In the News
Study: harmful chemicals found in nurseries
News 8 wtnh.com, January 20, 2012
Some experts say certain products that are in a nursery could be flammable or harmful to a child's health.
Expectant parents spend a lot of time and a lot of energy trying to make their baby's nursery perfect. They assume everything that's found in there is safe, but a state representative says there are harmful chemicals found in some things in a nursery and she wants those chemicals banned in the state of Connecticut. Read full story here.
Lawmakers concerned about flame retardants
News 8 wtnh.com, January 19, 2012
Two Connecticut legislative leaders are raising concerns about baby products that contain toxic flame retardants and are considering legislation, including a possible state ban.
State Rep. Diana Urban of North Stonington and Sen. Terry Gerratana of New Britain on Thursday cited a new report from the Seattle-based Washington Toxics Coalition. The group found toxic flame retardants in 17 of 20 new baby and children's products it tested. Read full story here.
Lawmakes Propose Bill to Ban Another Chemical in Baby Products
CT News Junkie, January 19, 2012, By Joseph Adinolfi
Sen.Terry Gerratana and Rep. Diana Urban – co-chairs of the Select Committee on Children – announced Thursday they will propose a bill to ban baby products that contain Chlorinated Tris from being sold in Connecticut. Chlorinated Tris, an umbrella term used to describe a growing family of synthetic chemicals that includes TDCPP and TCPP, is a flame retardant used to treat Polyurethane foam. The foam is used in a range of baby products from bassinet pads to car seats. Read full story here.
CTN, January 19, 2012. Watch the video of the press conference here.
Report Finds Toxins in Popular Baby Products
January12, 2012, Courant.com
The Washington Toxics Coalition, a nonprofit organization that aims to protect the environment and public health, recently released a study that shows toxic flame retardants were present in 85% of products tested.
According to the report titled Hidden Hazards In The Nursery, these toxins, found on car seats, bassinet pads and nursing pillows, have been linked to cancer, hormone disruption and other health problems. Read story here.
Hidden Hazards in the Nursery
Jan. 11, 2012, Working Mother, blog by Michelle Noehren
What would you say if I told you that a high number of baby products contain toxic chemicals? What if I told you those toxic chemicals were in the form of flame retardants that are used in things like nursing pillows, car seats, changing pads and bassinet pads? And what if I said there is currently nothing in the law protecting us from these harmful toxins? Read full blog here.
Report Finds Toxins in Popular Baby Products
Jan. 12. 2012, Sarah Cody, FOX CT
The Washington Toxics Coalition, a nonprofit organization that aims to protect the environment and public health, recently released a study that shows toxic flame retardants were present in 85% of products tested.According to the report titled Hidden Hazards In The Nursery, these toxins, found on car seats, bassinet pads and nursing pillows, have been linked to cancer, hormone disruption and other health problems. In fact, the most prevalent flame retardant found (TDCPP) was actually banned from use in children's pajamas in the 1970's. Read full story here.
Robert Miller:
Dec. 23, 2011, Danbury News Times
In Danbury, people have been living with mercury pollution for decades. The hatting industry dumped enough mercury into the Still River that its sediments are still laden with it. When the river floods and those sediments get roiled, extra mercury finds its way downstream into Long Island Sound. But across the country, there's mercury in the air and in the water. The state Department of Public Health annually issues a warning about mercury and fish consumption. Read full story here.
Carcinogens, Endocine Disruptors & Teratogens, Oh My!
Dec. 6, 2011, Working Mother, blog by Michelle Noehren
A few years ago I started to learn about the utter lack of regulation by the FDA of many of the products used by women and children. Did you know that most of the ingredients in your body lotion, shampoo, baby shampoo, deodorant,
shaving cream, perfume, tooth paste and other similar items are unregulated? In short, that means that every day most of us slather ourselves (and our kids) with chemicals that are known carcinogens (substances capable of causing
cancer), endocrine disruptors (substances that affect hormones) or even teratogens (substances that can cause birth defects, among other things). Read full blog here.
FORUM: Cancer rates in state exceed norm; let's phase out toxic chemicals
New Haven Register, November 28, 2011, Op ed by State Representative Lonnie Reed
TROUBLING new statistics indicate that breast cancer rates in Connecticut exceed the national average.
