violators of its safety regulations, which will help deter wrongdoing.
- The CPSC will be restored to five commissioners but quorum will be immediately restored with the two current commissioners in power.
- State Attorneys General will have the necessary authority to enforce product safety laws.
- Consumers will have access to a public database to report and learn about hazards posed by unsafe products.
- Whistleblowers will be granted important protections.
Today the U.S. Senate will be holding a hearing on The Safe Chemicals Act. A bill that American moms have been waiting for, for years. The Safe Chemicals Act, sponsored by Senator Frank Lautenberg, is a bill that will finally address our severely outdated laws surrounding the issue of chemical safety and regulation in our every day household products. The reform will address the antiquated Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) of 1976. It’s long overdue and the old laws are not working.
Being a parent brings to the forefront the instinct to protect. To protect our children and our families from harm, in any way possible. So when many of us became mothers or fathers, we took a close look at what was around us. Our mattresses soaked in flame retardants, our cleaning products that pollute the air in our homes and the earth, our skin care, our baby bottles, … everything.
By updating TSCA, Congress can create the foundation for a sound and comprehensive chemicals policy that protects public health and the environment, while restoring the luster of safety to U.S. goods in the world market.
Like our celebrity mom Jessica Alba (who has been our Mom Ambassador on supporting this reform) says, “It is still legal to use lead, mercury, asbestos and formaldehyde in many common household products. Even worse, there are thousands of other chemicals in use that have never been tested for safety at all!”
We rely on the government to make sure that the products our families use are safe. That needs to become a clearer truth rather than a false assumption. Today at 10am EST, Moms and Dads across America will be interrupting their busy day to watch The U.S. Senate hold a hearing on “The Safe Chemicals Act“. Follow the hearing, along with 30,000 other parents, on the Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families Facebook page today at 10am EST.
I’ve been waiting for this since I learned about the risks my family suffers so that companies can make money. It’s time for that to change. Today.
Nov
3
Johnson & Johnson To Make Products Formaldehyde Free, But Is It Enough?
Filed Under Skin Care, Take Action | 3 Comments
In the US, J&J products contain formaldehyde and 1,4 dioxane which are both carcinogens
This week The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics asked for a call to action after finding out that Johnson & Johnson, the popular baby product manufacturer, was selling a “safer” version of their bath products in foreign countries. By safer, I mean they had eliminated formaldehyde releasing preservatives from those products while the babies in the US continue to be exposed to their old formulas.
The ingredient that The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics had their eye on was quaternium-15 which releases detectable levels of formaldehyde in to the products. Pair that with the carcinogen 1,4 dioxane and you have yourself a nice gentle and safe baby product, right? (That’s sarcasm by the way). A few years ago they lobbied to J&J to remove quaternium-15 from their products. But as of today, J&J is still exposing babies in the US to these carcinogenic chemicals.
This week Johnson & Johnson released a statement in a letter saying that even though formaldehyde-releasing preservatives are safe (that sounds ridiculous) they are phasing them out and are going to gradually reduce the level of dioxane to lower than detectable levels.
While I think this is a step in the right direction I do have a few misgivings with the recent developments. One is that its taken entirely too long for J&J to respond to the demand of the consumers. It’s been years that we have been writing letters to them demanding safer products. And yes, they did come out with a safer version of their products. But this is mainly out of money making instead of wanting to make safer products.
My other “beef” is that the spotlight in this case has been mostly on quaternium-15 and 1,4 dioxane. But what about the fact that they are using hormone disrupting phthalates (fragrance) in a product designed for infants! Even if they eliminate quaternium-15 and dioxane (which are carcinogens… I understand the focus on getting rid of them) the products will still not be what I consider to be “safe”. But one thing at a time I suppose.
I get email all the time from people asking me what I think of their new “Naturals” line. I understand people want safe products that don’t cost $16 a bottle. I get it. I would much rather pay $4.99 than what I pay for kid shampoo. But I just cannot give it my support. It’s free of many things I avoid in skin care but I don’t trust that the company has children’s safety in mind, only dollars signs. I would much rather support (and sacrifice) a company that cares and has cared from the beginning.
Take Action: Despite what I’ve said above, I do see the value in demanding safer products for the public even if it means they aren’t perfect, but better. So we will continue to write to J&J and other companies to demand better for our babies.
Aug
1
Earth Mama’s How Low Can You Go Challenge!
