Toxic Chemicals found in bodies of Mass Nurse and Doctor

Posted on Oct 8, 2009

PSR-HazardChemicalsInHealthCare_250 Earlier this year, Mimi Pomerleau and Sean Palfrey did a bold thing: they had their blood and urine tested for the presence of toxic chemicals.

Mimi is a OB nurse at Massachusetts General Hospital and an Assistant Clinical Professor at Lawrence Memorial Regis College.  Sean is professor of pediatrics and public health at Boston University School of Medicine, and medical director of Boston's Lead Poisoning Prevention Program. Both participated in the Hazardous Chemicals in Health Care bio monitoring project conducted by Physicians for Social Responsibility.

Each of 20 doctors and nurses around the country were tested FOR 62 distinct chemicals in six categories: bisphenol A, mercury, perflourinated compounds, phthalates, polybrominated dipheynl ethers, and triclosan.  These chemicals are used in products common to the health care setting, from baby bottles, hand sanitizer, and medical gauges, to industrial paints, IV bags and tubes and stain-resistant clothing.

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BPA: The Bottle Toxin

Posted on Jan 9, 2009

Baby BottleWhy all the recent press on BPA (Bisphenol A)?

#1. Health Canada has announced that BPA is a dangerous substance.

#2. The U.S. National Toxicology Program has stated in their report on BPA that there is "some concern for neural and behavioral effects in fetuses, infants, and children at current human exposure."

Where do you find BPA?

BPA is found in polycarbonate plastic, which is widely used for a number of consumer products.

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Toxic Chemicals in Cars and Children's Car Seats

Posted on Jul 28, 2008

10 Least and Most Toxic CarsMost Toxic Cars: Mitsubishi Eclipse, Suzuki Reno, BMW 128i

Most Toxic Car Seats: Alpha Sport Vantage Booster, Britax Marathon Onyx

Today the Alliance for a Healthy Tomorrow & the Ecology Center released the 2nd Annual Consumer Guide to Toxic Chemicals in Cars and Children’s Car Seats. Over 200 of the most popular 2008- and 2009-model vehicles and over 60 children’s car seats were tested for chemicals that off-gas from parts such as the steering wheel, dashboard, armrests, seats, and carpeting.

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Milk contaminated with rGBH

Posted on Jun 23, 2008

Dairy Cow An open letter from Judy Norsigian (Our Bodies Ourselves); Deborah Shields (Massachusetts Breast Cancer Coalition); Rita Arditti and Margo Simon Golden (Women's Community Cancer Project); Amy Agigian (Center for Women's Health and Human Rights at Suffolk University); and Ellie Goldberg (Healthy Kids: The Key to Basics) April, 2008

Dear Friends and Colleagues.

As health and food safety advocates, we are concerned about the use of rBGH (recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone) in dairy products in Massachusetts.

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Fundamental Flaws

Posted on Mar 26, 2008

Workers spraying pesticide on crop seed.The Alliance for a Healthy Tomorrow seeks to correct fundamental flaws in government policies that allow damage to our health and environment.

The result of these current policies is that toxic substances end up in our bodies without our knowledge or consent. We have seen that ignoring early warning signs can result in serious illness.

The tragic histories of lead and mercury, for example, demonstrate the harm caused when government and industry do not take action to protect public health. We have also seen that acting on early warnings can prevent widespread harm, as in the case of the drug thalidomide.

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