environmentalworkinggroupewg--2020-11-23--EWG’s Guide to a Healthier Thanksgiving

EWG’s Guide to a Healthier Thanksgiving

This year the Covid-19 pandemic has many Americans rethinking how they ’ re spending Thanksgiving .
EWG took a fresh look at some of the holiday ’ s traditions , and we have these tips to make your Thanksgiving healthier for you and the planet .
Raising and processing a four-ounce serving of turkey generates greenhouse gas emissions equal to nearly three miles driving .
That ’ s less than a lot of other meats , but about a third of uneaten turkey meat goes straight into the garbage , so try not to buy more bird than you eat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be more difficult this year , but not if you look for one raised in a better way , since those tend to be smaller .
See our tips about what to look for when choosing your bird .
Or spare the air and the planet even more by choosing a winter squash or other plant-focused main dish , like a festive white and green Thanksgiving lasagna .
Check out our staff-favorite recipes for more ideas .
Homemade gravy is delicious , but it packs in empty calories , and store-bought gravy can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fats .
Enjoy gravy in moderation , or try a light , flavorful mushroom ragout instead .
Organic apples , cranberries , celery and carrots are packed with phytonutrients – beneficial plant compounds that can reduce cancer risk .
The fruits and vegetables fill you up with fiber , not empty calories .
Skip the cancer-linked sausage , too , and try substituting walnuts or pecans .
Choose organic , especially for produce with high pesticide residue on conventional varieties .
For instance , potatoes are on EWG ’ s Dirty Dozen™ list @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sweet potatoes are superfoods .
But sweet potato casserole can end up being one of the most sugary dishes on the table , with some recipes packing more than 50 grams of sugar per serving .
Top a sweet potato casserole with crushed pineapples , nuts , oats or dried fruit to avoid extra tooth-rotting calories .
Or roast them for a sweet and savory treat .
Cranberries contain potent phytonutrients called anthocyanins , but most store-bought varieties of sauce are more than 30 percent sugar .
It ’ s so simple to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ never go back to the store-bought variety .
For unbeatable flavor , use less than two-thirds of a cup of sugar per 12 ounces of cranberries , and choose organic cranberries if you can .
Conventional cranberries are heavily treated with pesticides .
Pumpkin pie is a Thanksgiving tradition , and for good reason .
Pumpkin is packed with nutrition and generally low on pesticides .
Give the pumpkin and spices the lead role in your pie , and lighten up on the heavy cream and sugar .
Here are some other holiday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more about feeding your family well and finding healthier choices in the grocery store with Food Scores and our Healthy Living app .
Please consult your doctor if you are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 .
This material is for general informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice .

This year the Covid-19 pandemic has many Americans rethinking how they’re spending Thanksgiving. EWG took a fresh look at some of the holiday’s traditions, and we have these tips to make your Thanksgiving healthier for you and the planet.
Pollute less
Raising and processing a four-ounce serving of turkey generates greenhouse gas emissions equal to nearly three miles driving. That’s less than a lot of other meats, but about a third of uneaten turkey meat goes straight into the garbage, so try not to buy more bird than you eat. Finding a smaller conventional turkey might be more difficult this year, but not if you look for one raised in a better way, since those tend to be smaller. See our tips about what to look for when choosing your bird.
Or spare the air and the planet even more by choosing a winter squash or other plant-focused main dish, like a festive white and green Thanksgiving lasagna. Check out our staff-favorite recipes for more ideas.
Ease off the gravy
Homemade gravy is delicious, but it packs in empty calories, and store-bought gravy can contain too much sodium and heart-damaging trans fats. Enjoy gravy in moderation, or try a light, flavorful mushroom ragout instead.
Stuff the stuffing
Organic apples, cranberries, celery and carrots are packed with phytonutrients – beneficial plant compounds that can reduce cancer risk. The fruits and vegetables fill you up with fiber, not empty calories. Skip the cancer-linked sausage, too, and try substituting walnuts or pecans.
Choose organic, especially for produce with high pesticide residue on conventional varieties. For instance, potatoes are on EWG’s Dirty Dozen™ list because of their high pesticide load.
Cut back on sugar
Sweet potatoes are superfoods. But sweet potato casserole can end up being one of the most sugary dishes on the table, with some recipes packing more than 50 grams of sugar per serving. Top a sweet potato casserole with crushed pineapples, nuts, oats or dried fruit to avoid extra tooth-rotting calories. Or roast them for a sweet and savory treat.
Keep it simple
Cranberries contain potent phytonutrients called anthocyanins, but most store-bought varieties of sauce are more than 30 percent sugar. It’s so simple to make yours from scratch, you may never go back to the store-bought variety. For unbeatable flavor, use less than two-thirds of a cup of sugar per 12 ounces of cranberries, and choose organic cranberries if you can. Conventional cranberries are heavily treated with pesticides.
Light up the pumpkin
Pumpkin pie is a Thanksgiving tradition, and for good reason. Pumpkin is packed with nutrition and generally low on pesticides. Give the pumpkin and spices the lead role in your pie, and lighten up on the heavy cream and sugar.
Here are some other holiday favorites recommended by EWG staff.
Learn more about feeding your family well and finding healthier choices in the grocery store with Food Scores and our Healthy Living app.
____________
Please consult your doctor if you are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19. This material is for general informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice.


environmentalworkinggroupewg--2020-11-25--Analysis: Talc-Based Cosmetics Test Positive for Asbestos

WASHINGTON – Laboratory tests of talc-based cosmetics products , commissioned by the Environmental Working Group , found asbestos – a deadly human carcinogen for which there is no safe level of exposure – in almost 15 percent of samples .
The analysis , published today in the journal Environmental Health Insights , calls attention to the outdated methods used for screening this potential hazard in talc-based cosmetics .
The methods used by the cosmetics industry to screen talc supplies are inadequate .
“ Many well-known brands use talc in body and facial powders that can be inhaled , ” said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Healthy Living Science .
“ In our Skin Deep® online database we have identified more than 2,000 personal care products that contain talc , including over 1,000 loose or pressed powders that could pose an inhalation risk .
It ’ s troubling to think how many Americans have been using talc-based cosmetics products potentially contaminated with asbestos.
” Cosmetics companies have known since the 1950s that talc could be contaminated with asbestos , and the public was alerted in the early 1970s .
But the cosmetics industry persuaded the Food and Drug Administration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its own products – and that cosmetics companies should be allowed to rely on an asbestos detection method that could see some but not all asbestos fibers .
In May , Johnson & Johnson announced it would end the sale of its talc-based baby powder in the United States and Canada .
Thousands of people , mostly women , filed lawsuits against the company , claiming the product caused cancer .
“ Inhaling even the tiniest amount of asbestos in talc can cause mesothelioma and other deadly diseases , many years after exposure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a senior scientist at EWG .
“ How much talc is inhaled – and how much is contaminated with asbestos – is hard to know , but it only takes one asbestos fiber , lodged in the lungs , to cause mesothelioma decades later.
” Exposure to asbestos is linked to asbestosis , mesothelioma , and lung and ovarian cancer .
Even exposures as short as a few days can cause mesothelioma , an incurable cancer , many years later .
Studies have found more than 60 percent of mesothelioma cases in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to asbestos .
Despite asbestos ’ declining use in the U.S. , mesothelioma deaths remain substantial , especially among younger people .
From an analysis of federal mortality data , EWG Action Fund estimated that up to 15,000 Americans die each year from asbestos-triggered diseases .
Geologically , talc and asbestos can be formed from the same parent rock , which is mined for both cosmetics use and industrial use .
Talc is often used to improve the texture and feel of cosmetics , to absorb moisture or as an inexpensive filler .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , N.C. , conducted the tests .
The institute is one of the world ’ s leading laboratories testing consumer products for the presence of asbestos .
Samples were analyzed using electron microscopy , following test procedures described by the Environmental Protection Agency .
The FDA does not require mandatory testing of talc supplies .
The agency ’ s recommended test method is not sensitive enough to screen for asbestos when compared to electron microscopy .
“ It is critical that the FDA develop a rigorous screening method for talc used in personal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the head of Scientific Analytical Institute .
“ The lab repeatedly finds asbestos in products made with talc , including cosmetics marketed to children .
It ’ s outrageous that a precise method for testing personal care products for the presence of asbestos exists , but the cosmetics industry isn ’ t required to use it.
” Fitzgerald is a nationally recognized expert who has conducted tests for asbestos in numerous consumer products .
His lab tested 21 samples of cosmetics , in powder , liquid and cream forms , including eye @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and body powders .
“ While consumers should be alarmed and outraged , it ’ s hardly a surprise , considering the federal law regulating the cosmetics industry has not been updated since 1938 , ” said Scott Faber , EWG ’ s senior vice president for government affairs .
“ It ’ s long past time for Congress to pass legislation mandating that all talc-based personal care products be rigorously tested and the cosmetics industry be required to put the public ’ s safety first .
The current system , which has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the reach of FDA ’ s authority , must end.
” The federal government agrees there is no safe level of asbestos exposure , yet it does not require that cosmetics be tested for safety before they go on the market .
Instead the FDA encourages companies to select talc mines carefully to avoid asbestos contamination , but it does not have the power to regulate products that contain talc .
In March 2019 , Rep. Debbie Dingell ( D-Mich. ) introduced legislation that would require warning labels on cosmetics that could contain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Under the Dingell bill , companies would be required to use rigorous and updated testing methods to test cosmetics for asbestos .
If manufacturers could not prove the products were asbestos-free , the products would have to carry a warning label .
Rep. Frank Pallone ( D-N.J. ) , chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce , also introduced legislation that would give the FDA the power to review controversial chemicals used in cosmetics and determine whether those ingredients are safe , safe at certain levels or unsafe .
The bill @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recall and stop production of products that pose serious health risks to consumers , including those where asbestos has been found .
The Environmental Working Group is a nonprofit , non-partisan organization that empowers people to live healthier lives in a healthier environment .
Through research , advocacy and unique education tools , EWG drives consumer choice and civic action .

