For Consumer Questions:

734-663-2400 x 105

For Press Questions:

Glenn Turner, 917-817-3396
Shayna Samuels, 718-541-4785
En español: Genoveva Howe 734-761-3186 x115

Para leer este informe en español, favor de hacer clic aquí.

Advisories and Releases

** ATTN TV REPORTERS: B-ROLL AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST **
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Wednesday, Sept. 16, 1 pm EDT
CONTACT: Shayna Samuels, 718-541-4785 or Glenn Turner, 917-817-3396

GM-Chevy Cobalt Receives Top Honor in 3rd Annual Guide to
Toxic Chemicals in Cars and Children's Car Seats at
www.HealthyStuff.org

Most Toxic Cars: Chevy Aveo, Mitsubishi Eclipse, Hyundai Tucscon
Most Toxic Car Seats: Cosco Sprit Travel System & Cosco Alpha Omega Blue Steel

(Wednesday, September 16, 2009  – Ann Arbor, MI) – Today the Ecology Center released the 3rd annual consumer guide to toxic chemicals in cars and children’s car seats at www.HealthyStuff.org.  Over 700 new and used vehicles, from the 1980’s to 2010 model year vehicles were tested for chemicals that off-gas from parts such as the steering wheel, dashboard, armrests, seats, and carpet.  These chemicals become part of the air we breathe, contributing to "new car smell" and a variety of acute and long-term health concerns.  Since the average American spends more than 1.5 hours in a car every day, toxic chemical exposure inside vehicles is a major source of potential indoor air pollution.  Children are the most vulnerable population since their systems are still developing.

"For the first time a vehicle built in the U.S. (Ohio) by a U.S. company (General Motors), was our best overall vehicle", said Jeff Gearhart, the Ecology Center’s Research Director.  "The best selling Chevy Cobalt shows that GM has the innovation and know-how to make healthy vehicles."

This year’s findings are part of a larger effort to test toxic chemicals in everyday products. In addition to cars and children’s car seats, the Ecology Center tested pet products, back-to-school supplies, women’s handbags and other consumer products.  All of the results can be found at www.HealthyStuff.org.

"More and more consumers are concerned about the issue of toxic chemicals in commonly used products – especially products related to children," said Jeff Gearhart, the Ecology Center’s Research Director.  "While the best car and child car seat manufacturers are starting to pay attention, far too many companies have not yet phased out these dangerous chemicals."

Chemicals of primary concern include: bromine (associated with brominated flame retardants); chlorine (indicating the presence of polyvinyl chloride, or PVC and phthalates); lead; and heavy metals. Such chemicals have been linked to a wide range of health problems such as allergies, birth defects, impaired learning, liver toxicity, and cancer.chart

To sample the vehicles and car seats, experts at the Ecology Center used a portable X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) device, which identifies the elemental composition of any material in 30 seconds.  In each vehicle 11 different components were sampled including: steering wheel, shift knob, armrest/center console, dashboard, headliner, carpet, seat front, seat back, seat base, hard door trim and soft door trim. Components sampled were those most likely to be touched or otherwise contribute to human exposure.  For car seats, seat bases, clips, shades, trim, and/or arm rests were tested.

While there are numerous substances in vehicles that can lead to health and environmental problems, HealthyCar.org selected those with known toxicity, persistence, and tendency to build up in people and the environment. These chemicals included:

Bromine:  Associated with the use of brominated flame retardants, BFRs are added to plastics in order to impart fire resistance, but they are released into the environment over the life of the vehicle.  Heat and UV-ray exposure in cars can accelerate the breakdown of these chemicals and possibly increase their toxicity.  Some BFRs have been associated with thyroid problems, learning and memory impairment, decreased fertility, behavioral changes, and other health problems. 

Chlorine:  Associated with the use of polyvinyl chloride, PVC is a widely used type of plastic that is of concern to the environment and public health during all phases of its life cycle.  PVC often contains chemicals called phthalates, some of which have been associated with decreased fertility, pre-term deliveries, and damage to the liver, testes, thyroid, ovaries, kidneys, and blood.  There is also evidence that phthalates can pass from mothers to babies through the placenta and through breast milk.

