This week, salon workers from across the nation joined EWG and Women’s Voices for the Earth to petition the Food and Drug Administration to ban dangerous hair straighteners that contain formaldehyde. As EWG has documented, both the FDA and the cosmetics industry have known for more than a decade that these products are unsafe.
“The FDA regulates chemicals at a glacial pace, even when it knows they cause harm,” said Melanie Benesh, EWG’s legislative attorney. “Since at least 2008, the agency has known about the health hazards associated with these hair-straightening products and has yet to regulate formaldehyde, failing to protect stylists and their clients.”
A new study published in Environmental Science and Technology Letters found that millions of Americans could unknowingly be exposed to the toxic “forever chemicals” called PFAS in personal care products they use daily. That same day, EWG applauded Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) for introducing legislation that would ban the intentional use of PFAS chemicals as an ingredient in cosmetics.
On Thursday, Sens. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and Collins introduced a bipartisan bill that would give the FDA the power to ensure that the chemicals used in cosmetics and other everyday personal care products are safe.
“Most consumers would be shocked to learn that cosmetics companies can put just about any chemical in cosmetics and personal care products, no matter how dangerous,” said EWG Senior Vice President for Government Affairs Scott Faber. “It’s been 83 years since Congress last passed a cosmetics law. The bipartisan Personal Care Products Safety Act will finally provide the Food and Drug Administration with the tools the agency needs to protect consumers from dangerous chemicals in these everyday products.”
Duke Energy, along with several other electric utilities, is rushing to take advantage of a Trump Environmental Protection Agency coal ash disposal rule, as the Biden administration mulls over whether to revise or rescind the regulation.
A House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee advanced the PFAS Action Act, which would direct the EPA to quickly reduce and remediate the toxic “forever chemicals” known as PFAS.
Here’s some news you can use going into the weekend.
New study: PFAS in cosmetics
Associated Press: Study: Half of US cosmetics contain toxic chemicals
“This should be a wake-up call for the cosmetics industry,” said David Andrews, a senior scientist at the Environmental Working Group, a Washington-based nonprofit that has worked to restrict PFAS. Reprinted by CBS News Online; Yahoo; Head Topics; New England Cable News; and 200+ additional outlets
CNN: Makeup may contain potentially toxic chemicals called PFAS, study finds
"It's a little shocking and hopefully a wake-up call for the cosmetics industry in terms of how widespread the PFAS contamination is across types of makeup products," said David Andrews, a senior scientist for the Environmental Working Group, or EWG, a consumer organization that maintains a database on personal care products which contain toxins. Reprinted by California News Times; News Channel Nebraska; Heaven 98.3 (Tallahassee, Fla.); The World News; KIDK (Idaho Falls, Id.); 200+ additional outlets
David Andrews, a senior scientist at the nonprofit Environmental Working Group agrees, saying the problem ultimately requires government oversight. “This study highlights that [PFAS] goes much beyond what’s on the label,” he said. “The FDA should be doing more to monitor the use of these products.” Reprinted by Boston Globe; Ottawa Citizen (Ontario, Canada);
United Press International: Study: Many cosmetics contain unlisted, toxic 'forever chemicals'
"The public shouldn't have to worry that they're putting their own health at risk by doing something as routine and mundane as applying personal care products," Scott Faber, the group's senior vice president for government affairs, said in a press release. Reprinted by Breitbart
Health Day: Are Women Absorbing Toxins From Their Makeup?
The Environmental Working Group applauded the introduction of the legislation. “Toxic forever chemicals have no place in personal care products,” Scott Faber, SVP-government affairs for EWG, said in a statement. Reprinted by US News & World Report; Drugs.com;Weekly Sauce; The Health Cast; Happi; 3 additional outlets
Chemical & Engineering News: PFAS undisclosed in most cosmetics sold in the US and Canada
“This should be a wake-up call for the cosmetics industry,” David Andrews, a senior scientist at the advocacy organization Environmental Working Group, says in a statement. “Some PFAS chemicals are highly toxic at very low doses, so no PFAS should be used in personal care products.”
Real Simple: What You Need to Know About the New Study on Toxic Chemicals in Makeup
"PFAS are notorious for how toxic they are at small doses," says David Andrews, a senior scientist at the Environmental Working Group, an organization that researches and brings environmental issues in consumer products to light. "It's best to eliminate and reduce exposure as much as possible." Reprinted by MSN and Yahoo! Life.
Shape: A New Study Found High Levels of Toxic 'Forever Chemicals' In 120 Cosmetic Products
On ingredient labels, PFAS will often include the word "fluoro" in their names, according to the Environmental Working Group, but the study found that only 8 percent of the tested cosmetics had any PFAS listed as ingredients. Reprinted by MSN.
Treehugger: Toxic and Unlabeled PFAS Chemicals Found in Numerous Cosmetics
PFAS are called "forever chemicals" for their extreme resistance to degradation; the same chemical bonds that allow them to repel oil and water make it difficult for them to break down in the natural environment. The Environmental Working Group reported PFAS can accumulate in drinking water supplies; they can contaminate soil and be absorbed into the edible parts of plants.