WASHINGTON – Laboratory tests of talc-based cosmetics products, commissioned by the Environmental Working Group, found asbestos – a deadly human carcinogen for which there is no safe level of exposure – in almost 15 percent of samples.
The analysis, published today in the journal Environmental Health Insights, calls attention to the outdated methods used for screening this potential hazard in talc-based cosmetics. The methods used by the cosmetics industry to screen talc supplies are inadequate.
“Many well-known brands use talc in body and facial powders that can be inhaled,” said Nneka Leiba, EWG vice president for Healthy Living Science. “In our Skin Deep® online database we have identified more than 2,000 personal care products that contain talc, including over 1,000 loose or pressed powders that could pose an inhalation risk. It’s troubling to think how many Americans have been using talc-based cosmetics products potentially contaminated with asbestos.”
Cosmetics companies have known since the 1950s that talc could be contaminated with asbestos, and the public was alerted in the early 1970s. But the cosmetics industry persuaded the Food and Drug Administration that it could be trusted to regulate its own products – and that cosmetics companies should be allowed to rely on an asbestos detection method that could see some but not all asbestos fibers.
In May, Johnson & Johnson announced it would end the sale of its talc-based baby powder in the United States and Canada. Thousands of people, mostly women, filed lawsuits against the company, claiming the product caused cancer.
“Inhaling even the tiniest amount of asbestos in talc can cause mesothelioma and other deadly diseases, many years after exposure,” said Tasha Stoiber, Ph.D., a senior scientist at EWG. “How much talc is inhaled – and how much is contaminated with asbestos – is hard to know, but it only takes one asbestos fiber, lodged in the lungs, to cause mesothelioma decades later.”
Exposure to asbestos is linked to asbestosis, mesothelioma, and lung and ovarian cancer. Even exposures as short as a few days can cause mesothelioma, an incurable cancer, many years later. Studies have found more than 60 percent of mesothelioma cases in women are likely attributable to non-occupational exposure to asbestos.
Despite asbestos’ declining use in the U.S., mesothelioma deaths remain substantial, especially among younger people. From an analysis of federal mortality data, EWG Action Fund estimated that up to 15,000 Americans die each year from asbestos-triggered diseases.
Geologically, talc and asbestos can be formed from the same parent rock, which is mined for both cosmetics use and industrial use. Talc is often used to improve the texture and feel of cosmetics, to absorb moisture or as an inexpensive filler.
The Scientific Analytical Institute, of Greensboro, N.C., conducted the tests. The institute is one of the world’s leading laboratories testing consumer products for the presence of asbestos. Samples were analyzed using electron microscopy, following test procedures described by the Environmental Protection Agency.
The FDA does not require mandatory testing of talc supplies. The cosmetic industry's voluntary method is not sensitive enough to screen for asbestos when compared to electron microscopy.
“It is critical that the FDA develop a rigorous screening method for talc used in personal care products,” said Sean Fitzgerald, the head of Scientific Analytical Institute. “The lab repeatedly finds asbestos in products made with talc, including cosmetics marketed to children. It’s outrageous that a precise method for testing personal care products for the presence of asbestos exists, but the cosmetics industry isn’t required to use it.”
Fitzgerald is a nationally recognized expert who has conducted tests for asbestos in numerous consumer products. His lab tested 21 samples of cosmetics, in powder, liquid and cream forms, including eye shadow, foundation, blush, face and body powders.
“While consumers should be alarmed and outraged, it’s hardly a surprise, considering the federal law regulating the cosmetics industry has not been updated since 1938,” said Scott Faber, EWG’s senior vice president for government affairs. “It’s long past time for Congress to pass legislation mandating that all talc-based personal care products be rigorously tested and the cosmetics industry be required to put the public’s safety first. The current system, which has allowed the cosmetics industry to operate beyond the reach of FDA’s authority, must end.”
The federal government agrees there is no safe level of asbestos exposure, yet it does not require that cosmetics be tested for safety before they go on the market. Instead the FDA encourages companies to select talc mines carefully to avoid asbestos contamination, but it does not have the power to regulate products that contain talc.
In March 2019, Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.) introduced legislation that would require warning labels on cosmetics that could contain asbestos and are marketed to children. Under the Dingell bill, companies would be required to use rigorous and updated testing methods to test cosmetics for asbestos. If manufacturers could not prove the products were asbestos-free, the products would have to carry a warning label.
Rep. Frank Pallone (D-N.J.), chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, also introduced legislation that would give the FDA the power to review controversial chemicals used in cosmetics and determine whether those ingredients are safe, safe at certain levels or unsafe. The bill also gives the FDA the ability to recall and stop production of products that pose serious health risks to consumers, including those where asbestos has been found.
###
The Environmental Working Group is a nonprofit, non-partisan organization that empowers people to live healthier lives in a healthier environment. Through research, advocacy and unique education tools, EWG drives consumer choice and civic action.


environmentalworkinggroupewg--2020-11-25--EWG-Commissioned Tests Finds Cancer-Causing Asbestos in Talc-based Cosmetics

Earlier this year , EWG reported results of tests that found the notorious carcinogen asbestos in samples of talc-based cosmetics .
EWG-commissioned tests by Scientific Analytical Institute found asbestos in three of 21 cosmetics products , including two eye shadow palettes and one toy makeup kit marketed to children .
After we alerted parents and consumers about these hazardous products , Amazon and Ebay removed them from their websites .
Now our short report on the findings has been published in Environmental Health Insights , a peer-reviewed scientific journal .
EWG ’ s research is the latest in a growing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the prevalence of asbestos contamination in personal care products and the lack of regulation to protect consumers from the health risks associated with this mineral .
Last year , the Food and Drug Administration found asbestos in nine of the 52 talc-based products tested , numbers akin to our findings .
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration , or OSHA , warns there is no “ safe ” level of exposure to asbestos .
It is linked to several types of cancers , including mesothelioma and the scarring lung disease asbestosis .
Talc-based @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , can be inhaled when applied to the face , but users are often unaware of this risk .
Talc is a mineral ingredient mined from rock that can also commonly contain asbestos minerals .
It is used in numerous makeup and personal care products , such as eye shadow , face powder , body powder and blush .
A survey of EWG ’ s Skin Deep® database found more than 2,000 products contain talc , almost 60 percent of which are powders .
Skin Deep is a searchable , online resource that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ based on the hazards associated with their ingredients .
Although the presence of asbestos in these products is a violation of federal law , the FDA does not require pre-market testing or ask companies to submit their results .
Some talc suppliers screen voluntarily for asbestos but often using methods that are not sensitive enough for adequate detection .
In light of this , the FDA is currently working to develop standard cosmetic-specific methods for sensitive detection of the asbestos contamination in talc , although testing will remain voluntary .
After thousands of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Johnson & Johnson announced last spring it would end the sale of talc-based baby powder in the U.S. and Canada .
But a largely uncharacterized hazard remains in the thousands of products on the market that contain talc .
Symptoms of asbestos-triggered diseases may not show up for decades after exposure , so parents should be especially wary of early-life exposure to young children , who have developing lungs and a longer time for diseases to develop .
EWG Action Fund , the 501c ( 3 ) sister organization of EWG , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year from asbestos-triggered disease .
• Avoiding products , particularly powders that contain talc , especially for children .
Makeup in powder form can be easily inhaled into little lungs .
Instead , look for cream-based blushers and eye shadow .
• Being wary of “ toy ” makeup kits .
They are often made with cheap and potentially hazardous ingredients , like asbestos-contaminated talc , lead and chemicals linked to serious health hazards .
Use Skin Deep to help you choose makeup and other personal care products with the fewest hazardous ingredients @

Earlier this year, EWG reported results of tests that found the notorious carcinogen asbestos in samples of talc-based cosmetics. EWG-commissioned tests by Scientific Analytical Institute found asbestos in three of 21 cosmetics products, including two eye shadow palettes and one toy makeup kit marketed to children.
After we alerted parents and consumers about these hazardous products, Amazon and Ebay removed them from their websites. Now our short report on the findings has been published in Environmental Health Insights, a peer-reviewed scientific journal.
EWG’s research is the latest in a growing body of scientific evidence drawing attention to the prevalence of asbestos contamination in personal care products and the lack of regulation to protect consumers from the health risks associated with this mineral. Last year, the Food and Drug Administration found asbestos in nine of the 52 talc-based products tested, numbers akin to our findings.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration, or OSHA, warns there is no “safe” level of exposure to asbestos. It is linked to several types of cancers, including mesothelioma and the scarring lung disease asbestosis. Talc-based cosmetics, particularly products in powdered form, can be inhaled when applied to the face, but users are often unaware of this risk.
Talc is a mineral ingredient mined from rock that can also commonly contain asbestos minerals. It is used in numerous makeup and personal care products, such as eye shadow, face powder, body powder and blush. A survey of EWG’s Skin Deep® database found more than 2,000 products contain talc, almost 60 percent of which are powders. Skin Deep is a searchable, online resource that rates more than 80,000 personal care products based on the hazards associated with their ingredients.
Although the presence of asbestos in these products is a violation of federal law, the FDA does not require pre-market testing or ask companies to submit their results. Some talc suppliers screen voluntarily for asbestos but often using methods that are not sensitive enough for adequate detection. In light of this, the FDA is currently working to develop standard cosmetic-specific methods for sensitive detection of the asbestos contamination in talc, although testing will remain voluntary.
After thousands of lawsuits claiming that its products cause cancer, Johnson & Johnson announced last spring it would end the sale of talc-based baby powder in the U.S. and Canada.
But a largely uncharacterized hazard remains in the thousands of products on the market that contain talc. Symptoms of asbestos-triggered diseases may not show up for decades after exposure, so parents should be especially wary of early-life exposure to young children, who have developing lungs and a longer time for diseases to develop.
EWG Action Fund, the 501c(3) sister organization of EWG, estimates up to 15,000 Americans die each year from asbestos-triggered disease.
EWG recommends:


environmentalworkinggroupewg--2020-11-24--GM’s U-Turn: From Joining Trump’s Attack on Clean Air to Backing California’s Tough Auto Emissions S

