Newsletters

Environmental impacts of plastic use are a business liability, says a new report from the Plastic Disclosure Project, United National Environment Program and business consultants Trucost. By quantifying plastics use, the report suggests, companies… …

Is the chemistry safer? We’re excited about displacing fossil fuels as the feedstocks for plastics. Recent research in the UK demonstrates that plastics can be made out of chemicals extracted from lignin – a hydrocarbon that provides… …

Are the alternatives to HBCD safer? The US EPA’s Design for Environment program released its final report identifying alternatives to the flame retardant HBCD (hexabromocyclododecane). A persistent, bioaccumulative, toxic (PBT) chemical with… …

What are the societal costs of hazardous chemicals? A report from the European NGO, Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL), finds that exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) in products and food may cost the EU up to €31 billion (more… …

Who thought it was a good idea to put small, plastic beads that last forever in products that go down the drain? Illinois Governor Pat Quinn signed the nation’s first bill banning the manufacture and sale synthetic plastic microbeads in… …

Europeans continue to expect government leadership on toxic chemicals. France has told the EU:  It’s time to act. There is ample scientific evidence that endocrine disrupting chemicals are harming human health. Disagreements and delays on… …

On the path to halogen-free products … Sportswear manufacturer Adidas announced that its products will be 90% perfluorinated and polyfluorinated chemical (PFC) free by June 15, 2014, 99% PFC-free by 2017 and 100% PFC-free by 2020 – and… …

Companies participating in the Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals Program (ZDHC) have commited to limiting discharges of about 150 hazardous chemicals used in manufacturing. The companies have already agreed to eliminate nonylphenols, halogenated… …

Panera Bread announced that food served in its 1800 bakery-cafés will be free of artificial additives by the end of 2016. Panera says this decision is part of its ongoing commitment to clean ingredients and transparency. Artificial trans fats,… …

Are flame retardants necessary for furniture? Acting in response to the association of flame retardants with cancer, reproductive, developmental and other adverse health effects, Kaiser Permanente announced it will no longer buy furniture containing… …