EWG news roundup (4/9): Clean energy jobs on the horizon, key California bills advance past committee and more

This week, EWG released a report breaking down the labor outlook for the energy sector. President Biden has pledged to invest $2 trillion in infrastructure and clean energy projects, which we argue could be a giant step in moving America toward clean energy while not stranding millions of workers.

On Thursday, EWG called on the Food and Drug Administration to act swiftly on its plan to set mandatory limits on levels of toxic heavy metals, like mercury and arsenic, in baby food.

“It’s good that the FDA is finally proposing to propose limits on metals in baby food,” said Scott Faber, EWG’s senior vice president for government affairs. “Setting draft levels will send a powerful signal to the food industry to do better. But proposing to propose is not the same as setting mandatory standards that baby food companies must meet. Parents should not have to wait – and Congress should not wait, but instead set interim levels in the law that companies must meet right away.”

According to The Guardian, the number of Americans diagnosed with Parkinson’s has risen dramatically and could be partially due to exposure to trichloroethylene, a chemical commonly used in dry cleaning, carpet cleaners, shoe polish and industrial processes that makes its way into drinking water and air. EWG dissected this story and provided advice to families to combat this harmful contaminant.

EWG applauded lawmakers in California for advancing three vital bills past committee this week.

And finally, EWG continued our "None of the Above" energy policy series by examining the decline of the oil and gas industries.

Here’s some news you can use going into the weekend.

Children’s health

The Defender: Groundbreaking Investigation Finds Alarming Levels of Arsenic, Lead and Toxic Chemicals in U.S. Tap Water

At least 2,337 communities in 49 states have drinking water known to be contaminated with PFAS, according to a January analysis by the Environmental Working Group, an advocacy organization.  

Heavy metals in baby food

Food Beverage Insider: Baby Food Safety Act would set maximum levels of toxins

Among the groups supporting the bill: the American Sustainable Business Council, Clean Label Project, Consumer Reports, Environmental Working Group and Healthy Babies Bright Futures (HBBF). HBBF said its own 2019 study identified heavy metals in 95% of baby foods tested, prompting the congressional subcommittee report.

TCE and Parkinson’s disease

The Guardian: Rates of Parkinson’s disease are exploding. A common chemical may be to blame

TCE is currently estimated to be present in about 30% of US groundwater (the non-profit Environmental Working Group created its own map of TCE-contaminated water sites nationwide), though researcher Briana de Miranda, a toxicologist who studies TCE at the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine, says: “We are under-sampling how many people are exposed to TCE. It’s probably a lot more than we guess.” Reprinted by Vaaju, News Beezer, Daily Magazine, Business Fast, Capital Bay

Oregon Live (Portland, Ore.): Parkinson’s disease diagnoses could skyrocket over next 25 years due to carcinogen that’s common in groundwater: report

The advocacy and research organization Environmental Working Group has created an interactive map that shows trichloroethylene contamination in public-water systems across the country.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack

Capital Press (Salem, Ore.): Environmental Working Group: Conservation programs need reform

“Many of the practices that help reduce farm pollution and protect our drinking water supplies are the same practices that sequester carbon in the soil or reduce emission of nitrous oxide,” said Scott Faber, senior vice president of government affairs for the Environmental Working Group.

Black farmers

Successful Farming: Vilsack Stresses Carbon Markets, Nutrition, Rectifying Past Discrimination Against Black Farmers

Federal farm payments in recent years have attracted the attention of farm program critics. The Environmental Working Group issued a report earlier this year which stated that in 2016, 17% of total federal farm subsidies went to the top 1% of farmers, with 60% going to the top one-tenth of farmers. By 2019, the top 1% received almost one-fourth of the total, with the top one-tenth receiving almost two-thirds of payments.

Cleaning products

Bob Vila: 5 Chemicals You Can Cut from Your Cleaning Routine (and What to Use Instead)

EWG (Environmental Working Group) gives ECOS All-Purpose Cleaner a top score as a healthy alternative. For a DIY approach, add rubbing alcohol to a vinegar-water cleaner to make it evaporate quicker for fewer streaks. Reprinted by MSN

Consumer guides

Women’s Wear Daily: Inside Asutra’s Multifaceted Wellness Approach

We also look at ingredients. We try to be as plant based as possible, we stick to cruelty free, we look at the Environmental Working Group to make sure we’re using the cleaner, safe ingredients. And we look at ingredients that we think could be interesting to provide functional benefits. Reprinted by Yahoo! News

Wine Magazine: What You Need for a More Sustainable, Eco-Friendly Kitchen

The Environmental Working Group recommends stainless steel or cast-iron cookware, which also happen to last for years if you take good care of them.

Skin Deep® cosmetics database

Vogue: Spring's Best Fragrances Are Big on Personality

Cruelty-free with bottles made from recycled glass and scents devoid of parabens, sulfates, and other elements that don’t meet with the Environmental Working Group's standards, it’s a clean living enthusiast’s dream.

Treehugger: The 8 Best Natural Moisturizers of 2021

For Treehugger's shortlist, we have chosen only those moisturizers that have been ranked favorably by the non-profit Environmental Working Group (EWG) and have met their set health standards and toxin-free criteria, or small-batch indie brands using environmentally kind and easy-to-understand ingredients. So, wait no longer to dab on gobs of goodness on your skin. 