GM’s U-Turn: From Joining Trump’s Attack on Clean Air to Backing California’s Tough Auto Emissions Standards

GM ’ s U-Turn : From Joining Trump ’ s Attack on Clean Air to Backing California ’ s Tough Auto Emissions Standards SAN FRANCISCO – General Motors , once a strong supporter of the Trump administration ’ s lawsuit to block California ’ s ambitious clean-car standards , reversed course Monday , announcing it will back the state ’ s efforts to improve fuel economy and cut tailpipe emissions to address the climate crisis .
With the abrupt U-turn , GM got on board with the incoming Biden-Harris administration ’ s commitment to fight climate change by making investment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ GM joins Ford , Honda , Volkswagen and other automakers in support of the state ’ s right to set its own standards , leaving Toyota and Fiat Chrysler as holdouts backing the administration ’ s legal efforts to block the California standards .
GM CEO Mary Barra urged other car companies to support “ the ambitious electrification goals of the president-elect [ and ] California.
” But EWG President Ken Cook said GM shouldn ’ t get off so easily .
“ Praising GM for abandoning Trump ’ s lawsuit after his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like praising a student for turning in a term paper two years late , ” said Cook , a resident of California .
“ Car buyers who care about clean air and a livable planet should remember GM ’ s scramble to abandon Trump ’ s sinking ship.
” Earlier this year , Cook wrote an open letter to Barra and the other CEOs backing the Trump administration , saying : “ Your support of the rollback in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic is a shameless betrayal of the planet and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , he posted a tongue-in-cheek tweet , suggesting that GM had unveiled a diesel-powered weather vane that `` embodies decades of GM experience with abandoning our environmental principles to shifting political winds . ''
Soon after President Trump was sworn into office , in 2017 , auto industry lobbyists pushed for a rollback of Obama-era federal fuel economy standards .
In 2019 , GM , Toyota and Fiat Chrysler joined Trump ’ s legal efforts to overturn the California standards , which largely follow the federal rules set by the Obama administration in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the Obama standards would prevent up to 2,000 premature deaths and 50,000 cases of respiratory ailments in children each year , but the Trump rollbacks – which took effect in March – would mean more deaths and illness .
The Environmental Working Group is a nonprofit , non-partisan organization that empowers people to live healthier lives in a healthier environment .
Through research , advocacy and unique education tools , EWG drives consumer choice and civic action .

SAN FRANCISCO – General Motors, once a strong supporter of the Trump administration’s lawsuit to block California’s ambitious clean-car standards, reversed course Monday, announcing it will back the state’s efforts to improve fuel economy and cut tailpipe emissions to address the climate crisis.
With the abrupt U-turn, GM got on board with the incoming Biden-Harris administration’s commitment to fight climate change by making investment in electric vehicles a top priority. GM joins Ford, Honda, Volkswagen and other automakers in support of the state’s right to set its own standards, leaving Toyota and Fiat Chrysler as holdouts backing the administration’s legal efforts to block the California standards.
GM CEO Mary Barra urged other car companies to support “the ambitious electrification goals of the president-elect [and] California.” But EWG President Ken Cook said GM shouldn’t get off so easily.
“Praising GM for abandoning Trump’s lawsuit after his defeat and now supporting California would be like praising a student for turning in a term paper two years late,” said Cook, a resident of California. “Car buyers who care about clean air and a livable planet should remember GM’s scramble to abandon Trump’s sinking ship.”
Earlier this year, Cook wrote an open letter to Barra and the other CEOs backing the Trump administration, saying: “Your support of the rollback in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic is a shameless betrayal of the planet and the health of your customers.” On Monday, he posted a tongue-in-cheek tweet, suggesting that GM had unveiled a diesel-powered weather vane that "embodies decades of GM experience with abandoning our environmental principles to shifting political winds."
Soon after President Trump was sworn into office, in 2017, auto industry lobbyists pushed for a rollback of Obama-era federal fuel economy standards. In 2019, GM, Toyota and Fiat Chrysler joined Trump’s legal efforts to overturn the California standards, which largely follow the federal rules set by the Obama administration in 2011.
The Environmental Protection Agency projected that the Obama standards would prevent up to 2,000 premature deaths and 50,000 cases of respiratory ailments in children each year, but the Trump rollbacks – which took effect in March – would mean more deaths and illness.
###
The Environmental Working Group is a nonprofit, non-partisan organization that empowers people to live healthier lives in a healthier environment. Through research, advocacy and unique education tools, EWG drives consumer choice and civic action.


environmentalworkinggroupewg--2020-11-30--Trump EPA Fails To Take Tough Action on Industrial Discharges of ‘Forever Chemicals’

WASHINGTON – The Environmental Protection Agency today released an `` interim strategy '' for addressing industrial discharges of the toxic fluorinated “ forever chemicals ” called PFAS .
The strategy document encourages EPA officials , when issuing permits to industrial dischargers , to “ consider ” whether PFAS discharges should be limited but lacks any enforceable standards for such discharges .
The EPA also does not indicate in the strategy whether it plans to develop water quality standards , limits on discharges for certain industries , and pretreatment requirements for wastewater , and does not include a timeframe for developing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a statement from EWG ’ s Senior Vice President for Government Affairs Scott Faber : Today ’ s announcement is an insult to the millions of Americans who are drinking water contaminated with PFAS .
The EPA should be issuing tough , mandatory standards to regulate PFAS discharges from thousands of industry facilities , not “ encouraging ” industry and regulators to “ consider ” whether to limit releases of toxic chemicals building up in the blood of every American .
The PFAS pollution crisis is a big problem that we should not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ EWG estimates that 2,500 manufacturers are likely to be discharging PFAS into surface water or wastewater treatment plants .
Legislation introduced by Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand ( D-N.Y. ) and Rep. Chris Pappas ( D-N.H. ) would set deadlines by which the EPA would have to set tough , enforceable standards .
The Environmental Working Group is a nonprofit , non-partisan organization that empowers people to live healthier lives in a healthier environment .
Through research , advocacy and unique education tools , EWG drives consumer choice and civic action .

WASHINGTON – The Environmental Protection Agency today released an "interim strategy" for addressing industrial discharges of the toxic fluorinated “forever chemicals” called PFAS. The strategy document encourages EPA officials, when issuing permits to industrial dischargers, to “consider” whether PFAS discharges should be limited but lacks any enforceable standards for such discharges.
The EPA also does not indicate in the strategy whether it plans to develop water quality standards, limits on discharges for certain industries, and pretreatment requirements for wastewater, and does not include a timeframe for developing any such standards.
The following is a statement from EWG’s Senior Vice President for Government Affairs Scott Faber:
Today’s announcement is an insult to the millions of Americans who are drinking water contaminated with PFAS. The EPA should be issuing tough, mandatory standards to regulate PFAS discharges from thousands of industry facilities, not “encouraging” industry and regulators to “consider” whether to limit releases of toxic chemicals building up in the blood of every American. The PFAS pollution crisis is a big problem that we should not be making bigger through unlimited pollution.
EWG estimates that 2,500 manufacturers are likely to be discharging PFAS into surface water or wastewater treatment plants. Legislation introduced by Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) and Rep. Chris Pappas (D-N.H.) would set deadlines by which the EPA would have to set tough, enforceable standards.
###
The Environmental Working Group is a nonprofit, non-partisan organization that empowers people to live healthier lives in a healthier environment. Through research, advocacy and unique education tools, EWG drives consumer choice and civic action.


environmentalworkinggroupewg--2020-12-01--Covid-19 Relief Packages Leave Food and Farm Workers Unprotected

WASHINGTON – The following is a statement from Scott Faber , EWG ’ s senior vice president for government affairs , on the Covid-19 relief packages released today by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell ( R.-Ky. ) and by a bipartisan group of senators : Both of these proposals would grant food and farm employers relief from liability while failing to direct OSHA to issue mandatory safety standards .
This would be tantamount to saying : “ Go ahead and kill your workers.
” If food and farm companies want to avoid liability , they should protect their workers , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and use the money they ’ d save paying their high-priced lobbyists to offset the costs of personal protective equipment .
According to data collected by the Food and Environment Reporting Network , at least 1,222 meatpacking and food-processing plants ( 551 meatpacking and 671 food processing ) and 267 farms and production facilities have had confirmed cases of Covid-19 .
At least 74,261 workers ( 49,479 meatpacking workers , 13,568 food-processing workers and 11,214 farmworkers ) have tested positive for Covid-19 , and at least 339 workers ( 254 meatpacking workers , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have died .
The Environmental Working Group is a nonprofit , non-partisan organization that empowers people to live healthier lives in a healthier environment .
Through research , advocacy and unique education tools , EWG drives consumer choice and civic action .

