Shopping for kids' stuff? You've got to read this.

by Fawn Pattison, Senior Advocate

Photo by amseaman via Flickr

Recently I had to buy a new car booster seat for my older child, who is four. She'd outgrown her toddler carseat, and as I usually do with any significant purchase, I did my homework.

I wanted the booster with the best safety rating. It had to perform well in crashes, and protect the head and neck, not just the body. After lots of reading, I settled on just the right model, and ordered the chic-yet-practical black-and-gray one. And then I started to fret.

While I'd spent hours poring over crash test results, there was no way to know what kinds of toxic flame retardants had been used in the carseats I was reviewing. Manufacturers in the U.S. don't have to share that information, even though many of the flame retardants used in children's products like carseats have been linked to neurological harm and increased risk of cancer. She's going to be sitting in that thing every day, inhaling whatever it's off-gassing, snuggling up in it (mouth open, drooling) during long car trips to her grandparents' house. I don't want to expose her to anything that could put her health at risk.

And this is the conundrum I find myself in almost every time I have to buy something for my kids. Carseat, bed, shoes, sippy cups... there's no way to know what kinds of toxics are in there.

Until now. Because in 2008 Washington state passed a law that highlighted 66 "Chemicals of Concern" -- things like the toxic flame retardants -- used in children's products. The largest manufacturers now have to actually test their products for the 66 toxics on the list and - get this! - make the information public. Seriously. Public.

So they've just started releasing the results, and they're not pretty. Washington Toxics Coalition just released a report on what manufacturers like Target, Walmart, Nike and Walgreens reported from March to September 2013 (read the report here). 

Among the total 4,605 reports of toxic chemicals in children’s products are reports of toxic flame retardants linked to cancer, learning disabilities and fertility problems. In the report’s findings:

• Bisphenol A (BPA) was reported in plastic used in dolls and soft toys. BPA is a developmental and reproductive toxicant.
• Antimony trioxide, a carcinogen, was reported in toy vehicles.
• The Tris flame retardant TCEP was reported in baby car seats. It is a carcinogen and reproductive toxicant.
• Children’s plastic plates, bowls, mugs and cups, drinking glasses and other tableware was reported as containing ethylbenzene, toluene, and phthalates as well as formaldehyde.
• The flame retardant deca-BDE was reported in the plastic of baby car and booster seats, even though manufacturers made a voluntary agreement with EPA in 2009 to end the use of deca-BDE in most products by now, and deca-BDE was banned in Washington state in 2007.

I have to confess that reading this report made me want to pack up my kids (without carseats) and go live in a cave somewhere. But I got over that, and now I'm just mad again. Mad at manufacturers who choose shoddy chemical ingredients over our kids' health. Mad at Congress for taking so long to fix the federal toxics law that's the reason for all these "Chemicals of Concern" in our kids' lives. But also grateful for the steps forward that Washington State has taken, and hopeful that North Carolina will follow suit before too long.

Check out MindTheStore.org to let the nation's largest retailers know that it's time to get the toxics out of the stuff they're selling us.

Polar vortex, pesticides, red tape can't stop us!

By Neftali & Yesenia Cuello

Yesenia and Neftali braved brutal cold at the Capitol last week to speak out about pesticide safety.

We started working in the fields of eastern North Carolina when Neftali was 12 years old, and Yesenia was 14. We worked in tobacco, blueberries and strawberries every summer for years. We saw pesticides used nearby and were even exposed to the drift, but never knew what pesticides were.

We never heard the word “pesticide” or had a safety training until 4 years later when we joined NC FIELD and our eyes were opened.

All those years we were being exposed to these things on the job, without any knowledge of what they could do to our health. Now we go out into the fields to meet other children who are working there, photograph them and learn about their lives. We meet teenagers, sometimes kids as young as 8 and 9. Not one youth farmworker we’ve met said they’d ever had a pesticide safety training.

 

NC youth working in sweet potato. Photo by Yesenia Cuello

This is why we have to make our voices heard.

Last week we joined a delegation of farmworkers and youth who traveled to Washington DC. We met with members of Congress and the US EPA to ask them for a strong Worker Protection Standard. People shouldn’t be working with these chemicals without training and safety protections that keep them and their families safe. Kids shouldn’t be working with pesticides at all!

We don’t want unsafe pesticides on our food, and we don’t want other kids to have to work around them or with them like we and our other siblings did. We need a strong Worker Protection Standard that makes the fields and our families safer. If you agree, please make your voice heard, too.

Neftali Cuello serves on Toxic Free NC's Community Leadership Council, and is the Secretary of Poder Juvenil Campesino, the youth group of NC FIELD. Yesenia Cuello is President of PJC and serves on NC FIELD's Board of Directors.

More Fresh, Local, and Organic Food on Your Child Care's Menu: Here's How

by Toxic Free NC Staff and Jennifer Li, Children’s Environmental Health Writing Intern

Many families are making local and organic produce a priority these days, and almost everyone needs to increase the fresh foods in their diet. Locally grown produce is the freshest, so it contains more nutrients and it supports local farmers. Why organic? Organic foods are grown without synthetic pesticides and fertilizers, do not contain genetically modified ingredients, synthetic food additives or processing agents, and are environmentally friendly. Research shows that kids who eat a mostly organic diet have much lower levels of potentially harmful pesticides in their bodies.