The findings, just released by the Susan G. Komen Foundation, are based on 2008 data, the latest available, from sources such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The good news is that Connecticut’s breast cancer mortalities are fewer than most other states, so our cure rates are encouraging. Read full op ed here.
PIRG releases report on dangerous toys
November 22, 2011, New Haven Register (AP)
HARTFORD — A new report from a Connecticut public interest advocacy group says there are still dangerous or toxic toys available for sale this holiday season. Read full story here.
Some canned goods used in Thanksgiving food contain deadly chemicals
Nov. 21, 2011, Amanda Cuda, CT Post
Every year at this time, dutiful Americans prepping their Thanksgiving feasts hear plenty of advice about the safest way to cook the meal. They hear about the best way to thaw a turkey, the best way to cook a turkey and the importance of dressing your turkey and chopping your veggies on different cutting boards. But there's one thing they'll likely hear little about: a potentially dangerous chemical lurking in some of the canned goods you'll use in your holiday dinner. Read full story here.
Report finds toxic chemical in Thanksgiving canned food
Nov.15, 2011, WFSB Hartford
A report by the Breast Cancer Fund found the toxic chemical bisphenol A, known as BPA in several canned foods used to prepare a typical Thanksgiving dinner.
According to the report, "BPA in Thanksgiving Canned Food," four
cans each of Campbell's Cream of Mushroom Soup; Campbell's Turkey Gravy;
Carnation Evaporated Milk (by Nestle); Del Monte Fresh Cut Sweet Corn, Cream
Style; Green Giant Cut Green Beans (by General Mills); Libby's Pumpkin (by
Nestle); and Ocean Spray Jellied Cranberry Sauce were tested. Read full story here.
State Ban on Chemical In Children's Products Starts Saturday
September 30, 2011 by Christopher Keating, Hartford Courant
Environmental advocates are celebrating a new law that takes effect Saturday that bans a toxic chemical from use in certain children's products. The new law - the first in the nation - bans products containing bisphenol A, or BPA, which is used to harden plastic. As such, the chemical can no longer be used in reusable food and beverage containers, including containers of infant formula and baby food, reusable spill-proof cups, plastic sports bottles and Thermoses. The sports bottles sometimes carry the names of popular sports teams. Read full story here.
New laws hitting the books include photo ids, missing persons
Sep 30, 2011, Greg Smith, Norwich Bulletin
A host of new laws are set to take effect today in Connecticut. Here’s a brief look at some of them: Public Act No. 09-103: Bans plastics chemical bisphenol-A (BPA) in children’s products and food containers. The American Medical Association recognizes BPA as a hormone-disrupting agent. Read full story here.
Stroller Brigades: Families March for Chemicals Law Reform
August 12, 2011, Cheryl Hogue, Chemical and Engineering News
Debate over the federal law that governs chemical manufacturing now connects Washington, D.C., power circles with the playground set. Last week, parents and children took to the streets in cities in 17 states, including in New York City (pictured), urging Congress to modernize a federal chemical control law. Read full story here
Letter to the Editor
August 12, 2011, Susan Eastwood, Willimantic Chronicle
Over the last thirty years, the rising incidence of many diseases is startling and includes the following:
- Leukemia, brain cancer and other childhood cancers have increased by more than 20% since 1975
- Breast cancer rates increased by 40% between 1973 and 1998
- Asthma rates doubled between 1980 and 1995
- Certain male birth defects have increased by 200% between 1970 and 1993
- Autism-spectrum disorder has seen a ten-fold increase in the last 15 years. Read full letter here
Posted by SAFER States on Aug 4, 2011
So far in 2011, nine new toxic chemical policies have been passed in seven states, adding to a total of over 80 chemical safety laws passed in the last nine years by an overwhelming margin with broad bipartisan support.
Some firsts:
- Connecticut became the first state in the nation to ban bisphenol-A (BPA) from thermal receipt paper.
- Washington became the first state to require manufacturers of children's products to report what toxic chemicals are present in their products.
