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Press Releases

Climate-friendly Foam Building Insulation May do More Harm than Good

February 23, 2021

The use of the polymeric flame retardant PolyFR in “eco-friendly” foam plastic building insulation may be harmful to human health and the environment, according to a new commentary in Environmental Science & Technology. The authors’ analysis identifies several points during the lifecycle of foam insulation that may expose workers, communities, and ecosystems to PolyFR and its potentially toxic breakdown products.

Scientists Urge Congress to Protect Military from Toxic Chemicals

October 22, 2020

A group of 42 scientists submitted a letter to leaders of the House and Senate Armed Services committees today calling for a ban on military purchasing of certain consumer products with per- and polyfluorinated substances (PFAS).

Scientists Urge Business & Government to Treat PFAS Chemicals as a Class

June 30, 2020

All per- and polyfluorinated substances (PFAS) should be treated as one class and avoided for nonessential uses, according to a peer-reviewed article published today in Environmental Science & Technology Letters.

Study: Toxicity Comes Standard

June 16, 2020

The coronavirus pandemic has drawn attention to stark health disparities in our communities. Though many factors contribute to high disease burdens for poor people and people of color, older furniture—which is often passed to lower income households—is likely to contain flame retardants that can cause suppressed immune responses, reproductive problems, or cancer.

Study Finds Another Reason to Wash Hands: Flame Retardants

June 9, 2020

Harmful flame retardants may be lurking on your hands and cell phone, according to a peer-reviewed study published today in Environmental Science & Technology Letters.

Study: PFAS in Carpets a Major Exposure Source for Children

April 29, 2020

Children can be exposed to a toxic medley of per- and polyfluorinated chemicals (PFAS) from carpets, according to a peer-reviewed study published today in Chemosphere.

Communities Petition EPA to Regulate Hazardous PFAS Chemicals

January 15, 2020

How are an indigenous tribal leader from an Arctic community, a North Carolina Sunday School teacher, a Michigan attorney, a Colorado community leader, and two suburban mothers from outside of Philadelphia united in an effort that could impact the drinking water and health of everyone in the U.S.?

Scientists Celebrate PFAS Victories in NDAA

December 17, 2019

The U.S. Senate today approved the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which contains groundbreaking provisions to reduce harm from the “forever chemicals” PFAS that are contaminating the drinking water of millions of Americans.

Sustainable Sand Gives Pollution a One-Two Punch into Possibly Harmful Products

December 11, 2019

Baseball fans may be excited to have combination pitcher/slugger Shohei Ohtani on the Los Angeles Angels, but new research suggests that he isn’t the only dual threat that could help out Southern California.

New Flame Retardants, Old Problems: Replacement Flame Retardants Present Serious Risks

October 22, 2019

New flame retardants escaping from our TVs, other electrical and electronic products, and children’s car seats are just as toxic as the flame retardants they’re intended to replace, according to a peer-reviewed study published today in Environmental Science & Technology Letters.

Bigger Not Always Better for Toxic Chemicals: Study finds “Green” Flame Retardant Breaks Down into Possibly Harmful Products

January 9, 2019

It’s not easy being green. Kermit the Frog probably didn’t have chemistry in mind when he sang that line, but according to researchers from Germany, the phrase rings true for a purportedly “green” flame retardant.

Toxic Chemicals Calling: Cell Phones as a Source of Flame Retardant Exposure

December 4, 2018

Cell phones — much has been written about the detrimental effects of these devices on our attention spans, our stress levels, and our dinner table conversations.