Press Releases

2008

May 15, 2008: House Overwhelmingly Passes Restrictions on Dangerous Pesticide Lindane

Health professionals and environmentalists praised the Michigan House of Representatives for overwhelming passing (72-35) important legislation protecting children's health today. In a bipartisan vote, members of the House approved common sense restrictions on the use of lindane, a hazardous pesticide used in pharmaceuticals for the treatment of lice and scabies. Read the full article

May 14, 2008: Restrictions on dangerous lindane approved by 9-3 vote of House committee

Health professionals and environmentalists praised the House Great Lakes and Environment Committee for passing important legislation protecting children's health today. In a bipartisan vote, members of the Committee approved common sense restrictions on the use of lindane, a hazardous pesticide used in pharmaceuticals for the treatment of lice and scabies. Read the full article

March 12, 2008: Drug Company Drops SLAPP Suit Against Ecology Center

The Ecology Center announced today an end to the SLAPP suit filed against it by Morton Grove Pharmaceuticals. After nearly two years of litigation where the company alleged at least $9.3 million in damages, the parties entered into a settlement in which Morton Grove drops its lawsuit and the Ecology Center makes no payment to the company, nor any admission of liability. Read the full article

January 3, 2008: New State Law Adds Restrictions to Lead in Toys

The New Year brings a new warning to toy retailers and wholesalers in Michigan: Get the lead out.

Effective immediately, a package of new state laws calls for fines of up to $50,000 against companies that sell toys containing high levels of lead. Read the full article

2007

December 21, 2007: Gov. Granholm, Michigan Legislature OK Bills Limiting Lead in Children's Products

Health, environmental and child advocacy groups praised legislation signed by Gov. Granholm that limits toxic lead in children’s products. Amid a public furor over toy recalls — and just weeks after the release of www.HealthyToys.org — the new Michigan standards protect children from high lead levels in items such as toys, childcare articles, lunchboxes and children’s jewelry. The rules fill a void in federal laws, which currently apply only to lead levels in paint. Read the full article

December 18, 2007: Consumers Respond with Overwhelming Demand for More Information About Chemicals in Toys

After overwhelming response to www.HealthyToys.org — a holiday shopping guide to toxic chemicals in toys released this month with more than 230,000 visitors — The Ecology Center and the Washington Toxics Coalition announced results of another 22 popular children’s toys and products tested for lead and other harmful chemicals. These were selected from over 4,500 nominated via the test my toy feature on the site, where visitors vote for toys not already tested. Read the full article

December 5, 2007: Lead, Arsenic, Other Harmful Chemicals Found in Popular Toys; Michigan-based Ecology Center Releases Testing Results and Consumer Action Guide at www.HealthyToys.org

The Ecology Center, a Michigan-based nonprofit organization, today released the results of their testing of 1,200 popular children's toys for toxic chemicals at www.HealthyToys.org. Working with environmental health groups across the country, the Ecology Center led the development of the site to inform consumers about products they will be purchasing this holiday season. Parents and other holiday shoppers can now easily search by product name, brand, or toy type to learn how the products rate in terms of harmful chemical content. Read the full article

November 8, 2007: Toxic Chemicals From Everyday Products Found in Rep. Terry Brown, other Michiganders

Three highly toxic chemicals used in everyday products were found in five Michiganders and 30 other people across the country according to a new report issued today by public interest groups. Is It In Us? Chemical Contamination in our Bodies—Toxic Trespass, Regulatory Failure and Opportunities for Action reveals widespread presence of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), phthalates, and bisphenol A—chemicals that have been linked to birth defects, cancer, learning disabilities, infertility, asthma, and other health impacts. Read the full article

May 16, 2007: First-Ever Ranking of Toxic Chemicals in Child Car Seats Released Today at HealthyCar.org

Crash tests aren’t the only way to prove the safety of a car seat, according to new research released today by the Ecology Center. Beginning today, consumers can look up which car seats rank the best and worst in terms of toxic chemical content at www.HealthyCar.org. Anyone looking to buy a new car seat, or wondering if their child.s current car seat is safe, can visit this site and search by model, or comparison shop between different models. Read the full article

May 9, 2007: Federal Judge Dismisses Lawsuit in Chicago Against Ecology Center and Medical Professionals

A federal judge's ruling late last week dismissed a lawsuit brought against the Ecology Center and two Michigan pediatricians by Morton Grove Pharmaceuticals. In 2006, the Ecology Center, the pediatricians, and other medical, public health, and environmental organizations supported the Michigan Legislature's action to ban pharmaceutical products containing lindane, a chemical ingredient that was used in pesticides until the EPA recently withdrew its use in agriculture. Read the full article

March 20, 2007: HealthyCar.Org Released Today As First-Ever Consumer Guide to Toxic Chemicals in Cars

Today the Ecology Center released the first-ever consumer guide to toxic chemicals in cars at www.HealthyCar.org. Over 200 of the most popular 2006- and 2007-model vehicles in the U.S. were tested for chemicals that off-gas from indoor auto parts such as the steering wheel, dashboard, armrests and seats. These chemicals become part of the air we breathe contributing to "new car smell" and a variety of acute and long-term health concerns. Since the average American spends more than 1.5 hours in a car every day, toxic chemical exposure inside vehicles is a major source of potential indoor air pollution. Read the full article

2006

October 18, 2006: Michigan’s Governor Signs Directive on Green Chemistry

Michigan public health and environmental leaders today applauded a precedent-setting initiative signed Tuesday by Governor Granholm that will make the state a national leader in the fast-growing field of green chemistry. The directive promotes safe technologies and innovations aimed at lowering health risks and preventing harmful chemical pollution at the source. Read the full article