We interviewed Jan of Country Sunshine Children’s Center, and Shawna of Bright Horizons at Raleigh Corporate Center, both in Raleigh. Their commitment to children’s health is truly inspiring, and the methods they share are feasible and effective. From co-op programs with parents to growing fruits and vegetables in gardens, we hope other childcare centers can use these creative and helpful tips from the pros!

So, how can you get more fresh, local, and organic food onto your child care menu?

Here are 5 tips to get you started:

1. Purchase fresh, local, and organic foods from the Farmers' Market, grocery stores, and food distributors, especially when the vegetables and fruits are in season.

“Anytime we can, we get away from frozen or canned foods and incorporate fresh fruits and vegetables into our menu.” —Jan, Country Sunshine Children’s Center

2. Child care centers can obtain reimbursements for nutritious meals from the Federal Food program.

3. Start a Co-op Program. Country Sunshine uses a “Partnership with Parents” to bring in more fresh foods without driving up costs.

How does it work? 

• 3 times a week, children at the Country Sunshine Children’s Center are provided with fresh, healthy fruit and vegetable snacks from parents. 
• Parents are asked to provide fresh produce for one classroom (about 10-20 kids/class) only once per month.
• Each classroom’s parents are designated a specified amount of a particular fruit or veggie snack for every month. For example, parents may be asked to bring watermelon, apples, lettuce or carrots for the class.

4. Plant a garden at your childcare center.  Children enjoy growing their own fresh fruits, vegetables, herbs and flowers to have fun and learn, grow their own snacks, and provide treats for their families to taste.

How does it work?

Seeds are both provided by parents and bought from stores. Children can determine the types of seeds they want to plant.

How can we start doing this?

• Children can start growing seeds from containers to study them and observe how they grow. Some centers choose to hire a landscaper to build the garden space. This can also be done by parent volunteers if there is a plan for the garden. 
• Use plants that are easy to grow from seeds: Sunflowers, basil, cherry tomatoes, pumpkins, carrots, and lettuce.
• More examples of what they have grown: Lemon Cucumbers, Green Beans, Peas, Bell Peppers, Jalapeños, Tomatoes, Watermelons, Basil, Marigolds. 

The garden is a “learning experience, where children learn to take care of living things and have buy-in to the food they eat.” —Shawna, Bright Horizons at the Raleigh Corporate Center.

5. Educate staff, teachers, and parents about your work to provide healthy, organic food to their kids! Both Bright Horizons and Country Sunshine use a regular email newsletter to keep parents updated about menus, volunteer opportunities, and gardening (along with all the other important news from their centers).

You can publish announcements and seek parent support through your child care center newsletter, at parent meetings, etc.

Share information about organic food with parents so they get involved with what you are doing. Eat Local, Eat Pesticide Free! and Organic on a Budget are two great starter fact sheets from Toxic Free NC that can help.

Acknowledgements
Many thanks to Shawna of Bright Horizons at the Raleigh Corporate Center and Jan of Country Sunshine Children’s Center for allowing us to share the great information they provided for this article!

Jennifer Li is passionate about advocating for improved health in communities. After interning at the Museum of Life and Science last summer to promote healthy living, she was excited to build on her experience to make a difference in improving environmental health with Toxic Free NC.

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Did you find this article helpful? Approximately once a month, Toxic Free NC volunteers or staff write a newsletter-ready article, focusing on children's environmental health, that we send to child care centers across North Carolina.



These articles contain helpful tips on ways child care centers, staff, and the children's parents can reduce kids' exposures to toxic chemicals and pesticides...we also think they're great for using in your home, too!  We hope you find the article useful and feel free to share.



If you would like any of the past articles, please email Lynne Walter for copies or to be added to our Child Care News list.  Examples of past articles include:
    •    Having Fun in the Sun: Avoiding Sunburn, Skin Cancer, and Toxic Chemicals, too
    •    Toxic-Free Gardening with Kids: 5 Tips for Gardeners at Home, School, & Child Care on Getting Rid of Bugs Safely
    •    Round Up Your Weeds Without Toxic Chemicals!
    •    Get Pesticides Out of Your Kids' Classrooms: It's Easier than You Think!
    •    Mosquito Management in Child Care

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Text and Photo, Copyright 2013 by Toxic Free NC.  NC Child Care centers have permission to use text and photo for educational purposes with their parents and staff, provided full credit is given to Toxic Free NC.

Buzz Off! Protecting Kids from Pesticides

By Kate Watkins, former volunteer

Nobody likes pests, and nobody likes being exposed to toxic pesticides.  So how do we prevent pests and keep ourselves safe?  Integrated Pest Management (IPM)!