Lead: Lead is sometimes used as an additive in automotive plastics.  Exposure can lead to a number of potential health effects including brain damage, and problems with the kidneys, blood, nerves, and reproductive system.  It can also cause learning and behavioral problems.

Other: Other chemicals tested as part of healthycar.org include antimony, arsenic, chromium, cobalt, copper, mercury, nickel and tin. The substances in this category are allergens, carcinogens, or cause other adverse health impacts depending on the concentrations and exposure levels.

In response to increasing consumer demand for safer products, Senator Frank Lautenberg and Representative Bobby Rush are expected to introduce a new bill this Congressional session to reform the outdated Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) – the current federal law for regulating chemicals.   These reforms would phase out the most dangerous chemicals from the manufacturing process; require industry to take responsibility for the safety of their products; and use the best science to protect vulnerable groups.  To date the EPA has only required testing on about 200 of the more than 80,000 chemicals that have been on the market since the law first passed in 1976. 

"A Made in the USA label should be a guarantee, not a warning," said Charlotte Brody, National Field Director for Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families, a coalition working toward toxic chemical policy reform.   "We have an opportunity to reform TSCA this year and start putting common sense limits on harmful chemicals." 

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***ATTENTION JOURNALISTS:  For copies of B-Roll, graphs showing best/worst cars & child car seats, photos, or to arrange interviews with experts please call Shayna Samuels at 718-541-4785.
For a summary of key findings, click here (PDF download).


NEWS ADVISORY for Wed. Sept. 16, 2009

Extensive New Database on Toxic Chemicals in Consumer Products to Be Released at www.HealthyStuff.org on Wednesday September 16 at 1 pm est

Lead, Arsenic, PVC & Hazardous Flame Retardants Found in Pet Products, School Supplies, Cars, Children's Car Seats, Women's Handbags and More

New Efforts to Reform the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) Expected This Congressional Session

For the past several years the Michigan-based Ecology Center has spearheaded groundbreaking research on toxic chemicals in children's toys, cars and car seats, alerting consumers to the dangers of lead, cadmium, mercury and other hazardous chemicals found in everyday products. Now, the group is releasing brand new test data on over 900 products on a new site - www.HealthyStuff.org . In total, the new site will be home to over 15,000 test results on over 5,000 common items including pet products, women's handbags, back-to-school products and more. Blog-friendly widgets and a mobile phone optimized application

In response to increasing consumer demand for safer products, the federal government is gearing up for reform of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). These reforms would phase out the most dangerous chemicals from the manufacturing process; require industry to take responsibility for the safety of their products; and use the best science to protect vulnerable groups.

WHAT: Press Teleconference to Release HealthyStuff.org and Announce New Efforts in Business and Government to Respond to Consumer Demand for Safer Products

WHEN: Wednesday, September 16, 1:00 pm est (10 am pst)

HOW: Call: 800-768-5901 Password: 6632400

WHO:
  • Jeff Gearhart, Research Director at the Ecology Center, who developed HealthyStuff.org, HealthyToys.org and HealthyCar.org.
  • Charlotte Brody, National Field Director for Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families, a groundbreaking coalition of diverse groups united by their common concern about toxic chemicals in our homes, places of work, and products we use every day.
  • Joan Blades, co-founder and President of MomsRising.org, a grassroots online activist organization that mobilizes millions of parents around toxic chemicals in children's products, among other issues. She is also co-founder of MoveOn.org.
  • Mark Rossi, PhD is Research Director for Clean Production Action and founder of the Business-NGO Working Group for Safer Chemicals and Sustainable Materials. Rossi has a PhD in Environmental Policy from MIT.

** ATTN JOURNALISTS: Advance access to HealthyStuff.org is available on an embargoed basis. For the password please contact Shayna Samuels at 718-541-4785.

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