- New York was the first state in the nation to ban products for children containing the toxic tris flame retardant linked to cancer.Read full blog here
Our Heroes: Fathers, Grandfathers, Legislators
Representative Richard Roy, Connecticut
Posted by Safer States on Jul 7, 2011
"I don't want anything happening to my granddaughters." On June 9 of this year, Connecticut became the first state in the nation to ban the harmful chemical BPA from register receipts. This bill was passed largely due to the efforts of Representative Roy, who co-chairs the Energy & Environment Committee. Read full blog here
Conn. moves to ban toxic chemical from cash register receipts
June 09, 2011, Register staff, New Haven Register
HARTFORD - Connecticut Wednesday essentially banned BPA from thermal register receipts, often used by retailers, gas stations and banks. “We've discovered that 60 percent of our thermal receipts contain BPA. Since the chemical is unbound, it rubs off on our hands and enters our systems,” said Rep. Lonnie Reed, D-Branford, who led the discussion in the state House, where it was debated for four hours.Read full story here
Last-day talker: House approves bill banning BPA in receipts
June 8, 2011, By Daniela Altimari, Capitol Watch
After a lengthy 11th-hour debate, the state House of Representatives approved a bill banning bisphenol A in store receipts. Bisphenol A, commonly known as BPA, is a chemical found in a wide variety of everyday products, including thermal paper that many businesses use in their receipts. Studies have found a possible link between BPA exposure and a host of health hazards, including cancer, reproductive disorders and learning disabilities in children. Read full blog here
House Spends Much of Last Day on BPA Ban
June 8, 2011, Hugh McQuaid , Ct News Junkie
With the clock ticking on the last day of the legislative session, the House unexpectedly spent close to four hours debating a bill that would ban the chemical Bisphenol-A (BPA) from use in paper receipts. Read full story here
Chemicals at the Checkout Counter
June 1. 2011, Shruti Korada, New Haven Advocate
Connecticut remains at the forefront in legislation targeting Bisphenol A, the toxic substance found in polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins used to make baby and water bottles, household electronics and the color developer commonly used in printing sales receipts. A proposed bill, SB 210, calls for removal of BPA from the developer of thermal paper widely used in receipts received at the checkout counter. Read full story here
Letter to the Editor
May 30, 2011, Noele Kidney, Journal-Inquirer
Currently before the Connecticut Legislature, Senate Bill 210, which would ban the use of Bisphenol A or BPA in thermal register receipt paper, awaits action. Read full letter here
Support SB210 An Act Prohibiting the Use of Bisphenol-A In Thermal Receipt Papers
May 24, 2011, CT News Blog by Jonathan Kantrowitz
This CT Senate bill is in response to recent studies which found high levels of BPA in many cash receipts and also on the dollar bills tested. BPA is a hormone disrupting chemical linked to serious health problems such as cancer, infertility, and early puberty. Read full blog here
US Must Strengthen Efforts to Restrict Chemicals the Threaten Health
May 6, 2011, CT News Blog by Jonathan Kantrowitz
With growing evidence of the link between exposure to toxic chemicals and chronic diseases, especially in children, the United States needs to step up its efforts to protect the public from hazardous chemicals, say researchers writing in the May issue of Health Affairs. Read full blog here
Estimated Costs of Environmental Disease in Children at $76.6 Billion Per Year
May 6, 2011, Ct News Blog by Jonathan Kantrowitz
In three new studies published in the May issue of the journal Health Affairs, Mount Sinai School of Medicine researchers reveal the staggering economic impact of toxic chemicals and air pollutants in the environment, and propose new legislation to mandate testing of new chemicals and also those already on the market. Read full blog here
Panel close to banning toxic register receipts
April 20, 2011, Middletown Press
A Connecticut legislative panel has voted to advance a bill that would ban thermal receipt or cash register receipt paper that contains a chemical some scientists consider to be dangerous. Read full story here
Letter to the Editor
April 2011, Joe Wasserman, Hartford News
Bisphenol A or BPA is found on about half of the cash receipts we handle every day, in the form of a powdery substance that rubs off on our hands, and can be absorbed through the skin. Exposure to BPA, is linked with cancers, early puberty, altered brain development...Read full story here
