BPA Journal Sentinel

Chemical Fallout: A Journal Sentinel Watchdog Report

Warning: Chemicals in the packaging, surfaces or contents of many products may cause long-term health effects, including cancers of the breast, brain and testicles; lowered sperm counts, early puberty and other reproductive system defects; diabetes; attention deficit disorder, asthma and autism. A decade ago, the government promised to test these chemicals. It still hasn't.

BPA leaches from 'microwave safe' products

Products marketed for infants or billed as "microwave safe" release toxic doses of the chemical bisphenol A when heated, an analysis by the Journal Sentinel has found. »Read Full Article

• How The Story Was Reported: Putting the products to the test
• PDF: How to avoid bisphenol A
• BPA results
• Responses: E-mails from companies whose products were tested
• Statement: American Chemistry Council
• Video: Meg Kissinger talks about her reporting on JSOnAir

The Series

Are your products safe? You can't tell.

Congress ordered the federal government in 1996 to begin testing and regulating certain chemicals suspected of causing cancer and a host of developmental problems. Eleven years later, not a single compound has been put to that test. »Read Full Article

• Audio slideshow: A chemical home audit
• Graphic: Room by room chemicals abound (pdf)

Warning: Bisphenol A is in you

The federal government's assurances that a common chemical is safe are based on outdated U.S. government studies and research heavily funded by the chemical industry. »Read Full Article

• Guide: What you can do to minimize your chemical exposure

EPA drops ball on danger of chemicals to children

The Environmental Protection Agency is supposed to evaluate compounds in products such as flame retardants in mattresses and car seats to see if they are especially harmful to children. But it doesn't. »Read Full Article

Hazardous flame retardant found in household objects

A flame retardant that was taken out of children's pajamas more than 30 years ago after it was found to cause cancer is being used with increasing regularity in furniture, paint - even baby carriers and bassinets - and manufacturers are under no obligation to let the public know about it. »Read Full Article

EPA fails to collect chemical safety data

A few blocks from St. Josaphat Basilica on Milwaukee’s near south side, a company called Milport Enterprises makes more than a million pounds a year of a chemical that no one knows much about, not even the company executives. This is despite a decade of promises by the federal government to provide safety information about just such chemicals. »Read Full Article

Donation raises questions for head of FDA’s bisphenol A panel

A retired medical supply manufacturer who considers bisphenol A to be "perfectly safe" gave $5 million to the research center of Martin Philbert, chairman of the Food and Drug Administration panel about to make a pivotal ruling on the chemical's safety. »Read Full Article

Plastics industry behind FDA research, study finds

A government report claiming that bisphenol A is safe was written largely by the plastics industry and others with a financial stake in the controversial chemical, the Journal Sentinel found. »Read Full Article

Latest Updates

Following is additional Journal Sentinel news coverage and updates on the chemical Bisphenol A

Chemical Fallout | Watchdog Update

Bisphenol A opponents, Obama team to meet

A coalition of health advocates, looking to seize the momentum of a new administration, will meet with members of President-elect Barack Obama's transition team next week in Washington, D.C., to push for a ban on bisphenol A.

More Headlines

• Lawmakers to seek ban on BPA
• BPA substitutes sought as pressure mounts
• FDA scientists to reconsider overlooked BPA studies
• Scientific panel criticizes FDA report that labels bisphenol A safe
• Scientists note flaws in bisphenol A study; lawmaker wants ban
• Canada to ban bisphenol A in baby bottles
• FDA looks into bisphenol A advocate’s donation to science center
• New study links heart disease to bisphenol A
• Testimony on bisphenol A stirs debate
• Group’s tests of bisphenol A conflict with FDA’s findings that it’s harmless

HCWH rBGH Food Work Group

Nurses working with Health Care Without Harm's rBGH Food Work Group have created three short videos to help nurses understand how the use of rBGH, a synthetic hormone found in dairy products, impacts human health. Nurses play an important role to protect and prevent harm to patients, health care workers and visitors. Also, the videos will help guide nurses to advocate for healthier food choices in their health care facilities.

