GSP Launches PFASCentral.org
GSP is proud to launch PFASCentral.org! This website is a central source for PFAS-related news, science, and events. Be sure to share this site on social media and your own websites.…
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Science & Policy Blog
History Highlight: When Superheroes Fought Toxics
The Avengers franchise has stolen the superhero spotlight lately, but not long ago, heroes wore lab coats, not capes. And though it sounds like a comic book weapon, mutagen X was a very real toxic chemical villain. The story of mutagen X—how it was discovered and how it was vanquished—demonstrates the important role of fundamental science in a healthier world. …
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A Huge Success for Healthier Buildings
On January 16, the California Building Standards Commission voted unanimously to update the state’s building codes to allow below-grade use of foam plastic building insulation without flame retardants. Building insulation–where there is no fire safety benefit–is one of the largest uses of toxic flame retardants.…
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Congress opens the door for fluorine-free firefighting foams
On October 5, federal legislation was enacted which will allow commercial airports in the U.S. to use firefighting foams without PFAS. Until now, FAA rules have required airports to use firefighting foams that meet the U.S. military’s specification, which requires the use of PFAS. Firefighting foam is a major source of PFAS contamination, so this should mean healthier drinking water for those living near airports.…
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On America Recycles Day, What Goes Around Comes Around, & It Might Be Toxic
Thursday, November 15 is America Recycles Day, when we celebrate the individuals, recycling companies, and governments that are diverting millions of pounds of materials otherwise headed to landfills.
But there can be a hidden danger in recycling. For example, millions of pounds of toxic flame retardants are added to furniture foam, plastic TV cases and other electronics. Recycled plastic containing flame retardants can end up in unlikely and undesirable places. Flame retardants have been found in lunch boxes, children’s toys, and even soup ladles. What’s worse, they can move from the ladle into the broth, making “toxic chemical soup” less of a metaphor and more of a frightening reality.…
Aerial fire retardants: It’s raining red
A wet winter followed by record heat this summer have contributed to one of California’s worst-ever fire seasons. In the month of October alone, thousands of structures have been destroyed in fires in Northern California as more than ten separate wildfires have burned across the state. Firefighters have literally worked around the clock; and over the course of just five days, more than two million gallons of fire retardant were dropped in California in an effort to control the blazes.…
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The Obesity Epidemic: What’s To Blame?
About one in three adults is obese in the United States. Another one in three adults is overweight. Altogether, almost 228 million Americans are struggling with their weight. Although many factors contribute to the obesity epidemic, one recent discovery stands out: environmental toxics.…
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Horrors of the Deep: Our Toxic Legacy Still Haunts Us
Lulu was found on the rocky shores of Scotland tangled in fishing line. An autopsy revealed high levels of human-made toxics called polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), which were banned almost two decades before Lulu was born. Yet, they seeped out of landfills, contaminated the choppy seas, and collected in her fatty tissue…
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