If you haven’t heard much about Integrated Pest Management, or IPM, don’t worry! IPM is an easy and toxic-free approach to pest control that dramatically reduces chemical pollution by emphasizing prevention through sanitation, maintenance, and monitoring of pest prone areas in schools, child care centers, and even in the home.
IPM costs less than many conventional pest control programs, and is often more effective than

Safer, least-toxic ingredients you can use to prevent pests!

spraying toxic pesticides. To utilize IPM, child care center staff, directors, and parents need to be educated on how they can participate. Monitoring of the grounds must be done frequently to catch potential pest problems before they begin, and preventative actions must be taken, including proper sanitation, proper waste disposal, structural maintenance, and good soil health. These steps can be as simple as installing weather stripping and door sweeps to prevent pests from entering your child care center and home; putting cereal and sugar in airtight, glass or plastic containers; repairing leaky pipes; and making sure all garbage cans lock securely.

If pest problems do break out despite these measures, the least-toxic and lowest-risk pesticides should be used to eliminate the problem, such as baits and traps. In these cases, parents must be notified about the pesticides being used and records of pest activity and management must be kept to comply with regulations and to integrate IPM into the responsibilities of current and future staff. Using these steps can help spread awareness about toxic pesticides and may greatly reduce their usage.

Integrated Pest Management is also something we can each practice in our homes, as well—feel free to use these steps and information in your house and share with friends and family!

To help people implement IPM, Toxic Free North Carolina offers free training to child care centers, for which attendees receive four contact hours from the NC Division of Child Development and Early Education...also for free!  If you are interested in hosting an IPM training for your staff, please contact Lynne Walter at Toxic Free NC at (919) 833-1123 or lynne@toxicfreenc.org.

Kate Watkins is a student, nanny, dancer, and she was a volunteer for Toxic Free NC.

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Did you find this article helpful? Approximately once a month, Toxic Free NC volunteers or staff write a newsletter-ready article, focusing on children's environmental health, that we send to child care centers across North Carolina. 

These articles contain helpful tips on ways child care centers, staff, and the children's parents can reduce kids' exposures to toxic chemicals and pesticides...we also think they're great for using in your home, too!  We hope you find the article useful and feel free to share. 

If you would like any of the past articles, please email Lynne Walter for copies or to be added to our Child Care News list.  Examples of past articles include:

• Having Fun in the Sun: Avoiding Sunburn, Skin Cancer, and Toxic Chemicals, too 
• Toxic-Free Gardening with Kids: 5 Tips for Gardeners at Home, School, & Child Care on Getting Rid of Bugs Safely
• Insect Repellent and Kid Safety
• Get Pesticides Out of Your Kids' Classrooms: It's Easier than You Think!
• Mosquito Management in Child Care

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Text and photo, Copyright 2013 by Toxic Free NC.  NC Child Care centers have permission to use text and photo for educational purposes with their parents and staff, provided full credit is given to Toxic Free NC.

Round Up Your Weeds Without Toxic Chemicals!

By Joey Shea, Public Health Writing Intern

Everyone likes the look of a tidy flowerbed, surrounded by golf-green grass and pristine sidewalks.  When crabgrass and dandelions sneak in, it’s tempting to nuke them with herbicides like Roundup.  But every time you spray weeds, the chemicals you leave behind wind up on the bottoms of our shoes as we walk by, and come right inside with us.  Indoors, there is no rain and wind to break down herbicides.  They stick to the carpet and to house dust, where we are exposed to them over and over again—especially little ones who spend lots of time on the floor and putting things in their mouths!

Weeds are a pain because they compete with the plants you’re trying to grow.  They can also make your garden look untidy!  Getting rid of weeds makes the garden look better, but it should be done without the use of harmful pesticides.

Step 1: Prevention—keep weeds away before they grow!

Photo by Amit Patel via Flickr

• Keep your “good” plants healthy…
  • Healthy soil comes from composting or using organic fertilizer;
  • Make sure that water can drain away easily;
  • Garden with native plants that do well in local conditions.  You can learn more about native plants here.
• To keep weeds down, use barriers like…
  • Newspaper.  A layer 3-6 pages thick breaks down in the soil in a few weeks;
  • Mulch.  About 2-4 inches thick helps soil retain water moisture and decreases flooding;
  • Corn gluten meal (sold under brand names like BioWeed).  This adds nitrogen to the soil but prevents new growth.  So, make sure you add it after your good plants are growing, and before the weeds come in!

Step 2: When weeds attack…

• Pull!
  • Pulling up weeds is a time-honored tradition, and a great job for kids.  Pull out the whole weed - if the root systems are left intact, the weeds will come back.
• Heat/Boil
  • When pulling isn’t enough, pour boiling water onto weeds.
    • Excess heat causes plant cells to rupture.  But this can hurt your good plants, too, so be careful where you pour!
• Vinegar
  • Vinegar also kills both good and bad plants, so be careful.
  • Toxic Free NC has a recipe for vinegar-based weed-killer that you can find here.

Keep these tips in mind as you plant, and keep your gardens free of weeds and nasty chemicals!


Joey Shea is a volunteer intern at Toxic Free NC, and is very excited to be working with a group so dedicated to the health of the planet and its communities.

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Did you find this article helpful? Approximately once a month, Toxic Free NC volunteers or staff write a newsletter-ready article, focusing on children's environmental health, that we send to child care centers across North Carolina.

These articles contain helpful tips on ways child care centers, staff, and the children's parents can reduce kids' exposures to toxic chemicals and pesticides...we also think they're great for using in your home, too!  We hope you find the article useful and feel free to share.