Human & Animal Health - Part 1
Learn about the health problems associated to recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone (rBGH) or rBST and how to apply the Precautionary Principle and the ANA's Precautionary Approach to protect health. This clip also discusses countries where rBGH is banned.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C6pDvnoT_l0

rBGH & Nursing - Part 2
rBGH & Nursing: This clip discusses what nurses can do about synthetic hormones in dairy products. Learn about the American Nurses Association's resolution, American Medical Association's position, what you can do today, and how to engage others to promote the use of rBGH-free dairy products in your personal and professional life.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sicQXOhXpUU

rBGH Nurse Toolkit - Part 3
rBGH - Nurse Tool Kit at http://www.noharm.org/us/nurses/rBgh will provide nurses with tools to advocate for patients, employees and visitors to have healthier food in health care facilities. Health Care Without Harm, an international coalition is transforming the health care sector to prevent harm to patients, public health and the environment.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IbvfJYRkg2k

To learn more about this topic and others, join Health Care Without Harm's Healthy Food in Health Care Listserv at http://www.noharm.org/us/food/listserv

Why Cancer is Gaining on Us

By Rita Arditti | Boston Globe, October 27, 2008

http://www.boston.com/ bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/ oped/articles/2008/10/27/why_ cancers_gaining_on_us/

FOR ALL the pink ribbons, breast-cancer awareness events, fund-raisers, and celebrations of "survivorship," the facts remain grim. In this country, a woman's lifetime risk of breast cancer is one in eight. In 1975, the risk was about one in 11.

Evidence for Organic Milk

Is Organic Milk More Nutritious than Conventional?

According to the USDA, there isn't much difference between regular and organic milk. We don't agree. Increasingly, studies show that organic milk is more beneficial to our health in many ways.

http://healthychild.org/

Solutions for a Healthy Economy

Rachel Carson Legacy Conference Investigates Green Chemistry
Then second annual conference focuses on Solutions for a Healthy Economy.

“In the United States, supermarket giants Wal-Mart and Kroger have pledged to have rBST-free milk, which is milk free of genetically engineered bovine growth hormone, because of consumer preference,” DeMarco said. “Two of the major cleaning product companies, Clorox and S. C. Johnson, have introduced green choices to their product lines.”

The World According to Monsanto

Individuals, businesses, and organizations are encouraged to host house parties and free public showings of The World According to Monsanto, which has generated intense concern in every audience that has seen it around the world. We have prepared a companion guide that can be downloaded at, www.MonsantoFilm.com , This guide includes press tools, facts and proven outreach strategies to help channel the heightened audience motivation into effective action.

Bonus material packaged with the DVD includes What We Can Do, a brief introduction to the Campaign for Healthier Eating in America, a practical plan to end the genetic engineering of the food supply by achieving the tipping point of consumer rejection.

The package also features a brochure, a free-to-copy audio CD on GMO health risks, and the new film, Your Milk on Drugs--Just Say No!, a short documentary by Jeffrey Smith about Monsanto's genetically engineered bovine growth hormone. It exposes fired whistleblowers, manipulated research, and a corporate takeover at the FDA, and includes footage prepared for a Fox TV station -- canceled after a letter from Monsanto's attorney threatened "dire consequences."

Victory: Monsanto to divest of rBGH business!

From: Filmona, Food & Water Watch
Date: Thu, Aug 7, 2008 at 3:38 PM
Subject: Victory: Monsanto to divest of rBGH business!
To: ellie.goldberg@gmail.com

Dear Ellie ,

We're pleased to share that Monsanto, the maker of rBGH, announced yesterday that it will sell off its dairy hormone business! After years of trying to stifle consumer rejection of its artificial hormone, even Monsanto has now gotten the message: Consumers don't want rBGH in their milk.

Thank you for all your efforts in advocating against the use of this harmful hormone! In the last year, you've helped stop rBGH-free labeling bans in seven states and encouraged Starbucks to go artificial hormone-free. Here's yet another victory for you to celebrate!

Help us maintain the momentum. Please ask three of your friends to sign our petition encouaging more companies to go rBGH-free.

And stay tuned for further actions on how you can ensure kids get rBGH-free milk in school lunches.


Filmona and Sarah
The Food Team
Food & Water Watch
goodfood(at)fwwatch.org