WASHINGTON – The following is a statement from Scott Faber, EWG’s senior vice president for government affairs, on the Covid-19 relief packages released today by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R.-Ky.) and by a bipartisan group of senators:
Both of these proposals would grant food and farm employers relief from liability while failing to direct OSHA to issue mandatory safety standards. This would be tantamount to saying: “Go ahead and kill your workers.” If food and farm companies want to avoid liability, they should protect their workers, not beg Congress for liability waivers, and use the money they’d save paying their high-priced lobbyists to offset the costs of personal protective equipment.
According to data collected by the Food and Environment Reporting Network, at least 1,222 meatpacking and food-processing plants (551 meatpacking and 671 food processing) and 267 farms and production facilities have had confirmed cases of Covid-19. At least 74,261 workers (49,479 meatpacking workers, 13,568 food-processing workers and 11,214 farmworkers) have tested positive for Covid-19, and at least 339 workers (254 meatpacking workers, 46 food-processing workers and 39 farmworkers) have died.
For more information: https://www.ewg.org/key-issues/farming/covid-19
###
The Environmental Working Group is a nonprofit, non-partisan organization that empowers people to live healthier lives in a healthier environment. Through research, advocacy and unique education tools, EWG drives consumer choice and civic action.


environmentalworkinggroupewg--2020-12-01--As Other Automakers Back California Emission Standards, Toyota and Fiat Chrysler Cling to Trump’s Si

As Other Automakers Back California Emission Standards, Toyota and Fiat Chrysler Cling to Trump’s Sinking Ship

As Other Automakers Back California Emission Standards , Toyota and Fiat Chrysler Cling to Trump ’ s Sinking Ship SAN FRANCISCO – As President Trump ’ s remaining days in office dwindle , so is automakers ’ support for his scheme to overturn California ’ s tough emissions and mileage standards , leaving Toyota and Fiat Chrysler as the major remaining holdouts .
Last week General Motors , which had backed the Trump administration ’ s rollback of the ambitious federal emissions standards set by the Obama administration , announced it would back the California standards .
Days later , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Toyota , Fiat Chrysler and other companies to also get on board .
In the letter , obtained by Reuters , Ford President Kumar Galhotra said the election of President-elect Joe Biden rendered the Trump administration ’ s efforts to preempt California ’ s standards “ essentially moot.
” Galhotra wrote : “ The Biden Administration will not let the Trump standards stand , and either by way of litigation and/or a regulatory reboot , the new team will move in a different , more stringent direction.
” EWG President Ken Cook said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fiat Chrysler to face reality .
“ What are they waiting for – another recount ?
” Cook asked .
“ By continuing to support this futile fight , Toyota and Fiat Chrysler are signaling their disregard for cleaning our air , curbing the climate crisis and saving motorists millions at the gas pump , ” said Cook , a California resident .
“ But they ’ re also doing lasting damage to their brands and reputations .
Even if they eventually come around , car buyers will not soon forget which companies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the planet ahead of profits and political pandering.
” Soon after Trump took office , auto industry lobbyists pushed for a rollback of Obama-era federal fuel economy standards .
In 2019 , GM , Toyota and Fiat Chrysler joined Trump ’ s legal efforts to overturn the California standards , which largely follow the federal rules set by the Obama-Biden administration in 2011 .
Earlier this year , EWG ’ s Cook wrote an open letter to the CEOs of Toyota , Fiat Chrysler and GM , excoriating them for throwing their collective @ @ @ @ @ @ @ block the most ambitious effort in the U.S. to date to address the climate crisis .
The Environmental Working Group is a nonprofit , non-partisan organization that empowers people to live healthier lives in a healthier environment .
Through research , advocacy and unique education tools , EWG drives consumer choice and civic action .

SAN FRANCISCO – As President Trump’s remaining days in office dwindle, so is automakers’ support for his scheme to overturn California’s tough emissions and mileage standards, leaving Toyota and Fiat Chrysler as the major remaining holdouts.
Last week General Motors, which had backed the Trump administration’s rollback of the ambitious federal emissions standards set by the Obama administration, announced it would back the California standards. Days later, Ford Motor Co. sent a letter urging
Toyota, Fiat Chrysler and other companies to also get on board.
In the letter, obtained by Reuters, Ford President Kumar Galhotra said the election of President-elect Joe Biden rendered the Trump administration’s efforts to preempt California’s standards “essentially moot.” Galhotra wrote: “The Biden Administration will not let the Trump standards stand, and either by way of litigation and/or a regulatory reboot, the new team will move in a different, more stringent direction.”
EWG President Ken Cook said it’s time for Toyota and Fiat Chrysler to face reality.
“What are they waiting for – another recount?” Cook asked.
“By continuing to support this futile fight, Toyota and Fiat Chrysler are signaling their disregard for cleaning our air, curbing the climate crisis and saving motorists millions at the gas pump,” said Cook, a California resident. “But they’re also doing lasting damage to their brands and reputations. Even if they eventually come around, car buyers will not soon forget which companies put the health of their customers and the planet ahead of profits and political pandering.”
Soon after Trump took office, auto industry lobbyists pushed for a rollback of Obama-era federal fuel economy standards. In 2019, GM, Toyota and Fiat Chrysler joined Trump’s legal efforts to overturn the California standards, which largely follow the federal rules set by the Obama-Biden administration in 2011.
Earlier this year, EWG’s Cook wrote an open letter to the CEOs of Toyota, Fiat Chrysler and GM, excoriating them for throwing their collective support behind Trump’s effort to block the most ambitious effort in the U.S. to date to address the climate crisis.
###
The Environmental Working Group is a nonprofit, non-partisan organization that empowers people to live healthier lives in a healthier environment. Through research, advocacy and unique education tools, EWG drives consumer choice and civic action.


environmentalworkinggroupewg--2020-12-03--In Final Defense Bill, Too Little Progress on ‘Forever Chemicals’

WASHINGTON – A House-Senate conference committee today approved a final version of the National Defense Authorization Act for FY 2021 , which both houses will vote on before it goes to the White House for President Trump ’ s signature or veto .
Here is the statement of Scott Faber , EWG ’ s senior vice president of government affairs , on the NDAA provisions concerning the toxic fluorinated “ forever chemicals ” known as PFAS .
We ’ re grateful that the NDAA once again seeks to address the PFAS contamination crisis by banning some Defense Department uses of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by accelerating efforts to develop PFAS-free firefighting gear and firefighting foams .
The bill also requires the Defense Department to warn nearby farmers if their irrigation water may be contaminated .
But the NDAA falls far short of what ’ s needed to address the contamination crisis facing our service members and neighboring communities .
PFAS have been confirmed in the groundwater of 328 military installations and are suspected in the groundwater at hundreds of other bases .
Tragically , this bill will do little to clean up the existing legacy contamination at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to hold polluters or the Pentagon accountable when they fail to act to protect us .
What ’ s more , the bill fails to expand PFAS blood testing to all service members , even though growing evidence suggests that the PFAS in our blood make vaccines less effective .
The bill also fails to ensure that legacy firefighting foams are properly disposed of .
Although we are pleased that legislators recognize the need to make PFAS a priority , this NDAA fails to do so .
Our service members take enormous risks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many members of Congress are afraid to take political risks to protect them .
Some would rather protect the polluters than the people who risk their lives to protect our nation .
By contrast , President-elect Biden has pledged to make the PFAS pollution crisis a top priority .
In particular , Biden has pledged to designate PFOA and PFOS , the most notorious PFAS chemicals , as hazardous substances under the federal Superfund law , which will accelerate the cleanup process at military bases and ensure that polluters pay their fair share @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pledged to end the use of PFAS in many everyday consumer products and to quickly establish a national drinking water standard for PFAS in tap water .

WASHINGTON – A House-Senate conference committee today approved a final version of the National Defense Authorization Act for FY 2021, which both houses will vote on before it goes to the White House for President Trump’s signature or veto. Here is the statement of Scott Faber, EWG’s senior vice president of government affairs, on the NDAA provisions concerning the toxic fluorinated “forever chemicals” known as PFAS.
We’re grateful that the NDAA once again seeks to address the PFAS contamination crisis by banning some Defense Department uses of PFAS, by expanding PFAS research and by accelerating efforts to develop PFAS-free firefighting gear and firefighting foams. The bill also requires the Defense Department to warn nearby farmers if their irrigation water may be contaminated.
But the NDAA falls far short of what’s needed to address the contamination crisis facing our service members and neighboring communities. PFAS have been confirmed in the groundwater of 328 military installations and are suspected in the groundwater at hundreds of other bases.
Tragically, this bill will do little to clean up the existing legacy contamination at bases and nearby communities and does nothing to hold polluters or the Pentagon accountable when they fail to act to protect us. What’s more, the bill fails to expand PFAS blood testing to all service members, even though growing evidence suggests that the PFAS in our blood make vaccines less effective.
The bill also fails to ensure that legacy firefighting foams are properly disposed of. Although we are pleased that legislators recognize the need to make PFAS a priority, this NDAA fails to do so.
Our service members take enormous risks to protect us. Sadly, too many members of Congress are afraid to take political risks to protect them. Some would rather protect the polluters than the people who risk their lives to protect our nation.
By contrast, President-elect Biden has pledged to make the PFAS pollution crisis a top priority. In particular, Biden has pledged to designate PFOA and PFOS, the most notorious PFAS chemicals, as hazardous substances under the federal Superfund law, which will accelerate the cleanup process at military bases and ensure that polluters pay their fair share of cleanup costs. He has also pledged to end the use of PFAS in many everyday consumer products and to quickly establish a national drinking water standard for PFAS in tap water.


environmentalworkinggroupewg--2020-12-04--EWG News Roundup (12/4): Pressure Mounts on Automakers To Back California Emission Standards, Defens

EWG News Roundup (12/4): Pressure Mounts on Automakers To Back California Emission Standards, Defense Bill Falls Short on PFAS Protections for Service Members and More

