Strollerderby : chemicals

Leaked Minutes: BPA Makers Fight Back

Miriam Axel-Lute — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 18:00:00 GMT

The public health blog Effect Measure has gotten their hands on a set of leaked minutes from a meeting of representatives of industries that use the toxic endocrine-mimicker bisphenol-A (BPA) on how to counter the negative media about it.

It's rich: They figure getting a scientific spokesperson won't be possible (gee, why?), but are hoping to find a young pregnant mom to do it. They want to emphasize the loss of conveinence to poor folks and busy mothers, appeal to our desire for choices, and make us worry about losing jobs. They don't figure they can win on Facebook and complain about already having spent too much money on this.

In fact it's so rich that I have to acknowledge that while I have no reason to doubt its veracity, if I were writing a satire of how I expected such a meeting to go, it would look just like that. Only it would be shorter and less detailed.

So y'all: You are forewarned. Someone's going to try to tell you BPA is good for you and your kids. It'll be just as insincere and self-serving as it sounds.

Photo of BPA-free sippy cups CC Tiffany Washko, via Flickr.

More by this author:

Ban BPA? Manufacturers Cry Poverty

JeanneSager — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 13:26:00 GMT

You've got to love the recession - all of a sudden big manufacturers are worried about the poor. Worried their poor customers won't have the money to buy their products anyway.

As Suffolk County, New York tries to become the first county in the country to enforce a ban on Bisphenol-A (BPA) in children's products, manufacturers are crying poverty.

Force them to remove the reported carcinogen, and makers say they'll have to jack up their prices so high it will be bad for low-income parents and create problems for hospitals. Snort.

They do realize six of the largest baby bottle makers JUST announced they're going BPA free, right? It's obviously working for some companies . . . or at least six of them. Lobbying against the county, representatives of the plastic bottle and sippy cup makers asked lawmakers to point the bill toward EMPTY containers, freeing them up to fill bottles of formula sent to hospitals for newborn babies with lots of icky chemicals.

But, hey, they're helping poor people. They can sleep at night!

The Suffolk County Legislature voted unanimously in support of the ban on BPA earlier this month, and a set of state legislators are now working together to make a similar ban effective across New York.

Image: OhMyGov

Which Kids Shampoos Have Cancer Causing Agents?

JeanneSager — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 21:01:00 GMT

Manufacturers of children's bath products are the latest to earn the ire of the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, which accuses the likes of Johnson & Johnson, Gerber and Bath and Body Works of putting chemicals linked to cancer in products meant for children.

The CSC, which put out a scathing report last year on cancer-causing agents in lipsticks, has released a study this month dubbed "No More Toxic Tub," accusing major kids bath product manufacturers of using formaldehyde and 1,4-dioxane to produce shampoos, soaps, sunscreen, bubble bath and lotions. Neither is listed on the labels, the CSC says, but actual tests of forty-eight products found trace amounts.

The Environmental Protection Agency classifies 1,4-Dioxane as a “Group B2, probable human carcinogen,” while it ranks formaldehyde as "a probable human carcinogen." According to the CSC, sixty-one percent of twenty-eight products tested contained both chemicals. Twenty-three out of twenty-eight products tested contained formaldehyde at levels ranging from fifty-four to six hundred ten parts per million. In the broader spectrum test of forty-eight products, thirty-two contained 1,4-dioxane with levels up to thirty-five parts per million.

So what should you avoid?

The products that tested positive for 1,4-dioxane include:

