Is Johnson & Johnson finally thinking of their consumers?

Not at all. J&J has recently announced that they are voluntarily phasing out Phthalates - but not until 2012. Why the 3 year delay? I have no idea. Not only that, this toxic ingredient is only one toxic ingredient found in their products. My opinion is that they are finally starting to be exposed for not actually living up to their claims of offering 'pure' products.

A study was recently conducted by the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics (a well known & respected national coalition of nonprofit health and environmental organizations)on popular children's bath products that claim to be 'safe & gentle'. It exposed many popular brands with having toxic chemicals in their products that have been linked to major health conditions - and you will not even know that these products contain some of these ingredients!

However as you may already anticipate most of these large companies are not what they claim to be. Johnson & Johnson claims their shampoo to be a 'mild, tearless formula baby shampoo that is as gentle to the eyes as pure water' yet contain toxic ingredients including formaldehyde (a toxin banned in personal care products in both Japan and Sweden) and 1,4-dioxane. Both of these chemicals are by-products of chemical manufacturing and product formulation. So you will not find them on the ingredient list on any packaging.

This report is the first to document the widespread contamination of children’s products with formaldehyde and 1,4-dioxane. But it's not only J & J products that are toxic for your little one. Other products included in this study with the same results include Sesame Street Bubble Bath, Grins & Giggles Milk & Honey Baby Wash and Huggies Naturally Refreshing Cucumber & Green Tea Baby Wash.

The greatest danger in terms of most studies conducted is that many companies do not test on repeated exposure to many of these toxins. So although some of these products only contain small amounts of these ingredients, the fact that our children are exposed to them through various sources is a reason to be alarmed. For example, there may only be trace amounts of Formaldehyde in your baby's shampoo however it may also be in their body wash and lotion. Formaldehyde is not only in personal care products but also in things like building products (including furniture), new clothes, etc. So our children are exposed to this toxin on a regular basis!

Our children cannot handle these chemicals like an adult can. That is why we need to take special care of their little bodies. Their immune system is not as strong and they are less able to detoxify their systems. That is why they need to be exposed to as many safe & natural products as possible. Unfortunately we really cannot trust these companies, especially with the most precious little people in this world. Know what you are exposing your children to - knowledge is the key to protecting them.

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Sources:
http://ow.ly/1Oiv
No More Toxic Tub Report

The Ban on Pesticides in Ontario

There seems to be quite a bit of controversy over the impending ban on cosmetic pesticides this coming Spring, especially in farming communities like Chatham-Kent. I want to know what the controversy is really about. The ban directly affects residential property for cosmetic purposes – which are sprayed more intensively than most farms.

Some people claim that it will contribute to the potential fall of the economy due to job loss in this industry. However many others claim that this ban will actually create jobs and enhance our economy as more manual labour will be needed. This method also requires some specialized knowledge of plant and soil ecology which homeowners often lack - hence the increased reliance on organic professionals. Many organic lawn products are also produced right here in Ontario, yet another way of creating more jobs. Not only that, a recent survey of Ontario lawn companies show that ‘the price of pesticide-free services is competitive with traditional services and is sometimes exactly the same.’

The most obvious factor is that chemicals are man-made chemicals that have interfered with the nature’s way. Pesticides have been blamed by many trusted sources for the downfall of species including diminishing numbers of frogs as well as bees. They have also been to blame for health conditions including cancer, ADD, infertility & birth defects. Pesticides are applied to lawns for cosmetic purposes. However while your lawn may look ‘perfect’, the rain washes it into local soil & water sources including streams & rivers killing not only frogs & bees but also fish, birds, earthworms, and other necessary species.

Lastly your children play in your yard. Children, because of their physiology and behaviour, are exposed to greater quantities of pesticides than adults, and are more vulnerable to their toxic effects. A National Cancer Institute survey in the US indicated that children are six times more likely to get childhood leukemia when pesticides are used in the home and garden.^ Not only that, the pesticides are then carried into your home allowing these chemicals to linger for months and even years contaminating things like furniture, carpets and even children’s toys. The Ontario College of Family Physicians conducted research on pesticide exposure and concluded that, “Our review has found evidence of serious harmful effects in several areas including cancer, reproductive effects and impacts on the nervous system. These effects are found in both occupational and home and garden exposures.”

Some feel that these claims are false. However even if there is a chance that pesticides are harmful to yourself, your pets and your children, why take this chance? As parents we cannot let others decide what is best for our children. Educate yourself & do what you can to live in a less toxic world.

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Sources:

http://www.thepeterboroughexaminer.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1360027

http://ogov.newswire.ca/ontario/GONE/2008/12/23/c4126.html?lmatch=&lang=_e.html

http://www.pesticides.org/docs/website-lawn-care.pdf

http://www.environmentnetwork.org/Pesticide.htm

http://www.ocfp.on.ca/English/OCFP/Communications/CurrentIssues/Pesticides/default.asp?s=1