Car manufacturers are abandoning support for the outgoing administration ’ s scheme to gut California ’ s tough tailpipe emissions and mileage standards .
Last week , General Motors announced it would now back California ’ s new standards , and this week Ford sent a letter to major industry holdouts , including Toyota and Fiat Chrysler , urging them all to get on board .
“ By continuing to support this futile fight , Toyota and Fiat Chrysler are signaling their disregard for cleaning our air , curbing the climate crisis and saving motorists millions at the gas pump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a California resident .
“ But they ’ re also doing lasting damage to their brands and reputations .
Even if they eventually come around , car buyers will not soon forget which companies put the health of their customers and the planet ahead of profits and political pandering.
” On Thursday evening , the House and Senate approved a final version of the National Defense Authorization Act for FY 2021 .
The funding bill includes provisions concerning the toxic fluorinated “ forever chemicals ” known as PFAS .
Although these provisions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ right direction , the bill failed to enact key provisions to protect service members and their families from PFAS chemicals .
“ Tragically , this bill will do little to clean up the existing legacy contamination at bases and nearby communities and does nothing to hold polluters or the Pentagon accountable when they fail to act to protect us , ” said EWG ’ s Senior Vice President for Government Affairs Scott Faber .
Earlier in the week , both Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell ( R.-Ky. ) and a bipartisan group of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Covid-19 relief package .
Both proposals fall way short when it comes to protecting food and farm workers .
And finally , the Environmental Protection Agency released an `` interim strategy '' for addressing industrial discharges of PFAS .
The strategy lacks any enforceable standards or plans to set standards down the road .
“ Today ’ s announcement is an insult to the millions of Americans who are drinking water contaminated with PFAS , ” said Faber .
“ The EPA should be issuing tough , mandatory standards to regulate PFAS discharges @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ‘ encouraging ’ industry and regulators to ‘ consider ’ whether to limit releases of toxic chemicals building up in the blood of every American .
The PFAS pollution crisis is a big problem that we should not be making bigger through unlimited pollution.
” Here ’ s some news you can use going into the weekend .
Healthline : The Best Baby Soaps on the Market Today , According to Dermatologists We also considered Environmental Working Group ( EWG ) ratings as well as customer reviews .
Environmental Working Group ( EWG @ @ @ @ @ @ @ commissioned the tests and did the analysis -- said methods used by the cosmetics industry to screen talc supplies are inadequate .
The voluntary testing method developed by industry is not sensitive enough to screen for asbestos when compared to electron microscopy , the group said .
Reprinted by US News & World Report ; Drugs.com ; Doctors Lounge ; United Press International ; and other media outlets .
Bestlife : The Product You Use Every Day Contains Asbestos , Study Says ; In their research , the EWG identified more than 2,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ three years that contain talc—and this includes eye shadows , foundation , blush , face , and body powders .
A new report from the Environmental Working Group ( EWG ) reveals that asbestos contamination in everyday consumer products is more prevalent than you may think .
The EWG commissioned a series of laboratory tests of talc-based cosmetics by the Scientific Analysis Institute in Greensboro , N.C. ZME Science : Do your beauty products have talc ?
There ’ s a good chance they also have asbestos ?
More than 2,000 personal care @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contain talc , according to a recent survey of the Environmental Working Group ( EWG ) .
E & E News : Negotiators release NDAA : What ’ s in and what ’ s out '' Tragically , this bill will do little to clean up the existing legacy contamination at bases and nearby communities and does nothing to hold polluters or the Pentagon accountable when they fail to act to protect us , '' Scott Faber , senior vice president of government affairs for the Environmental Working Group , said in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Testing of Some Wastewater “ The EPA should be issuing tough , mandatory standards to regulate PFAS discharges from thousands of industry facilities , ” Scott Faber , senior vice president for government affairs at the Environmental Working Group , says in a statement .
Faber notes that PFAS are virtually ubiquitous in the blood of Americans .
The EWG estimates that 2,500 US manufacturers likely discharge PFAS to rivers and lakes or to wastewater treatment plants , which aren ’ t designed to remove these chemicals .
E & E News : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ help Biden ?
( subscription ) Scott Faber , senior vice president for government affairs at the Environmental Working Group , called the announcement `` an insult to the millions of Americans who are drinking water contaminated with PFAS '' and said more work is needed .
Scott Faber of the Environmental Working Group called the announcement “ an insult to the millions of Americans who are drinking water contaminated with PFAS , ” in a statement .
But environmentalists are criticizing the strategy for failing to take tough action on PFAS , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Senior Vice President Scott Faber calling it in a Nov. 30 statement “ an insult to the millions of Americans who are drinking water contaminated with PFAS.
” The federal government does not regulate PFAS or 1,4 dioxane , a substance commonly used by industry as a solvent stabilizer .
U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell , a Michigan Democrat and a leader in environmental issues , said Tuesday during a Zoom conference with the Environmental Working Group that Congress will push President-elect Joe Biden ’ s administration to make the regulations a top priority @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , advocates ready to move on PFAS regulations under Biden “ A lot of the legwork has already been done by EPA and we really just need the new administration to take it across the finish line , ” said Melanie Benesh , a legislative and regulatory attorney with the Environmental Working Group ( EWG ) , which hosted a half hour online discussion last week on the PFAS outlook under President-elect Biden .
Bloomberg : Biden Win Is Pressuring Carmakers to Unite on Tailpipe Rules Ken Cook , president of the Environmental @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Washington that advocates for environmentally-friendly policies , chided Fiat Chrysler and Toyota for declining to join GM in backing the California gas mileage agreement after Biden ’ s victory .
Reuters : Automakers pledge to work with Biden to reduce emissions Environmental Working Group President Ken Cook said Tuesday “ by continuing to support this futile fight , Toyota and Fiat Chrysler are signaling their disregard for cleaning our air , curbing the climate crisis and saving motorists millions at the gas pump.
” Inside EPA : Environmentalists Boost Pressure On Automakers To @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The statement also echoes a Dec. 1 statement from Environmental Working Group President Ken Cook specifically urging Toyota and Fiat Chrysler to drop their support of Trump ’ s auto GHG policies .
Farm World : Election results may signal ag power shift away from Midwest While the leadership implications are important , crucial issues won ’ t change , said Craig Cox , senior vice president for agriculture and natural resources at the Environmental Working Group .
Parade : Spread a Little Love- Here ’ s 120+ Ideas to Give Back on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ EWG ) uses the power of public information to protect public health and the environment .
BET : Black-owned Farmland Could Expand Under New Senate Bill Introduced by Cory Booker “ The Justice for Black Farmers Act is the most ambitious legislative proposal ever developed to address historic and ongoing discrimination against Black farmers , ” said John Boyd , president of the National Black Farmers Association , and Scott Faber of the Environmental Working Group , two groups that endorsed the bill .
Purewow : 7 Small Steps You Can Make Every @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and dryer sheets can leave your clothes wrinkle-free and smelling great…but they ’ re not so great for the environment .
The Environmental Working Group ( EWG ) recommends against using either , due to the chemicals many brands contain .
Well & Good : A Home Detox Expert ‘ Audited ’ My Place- And These Are The Changes I Made When she ran my unscented “ green ” dish soap through the Environmental Working Group ’ s database , its ingredients rated a D due to potential DNA damage ( among other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : The Best Cyber Monday Deals of 2020 Both the cleanser and the face oil in this kit ( which is currently 20 percent off ! )
earned positive ratings on EWG 's Skin Deep database .
As a bonus , this kit includes a facial roller and a reusable bag for an eco-friendly alternative to gift wrap .
Mother Earth Living : Best Natural Skin Care for Every Skin Type Always steer clear of products made with a laundry list of synthetic ingredients , and check the safety of any ingredients that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s Skin Deep Cosmetics Database .
Good Housekeeping : What is Clean Beauty ?
The Real Meaning , According to Beauty Scientists For a deeper dive into beauty product ingredients , the GH Beauty Lab recommends consulting resources like the Made Safe Hazard List and the Environmental Working Group Skin Deep database .
Byrdie : “ Slugging ” Is The K-Beauty Skincare Trend Going Viral on Reddit The EWG or Environmental Working Group ranks petrolatum as a “ 1-4 ” due to contamination concerns and The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics has a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ make you think that most petrolatum causes cancer .
Epicurious : 8 Black-Owned Businesses to Support on Black Friday It consistently scores the best ratings you can get on the Environmental Working Group ’ s safety page .
The Wichita Eagle ( Kan. ) : The European Union has banned this ingredient in beauty products , yet it ’ s common here If you are struggling with a skin allergy , consider checking your products for formaldehyde-containing and formaldehyde-releasing ingredients , many of which are included in this list from the Environmental Working @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will help shape the skincare industry in 2021 Codex Beauty believes in transparency ( in fact , it ’ s the basis of The Codex Code ) and offers clinical data for all products , along with a multitude of third-party certifications from organizations including EWG , EcoCert , MyMicrobiome , Leaping Bunny , and Vegan .
That means tons of lather and fragrance , while still meeting the strict clean beauty standards of the Environmental Working Group ( EWG ) .
Consumer Reports : Solvay Workers Found to Have Unregulated PFAS in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ testing results that EPA provided indicate that the new perfluoro ether compounds detected in the water and soil in New Jersey are a serious concern from a public health perspective , ” says David Andrews , senior scientist at the Environmental Working Group , an advocacy group , who reviewed the documents for CR .
Reprinted by Yahoo !
The Intercept : Toxic PFAS Chemicals Discovered in Hundreds of Products “ It is the best inventory to date , ” David Andrews , senior scientist at the Environmental Working Group , said of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time going through trademark applications and cataloguing the PFAS chemicals he finds .
“ This expands on that work by a factor of 10.
” Colorado Sun ( Colo. ) : Agricultural water contaminated with “ forever chemicals ” could taint produce , Colorado study finds “ There is some level of choice people can make to reduce exposure , ” including filtering their water and avoiding processed food packaging , said Sydney Evan , an environmental science analyst with the Environmental Working Group , a research , consumer action and civic policy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But they don ’ t have control .
It ’ s not something they can face alone , it ’ s going to take broader change.
” According to the Environmental Working Group , a Washington , D.C.-based nonprofit , PFAS are found in the blood of 99 % of Americans .
Reprinted by Lancaster Online ( Pa. ) Through research and advocacy , EWG works to educate consumers so they can make informed decisions about the products they buy .
In this interview , we ask her about PFAS ( per and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ toxic manmade substances that have been associated with adverse health effects and have been found in the drinking water of many communities across the United States .
Bloomberg Law : Firefighters Fret Over Health Threats From What Protects Them The chemical industry has resisted efforts to ban PFAS in firefighting gear , said Bill Allayaud , the Environmental Working Group ’ s director of California government affairs , who worked on a recent California law that bans the toxic fluorinated chemicals in firefighting foams .
MSN : 50 Terrible Ways to Try and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ dirty dozen ” foods that have the most pesticides when nonorganic : strawberries , spinach , kale , nectarines , apples , grapes , peaches , cherries , pears , tomatoes , celery and potatoes .
Reprinted by Yahoo Finance .
MSN : 50 ways to save when you visit the grocery store The Environmental Working Group has a list that outlines conventionally farmed fruits and vegetables that you do n't have to buy organic .
Valley News ( Calif. ) : Medical expert says , ‘ We are living in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Group identifies the Top 12 “ Dirty Dozen ” of non-organic foods : strawberries , spinach , kale , nectarines , apples , grapes , peaches , cherries , pears , tomatoes , celery and potatoes .
Grapes rank near the top of the Environmental Working Group ’ s annual “ Dirty Dozen ” list of vegetables and fruits carrying the heaviest pesticide-residue loads .
WBOY ( Clarksburg , W.Va. ) : Climate Change in W. Va. : ‘ Nobody Wants to Drink Unsafe Water ’ EWG ’ s Tap Water Database provides @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the violation points the EPA has imposed on them between 2012 and 2017 .
ZME Science : It ’ s Erin Brockovich all over again : rusty iron pipes are exposing us to cancer-causing chemical About 200 million Americans across all 50 states are exposed to unsafe levels of hexavalent chromium , according to a report released by the nonprofit research and advocacy organization Environmental Working Group ( EWG ) .

