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Inert, But Not Safe
 "Inert" ingredients sound so harmless. But current law allows inert ingredients linked to cancer – including formaldehyde, BPA, toluene and benzene – to be unlabeled on household pesticides (as if the active ingredients weren't harmful enough). And while they may not kill pests, these chemicals might harm you.
Now's your chance to change this: The EPA is considering requiring disclosure of inert ingredients on pesticide labels, and the agency is seeking public comment on whether it should require disclosure of all ingredients or only known hazards. We know that most chemicals haven't been tested for their long-term effects on health and the environment, so we're advocating for disclosure of all ingredients.
Ask the EPA for full disclosure of pesticide ingredients »
Prevention tip: Avoid toxic pesticides » |
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Veil Could Be Lifted on Secret Chemicals
 The components of thousands of chemicals are kept secret thanks to a loophole in the Toxic Substances Control Act that exempts manufacturers from publicly disclosing information that could harm their businesses. Need an example? Try "fragrance," that ingredient on everything from lotion to laundry detergent, which may contain dozens or even hundreds of unique and sometimes harmful ingredients, including phthalates. It's bad news for consumers: of the 17,000 secret chemicals, 151 are made in quantities of more than 1 million tons a year and 10 are used specifically in children's products. Now Congress, for the first time in very long time, is set to rewrite regulations on these cloaked chemicals. We'll have opportunities for you to support these transparency and safety efforts in the coming months.
Washington Post: Use of potentially harmful chemicals kept secret under law »
Read more about fragrance in cosmetics »
FDA Delays Its Decision on BPA…Again
With the close of 2009, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration missed its third self-imposed deadline to take a stance on the safety of the hormone-disrupting chemical bisphenol A. FDA officials originally announced they would re-examine BPA by June 2009, a date pushed to November and then finally to the end of the year. FDA scientists declared BPA safe for all uses in August 2008, but came under fire after the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel discovered BPA manufacturers had written sections of the FDA opinion. In the meantime, the Obama Administration has committed $30 million to the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences to study BPA’s effects, and the director of NIEHS has cautioned pregnant women and children to avoid the chemical.
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: FDA to miss third deadline on BPA ruling »
Washington State efforts to ban BPA »
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Get Active in 2010
Did you set a fitness challenge – register for a half marathon, get your mile time under 10 minutes, bike to work three days a week – for your new year? Make your fitness goal even more meaningful by pairing it with an easy fundraising goal through the Breast Cancer Fund's Get Active Challenge! You'll be supporting breast cancer prevention, enlisting family and friends to help you achieve your goals, and getting fit. Plus we'll automatically enter you to win exclusive incentive prizes.
Take the Get Active Challenge » |
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Travel as a Fundraiser
Planning a vacation? Book your trip through Gift of Travel's Travel as a Fundraiser™ program and a donation will be made to support the Breast Cancer Fund!
Learn more or book your vacation » |
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Ecoist Chic
Unique Ecoist handbags and accessories are handmade from recycled candy wrappers, food packaging and other materials that would otherwise go to the trash. Best of all, a percentage of sales through ecoist.com will benefit the Breast Cancer Fund.
Browse Ecoist products » |
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