American Girl Hopes and Dreams Glistening Shower and Bath Wash
American Girl Real Beauty Inside and Out Shower Gel – Apple Blossom (three samples)
American Girl Real Beauty Inside and Out Shower Gel – Sunny Orange
Aveeno Baby Soothing Relief Creamy Wash (three samples)
Baby Magic “Soft Baby Scent” Baby Lotion
Barbie Berry Sweet Bubble Bath
CVS Baby Shampoo
CVS Kids Body Wash – Blueberry Blast
Dora the Explorer Bubble Bath
Equate Tearless Baby Wash
Gentle Naturals Eczema Baby Wash
Grins & Giggles Milk & Honey Baby Wash
Hot Wheels Berry Blast Bubble Bath
Huggies Naturally Refreshing Cucumber & Green Tea Baby Wash
Johnson’s Baby Shampoo
Johnson’s Moisture Care Baby Wash
Johnson’s Oatmeal Baby Wash - Vanilla
L’Oreal Kids Extra Gentle 2-in-1 Fast Dry hampoo – Burst of Cool Melon
Mustela Baby Shampoo
Mustela Dermo-Cleansing Gel for Hair and Body Newborn/Baby
Mustela Multi-Sensory Bubble Bath
Night-time Bath Baby Wash
No-Ad Sun Pals SPF 45 UVA/UVB Sun Protection
Pampers Kandoo Foaming Handsoap – Magic Melon
Sesame Street Bubble Bath – Orange Mango Tango
Soft & Beautiful Just for Me! No-Lye Conditioning Creme Relaxer, Children’s Super
Suave Kids 2-in-1 Shampoo – Wild Watermelon
Tinker Bell Scented Bubble Bath

The products that tested positive for formaldehyde include:

American Girl Hopes and Dreams Shimmer Body Lotion
American Girl Real Beauty Inside and Out Shower Gel – Apple Blossom (three samples)
Baby Magic “Soft Baby Scent” Baby Lotion (three samples)
Barbie Berry Sweet Bubble Bath
CVS Baby Shampoo
CVS Kids Body Wash – Blueberry Blast
Dora the Explorer Bubble Bath
Equate Tearless Baby Wash
Grins & Giggles Milk & Honey Baby Wash
Hot Wheels Berry Blast Bubble Bath
Huggies Naturally Refreshing Cucumber & Green Tea Baby Wash
Huggies Soft Skin – Shea Butter
Johnson’s Baby Shampoo (two samples)
L’Oreal Kids Extra Gentle 2-in-1 Fast Dry Shampoo – Burst of Cool Melon
Pampers Kandoo Foaming Handsoap – Magic Melon
Sesame Street Bubble Bath – Orange Mango Tango
Tinker Bell Body Lotion
Tinker Bell Scented Bubble Bath

For a look at some alternatives, SuperEco has a round-up of non-toxic kids shampoos. You're probably going to need it.

Image: OneStepAhead

They Say: "Microwave Safe" Ain't

Miriam Axel-Lute — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 17:00:00 GMT

If you're the type to be suspicious of chemicals and corporations, and especially their mixture, this will likely not surprise you:

A team of investigative journalists from the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel did one of those surprisingly simple things that we love real, honest-to-god investigative journalists for: an experiment. Specifically, they took 10 items marked with the comforting phrase "microwave safe" that were likely to be ingested by children or used for children's food (several were actually baby food, one was formula), heated them (in both a microwave and an oven), and had the contents tested for bisphenol-A (BPA).

(If you've been under a rock, BPA is the hormone-like substance that everyone from the Canadian government to Wal-Mart have been all freaked out about getting out of baby bottles recently, on account of it's been shown to do nasty things to neurological development and also cause pre-cancerous changes to mammary glands and other fun stuff at super low levels.)

I think you can tell where this is headed: All of the food had levels of BPA that were shown in lab tests to be problematic. The food in the Rubbermaid all-purpose container and the infant formula had the highest levels. So much for worrying about the bottles themselves. The article estimates how much an average kid might be ingesting per day, and it ain't pretty.

The manufacturers' response, of course, is to say it's just a tiny amount and won't hurt you. The FDA says "What they said" and goes back to buffing up an 8-year-old resume. There are (prepare to be shocked now) apparently no standards whatsoever behind the designation "microwave safe." If the container doesn't blow up, which would presumably generate complaints if not any regulatory action, then it can be labeled zappable.

This was one of those stories I almost didn't read, because I am (1) predisposed by my environmental studies background to be veeeerrrry skeptical of claims that strange chemicals are harmless and (2) completely and utterly dependent on my microwave. I'm sure as hell not going to put a pan on the stove every time I need to heat up a quarter cup of frozen peas or leftover lentil soup for my daughter.