Wal-Mart bypasses federal regulators to ban controversial flame retardant
February 26, 2011, Lyndsey Layton, Washington Post
Wal-Mart is banning a controversial flame retardant found in hundreds of consumer goods, from couches to cameras to child car seats, telling its suppliers to come up with safer alternatives. Read full story here
Connecticut Lawmakers Consider a Ban of BPA in Paper Products
March 3, 2011 Bob Paquette, WFCR
Connecticut lawmakers are considering banning the use of a chemical in thermal paper, the kind of paper often used for cash register and ATM receipts. WFCR's Bob Paquette reports. Hear full story here
Letter to Editor
Published March 8, 2011, Susan Eastwood, Willimantic Chronicle
Mercury is a highly toxic and persistent element and exposure at even a low level causes damage to the nervous system both in utero and in growing children. A single gram is enough to contaminate a large lake and cause serious health and ecological problems. Although Connecticut banned the sale of mercury thermostats beginning in 2004, end-of-use mercury thermostats are still a major source of pollution. Read full letter here
Kids' Jewelry May Pose Cadmium Poison Risk
How to Protect Your Kids from Toxic Jewelry
March 4, 2011, Courtney Hutchinson, ABC News Medical Unit
Amid growing worry over the presence of toxic cadmium in kids' jewelry, a new study further supports the fear that kids can be exposed to more than 100 times the recommended limit of this noxious metal when they mouth or accidentally swallow common, inexpensive jewelry items. Read full story here
Turn Up the Heat on Mercury Thermostat Recycling!
Letter to Editor
Published March 3, 2011, The Reminder
We all know that mercury is a highly toxic and persistent element that has been banned from manufactured goods in many states. But have you ever wondered what happens to all the mercury in thermostats that were already in use before the ban? Read full letter here
Are Receipts Bad for Your Health?
Proposal would ban receipts containing BPA
March 1, 2011, William Weir, The Hartford Courant
The potenial risks of bisphenol-A (BPA) in plastic containers have long been a concern among health officials. Now state lawmakers are considering whether to ban paper receipts that contain the chemical. Sen. Edward Meyer, D-Branford, said he introduced the bill after members of the Coalition for a Safe & Healthy Connecticut approached him about their concerns of BPA in thermal receipt paper. "If you handle these cash receipts, you absorb bisphenol-A in your skin," said Meyer, chairman of the General Assembly's environment committee. Read full story here
Harmful Chemicals Institute Slow to Find Funding
Feb 24, 2011, Hugh McQuaid, CT News Junkie
During a public hearing regarding a bill that would ban the chemical Bisphenol-A (BPA) from use in paper receipts Wednesday the Environment Committee found itself considering the role of the Chemical Innovations Institute, a quasi-public agency created last year by the legislature. Read full story here
Conn. considering ban on chemical in receipts
February 22, 2011, Middletown Press
HARTFORD (AP) — Connecticut lawmakers are being asked to ban a chemical that some scientists consider to be dangerous, from being used in paper cash register and ATM receipts.The Coalition for a Safe and Healthy Connecticut is pushing to ban the chemical from the receipts, often thermal paper. Advocates say they worry about the chemical rubbing off and somehow being ingested or being absorbed through the skin. Read full story here
The snow will melt away but all the toxic chemicals don’t - Guest Column
February 17, 2011, Joyce Acebo – Raguskus, Meridan-Orange Bulletin
Like snow toxic chemicals has a blanket and mask and can come in the shape of fun. Toxic toys, (mercury, lead, cadmium), makeup for our faces, and shampoos to keep us looking shiny, food containers/cans are sprayed with the toxin (bisphenol A, an endocrine disruptor, is also discovered on most store/grocery receipts and then transferred on our dollar bills, like germs, (use plastic gloves if you are a cashier, and wash hands so as not to further transfer bisphenol- A, BPA). Read full story here
Lawmakers and Health Advocates Propose Ban on Chemical in Paper Receipts
January 23, 2011, Hugh McQuaid, CT News Junkie
A law banning the chemical Bisphenol-A (BPA) from infant formula and baby food containers will go into effect later this year, but some lawmakers and advocates are not resting on their laurels. This legislative session Sen. Edward Meyer, D-Guilford, has proposed another bill to keep the substance out of cash register and ATM receipts.