Filed Under Giveaways Coupons, Skin Care, Take Action | 22 Comments
It’s Toxic Limbo time! Sing with us, “All around the natural world, gonna get the toxins out!” How low can YOU go when it comes to safe, natural personal care products? Take the Earth Mama How Low Can You Go Challenge to find out!
Here’s the challenge:
Gather some of the most common pregnancy and baby care products you use regularly on your pregnant body or on your baby. You
can include shampoo, lotions, soaps, diaper cream, stretch mark oil, hemorrhoid cream, etc. Go to the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics’ Skin Deep database and enter a product name in the search field (for example, Angel Baby Shampoo & Body Wash). Look for the Hazard
Score for that product. The Hazard Score tells you the toxicity rating: 0 is lowest, 10 the most toxic. Click the product if you want to see specifically which ingredients add up to create that score. If your product isn’t listed, ask yourself why. Is there something in the ingredients list that the company might not want you to see? If your product isn’t listed, you can enter individual ingredients to check their toxicity rating.
Add up the Skin Deep toxicity rating for all the personal care products that you use on a daily basis on your pregnant or nursing body, or on your baby, to find out what your score is. Then answer these questions.
Don’t worry – there are no right or wrong answers, and everyone wins when mamas are informed and empowered. The biggest surprise is how high the toxin score can be, even for products that are labeled “natural” or “organic.” The only way to lower your score is to know what to look for, and there’s a whole tricky business trying to trick busy mamas with unclear labeling. That’s why Earth Mama supports the Safe Cosmetics Act of 2011.
Please Take Action!
The Safe Cosmetics Act of 2011 needs your support! The Safe Cosmetics Act of 2011 (H.R.2359) is designed to give the U.S. Food and Drug Administration authority to ensure that personal care products are free of harmful ingredients and that ingredients are fully disclosed. It’s pretty simple, right? Earth Mama Angel Baby is hoping you’ll use this handy action tool from our friends at the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics to tell your rep to close the loopholes that allow “cancer-causing chemicals in baby shampoo, hormone disruptors in fragrance and lead in lipstick.”
Enter to Win Some Earth Mama Angel Baby Goodies!
One random participant will win Earth Mama’s A Little Something for Baby, filled with zero toxin essentials for an angel on the go. (Set includes naturally safe Angel Baby Shampoo & Body Wash, best selling, rash busting Angel Baby Bottom Balm, soothing Angel Baby Lotion and pure, virtually scent-free Angel Baby Oil)
Complete the following steps to enter: (required)
Jan
18
Help the EPA Ban Triclosan
Filed Under Chemicals, Take Action | 6 Comments
I’ve written about Triclosan before (and please forgive the long silence here on SafeMama, I’ve been working on some new material for you and haven’t had a chance to post anything worthy).. Anyway, it’s no secret that Triclosan is a chemical worth avoiding and for various reasons. In the same way we all fought for a change to BPA Free, and are still fighting for, I personally feel that we should be eyeing Triclosan in the same light.
Triclosan is linked to endocrine disruption, bacterial and antibiotic resistance, dioxin contamination, contaminated marine life (source Healthy Child Healthy World), liver and inhalation toxicity, and may disrupt thyroid function. Triclosan is turning up in breast milk and could potentially present toxicity to fetal development and childhood development.
BeyondPesticides.org has some great information on the progress with regard to the EPA petitioning a ban on Triclosan for non-medical use.
EPA announced a 60-day public comment period for the petition filed by Beyond Pesticides and Food and Water Watch to ban the controversial antimicrobial pesticide triclosan for non-medical use. The petition, filed on January 14, 2010, identifies pervasive and widespread use of triclosan and the agency’s failure to address triclosan’s impacts on human and environmental health, conduct assessments for residues in drinking water and food and concerns related to antibacterial resistance and endocrine disruption. The petition cites various violations of numerous environmental statues including the Clean Water Act, Safe Drinking Water Act and the Endangered Species Act.
What can you do? You can contribute your voice in the matter.
We have until February 7, 2011 to submit our comments or write to Lisa Jackson to show support in EPA’s proposed ban on Triclosan. Thank you HealthyChild.org for bringing this to attention!
Nov
11
What’s That Smell? Toxic Toys R Us
Filed Under Take Action, Toy Safety | 7 Comments
Toxic Toys R Us is a project developed by a collection of environmental justice organizations, consumer advocates, public health professionals, parents, children’s health activists, and workers. They are trying to raise awareness regarding toys sold at Toys R Us that still contain toxic PVC. They use the term “contamination” to describe it and I think it’s the best way to say it. Contamination.
