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Last Updated: Apr 17, 2008 - 10:47:23 AM |
Contact: Margie Kelly 541 344-2282
margiek@efn.org, Stephenie Hendricks 415 258-9151
stephdh@earthlink.net
April 15, 2008
New Video Reveals Toxic Chemical Exposure
Local groups working nationwide to combat chemical risks
Just in time for Earth Day, a new 16 minute video called
“Contaminated Without Consent” has been released to help inform the public about the risks of toxic chemical exposures in our every day lives.
Science and public health based community groups across the country are
using the new video as a tool to raise awareness that our consumer
choices can also be choices about our family’s health.
“It is so important for parents especially to know that toxic
chemicals in the everyday products in their homes like kids’ toys,
clothing, and even furniture can impact their family’s health, ” said
Cindy Luppi, Program Director for
Clean Water Action, a
member of the Chemical Safety Working Group that came together to make
this video. The video shows how toxic chemicals are present at much
higher rates in children’s bodies than adults. Luppi adds, “With so
much new science coming to light about the role safer alternatives can
play in protecting our health, we hope our officials act now to update
and modernize our laws. ” Luppi, one of several people who helped
produce the video, will be hosting community meetings where the video
will be shown to help raise awareness about state legislation that
would replace toxic chemicals with safer alternatives that is currently
before the Massachusetts House of Representatives, having passed the
Senate earlier this session. Hundreds of other meetings will be taking
place nationwide with local groups working on chemical exposure issues
in their communities.
Due to the failure of the EPA to come up with regulation that protects
us, several states, including Washington, Maine, California,
Massachusetts, Minnesota, Illinois, Michigan, and New York, have been
creating their own state regulations to ban chemicals such a phthalates
and bisphenol A from children’s products. “It’s sad commentary on our
federal government, but encouraging that so many legislators on a state
level are coming together to enact public health protections here in
Washington, “ says
Laurie Valeriano of the Washington Toxics Coalition, which helped bring people together to support a new bill banning phthalates in children’s toys in that state.
“I was shocked by the amount of harmful chemicals in my son’s blood,” says
Michele Hammond,
whose Bay Area family was tested for chemicals. “My infant son had
higher levels than anyone else in the family. It is frightening that
our regulatory authorities have failed to protect us from chemicals
linked to illness.”
Cynthia Loesch, a 22 year old Community Organizer from Boston,
Massachusetts, was surprised at the chemicals found in her home in a
dust study. “I wish we could trust the government and industry to make
sure our products are safe, but we can’t, and so we as consumers have
to watch out and protect ourselves from chemicals in everyday products
like cosmetics and household cleaners.”
“We are all contaminated without our consent by the production and use of everyday consumer products,” said
Sandra Steingraber,
a biologist, author, and cancer survivor, who appears in the video to
provide her expert opinion on the hidden risks from chemical
contaminants found in our homes, workplaces, products we buy and even
our bodies. Other leading experts in the video include Mt. Sinai
hospital pediatrician
Phil Landrigan, and
Dr. John Warner, director of the Center for
Green
Chemistry at University of Massachusetts Lowell,
are
among the experts in the video. Viewers will also meet a young teenager
concerned about toxics and a mother who was stunned to learn about the
chemicals in her toddler son’s body.
To download a free copy of the video, with ideas for sharing with communities, go to www.contaminatedwithoutconsent
.org
Available for Interviews
Cindy Luppi, Clean Water Action, Boston, MA 617/640-2779
cluppi@cleanwater.org
Sandra Steingraber, biologist author, and cancer
survivor, an internationally recognized expert on the environmental
links to cancer and reproductive health.
Ithaca, NY Please contact Margie Kelly to schedule an interview with Sandra.
Margie Kelly 541 344-2282
margiek@efn.org
Michele Hammond, mother whose family was tested for chemicals.
Berkeley, CA Please contact
Stephenie Hendricks to schedule an interview with Michelle Hammond
415 258-9151
stephdh@earthlink.net
Cynthia Loesch, Boston Massachusetts. Please contact
Stephenie Hendricks to schedule an interview with Cynthia
415 258-9151
stephdh@earthlink.net
Laurie Valeriano, WA. Washington Toxics Coalition. Please contact
Margie Kelly to schedule an interview with Sandra,
541 344-2282
margiek@efn.org
© 2004-2008 by foodconsumer.org unless otherwise specified
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