to test or not to test

 

The ban on toys and other products containing levels of toxic substances was set to take effect on Feb 10th.  However, under pressure by manufacturers and retailers, the testing requirements have been delayed by Congress, according to the Wall Street Journal.

The stay allows manufacturers, which have been hit hard by the recession, to put off costly product testing for levels of lead, used to stabilize the plastic in products, and phthalates, which are chemicals used to soften plastic.  Under the new laws, lead was not allowed above 600 ppm and phthalates had to be less than 1000 ppm.  

Producers and sellers of the products were concerned that in this economy the added cost to comply with the requirements would have put them out of business.

Many consumer groups, however, think this was a poor decision on the part of our lawmakers.  Citing most recent testing done on products out of CVS pharmacies, in which at least one toy tested at 15 times higher than the allowable limits, “there should be something to back up a claim that the products are safe, but without testing and certification there’s no assurance,” said Charles Margulis, a spokesman for the Center for Environmental Health.

Ever since the ban was voted into law, both sides have been very vocal about the pros and cons of the new requirements.  The manufacturers and sellers have been arguing that much of the product already on the shelves would have to be recalled, which also causes concern for many environmental groups because of the potential illegal dumping of contaminated product.  However, the flip side is that children should not be exposed to such products, either.  

This is a debate that will effect our lawmakers for years to come.  Making the wrong decision will be sure to hurt one party in irreversible ways.

bpa lingers

 

Researchers from the Univeristy of Rochester in NY have found that Bisphenol-A lingers in the body longer than first expected.  The significance of which is that the longer the chemical is in the body, the more likely it is to cause harm, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

Most often BPA is transferred to the body through plastic products like water bottles, baby bottles, re-usable food storage containers, and the like.  This study found that the transfer can also occur through plastic water pipes, like those that might be found in your home, and dust off of carbonless paper, for example a receipt.

The American Chemistry Council still maintains that BPA is safe.  There has been a lot of debate in the various studies of the safety of Bisphenol-A.  Arguments for safety is that the studies that had the largest sample population, therefore the study deemed statistically significant, has shown the chemical to be safe.  However, these studies were done by the chemical companies making the product, which is a $6 billion per year chemical.  Many of the independent studies, performed by chemical researchers throughout the world, have shown time after time that BPA results in cancers, genital deformities, sterility, brain disorders, and the list goes on.

This latest data indicates that either people are being constantly bombarded with exposure to BPA, from non-food sources, or they are storing the chemical in their fat cells and are unable to effectively rid them from their bodies.  Either way, if you believe the data that this chemical is dangerous, this does not bode well for the future health of the human population.

group asks to prevent illegal dumping of toys

 

Waste and pollution watchdog, EcoWaste Coalition, called on the Bureau of Customs to prevent entry of banned toys to the United States that could result in illegal dumping in this country, according to Business Mirror Online.

On February 10th a long awaited ban will be placed in children’s toys under the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act.  As a result, many fear that millions of non-compliant toys will be dumped illegally unless some preventative measures are taken.

The new definitions of unsafe toys include new levels on lead an phthalates.  Lead will now be restricted to 600ppm. Lead, a heavy metal, is known to be a neurotoxin that can cause damage to the central nervous system, particularly in children.  A new level of no more than 0.1% of three types of phthalates will also go into effect.  Phthalates are hormone mimickers and are used in the synthesis of plastics.  The new law also requires third party mandatory testing.

Aside the fact that many toys currently in the country will be dumped, there is also the fear that toys that do not meet the requirements will be brought in illegally through a black market trade and parents will be unaware of what they are purchasing.  EcoWaste is calling on all regulatory agencies to create policy that will prevent this from happening.

 

For more information on phthalates and other chemicals that effect children’s health, you may find more in the Golden Spiral section: HERE

u.s. launches study, too

 

Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York is launching the largest study in children’s health ever in the United States, according to the Wichita Eagle.

The National Children’s Study will track up to 100,000 children’s exposure to environmental factors from their first trimester before birth until they’re at least 21, in an effort to learn more about the effects of pollution on American children.

The study will be funded by the National Institute of Health, with support from the CDC and EPA.  An additional intent is that they will gather enough information to advance the diagnosis and treatment of such diseases like asthma and autism, and other illnesses that environment is a strong factor.

Initially, the study will begin with a selected group of pregnant women from the Queens, NY and Duplin County, N.C. areas.  After 18 months, it will be expanded to include 100,000 children from 105 differing locations.

This study comes on the heels of an announcement of a $6-million study in Canada of environmental risks while in utero.  In either case, we should start seeing valuable data, soon, on how our living conditions are affecting our youth.

ban in effect

At least in California, effective on Jan 1st, phthalates are banned in children’s products.

Found mostly in children’s toys, phthalates is a colorless, oily chemical used in thousands of products to impart flexibility and durability. Due to leaching, children come in contact with the chemical with hand-to-mouth contact or by chewing on the toy. Most scientists believe, from verifiable data, that phthalates are hormone altering chemicals, that affect the reproductive systems of developing children. There is a greater impact on young boys where genital deformities and sterility are increasing problems.