If you would like any of the past articles, please email Lynne Walter for copies or to be added to our Child Care News list.  Examples of past articles include:

• Having Fun in the Sun: Avoiding Sunburn, Skin Cancer, and Toxic Chemicals, too
• Toxic-Free Gardening with Kids: 5 Tips for Gardeners at Home, School, & Child Care on Getting Rid of Bugs Safely
• Insect Repellent and Kid Safety
• Get Pesticides Out of Your Kids' Classrooms: It's Easier than You Think!
• Mosquito Management in Child Care

----------

Resources:
1. http://toxicfreenc.org/informed/pdfs/Weeds.pdf   Toxic Free NC fact sheet for weeding.
2. http://www.ncsu.edu/goingnative/ag636_03.pdf    Info on native plants, how to grow them, and where to get them!

Text, Copyright 2013 by Toxic Free NC.  NC Child Care centers have permission to use text and photo for educational purposes with their parents and staff, provided full credit is given to Toxic Free NC.

The Ants Go Marching: Avoid and Control Ants!

By Jennifer Li, Children's Environmental Health Writing Intern for Toxic Free NC

Ants are an important part of the natural environment.  They feed on pests like fleas, flies, and termites, and their tunneling helps aerate the soil and recycle organic matter.  However, ants can also be common household pests, and dealing with them can be a headache.  The key to avoiding these pests is to understand your options.  Fortunately, there are many toxic-free and environmentally friendly methods that can be used to stop an ant problem!  These non-toxic methods are safer and are effective for longer periods of time.

Ants want to get in our homes and child care centers in order to find food.  Follow these three important steps to keep ants out:
1. Remove food.
* Use ant-proof glass or plastic containers with tight-fitting lids to store food (including pet food).  Glass jars should have a rubber gasket or seal. Ants can climb up the threads of screw-top jars!  Dry goods like flour, rice, and sugar can also be stored in containers in the refrigerator or freezer.
* Clean up daily, especially kitchen floors, cabinets, and underneath appliances.
* Ant-proof your trash.  Make sure the food waste in your garbage can doesn’t stick around—Clean it out! Rinse out empty food containers before you throw them away or recycle them.  Don’t leave food scraps in the garbage overnight.  Take out the trash often.

2. Remove entryways.  Seal up cracks and crevices that give ants a way in to your child care centers and homes.  Use caulk to seal the cracks between walls and floors, around windows and doorframes, and around cupboards and bathroom fixtures.  You might also install door sweeps and weather stripping to prevent ants from slipping in under the doors.

3. Remove outdoor ant hiding places.  Avoid attracting carpenter ants by removing any piles of wood from under or around your home. Diseased plants, tree prunings, fallen fruit, and fallen leaves can also make great hiding places for ants!

Photo by D. Sharon Pruitt via Flickr

So, you’ve done all you can to keep the ants out.  But, what do you do when you’ve got ants in your home and need to control them?  The first step is to locate their nest and their path from their nest to their food source, since ants follow a regular trail.  The last step to deal with these ants involves either killing or repelling them, and several non-toxic methods to do so are included below.  Make sure you keep up the ant prevention steps described above!  Even if ants are repelled, they may find another path to their food source.  Even if ants are exterminated, another ant colony may show up and discover the food source later.

Getting Rid of Ants
1. Soapy water.  Drown ants marching through your home by wiping them up with a sponge and dunking them in soapy water.  Also, wipe up the trail they leave behind—that way, their buddies won’t be able to find their way inside again.
2. Pet food barrier.  Ants cannot cross soapy water.  You can create a barrier by putting your pet’s food dish in the middle of a pan of soapy water.
3. Borax ant-bait.  Borax is a low-toxicity laundry powder that kills ants.  Borax does not vaporize into gas, so it is safer to handle than many household pesticide products.
       Recipe for Ant Bait 
       * 3 cups of water
       * 1 cup of sugar
       * 4 teaspoons of Borax

Mix ingredients and divide the mixture between 3–6 screw-top glass jars.  Loosely pack the jars halfway with cotton balls or other cotton stuffing.  Screw the lids on tightly and seal with tape.  Then, poke a few holes in the top of the jars, and place them near points of ant entry and along their trails. Mark the jars clearly as ANT BAIT and be sure to put them where pets and children cannot reach them.

If you work with large amounts of Borax, inhaling the powder can be irritating—wearing a mask is helpful!  As with all potentially hazardous materials, store Borax and boric acid out of the reach of children and pets.

4. Conserve outdoor ant nests. While ants are a pest when they come inside, they are important allies in your garden.  Native ant colonies eat lots of pest species like fleas and termites and aerate the soil.  Did you know that they also fight off fire ants?  Keep the outdoor ants happy by leaving their nests undisturbed.

If you have fire ant mounds, be very careful!  Fire ants are notorious for their bites and stings.  Keep a lookout for their mounds, which look like hills of loosened soil.  Marking them with flags or sticks will help others from accidentally disturbing them.  When dealing with fire ants, BE CAREFUL and wear shoes and socks rolled over long pants.

You can learn more about how to deal with fire ants at http://www.toxicfreenc.org/informed/fall08/fireants.html

Inside your house, ants are annoying little pests.  If you follow the steps above, you’ll be able to keep them where they belong—doing their important work in the great outdoors!
 

