News Releases

FOIA Data: Tap Water at 28 Military Bases Tainted With ‘Forever Chemicals’ Above States’ Safety Standards

Monday, March 23, 2020

Drinking water at more than two dozen U.S. military installations is contaminated with toxic fluorinated chemicals, or PFAS, at levels that exceed the standards set or proposed by a number of states, according to EWG’s analysis of Defense Department data obtained under the Freedom of Information Act.

Key Issues:

PFAS Could Contaminate More Than 600 Military Installations, DOD Says

Monday, March 16, 2020

The Department of Defense has released new data showing that more than 600 military sites and surrounding communities could be contaminated with perfluorinated chemicals, or PFAS – far more installations than have been previously disclosed by Pentagon officials.

Nationally Recognized Leader in Clean Beauty Joins EWG Board

Friday, March 13, 2020

Barbara Paldus, a leading entrepreneur and innovator in the clean beauty sector, has joined the Environmental Working Group board of directors.

Key Issues:

Children's Health

Consumer Products

Actor and Advocate Mark Ruffalo Applauds $20 Billion PFAS Cleanup Proposal

Thursday, March 12, 2020

Actor and environmental advocate Mark Ruffalo applauded the introduction today of the Providing Financial Assistance to States for Testing and Treatment Act of 2020, or PFAS Testing and Treatment Act, by Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.).

Key Issues:

Senate Bill Will Help States Combat PFAS Chemicals in Drinking Water and Groundwater

Thursday, March 12, 2020

Colin O’Neil, EWG’s legislative director, issued the following statement on the introduction of the Providing Financial Assistance to States for Testing and Treatment Act of 2020, or PFAS Testing and Treatment Act, by Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H).

Key Issues:

Key House Committee Approves Landmark Cosmetics Safety Legislation

Wednesday, March 11, 2020

Members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on Health today approved landmark cosmetics safety legislation, a significant step toward finally protecting consumers from potentially toxic chemical ingredients in personal care products.

Key Issues:

Consumer Products

AspenClean Brings First EWG VERIFIED™ Cleaners to Consumers

Wednesday, March 11, 2020

Today AspenClean announced its collection of nine cleaning products that meet the Environmental Working Group’s rigorous criteria for health, ingredient disclosure and transparency. These are the first cleaning products to earn the EWG VERIFIED™ mark.

Key Issues:

Consumer Products

Cleaning Products

EWG Applauds Introduction of Minnesota State Water Well Testing Bill H.F. 3950

Tuesday, March 10, 2020

After issuing back-to-back reports highlighting the increasing threat nitrate pollution from agriculture poses to Minnesotans’ sourcing of drinking water from private wells, the Midwest office of the Environmental Working Group today released a letter in support of Minnesota House File 3950. H.F. 3950 requires water testing of private wells for bacteria, nitrate and arsenic before the sale or transfer of real property.

Key Issues:

Farming & Tap Water

FDA Tests Find Asbestos in Nearly 20 Percent of Cosmetics Products

Monday, March 9, 2020

Laboratory tests commissioned by the federal Food and Drug Administration of talc-based cosmetics products found the notorious carcinogen asbestos in roughly 20 percent of the samples assessed.

Key Issues:

Consumer Products

Negative Energy: Senate Bill Would End Tax Credits for Renewables and EVs, But Boost Coal, Gas and Nukes

Friday, March 6, 2020

The Senate is likely to pass legislation that would fail to extend tax credits for renewable energy and electric vehicles but does include financial incentives for coal, natural gas and nuclear power – the direct opposite of what’s needed for America’s transition to a clean energy future.

Key Issues:

Renewable Energy

Clean Energy and You

Federal and State Policy

Consumers Demand Mandatory Testing of Cosmetics for Asbestos

Wednesday, March 4, 2020

Nearly 25,000 Americans are urging federal regulators to require the cosmetics industry to test for the presence of asbestos in cosmetics and to share the results.

Key Issues:

Consumer Products

EWG Analysis: Nitrate Pollution of Drinking Water in Rural Minnesota Is Getting Worse

Wednesday, March 4, 2020

Nitrate contamination of drinking water has increased across Minnesota’s farm country, an Environmental Working Group analysis of state data has found.

Key Issues:

Farming & Tap Water

Study: PFAS Act Similar to Known Cancer-Causing Chemicals

Wednesday, March 4, 2020

Scientists at the Environmental Working Group and Indiana University have for the first time conducted a review of 26 fluorinated chemicals, or PFAS, and found that all display at least one characteristic of known human carcinogens.

Key Issues:

Consumer Products

Trump Taps Former Chemical Industry Shill To Lead Consumer Product Safety Commission

Tuesday, March 3, 2020

President Trump intends to nominate a former top chemical industry executive, who at the Environmental Protection Agency has led the rollback of important chemical safety regulations, to lead the Consumer Product Safety Commission, according to an announcement issued last night by the White House.

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EPA Conducting Criminal Investigations Into Industries’ Handling of PFAS Chemicals

Thursday, February 27, 2020

The Environmental Protection Agency is pursuing multiple criminal inquiries into corporations that manufacture the toxic fluorinated chemicals called PFAS, according to a report by Bloomberg Environment.

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Toxic-Free Cosmetics Act Would Ban Cosmetics With Chemicals Linked to Cancer or Reproductive Harm

Friday, February 21, 2020

On Thursday the California Assembly reintroduced the Toxic-Free Cosmetics Act, A.B. 2762. If passed, the law would ban 12 toxic ingredients, such as mercury and formaldehyde, from the beauty and personal care products Californians use every day.

Key Issues:

Children's Health

Consumer Products

Under Pressure, EPA Moves Forward with Drinking Water Standards for PFOA and PFOS

Thursday, February 20, 2020

Under pressure from Congress, today the Environmental Protection Agency took the next step towards setting legal limits for two fluorinated chemicals, or PFAS, in drinking water.

Key Issues:

California Bills Would Ban ‘Forever Chemicals’ in Firefighting Foam, Expand Testing of Water for All PFAS Chemicals

Wednesday, February 19, 2020

On Tuesday the California Senate introduced two bills to address the growing contamination crisis of toxic fluorinated chemicals known as PFAS. One bill would ban the chemicals in firefighting foam – one of the largest sources of PFAS contamination – and the other would expand the state’s program to test water for many more formulations of the chemicals.

Key Issues:

EWG Study: EPA Fails To Follow Landmark Law To Protect Children From Pesticides in Food

Wednesday, February 12, 2020

The landmark Food Quality Protection Act requires the Environmental Protection Agency to protect children’s health by applying an extra margin of safety to legal limits for pesticides in food. But an investigation by EWG, published this week in a peer-reviewed scientific journal, found that the EPA has failed to add the mandated children’s health safety factor to the allowable limits for almost 90 percent of the most common pesticides.

Key Issues:

Trump’s Proposed Budget Cuts Disastrous for Public Health, Clean Energy Investments

Monday, February 10, 2020

President Trump’s 2021 budget proposal, released today, seeks deep cuts in funding for the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Energy and other agencies, and shows the administration’s continuing indifference to growing environmental and public health threats, said EWG.

Key Issues:

Children's Health

Consumer Products

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