EWG VERIFIED®: cosmetics

Treehugger: The Treehugger Guide to Sustainable Certifications

The Environmental Working Group is a non-profit that tracks chemical safety. They employ scientists and rely on peer-reviewed research to look into water safety, agricultural chemicals, and consumer product ingredients. The organization’s EWG Verified mark has been given to over 1700 products and is an offshoot of their popular Skin Deep database where consumers can find details on over 70,000 personal care products.

Food additives: TBHQ in processed foods

ABC 7 News (Fort Myers, Fla.): Some of your favorite snacks could be impacting your immunity

New research from The Environmental Working Group is focusing on preservatives used to prolong the shelf life of boxed foods.

Natural News: Preservative in thousands of children’s food products found to damage immune system

The Environmental Working Group (EWG) published a paper recently that exposes a common food preservative for damaging the immune system.

Meat eater’s guide to climate change + health

Mashed: Everything You Need To Know About Cultured Meat

As early as 2011, Scientific American reported that the Environmental Working Group found that lamb and beef produce 10 to 40 times more emissions than vegetables and grains.

PFAS

E&E News (Greenwire): EPA dumps Trump PFAS review, releases reassessment

Alexis Temkin, a toxicologist with the Environmental Working Group, says the new assessment appears to place greater weight on the potential health impacts of PFBS exposure on a fetus during pregnancy, resulting in a more stringent reference dose than was calculated under the Trump administration.

Alameda Sun (Alameda, Calif.): Navy Will Investigate Contamination at Point

“This strong bond [between carbon and fluorine] makes PFAS chemicals heat resistant,” states the Environmental Working Group (EWG), a nonprofit environmental science advocacy organization.

PFAS in water

Inside EPA: States’ PFAS Monitoring, Discharge Rules Spur Regulated Entities’ Fears

The Environmental Working Group late last year faulted EPA’s strategy for not indicating whether the agency plans to develop water quality standards, limits on discharges for certain industries, and pretreatment requirements for wastewater, and not including a timeframe for developing any such standards.

Successful Farming: Scientists Find ‘Forever Chemicals’ Near Iowa Airpoint, Push for Widespread Testing

Tests commissioned by the nonprofit Environmental Working Group in 2020 found PFAS in the Quad-Cities water supply well above the EPA health advisory level. The reading of 109.8 parts per trillion, compared with the health target of 70 parts per trillion or below, was the second-highest level in the 31 states where the organization’s consultants found PFAS.  

Smart Water Magazine: UK not testing its drinking water for PFAS

Drinking water is a major source of exposure to PFAS, and PFAS contamination of drinking water has been reported across the world, according to Dr Olga Naidenko, from the US-based Environmental Working Group.

Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce™

Clean Eating Magazine: The 2021 Dirty Dozen List: WYNTK

The Environmental Working Group (EWG) just released their annual Dirty Dozen report that ranks 46 produce foods from highest to lowest in regards to the amount of pesticide residues they contain.

First for Women: How to Wash Grapes So They’re Free of Pesticides and Residue Before Eating Them

Whether you’re eating them on their own, tossing them into a chicken salad, or even using some as a controversial (yet delicious) pizza topping, you should always clean your grapes before eating them. They’re regularly found on the EWG’s annual Dirty Dozen list along with other fresh produce, like strawberries and leafy greens. This year, grapes are smack dab in the middle at number six with a high pesticide residue score.

Mashed: Why You Should Think Twice Before Eating Cabbage

Even if you do have to resort to non-organic methods of pest control, though, don't worry too much – cabbage is on the Environmental Working Group's "Clean 15" list of vegetables that tend to be safe to eat even if they're not organically grown.

MSN: 25 everyday foods that are bad for you

According to EWG’s Dirty Dozen™ list, strawberries top the list of fruits and vegetables containing the most pesticides. Analysis of a single sample revealed residue from no less than 22 different pesticides, and a third of the samples tested contained 10 or more toxic products. Reprinted by MSN New Zealand, MSN Health and Fitness, MSN Health Canada, MSN Australia

MSN: 50 smart ways to save money on food

The Environmental Working Group has a list that outlines conventionally farmed fruits and vegetables that you don't have to buy organic.

One Green Planet: The Dirty Dozen and Clean Fifteen Produce List for 2021

What are the most contaminated fresh produce items? The Environmental Working Group (EWG) annually puts out the list of the most contaminated with pesticides, called The Dirty Dozen. Read on and see what made this year’s list.

Jefferson Public Radio The Jefferson Exchange (Ashland, Ore.): The Produce Items Most Likely To Come With Pesticides

Kale shows up among the top three items (after strawberries and spinach) in the "Dirty Dozen" list of produce items carrying pesticides. The Environmental Working Group puts out the list.

EWG guide to sunscreens

Omaha World Herald (Omaha, Neb.): Nice weather is coming – don't forget the sunscreen

But not just any sunscreen. “Some sunscreens contain chemicals that are bad for kids,” the physician said. (Find product ratings from the Environmental Working Group at ewg.org).

Elemental: The Truth About Mineral vs. Chemical Sunscreens

The nonprofit Environmental Working Group (EWG) has led those calls. And they continue to pressure the FDA to restrict the sale of these chemicals until further work can determine whether they’re safe.

Treehugger: The 10 Best Mineral Sunscreens of 2021

Its mild formula earned an Environmental Working Group (EWG) rating of 1 because it’s both coral-reef safe and gentle enough for the whole family including babies. It's Leaping Bunny certified and never tested on animals.

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