I had been comforting myself with the vapid mneumonic that Real Money readers came up with a while back about the better and worse plastics ("1, 2, 4, 5 will keep you alive; 3, 6, 7 will send you straight to heaven." Yes, I am embarrassed that I remember it), but the infuriatingly thorough MSJ notes that BSA was leaching from no.s 1, 2, and 5 as well. Great.

I guess this is where I consider dropping the plastic bowls when microwaving is needed and hoping my toddler doesn't shatter enough of our motley assortment of ceramic ones to constitute its own safety hazard. The plastic is still going in the dishwasher though. I know my limits.

More by this author:

Six Steps to a Parent-Friendly Wedding

Return of the son of stuff YUPPIE parents like

Brett Singer — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 15:00:00 GMT

Because too much is never enough. And besides, didn't you want to see this photo at least one more time?

1. Organic everything: from a commenter. I've succumbed to some of this, partly because, living in Manhattan, the cost difference isn't as great as it used to be, and sometimes the quality is better. I also admit that I feel less guilt giving my kids "organic" pre-packaged crap than I do giving them "chemical-laden" pre-packaged crap. It's still crap, but it's ORGANIC crap.

2. Classes and activities: yes, from the same commenter. She said, "mommy and me classes" but in my experience it's much more than that. Around here, it seems like everyone has their kids doing something all flippin' day. A parent once told me that she didn't understand why Kindergarten went until 3pm; she wished it ended at noon so her kid could take advantage of everything Manhattan had to offer. I replied that I thought Kindergarten should go until 8pm. We don't talk much anymore.

3. Kids' music that parents can enjoy: All parents have benefited from the boom in kiddie rock. While I am of course very glad that children's music has evolved beyond Raffi (who really isn't that bad) and Kidz Bop (which is), sometimes this preciousness can go a little too far. Sure, anything by Dan Zanes or The Dirty Sock Funtime Band is better than Barney's Greatest Hits, but a little James Taylor, Peter Paul and Mary, The Beatles – lots of great "adult" music out there that kids might like.

4. Taking their children to live rock 'n' roll shows: "Alternadad" Neal Pollack brought his little one to see The Hives, a rather loud quasi-punk act. I spotted two sets of parents who had dragged their children to see Yaz at the Beacon theater (I myself was dragged by my wife, but that's another story). When commenters on Gawker are giving good parenting advice ("Neil [sic], seriously--ear plugs"), you know something is out of whack in the universe.

5. Anything that isn't made of granite. At least after we found out about the radiation.

For more, click here.

image: nostalgiacentral.com

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Kid Food Is Mostly Crap, and It's a Little Shocking

Group Asks For Ban On Food Additives Linked to Hyperactivity

Kelly Mills — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 21:03:00 GMT

Those wacky Europeans. When a bunch of food additives were linked to hyperactivity in children, the UK Food Standards Agency actually asked that the EU ban those additives, and that UK food manufacturers sign a voluntary ban on the chemicals in effect by the end of 2009. Talk about drastic. All because some researchers at the University of Southampton said the number of hyperactive kids could be cut by a third if the additives were banned. But how are Brits going to know something is cherry-flavored if it isn't colored bright red?

The industry Food & Drink Federation spokesperson says, "UK food and drink manufacturers are already taking these colours out of products on supermarket shelves, so we are surprised the FSA board feels it is an appropriate use of their powers to call for a voluntary ban." Yeah, I mean, as we know here in the U.S., industries are totally good at looking out for the safety of consumers if you just leave them alone and let them do their own thing. Voluntary ban. Sheesh. And the watchdog groups say the additives aren't necessary, so a ban is a no brainer, but how the hell are we going to get foods to be such pretty colors now? Besides, hyperactive kids help keep teachers sharp and on their toes.

The additives in question are: tartrazine (E102); quinoline yellow (E104); sunset yellow (E110); carmoisine (E122); ponceau 4R (E124); and allura red (E129), in case you are unamerican and wanna know. How can something called "sunset yellow" be bad for you?