Jennifer Li is passionate about advocating for improved health in communities. After interning at the Museum of Life and Science last summer to promote healthy living, she is excited to build on her experience to make a difference in improving environmental health with Toxic Free NC.

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Did you find this article helpful? Approximately once a month, Toxic Free NC volunteers or staff write a newsletter-ready article, focusing on children's environmental health, that we send to child care centers across North Carolina.

These articles contain helpful tips on ways child care centers, staff, and the children's parents can reduce kids' exposures to toxic chemicals and pesticides...we also think they're great for using in your home, too!  We hope you find the article useful and feel free to share.

If you would like any of the past articles, please email Lynne Walter for copies or to be added to our Child Care News list.  Examples of past articles include:

• Having Fun in the Sun: Avoiding Sunburn, Skin Cancer, and Toxic Chemicals, too
• Toxic-Free Gardening with Kids: 5 Tips for Gardeners at Home, School, & Child Care on Getting Rid of Bugs Safely
• Insect Repellent and Kid Safety
• Get Pesticides Out of Your Kids' Classrooms: It's Easier than You Think!
• Mosquito Management in Child Care

----------


Resources
* Get Rid of Ants Toxic NC Factsheet: http://toxicfreenc.org/informed/pdfs/ants.pdf
* The ABCs of Coping with Fire Ants Toxic NC Factsheet: http://toxicfreenc.org/informed/pdfs/fireantssheet.pdf
* EPA Pest Control and Pesticide Safety Guide: http://www.epa.gov/oppfead1/Publications/Cit_Guide/citguide.pdf

Text Copyright 2013 by Toxic Free NC.  NC Child Care centers have permission to use text for educational purposes with their parents and staff, provided full credit is given to Toxic Free NC www.toxicfreenc.org

Sleep Well, Sleep Safe

By Joey Shea, Public Health Writing Intern for Toxic Free NC

Did you know that some children’s nap mats contain harmful chemicals?  New studies show that chemicals meant to keep foam mats from catching fire may be harmful to children’s health.  These chemicals have been linked to obesity, hormone disruption, infertility, and even cancer (1).

Photo by Michael LoRusso via Flickr

Flame retardant chemicals get into the air and can be inhaled by young children sleeping on the mats. And, even though these chemicals are used to lower the risk of fires, a recent study found that treating foam mats with these chemicals does not increase fire safety(2).  So, not only are these chemicals harmful for kids, they don’t even do their job!

The studies that found flame retardant chemicals in nap mats have been done on products from major retailers like Target, Wal-Mart, and Babies ‘R Us.  Safer options for mats include cotton or wool mats instead of foam.  Also, be sure to wash your hands and your child’s hands often. Hand-washing is of course the best way to get rid of germs, and will also help lower your child’s contact with harmful chemicals.

This story from The San Francisco Chronicle has a list of mats with the harmful chemicals mentioned, so you can check if the nap mat you own or the ones at your day care center are on that list.

Are you concerned about how often we hear about toxic chemicals in kids’ products? There are several legislative initiatives in North Carolina and the US Congress aimed at getting the worst toxic hazards out of kids’ products. Check out ToxicFreeNC.org to learn more!

Joey Shea is a volunteer intern at Toxic Free NC, and is very excited to be working with a group so dedicated to the health of the planet and its communities.

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Did you find this article helpful? Approximately once a month, Toxic Free NC volunteers or staff write a newsletter-ready article, focusing on children's environmental health, that we send to child care centers across North Carolina.
These articles contain helpful tips on ways child care centers, staff, and the children's parents can reduce kids' exposures to toxic chemicals and pesticides...we also think they're helpful for use in your own home, too!  We hope you find the following article regarding concerns about chemicals in popular nap mats useful, and feel free to share.

If you would like any of the past articles, please email Lynne Walter for copies or to be added to our Child Care News list.  Examples include:

• Having Fun in the Sun: Avoiding Sunburn, Skin Cancer, and Toxic Chemicals, too
• Insect Repellent and Kid Safety
• Get Pesticides Out of Your Kids' Classrooms: It's Easier than You Think!
• Mosquito Management in Child Care

---

Resources:
(1) "Toxic Nap Mats Draw Suit in Oakland." San Francisco Chronicle http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Toxic-nap-mats-draw-suit-in-Oakland-4292200.php#photo-4220718
(2) "Naptime Nightmares? Toxic Flame Retardants Found in Day Care Nap Mats." Center for Environmental Health  ceh.org/making-news/press-releases/29-eliminating-toxics/630-naptime-nightmares-toxic-flame-retardants-found-in-day-care-nap-mats

Text Copyright 2013 by Toxic Free NC.  NC Child Care centers have permission to use text for educational purposes with their parents and staff, provided full credit is given to Toxic Free NC www.toxicfreenc.org

State budget may scrap critical strategy for preventing child deaths

Superkid, help! Photo: Erin Debnam.

by Fawn Pattison, Executive Director

The NC House of Representatives has passed a budget that eliminates one of the state’s most successful and cost-effective public health strategies.