WebMD: Toxic Chemicals Found in Many Cosmetics
Sunderland said a resource people can use when trying to avoid PFAS is the Environmental Working Group, a nonprofit organization that maintains an extensive database of cosmetics and personal care products.
No PFAS In cosmetics act
HAPPI: US Senators Introduce ‘No PFAS in Cosmetics’ Act
The Environmental Working Group applauded the introduction of the legislation. “Toxic forever chemicals have no place in personal care products,” Scott Faber, SVP-government affairs for EWG, said in a statement.
Jezebel: Potentially Harmful Chemicals in Lipstick & Mascara Could Soon Be Regulated by Congress
“The most common PFAS is polytetrafluoroethylene, the ingredient most commonly known as Teflon, or the coating on pans,” David Andrews, a senior scientist for the Environmental Working Group, told CNN. “But all in all, we have identified 13 different PFAS chemicals in more than 600 products from 80 brands.”
Congress introduces PFAS Action Act
The PFAS Action Act would create a national standard for the presence of PFAS in drinking water. It would also classify PFAS as a hazardous chemical which would allow the Environmental Protection Agency to clean up PFAS contaminated sites, according to the Environmental Working Group (EWG).
FDA petition to ban formaldehyde from hair straighteners
The Environmental Working Group and Women’s Voices for the Earth try again with a petition to the US Food and Drug Administration seeking a ban on use of formaldehyde and equivalents in heated hair-straightening products. This time they are joined by 75 concerned salon workers.
Agribusiness
Scott Faber, the head of governmental affairs for the Environmental Working Group, urged caution — and a dose of regulatory skepticism, suggesting that the Food and Drug Administration needed to vet the product. “What can go wrong? These kinds of Rube Goldberg chemistry experiments should be scrutinized by food safety experts at FDA,” he said. “Too often, it’s the chemical companies, not the FDA, who decide what’s safe to eat.”
Pittsburgh Quarterly (Pa.): Was Rachel Carson Right?
Most troubling to Carson backers is the evidence that the agro-chemical industry continues to make claims about the persistence of chemicals that are found wanting, said Ken Cook, co-founder of the Environmental Working Group.
Aldicarb ban
Three groups filed a legal challenge in March to the EPA's registration of aldicarb. The Farmworker Association of Florida, Environmental Working Group and Center for Biological Diversity were successful on Monday when the U.S. District Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit overturned the EPA’s decision.
Algae blooms
And EWG has an interactive map that shows results of state tests for algae bloom toxins in Minnesota, Iowa and Wisconsin, as well as news stories of where algae blooms were reported between 2010-2020, with EWG noting just because an algae bloom is marked on the map doesn't mean it was toxic because testing is limited in the three states.
Black farmers
CBS News: Federal judge halts loan forgiveness program for farmers of color
White farmers received $6.7 billion in Coronavirus Food Assistance Program payments, while Black farmers received $15 million and Latino farmers $100 million, according to calculations by the EWG based on U.S. Department of Agriculture data. Reprinted by USA News Hub; Today News Post; Texas News Today; Good Word News; World News Era
Essence: Group of White Farmers Sue to Prevent Farmers of Color From Receiving Aid
To note, nearly all of the $9.2 billion bailout provided to farmers last year by the Trump administration went to white farmers, CBS reports, citing research from the Environmental Working Group. They also received $6.7 billion in Coronavirus Food Assistance Program payments, while Black farmers received $15 million and Latino farmers $100 million, according to calculations by the EWG.
Cleaning products
CNN: Blueland’s nontoxic cleaners can save money, space and even the planet
Blueland’s ingredients are all on the EPA Safer Chemicals Ingredients List, and none are on the Environmental Working Group Restricted List. “We are huge philosophical supporters of the EPA Safer Choice standards, which is why we adopted the program’s criteria as core to our product development,” Yoo adds. Reprinted by News Colony
Consumer guides
Acevedo lists the third-party certifiers Ecocert for ingredient sourcing, Environmental Working Group (EWG) for ingredient safety, Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) for packaging material, B Corp for corporate accountability, and Cradle to Cradle for the overall product, a certification she describes as “truly the most comprehensive that I’ve seen to date.”
CNET: Best full mattress in 2021
It's constructed of cotton, wool and natural latex (or you can opt for the vegan mattress, which is the same sans wool) -- which is the safest combination recommended by the Environmental Working Group. It's also free of polyester, polyurethane foam and fire retardants.
Skin Deep® cosmetics database
An article on nonprofit Green America’s site reads “Without government surveys into chemical use in cosmetics, recent data is scarce, but [Environmental Working Group] found that Black women may be particularly at risk, with a 2016 analysis showing that less than 25% of products marketed for Black women have low levels of potentially hazardous chemicals.”