Coaches Charged In Drink-Spiking Incident

Kelly Mills — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 17:03:00 GMT

Sometimes you read a story and think, "Either there's waaay more going on here than anyone is saying, or these people are bizarre idiots." And sometimes you end up right on both counts. Two high school wrestling coaches have been charged with disorderly conduct for spiking a 15-year-old wrestler's Gatorade. And what's the real tragedy here? Why, three days after the coaches were sacked, the wrestling team lost every single match in the quarterfinals, because they were so distracted by the incident and the loss of their great coaches. Mmm hmm.

Okay, now wait until you hear what they spiked the drink with: A chemical that tests show could either have been polyacrylatic acid or polyacrylamide. Both are industrial chemicals used in the absorbtion of water, and if ingested as a powder, they could make a person's throat swell and make it difficult or impossible to breathe. However, if you dilute with water, they become gelatinous and are considered non-toxic. My first thought was that perhaps it was some nutty wrestler way of messing with making weight (some of 'em try and drop weight or add it to wrestle in a particular class.) The coaches lawyers' say it was a prank, but I really, really don't get it. What was supposed to happen when the kid drank it? And would anyone have been amused? Eeeesh.

No More Sugar Mama

Amy Kuras — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 23:03:00 GMT

When I was a kid, Valentine's Day was a great excuse to overdose on sugar, chocolate, and red dye #40. School parties featured cupcakes and punch and candy hearts while my parents usually had some kind of treat for us at home. It was second only to Halloween in terms of the deliciousness level, not to mention the sugar high.

How times have changed. Last night, for my daughter's preschool party, I made not cookies, not cupcakes, but plain, lightly salted popcorn. Other choices on the sign up sheet included red apples, snap peas, strawberries, and bagels.

All perfectly wonderful and tasty food, but party food? Come on now.

My daughter's school has a "healthy lunch policy" that carries over into celebrations. Anything sent to school has to be free of added sugars, artificial sweeteners, and food dyes. And it seems more schools are going this way. One, in Georgia, calls itself the first sugar-free public elementary school in the country.

I know, and fully support, all the good reasons to do this – not least of which is not creating the association between "celebration" and "junk food." And heaven knows I would not want to be the teacher that has to handle 25 energetic preschoolers after they've been all amped up on sugar. Dealing with the one I have when she gets to have, say, a brownie can make me wish for a child-safe tranquilizer dart. We try to stay away from processed and junky food at home.

And soon enough, she'll know the small thrill of a pink-frosted heart-shaped cookie.

Photo: NoSugarAddedShop.com

Yeah, Save the Babies, But What About Environmental Hazards For Moms?

Kelly Mills — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 13:31:00 GMT

I will admit that I did not go fully organic until I was pregnant, and all of the sudden became more conscious of the fact that what I put in my body went directly to the fetus I was boarding. Being a host made me care more about environmental hazards, because it wasn't just my health I was worried about anymore. And this is part of the point one writer makes when she calls attention to crap like phtalates in common products like cosmetics.

She points to a small sample study of umbilical cord blood that found, "an average of 287 contaminants in their cord blood, including mercury, fire retardants, pesticides, phtalates and Teflon's PFOA chemical." And 180 of those contaminants cause cancer. Now, there were only ten samples, which isn't a nice big size for a study, but it certainly makes my eyebrows rise. While it's great to recall toys and set up organic nurseries, if we just pass on toxins to our babies through our own exposures, there's trouble. And, um, we might want to care about the actual health of moms and other adults as well, even if children make our concerns feel more imperative. Careful with that mommy makeover.

Non-Stick Cookware Causes Low Birthweight?

Karen Murphy — Mon, 20 Aug 2007 11:27:00 GMT

Haul out your cast iron cookware if you're pregnant, or at least your stainless steel All-Clad: birth weight and size may be affected adversely by prenatal exposure to chemicals used in non-stick cookware and other things.

At least, it is in rats.

Rat research shows that exposure to the chemicals perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) affects the developing wee rat fetus. And a study was made of 293 pregnant women: cord blood samples were tested for PFOA and PFOS and the levels were examined in relation to pregnancy outcomes, and it was found that cord blood levels of both chemicals were inversely related to birth weight and head circumference.