With the ban in place, consumers can feel more confident that the products their children are exposed to are safe. The ban also applies to online retailers that sell to California consumers.

Specifically, the law bans the use of six types of phthalates found in some children’s toys containing plastic and in “child-care articles” intended “to facilitate sleep, relaxation, or the feeding of children, or to help children with sucking or teething.”

The law also requires that phthalate substitutes be less toxic. The San Francisco Department of the Environment throughout 2008 tested toys made with polyvinyl chloride — which often contains high phthalate levels — bought in city stores.

California is the first state to implement such a ban and it came after a long and arduous fight from chemical and plastic manufacturers. Many states are expected to not place similar bans due to the cost of battling these companies in court and in the law books.

However, this may be one case in which the science will create a natural progression of elimination of this product. You can go HERE for more information.

air, part 2

Yesterday, USA Today released its report from testing air quality around schools, which indicated not so great results.

In reaction to the investigation, officials have stated they will make this right, by testing air quality around schools.

Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA) promised to change that. Her committee oversees the U.S. EPA.

“Your story is a shocking story of child neglect, and I plan to ensure that this monitoring takes place and that our children are protected,” Boxer said. “If legislation is needed, I’m going to do it immediately. If it can be done with current authority, then it’s going to happen.

“I’ll do what I have to do,” she said, “but either way, it’s going to be done.”

She also mentioned that it is a shocking since something that can be done by a newspaper, should easily be able to be done by the Environmental Protection Agency.

You can find the entire reaction to the study HERE.

the air they breathe

In probably the most comprehensive study of its kind, in a series from USA Today (beginning Dec 8th, 2008) on “Toxic Air and America’s Schools”, the reporters Brad Heath and Blake Morrison, pinpoint toxic hotspots near schools in over 34 states. Working with the University of Massachusetts – Amherst, they looked at over 127,000 public, private and parochial schools, ranking them by air quality.

Thirteen thousand schools across California were involved, with 3, 266 schools residing in Los Angeles County. The worst school in Los Angeles: Stephens Middle School in Long Beach. In fact, Long Beach had six of the top ten schools with the worst air quality, in Los Angeles.

There were also a listing of the schools with the most chemical concerns where the chemicals in the air were at concentrations well above EPA guidelines, and including such things as the carcinogen benzene and naphthalene. Of the 57 schools listed as having chemical concerns, Beverly Hills High School and Cesar Chavez Elementary (Long Beach) were included due to high levels of chloroform. It has been found that people exposed for a long period of time will face a cancer risk of 1 in 100, 000.

USA Today found that there were failings by the EPA since a search in the EPA records found only about 3% of the nation’s schools were within a mile of a long-term monitor set up to detect hazardous air pollutants. Even fewer — the newspaper identified only 125 of almost 128,000 schools — had monitors within a few blocks. The EPA has already passed it off saying that they provide the grants for each state to monitor air quality. but critics have come back and said that the EPA gives no direction that monitoring needs to be done near schools.

All of this is especially timely given potential midnight rulings by the Bush Adminstration to alter the Clean Air Act for the allowance of more toxins to be emitted by power plants. It will be interesting to follow the fallout from this study and if there is push back in the many proposed changes to the allowed emissions.

There is a very interactive website, where you can get more information and actually search by school name at USA Today

man oh man

A few weeks ago, I wrote about a documentary called The Disappearing Male. Unfortunately, it is still unavailable in the United States. However, more and more data is supporting the same claim.

In new reports released, data is continuing to indicate that “a host of common chemicals is feminising the males of every class of vertebrate animals, including humans. For some time scientists have been concerned about the “gender-bending” effects of some artificial chemicals, especially phthalates, used to soften plastics. The latest research, however, suggests that the scale of the problem is greater than anyone had realised.”

We have worried for many years, now, about the harm to the environment and its effect on our longevity as members of this planet. I don’t think anyone considered that the affect would be on our ability to reproduce or the extinction of one sex over another. That does seem to be the direction we are going.

If you want more information on hormone altering chemicals, you can go to the category of Bisphenol-A (the side bar) and learn more about it. One promising thing is a panel of scientists meeting with President-elect Obama to discuss a ban on these chemicals. We just hope it isn’t too late.

The whole article can be found HERE

an editorial side note to discuss irony: I recently saw a documentary on homosexuality, and specifically the psychology to being homophobic against gay males. It is in large part due to the societal belief that feminine men are something to be feared. What happens when all the men are becoming feminine? Is this an ironic form of self fulfilling prophecy?

how does one say “I told you so” without sounding like a jerk?

and maybe I just don’t care….

Why eating GM food could lower your fertility, via Daily Mail, UK.

In an article published today, something I knew all along was verified: GM food affects us.

Professor Dr Jurgen Zentek, Professor for Veterinary Medicine at the University of Vienna and lead author of the study, said a GM diet effected the fertility of mice.

