Green Chemistry and Better Public Health

• Chemicals, products, and regulatory failure: A prescription for greener chemistry and better public health

Safer Chemicals Can Help the Economy

• Read a copy of this report
• See news coverage

Plastics and the Environment

IATP physician-staffer David Wallinga presented at Minnesota's state American Institute of Architects (AIA), the largest chapter meeting of AIA's architects, designers and planners in the country.
• Toxics, Health and the Built Environment: Plastics, Flame Retardants and More

Safer products possible

A bill in the Minnesota legislature would require safer alternatives to toxic mercury and flame retardants in consumer products.

• Protecting Public Health from Toxic Flame Retardants PDF
• Protecting Public Health from Toxic Mercury PDF
• Mercury Free Product Alternatives  PDF

Healthier Food Uses of Plastics

Plastics are widely used to store and package foods and beverages. In IATP's latest Smart Guide, we offer tips for parents and children on how to avoid environmental and health risks from plastic packaging of food. The Smart Plastics Guide is the latest in a series of consumer guides put out by IATP. Other guides report on meat and dairy, produce and fish.

• Smart Plastics Guide
• Smart Meat and Dairy Guide
• Smart Produce Guide
• Smart Fish Guide

Arsenic Widespread in Top Brands of Chicken

Brand name chicken products sold in American supermarkets and fast food restaurants are widely contaminated with arsenic, according to independent test results released by IATP. The good news is that smart choices by consumers can eliminate their intake of arsenic in chicken.

• Playing Chicken full report (PDF)
• Press release
• Q&A about the report (PDF)
• Summary of arsenic test results
• New York Times article (registration req'd)
• Scienceline article

Healthier fish for WIC

Organizations, including IATP, are asking the USDA to make healthier fish available under the WIC program.
• November 6 letter to the USDA

The health risks of CAFOs

IATP's David Wallinga, M.D., co-authored one of six new studies in Environmental Health Perspectives concluding that concentrated animal feeding operations—CAFOs—pollute air and water and are poorly regulated.

• The Potential Role of CAFOs in Infectious Disease Epidemics and Antibiotic Resistance Environmental Health Perspectives | NOVEMBER 2006

Food Without Thought

When farm policy is geared to drive down corn and soybean prices, food companies benefit. But these policies also significantly contribute to the nation's obesity epidemic.
• Food without Thought REPORT | PDF
• A healthier, smarter food system COMMENTARY | MAY 1 | PDF
• Policies Drive Production of Unhealthy Foods APRIL 18 | PDF

Hospitals Catching on to Healthy Food

Hospitals around the country are starting to follow their own advice to patients about the importance of a beneficial diet by offering fresh, healthy food at their facilities, according to a new IATP report, Healthy Food, Healthy Hospitals, Healthy Communities.
• Read the press release
• Read the report

Environment-Related Childhood Diseases Cost Minn. $1.5 Billion Per Year

Pollution costs Minnesota an estimated $1.5 billion each year in costs related to childhood disease, according to a study released by IATP and the Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy (MCEA).

• The Price of Pollution full report (PDF)
• Fact sheet (PDF)
• Press release (PDF)

Toxic Teflon Chemicals Found in Mississippi River Fish

Fish from the Mississippi River have been found to contain among the highest recorded concentrations of synthetic toxic chemicals used in Teflon, Scotchguard, Gore-Tex and other products, according a state scientist. The findings highlight the snail’s pace at which the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency has responded to this and other toxic threats to the public’s health.
• Read IATP's press release
• Read IATP's letter to MPCA
• Read details of Miss River fish research