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The U.S. EPA announced Wednesday that it is taking several steps to increase the safety of flea and tick treatments for pets, including requiring better labeling and instructions to prevent misuse. The agency also promises to subject new and existing products to stricter testing.

[caption id="attachment_9974" align="alignleft" width="138" caption="The EPA found that small dogs are more likely to have an adverse reaction to spot-on flea treatments."] Louis2010

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The move comes after hundreds of reports of pets falling ill, or even dying, nationwide after being treated with flea and tick treatments available on the consumer market. The agency reported that it logged more than 44,000 reports of bad reactions to topical flea and tick products in 2008, which was up considerably from the 28,000+ reported in 2007. The reactions included skin irritations, gastrointestinal problems that included vomiting and diarrhea and nervous system effects — trembling, seizures, depression.

An interview with ‘Slow Death by Rubber Duck’ co-author Rick Smith

February 17th, 2010

By Barbara Kessler
Green Right Now

Having just read and reviewed Slow Death By Rubber Duck, I had a few questions for co-author Rick Smith, head of Environmental Defence Canada.

And since his book was costing me — some $120 for a new set of stainless steel cookware to replace my stick-free, Teflon-coated set — I thought he owed me some answers.

We chatted earlier this week, while he took advantage of Family Day in Canada, visiting a playground with his young boys, a strong impetus behind his work to educate the public about harmful environmental and household toxic chemicals. The younger generation, he worried, has an even higher ‘body burden’ of chemicals than we adults grew up with.

In the book, he and co-author Bruce Lourie, an environmental consultant, test common toxics to find out how they get from consumer goods and food into our bodies. In fact, they ingest or expose themselves to these chemicals to chart the effects.

The basic idea: Since many of these toxic ingredients have been shown in lab experiments to act as endocrine disruptors and cancer triggers figuring out how to limit or reduce our exposure could have positive health effects, for kids and adults.

Some toys turn up with lead, again…though most tested are clean

October 30th, 2009

Green Right Now Reports

Illinois’ PIRG, a non-profit public interest group, released results of recent testing for toxic chemicals on toys this week, finding that three items intended for children exceeded current safety standards, and two products contact phthalates in violation of federal law.

The tested toys and products can be seen at HealthyToys.org, where they will be incorporated into a much larger list. Researchers at HealthyToys.org are readying a long list of items that will be available before the 2009 December holidays.

From collars to coats: A compendium of chemicals in consumer goods

September 18th, 2009

By Melissa Segrest
Green Right Now
Lead in toys is scary enough, but that’s only the start. Now, you might need to take a second look at your handbag, your car, your pet’s bed and even your clothes. The non-profit group Healthy Stuff reports that their recent tests of 900 everyday consumer products turned up some toxic [...]

Preliminary toxic chemical data now available to public

August 20th, 2009

By Harriet Blake
Green Right Now

The EPA earlier this week issued a partial list of toxic chemicals released in the United States between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31, 2008. The preliminary data, part of the Toxics Release Inventory, is now available to the public. It includes nearly 650 chemicals that have been emitted by more than 23,000 industrial facilities. The chemicals came from metal and coal mining, electric utilities and commercial hazardous waste treatment, among others.

The initial list accounts for about 80 to 85 percent of the data to be collected. EPA administrator Lisa P. Jackson says that once the EPA has completed gathering the data, a national analysis will be released. By publishing the preliminary data, the EPA wants to demonstrate that the agency has open communication with the American public.