Cancer

January 24, 2014
Consumer Reports recently tested a variety of sodas purchased in California and New York, and found unacceptably high levels of 4-methylimidazole (4-MEI) in some of them.  4-MEI is a chemical known to the State of California to cause cancer.  Under Proposition 65, products containing cancer-causing chemicals must be accompanied by a health hazard warning.  The...
January 21, 2014
According to a study conducted by the University of California San Francisco, the levels of banned phthalates in people’s bodies have decreased; however, similar and potentially toxic compounds are appearing in their place.  The findings were published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives.  Phthalates are chemical compounds that are used to soften...
January 17, 2014
The three-year transition period after the passage of the federal Reduction of Lead in Drinking Water Act in 2011 has now ended, meaning that a new, much stricter standard is now in place for pipes, fittings, solder, and flux in water-contact surfaces. The Reduction of Lead in Drinking Water Act amends the Safe Drinking Water Act by reducing the amount of lead allowed in...
January 15, 2014
What is Lead? Lead is number 82 in the periodic table and is classified as a "heavy metal."  In its pure form, it is soft and malleable.  It is a shiny silver-white when recently cut or melted but quickly turns dark gray after being exposed to air. For thousands of years, lead was used in a variety of applications--pipes, paints, weights, alchemy,...
January 13, 2014
On a recent episode of his television program, Dr. Oz highlighted the pervasive presence of toxic flame retardant chemicals in our homes and our bodies.  Samples of furniture padding were taken from the homes of several mothers and sent to Duke University to be tested for the presence of toxic flame retardant chemicals.  The mothers and their children were tested as...
January 10, 2014
Earlier this week, a federal judge ordered paint companies Sherwin-Williams, ConAgra, and NL Industries to pay the State of California $1.15 billion to remove lead paint from the interior surfaces of pre-1978 homes in 10 California cities and counties, the Los Angeles Times reported.  The money will go into a fund administered by California’s Department of Public...
January 6, 2014
Several studies have found chemicals and other environmental toxicants in breast milk, the San Francisco Chronicle reported last weekend.  The high fat and protein content in breast milk attracts heavy metals and other contaminants that have been ingested or absorbed into the mother’s body, which are then passed on to their infants. The article referenced one recent...
January 3, 2014
Earlier this year, Gov. Gerald “Jerry” Brown signed into law AB 711, banning lead in hunting ammunition.  Lead is a known carcinogen and reproductive toxin, and is also harmful to the environment and wildlife. According to the Washington Post, there is little doubt that lead poisoning is the main cause of death and illness for the extremely endangered...