Kim LaBo, Organizer, Clean Water Action Minnesota/Healthy Legacy Coalition

Time is a precious commodity for moms. Whenever I try to schedule a get together with one of my mom friends, it can be a month long process to get a happy hour or dinner on the calendar. Moms are busy picking up children from daycare, taking them to a softball game or helping them do homework. Time to do anything outside these daily commitments is rare and why it is important to acknowledge the significant role Minnesota parents played in passing two laws that will protect children from toxic chemicals.

First state to ban formaldehyde in body products

Parents first learned about formaldehyde in children’s bubble bath when the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics released their No More Toxic Tub report in 2009.  This shocking report found cancer-causing formaldehyde in many popular children’s shampoos, bubble bath and other body products.  Four years later, Minnesota is now the first state in the nation to ban formaldehyde-releasing chemicals from children’s body products. Minnesota parents will soon no longer have to be concerned about chemicals such as Quanternium-15 or DMD hydantoin releasing toxic formaldehyde into their child’s bath.

BPA-free food packaging now law

Parents will also be able to worry less about bisphenol-A (BPA) in their children’s formula or food. Minnesota joined Connecticut and Vermont in banning hormone-disrupting BPA from food packaging for young children. Next year, BPA will no longer be allowed in baby food, infant formula and toddler food containers for children under age three.

A Mom’s Number One Job

Moms constantly worry about their child’s safety. A friend of mine use to joke that the primary job of parents is to keep her child alive. As family protector, moms get particularly upset when companies refuse to take common sense steps to replace toxic chemicals in their products with available and safe alternatives. Unfortunately, it takes more than being right to pass a law, especially when up against Big Chemical.

Minnesota bills to remove toxic chemicals from children’s products faced steady opposition from industry. Lobbyists had a strong presence at the state capitol, meeting with lawmakers, testifying against the bills at every committee hearing. Fortunately Minnesota moms stood up against this opposition and let their lawmakers know it was time to protect children from toxic formaldehyde and BPA. Despite the claims of the safety of BPA and formaldehyde by corporate lobbyists, the Minnesota House and Senate passed both bills with bi-partisan support and Governor Dayton recently signed the bills into law.  

Many Minnesotans made important contributions to this effort by writing letters, making calls and sending emails to their lawmakers. Moms played a particularly important role in this victory. They traveled to the state capitol and testified before legislative committees, some of them multiple times with their child in tow, in support of these bills.  Moms invited the media into their homes to talk about their concerns and why these bills mattered and met with their state senators and representatives at the capitol.

Thanks to these mom leaders and the actions of Minnesotans across the state, all Minnesota children will be better protected.

“My husband Tom and I became parents when our daughter Ada was born last April.  As Ada’s mom, my number one job is to protect her and keep her safe from harm, and that’s why I am here today, to speak to you.”

Committee testimony of Meredith Salmi-Bydalek,

Mom of Ada, age 1

"Shopping for products can be confusing. I wish I had the time to look up all the random words on the back of the ingredients list to see what they all really meant, but most of the time I’m lucky to get out of the store alive! I just flat out don’t have the time to look them all up. As a busy mom, I can only do so much."

Committee testimony of Sarah Kallal,

Mom of twins Charley and Azalea, ages 2 and Julia, age 1

What you can do for safer products

While this is great news for Minnesota parents, families in other states also deserve the same protection. Call your Senators and ask them to support the Safe Chemicals Act and the Safe Cosmetics & Personal Care Products Act, which will protect everyone from harmful chemicals in our consumer products. The time it takes to make these calls is worth it!

When I sit on my couch to read a book or watch a movie, I’m looking for comfort, not cancer. As we’ve reported in the past, the majority (85%) of couches tested in the U.S. contain one or more toxic flame retardants, some of which are linked to cancer, neurological and hormonal harm.

In a new series in Times Square, we’re running several ads to highlight the important role retailers must play in solving this toxic chemical mess. The latest ad, pictured below, says it all. We don’t want toxic chemicals linked to cancer in our homes, bodies or communities. Retailers have a responsibility to step up and help us get out of this toxic chemical mess.

