posted on December 26, 2013
A U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) study finds that blood mercury levels of women of childbearing age have dropped 34 percent from surveys conducted over 10 years ago.
Many people are exposed to mercury in the form of methylmercury often found in fish and shellfish that live in mercury-contaminated water. Mercury builds up in people that eat fish containing mercury, and mercury buildup in the body has been linked to health and developmental problems in pregnant women, fetuses,... full text
posted on December 23, 2013
The Connecticut Public Interest Research Group (ConnPIRG) recently released its 28th Annual Trouble in Toyland report, stating that while progress has been made in recent years, dangerous and toxic toys can still be found on store shelves across the United States.
ConnPIRG’s research found toys for sale in toy stores, malls, and dollar stores with high levels of toxic chemicals such as lead, antimony, cadmium, and phthalates. Lead, antimony, cadmium, and phthalate chemicals such as... full text
posted on December 20, 2013
Effective today, California’s Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) designated the common plasticizer Diisononyl Phthalate as known to cause cancer.
When OEHHA, the state agency responsible for implementing Proposition 65, designates a chemical as known to cause cancer and/or reproductive harm—thus adding the chemical to the State’s list of chemicals known to cause such harm—such chemical becomes subject to the “clear and reasonable... full text
posted on December 18, 2013
A new research study has found that holiday garlands and mardi gras beads may contain hazardous chemicals such as lead, flame retardants, and phthalates, which are linked to cancer, birth defects and other reproductive harm.
The study, which was a collaboration between the Ecology Center and Verdigras (an organization dedicated to “greening” Mardi Gras), tested over a hundred beaded products, including holiday garlands and mardi gras beads, and found that most of them contained lead... full text
posted on December 16, 2013
Firm founder Clifford Chanler was interviewed by Corporate Crime Reporter about the firm's work in enforcing Proposition 65 with Chinese manufacturers of American consumer goods, as well as the firm's enforcement work in general.
“A factory in China does not make products just for California,” Chanler said. “They make products for the entire United States and globally. So, if you get a commitment to take lead paint out of a children’s toy, then you are pretty... full text
posted on December 13, 2013
Anthony Held, Russell Brimer, and Whitney Leeman--clients of The Chanler Group--served nine new 60-Day Notices of Proposition 65 Violation today. The notices were served to companies offering products such as hand tools, stools, chairs and ottomans for sale in California containing chemicals known to cause cancer or reproductive harm, without the required health hazard warning. TCG's citizen enforcers allege that the companies' products contain the phthalate DEHP and the... full text
posted on December 10, 2013
A movement in the dental industry calls for phasing out silver amalgam—which contain up to 50% elemental mercury, a toxic substance—due to health and environmental concerns, the Chicago Tribune reported. Studies on the direct impact of silver amalgam tooth fillings on human health have been inconclusive, but the preparation of silver amalgam does contribute mercury pollution to the environment, according to the Tribune.
According to a 2010 EPA estimate, about half the mercury... full text
posted on December 9, 2013
Continuing its clients’ battle against the use of toxic chemicals in consumer products manufactured by Chinese companies for sale in the U.S., The Chanler Group attorneys have recently finalized terms with another Chinese manufacturer of products sold in U.S. “big-box” retail stores, Shanghai Lansheng Corporation (SLC). This is the third such settlement in six months, following on the heels of settlements with DAP Incorporated and Hangzhou Great Star Tool Co. These... full text
posted on December 6, 2013
Elementis Chromium, one of the largest manufacturers of chromium chemicals in the world, has been ordered to pay a penalty of over $2.5 million for failure to disclose the health risks of exposure to hexavalent chromium to workers in chemical production plants, as required by the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), Environmental Protection Agency reported last month.
TSCA requires chemical manufacturers, processors, or distributors that obtain information demonstrating that a substance or... full text
posted on December 4, 2013
On behalf of its client Laurence Vinocur, The Chanler Group successfully negotiated a settlement with baby products manufacturer Evenflo Company, Inc. that will result in the reformulation of thousands of infant car seats and booster seats.
Evenflo allegedly manufactured thousands of car and booster seats containing the carcinogenic flame retardants tris(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate (“TDCPP”) and tris(2-chloroethyl) phosphate (“TCEP”), without providing the requisite... full text
