The Environmental Health Program

The Environmental Health Program aims to reduce or eliminate, wherever possible, toxic threats to the environment and human health. Our core strategy is to advance the precautionary principle approach to regulating chemicals. In other words require that the safety of every chemical be established before it is used in the production of any goods.

Exxon Mobil Fights Plan to Make Toys Safer

Ever wonder what Exxon Mobil is doing with the record $40.6 billion profits the company earned in 2007?  Well, one thing they’re doing is lobbying against a Vermont bill that would protect children from toxic chemicals in their toys.

S.261 would restrict the use of toxic phthalates in toys and child care articles such as teethers.  Phthalates are chemicals that are added to plastics to make them soft and flexible, and have been linked to a myriad of health problems including altered male reproductive development, genital defects, and increased risk of breast cancer.  Many children’s products including teethers, bathbooks, and rubber duckies contain phthalates. 

Despite the existence of safer alternatives, Exxon Mobil – a leading manufacturer of phthalates – is aggressively maneuvering to gut this strong piece of legislation.  The bill is currently in the House Human Services Committee and is scheduled for a vote on Wednesday, April 23rd.

Overview

All Vermont kids should be toxic-free. Unfortunately, they are not. Our children have become lab experiments because the chemical industry is not required to fully test the safety of their products. Consider the following:

Up to 2,800 Vermont kids suffer from lead poisoning each year;
Vermont’s waterways are so polluted with mercury that women and children are advised not to eat local fish;
Over 90% of Vermont schools continue to spray toxic pesticides;
75% of toys labeled “phthalate-free” tested positive for this toxic plastic in VPIRG tests;
Five states — including New York, California and Maine — have taken action to ban use of toxic flame retardants; Vermont has not.

These toxins appear in products used everyday in our homes — products we would normally assume to be harmless. Many of these toxins build up in the body and can cause: Lowered IQ; Birth Defects; Behavioral Disorders; Respiratory Distress; Reproductive Disorders; and Childhood Cancer.

The Chemical Industry Knows it's Poisoning Our Children

Remember in the 70’s when lead was still in our paint and gasoline? Most of us assume that since learning the dangers of lead, chemical companies have taken steps to eliminate its use. Sadly, this is not the case.

On February 22, 2006, a four year old boy in Minneapolis died of lead poisoning after swallowing a piece of a metal bracelet composed of 99% lead. The bracelet was sold as part of a promotion for Reebok children’s shoes, and the following month, federal authorities recalled 580,000 similar jewelry items from stores across the nation.1

While deaths attributed to lead poisoning are very rare, children’s exposure to lead in jewelry is not. A 2004 study reported that of 311 pieces of jewelry bought from retail stores in California, 123 contained more than 50% lead by weight.

The chemical industry has known for years that lead is dangerous. But they continue to use lead and other toxic chemicals because they can be less expensive. In order to protect our kids from toxic threats we need to demand that businesses replace them with safer alternatives.

VPIRG is Working to Protect Children

VPIRG is working with doctors, nurses, and legislators to reduce our children's exposure to toxic chemicals. These leaders want to adopt the “Precautionary Principle” to make sure that new chemicals are tested for safety before they are put on the market and into products. It is the chemical industry, not everyday citizens, that should prove that new chemicals are safe.

VPIRG is bringing organizations and individuals together around the state to protect our children from toxic hazards by adopting the Precautionary Principle. We’ll be working with public leaders to:

Require dentists to use safer alternatives to mercury fillings in kids and pregnant women;
Stop spraying pesticides in our schools;
Ban the use of lead in children’s products;
Post health-based warnings about mercury in fish in all grocery stores;
Follow Europe’s lead in phasing-out toxic plastics from children’s products;
Replace toxic flame retardants in children’s clothing with safer alternatives.

Take Action Now!

We all need to work together to protect our children from toxic exposures. Every voice counts and you can make a difference for children in Vermont. Here’s how:

Be part of the solution:
You can help by contacting your community leaders and legislators. Ask them to make Vermont’s children a priority by acting on the chemical safety issues we’ve mentioned.

Write a Letter to the Editor:
VPIRG can help you write a letter, email or opinion editorial for your local newspaper. We can also offer tips for making sure your letter gets printed.

Host or attend a local lobby meeting:
VPIRG is organizing meetings between constituents and legislators in towns all over Vermont. You can take part by contacting VPIRG's field staff at 223-8421.

Attend a lobby day at the Vermont State House:
VPIRG and our allies will be organizing one or more events at the Vermont State House in Montpelier to address toxic exposures threatening children. Stay in touch to find out details and join the campaign!