EDF Health

EDF Applauds New Walmart Policy That Promises Safer Products for Consumers

By EDF Blogs / Published: September 12, 2013

Here is EDF’s release on Walmart’s announcement today:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

EDF Applauds New Walmart Policy That Promises Safer Products for Consumers

New chemicals policy today promises to bring safer, healthier products
to the 80 percent of Americans that shop at Walmart

September 12, 2013

CONTACT: Katie Ware, kware@edf.org, (212) 616-1283

BENTONVILLE, Ark.—Walmart announced a new chemicals policy today that promises to bring safer, healthier products to the 80 percent of Americans that shop there. The policy was unveiled during Walmart’s Global Sustainability Milestone Meeting and focuses on chemical ingredients in consumables –household cleaners, personal care products and cosmetics.

Walmart is calling for expanded ingredient disclosure, targeting about ten key chemicals of concern for substitution with better ingredients and looking to take its private brand products through a rigorous screening process.

“Today’s announcement is yet another indication that consumers, advocates and business are working together to fill the void left by Washington’s inaction on chemical safety,” said Sarah Vogel, Director of EDF’s Environmental Health program.

EDF worked closely with Walmart to prioritize the removal of toxic chemicals in household, personal care and beauty products. Walmart’s new chemicals policy targets about ten hazardous chemicals in consumer products for replacement with safer ingredients and significantly expands ingredient disclosure to the public.

“Some companies stop at issuing a restricted substances list,” said Vogel. “No other company is requiring the all-important, but often forgotten, second step to truly transformational phase-outs: putting a system in place that avoids regrettable chemical substitutions. EDF commends this aggressive new policy.”

 

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Environmental Defense Fund (edf.org), a leading national nonprofit organization, creates transformational solutions to the most serious environmental problems. EDF links science, economics, law and innovative private-sector partnerships. Follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/EnvDefenseFund and on Facebook at facebook.com/EnvDefenseFund.

 

Posted in Health policy, Markets and Retail / Tagged | Comments are closed

EDF statement on the passing of Senator Frank Lautenberg

By EDF Blogs / Published: June 3, 2013

In Memoriam: Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ)

“We at EDF join in mourning today’s death of Sen. Frank Lautenberg.

“Over his long career, Frank Lautenberg was a tireless advocate for protecting America’s health and environment. As a member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, he helped pass laws that have made our air and water cleaner, promoted clean energy and made our families healthier.

“EDF had the honor of working with him many times over the years, most recently on one of his top priorities — a bipartisan effort to protect Americans from the toxic chemicals they encounter every day.

“Sen. Lautenberg will be remembered as a passionate and principled statesmen who inspired all who worked with him. We will miss him dearly.”

Fred Krupp, president of EDF

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Posted in TSCA reform / Comments are closed

Do these chemicals make me look fat?

By EDF Blogs / Published: January 19, 2011

Woman in mirrorJennifer McPartland, Ph.D., is a Health Scientist.

My colleague Richard Denison at EDF ended his last blog post asking, “The new study [Environmental Chemicals in Pregnant Women in the US: NHANES 2003-2004] leaves me with one question:  How many more such wake-up calls do we need before our government enacts policies to ensure the safety of chemicals to which we are exposed?”

Maybe this will help shake us awake!  The obesity epidemic in the United States is increasing at alarming rates.   So too is an associated disease, type 2 diabetes.  Researchers have attributed 70% of the risk associated with developing type 2 diabetes with being overweight or obese, a risk that increases by 4.5% for every 2.2 pounds of weight gained over 10 years.

A healthy diet and hitting the gym should keep these diseases at bay, right?  Certainly proper nutrition and exercise are good and important habits for controlling our weight and maintaining overall health.  But what if, despite all such efforts, there are contributing factors outside of our control, and even outside of our genetic makeup?  And what if those potential factors are found in us, on us, and all around us?

New research suggests that chemicals found in our environment and in everyday products may play a significant role in packing on the pounds.  Read More »

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