Over the last several decades, children have faced an increasingly challenging time just making it through what should be normal stages of growth and development. Incidences of reproductive defects, childhood obesity, early onset puberty, learning disabilities, and many other chronic health problems are on the rise. Many of these problems have been linked with exposure to toxic chemicals.
While a range of factors, from lifestyle to heredity, may contribute to the proliferation of problems associated with a child’s healthy development, the growing body of research suggests that toxic chemicals may play a significant role.
Banning toxic flame retardants in California
In 2003, Environment California Research & Policy Center made tremendous progress in educating the public about the threats of toxic flame retardants to the health of Californians. Known as polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), toxic flame retardants are added to everyday products such as furniture and electrical equipment to decrease flammability. Studies show that PBDEs build up in breast milk and link these chemicals to many adverse health effects, such as learning disabilities and impaired immune systems.
In an effort to ban PBDEs in California, Environment California Research & Policy Center conducted groundbreaking research on the harmful health effects linked to PBDEs, published and released a hard-hitting report, and mobilized dozens of coalition partners and community organizations around the issue.
In April 2003, we released Growing Threats: Toxic Flame Retardants and Children’s Health, which presented the most up-to-date studies of PBDEs. The report, the first on the issue designed for the layperson, documented studies showing that PBDE levels in women’s bodies were increasing exponentially and rapidly approaching the levels already shown to impair learning and behavior in laboratory animals.
The report also demonstrated the feasibility of alternatives to toxic flame retardants and highlighted industry leaders that had already moved away from using PDBEs in their products. Growing Threats received widespread media coverage within the state.
In August 2003, California passed the nation’s first legislation banning two types of PBDEs, PentaBDE and OctaBDE. In fact, California was the first state to ban a chemical in the U.S. in more than 20 years. Since the bill’s passage, several states have followed California’s lead in taking action against these two PBDEs.
Educating the public about Deca
Following the statewide ban of Penta and Octa, Environment California Research & Policy Center continued to work on efforts to highlight the potential harmful health effects of the third type of PBDE called Deca.
With the proliferation of additional scientific evidence casting doubt on industry claims of Deca’s safety, in February 2004 we released Body of Evidence: New Science in the Debate over Toxic Flame Retardants and our Health, which highlighted the growing scientific support for the theory that Deca may cause damage to the nervous system and impair motor skills.
Body of Evidence also highlighted new research showing that Deca can break down into components of the banned PBDE mixtures, PentaBDE and OctaBDE. In addition, the new research found that Deca itself accumulates in human blood and breast milk.
Body of Evidence garnered significant media attention in the state. Inspired by the coverage that the report received, Los Angeles City Councilman Eric Garcetti (13th District) introduced a resolution calling for the phase out of Deca.
Stop Toxic Toys campaign
Building on the success of our PBDEs campaign, Environment California Research & Policy Center has continued to pursue the strategy of focusing on the health threats from exposure to toxic chemicals present in countless products that we—especially our children—use in every aspect of our daily lives.
In June 2004, Environment California Research & Policy Center released Growing Up Toxic: Chemical Exposures and Increases in Developmental Disease, which presented the idea that numerous children’s products contain toxic chemicals that can harm proper development. The report chronicled threats to fetal and infant development, with a focus on the toxic chemicals included in everyday products.
Environment California Research & Policy Center’s current Stop Toxic Toys campaign focuses on the exposure of children to two classes of chemicals highlighted in Growing Up Toxic—phthalates and bisphenol-A. Our campaign highlights the dangers of these toxic chemicals present in popular baby products, including plastic toys and baby bottles.
Phthalates and bisphenol-A have been linked to numerous adverse health effects, including obesity, early onset puberty, impaired brain development, reproductive defects, and cancer.
In the short term, Environment California Research & Policy Center is working to ban phthalates and bisphenol-A from children’s products. Through this campaign, we are working to bring public attention to the need for chemical policy reform and to work toward an overhaul of the flawed regulatory system that permits harmful chemicals into the marketplace before demonstrating their safe use.
Revealing the presence of toxic chemicals in popular baby products
In October 2005, Environment California Research & Policy Center released a report titled The Right Start: The Need to Eliminate Toxic Chemicals from Baby Products, which documents the presence of toxic chemicals in popular baby products.
We tested soft plastic teethers, bath accessories, and other baby products for the presence of phthalates, and changing pads, mattresses, and other sleep accessories for PBDEs. We found phthalates or PBDEs in 18 of the 25 baby products we tested.
Unfortunately, since manufacturers do not have to label their products as containing these chemicals, parents have no way of knowing whether or not a product poses a hidden hazard.
The Right Start was released in 21 states and at multiple sites in California, garnering excellent media coverage. More than 35 media outlets covered the story in California, including the major network affiliates in San Diego, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Sacramento; eight radio stations; and several newspapers, including the San Jose Mercury News and La Opinión.
A national model
As California goes, so goes the nation. Since California’s ban of two types of PBDEs in 2003, several states have taken action against these chemicals, including Maine, Hawaii, Michigan, Washington, Oregon, Illinois, Maryland and New York.
Environment California Research & Policy Center is working to make sure that California continues to lead the way in banning dangerous chemicals and establishing a comprehensive chemicals policy in the state.