I have to admit, the issue of safe couches is perhaps the trickiest issue to navigate when we talk about toxic chemicals in our products. Price, lack of information, they are all barriers to creating a safe home. It’s much easier to find cheaper, safer alternatives to household cleaners, for example.

But the “couch issue” is what underscores two much needed changes to the status quo. First, Congress needs to pass the Safe Chemicals Act, to improve the safety of chemicals used in the products we buy everyday. Second, retailers need to tell their suppliers to stop using these toxic chemicals.

Can you imagine if you knew a retailer only sold couches that didn’t contain cancer-causing chemicals?! I would certainly shop at a store that took the lead on selling products that were free of the Hazardous 100+ toxic chemicals. This important market campaign is asking retailers to step up and help solve this problem.

Here’s how you can help:

• Share this Times Square ad with your friends on Facebook (& check out frog leg ad that ran earlier)
• Ask retailers to get tough on toxic chemicals
• Invite your friends to join the fight for safe, affordable products

The fact remains, that most of the couches in our homes contain some form of toxic flame retardant, and the alternatives aren’t accessible to everyone. Each time I curl up on my couch I dream about the day when I can walk into a retailer and buy a couch free of toxic chemicals. I’m hopeful that with your help, that day will come sooner rather than later.  

Related Posts:

• Latest scoop on flame retardant chemicals
• Why are we asking retailers to Mind the Store?
• Is your couch toxic?

By Charlotte Wallace, pediatric nurse and mom

When my daughter Simmone was 5 years old, the excitement over her long anticipated milestone, losing her first tooth, was enhanced by the crisp dollar bill that the tooth fairy brought. Eager to spend her new dollar, my husband took her to a local dollar store while I was working a late shift at the hospital. After a thorough inspection of the items in each aisle, Simmone chose a doll-size blow up raft.

The following morning I followed the trail of wrappers and a cardboard insert until I reached Simmone’s room, where she was happily playing with her new toy and eager to show it to me. Upon looking at the waste in my hand I noticed the WARNING sign at the bottom of the cardboard insert.

Now I have to admit, I figured the vinyl blow up raft had harmful chemicals on it and I was trying my best to simply enjoy the moment, knowing it would break in a few days and I would be able to dispose of it. However, seeing the WARNING label changed everything.

WARNING: THIS PRODUCT CONATAINS CHEMICALS, INCLUDING LEAD; KNOWN TO THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA TO CAUSE CANCER AND BIRTH DEFECTS OR OTHER REPRODUCTIVE HARM.  WASH HANDS AFTER HANDLING.

“Simmone, I’m really sorry but your new toy has dangerous chemicals in it that can hurt your brain. I need you to wash your hands, while I throw it away. I’ll give you another dollar to replace it.” I immediately and instinctively said to my little girl.

Simmone walked to the bathroom and while washing her hands asked, “So, playing with my toy could hurt my brain?  That’s sad. Mommy, how many kids do you think have already played with this toy and are hurting their brains?”

“I’m not sure, honey” was the best I could come up with.

Then my little girl turned off the faucet and looked at me. “Mommy, while I’m at school today I want you to go back to the store and tell them to not sell it any more….and then I want you to call President Obama and tell him it (toys with harmful chemicals) shouldn’t even be allowed in the store for kids like me to buy and play with” she said. 

Amazed at my little girl’s advocacy and empathy for others I told her I would go to the store while she was at school, but that she would have to tell Obama’s “friend” herself. It took a few days for her to agree, and a few months to make it happen, but on a warm, rainy morning in August, Simmone did just that and was able to bring her message to Washington, DC.

Simmone was awed by the ornate architecture and I was awed by her bravery. After walking a few blocks from the metro to the House of Representatives, and then down the vast, echoing hallways, we met with an assistant of Frank Kratovil, U.S. House of Representatives, from Maryland’s 1st district. This young assistant ushered us into the honorable Kratovil’s office and gave us a quick tour of the pictures on his wall: playing basketball with the President, his young family, etc. Then, Simmone and her older sister, Ella, joined me on an oversized leather couch; their little legs were sticking out, unable to reach the floor. 

