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Tom Neltner, Chemicals Policy Director and Maricel Maffini, consultant The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has made no apparent progress to comply with the legal requirement that it consider the cumulative effect of chemicals in the diet that have similar health impacts when evaluating the safety of an additive. A year ago, on September 23,

Richard Denison, Ph.D., is a Lead Senior Scientist. [I delivered a shorter version of these comments at the September 22, 2021 webinar titled “Hair on Fire and Yes Packages! How the Biden Administration Can Reverse the Chemical Industry’s Undue Influence,” cosponsored by Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER), NH Safe Water Alliance, and EDF.  A recording …

Chemicals in food continue to be a top food safety concern among consumers Tom Neltner, Chemicals Policy Director and Maricel Maffini, consultant The latest annual food industry survey demonstrates that U.S. consumers continue to have significant concerns about chemicals in food. Specifically, the survey from the International Food Information Council (IFIC) found: 29% of consumers …

Tom Neltner, Chemicals Policy Director; Maricel Maffini, consultant; and Tom Bruton with Green Science Policy Institute Since 2002, FDA has authorized the use of four types of per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) to make plastic food packaging, one as recently as 2016. The PFAS are allowed in plastic at levels up to 2000 parts …

In-person and online shopping both have implications for the planet, even if a product arrives at your doorstep from an electric-powered delivery van, and is wrapped in biodegradable packaging.

EDF withdrew from the Baby Food Council over the organization’s failure to reach an agreement on the development of the Baby Food Standard.

As Hispanic Heritage Month comes to a close while the drought in California stubbornly marches on, here are three critical steps state and local leaders need to take to address water equity. The post 3 critical actions for water equity in California’s Latino communities – ¡apúrense! first appeared on Growing Returns.

Dr. Maria Doa will join EDF’s Healthy Communities team as Senior Director, Chemical Policy.

The Understanding Packaging (UP) Scorecard is a tool that measures food packaging materials to provide companies with the information needed to make sustainable purchasing decisions.

There’s a large and growing body of evidence around the prevalence of toxic chemicals in food packaging and the impact they’re having on human health.

EDF statement from Eric Schwaab, Senior Vice President, Ecosystems and Oceans

Tom Neltner, Chemicals Policy Director, Maricel Maffini, consultant, and Tom Bruton with Green Science Policy Institute.  Results from an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) investigation into PFAS-contaminated pesticides have much broader, concerning implications for food, cosmetics, shampoos, household cleaning products, and other consumer products, as well as recycling. This investigation, first announced earlier this year, found …

Jennifer McPartland, Ph.D., is a Senior Scientist, and Lariah Edwards, Ph.D., is an EDF-George Washington University Postdoctoral Fellow A recent article in Inside EPA ($) indicated that the US EPA’s Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) will begin piloting a “unified approach” to the evaluation of chemicals for cancer and non-cancer endpoints. Specifically, it appears that the …

Everyone deserves access to clean beauty products -- change is long overdue.

Brands and retailers have an opportunity to ensure that clean products are available, accessible and affordable for every single customer.

Tom Neltner, J.D., is Chemicals Policy Director Two recent articles add to the already strong evidence that adult exposure to relatively low levels of lead is associated with heart disease, the leading cause of death in the United States, after COVID-19. These studies reinforce the urgent need to reduce not only children’s exposure to lead but …

Five years ago, President Obama signed into law the Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act, which overhauled the country’s chemical safety law to better protect people from toxic chemicals. In a welcome change to the dismal Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) reform anniversaries during the Trump administration, this year we are able to …

Tom Neltner, J.D., is Chemicals Policy Director One of the most innovative food products expected to enter U.S. markets in coming years is cell-cultured meat and seafood. Producing these products by culturing cells in tanks and forming them into foods that look and taste like their conventionally produced counterparts is a technological achievement. Proponents enthusiastically tout …

Some Texas leaders and oil and gas industry advocates have for years promoted the idea that produced water — the wastewater generated through oil and gas development — has a role to play in meeting broad water needs in our state. However, the state has a limited understanding of the chemicals in this wastewater and …

Joanna Slaney, Legislative Director and Sam Lovell, Communications Manager.  As Congress pursues infrastructure legislation, it’s clear that replacing lead pipes is a priority issue. This is welcome news for our health, the country’s infrastructure, and the economy. We are glad to see the attention on this issue from Congress and from the Administration with the …

The most common causes of lead poisoning in children in the US are lead-based paint and contaminated dust, which are mainly found in older housing. When present, lead pipes also present the single largest source of lead exposure through water. In Rhode Island, an estimated 80% of the housing was built before 1978, meaning it’s …

Environmental Defense Fund applauds Representative DeLauro for introducing the Toxic Free Food Act of 2021.

Health, environmental, and consumer orgs sent a petition to the FDA to ban all PFAS (per and polyfluorinated alkyl substances) that accumulate in the body.

Tom Neltner, J.D., is Chemicals Policy Director Lead poisoning prevention advocates should mark May 14, 2021 as a consequential day in our collective efforts to protect public health. Last week, two decisions and a preliminary report were issued that lay a solid foundation for further progress. When translated into action, the decisions and report should result …

Tom Neltner, J.D., Chemicals Policy Director and Maricel Maffini, Ph.D., Consultant Yesterday, The Guardian published a powerful story by reporter Tom Perkins detailing how chemical manufacturers hid evidence of dangerous health impacts from certain types of PFAS and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) did not take sufficient and swift action to protect the public.