"Green Calls for BPA Bans Are Dangerous," by Angela Logomasini This past July the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) banned the use of the chemical Bisphenol A (BPA) to make baby bottles and sippy cups. Environmental activists would like you to believe the move was designed to protect public health and that more bans are necessary. But the greens are wrong on both counts -- and their advice could imperil public health. Read the full story on Real Clear Policy. … [Read more...]
Public Health Costs of Regulation
August 22, 2012
"Regulation And Government Science Cost Us More Than Dollars," By Angela Logomasini Today, the Independent Women’s Forum blog highlights a new NERA Economic Consulting study (produced for Manufacturers Alliance for Productivity and Innovation) on the costs of regulation. IWF’s Emily Wismer notes: "According to the report, a major federal regulation is one for which compliance costs more than $100 million per year ... Regulations are meant to keep us safe and should increase the quality and … [Read more...]
West Nile Outbreak in Texas
August 17, 2012
"West Nile Virus Hits Texas Hardest of All," by American Council on Science and Health. West Nile virus has reached a state of emergency in Dallas County, Texas this summer. Thus far, the area has seen 200 cases of human infection and 10 deaths from the mosquito-borne virus now endemic to the U.S. And while the infection rate is the worst in Texas, the CDC reports 693 cases of West Nile virus nationwide. No other state besides Louisiana, however, reported more than one death from the disease. … [Read more...]
BPA and Heart Disease Study
August 17, 2012
"Lastest Junk Science on BPA And Heart Disease," By Angela Logomasini Earlier this week, we learned from the wonderful world of junk science that eating egg yolks is as dangerous as smoking. Now we learn that eating canned vegetables will harden your arteries! These stories are hard to believe for good reasons, but they sure do make catchy headlines for news sites and green bloggers. Read the full article on OpenMarket.org. … [Read more...]
Chicago Tribune Series on Flame Retardants Under Fire
August 15, 2012
"Time to Extinguish Flame Retardant Hype," by Angela Logomasini Flame retardants are making headlines these days thanks to an “exposé” — more properly characterized as an unsubstantiated smear campaign — published as a series of articles in the Chicago Tribune this past spring. The effort has helped Senator Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.) build the case for his anti-chemical legislation, which he calls the “Safe Chemicals Act.” Supposedly, he and his journalist allies at the Chicago Tribune know … [Read more...]
California Green Chemistry Regulations
August 10, 2012
"Bureaucratic Green Chemistry," by Angela Logomasini. California bureaucrats recently released their proposed regulations implementing the state’s 2009-passed “green chemistry” law. The law supposedly will make life safer for California residents by ensuring that all products are designed to be “green.” But it is destined to fail — costing consumers without delivering benefits — because policymakers foolishly assume that bureaucrats are better situated than business to decide what makes a … [Read more...]
Environmental Working Group Shoppers Guide Bad for Public Health
August 6, 2012
"The Dangerous Demonization of our Food," By Angela Logomasini. Apples, celery, and bell peppers may be hazardous to your health, according to some environmental activists. At least that's the impression you might get reading the Environmental Working Group's Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce. But their guide is nothing more than an annual recycling of hogwash. Read the full article on FoxNews.com. … [Read more...]
Congress May Overturn EPA Ban on Asthma Inhalers
August 1, 2012
"EPA Attack On Asthmatics Coming To An End?" By Angela Logomasini. CEI warned policy makers a couple decades ago that an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) phase out of over-the-counter sales of CFC containing asthma inhalers would threaten public health without providing environmental benefits. These products had been safely used for nearly 50 years, but EPA decided that the public should have limited access because of overblown concerns about their potential to harm the ozone layer. … [Read more...]
More on Lead Paint Rule
July 31, 2012
"Unruly Lead Paint Rule," by Angela Logomasini The U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Oversight and Government Reform recently released an interesting report on regulatory impediments to job creation. Among the items discussed is the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency standard related to remodeling homes that contain lead-based paint. The standard requires contractors to test pre-1978-built homes for lead paint and then apply certain safety practices if they find it. It also requires … [Read more...]
Sen. Frank Lautenberg’s TSCA Reform Legislation
July 31, 2012
"Politics trumps science as Senators pass Safe Chemical Act — latest chemical 'reform,'" By Lana Spivak On an otherwise pleasant morning, ACSH staffers’ blood began to boil after reading the latest anti-chemical screed in the Huffington Post, which included such fear-mongering claims as this: “Ninety-nine percent of pregnant American women carry multiple manmade chemicals in their bodies, sharing that concoction through the umbilical cord.” The latest assault on chemicals preceded yesterday’s … [Read more...]
Flame Retardants and TSCA
July 17, 2012
Senator Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.) and 25 members of Congress recently sent a letter to EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson, urging quick action on regulations related to a class of flame retardant chemicals called polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs). Supposedly, consumers are in grave danger from these chemicals, and EPA needs to act quickly. The lawmakers lament in their letter that the EPA "must undertake lengthy rulemaking processes" before regulating these chemicals. We should be glad that … [Read more...]