The Child Fatality Task Force brings together legislators and issue experts to develop policy solutions to save children's lives. From infant car seats to toxic chemicals, it's estimated that new laws proposed by the task force since its inception in 1991 have saved the lives of approximately 9,000 children.

Unfortunately, the state House budget eliminates the Task Force! We have a narrow window of opportunity to save the Child Fatality Task Force before a final budget is approved. Please contact House Speaker Tillis and Senate Pro Tem Berger today (contact info at the end of this post).

Here's a sampling of the Task Force's accomplishments:

•   29% reduction in infant mortality through a variety of strategies, including SIDS education, professional development and funding for direct services;

•   Large reductions in accidental deaths in motor vehicles by implementing the graduated license requirement and mandatory child safety seats;

•   More effective prevention and treatment of child abuse.

Learn more about the Child Fatality Task Force here (pdf, 197KB).

Take Action! Make a quick, courteous call or email to Speaker Tillis and Pro Tem Berger today - it will make a difference!

House Speaker Thom Tillis:   919-733-3451  Thom.Tillis@ncleg.net,

Senate President Pro Tem Phil Berger:  (919) 733-5708   Phil.Berger@ncleg.net

Sample message for your call or email:

The Child Fatality Task Force works, and we can't afford to lose it. Please remove the elimination of the Child Fatality Task Force from the state budget.

Thank you!

Your name and home city, NC

P.S. Are you taking action today? Let us know if you got through and whether you got a response. Thanks!

Baby steps won't get us there

Photo by Dermot O'Halloran via Flickr

by Fawn Pattison, Executive Director

We welcomed the news of a bi-partisan compromise bill on toxics reform with open arms. Finally! A bill to overhaul our failed national toxics law! With sponsors from both parties! The Chemical Safety Improvement Act is truly a political breakthrough, and worth celebrating.

But reading (and re-reading) the bill's 127 pages was a disappointment. While there are some really important steps forward - such as requiring proof of safety before new chemicals come onto the market, and finally giving the EPA authority to restrict chemicals found to be hazardous - the Chemical Safety Improvement Act won't get the job done.

Simply put, the bill lacks priorities. Any legislation to overhaul the Toxic Substances Control Act needs to get its priorities straight:

• Prioritize the children and pregnant women we're supposed to be watching out for. The bill should direct EPA to focus on "vulnerable populations." That's EPA-speak for the people whose  toxic exposures matter most.
• Prioritize the high-hazard chemicals. The bill needs to spell out deadlines and expectations for EPA so that they know what to focus on, and when. Put the worst chemicals at the top of the priority list. Without priorities and deadlines, it will be very difficult for EPA to create a program that works, or secure the resources to carry it out.
• Prioritize accountability. States should be able to hold the federal government accountable if they're not getting the job done under a new toxics law. The Chemical Safety Improvement Act puts too many restrictions on states' ability to act, even before EPA takes action on a single chemical. 
• Prioritize health. When EPA orders a ban or phaseout of a chemical because of its tremendous risks for human health, there should be no cost-benefit analysis for action. If a chemical is too dangerous to be on the market, that should be the end of the story. Requiring a cost-benefit analysis can actually deter innovation, since maintaining the status quo is almost always the easier way. Health and safety should be the only factors EPA considers when a chemical rises to the top of the priority list.

Baby steps are beautiful to see, but our priorities require some superhero-sized strides. With over 80,000 chemicals in the marketplace, and soaring rates of chronic health conditions like autism and childhood cancers, we can't afford to toddle slowly forward. We're counting on our Senators to get this bill's priorities in order.

A legacy of health: Goodbye to Senator Lautenberg

Lautenberg speaks to supporters of the Safe Chemicals Act in 2012

by Fawn Pattison, Executive Director

Public health advocates around the US were deeply saddened yesterday to learn of the passing of Senator Frank Lautenberg of New Jersey. At 89, Lautenberg was the oldest serving member of the Senate and its last WWII veteran. He was also a champion of public health, and in recent years had dedicated himself to winning a much-needed overhaul of the nation's failed toxic chemicals law.

I don't frequently admit to being a New Jersey native. I graduated from UNC and have long since naturalized as a Tar Heel. But Senator Lautenberg always reminded me of the best of my birth state: his rapid Northeastern accent, the unstoppable charisma that (until quite recently) belied his nearly ninety years, and especially his toughness. New Jersey is famous for its rough-and-tumble politics, and Senator Lautenberg was among the virtuosos. The really inspiring thing about his sharp-elbows style is what he used it for: Lautenberg's legacy is public health.

During his 28 years in the US Senate, Lautenberg worked for policies that are credited with saving tens of thousands of lives, from not smoking on airplanes, to a uniform national drinking age. In 2008, Lautenberg introduced the first of several bills to overhaul the notorious Toxic Substances Control Act. Just two weeks ago, his office announced a bi-partisan compromise, the Chemical Safety Improvement Act, that has received mixed reviews but has won the support of both Republicans and Democrats - a remarkable feat in today's Congress. 

In February of this year upon announcing his intention not to run again, Lautenberg signalled that chemical reform was to be among the issues that make up his legacy:  

“I am not announcing the end of anything. I am announcing the beginning of a two-year mission to pass new gun safety laws, protect children from toxic chemicals and create more opportunities for working families in New Jersey,” he said.