Car manufacturers are abandoning support for the outgoing administration’s scheme to gut California’s tough tailpipe emissions and mileage standards. Last week, General Motors announced it would now back California’s new standards, and this week Ford sent a letter to major industry holdouts, including Toyota and Fiat Chrysler, urging them all to get on board.
“By continuing to support this futile fight, Toyota and Fiat Chrysler are signaling their disregard for cleaning our air, curbing the climate crisis and saving motorists millions at the gas pump,” said EWG President Ken Cook, a California resident. “But they’re also doing lasting damage to their brands and reputations. Even if they eventually come around, car buyers will not soon forget which companies put the health of their customers and the planet ahead of profits and political pandering.”
On Thursday evening, the House and Senate approved a final version of the National Defense Authorization Act for FY 2021. The funding bill includes provisions concerning the toxic fluorinated “forever chemicals” known as PFAS. Although these provisions are a great first step in the right direction, the bill failed to enact key provisions to protect service members and their families from PFAS chemicals.
“Tragically, this bill will do little to clean up the existing legacy contamination at bases and nearby communities and does nothing to hold polluters or the Pentagon accountable when they fail to act to protect us,” said EWG’s Senior Vice President for Government Affairs Scott Faber.
Earlier in the week, both Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R.-Ky.) and a bipartisan group of senators introduced two new attempts at a Covid-19 relief package. Both proposals fall way short when it comes to protecting food and farm workers.
And finally, the Environmental Protection Agency released an "interim strategy" for addressing industrial discharges of PFAS. The strategy lacks any enforceable standards or plans to set standards down the road.
“Today’s announcement is an insult to the millions of Americans who are drinking water contaminated with PFAS,” said Faber. “The EPA should be issuing tough, mandatory standards to regulate PFAS discharges from thousands of industry facilities, not ‘encouraging’ industry and regulators to ‘consider’ whether to limit releases of toxic chemicals building up in the blood of every American. The PFAS pollution crisis is a big problem that we should not be making bigger through unlimited pollution.”
Here’s some news you can use going into the weekend.
Children’s Health
Healthline: The Best Baby Soaps on the Market Today, According to Dermatologists
We also considered Environmental Working Group (EWG) ratings as well as customer reviews.
Asbestos and Talc Products
HealthDay: Some Talc Products Contain Asbestos: Study
Environmental Working Group (EWG) -- an American advocacy nonprofit that commissioned the tests and did the analysis -- said methods used by the cosmetics industry to screen talc supplies are inadequate. The voluntary testing method developed by industry is not sensitive enough to screen for asbestos when compared to electron microscopy, the group said. Reprinted by US News & World Report; Drugs.com; Doctors Lounge; United Press International; and other media outlets.
Bestlife: The Product You Use Every Day Contains Asbestos, Study Says;
In their research, the EWG identified more than 2,000 personal care products sold in the last three years that contain talc—and this includes eye shadows, foundation, blush, face, and body powders.
Treehugger: Stay Away From Talc-Based Cosmetics;
A new report from the Environmental Working Group (EWG) reveals that asbestos contamination in everyday consumer products is more prevalent than you may think. The EWG commissioned a series of laboratory tests of talc-based cosmetics by the Scientific Analysis Institute in Greensboro, N.C.
ZME Science: Do your beauty products have talc? There’s a good chance they also have asbestos?
More than 2,000 personal care products sold in the last three years contain talc, according to a recent survey of the Environmental Working Group (EWG).
National Defense Authorization Act for FY 2021 (NDAA)
E&E News: Negotiators release NDAA: What’s in and what’s out
"Tragically, this bill will do little to clean up the existing legacy contamination at bases and nearby communities and does nothing to hold polluters or the Pentagon accountable when they fail to act to protect us," Scott Faber, senior vice president of government affairs for the Environmental Working Group, said in a statement.
New EPA Guidance for PFAS Testing of Some Wastewater
Chemical & Engineering News: US EPA recommends testing wastewater for PFAS
“The EPA should be issuing tough, mandatory standards to regulate PFAS discharges from thousands of industry facilities,” Scott Faber, senior vice president for government affairs at the Environmental Working Group, says in a statement. Faber notes that PFAS are virtually ubiquitous in the blood of Americans. The EWG estimates that 2,500 US manufacturers likely discharge PFAS to rivers and lakes or to wastewater treatment plants, which aren’t designed to remove these chemicals.
E&E News: EPA pitches PFAS strategy. Could it help Biden? (subscription)
Scott Faber, senior vice president for government affairs at the Environmental Working Group, called the announcement "an insult to the millions of Americans who are drinking water contaminated with PFAS" and said more work is needed.
POLITICO – Morning Energy: Write this down
Scott Faber of the Environmental Working Group called the announcement “an insult to the millions of Americans who are drinking water contaminated with PFAS,” in a statement.
Inside EPA: EPA’s Interim CWA Permitting PFAS Plan Targets Monitoring, Management (subscription)
But environmentalists are criticizing the strategy for failing to take tough action on PFAS, with Environmental Working Group (EWG) Senior Vice President Scott Faber calling it in a Nov. 30 statement “an insult to the millions of Americans who are drinking water contaminated with PFAS.”
Biden Administration: Plan for PFAS
North Carolina Health News (N.C.): Pittsboro task force recommends “deep discounts” so poor residents can afford clean water
The federal government does not regulate PFAS or 1,4 dioxane, a substance commonly used by industry as a solvent stabilizer. U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell, a Michigan Democrat and a leader in environmental issues, said Tuesday during a Zoom conference with the Environmental Working Group that Congress will push President-elect Joe Biden’s administration to make the regulations a top priority.
MLive (Mich.): Democrats, advocates ready to move on PFAS regulations under Biden
“A lot of the legwork has already been done by EPA and we really just need the new administration to take it across the finish line,” said Melanie Benesh, a legislative and regulatory attorney with the Environmental Working Group (EWG), which hosted a half hour online discussion last week on the PFAS outlook under President-elect Biden.
Biden Administration: Tailpipe Rules
Bloomberg: Biden Win Is Pressuring Carmakers to Unite on Tailpipe Rules
Ken Cook, president of the Environmental Working Group, a nonprofit organization in Washington that advocates for environmentally-friendly policies, chided Fiat Chrysler and Toyota for declining to join GM in backing the California gas mileage agreement after Biden’s victory.
Reuters: Automakers pledge to work with Biden to reduce emissions
Environmental Working Group President Ken Cook said Tuesday “by continuing to support this futile fight, Toyota and Fiat Chrysler are signaling their disregard for cleaning our air, curbing the climate crisis and saving motorists millions at the gas pump.”
Inside EPA: Environmentalists Boost Pressure On Automakers To Pivot On GHG Rules (subscription)
The statement also echoes a Dec. 1 statement from Environmental Working Group President Ken Cook specifically urging Toyota and Fiat Chrysler to drop their support of Trump’s auto GHG policies.
Biden Administration: Agricultural Policy
Farm World: Election results may signal ag power shift away from Midwest
While the leadership implications are important, crucial issues won’t change, said Craig Cox, senior vice president for agriculture and natural resources at the Environmental Working Group.
Giving Tuesday
Parade: Spread a Little Love- Here’s 120+ Ideas to Give Back on Giving Tuesday The Environmental Working Group (EWG) uses the power of public information to protect public health and the environment.
Justice for Black Farmers Act
BET: Black-owned Farmland Could Expand Under New Senate Bill Introduced by Cory Booker
“The Justice for Black Farmers Act is the most ambitious legislative proposal ever developed to address historic and ongoing discrimination against Black farmers,” said John Boyd, president of the National Black Farmers Association, and Scott Faber of the Environmental Working Group, two groups that endorsed the bill.
Cleaning Products
Purewow: 7 Small Steps You Can Make Every Day To Help The Environment
Fabric softeners and dryer sheets can leave your clothes wrinkle-free and smelling great…but they’re not so great for the environment. The Environmental Working Group (EWG) recommends against using either, due to the chemicals many brands contain.
Well & Good: A Home Detox Expert ‘Audited’ My Place- And These Are The Changes I Made
When she ran my unscented “green” dish soap through the Environmental Working Group’s database, its ingredients rated a D due to potential DNA damage (among other issues). Reprinted by MSN
Skin Deep® Cosmetics Database
Treehugger: The Best Cyber Monday Deals of 2020
Both the cleanser and the face oil in this kit (which is currently 20 percent off!) earned positive ratings on EWG's Skin Deep database. As a bonus, this kit includes a facial roller and a reusable bag for an eco-friendly alternative to gift wrap.
Mother Earth Living: Best Natural Skin Care for Every Skin Type
Always steer clear of products made with a laundry list of synthetic ingredients, and check the safety of any ingredients that seem worrisome with the Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep Cosmetics Database.
Good Housekeeping: What is Clean Beauty? The Real Meaning, According to Beauty Scientists For a deeper dive into beauty product ingredients, the GH Beauty Lab recommends consulting resources like the Made Safe Hazard List and the Environmental Working Group Skin Deep database.
Byrdie: “Slugging” Is The K-Beauty Skincare Trend Going Viral on Reddit
The EWG or Environmental Working Group ranks petrolatum as a “1-4” due to contamination concerns and The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics has a post that, without context, would make you think that most petrolatum causes cancer.
Epicurious: 8 Black-Owned Businesses to Support on Black Friday
It consistently scores the best ratings you can get on the Environmental Working Group’s safety page.
The Wichita Eagle (Kan.): The European Union has banned this ingredient in beauty products, yet it’s common here
If you are struggling with a skin allergy, consider checking your products for formaldehyde-containing and formaldehyde-releasing ingredients, many of which are included in this list from the Environmental Working Group.
EWG VERIFIED®
Hola!: Trends that will help shape the skincare industry in 2021
Codex Beauty believes in transparency (in fact, it’s the basis of The Codex Code) and offers clinical data for all products, along with a multitude of third-party certifications from organizations including EWG, EcoCert, MyMicrobiome, Leaping Bunny, and Vegan.
HAPPI: Just Hit Refresh
That means tons of lather and fragrance, while still meeting the strict clean beauty standards of the Environmental Working Group (EWG).
PFAS in Water
Consumer Reports: Solvay Workers Found to Have Unregulated PFAS in Their Blood, Documents Show
“The testing results that EPA provided indicate that the new perfluoro ether compounds detected in the water and soil in New Jersey are a serious concern from a public health perspective,” says David Andrews, senior scientist at the Environmental Working Group, an advocacy group, who reviewed the documents for CR. Reprinted by Yahoo!
The Intercept: Toxic PFAS Chemicals Discovered in Hundreds of Products
“It is the best inventory to date,” David Andrews, senior scientist at the Environmental Working Group, said of the paper. Andrews himself has spent time going through trademark applications and cataloguing the PFAS chemicals he finds. “This expands on that work by a factor of 10.”
Colorado Sun (Colo.): Agricultural water contaminated with “forever chemicals” could taint produce, Colorado study finds“There is some level of choice people can make to reduce exposure,” including filtering their water and avoiding processed food packaging, said Sydney Evan, an environmental science analyst with the Environmental Working Group, a research, consumer action and civic policy advocate based in Washington, D.C. “But they don’t have control. It’s not something they can face alone, it’s going to take broader change.”
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (Pa.): ‘Dark Waters’ attorney: New ‘forever’ chemicals pose threat to environment, human health;
According to the Environmental Working Group, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit, PFAS are found in the blood of 99% of Americans. Reprinted by Lancaster Online (Pa.)
Smart Water Magazine: Interview: Dr. Olga Naidenko (page 38)
Through research and advocacy, EWG works to educate consumers so they can make informed decisions about the products they buy. In this interview, we ask her about PFAS (per and polyfluoroalkyl substances), a group of toxic manmade substances that have been associated with adverse health effects and have been found in the drinking water of many communities across the United States.
PFAS in Firefighting Foam
Bloomberg Law: Firefighters Fret Over Health Threats From What Protects Them
The chemical industry has resisted efforts to ban PFAS in firefighting gear, said Bill Allayaud, the Environmental Working Group’s director of California government affairs, who worked on a recent California law that bans the toxic fluorinated chemicals in firefighting foams.
Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce™
MSN: 50 Terrible Ways to Try and Save Money
The EWG has identified the “dirty dozen” foods that have the most pesticides when nonorganic: strawberries, spinach, kale, nectarines, apples, grapes, peaches, cherries, pears, tomatoes, celery and potatoes. Reprinted by Yahoo Finance.
MSN: 50 ways to save when you visit the grocery store
The Environmental Working Group has a list that outlines conventionally farmed fruits and vegetables that you don't have to buy organic.
Valley News (Calif.): Medical expert says, ‘We are living in a very toxic society’
The Environmental Working Group identifies the Top 12 “Dirty Dozen” of non-organic foods: strawberries, spinach, kale, nectarines, apples, grapes, peaches, cherries, pears, tomatoes, celery and potatoes.
Experience Life: What’s in Your Wine?
Grapes rank near the top of the Environmental Working Group’s annual “Dirty Dozen” list of vegetables and fruits carrying the heaviest pesticide-residue loads.
Tap Water Database
WBOY (Clarksburg, W.Va.): Climate Change in W. Va.: ‘Nobody Wants to Drink Unsafe Water’
EWG’s Tap Water Database provides more specific information on water utilities and the violation points the EPA has imposed on them between 2012 and 2017.
ZME Science: It’s Erin Brockovich all over again: rusty iron pipes are exposing us to cancer-causing chemical
About 200 million Americans across all 50 states are exposed to unsafe levels of hexavalent chromium, according to a report released by the nonprofit research and advocacy organization Environmental Working Group (EWG).