Obviously, further research is necessary to determine whether there is an actual causal relationship here, but if you're pregnant you may as well hang up your omelet pan for a few months.

It can go next to your cigarettes, deli meats, and martinis. Which will make for one hell of a party after the birth when you can have fun again.

Dirty Babies Have Better Skin

Kelly Mills — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 11:37:00 GMT

Okay, that post title is a little misleading, but as it turns out, washing babies a ton may not be so good for their sensitive little skin. More than twice as many babies have skin problems as did a generation ago, and part of this may be due to our over-zealous scrubbing of their little bodies. Ellen Dalrymple, editor of Mother and Baby magazine, says in a lovely turn of phrase, "'It is not a good idea to bath baby every day, two or three times a week is plenty with the odd top and tail in between.'" Hey, I'm happy for any excuse not to have to deal with yet another baby chore. I can't wait for the study that says a once-a-month bath is good. And if you have a newborn, how often do you actually shower yourself? Not every day, I bet.

The other issue with all the rub-a-dub is that we use more chemicals on our kids now, what with special soaps and antiseptic wipes. But if you need to get your OCD out somewhere, go the sun protection route. Only a third of parents in this survey made sure their kids wore sunscreen regularly. Now, I believe you are supposed to use "chemical free" sunscreen on infants, like titanium oxide or zinc oxide, which provides a physical barrier against rays. And a hat with a brim. Perhaps this monstrosity could have some use after all.

Hey Dads! Your Kids' Toys are Making You Fat!

Karen Murphy — Sat, 17 Mar 2007 12:15:00 GMT

Finally, something worthwhile to blame that ten-pound spare tire on that you've been carrying around for the last six months (and your wife said it was all those cookies, pffffftt!). Oh, and you can quit bathing, too. Because those toys you keep stepping on? And the soap? Is what's been making you fat. Finally, a study that makes perfect sense!

We already have heard that many plastic toys contain phthalates, the plastic additive that is used to make PVC plastic more pliable and that we already know is toxic to babies. But now they're saying that there is a link to phthalates and low testosterone levels (now that'll get someone's attention!) and poor sperm quality. Your boys have been swimming in a toxic chemical soup, my friend! And low testosterone is thought to have an impact on belly fat and pre-diabetic conditions (another reason to lay off the cookies).

Since phthalates are found, like, everywhere (in cosmetics, shampoos, soaps, lotions, lubricants, paint, pesticides, and plastics, and even in the coating of timed-release medications!), practically 75% of the populationhas measurable levels of several phthalates in their urine. (Though no one tested me; did they test you?) DuPont Chemical's slogan used to be "Better Living Through Chemistry". Maybe it's time to rethink that one.

Strollerderby : chemicals

Leaked Minutes: BPA Makers Fight Back

Ban BPA? Manufacturers Cry Poverty

UPDATE: Bye Bye BPA: WHICH Bottles Will Go Bisphenol Free

Playdate: High Fructose Corn Syrup Freak Outs Be Gone

Which Kids Shampoos Have Cancer Causing Agents?

Which Kids Shampoos Have Cancer Causing Agents?

UPDATE: Bye Bye BPA: WHICH Bottles Will Go Bisphenol Free

Congress Looks at Postpartum Depression Support

Family Mounds Up 250 Pounds of Plastic in a Year

Meet Your Kids' New Superhero: Ladybug Girl

Does Your Family Follow the Five Second Rule?

They Say: "Microwave Safe" Ain't

Return of the son of stuff YUPPIE parents like

Baby Penis Album only five bucks

Stuff White Parents Like

When playgrounds attack, the sequel

The Dark Knight -- parents strongly cautioned (to go see it)

Here's to the laddies who lunch

Kid Food Is Mostly Crap, and It's a Little Shocking

Group Asks For Ban On Food Additives Linked to Hyperactivity

Coaches Charged In Drink-Spiking Incident

No More Sugar Mama

Yeah, Save the Babies, But What About Environmental Hazards For Moms?

Non-Stick Cookware Causes Low Birthweight?

Dirty Babies Have Better Skin

Hey Dads! Your Kids' Toys are Making You Fat!