MA Leaders Urge State and Federal Reforms 

(September 16, 2009 –Boston) The Alliance for a Healthy Tomorrow and the Ecology Center released results today on over 900 common products tested for toxic chemicals including lead, cadmium, mercury, bromine, chlorine (PVC) and arsenic.  Researchers analyzed the ingredients of pet products, cars, women’s handbags, children’s car seats and more, finding toxic chemicals in many of these products.  The result is the largest database yet of independent tests of toxic chemicals in consumer goods.  

HealthyStuff.org contains test results for chemicals based on their toxicity, persistence and tendency to build up in people and the environment.  Such chemicals have been linked to reproductive problems, developmental and learning disabilities, liver toxicity and certain cancers. The testing was conducted with a screening technology – the portable X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) analyzer – that identifies the elemental composition of materials on or near the surface of products.

“The more products we test, the more toxic chemicals we find in places that they just don’t need to be,” said Elizabeth Saunders, Environmental Health Legislative Director for Clean Water Action, a member of the Alliance for a Healthy tomorrow.  “As these hazards turn up in more and more places it becomes increasingly clear that it’s impossible for consumers to protect themselves with careful shopping alone.  We need a larger solution: a law to protect people’s health from toxic chemicals.”

New Key Findings From HealthyStuff.org:

• Pet Products – HealthyStuff.org tested over 400 pet products, including beds, chew toys, collars and leashes.  Since there are no government standards for hazardous chemicals in pet products, it is not surprising that alarming levels of toxic chemicals were found.  One quarter of all pet products had detectable levels of lead, including seven percent with levels higher than 300 ppm – the current Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) standard for lead in children’s products. 

• Automobiles – HealthyStuff.org tested nearly 700 new and used vehicles, from 1980 to 2010 model year vehicles.  The US-made Pontiac G5 and Chevy Cobalt rated best overall 2009 vehicles.  Levels of some chemicals found in vehicles are 5-10 times higher than in homes or offices.  Since the average American spends more than 1.5 hours in their car every day, this can be a major source of toxic chemical exposure.

• Children’s Car Seats – Infant and child car seats contain chemical additives that can have adverse health effects on babies and young children.  Over half (58%) of car seats contain one or more hazardous chemicals, including PVC, BFRs and heavy metals.  Three examples of car seats that had none of the chemicals tested for are: Baby Trend Flex-Loc; the Graco Nautilus 3-in-1 Car Seat; and the Graco Turbo Booster.  Despite the toxic chemicals, it is vital to use a car seat for your child because they do save lives.

• Back-to-School Products – HealthyStuff.org screened over 60 common back-to-school supplies, including backpacks, pencil cases, binders and lunchboxes.  Far too many of these supplies are made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and 22% contained detectable levels of lead.  Overall nearly 90% of back-to-school supplies contained one or more chemicals of concern. 

• Women’s Handbags – HealthyStuff.org tested over 100 women’s handbags and detected lead in over 75% of the bags analyzed.  Sixty-four percent (64%) of the bags contained lead over 300 ppm – the CPSC limit for lead in children’s products.  Over half of the handbags contain more than 1,000 ppm lead.

Passing the Safer Alternatives Bill in Massachusetts

Massachusetts has the opportunity to help take the guess work out of product safety and make purchasing safer products easier for consumers.  Legislation introduced by Sen. Steve Tolman (D-Boston) and Rep. Jay Kaufman (D-Arlington), H-757 & S-442, An Act for a Competitive Economy Through Safer Alternatives to Toxic Chemicals – or the Safer Alternatives Bill, will help businesses transition away from toxic chemicals and into safer alternatives, while supporting the economy. 

Sen. Steven Tolman (D-Boston) said, “The system for regulating consumer products is broken.  Passing the Safer Alternatives Bill would be a bold first step towards protecting people, especially our most vulnerable citizens, from exposure to toxic chemicals.  Wherever a safer alternative to a toxic chemical exists companies should be required to use it. This a simple safety measure and is in the best interest of long-term public health.”

Reforming the Toxic Substances Control Act

On the federal level, in response to increasing consumer demand for safer products, Senator Frank Lautenberg and Representative Bobby Rush are expected to introduce a new bill this Congressional session to reform the outdated Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) – the current federal law for regulating chemicals.   These reforms would phase out the most dangerous chemicals from the manufacturing process; require industry to take responsibility for the safety of their products; and use the best science to protect vulnerable groups.  To date the EPA has required testing on only about 200 of the more than 80,000 chemicals that have been on the market since the law was passed 33 years ago. 

“It should not be the responsibility of public health advocates to test these products,” said Jeff Gearhart, Research Director at the Ecology Center, who created the site.  “Product manufacturers and legislators must take the lead and replace dangerous substances with safe alternatives.”

“A Made in the USA label should be a guarantee, not a warning,” said Charlotte Brody, National Field Director for Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families, a coalition working toward toxic chemical policy reform.  “This database of products is further proof that our system of testing and regulating toxic chemicals is broken. We have an opportunity to reform federal law this year and start putting common sense limits on harmful chemicals to protect the health of Americans.”

The testing results can be found on the user-friendly website: www.HealthyStuff.org.  Visitors can look up products by manufacturer, brand, or product type and easily generate lists of highly rated and poorly rated products.