Healthy Indoors Magazine - USA Edition

HI April 2022-USA Edition

Healthy Indoors Magazine

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Healthy Indoors | 47 Amy Ziff is founder and executive director of MADE SAFE®, America's first nontoxic certification verifying that everyday household products, rang- ing from baby to beauty and furniture to fashion items, are made with safe ingredients not known to harm human health or ecosystems. The goal is to use the marketplace to bring about change to eliminate the use of harmful ingredients and materials. She regu- larly writes about the chemical world we live in at www.madesafe.org and speaks at events around the world. • Think twice: • When using to-go containers. That paper-like material wrap- ping processed foods is likely coated with perfluorinated chem- icals. Consider bringing glass or stainless-steel food containers. • When selecting dental floss look for natural and uncoated floss. • Make popcorn the old-fashioned way in a pot on the stove or use an air-popper instead of pre-pack- aged microwave popcorn, which is coated so it doesn't catch on fire. the start of what will be a slow process to ultimately clean up, and limit further PFAS contamination. Regulating PFAS has been an area of increased scrutiny by both federal and state governments. Without a national requirement on PFAS regulation, each state can adopt different policies. That makes it incredibly difficult for all constit- uencies, but this handy chart, along with this legislative tracking resource, shows what individual states are doing. In 2016, the EPA issued a health advisory for PFOA and PFOS contam- ination in water. EPA suggested a limit of no more than 70 parts per trillion in water. Currently, this limit stands as a mere suggestion for states to monitor and enact, if desired. It's important to learn about what's happening in your state. For example, in Maine where the Department of the Environment is actively testing and assessing the state's challenges with PFAS, they have been able to estab- lish the first state law to ban the sale of PFAS chemicals. While it doesn't take effect for years, it's setting an example for other states, and putting companies on notice. To find out what's happening in your state, the Environmental Council of the States provides advisories for states. While some states are beginning to take these actions, I would argue that our government is far too slow to act on harmful chemicals. WHAT TO DO ABOUT PFAS CHEMICALS IN YOUR HOME: Write your elected officials at every level and let them know you want a ban on PFAS and all classes of forever chemicals. Until, or unless, we know they're 100 percent safe, we shouldn't be forced to ingest them, use them, or interact with them. Vote with your wallet to avoid PFAS chemicals in: Stain-repellant furniture, rugs, and household items • Stain-resistant and waterproof clothing • All nonstick cookware TELL THE EPA: STOP THE CHEMICAL INDUSTRY'S ATTEMPTS TO CRIPPLE OUR TOXICS LAW

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