environmentalworkinggroupewg--2020-12-07--Final Version of Water Bill Puts Pork Ahead of PFAS Pollution

WASHINGTON – A House-Senate conference committee approved a final version of the Water Resources Development Act , or WRDA , for 2020 , which both houses will vote on before it goes to the White House for President Trump ’ s signature or veto .
Here is the statement of Scott Faber , EWG ’ s senior vice president for government affairs , on the failure to include WRDA provisions concerning the toxic fluorinated “ forever chemicals ” known as PFAS .
The PFAS pollution crisis is a public health emergency .
More than 200 million people are likely drinking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Water Resources Development Act of 2020 fails to set deadlines for the Environmental Protection Agency to regulate industrial discharges of PFAS and does not even require the Army Corps of Engineers to address PFAS contamination at the Army Corps ’ own facilities .
Legislators could agree on one thing , however – the need to spend even more tax dollars on questionable water projects .
At a time when studies show the PFAS building up in our blood reduce the effectiveness of vaccines , some legislators have once again demonstrated their misplaced priorities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pledged to make the PFAS pollution crisis a top priority .
Biden has pledged to designate PFOA and PFOS , the most notorious PFAS chemicals , as hazardous substances under the federal Superfund law , which will accelerate the cleanup process at military bases and ensure that polluters pay their fair share of cleanup costs .
He has also pledged to end the use of PFAS in many everyday consumer products and to quickly establish a national drinking water standard for PFAS in tap water .
For more information on industrial discharges of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Environmental Working Group is a nonprofit , non-partisan organization that empowers people to live healthier lives in a healthier environment .
Through research , advocacy and unique education tools , EWG drives consumer choice and civic action .

WASHINGTON – A House-Senate conference committee approved a final version of the Water Resources Development Act, or WRDA, for 2020, which both houses will vote on before it goes to the White House for President Trump’s signature or veto.
Here is the statement of Scott Faber, EWG’s senior vice president for government affairs, on the failure to include WRDA provisions concerning the toxic fluorinated “forever chemicals” known as PFAS.
The PFAS pollution crisis is a public health emergency. More than 200 million people are likely drinking water polluted with PFAS. But the Water Resources Development Act of 2020 fails to set deadlines for the Environmental Protection Agency to regulate industrial discharges of PFAS and does not even require the Army Corps of Engineers to address PFAS contamination at the Army Corps’ own facilities. Legislators could agree on one thing, however – the need to spend even more tax dollars on questionable water projects. At a time when studies show the PFAS building up in our blood reduce the effectiveness of vaccines, some legislators have once again demonstrated their misplaced priorities. By contrast, President-elect Biden has pledged to make the PFAS pollution crisis a top priority. Biden has pledged to designate PFOA and PFOS, the most notorious PFAS chemicals, as hazardous substances under the federal Superfund law, which will accelerate the cleanup process at military bases and ensure that polluters pay their fair share of cleanup costs. He has also pledged to end the use of PFAS in many everyday consumer products and to quickly establish a national drinking water standard for PFAS in tap water.
For more information on industrial discharges of PFAS pollution, click here.
###
The Environmental Working Group is a nonprofit, non-partisan organization that empowers people to live healthier lives in a healthier environment. Through research, advocacy and unique education tools, EWG drives consumer choice and civic action.


environmentalworkinggroupewg--2020-12-09--To Succeed, Vilsack Must Confront New Food and Farm Challenges

WASHINGTON – President-elect Joe Biden will nominate Tom Vilsack to be secretary of agriculture , according to news reports .
Here is a statement from Scott Faber , EWG ’ s senior vice president for government affairs : The job description for secretary of agriculture has changed since 2009 .
The next secretary of agriculture must make ending hunger , protecting food and farm workers , combating the climate crisis , supporting family farms , addressing discrimination against Black famers , ending the obesity epidemic , and keeping our food safe his top priorities .
We need a secretary who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , not just rural America .
To do so , the next secretary should increase anti-hunger assistance , provide food and farm workers with personal protective equipment and other safeguards , provide new incentives for farmers to reduce greenhouse gas emissions , end unlimited farm subsidies to millionaires , restore school nutrition standards , and set tough new standards for pathogens in our meat and poultry .
These challenges – ending hunger , protecting our environment , confronting racism in agriculture , helping family farmers and workers , supporting healthy diets , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Secretary Vilsack ’ s priorities.
” For more on what a Biden administration should do , visit : https : //www.ewg.org/news-and-analysis/2020/11/how-can-biden-administration-fix-america-s-broken-food-system The Environmental Working Group is a nonprofit , non-partisan organization that empowers people to live healthier lives in a healthier environment .
Through research , advocacy and unique education tools , EWG drives consumer choice and civic action .