We're on the same mission to protect children from toxic chemicals. We'll honor that legacy by sharpening our elbows and working harder than ever at it. Thanks, Senator Lautenberg.

Big News: Bi-Partisan Legislation for Toxic Chemicals Reform in Congress

Yesterday Senators Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) and David Vitter (R-LA) filed the Chemical Safety Improvement Act, historic bi-partisan legislation aimed at overhauling the notorious Toxic Substances Control Act, also known as TSCA.

Toxic Free NC is part of a coalition of public health, environment and business leaders who have been calling for TSCA reform for years. With more than 80,000 chemicals in commerce virtually untested for health and safety, TSCA has failed us. Our soaring rates of environmentally-related diseases are a testament to the inadequacy of current chemical laws.

While we are still just absorbing this news, we are excited and hopeful about this huge step forward. Bi-partisan compromise can mean painful compromise, and the Chemical Safety Improvement Act omits some of the important protections that Toxic Free NC and our allies believe are critical for public health. However, the bill would represent a sea change in our approach to evaluating and regulating toxic chemicals - one that this country deeply needs. It would also preserve the key role of the states in holding the federal government accountable for a toxic chemicals program that actually works.

Read more reactions from leaders in public health and environmental protection here.

There is no doubt that continued, passionate grassroots pressure on the part of parents and grandparents, health care providers, business owners and workers, deserve the credit for this huge leap forward. It is our responsibility to ensure that Congress passes legislation with the strongest possible protections for public health.

A longer timeline for the NC Toxic Free Kids Act

Young Magician. Photo by PhotoAtelier via Flickr.

by Fawn Pattison, Executive Director

The NC Toxic Free Kids Act was magically transformed into a study bill this week by the House Commerce committee. POOF! The bill sponsors were facing down a very tight deadline - all new bills had to clear either the House or Senate this week, or become ineligible for the remainder of the 2013-14 legislative session. Rather than throw in the towel, the bill sponsors decided instead to change the bill into a study that will bring the issue back in front of the legislature in 2014.

The down side: the General Assembly did not hold a big hearing that required state legislators to pronounce the word "phthalates." 

The up side: The issue stays alive and we have an even better shot of getting it passed next year!

Representatives Chuck McGrady (R-Henderson) and Pricey Harrison (D-Guilford) deserve our thanks for leading the effort. Representative McGrady told the Commerce committee that he intends to use the interim study to build even broader support for the Toxic Free Kids Act, and gather some lessons from other states about implementation. He is passionate about ensuring that the legislature will act in 2014 to protect kids from toxic chemicals.

So what now? 

The study bill will create a new Joint Legislative Study Committee on Children's Health and Toxic Chemicals, which will meet in the interim between the end of the 2013 session this June, and the start of the 2014 session next spring. The study committee will create important opportunities to bring in researchers, parents, business owners and other experts to talk about what legislators can do to protect children's health from toxic chemical exposures.

Please join us in thanking the legislators who sponsored and co-sponsored the NC Toxic Free Kids Act. We can't stop now!

Why we need the NC Toxic Free Kids Act

Photo by Wallula Junction via Flickr.

by Fawn Pattison, Executive Director

I often hear parents lamenting how hard it is to make healthy choices for our kids when we live in a "toxic soup." There is not enough information about the products we buy to know which products are safest, and which contain potentially hazardous chemicals - like the toxic flame retardants in kids' carseats. Raising healthy children today, and preventing a lifetime of chronic health problems in the future, depends on a healthy environment for our babies and children.

The NC Toxic Free Kids Act, H 848, filed by Reps Chuck McGrady (R-Henderson) and Pricey Harrison (D-Guilford) would tackle that problem head-on by requiring manufacturers of children's products to take three notorious hazards out of their products. They would also have to notify the state when their products contain other toxic chemicals listed on a new Priority Chemicals List.

Here's why we need the NC Toxic Free Kids Act:

1. Children are not little adults. Their bodies are developing at an amazing rate. Pound for pound, they drink more water, breathe more air, and ingest more food than adults do. That means they’re also exposed to much higher concentrations of the chemical pollution all around us.¹
2. Cancer is on a slow and steady increase in American children, rising 22% between 1975 and 2004.²
3. Autism now affects 1 in 88 American children, and 1 in 54 boys.³ Exposure to toxic chemicals is an important factor in these devastating diseases.

Hazardous Chemicals in Children's Products

Harmful chemicals continue to be found in children’s products, even though safer alternatives are available. Toxic chemicals known to be used in the products that children use every day include:

• BPA in food packaging such as baby food and infant formula containers.
• Phthalates in toys, scented lotions, shampoos and other personal care products.
• Flame retardants in nursery furniture, nursing pillows and carseats.

There is no comprehensive system in place to assure that highly hazardous chemicals are not being used in children’s products. That means many toxic chemicals are ending up in a place they shouldn’t: our children’s bodies.

The Toxic Free Kids Act will use market-driven solutions to put an end to the toxic treadmill in the products that children use every day.

