For  more  information  contact:  Fawn  Pattison,  Toxic  Free  NC      fawn@toxicfreenc.org    Toxic  Free  NC  is  a  non-­‐profit  organization  dedicated  to  protecting  children’s  health,  a  clean  environment,  and  a  vibrant  economy.        www.ToxicFreeNC.org  

Chemicals  and  our  health  80,000+  chemicals  are  on  the  market  with  virtually  no  safety  testing.  

The  federal  government  has  utterly  failed  on  toxics.    Why  North  Carolina  needs  to  take  action  now  

What’s  the  Problem?  Harmful  chemicals  continue  to  be  found  in  everyday  products,  even  though  safer  alternatives  are  available.  Toxic  chemicals  known  to  be  used  in  everyday  products  include:  • BPA  food  packaging  such  as  baby  food  jar  lids  and  can  linings.  • Phthalates  in  toys,  scented  lotions,  shampoos  and  other  personal  care  products.  • Flame  retardants  in  nursery  furniture,  nursing  pillows  and  carseats.    There  is  no  comprehensive  system  in  place  to  assure  that  highly  hazardous  chemicals  are  not  being  used  in  the  products  we  use  every  day.  That  means  many  toxic  chemicals  are  ending  up  in  a  place  they  shouldn’t:  our  bodies.    

Several  other  states  are  taking  action  where  the  federal  government  has  failed.  North  Carolina  can  gain  access  to  key  data  on  toxics  in  everyday  products  –  as  well  as  alternatives  –  by  joining  

the  Interstate  Chemicals  Clearinghouse.  

Children  are  most  at  risk.  Their  bodies  are  developing  at  an  amazing  rate.  Pound  for  pound,  they  drink  more  water,  breathe  more  air,  and  ingest  more  food  than  adults  do.  That  means  they’re  also  exposed  to  much  higher  concentrations  of  the  chemical  pollution  all  around  us.1    Cancer  is  on  a  slow  and  steady  increase  in  American  children,  rising  22%  between  1975  and  2004.2  Autism  now  affects  1  in  88  American  children,  and  1  in  54  boys.3  Exposure  to  toxic  chemicals  is  an  important  factor  in  these  devastating  diseases.    

Citations  for  this  fact  sheet  on  page  4  

What  Kinds  of  Chemicals?  

Phthalates      are  used  as  softeners  in  PVC  plastic,  and  as  fragrance-­‐binders  in  cosmetics  like  baby  shampoo.  Exposure  is  linked  to:7  Reproductive  Health  Problems  Respiratory  problems  Cancer

TRIS  flame  retardants    are  used  in  textiles  including  furniture,  and  foam  products  like  nursing  pillows  and  the  padding  in  carseats.  Extensive  testing  has  shown  them  to  be  ineffective  in  stopping  

house  fires.  Exposure  to  TRIS  flame  retardants  has  been  linked  to:  

Cancer  5  Harm  to  the  Developing  Brain  6

Bisphenol  A    (BPA)      is  a  hormone-­‐disrupting  chemical  found  in  polycarbonate  plastic.  BPA  is  widely  used  in  food  packaging,  including  baby  food  and  formula.  Exposure  to  BPA  is  associated  with  increased  risk  for  many  health  problems,4  including:    Infertility  Heart  disease  Obesity  Cancer

 

Talking  points  for  your  call:    

• I  live  in  your  legislative  district.  

• I  am  concerned  that  the  legislature  did  not  act  on  the  NC  Toxic  Free  Kids  Act  of  2013.  

• The  toxic  chemicals  in  everyday  products,  like  flame  retardants  and  BPA,  are  linked  to  health  problems  including  cancer,  hormone-­‐disruption  and  harm  to  the  developing  brain.      

 • If  you  have  a  personal  story  or  concern  to  share,  please  mention  it!  

 • Chemicals  should  be  proven  safe  before  ending  up  in  our  homes  and  children’s  

products.    

• Please  let  us  know  your  plans  for  advancing  toxics  reform  in  the  2014  NC  legislative  session,  and  how  we  can  support  your  efforts.    

 For  sponsors/cosponsors  only:      

• Thank  you  for  your  leadership  on  this  critical  issue.    -­‐  Your  name  and  city  of  residence  

What  you  can  do:  Call  your  legislators!  Personal  calls  make  a  huge  difference.    

 NC  Legislature:  919-­‐733-­‐4111  

Don’t  know  your  state  House  &  Senate  members?    

Look  them  up  at  www.NCleg.net  

Citations  for  this  fact  sheet  on  page  4  

References  for  the  Chemicals  &  our  Health  Fact  Sheet:  1  Ruth  Etzel  and  Sophie  J  Balk,  eds.  2012.  Pediatric  Environmental  Health.  3rd  Edition.  American  Academy  of  Pediatrics.  

2  National  Cancer  Institute,  2008.  Fact  Sheet  on  Childhood  Cancers.  http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Sites-­‐Types/childhood  

3  Jon  Baio,  2012.  “Prevalence  of  Autism  Spectrum  Disorders  —  Autism  and  Developmental  Disabilities  Monitoring  Network,  14  Sites,  United  States,  2008.”  Morbidity  and  Mortality  Weekly  Report  (MMWR).  March  30,  2012  /  61(SS03);1-­‐19  http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/ss6103a1.htm?s_cid=ss6103a1_w  

4  vom  Saal  et  al.  2007.  “Chapel  Hill  bisphenol  A  expert  panel  consensus  statement:  Integration  of  mechanisms,  effects  in  animals  and  potential  to  impact  human  health  at  current  levels  of  exposure.”  Reprod  Toxicol.  2007  Aug–Sep;  24(2):  131–138.  

5  California  Environmental  Protection  Agency.  2011.  Chemicals  Known  to  the  State  to  Cause  Cancer  or  Reproductive  Toxicity.  OEHHA.  [Accessed  Oct  1,  2011].  http://www.oehha.ca.gov/prop65/prop65_list/files/P65single072911.pdf  

6  Divshaw  LV,  Powers  CM,  Ryde  IT,  Roberts  SC,  Seidler  FJ,  Slotkin  TA,  Stapleton  HM.  2011.  “Is  the  PentaBDE  Replacement,  tris  (1,3-­‐dichloro-­‐2-­‐propyl)  phosphate  (TDCPP),  a  developmental  neurotoxicant?  Studies  in  PC12  cells.”  Toxicology  and  Applied  Pharmacology.  

7  Hauser  and  Calafat.  2005.  “Phthalates  and  Human  Health.”  Occup  Environ  Med  2005;62:806-­‐818