Campaigns
Latest News
Ban Flame Retardants
Chemical flame retardants are in sofas, mattresses, strollers, car seats, nap mats, electronics, and many other items. Over time, they get out of furniture and into our bodies, where they increase the risk of cancer, neurodevelopmental problems, and other harm. In December 2020, Massachusetts banned 11 toxic flame retardants. This ban goes into effect on December 31, 2021.
Read More
Get PFAS out of food packaging
PFAS are a class of chemicals used to make products non-stick, water-resistant, and stain proof. For over 50 years, PFAS have been added to a wide variety of products, like non-stick cookware, fire fighting foams, clothing, carpets, and food packaging. These chemicals are in the blood of every American who has been tested. Low levels of PFAS have been shown to cause harm to animals, people, and the environment.
Read MoreIn Memory of Margo Simon Golden
Margo Simon Golden has been one of the leaders in Massachusetts efforts to address the environmental causes of breast cancer. She was a member then President of Massachusetts Breast Cancer Coalition Board and one of the most active members of the Alliance for a Healthy Tomorrow’s Board. She died January 21, 2021 after a 24-year fight with cancer. She was one of the smartest, kindest and most thoughtful people we have ever met and we will miss everything about her.
We Should Know
What toxic chemicals are in your child’s toys? Or in the plastic balls at the day care center? What’s in your mattress? Or the shampoo you use? Manufacturers don’t want to tell us, but we should know if carcinogens and other toxic chemicals are in the products we use every day. Washington State requires manufacturers to report on the toxic chemicals added to children’s products. Don’t Massachusetts parents deserve the same right to know?
Mind the Store
Consumers have the power to demand safer products. We work with the national Mind the Store campaign to push big box retailers to get toxic chemicals out of their products. Staples, TJX Corporation, and Stop & Shop are all based in Massachusetts, and we’re leading the effort to get these major retailers to sell safer office supplies, furniture, clothing, and food.
Our Latest Posts
TJX announces new chemical policy
TJX just announced a new chemical policy. The store will eliminate bisphenols from cash register receipts and ensure that all its compostable foodware in its corporate cafeterias is PFAS-free. They are engaging chemical policy experts to help them identify ways to get toxic chemicals out of the products they sell. We applaud TJX for moving forward on safety! https://iehn.org/resources/entry/tjx-announces-new-restrictions-on-toxic-chemicals
CNN: “Toxic Chemical May be in Food Wrapper & Take out Containers, Report Says”
(CNN)What’s the first thing you should worry about when you look at the packaging on your fast food or takeout? No, it’s not Covid-19 — science assures us the risk of catching the novel coronavirus that way is miniscule. Worry instead about the toxic chemicals coating the wrappers of your fast food burger or your molded-fiber container full of salad or veggies, says a new report by environmental advocacy groups Toxic-Free Future and Mind the Store. It’s a campaign run by Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families to…
Senators Comerford and Moore ask AG Healey to take action on PFAS
The cost of cleaning up PFAS contamination is enormous. Massachusetts Senator Jo Comerford (D-Northampton) and Senator Michael Moore (D-Uxbridge) have sent a letter to Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey, asking her to do what other state attorney generals have done: Take legal action to require the corporations that made billions polluting our state to take responsibility for PFAS contamination. Letter sent to the Attorney General urging action towards companies that have produced PFAS
Common fire retardants killing firefighters UVic report says
by Stephen Hume, Vancouver Sun, May 15, 2020 Flame retardants routinely added to common household products are killing firefighters, putting children and pregnant women at risk and contaminating the environment while not significantly improving safety, says a new report.Raising the Alarm: The Case for Better Flame Retardant Regulation in Canada was prepared by the University of Victoria’s Environmental Law Centre for Local 730 of the International Association of Fire Fighters, which represents firefighters at the Victoria Fire Department. It surveyed…