Read full story here
Should Cash Register Receipts Really Require Gloves?
Letter to Editor
Nory Oakes, Voluntown
January 9, 2011, Norwich Bulletin
Next time you're at the grocery checkout you might want to don a pair of protective gloves. And that's no joke! The chemical bisphenol-A (BPA), which has been linked to many serious health problems, has been found in alarming amounts on thermal cash receipts and dollar bills!
Read full letter here
Letter to Editor
January 7, 2011, Willimantic Chronicle
The chemical bisphenol-A (BPA), a known hormone disruptor, has been found in alarming amounts on - of all things - our money and cash receipts! Tests of thermal paper cash receipts found that half the receipts contained large quantities of BPA, in a powdery coating which easily rubs off on our hands, our money, and presumably, anything else it touches.
Read full letter here
Letter to Editor
Kathleen A. Maher, Colchester
December 31, 2010, New London Day
As a 45-year-old cancer survivor, I am increasingly concerned about our daily exposure to toxic chemicals such as bisphenol-A. A recent report, "On the Money: BPA on Dollar Bills and Receipts," showed alarming evidence that this endocrine disruptor is found on thermal receipt paper used in ATM and cash receipts. Read full letter here
Letter to Editor
Susan Eastwood, Ashford,
December 10, 2010, Journal-Inquirer
If safer alternatives are available, why not use them? The Coalition for a Safe and Healthy Connecticut will be advocating this coming year for a ban on BPA in cash register paper. Let’s all be a little safer in the New Year! Read full letter here
Dirty money: BPA on dollar bills
December 8, 2010, Eryn Brown, CTnow.com FOX CT
Scientists have recently shown that bisphenol A, a chemical widely used in plastic bottles and in the linings of food cans that has been linked to cardiovascular disease, diabetes and sexual dysfunction in people and cancer in mice, is detectable in food and on some cash register receipts. Read full story here
High exposure to BPA linked to low sperm count
October 28, 2010, Lindsay Tanner, AP Medical Writer, Hartford Courant
Chinese factory workers exposed to high levels of the plastics chemical BPA had low sperm counts, according to the first human study to tie it to poor semen quality. The study is the latest to raise health questions about bisphenol-A and comes two weeks after Canada published a final order adding the chemical to its list of toxic substances. Read full story here
Receipts putting your health at risk?
July 27, 2010, Staff writer, CTnow.com FOX CT
A warning before you take your receipt at the grocery store, fast food restaurants or pharmacy.
A new study by the Environmental Working Group found they could put your health at risk.
Researchers say their findings show, BPA was found on 40 percent of receipts. The chemical levels were higher than those in canned foods, baby bottles and infant formula. Read full story here
Canned Foods Risky During Pregnancy
A report found that 92 percent of food from metal cans is contaminated with BPA, which could negatively affect children, before and after birth.
June 10, 2010, Liz Szabo, McClatchy Tribune
Pregnant women should limit their intake of canned foods and drinks, according to a report that finds 92 percent of food from metal cans is contaminated with an estrogen-like chemical called BPA, or bisphenol A.
The chemical is used in countless products, from plastic bottles and paper receipts to the linings of metal cans. The National Toxicology Program has said it has "some concern" that BPA alters development of the brain, behavior and the prostate gland in children, before and after birth. Read full story here
With McDonald's recall, state cadmium ban looking timely
June 4, 2010, Ted Mann, The New London Day
Been trying to get around for weeks to writing more about the recently passed legislative ban on the sale of children's jewelry containing cadmium, a heavy metal linked to negative health effects in children. Read full story here
Environmental cancer risks more dangerous
Household and workplace chemicals might contribute to a larger percentage of cancer deaths than previously thought, according to a presidential panel.