Even though Toys R Us and other large chains have made promises to the public in the past to reduce the toxic chemicals in today’s toys, new tests are showing that many toys sold at Toys R Us, including newly released toys prime for the holiday shopping frenzy contain PVC. The toxins off gassed from PVC during it’s lifetime are linked to a bevy of aliments and diseases like childrens asthma, learning disabilities, obesity and even cancer. Come on Toys R Us…
Toxic Toys R Us is going to highlight a Toxic Toy of the Week to demonstrate that the toys that might show up under your tree this year could contain PVC. Toy Story Barbie is the toy of this week and she tested positive for PVC in her hair. Sheesh. This is a great organization to watch and support. Visit ToxicToysRus.com to learn more about what they’re doing to protect our children from PVC in toys.
Take Action: Even better join the campaign and write to your elected officials. Voices in numbers can make a difference.
Apr
26
SafeMama Discusses Internet Safety
Filed Under Safe Mama Tips, Take Action | 4 Comments
Our usual subject matter is safety for babies and younger kids, because that’s what we know right now. I’m sure however, we have readers with older kids and this subject is going to be one that will become near and dear to my heart in the coming years, I’m sure.
My husband is an engineer in the network security field. Sure, it sounds all fancy and stuff, but what it really means for us, as a family, is that he keeps abreast of all of the latest in regards to internet security, and it’s already been discussed that when our kids are older, our network will be on complete monitored lockdown.
It’s important for your kids to learn how to use the internet. To some, it may seem as if the internet is this new fangled thing. Some passing fad, but when you get right down to it, there’s already a generation out there that has no idea what life is life without it (which makes me feel old when I can say, “I remember the day MTV aired”). So it’s important to teach your kids internet safety. Especially these days with every type of social media you can think of, it has become much easier for cyber predators to lurk around every corner, and now there are more and more stories cropping up about cyber bullying. But where do you draw the line? You want to give your kids some freedom to have a Facebook account like their friends, or allow them to play online games with their friends. And while you want trust your kids, you’ve seen more episodes of Dateline to instill enough fear in you to last a lifetime. So how do you go about teaching them how to safely surf the internet, while still being able to monitor them? SafeMama has some tips:
Got any other tips? Software suggestions? Start a discussion in the comments!
Apr
3
BPA, Melamine, now Perchlorate? What’s Next?
Filed Under Articles, Take Action | Comments Off
Editor Note: Please read this article carefully before emailing us to slap us on the hand for recommending breastfeeding. We in no way suggest that below. Perchlorate is found in breastmilk due to that chemical contaminating drinking water. Our problem is with the chemical in general and while you may have less exposure through breastfeeding it does not eliminate it completely. Ok, read on:
Recently, 15 brands of infant formula have tested positive for a chemical called perchlorate. Perchlorate is a chemical used in rocket fuel, that is also found in drinking water. Like we didn’t have enough to worry about, right?
Now, while the CDC (who did the original tests) did not release the brands of formula they tested, two of the brands account for 87% of the U.S. Formula market. So with that, you can wager a guess as to which brands they were.
My son was formula fed exclusively, so this is really disturbing to me. We all drink water, and we mix the water with the formula. From the EWG:
The CDC team warned that mixing perchlorate-tainted formula powder with tap water containing “even minimal amounts” of the chemical could boost the resulting mixture’s toxin content above the level the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) considers safe. Many scientists contend that the EPA “safe” level is too high to protect public health.
Based on this study, the Environmental Working Group has recommended that EPA promptly set a legally enforceable upper limit on perchlorate contamination in drinking water, consistent with the latest science on perchlorate’s toxic effects.
Last fall, the Bush administration’s EPA leadership touched off a major furor by declaring that perchlorate posed no threat to most Americans and did not need to be regulated as a drinking water pollutant.
The decision was widely regarded as a major victory for the Pentagon and defense and aerospace contractors reluctant to pay clean-up costs that could mount into the hundreds of millions of dollars.
I don’t know why this doesn’t surprise me in the slightest.
So what can we do? We all know that breast milk is best and of course if you can breastfeed, you’re ingesting less perchlorate. But formula is sometimes necessary or preferred. There are a multitude of reasons why a woman may not be able to breastfeed and we shouldn’t have to worry on top of that whether or not the formula we feed our babies, is contaminated. According to the EWG’s article: “Perchlorate was found in all brands and types of infant formula tested,” the scientists said. The worst perchlorate contamination was found in formula based on cow’s milk with lactose.”