Food additives
Scott Faber, the head of governmental affairs for the Environmental Working Group, urged caution — and a dose of regulatory skepticism, suggesting that the Food and Drug Administration needed to vet the product. “What can go wrong? These kinds of Rube Goldberg chemistry experiments should be scrutinized by food safety experts at FDA,” he said. “Too often, it’s the chemical companies, not the FDA, who decide what’s safe to eat.”
PFAS in water
Arizona Daily Star: Many obstacles stand in way of PFAS groundwater cleanup in Tucson
Congressional legislation to directly appropriate money for PFAS cleanups also hasn’t succeeded. But there are some signs of hope, advocates for PFAS cleanup in national environmental groups such as the Environmental Working Group say.
EcoWatch: It's Raining 'Forever Chemicals' Around the Great Lakes, Scientists Find
According to a peer review study conducted by scientists from the Environmental Working Group, PFAS contamination may be in drinking water that supplies 200 million Americans. The study also found that there are 2,337 locations in 49 states that have PFAS contamination. Reprinted by Reader Support News
The ratings come from the Environmental Working Group, a nonprofit research group. It compiled the material from Department of Defense reports, Freedom of Information Act requests and information collected by the Social Science Environmental Health Research Institute at Northeastern University. Reprinted by Fresno Bee and San Luis Obispo Tribune.
“They build up in our bodies and never break down in the environment,” according to the Environmental Working Group, a nonprofit environmental advocacy and research organization. “Very small doses of PFAS have been linked to cancer, reproductive and immune system harm, and other diseases.” Reprinted by Reading Eagle (Pa.)
Press-Republican (Plattsburgh, N.Y.): Bills aim to clean up PFAS chemicals
Widespread PFAS contamination around military sites is attributed to the military’s heavy use of a firefighting foam widely known as aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF). A 2018 test found a maximum detection of 1,045,000 parts per trillion of PFAS in the groundwater at the former Plattsburgh Air Force Base, according to data obtained by the Environmental Working Group (EWG).
Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce™
The Doctor Will See You Now: Strawberries’ Lo-Cal Health Statement
There is only one downside to eating strawberries: If you’re not eating organic berries, then you could overload on pesticides. Every year the Environmental Working Group (EWG) publishes “the Dirty Dozen,” a list of fruits and veggies with the highest levels of pesticide residue. Strawberries ranked at the top of this year’s list.
Food & Wine: F&W Game Changers: The Sweetest Strawberries
The bees-along with a fleet of AI-robots that monitor the fruit as it grows and predicts future yields-produce a year-round perfect strawberry that, unlike its conventionally farmed cousins, don't use a ton of pesticides. (Strawberries consistently top the annual list of the Environmental Working Group's "Dirty Dozen" most pesticide-intensive crops.) Reprinted byMSN; PressFrom
EWG Guide to Sunscreens
MarketWatch: 8 of the safest sunscreens for kids and babies
As a mom myself, I know that buying sunscreen for your baby or child can be stressful. So many sunscreens have additives that experts say could be harmful for children. That’s why I talked to the Environmental Working Group, an organization that has been rating sunscreens on their safety and efficacy for 15 years, about what to look for in kids sunscreen. Reprinted by Head Topics
Marin Mommies: Find the Most Effective Sunscreens with EWG's Annual Sunscreen Guide
While many sunscreens promise a lot to the consumer (especially those with sky-high SPF 50+ ratings), do they really deliver the protection the advertise? Fortunately, the Environmental Working Group's 15th annual Sunscreen Guide is available to help sort the good sunscreens from those that won't help much or are actually harmful to our health. Reprinted by Blogarama
POPSUGAR: Stock Up For the Summer! 15 of the Safest Sunscreens For Kids and Babies
According to EWG Senior Scientist David Andrews, inactive ingredients like retinyl palmitate (vitamin A) and oxybenzone are the ones that parents need to steer clear of. "By and large, the [sunscreens] that do well in our database are the ones that are mineral-based products with a higher percent of zinc oxide, as well as some of the products with titanium dioxide," he said.
VeryWell Family: The 7 Best Sunscreens for Kids of 2021
Having done independent testing, EWG found that “actual SPF values are significantly lower than what is on the label”. And if you’re using a high SPF, it shouldn’t be an incentive to spend as long as possible in the sun or an excuse to skip reapplying.
Tap Water Database
American Press (East Lake Charles, La.): Water woes continue to plague Sulphur
“The EWG (Environmental Working Group) health guideline of 100 ppb for manganese was defined by the state of Minnesota as a health risk limit,” she said. Robertson said Sulphur’s water has five times that amount. Reprinted by Southwest Daily News (East Lake Charles, La.)
Bob Vila: The Best Whole-House Water Filters for Healthier Water
Three-stage filtration systems will remove the most contaminants from the water, ensuring that it’s safe for use, but it’s a good idea to check the National Drinking Water Database created by the Environmental Working Group to determine what contaminants may be affecting your water. Below is a detailed list of possible contaminants.