Our investigation found 75% of children’s “back-to-school” supplies tested in a laboratory had elevated levels of toxic phthalates, including popular Disney, Spiderman, and Dora branded school supplies, such as vinyl lunchboxes, backpacks, 3-ring binders, raincoats, and rainboots. . .
Monday, August 27, 2012
New Report: Hidden Toxic Chemicals Found in Children’s “Back-to-School” Supplies – Center for Health, Environment & Justice
New Report: Hidden Toxic Chemicals Found in Children’s “Back-to-School” Supplies – Center for Health, Environment & Justice
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
Air Pollution Associated with Asthma Development Among Young Children
Nancy Swan The article below from Columbia Center for Children's Environmental Health addresses one of the many known environmental and chemical causes of childhood asthma. Unique to this article is prenatal causes of childhood asthma.
Many of you know court records reflect that I developed severe, life-threatening asthma, one of many diseases, as a result of exposure to toxic substances while teaching middle school. I'm a little too old to be a "poster child" for environmental and chemical causes of asthma. My story, Toxic Justice, is proof why parents should not trust school boards and officials with their child's health and safety. Unfortunately I had made that mistake. Three months earlier The Long Beach School Board (MS) gave their consent to allow application of the spray on foam roof during the school day. The contractor was school board members' colleague and business partner, Jim English.
My teaching career ended after I was seriously and permanently injured by high concentrations of deadly spray-on-foam roofing chemicals applied during the school day. The most damaging of the chemicals, isocyanate, killed and injured more than one-half million innocent bystanders in Bhopal, India, in what remains as the worst industrial tragedy in world history. Long Beach Schools were not air-conditioned. Just seven blocks from the Gulf of Mexico, my classroom broiled under the subtropical sun to 90 degree heat. The only ventilation was 12 large opened windows. The application of these deadly chemicals continued unabated for three days, despite two and one half days of complaints and injuries reported to then Long Beach School District (Mississippi) Superintendant Dr. Bob Ferguson and Principal Marlon Ladner.
More than two dozen seriously injured school children were ridiculed by school staff and denied medical and emergency treatment. Due to harassment and out of fear of retaliation, some parents and teachers left Long School District. The remaining teachers were threatened with non renewal of their contracts if they assisted the injured or refused to testify against the injured. One teacher was paid to lie under oath against the injured teachers and children, committed perjury (lied), then later admitted she was not at the school during the days of application. Read Toxic Justice sample Chapter One Toxic Justice Chapter 1 - Nancy Swan
Submitted by Nancy Swan, Director of Children's EPA -Children's Environmental Protection Alliance http://www.childrensepa.org
My teaching career ended after I was seriously and permanently injured by high concentrations of deadly spray-on-foam roofing chemicals applied during the school day. The most damaging of the chemicals, isocyanate, killed and injured more than one-half million innocent bystanders in Bhopal, India, in what remains as the worst industrial tragedy in world history. Long Beach Schools were not air-conditioned. Just seven blocks from the Gulf of Mexico, my classroom broiled under the subtropical sun to 90 degree heat. The only ventilation was 12 large opened windows. The application of these deadly chemicals continued unabated for three days, despite two and one half days of complaints and injuries reported to then Long Beach School District (Mississippi) Superintendant Dr. Bob Ferguson and Principal Marlon Ladner.
More than two dozen seriously injured school children were ridiculed by school staff and denied medical and emergency treatment. Due to harassment and out of fear of retaliation, some parents and teachers left Long School District. The remaining teachers were threatened with non renewal of their contracts if they assisted the injured or refused to testify against the injured. One teacher was paid to lie under oath against the injured teachers and children, committed perjury (lied), then later admitted she was not at the school during the days of application. Read Toxic Justice sample Chapter One Toxic Justice Chapter 1 - Nancy Swan
Submitted by Nancy Swan, Director of Children's EPA -Children's Environmental Protection Alliance http://www.childrensepa.org
Columbia Center for Children's Environmental Health
Air Pollution Associated with Asthma Development Among Young Children
--Exposure to pyrene increases odds of non-atopic asthma development--
NEW YORK (August 20, 2012) - High exposure to air pollution in the womb and continuing exposure during early childhood increase risk for development of non-atopic asthma, according to a study by researchers at Columbia Center for Children's Environmental Health (the Center) at the Mailman School of Public Health, Department of Environmental Health Sciences and Columbia University's College oPhysicians and Surgeons. Read more at
http://tinyurl.com/8bv8gn8
[Open in new window]
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Childhood Obesity Linked With Antibiotic Use In Infants Under 6 Months Old
Childhood Obesity Linked With Antibiotic Use In Infants Under 6 Months Old: New research, by experts at the NYU School of Medicine and the NYU Wagner School of Public Service, suggests that exposing babies to antibiotics may predispose them to being overweight in childhood.