The aid, familiar with the story from my email, gently encouraged Simmone to show him her new smile and tell him about the toy she bought with the money from the tooth fairy.  At first, Simmone needed prodding as she hid behind me, but then gained confidence as she started to tell her story. You could see her recalling the frustration she experienced over the thought that playing with a simple toy could hurt her brain.  “How silly!” she said.  “It doesn’t make sense. Can you please help?” she asked.

I am so proud of my daughter for taking a stand for other children whose parents may not know about the dangers kids face from toxic chemicals in toys. But it would be even better if she didn’t have to think about this at all. Parents and kids deserve to know that toys that the chemicals used in toys have been tested for safety and are not linked to health effects such as asthma, cancer, and learning disabilities.

This is why I am supporting the Safe Chemicals Act. This legislation would require health and safety testing on chemicals and help to ensure that chemicals are safe before they are used in everyday products such as toys and cleaning products.

Join me today and ask your Senator to co-sponsor this important piece of legislation. Our kids’ health is depending on us.

Charlotte has been a pediatric nurse in Maryland for 18 years. She transitioned to environmental health to focus on a healthier hospital for the wellness and disease prevention of the patients, staff, and her surrounding community. She is the Sustainability Coordinator at Anne Arundel Medical Center and the Chair of Maryland’s Health Care Sustainability Leadership Council.

Related posts:

• The ugly truth about vinyl
• What would the Safe Chemicals Act do? 
• Ask retailers to get tough on toxic chemicals 

By Andy Igrejas, Campaign Director 

Because with great market power comes great responsibility.

Retailers have the power to make substantial improvements in public health and safety, and with that power comes a moral obligation, a corporate social responsibility. Many of the retailers have gotten started, but they need to do more. And because they care about their customers, you can help them along.

Our coalition came together around a shared critique of our government's failure to protect the public from toxic chemicals and a shared platform for how to fix our policies. But most importantly we came together with a shared moral urgency to reduce the suffering caused by chronic diseases like cancer, disabilities and autism that are linked to chemical exposure.

It is that moral urgency that drove the campaign's steering committee to launch Mind the Store, challenging the country's largest retailers to restrict the Hazardous 100⁺ chemicals.

Since we began in 2009 the evidence that unregulated chemicals are having profound health impacts has only grown. The Presidents Cancer Panel report and the recent United Nations report are just two examples. (Our own report summarizes the state of the science linking chemicals and various health impacts here.) And yet the government is too slow to respond in the face of chemical industry opposition.

We will continue to press for needed reforms like the Safe Chemicals Act and expose phony alternatives cooked up in backrooms by chemical companies, but in the meantime the private sector can and must act. Some of the greatest success stories in recent years have come when people with buying power have made getting rid of toxic chemicals a priority.

Educated consumers—particularly moms looking out for their families—have changed the marketplace for products like baby bottles, cosmetics and cleaners, and in the process made the world a better place. The companies that responded to that demand deserve some of the credit as well.

But though it's faster than regulation, this process too can be too slow. The media takes a while to wake up to the science around a given chemical. My colleagues have to campaign around it. Then consumers take notice. Then the relevant businesses take notice. Chemical, by chemical, by chemical. If we are to take the moral urgency of tackling this problem seriously, then we also have to take bigger bites out of the problem as soon as we can.

It's not feasible to ask the average person to keep 100+ chemicals in their head when they go to the store and we're not asking you to. Many of you are avid label readers, but most products don't have ingredient labels. It is feasible, however, for the nation's largest retailers to maintain and act on such a list. For example, Krogers has a list of 101 chemicals it won't allow in its Simple Truth brand products. Walmart changed the marketplace substantially when it listed several flame retardants and told its suppliers it wouldn't sell products that had them.