Right now we’re kind of between a rock and a hard place. Bottled water is polluted, filtered water might be a better answer. Possibly go with a brand or type of formula that is less likely to contain perchlorate (or even less perchlorate), but most of all, Contact your congress person. Contact your senator. Hell, contact the President himself. Write to them and let them know that this is unacceptable!! We should not have to live in fear of giving our children formula, or drinking water for that matter. The industry should not get to hide behind the EPA and get off scott-free so that we can continue to poison ourselves and our families.
Mar
13
Formaldehyde and 1,4 Dioxane in Baby Care Products
Filed Under Articles, Product Safety, Skin Care, Take Action | Comments Off
The Green-Internet is already buzzing about a new report that came out regarding toxic chemicals in childrens and baby skin care products. The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics published a press release yesterday outlining their findings from independent studies and some tips on what to do.
The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics tested dozens mainstream baby care products ranging from Johnson & Johnson, Baby Magic, Suave and Mustela and found formaldehyde and 1,4 dioxane in many of them.
The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics commissioned an independent laboratory to test 48 products for 1,4-dioxane; 28 of those products were also tested for formaldehyde. The lab found that:
We get tons of email from readers asking what to do about skin rashes and eczema and if you aren’t already using a natural bath product line it’s time to start. For starters, formaldehyde and 1,4-dioxane are known carcinogens. Why would we want that on our kids or us? In addition, formaldehyde can also trigger skin rashes in some children. These substances are not on labels obviously, but that’s because they are contaminants of the processes companies use to create and package them. So you won’t know by reading the labels.
This is why we are constantly beating our brains to avoid ingredients like PEG’s and sodium laureth sulfate (SLS). From The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics:
Formaldehyde contaminates personal care products when common preservatives release formaldehyde over time in the container. Common ingredients likely to contaminate products with formaldehyde include quaternium-15, DMDM hydantoin, imidazolidinyl urea and diazolidinyl urea.
1,4-dioxane is a byproduct of a chemical processing technique called ethoxylation, in which cosmetic ingredients are processed with ethylene oxide. Manufacturers can easily remove the toxic byproduct, but are not required by law to do so. Common ingredients likely to be contaminated with 1,4-dioxane include PEG-100 stearate, sodium laureth sulfate, polyethylene and ceteareth-20.
What to do?
Mainstream baby products might label themselves as “pure, gentle… just like water” or whatever else they claim but in reality, they’re not. They’re cheap, yes, but it is worth it?
Take Action
Tell Congress what you want… safer products for you, your babies, your kids and everyone else. Enough is enough! Your voice is louder than you think. Write to Congress today.
Links:
Aug
20
California’s Landmark Bill, SB 1713 BPA Ban in Trouble
Filed Under Bisphenol-A, Take Action | Comments Off
Ok parents, we were notified this morning that California’s landmark bill, SB 1713, the bill that would ban Bisphenol-A from baby bottles and sippy cups, could be up for a vote as early as this afternoon.
Action time Californians! If you want to see this bill passed head over to the EWG Action Fund and find your assembly member and write to them, call them, beg them to Vote YES on SB 1713 to Ban BPA & on SB 1313 to ban PFCs from food containers.
Aug
14
President Signs Product Safety Bill!
Filed Under Articles, Take Action | Comments Off
Finally! Today President Bush signed landmark product safety reform legislation into law. This law will help proptect our kids from unwanted chemicals and lead in toys and kids products. The law, according to the list posted on the Consumer Reports website outlines what it entails:
The Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 aims to make huge improvements to an antiquated system… Long overdue! It’s nice to finally see some progress being made. I’ll keep my opinion on Bush’s usual antics to myself and just bask in the glory of what he accomplished today.
Hooray!
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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
- Mexican Wrestling Action Figures Recalled by Lee Carter Co. Due to Violation of Lead Paint Standard
- 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
- Healthy People Co. Issues a Voluntary Recall of Specific Lots of the Dietary Supplements Found to Contain Undeclared Drug Ingredients
- 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
- Kids eyeglass cases recalled because of lead levels
- GUND board books pose choking hazard
Safer States Action Alerts
- 28 states to consider toxic chemicals legislation in 2012
- Report round-up: Toxic chemicals in hidden places
- Obesity: What do chemicals have to do with it?
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