More Details on Lead Paint Rule
July 12, 2012
"Lead Paint Rule All Wet," By Angela Logomasini. How the EPA is killing the home remodeling industry with their rules governing homes with lead paint. Read more in Pajamas Media. … [Read more...]
Pesticides in Produce
July 12, 2012
"Poisonous Advice From The Environmental Working Group," By Angela Logomasini. Here we go again. The Environmental Working Group (EWG) has issued its 2012 Shopping Guide to Pesticides in Produce — which is the eighth edition to unfairly demonize healthy fruits and vegetables. EWG issues these reports annually ... Read the full article on OpenMarket.org. … [Read more...]
Lead Paint Rule Upheld
July 2, 2012
"Unexceptional Ruling on Lead Paint," by Angela Logomasini. Homeowners seeking to do renovations on pre-1978-built homes will continue to pay extra because of the EPA’s lead paint rule — and a federal court has ruled that there will be no exceptions. On June 22, a federal court upheld the Obama administration’s elimination of “opt-out” provisions under the original regulation issued by the Bush administration. As a result, many consumers will pay high costs for little benefit ... Read the full … [Read more...]
Chemicals of Concern and Design for the Environment
May 23, 2012
"Regulators' Anti-Chemical Smear Campaigns Will Breed An Unsafe World," By Angela Logomasini Useful consumer products may soon disappear from the market and innovation dwindle as regulators—state and local—expand what basically amounts to smear campaigns. These campaigns include listing chemicals on “concern lists” without scientific justification as well as “voluntary” initiatives to reduce “hazardous” products. The crux of the problem is the focus on “hazard” rather than likely risks. Real … [Read more...]
Design for the Environment
May 18, 2012
"EPA’s Design to Strong-Arm the Chemical Industry," by Angela Logomasini If you believe the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, its Design for the Environment (DfE) program is an example of a voluntary effort to protect the environment. In reality, it’s nothing less than a tool designed strong-arm industry into abandoning useful products. Read the full story on OpenMarket.org. … [Read more...]
Changing the Debate on Chemicals
May 14, 2012
"Framing the Debate on Chemical Regulation," by Angela Logomasini Last week, CEI hosted a congressional briefing on chemical policy and regulation (the video of the event is forthcoming). A news story in Risk Policy Report covering the event proclaims: “Free- Free-Market Group Seeks To ‘Re-Frame’ Hill Debate Over Chemical Risk.” Indeed we do! Read the full story on CEI's OpenMarket.org … [Read more...]
Endocrine disrupting misinformation
May 4, 2012
"Endocrine Disrupters: Should We Fear Mother Nature?" by Angela Logomasini. A recent article published in the The New York Times touts a new report that claims to have finally proven that trace exposures to man-made chemicals can disrupt human endocrine systems and cause health problems. Their Report concludes: “Whether low doses of EDCs [endocrine-disrupting chemicals] influence certain human disorders is no longer conjecture, because epidemiological studies show that environmental exposures … [Read more...]
Congressional Hearings on NTP’s Report on Carcinogens
April 25, 2012
"Congressional Hearings Question National Toxicology Program’s Science," By Angela Logomasini. Today, the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee and House Small Business Committee held a joint hearing on the National Toxicology Program’s (NTP) Report on Carcinogens. It is critical that the NTP use the best available, peer reviewed science when making its decisions on what chemicals to list, yet it clearly doesn’t do that. Read the full story on CEI's OpenMarket.org. … [Read more...]
Are Pesticide Laws Strong Enough?
April 13, 2012
There are lots of activist groups, green marketers, and others who claim that pesticides we use in our home, communities, and crops pose serious dangers. The underlying assumption is that existing pesticide regulations are insufficient to protect public health. Yet these sites never adequately explain the laws, the exposure levels they regulate, and likely health risks. The following overview of these issues demonstrates why consumers are have little to fear from proper use of pesticides. … [Read more...]
Pesticides in Schools
April 13, 2012
In recent years, policymakers have been confronted with claims that children face dire public health risks associated with the use of pesticide products in schools. Although these laws may be well intended, they could actually create more serious health hazards for children associated with increased risks from pests. More than 20 states have “pesticide in schools” notification bills that require schools to post notification days before using pesticides on school premises. In the Northeast, … [Read more...]
Pesticides, Pests & Your Health
April 13, 2012
In recent years, public health authorities have expressed serious concerns regarding what they call the trend of “emerging infections.” They fear that many diseases transmitted by various pests—collectively called “vectors”— are on the rise. Even diseases eradicated from the United States are reemerging as increased travel and trade create more opportunities for diseases to cross international boundaries. Even diseases that have never been seen in the United States have emerged, such as the West … [Read more...]