Disabled children 'falling through child protection net', Ofsted warns - Telegraph
Disabled children 'falling through child protection net', Ofsted warns - Telegraph
Too many children around the world are disabled by injuries from toxic or hazardous environments and chemicals. Governments cannot continue to ignore the social and environmental responsibility of industry and corporate giants. For too long, governments ignore the cries of help, then use your tax dollars and the courts to hide injuries and agencies to hide bad safety records behind "no manpower," "no authorization to investigate," and "no safety standards for children,"
Even worse, public servants influenced by industry funding to under fund prevention programs, under staff, and remove funding to enforce regulations. Governments and policy makers are reducing funding to regulate, oversee, and enforce existing regulations for environmental and chemical polluters in the U.S.A. and all over the world. World- wide social programs to help the injured children and adults, use our tax dollars, making us responsible for treating the injured through disability and special programs. Why should we pay tax dollars for disabled workers and children injuries caused by irresponsible industries?
Governments ignore the injured, while taking money from polluters. Business and industry conglomerates harass the injured and their physicians by using judges they paid to put on the bench. Physicians working in industry funded clinics are afraid to diagnose chemical or environmental causes of injury to children. MD are fearful because insurance companies for polluters are often tied to physician insurance companies.
On the cusp of the 21st century Chemical Age, the balance of power has tipped back to pre-Industrial Age standards, the same standards that disenfranchised voters, causing rebellion and revolutions. So what can you do? The fact that there are so few banner solutions, an indication of how well the people in power have used that power to silence us.
The internet has given us hope, by allowing us to share news and opportunities to act. You may not be able to stop the flow of money, perks, and outright bribery and racketeering of public servants and corporate interests, but together we can be the "elephant in the room," a cohesive large group with one mission, to hold government officials and businesses accountability and publicly shame them for failure to enforce, and failure to impose environmental and chemical injury prevention policies, know as precautionary principles.
If one lone shoe bomber can change world precautionary standards and invoke severe punishment , think what we can do to industries that harm thousands of children everyday. Learn more: Join Children's Environmental Protection Alliance http://www.facebook.com/groups/335810466487090/
We are listening:
Read this compelling article. Then suggest solutions to return public policy loyalty to constituents and to remove special interest funding?
Too many children around the world are disabled by injuries from toxic or hazardous environments and chemicals. Governments cannot continue to ignore the social and environmental responsibility of industry and corporate giants. For too long, governments ignore the cries of help, then use your tax dollars and the courts to hide injuries and agencies to hide bad safety records behind "no manpower," "no authorization to investigate," and "no safety standards for children,"
Even worse, public servants influenced by industry funding to under fund prevention programs, under staff, and remove funding to enforce regulations. Governments and policy makers are reducing funding to regulate, oversee, and enforce existing regulations for environmental and chemical polluters in the U.S.A. and all over the world. World- wide social programs to help the injured children and adults, use our tax dollars, making us responsible for treating the injured through disability and special programs. Why should we pay tax dollars for disabled workers and children injuries caused by irresponsible industries?
Governments ignore the injured, while taking money from polluters. Business and industry conglomerates harass the injured and their physicians by using judges they paid to put on the bench. Physicians working in industry funded clinics are afraid to diagnose chemical or environmental causes of injury to children. MD are fearful because insurance companies for polluters are often tied to physician insurance companies.
On the cusp of the 21st century Chemical Age, the balance of power has tipped back to pre-Industrial Age standards, the same standards that disenfranchised voters, causing rebellion and revolutions. So what can you do? The fact that there are so few banner solutions, an indication of how well the people in power have used that power to silence us.
The internet has given us hope, by allowing us to share news and opportunities to act. You may not be able to stop the flow of money, perks, and outright bribery and racketeering of public servants and corporate interests, but together we can be the "elephant in the room," a cohesive large group with one mission, to hold government officials and businesses accountability and publicly shame them for failure to enforce, and failure to impose environmental and chemical injury prevention policies, know as precautionary principles.
If one lone shoe bomber can change world precautionary standards and invoke severe punishment , think what we can do to industries that harm thousands of children everyday. Learn more: Join Children's Environmental Protection Alliance http://www.facebook.com/groups/335810466487090/
We are listening:
Read this compelling article. Then suggest solutions to return public policy loyalty to constituents and to remove special interest funding?
Heavy lead exposure is linked to gout - chicagotribune.com
Another reason to get the lead out of children's toys and jewelry, and a concern for parents are care providers when using older toys which may contain lead. Imported items may contain large amounts of lead, which can also reduce a child's ability to learn.
