Kid-Safe Chemicals Act

Today I got an email from Ken Cook about the Kid-Safe Chemicals Act, which will be a badly needed updated version of the Toxic Substance Control Act from 1976. TSCA declared that some 62,000 chemicals already on the market are safe. Since then another 20,000 chemicals have accepted in the United States with little to no data to support their safety.

When TSCA was first implemented they grandfathered most of the known chemicals into the act without having them tested for their harmfulness. Because babies are being born pre-polluted with nearly 300 industrial chemicals, many associated with a range of serious diseases and conditions from childhood cancer to autism, ADHD, learning deficits, infertility, and birth defects. And the government has almost no authority to protect people from even the most hazardous chemicals on the market.

This is why we need to change this old law with a new and improved one to protect us and our children. Because of all the chemical pollutants out there, we are allowing our government to poison each one of us and our children, who aren't even born yet. All of the conditions and diseases mentioned above are a result of these harmful toxins. We need to let our government know that we are done with all the secrets on the labels of products. The companies making these products, whether cleaning, clothing, or toys need to be held accountable for what they are putting in them. If it can't be made safely, then we really don't need it! Let's work together to protect our children and our future...


Sami
http://envirowatchers.com/
Cover your little one with the best, Organic Diapers and Organic Clothes to keep them healthy and safe!

What is Dioxane and where can it be found?

I found this article about some of the contaminants that are found in children's bath products. Chemicals aren't listed on the labels, making it unknown how many contaminants and how much is actually in the bubble baths, shampoos, and other common products. The natural products industries have found other ways to make the products without including formaldehyde as a preservative by reformulating the product. A contaminant isn't actually intentionally put into the product, it's a byproduct of the processing.

Therefore the byproduct of formaldehyde is dioxane. Dioxane is a colorless, flammable, potentially explosive liquid having a faint pleasant odor and used as a solvent for fats, greases, and resins. It's also used in various products including paints, lacquers, glues, cosmetics, and fumigants. Dioxane is a known eye and respiratory tract irritant. It is also classified as a possible carcinogenic to humans because it is a known carcinogen in animals.

Stacy Malkan, co-founder of the Campaign for Safe Cosmetic Use and her co-authors tested 48 bubble baths, shampoos and other baby and children's products for dioxane and 28 of those products for formaldehyde.

Among their findings:

• Almost two-thirds of the 28 products contained both chemicals, including Johnson's Baby Shampoo and Huggies Naturally Refreshing Cucumber & Green Tea Baby Wash.
• Eighty-two percent of products tested contained formaldehyde; the highest levels were found in Baby Magic Baby Lotion.
• American Girl shower products had the highest levels of dioxane among products tested.

Harmful chemicals and contaminants in children's products is a subject of continuing controversy. Earlier this week, it was announced that baby bottles made with the controversial chemical bisphenol A (BPA) will no longer be sold in the United States by the six largest manufacturers of the products.

BPA, which is found in a wide range of products, mimics the hormone estrogen and may disrupt the body's endocrine system. The chemical poses a particular threat to fetuses, infants and children because it can interfere with cell function when their bodies are still developing, public health experts say. The chemical has been linked with diabetes, heart disease, cancer and developmental delays in children.

I don't know about you, but I'm glad to see that these chemicals aren't in any organic products, the "organic seal" indicates this. Also, it's good to know that the government is finally cracking down on what is put into products to make them last longer, where actually it's just making us ill in the future.

Sami
http://envirowatchers.com/
Cover your little one with the best, Organic Diapers, Organic Clothes, and a Completely Build Your Own Organic Crib!

Phthalates and your crib mattresses

Over the last 30+ years, crib mattress materials have been replaced with cheap petroleum-based synthetics. Nearly all crib mattresses today contain polyurethane foam, vinyl (PVC), phthalates, chemical fire retardants, and an extensive list of added industrial chemicals. Recent studies have questioned the use of these materials. Some of these chemicals have even been shown to leach out into the surrounding air.

Babies and toddlers spend 10-14 hours a day sleeping and playing on a crib mattress. Furthermore, a child’s every breath inhales air no more than six inches away from these chemicals. As such, for the first few years of a child’s life, the mattress is the single most prominent object in the child’s environment. Phthalates are typically added to the vinyl surface of a crib mattress to make it soft and flexible. This provides an inexpensive and flexible crib mattress cover material.

“Phthalates are animal carcinogens and can cause fetal death, malformations, and reproductive toxicity in laboratory animals… children may be at higher risk of adverse effects of phthalates because of anticipated higher exposures during a time of developmental and physiologic immaturity… Phthalates are not covalently bound to the plastic matrix and leach out of PVC…”
(Shea, Katherine M. MD MPH and the Committee on Environmental Health. “Pediatric Exposure and Potential Toxicity
of Phthalate Plasticizers.” American Academy of Pediatrics. Pediatrics Volume 111 No. 6. June 2003. Pg. 1467.

