Perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) have been in use for more than 60 years. These chemicals are applied as water-, soil- and stain-resistant coatings for clothing and other textiles and grease-resistant coatings for food wrapping materials. They have been linked to cancer, immunotoxicity and birth defects. Read more »

Chemical fragrances are added to a wide range of products including shampoos, soaps, makeup, candles and toys. Read more »

Fish can play an important part in a healthy diet. But certain fish are safer to eat than others, due to toxic pollutants such as mercury. Read more »
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Recently the U.S. House of Representatives' Committee on Science, Space, and Technology subcommittee on Oversight and the Environment held a joint hearing to discuss the status of reforms to EPA's Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS). What is IRIS and how is the public’s health impacted by this program? Read more »

Dr. Susan Katz, Oregon PSR board President, provided the medical voice at a recent press conference announcing a new bill to phase out the worst of the worst toxic chemicals. Read more »

Just about every week, a new study shows the connection between toxic chemicals and adverse health outcomes. Read more »
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PSR condemned the proposed Chemicals in Commerce Act (CICA), saying “CICA fails to reduce exposures to hazardous chemicals in our air, water, and consumer products, and it does nothing to protect the health of vulnerable populations.” Read more »
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California, with the help of our PSR-LA chapter, has taken key steps to get tougher on toxics. Read more »

New data from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) show that the estimated number of children identified with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) continues to grow. Read more »

In the wake of the Freedom Industry spill that poisoned the drinking water for thousands of West Virginians, and the deadly fertilizer plant explosion in TX, President Obama issued an executive order to improve chemical facility safety and security. He was right to do so. Read more »

We are all exposed to potentially harmful toxic chemicals on a daily basis, whether we recognize it or not. From the gasses emanating from our beautiful new wall paint to the pesticides on our produce, chemical exposure is virtually unavoidable. Read more »
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On January 10 in Charleston, WV, community members were told their water was contaminated with an industrial chemical used in coal processing. Read more »
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"The Toxies: Exposed" is a seven-webisode series that follows a daring investigative journalist as he chases down toxic chemicals and pollutants. Read more »
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Last week I wrote about the legislative hearing in the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee of the Safe Chemicals Act of 2011. At the hearing, Senator Lautenberg (D-NJ) said that he would be calling for a committee vote in the near future. Read more »
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We are really making progress on toxics policy. This week, the Senate Environment and Public Works committee held a legislative hearing on the Safe Chemicals Act of 2011 (S. 847), introduced last spring by Senator Lautenberg (D-NJ). Read more »
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Picture a Hollywood theater with limos, paparazzi, primping, and acceptance speeches. But instead of honoring Hollywood’s stars and starlets, the Toxies awards honored “bad actor” chemicals in a satiric red-carpet awards show hosted by PSR-LA. Read more »

The National Conversation on Public Health and Chemical Exposures was initiated by the Agency for Toxic Substances & Disease Registry and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in June 2009 to make a plan to better protect the public from harmful chemicals. Read more »
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Last week we posted essays to the Environmental Health Policy Institute addressing the question: “How does our food production system drive our exposure to toxic chemicals?” Read more »

Last week, in a small Senate hearing room packed standing-room-only with spectators, Senator Lautenberg of New Jersey opened a session on reforming the outdated, 36-year-old Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA, or “Tosca”). Read more »

Last Wednesday more than 60 people joined us for the first in a series of Confronting Toxics webinars – this one was about the role of the healthcare professional in federal chemicals policy. We were lucky to have Richard Denison, PhD, Senior Scientist at the Environmental Defense Fund, as well as Lindsay Dahl, Deputy Director of the Safer Chemicals Healthy Families coalition, as presenters. Read more »