In our retailer profiles we've taken pains to give each company credit for the work already undertaken to develop safer sustainable products. (For any retailer reading this, I invite you to identify anything that you think is inaccurate in the profile and we'll correct it.)

We are simply looking to enlarge this activity to match the scale of the problem and we want to make it easy for retailers by giving them a starter list of chemicals that are cause for concern. We are looking for partners in improving public health and safety rather than a one-day news story.

So as you continue to read labels, check out databases, and protect your family with your own purchasing choices, take some time to engage your favorite retailer in this great moral project of our time: reducing the suffering caused by preventable chronic diseases linked to chemicals. 

Take our action urging the retailers to Mind the Store. But feel free to get creative as well. Ask your store manager about the company's response to this campaign. Get a few friends together to meet with him or her. Engage with the company on their Facebook page or website.

In so doing, you won't just be looking out for yourself and your family, but for all families.

Related Posts:

• Open Letter to Retailers: Give moms a break
• Don't drink from that hose! 
• Bloggers travel to retailers across the country

By Jeff Gearhart is Research Director for HealthyStuff.org, a project of the Ecology Center

(photo credit: Schiller Garcia)

A few years ago I started getting questions from gardeners and farmers about garden hoses. I grew up on a farm, and like most Americans, I garden, so I was curious to see if they contained any hazardous chemicals. We’ve been testing cars, car seats, toys and other children’s products for years, so we knew the drill.

So, for the first time in 2012 we tested both the hoses and the water that sat in a hose for a few days. Our test data showed that the plastic additives in PVC hoses, including phthalates and bisphenol A (BPA), leach out of the hose and into the water. When we lab tested the water, we found additives at levels many times higher than drinking water.

This week we screened more garden hoses and released new data that showed PVC hoses still contain phthalates that are banned in childrens’ products -- and that they continue to leach phthalates and BPA at levels that exceed drinking water standards.

We learned some good news too.If you want a hose without heavy metals and toxic additives, there actually are a lot more on the market now. That’s great news, and it demonstrates that it’s possible to make a good hose without exposing people to more hazardous chemicals! 

Highlights of Garden Hose Testing

• 21 new garden hoses were purchased from Lowes, The Home Depot, Walmart, Target and Kmart. One-third (8 of 21) of the garden hoses tested contained high levels of one or more chemicals of concern. These hoses are widely available and top selling brands.
• Of the 21 garden hoses tested, 67% (14 of 21) were polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and 4.5% contained brominated flame retardants.
• 5 hoses were tested for phthalate content. Total phthalate content in those hoses ranged from 11 to 18% by weight. Phthalates are not chemically bound to the material and can be released to the air and water.
• 100% of the PVC hoses tested for phthalates contained one or more of the phthalates which have been banned by CPSC in children’s products.
• Hazardous metals were also found in hoses; including organic tin stabilizers (29%); and antimony (52%);
• Overall the level of lead in garden hoses declined between 2012 and 2013. The percentage of hoses with greater then 100 ppm lead declined from 50% in 2012 to 14% in 2013.

Click here to find safer hoses and test results.

How did we get in this mess to begin with?

In part, we have a massive regulatory failure that needs to be fixed. But we also have a design problem. PVC is a very cheap material used in a wide array of consumer products. Every room in your house -- not to mention your office, car and garden shed -- contain PVC products. And while PVC is cheap, it doesn’t perform how we want it to without toxic additives that give it flexibility and color, UV and heat resistance, and many other properties.  

Designing out the hazard?

Phthalates are a group of industrial chemicals that add flexibility and resilience to many consumer products. Phthalate plasticizers are not chemically bound to PVC, which is why they leach, migrate or evaporate into indoor air, foods, etc.

Many consumers don’t know that BPA is not just used in polycarbonate and epoxy resins. It’s also used as a co-stabilizer for certain PVC phthalate plasticizers (e.g., DIOP and DINP). Another common use of BPA is in outdoor vinyl products that are exposed to high UV.