I don't know about you, but I think this chemical and any child should not be in the same room at the same time. Due to the ability that this chemical has to even leech out into the air, let alone with you absorbing it while you are laying down sleeping. Organic mattresses promote baby health and safety by eliminating potentially harmful chemicals and featuring certified organic cotton and environmentally friendly materials. These mattresses provide non-toxic fire protection and waterproofing, and are loved by parents, physicians, and independent evaluators. So if everyone likes these mattresses and believes that they are better for your child, then why don't you come and check them out for yourself!

Sami
http://envirowatchers.com/
Cover your little one with the best, Organic Diapers, Organic Clothes, and a Completely Build Your Own Organic Crib!

Landfills Methane Gas

Methane, a primary component of landfill gas, is a greenhouse gas more than 20 times as potent as carbon dioxide at trapping heat in the atmosphere. Nationwide in 2007 about 435 projects provided more than 10.5 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity and delivered 79 billion cubic feet per year of landfill gas to corporate and government users, and produced energy equivalent to powering roughly 810,000 homes and heating nearly 547,000 homes each year.

Landfill gas is the natural by-product of the decomposition of solid waste in landfills and is comprised primarily of carbon dioxide and methane. By preventing emissions of methane (a powerful greenhouse gas) through the development of landfill gas energy projects, landfill facilities can now produce electricity naturally from decomposing waste and turn it into money-saving electricity to offset the costs associated with operating the landfills. . Until now, the landfill gas, which is about 50 percent methane, was extracted through wells and pipes buried in the landfill and combusted in a flare. Now the gas is now diverted from the flare to the landfill gas plant, which is equipped with two specialized engines designed to burn landfill gas. The landfill gas is processed to natural gas quality and used in clean-burning power generation equipment to generate renewable power. The project of transforming the waste into usable electricity includes installation of a gas collection system in the landfill, a generator that runs on landfill gas, a power line connection to the grid, and an electronic monitoring system.

Here is a nice layout of "How Landfills Work".

Sami
http://envirowatchers.com/
Cover your little one with the best, Organic Diapers, Organic Clothes, and a Completely Build Your Own Organic Crib!

Don't Throw your Trash in my Backyard!!

It's started up again...New York City is dumping it's trash into Pennsylvania. Now don't get me wrong, they do have an agreement of dumping their trash into Pennsylvanians landfills, but they are getting full. Pa has a good system of utilizing the methane gas to run the landfills systems, but only certain trash is usable. Therefore New York City needs to start enforcing people to recycle, by offering jobs and uses for the recycled material, and by creating less packaging for their products, which would result in less trash. Right now Pa is having to either create more landfills or expand the existing ones already. That means it'll take away from the beauty the farm lands and the forests of Pa.

Pennsylvania isn't the only state feeling the impact of the trash, there are others such as Virginia and Michigan. I think the governors need to keep the trash in their own states and utilize the methane gas like Pa is doing. Maybe if the methane gas has more of a purpose, then more states would consider creating it for themselves.

And who really wants to live next to a landfill?

Sami

Diapers which are better cloth or disposable?

I have taken an interest in diapers...which are better cloth or disposable? There are many types of disposable diapers available in today’s market for our convenience-conscious society; while concern over landfill space has pushed for “greener” alternatives, disposable diapers are still disposable. A disposable diaper with a plastic exterior lining is no different than a 100% plastic-free disposable diaper once it has been tossed into a plastic household trash bag and dumped into a landfill. There's the super absorbent name brand ones, or the not-so famous cloth diapers.

Now these aren't the same cloth ones your mom or grandma used on you, these are much more sophisticated. They have flushable liners, snaps or velcro, and less fill for the landfills. Yes, this requires more laundry, about 2 more loads per week. But the way I look at it, is that it may be more work for you, but I'd rather do the extra work, then let the poop fill up the landfills. And from the research I've gathered, it appears that disposable diapers cost about $2200 over the course of the diapering stage, whereas cloth will cost you about $600, with the extra washing costs.

So my personal opinion is: cloth worked for my bottom just fine; I think I'll stick with it for my children too! What are your opinions, suggestions, and/or tips on cloth or disposable?

Laundry Detergent Causes Asthma? NY Lawsuit seeks disclosure

Sierra Club, the American Lung Association & 4 other groups are suing Procter & Gamble, Colgate-Palmolive, and 2 other chemical cleaner manufacturers to demand that they release the ingredients to their products. The groups requested ingredient disclosure from all 4 companies & many others last September, citing the New York law, but were refused.

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