Our Mission: We are igniting a movement that inspires parents to protect young children from harmful chemicals. Donate ยป
Charity Navigator 4 Star CharityBlog
Healthy World Watch June 26th, 2009
Nora Chute
Friday, June 26, 2009
Top Tips
• This week mom bloggers had lots of useful tips for keeping your summer non-toxic, including ways to maintain a green lawn without chemicals, and safe warm weather necessities like BPA-free ice-pop molds, and baby wading pools.
• The Smart Mama shares a video of how to make a pesticide-free solution of essential oils to control your pet’s fleas.
Recent Research
• Researchers have found that pesticides commonly used to kill cockroaches and other pests may remain on your floor for decades after use, meaning that even if you don’t use them, young children may still be at risk considering their regular contact with the floor. Pre-natal pesticide exposure is worrisome - recent studies have found that children whose mothers were exposed to pesticides during pregnancy are at double the risk of developing leukemia.
• We can now add “makes you fat” to the side-effects list of many familiar and toxic chemicals like BPA, phthalates, dioxins, and pesticides. These endocrine-disrupting chemicals, called obesogens, mess with the hormones that, among other things, regulate your metabolism. This is even more reason to watch out for plastics, food cans, stain-resistant and non-stick products, fragrances, and insect and weed killers.
• A chemical in the weed killer Roundup that was previously declared “inert” has been found to kill human cells, especially embryonic, placental, and umbilical cord cells. This research raises debate about the nearly 4,000 substances currently approved for use by the EPA.
Other News
• Nestle re-calls Tollhouse cookie dough after E-Coli warning. The danger came with eating the cookie dough raw, but they still recommend all products be thrown out to avoid getting any residue on your hands or cooking surfaces.
• The House Energy and Commerce Committee have set a deadline for the FDA’s research into the safety of BPA. By the end of 2009 the FDA must report to Congress about their findings, at which point the proper precautions will be taken to make sure the public is informed and their exposure is limited.