WASHINGTON – President-elect Joe Biden will nominate Tom Vilsack to be secretary of agriculture, according to news reports. Here is a statement from Scott Faber, EWG’s senior vice president for government affairs:
The job description for secretary of agriculture has changed since 2009. The next secretary of agriculture must make ending hunger, protecting food and farm workers, combating the climate crisis, supporting family farms, addressing discrimination against Black farmers, ending the obesity epidemic, and keeping our food safe his top priorities.
We need a secretary who will meet the needs of all Americans, not just the needs of the most successful farm businesses and the companies that produce farm chemicals. To do so, the next secretary should increase anti-hunger assistance, provide food and farm workers with personal protective equipment and other safeguards, provide new incentives for farmers to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, end unlimited farm subsidies to millionaires, restore school nutrition standards, advance organic standards, and set tough new standards for pathogens in our meat and poultry.
These challenges – ending hunger, protecting our environment, confronting racism in agriculture, helping family farmers and workers, supporting healthy diets, and keeping our food safe – should be Secretary Vilsack’s priorities.
In his previous service, too often, Secretary Vilsack failed to meet these challenges.
During his tenure under President Obama, Secretary Vilsack refused to support efforts to link crop insurance subsidies to environmental standards, surrendered efforts to make the environmental impacts of food production part of the dietary advice our government gives consumers, played down the environmental impacts of ethanol production on the climate, and did too little to address the impacts of pesticide drift on nearby farmers. He refused to reform our farm subsidy and loan program programs to support family farmers in need or to level the playing field for Black farmers who had been the victims of long-standing discrimination by USDA.
Too often, Secretary Vilsack put the needs of industry and large commercial farms ahead of the needs of family farmers, workers, ordinary people and the environment. The burden will be on Secretary Vilsack and President-elect Biden to demonstrate how Secretary Vilsack would govern differently if given a second chance to serve.


environmentalworkinggroupewg--2020-12-08--Amazon To Ban ‘Forever Chemicals’ From Its Amazon Kitchen Brand

WASHINGTON – Today Amazon announced it will ban the toxic fluorinated “ forever chemicals ” known as PFAS from its Amazon Kitchen brand products .
Amazon ’ s chemical policy encourages manufacturers to phase out potentially hazardous chemicals from its products , to reduce harm to human health and the environment .
PFAS compounds have been linked to an increased risk of cancer , reduced effectiveness of vaccines and other serious health hazards .
Here is a statement from Scott Faber , EWG ’ s senior vice president for government affairs : It ’ s good news that Amazon is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in food packaging and other household products .
Recent studies show that the PFAS building up in the blood of every American could be making vaccines less effective .
It ’ s critically important that we eliminate nonessential uses of PFAS in household products .
For more information on PFAS , click here .
The Environmental Working Group is a nonprofit , non-partisan organization that empowers people to live healthier lives in a healthier environment .
Through research , advocacy and unique education tools , EWG drives consumer choice and civic action .

WASHINGTON – Today Amazon announced it will ban the toxic fluorinated “forever chemicals” known as PFAS from its Amazon Kitchen brand products.
Amazon’s chemical policy encourages manufacturers to phase out potentially hazardous chemicals from its products, to reduce harm to human health and the environment. PFAS compounds have been linked to an increased risk of cancer, reduced effectiveness of vaccines and other serious health hazards.
Here is a statement from Scott Faber, EWG’s senior vice president for government affairs:
It’s good news that Amazon is moving to ban the use of PFAS in food packaging and other household products. Recent studies show that the PFAS building up in the blood of every American could be making vaccines less effective. It’s critically important that we eliminate nonessential uses of PFAS in household products.
For more information on PFAS, click here.
###
The Environmental Working Group is a nonprofit, non-partisan organization that empowers people to live healthier lives in a healthier environment. Through research, advocacy and unique education tools, EWG drives consumer choice and civic action.


environmentalworkinggroupewg--2020-12-08--6 Ways the Biden Administration Should Protect Food and Farm Workers From Covid-19

The Covid-19 pandemic – worsened by the Trump administration ’ s woefully anemic response – has taken the lives of more than 300 food and farm workers and sickened tens of thousands more , turning the nation ’ s food-processing plants and farms into virus hot spots .
Source : EWG , from USDA ’ s 2017 Census of Agriculture and Johns Hopkins University ’ s Coronavirus Resource Center Working conditions make food and farm workers especially vulnerable to Covid-19 .
So what should the incoming administration of President-elect Joe Biden do to protect them ?
Here are six things @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1 .
Immediately issue emergency protective standards to require food and farm employers to protect their workers from Covid-19 .
Trump has refused to protect workers , instead issuing an executive order to protect employers from liability when their negligence endangers their employees .
Some states have acted , but most have not .
And now , some legislators are proposing to make food and farm employers immune from liability when they fail to protect their workers .
2 .
Make sure food and farm workers are first in line for vaccines , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and more workers become sick during the current Covid-19 surge , food supply chains could quickly unravel , sending food prices spiking and increasing the number of Americans who struggle with hunger .
The Biden administration must recognize that food and farm workers are essential workers .
3 .
Immediately shut down Trump ’ s farmer bailout programs and redirect the funds so that they protect food and farm workers .
The tens of billions of dollars meant to relieve the effects of Trump ’ s trade wars have not only flowed disproportionately @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but have also largely bypassed the smaller farms that have struggled to keep their workers safe from Covid-19 .
Biden should instead use emergency funds to provide food and farm workers with personal protective equipment and safe housing and transportation .
4 .
Ensure that food and farm workers get compensated for the risks they take to feed us .
Rather than provide food and farm workers hazard pay , the Trump administration has actually sought to cut farmworker wages and to strip away what few protections they do have by changing labor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump ’ s proposals to cut farmworker wages and instead ensure that food and farm workers receive sick pay when they get sick from Covid-19 .
Biden has also pledged to support a $ 15 minimum wage and measures that will make it easier for workers to organize , including farmworkers .
5 .
Demand that Congress pass legislation giving undocumented farmworkers and their families the opportunity for permanent resident status and U.S. citizenship .
According to the advocacy group Farmworker Justice , at least half of the nation ’ s roughly 2.4 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ immigration reform must provide them with protection from deportation and a path to full citizenship .
The new administration should also press Congress to fix the programs that bring temporary farmworkers to the U.S .
The Trump administration continues to weaken environmental health protections for farmworkers .
The Biden administration should make it a priority to protect farmworkers from pesticides .
It should immediately ban toxic pesticides like chlorpyrifos , which has been linked to brain damage .
Farm and food workers are working long hours , at enormous personal risk , to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ make every effort to protect these essential workers and recognize the critical contributions they make to our nation .
Food and farm workers have always taken care of us – now we must take care of them .

The Covid-19 pandemic – worsened by the Trump administration’s woefully anemic response – has taken the lives of more than 300 food and farm workers and sickened tens of thousands more, turning the nation’s food-processing plants and farms into virus hot spots.
Where Farmworkers Face High Covid-19 Risk
Source: EWG, from USDA’s 2017 Census of Agriculture and Johns Hopkins University’s Coronavirus Resource Center
Working conditions make food and farm workers especially vulnerable to Covid-19. So what should the incoming administration of President-elect Joe Biden do to protect them? Here are six things the new administration must do quickly.
1. Immediately issue emergency protective standards to require food and farm employers to protect their workers from Covid-19.
Trump has refused to protect workers, instead issuing an executive order to protect employers from liability when their negligence endangers their employees. Some states have acted, but most have not. And now, some legislators are proposing to make food and farm employers immune from liability when they fail to protect their workers.
2. Make sure food and farm workers are first in line for vaccines, once they are approved.
As more and more workers become sick during the current Covid-19 surge, food supply chains could quickly unravel, sending food prices spiking and increasing the number of Americans who struggle with hunger. The Biden administration must recognize that food and farm workers are essential workers.
3. Immediately shut down Trump’s farmer bailout programs and redirect the funds so that they protect food and farm workers.
The tens of billions of dollars meant to relieve the effects of Trump’s trade wars have not only flowed disproportionately to the largest and most successful farms but have also largely bypassed the smaller farms that have struggled to keep their workers safe from Covid-19. Biden should instead use emergency funds to provide food and farm workers with personal protective equipment and safe housing and transportation.
4. Ensure that food and farm workers get compensated for the risks they take to feed us.
Rather than provide food and farm workers hazard pay, the Trump administration has actually sought to cut farmworker wages and to strip away what few protections they do have by changing labor rules. The Biden administration should rescind Trump’s proposals to cut farmworker wages and instead ensure that food and farm workers receive sick pay when they get sick from Covid-19. Biden has also pledged to support a $15 minimum wage and measures that will make it easier for workers to organize, including farmworkers.
5. Demand that Congress pass legislation giving undocumented farmworkers and their families the opportunity for permanent resident status and U.S. citizenship.
According to the advocacy group Farmworker Justice, at least half of the nation’s roughly 2.4 million farmworkers are undocumented immigrants. Meaningful immigration reform must provide them with protection from deportation and a path to full citizenship. The new administration should also press Congress to fix the programs that bring temporary farmworkers to the U.S.
6. Strengthen the Environmental Protection Agency’s Agricultural Worker Protection Standard.
The Trump administration continues to weaken environmental health protections for farmworkers. The Biden administration should make it a priority to protect farmworkers from pesticides. It should immediately ban toxic pesticides like chlorpyrifos, which has been linked to brain damage.
Farm and food workers are working long hours, at enormous personal risk, to feed us. The Biden administration must make every effort to protect these essential workers and recognize the critical contributions they make to our nation. Food and farm workers have always taken care of us – now we must take care of them.