Priority Chemicals from the Toxic Free Kids Act

1. Bisphenol A  (BPA)  is a hormone disrupting chemical found in polycarbonate plastic. BPA is widely used in food packaging, including baby food and formula. Exposure to BPA is associated with increased risk for many health problems,⁴ including infertility, heart disease, obesity and cancer.
2. TRIS flame retardants are used in textiles such as nursery furniture, and foam products like nursing pillows and the padding in carseats. Exposure to TRIS flame retardants has been linked to cancer ⁵ and harm to the developing brain ^6.
3. Phthalates  are used as softeners in PVC plastic, and as fragrance binders in cosmetics like baby shampoo. Exposure is linked to⁷ reproductive health problems, respiratory problems and cancer.

The ultimate solution to our toxic soup is a comprehensive federal system that evaluates chemicals for health and safety problems before they go onto the market - and into the hands (and mouths) of our children. In the absence of a strong federal toxics law, states have a responsibility to act to protect our future. The Toxic Free Kids Act is a great first step.

References Cited:

¹ Ruth Etzel and Sophie J Balk, eds. 2012. Pediatric Environmental Health. 3rd Edition. American Academy of Pediatrics.
² National Cancer Institute, 2008. Fact Sheet on Childhood Cancers.
³ Jon Baio, 2012. “Prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorders —Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network, 14 Sites, UnitedStates, 2008.” Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR). March 30, 2012 / 61(SS03);1-19
⁴ vom Saal et al. 2007. “Chapel Hill bisphenol A expert panel consensusstatement: Integration of mechanisms, effects in animals and potential toimpact human health at current levels of exposure.” Reprod Toxicol. 2007 Aug–Sep; 24(2): 131–138.
⁵ California Environmental Protection Agency. 2011. Chemicals Known to the State to Cause Cancer or ReproductiveToxicity. OEHHA. [Accessed Oct 1, 2011].
⁶ Divshaw LV, Powers CM, Ryde IT, Roberts SC, Seidler FJ, Slotkin TA, Stapleton HM. 2011. “Is the PentaBDE Replacement, tris(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate (TDCPP), a developmental neurotoxicant? Studies in PC12 cells.” Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology.
⁷ Hauser and Calafat. 2005. “Phthalates and Human Health.” Occup Environ Med 2005;62:806-818

The NC Toxic Free Kids Act is great news!

by Fawn Pattison, Executive Director

This week, a bi-partisan team of legislators, led by Representatives Chuck McGrady (R-Henderson) and Pricey Harrison (D-Guilford) filed the NC Toxic Free Kids Act, H.B. 848. The bill would ban three notorious contaminants from children's products, and create a Priority Chemicals List in North Carolina. 

This is awesome news!

Harmful chemicals continue to be found in children’s products, even though safer alternatives are available. Toxic chemicals known to be used in the products that children use every day include:

·      BPA in food packaging such as baby food and infant formula containers.

·      Phthalates in toys, scented lotions, shampoos and other personal care products.

·      Flame retardants in nursery furniture, nursing pillows and carseats.

Priority Chemicals are persistent in our environment and bodies. They have been found to cause health effects like cancer, reproductive harm or adverse effects on brain development. Cancer is on a slow and steady increase in American children, rising 22% from 1975 to 2004 (1).  Autism now affects 1 in 88 American children, and 1 in 54 boys (2).  Exposure to toxic chemicals is an important factor in these devastating diseases.

There is no comprehensive system in place to assure that highly hazardous chemicals are not being used in children’s products. That means many toxic chemicals are ending up in a place they shouldn’t: our children’s bodies.

What’s the Solution?

In order to reduce our children’s exposure to toxic chemicals, North Carolina needs a mechanism to begin phasing out the use of dangerous chemicals in children’s products:

Disclosure. The NC Department of Environment & Natural Resources would work together with the NC Division of Public Health to develop a list of Priority Chemicals that pose unnecessary risks to children’s health.

Phase Out. Ends the use of two cancer‐causing Tris flame retardants (TCDPP and TCEP), as well as the plastic additives Bisphenol A (BPA) and phthalates in children’s products.

Safer Products. Requires makers of children’s products that contain chemicals from the Priority Chemicals List to begin identifying safer chemicals or materials for their products.

Market-Driven Approach

Thanks to innovative solutions being developed in response to consumer demand, mercury, toxic flame retardants, lead, and other persistent toxic chemicals all are being phased out of consumer products. Providing manufacturers with a Priority Chemicals List can help end the toxic treadmill of substituting one bad chemical for another, and help businesses avoid costly substitution problems.

In the last decade, 18 states have passed more than 70 laws to ban chemicals in products or create new chemical management programs at the state level (for examples see Maine’s Kid Safe Products Act; Washington’s Children's Safe Product Act; Minnesota’s Toxic Free Kids Act).

Comprehensive toxics reform is the solution that we need. But until Congress decides to act on it, the onus is on states to cope with the toxic soup to which we are all exposed. A bill focused on children, who are at highest risk, and narrowly focused on three of the worst-offender chemicals, is an excellent step towards protecting the health and the futures of North Carolina's children.

Citations
1. National Cancer Institute, 2008. Fact Sheet on Childhood Cancers. 
2. Jon Baio, 2012. “Prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorders —Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network, 14 Sites, UnitedStates, 2008.” Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR). March 30, 2012 / 61(SS03);1-19