Press Releases

HealthyStuff.org recently tested common Halloween make-up, often used by young children, and found one or more toxic heavy metals in 100% of the products tested. Fifty percent of the products tested contained detectable levels of cadmium. Cadmium is a potent neurotoxin and carcinogen, and can disrupt a child's development.

Fortunately, a bi-partisan group of Michigan Senators recently introduced a bill that would help to protect kids from cadmium and mercury in children's products. Please visit HealthyStuff.org and ask your Senator to co-sponsor this important legislation. While we wait for more protective legislation to pass, check out these safe DIY recipes for Halloween make-up.

Parents, health professionals and community leaders gathered at the Capitol today to urge legislators to support bills to protect children from toxic chemicals in children’s products.

Sen. Rebekah Warren (D-Ann Arbor) will introduce Safe Children’s Products legislation next week to give Michigan families the right to know about toxic chemicals in children’s products. Sen. Roger Kahn (R-Saginaw) announced the introduction of legislation to ban cadmium and mercury, toxic heavy metals that have been found in children’s jewelry and toys.

Sixty percent of children’s car seats tested by the Ecology Center this year contained at least one toxic chemical, while some car seats were found to be virtually free of the most dangerous chemicals. The latest research by the Ecology Center on toxic chemicals in children’s car seats was posted today at the consumer-friendly site, www.HealthyStuff.org.

Michigan families, children’s health advocates, and business owners gathered at Eco Store USA and Green Blendz in Auburn Hills to call on Michigan lawmakers introduce legislation that would give consumers the right to know about hazardous chemicals in children’s products.

Michigan families participated in a study of products designed for newborns, babies, and toddlers which found that 80 percent of products tested contained chemical flame retardants that, while legal, are considered toxic or lack adequate health safety data, according to a peer-reviewed study published in the Environmental Science & Technology Journal. Items tested included car seats, nursing pillows, changing pads, crib wedges, bassinet mattresses and other items made with polyurethane foam.

The new study analyzed 101 products from around the United States, including 18 from Michigan retailers and families, for the presence of halogenated flame retardants – chemicals that are associated with adverse human health effects including reduced IQ, increased time to pregnancy, hormone disruption, and impaired child development. The same flame retardants found in some of the products are also found in children’s bodies and are widely dispersed throughout the environment.

A broad coalition of Michigan health and environmental groups are urging Congress to move swiftly to pass chemical reform legislation introduced today, citing the measure as critical to the protection of children’s health, and to the health of the Great Lakes.

The Michigan Network for Children’s Environmental Health is highlighting the link between preventing disease, containing costs, and reforming the law. Introduced by Senators Frank Lautenberg, Amy Klobuchar, Charles Schumer and others, the “Safe Chemicals Act” (http://lautenberg.senate.gov/newsroom/record.cfm?id=332502&) would upgrade America’s outdated system for managing chemical safety.  (Visit this site to watch video of Sen. Lautenberg talking about the bill (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dq55QvyN3a8&feature=player_embedded).