The big disconnect

We are designing a product that is intended to carry water and using a plastic that requires – and is proven to leach – toxic additives into that water. The problem with PVC is that it’s brittle. If you want it to act like a rubber hose, you need to add more than 15% (by weight) of plasticizers to make it flexible. You also have to add BPA to stabilize the plasticizers to use them in outdoor products that are exposed to UV light. That’s how you end up with garden hoses that leach banned phthalate plasticizers’ and BPA into the water they carry. 

This is just one example and, unfortunately, there’s no shortage of bad design in consumer products. So, what is a consumer to do?

One new retailer initiative offers real hope

A new campaign called Mind the Store is asking retailers to take a closer look at what’s on their shelves to then develop a plan to reduce the use of problematic chemicals. If retailers don’t insist on good design from suppliers, then by default it is a bad design. How nice would it be to know that the garden hose you bought from Target, Walmart, Home Depot or Lowes does not contain hazardous chemicals?

And, if we’ve banned these chemicals in childrens’ products, then why are we allowing companies to dump them into other products? Real leadership from retailers could have a huge impact on what is available to customers. If retailers invest in well-designed, healthier and safer products, we will be so much closer to witnessing the sea change in manufacturing practices that we so badly need.

We might even be able to drink from our hose again.

Tell retailers you don't want toxic chemicals in your garden hose HERE! 

Related posts: 

• Hey, why does my car smell funny?
• Fact sheet on phthalates
• Ants go marching one-by-one

Dear Retailers,

On behalf of moms across the country, we’re asking for a Mother's Day gift that can’t be wrapped up in foil and a bow, that won’t be delivered in a vase, but instead will come directly from your corporate headquarters. This Mother’s Day, we are asking your company to “Mind the Store” and take the lead in moving the market away from toxic chemicals most dangerous to the health of our kids. 

A recently released report shows that 5,000 children’s products contain some toxic chemicals, adding to the pile of confusing and depressing news for moms about dangerous chemicals in our homes. The report listed products like a kid’s party hat containing arsenic, car seats with dangerous flame retardants, baby dolls containing BPA, and other dangerous chemicals in everything from our kids’ footwear to food packaging to the sheets on their beds and the walls of their homes.

For Mother’s Day, in a world with so much to worry about, we are asking you for the gift of just a little peace of mind.

Specifically, we are asking you to work with your suppliers and move away from the “Hazardous 100⁺” list of chemicals. The “Hazardous 100⁺” are those chemicals regularly used in American products that are linked to health effects like cancer, asthma, hormone disruption, and developmental disabilities—just to name a few.

Need an example? How about formaldehyde. This chemical has been shown for years to cause cancer, yet it is still used in building materials, cosmetics, dozens of household products, even clothing! Would you wrap your child in a formaldehyde-treated bed sheet? I sure wouldn’t. But as a consumer it’s hard for me to know which products are safe.

There are nearly 80,000 chemicals in use in our country today. Very few have been tested for safety, or for adverse effects on human health. That’s exactly why we need a new, common-sense federal chemical policy to protect America’s kids. The Hazardous 100⁺ have been reviewed, and they are bad for all of us, especially children. Please require your suppliers to phase out the use of these dangerous chemicals.

As a busy mom with two kids under three, my time is limited. Going to the store with one or both of my kids is a challenge, even when they are on their best behavior. When my two year-old is hungry and my infant is overtired, it’s a major accomplishment just to make it to the checkout line. It’s not realistic to think I—or any other busy mother—can sort out which products contain chemicals that put my kids at risk while I’m busy caring for them.

Worse yet, even if was able to bring along my family’s pediatrician—or recruit a trained chemist—we still wouldn’t be able to sort out whether the couch cushions in your store contain dangerous flame retardants, or whether the can lids you sell contain BPA, or whether the tiny dolls my daughter loves contain dangerous phthalates.

It’s a big problem and we think retailers have a responsibility to be a part of the solution.

