Clean and Healthy New York and
Child Care Council, Inc. recently announced a new partnership to educate child care
providers in the Great Lakes basin about common toxic chemicals and how to
choose safer products. Clean and Healthy New York received a two-year Great
Lakes Restoration Initiative grant for “Toxics Reduction through Day Care
Provider Engagement” from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Using the framework of the award-winning
Eco-Healthy Child Care® program run by the national Children’s
Environmental Health Network, the two organizations will reach out to all the
child care providers in New York state’s Great Lakes basin, offering trainings
and on-site technical assistance. The program goals are protecting children’s
health by making their daily environment safer, while reducing use of chemicals
prioritized by U.S. EPA through the agency’s Chemical Action Plans.
“Toxic chemicals, sadly, are
nearly everywhere, including the child care setting,” said Katie
Kelly, Program Coordinator for Clean and Healthy New York. “The
good news is they don’t have to be, but avoiding them can be a challenge. This
project is designed to protect children today in the child care setting while
improving their environment for years to come by keeping toxic chemicals out of
the Great Lakes basin.”
Are you sitting down on a couch? This news may make you want to stand up, instead.
A new peer-reviewed study published today in Environmental Science and Technology shows a carcinogen has been used to replace banned toxic flame retardants in many couches sampled in New York and across the United States. The chemical, a chlorinated Tris known as TDCPP, was removed from children's pajamas in 1977 and has been found in many infant -care products. The toxic flame retardant was the subject of a proposed legislative ban in children's products in New York in 2012, but failed to pass the Senate in the final hours of session. All four couch samples submitted by New Yorkers contained flame retardants: three contained TDCPP, and one contained pentaBDE.
Popular baby products, including nursing pillows and car seats, contain toxic chemicals linked to cancer, hormone disruption, and other health effects, according to a new report authored by the Washington Toxics Coalition and released today by Clean and Healthy New York. Children and families are exposed to these Tris chemicals when they escape from products and contaminate house dust and indoor air.
“Appallingly, this is just one study in a long line documenting toxic chemicals in the products families rely upon. No parent would deliberately expose their baby in this way. Product makers need to stop simply darting from one toxic chemical as it is banned to another,” said Bobbi Chase Wilding, contributor to the study and Deputy Director for Clean and Healthy New York. “Further state action is needed to end this toxic shell game. ”
A report from Clean and Healthy New York finds a significant portion of the crib mattresses in the U.S. market contain one or more chemicals of concern. The report titled The Mattress Matters: Protecting Babies While They Sleep, also finds that a number of mattress makers have made significant strides in reducing chemicals of concern.
Hosting a Healthy Homecoming party is an inspiring way to share practical tips on using safer alternatives to toxic chemicals and reducing pollution. The information in these kits will help you and your guests learn which products to avoid and why relying on toxic chemicals is not only dangerous, but also unnecessary.
Each kit focuses on a different topic, but all contain the same underlying message: manufacturers and governments need to get toxic chemicals out of their products, and our lives. Healthy Homecoming parties are a great way to spread the word to your friends, group members, co-workers and family.
Help us push for chemical policies that fully protect our bodies and environment from toxic chemicals!