May 24, 2010, Jill U Adams, Special to the Los Angeles Times, Reprinted in Hartford Courant
Pollutants and other chemicals in your environment — your home, your frontyard, your workplace — may be more toxic to your health than you know, according to a report released earlier this month. The President's Cancer Panel, an advisory group charged with monitoring the war on cancer, proposed in its May 5 report that environmental chemicals might contribute to a larger share of deaths from cancer than the 1% to 5% figure cited by the National Cancer Institute.
Read full story here
Seeking to Rid Food of BPA
May 21, 2011, Jeff Kurz, Record-Journal
Participating in a study earlier this year, Anne Hulick sent two cans of vegetable broth to a laboratory for analysis. One was from her kitchen pantry. The other, the same product, came from the local grocery. When results showed both cans contained levels of bisphenol A, she wasn’t surprised.
“You can’t shop your way out of this problem,” said Hulick, a Southington resident who is environmental health coordinator for the Connecticut Nurses’ Association. Read full story here.
Parents Seek Safer Cleaning Supplies
Nontoxic ingredients safer, health advocates say
April 1, 2010, Ruth Fuller Special To The Tribune, Reprinted in Hartford Courant
After realizing that some of the chemicals in her cleaning supplies could be harming her sons, Becky Picchietti of Lake Villa, Illinois, decided about two years ago to switch to nontoxic cleaning supplies. Read full story here
Letter to Editor in Response to "Household Chemicals Linked to Reduced Fertility"
February 4, 2010, Willimantic Chronicle
Thank you for your article “Household Products can Affect Fertility”, Chronicle January 27, 2010. It’s important to understand that PBDE exposure reaches right into our homes and daily lives. PBDEs are neurotoxins and have also been linked to learning and developmental disabilities. Children’s exposure levels are 300 times greater than adults’... Read full letter here
Pregnant women and families with young children warned about Bisphenol A (BPA)
January 29, 2010, Department of Public Health, StamfordPlus.com
The Connecticut Departments of Public Health (DPH) and Consumer Protection (DCP) are advising pregnant women and families with young children to be aware of dietary sources of bisphenol A (BPA) and...
Read full story here
Household chemicals linked to reduced fertility
January 27, 2010, Shari Roan, LA Times, Reprinted in Willimantic Chronicle
A new study finds that a decreased likelihood of pregnancy is linked to flame-retardant chemicals found in foam furniture, electronics, fabrics, carpets and plastics.
Read full story here
Conn. lawmakers, activists look to limit toxins
January 17, 2010, Hartford Courant AP story
A coalition of activists and state legislators in Connecticut is launching a new legislative campaign to reduce toxins. The move comes after Connecticut last year became the first state to ban the chemical Bisphenol-A, BPA, from infant formula, baby food containers and a range of reusable food and drink containers...
Read full story here
Health workers tested for chemicals
October 8, 2009, Ed Stannard, New Haven Register
A Yale University doctor and a nurse from MidState Medical Center are among 20 health professionals in 10 states who were found to have a variety of potentially dangerous chemicals in their bodies, according to a study released Thursday...
Read full story here
Study Finds Toxic Chemicals in Health Care Workers
October 8, 2009, Jeff Kurz, Record-Journal
A Study Released Thursday shows that, of 20 doctors and nurses tested across the nation, all of them have toxic chemicals in their bodies...
Read full story here
Blood Tests Show High Toxin Levels
October 8, 2009
Read the full article here.
Bills call for ban on plastic additive
March 2, 2009, Mary E. O'Leary, New haven Register
A number of legislators and environmentalists are pushing bills in the General Assembly that would ban a plastic substance found in many baby bottles, food containers and metal can liners. Read full story here
Hartford Courant Op-Ed on the Need to Ban Bisphenol-A
Friday Feb. 27th, 2009 Hartford Courant
In today's Hartford Courant Yale pediatrician and medical toxicologist Dr. Carl R. Baum outlined the reasons for CT legislators to pass legislation to phase out BPA. "I find even the possibility of risk to children from BPA exposure too great to ignore..." Read the full op-ed here.
Message in a BPA Free Bottle
January 27, 2009, Christine Stuart, CT News Junkie
The Coalition for a Safe and Healthy Connecticut was encouraging legislators Tuesday to support a bill, which would phase out the use of Bisphenol A in baby bottles and other children’s products. Read more
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