Pesticide & Your Food
April 13, 2012
In 1989, environmental activists claimed that a chemical called Alar that was used to assist in the production of lush red apples had created what amounted to “poisoned apples.” They used this claim as part of a campaign to have the substance banned. Yet it turned out that these “poisoned” apples were as much of a fairy tale as the apple in Snow White. The Alar hysteria was completely debunked.(1) Nevertheless, Alar has never been used again on apples in the United States.(2) Moreover, the … [Read more...]
Endocrine Disrupters
April 13, 2012
You’ve probably heard the claims that chemicals are disrupting our hormones. They disrupt the development of babies in the womb, childhood development, our learning ability, and they make us fat. But none of it is true. Having largely lost the intellectual debate on cancer (although their spurious claims still adversely affect policy), anti-chemical activists have decided to add more tools to their arsenal. Among their most powerful tools is the claim that chemicals are causing widespread … [Read more...]
Cancer Risk Factors
April 13, 2012
Environmental activists have long claimed that man-made chemicals are causing rampant cancer rates that could be addressed only by government regulation. Accordingly, lawmakers have passed laws directing government agencies to study environmental causes of cancer, estimate the number of lives allegedly lost, and devise regulations to reduce death rates. However, lawmakers should be aware of some key problems with how this system has worked in practice. First, the claim that chemical pollution is … [Read more...]
Cancer Trends
April 13, 2012
In recent decades, many have claimed that cancer is rising because of increased use of man-made chemicals. But if chemicals were a source of health problems, one might expect that as chemical use increased around the world, there would be a measurable adverse effect on life expectancy, cancer rates, or other illnesses. Yet in developed nations, where chemical use has greatly increased, people are living longer, healthier lives. According to the World Health Organization, the average worldwide … [Read more...]
Chemicals and Health in Perspective
April 12, 2012
Constant media news stories and alleged dangers associated with chemicals along with and activist hype has blurred reality about the importance of chemicals in human progress. Worldwide, the average human life span has increased from about 30 years at the beginning of the 20th century to more than 60 years today, and it continues to rise.(1) In the United States, life expectancy in 1900 was just 47 years, but today it has reached nearly 78 years according to one estimate (see chart). The freedom … [Read more...]
Bisphenol A Exhonerated
April 4, 2012
"Witch Hunt Continues on Bisphenol A," by Angela Logomasini This week the Food and Drug Administration(FDA)yet again reaffirmed the safety of the chemical Bisphenol A (BPA), but the witch hunt for evidence against BPA safety continues. Environmental activists and others still won’t accept the findings — encouraging more government spending to study the chemical. But no matter how much the feds spend, researchers are unlikely to find anything new to condemn BPA. Read the full story on … [Read more...]
Congressional Hearings on Cosmetics
March 27, 2012
"Congressional Blowout Over Cosmetics Law Reform," by Angela Logomasini. Today, the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health held a hearing on cosmetics regulation to consider whether Congress should beef up federal law to ensure public health and safety. Ironically, many calls for federal action came from industry, mostly small firms that simply want the freedom to innovate and market products across state lines without running up against 50 different sets of rules and who want to … [Read more...]
Nation’s Chemical Law Not Broken
March 19, 2012
"Chemical law is not broken, doesn't need to be "fixed,'" by Angela Logomasini. Environmental activists and some industry groups seem to agree that the nation’s chemical law is broken. Their drumbeat calling for “modernization” of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), follows band leader Sen. Frank Lautenberg, D-N.J. who proposed “repairs” in the form of S. 846—the so-called “Safe Chemicals Act.” But as the beat grows louder—the underlying premises continue to be wrong ... read the full … [Read more...]
“Common Ground” on TSCA or EPA Threat?
March 16, 2012
"EPA's Toxic Negotiations," by Angela Logomasini. It’s pretty amazing when the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) can essentially use extortion as a negotiating tool, and industry casts it as a plea to find “common ground.” You can’t blame industry too much for trying to place the issue in a positive light when they basically have a gun to the head. Read the full story at OpenMarket.org … [Read more...]
Shampoo Ingredient not Toxic
March 7, 2012
"Science Washes Hype about 'Toxic' Shampoo Down the Drain," by Angela Logomasini. Every now and then, government regulators manage to do something reasonable. Last week, the Canadians made a smart move by accepting hard science over hype related to a chemical used in personal care products, such as shampoo and skincare products. Canadian Environmental Ministers wanted to list it as a “toxic substance,” but two years after a scientific review, claims about the chemical’s alleged toxicity are … [Read more...]
The Church of Rachel Carson
June 11, 2007
Post by Eli Lehrer—Competitive Enterprise Institute One hundred years after her birth in May of 1907, it's difficult to underestimate Rachel Carson's influence. Unfortunately, it's all bad. That hasn't stopped her from remaining an academic deity to the campus Left. More... … [Read more...]