GM expert at Greenpeace International, Dr Jan van Aken, said: ‘Genetically Engineered food appears to be acting as a birth control agent, potentially leading to infertility.

‘If this is not reason enough to close down the whole biotech industry once and for all, I am not sure what kind of disaster we are waiting for.

‘Playing genetic roulette with our food crops is like playing Russian roulette with consumers and public health.’

In the article they state something that I think should make everyone open their ears and eyes: Most studies of GM food has been done in the Biotech industry and with mega-corporations like Monsanto. This is the one of the first, allowed, studies from an independent laboratory. I think as we see more labs providing scientifically backed research, we will start to see the truth. Remember, if the truth will effect the bottom line of a corporation, why in the world would they want you to know it?

Also, in the country, labels are not required to state whether the food you eat is GM. Therefore, farmer’s markets, organic, CSA’s, grow your own… those are the best options. Most of all, try not to eat prepackaged food. I know it is difficult but these are your children and your children’s children we are talking about.

a lesson in volunteering

Recently, I became a volunteer with 826LA. I quickly signed up for my first project. I didn’t know what to expect. I will admit, I had never done this before and worried I wouldn’t do so well. I also thought that if it didn’t meet my expectations, I could always walk away… who would care…HA! Instead, I walked away from my six week project with a few lessons under my belt.

First, the summary of the project:
Fourth-graders at Cienega Elementary research, write, and create a map detailing their views of Los Angeles. Focusing on the theme, “Claiming Our Place,” students will explore this essential question: “How is space claimed?” They will investigate the answers to this question through small group discussion and writing time with 826LA tutors, then write personal narratives in a slam-poetry style on one particular landmark. The project will culminate in a multimedia gallery exhibition at the Natural History Museum.

And now:

What I learned from my first volunteer project with 826LA.

1.) The history of Los Angeles: If you have never gone, or it’s been a long time, I think you should all visit the Natural History Museum and the La Brea Tar Pits. We have a lot of history in this town and it is not all about the entertainment industry. I also learned that tar (asphalt) is fun to play with, there are secret rooms in the history museum (that we got to see), and there are edible plants all around us. Most of the museums around this town are hidden gems. If you have an ounce of interest in history, science, Los Angeles, these are amazing places to go!

2.) There are teachers that really, really care: I don’t know if Ms. Lefkowitz is a diamond in a sea of stones, or one of many. What I do know is that she is an amazing teacher, and I pray that all teachers have an ounce of her spirit. I watched as she asked questions, got them to pay attention when they were a little too excited and cared for each child, as an individual. She participated in a way I have not seen in the past, and I was inspired. As a result, I think the next thing I learned happened….

3.) That children are eager to learn: We went into this classroom twice a week to have kids write. And, you know what… they did. We had discussions about space and community and the environment and they fully participated. The kids were excited to answer questions and think and be engaged. I saw their minds churn as they practiced their skill of critical thinking. They recognized themselves as an individual and as part of a community.

4.) That “OMG” should not be in a monologue: This is kind of an inside joke… but I think we can all agree that it is true.

5.) That the students help each other: My favorite part of some days was when one child asked how to spell something and five children answered back. When someone was asked to read their essay, everyone quieted down and listened. If someone was having trouble, another child picked up a pencil and helped them out. I didn’t experience this in my childhood. I don’t know if it is a cultural difference or something taught or comes from their heart… I don’t care. It was amazing to see 9 and 10 year olds helping other 9 and 10 year olds. Because I got some sense that, they get the sense that, when one succeeds they all succeed.

6.) That those who seem weak actually are the most courageous: Again, not going to share many details about this except to say that kids amaze me in their resilience and strength. They may be young, but some of them already have a lot on their plate. They deal with it. And one or two look the obstacle right in the face and say…. “Uh-uh, today you aren’t going to get me down!” I watched as confidence bloomed before my eyes and a light that didn’t exist before was ignited.

7.) That I think I need to volunteer, more than the kids need me to: I went in thinking I could help some children. I walked away having been helped more than I can express. I saw that in helping them with their writing, I became a better writer. In wanting to give them confidence, I gained confidence. In wanting to show them someone cared, I learned that they cared for me, in return. I learned that when they beamed with pride, I beamed with pride. When they were scared, I was scared and we got through it together and we each learned from our fear. I walked away understanding that the heart needs to have connection, no matter what simple form that may come in. So, I think I walked away from this as the unfair victor. Those kids may not remember me in 2, 5, 10 or 20 years… but, I will remember them.

Thank you to the entire class and a special hello to my group…

And, to my readers, please take the time to volunteer. It can be in a school, or a soup kitchen, or a freeway clean up. I know that we all think we are so busy and don’t have time to share. But, you do. I ask you to not sit in front of the television one night, don’t go out drinking with your friends, or have lunch with a co-worker; take that time to go help someone. One hour to you can make a world of difference to someone else. And, seriously, I know it does sound silly but volunteering is an amazingly selfish act, when you think of the benefits to your heart and mind.

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