Heavy lead exposure is linked to gout - chicagotribune.com
Heavy lead exposure is linked to gout - chicagotribune.com
Coalition for Healthier Schools 2012 Action Kit for Back to School and Beyond
Children's Environmental Protection Allaince (Children's EPA) has assisted Healthy Schools Network and participated in Coalition’s for Healthier Schools for the last five years.
Press Release (Albany) N.Y. The Coalition 2012 Action Kit for Back to School and Beyond for parents,
educators, and activists to use to boost federal and state and local policies. The Action Kit
contains several tools for activists working to protect EPA’s schools-focused programs and children’s
health to improve school environmental health and safety.
BTSAB_Action_Kit_Press_Release.pdf (application/pdf Object)
Press Release (Albany) N.Y. The Coalition 2012 Action Kit for Back to School and Beyond for parents,
educators, and activists to use to boost federal and state and local policies. The Action Kit
contains several tools for activists working to protect EPA’s schools-focused programs and children’s
health to improve school environmental health and safety.
BTSAB_Action_Kit_Press_Release.pdf (application/pdf Object)
Thursday, August 16, 2012
Johnson and Johnson phasing out toxic chemicals - CBS News Video
Johnson and Johnson phasing out toxic chemicals - CBS News Video
Dr. Landrigan of Mt. Sinai School of Medicine "Why were those chemicals in there in there in the first place and why were they allow to stay [in there] so long? The legal system that suppose are suppose to protect Americans and consumers from chemicals is broken. Its been broken for decades."For video, click on: http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=7418324n&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+CBSNewsVideo+%28News+Video%3A+CBSNews.com%29
Sunday, August 12, 2012
Toxic Taps: Lead is still the problem, - Toxic Taps | Investigative Reporting Workshop
Toxic Taps: Lead is still the problem , epecially for the children
Millions of Americans may be drinking water that is contaminated with dangerous doses of lead. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) knows it; state governments know it; local utilities know it. The only people who usually don’t know it are those who are actually drinking the toxic water.
The terrible legacy of Agent Orange - Asia - World - The Independent
The terrible legacy of Agent Orange on the children of Vietnam- Asia - World - The Independent
Read more: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/the-terrible-legacy-of-agent-orange-8034869.html
Tran Thi Hoan, 26, studied medicine only to be told that she couldn't become a doctor because of a war fought 20 years before she was born. The ostensible reason was that she had no legs or left hand, but the main reason, and the cause of so much misery blighting the lives of millions of other Vietnamese, is the 20 million gallons of Agent Orange sprayed in her country by US forces in the Sixties
Read more: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/the-terrible-legacy-of-agent-orange-8034869.html
Saturday, August 11, 2012
Heart defects on the decline in European babies | Reuters
Heart defects on the decline in European babies | Reuters
From Environmental Health News http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/
A team of European Union researchers analyzing millions of birth records found that the number of European babies born with heart defects fell from around seven in every thousand births in 2004 to around six per thousand by 2007- a drop of around four percent each year. Reuters. 11 August 2012.
From Environmental Health News http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/
Thursday, August 9, 2012
How Our Buildings Are Making Us Sick - Forbes
How Our Buildings Are Making Us Sick - Forbes
“The buildings we build are manifestations of certain values and beliefs,” Syrett says. “If a school is meant to nurture and support, you don’t want to build it out of toxic materials. If a hospital is about healing and health you don’t want to build it with materials that work against those things.”Read more: http://www.forbes.com/sites/amywestervelt/2012/08/08/how-our-buildings-are-making-us-sick/
Wednesday, August 8, 2012
http://www.epa.gov/usmexicoborder/
Border 2012 Map
Border 2020 Website »
U.S.-Mexico Environmental Program (Border 2012) is a collaboration between the United States and Mexico to improve the environment and protect the health of the nearly 12 million people living along the border. The bi-national program focuses on cleaning the air, providing safe drinking water, reducing the risk of exposure to hazardous waste, and ensuring emergency preparedness along the U.S.-Mexico border.
Border 2012 is a results-oriented program that takes a “bottom-up” approach to addressing the environmental and public health needs of the border region. Issues and projects are identified and implemented at the local level. The program encourages stakeholder involvement through a variety of opportunities (see Getting Involved).
Monday, August 6, 2012
EWG's Cleaners Database Hall of Shame
EWG's Cleaners Database Hall of Shame
More than 2000 products and 200 brands reviewedMany of these products contain unlisted fragrance chemicals that combine with other chemicals and sanitizers to product toxic products.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)