As just one mom—even one of millions of frustrated moms and dads—I don’t have the power to do what you, America’s largest retailers, can do. You have the power to change the contents of these consumer products immediately. This Mother’s Day, as mothers and fathers and grandparents and aunts and uncles yourselves, we are asking you to step up. With your great power comes great responsibility. Please accept it.

I care about this issue because I’m a fed-up mom. But I’ve also had the unique experience of working as a state legislator, passing laws attempting to limit toxic chemicals in kids’ products. I had the honor of serving as Speaker of the Maine House of Representatives before my wonderful kids arrived. I worked passionately to pass regulations to limit chemicals linked to health problems, because our federal laws on toxic chemicals are broken.

But look, we don’t need to wait for Congress to act to do our own part. Parents and consumers are educating themselves—using what little data the industry makes available—and making responsible choices where possible. It’s time for retailers like you to do the same: use the power of the market to make a positive change for your consumers. Change the game in a way that we moms—even millions of us—cannot do ourselves.

Parents recently visited all of your stores to ask you to join this campaign. Moms in New Jersey, Tennessee, Michigan, Florida and Ohio and many more states went to your stores and talked to your managers and clerks and customer service professionals. This kind of involvement from moms will only increase. We learned that your employees are respectful and concerned, and like us, they believe that we should be protecting the health of our kids and families.

Our kids need this. We need this. Only you—America’s biggest retailers—can make it happen. This Mother’s Day, I hope you will.

Sincerely,

Hannah Pingree and thousands of moms across the country

Hannah is a mother of two, and the former Speaker of the House in Maine. As Speaker, Hannah led the state's initiatives on toxic chemicals in children's products. 

Join me today and take action and ask retailers to get tough on toxic chemicals!

New report finds over 5,000 children's products contain hazardous chemicals

By Laurie Valeriano, Executive Director of Washington Toxics Coalition

Last week, the Washington Toxics Coalition and Safer States released an analysis of reports filed by the makers of children’s products that showed over 5,000 kids’ products contain chemicals linked to cancer, hormone disruption, and other negative health effects. Thanks to a groundbreaking Washington State law, makers of children’s products have been required to reveal the toxic chemicals in their products. Now we have more information than ever before on the chemicals being used in products intended for children.

The Gap, J.C. Penney, Gymboree, H & M, and even Walmart came clean on the chemicals in their products.  It might be tempting to pat these companies on the back for complying with the law (there are, most likely, companies that should have reported chemicals in their products but didn’t—Disney comes to mind. But the real disturbing news is the vast numbers of products that contain chemicals we know aren’t good for kids’ health. And that is a situation that just can’t stand.

Products reported included arsenic in Hallmark party hats and Walmart underwear, bisphenol A (BPA) in Walmart dolls, and formaldehyde in Claire’s cosmetics. But now that consumers and policymakers are starting to get a handle on the scope of the problem, I’d guess the tolerance for cancer-causing chemicals in our underwear is waning. 

There is hope. Thanks to action by state legislatures across the country and consumer pressure, many companies are seeing the writing on the wall when it comes to using chemicals that aren’t good for kids.  A new article in Environmental Health News points out that after the Washington state reporting law passed, companies like Gap announced they were phasing out of certain chemicals on Washington’s list. With states like New York, Connecticut, Oregon, and Vermont considering similar reporting programs, more and more companies may have to disclose the chemicals in their products and, hopefully, identify ways to stop using the most harmful ones in their products.

Retailers, too, have a role to play too in helping to change the marketplace.  If stores are unwilling to sell products containing harmful chemicals, manufacturers are more likely to stop making those products.  Thanks to efforts like Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families’ Mind the Store campaign retail store shelves may soon have less harmful chemicals on them.

Unfortunately, for some companies making less toxic products doesn’t always appear to be a priority.  For example, here in Washington State, we couldn’t help noticing that one of the biggest reporters of chemicals in children’s products was Walmart. They reported a total of 459 instances of products containing chemicals including arsenic, cadmium, phthalates, bisphenol A, and mercury.  That’s a lot of products and chemicals.

