Cancer

July 10, 2014
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is announcing safer alternatives to the flame retardants hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD) and pentabromodiphenyl ether (pentaBDE), currently used in building insulation and products with flexible polyurethane foam.  Both HBCD and pentaBDE are already banned in some states due to concerns for human health and the environment.  EPA...
July 3, 2014
Four California companies have been ordered to stop import, sale, and distribution of children’s products alleged to have hazardous levels of lead and phthalates, in violation of the Consumer Product Safety Act (CPSA) and the Federal Hazardous Substances Act (FHSA), Consumer Affairs reported last week. The companies are: Toys Distribution, Inc. of Los Angeles; S&J...
July 1, 2014
Proposed California bill SB-1019 would, if passed, require manufacturers to label whether or not their furniture products contain flame retardant chemicals. California Technical Bulletin TB-117 (now revised to TB-117-2013) requires upholstered furniture to pass a flammability test for fire safety purposes.  If the furniture complies, then it is affixed with a label...
June 27, 2014
Thanks to the efforts of TCG client Dr. Anthony Held, North American Food Distributing Company (NAFDC) entered a binding agreement to cease the sale and distribution of dried seaweed products in California unless, and until they are virtually free of the toxic heavy metal arsenic.  Held alleged that NAFDC had violated Proposition 65 by selling dried seaweed products in...
June 23, 2014
Last Friday, Russell Brimer, Anthony Held, and Laurence Vinocur served 20 new 60-Day Notices of Proposition 65 Violation.  The notices were served to companies offering products such as sunscreen, headphones, and glass mugs for sale in California containing chemicals known to cause cancer or reproductive harm, without the required health hazard warning.  Our citizen...