It’s maddening to see these reports and know that Walmart was a major opponent of Washington State’s Toxic-Free Kids and Families Act, a bill to ban toxic flame retardants in kids’ products and home furniture.  They allied with Big Chemical (aka the American Chemistry Council) and others to help kill the bill in the last days of the regular legislation session.

It’s time Walmart and other companies get serious about removing harmful chemicals from their products and stop fighting critical state legislation that protects kids. 

Arsenic in our undershorts? No thanks.

Related posts:

• Ask retailers to get tough on toxic chemicals
• State tracker: what are states doing on toxic chemicals?

As a part of our new campaign, Mind the Store, we’re asking the top retailers to move away from toxic chemicals in consumer products. It’s a big ask, but we think by working with our coalition, they will be up to the task and a road to safer chemicals can be paved. 

Many of these retailers have taken steps in the right direction on toxic chemicals, but the steps they’ve taken are small in light of the problem we face. We’re asking retailers to create robust corporate chemical policies to really move the market towards safer chemicals. Take a look at retailers’ current efforts on reducing toxic chemicals and check out the adventures of women who visited the stores asking them to Mind the Store!

Send a letter to the retailers today (and then share with your friends!)

The Home Depot

• Katy’s successful visit to The Home Depot
• Read more about The Home Depot...

Target

• Shane visited Target and asked them to Mind the Store
• Read more about Target...

Walgreens

• Lori is hopeful that Walgreens will become a front runner.
• Read more about Walgreens...

Walmart

• Sommer believes Walmart can be a superhero in eliminating toxic chemicals.
• Read more about Walmart...

Best Buy

• Becki brings her kids on a visit to Best Buy
• Read more about Best Buy...

Costco

• Anne asks Costco to Mind the Store
• Read more about Costco...

Safeway

• Molly and Laura's visit to Safeway
• Read more about Safeway...

Kroger

• Tiffany visit's her hometown grocery store, Kroger
• Read more about Kroger...

Lowe’s

• Green building guru, Anna, shares details about her visit to Lowe’s
• Read more about Lowe's...

CVS

• Harriet blogs about toxic chemicals and her visit to CVS
• Read more about CVS...

Related Posts

• Why are we asking retailers to Mind the Store? 
• Sarah works to promote USA made products and also encourages retailers reduce toxic chemicals from their products.
• Take action! 

A big thanks to these inspirational bloggers for their efforts to move the market away from toxic chemicals! We would like to be able to go shopping without fear of purchasing harmful items for our families and ourselves. With the combined efforts of concerned citizens around the country as well as the top retailers ongoing efforts, we are hoping that trips to your local retailer will come with a little extra piece of mind.

As parents become more aware of the chemicals their children are exposed to on a daily basis (and the negative effects on their health), many are trying to reduce their exposure to many of these toxic chemicals. And while switching to non-toxic products at home may seem to be a doable challenge, trying to reduce your child’s exposure at school may seem out of reach! But don’t despair…it can be done 

Some quick facts about chemicals and schools:

• Toxic chemicals are commonly found in schools in a variety of places: PCBs found in old light fixtures, hazardous building materials like PVC floors, some classroom supplies (art supplies), cleaning agents, synthetic fields, and some schools are located near or on toxic superfund sites.
• Cleaning a classroom with certified green products releases less than 1/6 of the total air pollution released by cleaning a classroom with conventional cleaners.
• Toxic chemicals have a more dramatic effect on children than adults. “A child's chemical exposures are greater pound for pound than those of an adult.”
• Making children more vulnerable to chemical exposures at school, “A child breathes up to twice as much air as adults- an important factor when considering the effects of air pollution in the classroom."

You have decided you want to help ensure a less toxic environment for your child as school. But how do you get started? How can you make changes in your child’s school to help protect all the children from toxic chemicals?

Five simple tips to help get you started on the path to a less toxic school.

1. Switch out cleaners- Cleaning products are applied to nearly every surface of the school. Asking school administration and teachers to switch cleaners is a critical piece of “greening” and can help reduce toxic chemicals for all school-aged children. Younger children are even more susceptible as they are closer to the ground, put objects in their mouths and are developing at a rapid rate. An added benefit is that switching cleaners may reduce asthma symptoms in some children.

2. Take a look at soaps in the school- Products such as soaps, lotions, wipes and other products may contain formaldehyde releasing chemicals, phthalates (linked to asthma, birth defects and more) and triclosan (a pesticide used in anti-bacterial soaps and hand sanitizers). Simple switches can go a long way to protect children from harmful chemicals.

3. Clean up the cafeteria- Popular foods contain a long list of chemicals including pesticides, artificial colors, genetically modified foods, high fructose corn syrup, MSG and more. Some of these chemicals have been linked to hyperactivity, asthma, allergies, cancer and other health issues that are rising rapidly in our children. Working with school administration to reduce the use of pesticides and food dyes can go a long way to protect the health of your children.

4. Help build schools in safe areas- Use a safe school citing toolkit from the Center for Health, Environment and Justice to avoid having a new school built in an old toxic area. They have a great guide for helping parents to take action, organize your community and address pesky toxic chemicals like PVC and PCBs. 

5. Avoid toxic artificial turfs- Many schools are switching their grass fields to synthetic turf fields, which some have been found to contain high levels of lead, or use old tires as the “crumb filling.” Check out this step-by-step guide to fight a synthetic turf in your school and advocated for a pesticide-free school lawn. If you have a synthetic turf already installed in your child’s school, you can have it tested for lead. 

Education is critical in “greening” a school. In most cases, implementing these changes will take a grassroots efforts by parents. Most staff and personnel may have no idea that these products may be having on the children and need information to show them why “greening” is important! 

Healthy Green Schools is a green school certification program. HGS offers consulting for schools to help implement the entire “greening” program, walking parents, teacher, and staff through the process step-by-step, and providing education all along the way. The certification includes recycling, reducing waste, healthy food guidelines, and reducing toxic chemicals in schools.

Jennifer Hankey, M.E. is the president and founder of www.healthygreenschools.com, www.wholepregnancy.org, and www.organicbabyuniversity.com. She is a leading educator in the field of toxic chemicals and their effects on children and babies in the womb. 

As a college student it’s safe to say I spend a lot of time on YouTube. But it was a new experience for me to watch moms and bloggers from across the country post videos about their involvement in the Mind the Store campaign. We wanted to share some of the highlights so you could see how easy it is to ask your favorite retailers to Mind the Store.

Take a moment to watch some of these clever and fun videos!

This catchy video is one of many ways Sommer took action on the Mind the Store campaign. She calls on the retailers to be super heroes -- in our mind she is a superhero for her enthusiasm and dedication to this campaign!

Proactive mom, Katy from Non-Toxic Kids, takes action at her local Home Depot in Vermont asking the top retailer to "mind the store"! Below is the "before" video of Katy and her two children who are hoping to speak with the manager, and will deliver the letter from Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families. The letter discusses the 100+ hazardous chemicals that are used in various products.

Katy directly after her successful meeting with the Home Depot store manager. Great job, Katy!

Do you shop at Target? Shane from Environmental Booty talks to her local Target store in Florida about the Mind the Store campaign. She also points out the positive steps Target has already taken on the way to producing safer products. Watch here:

Lori shines through the rain in Massachusetts where she reports from her local Walgreen’s store. Watch her video and check out her blog at Groovy Green Livin:

Mother of two, Becki, from Organic Aspirations, is with her excited children who will together deliver the Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families letter to their local Best Buy. Becki is on a mission to speak with the Best Buy manager and share her concerns about the 100+ hazardous chemicals. Way to go, Becki!

Harriet from ClimateMama made this short video just before visiting her local CVS store. During her visit, she learned about some of CVS' sustainable initiatives and got positive response from the assistant manager. You can read about her experience here.

Anna, a blogger and green building guru, delivered a letter to Lowes. After building an eco-friendly house in 2005, she learned how many harmful chemicals existed in building products.