Articles by Ketura Persellin, Tasha Stoiber, Ph.D.

How to buy a mattress without toxic chemicals

How hard can it be to buy a mattress? The answer: There’s more to consider with this big ticket consumer item than you might suspect – including your health. A mattress is a purchase you may make only...

Mattress chemicals you could be sleeping on

On average, Americans spend almost nine hours a day sleeping – a huge amount of time. When you also factor in time just relaxing in bed, maybe reading or scrolling on a phone, it adds up to a...

EWG comments to California DTSC on proposed inclusion of microplastics to the Candidate Chemical List

Attached are EWG submitted comments to the California Department of Toxic Substances Control supporting the listing of microplastics to the state agency's Candidate Chemical List.

Popular sweetener erythritol, found in Truvia, linked to heart risk, new study says

A new study finds a link between erythritol – a common artificial sweetener also used as a filler in stevia and monk fruit sweeteners and some keto products – and risk of harm to the heart and blood...

Fiberglass: A new hidden hazard in mattresses

Fiberglass is now being used as a replacement for harmful chemical flame retardants in some mattresses, according to a new study. But it can also pose its own risks.

EWG comments California OEHHA on public health goals for PFOA and PFOS in drinking water

The Environmental Working Group, along with 19 environmental and public health organizations, submitted comments to California's Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment in support of the...

EWG comments for the NEJAC public meeting

The Environmental Working Group submitted comments for the August 18-19, 2021, meeting of the National Environmental Justice Advisory Council.

EWG comments to California OEHHA on the new version of EnviroScreen

EWG submitted comments to California's Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment in support of the revisions of the new draft version of CalEnviroScreen and applauds the agency's efforts to...

California agency acknowledges synthetic food dyes’ link to hyperactivity and behavioral problems in kids

Foods containing synthetic food dyes make children vulnerable to hyperactivity and other behavioral problems, according to a new report by California state scientists.

Leftover Trump EPA rule leaves millions at risk from lead-tainted tap water

Civil rights and environmental groups are urging the Biden administration to delay implementation of a Trump-era rule that would leave millions of Americans exposed to toxic lead in drinking water.

Common drinking water contaminant linked to spike in Parkinson’s disease

A common chemical used in dry cleaning, carpet cleaners, shoe polish and industrial processes that contaminates the drinking water supply for millions of people could contribute to an explosion in the...

EWG Comments to EPA's National Environmental Justice Advisory Council on Water Quality Concerns

The Environmental Working Group submitted comments to urge the EPA’s National Environmental Justice Advisory Council to focus on drinking water quality concerns in overburdened communities across the...

EWG-Commissioned Tests Finds Cancer-Causing Asbestos in Talc-based Cosmetics

Earlier this year, EWG reported results of tests that found the notorious carcinogen asbestos in samples of talc-based cosmetics. EWG-commissioned tests by Scientific Analytical Institute found...

EWG Comments to California OEHHA to Prioritize Chemicals for Proposition 65 Review

EWG submitted comments to California's Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment and the Developmental and Reproductive Toxicant Identification Committee to recommend the prioritization of four...

PFAS Chemicals Harm the Immune System, Decrease Response to Vaccines, New EWG Review Finds

Toxic PFAS chemicals, notorious for contaminating drinking water supplies across the U.S., are harmful to nearly every human organ, and the immune system is particularly vulnerable. PFAS mixtures...

EWG Comments to California OEHHA Supporting Their Decision on Synthetic Food Dyes

EWG submitted comments to the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, expressing support for the OEHHA's conclusion that synthetic food dyes may cause or exacerbate...

EWG Comments to California OEHHA on Proposed Public Health Goals for Haloacetic Acids in Drinking Water

EWG submitted comments to the state of California in support of OEHHA’s proposed public health goals for haloacetic acid disinfection byproducts in drinking water.

Reverse Osmosis Water Filters: When Are They a Good Choice?

Filtering your drinking water is a good step to take to protect children's health from pollutants in tap water.

EWG Letter to the California Water Resources Control Board to Address PFAS Contamination

Environmental Working Group urges the California State Water Resources Control Board to address per- and polyfluorinated substances, or PFAS, in drinking water as a class.

PFAS and Developmental and Reproductive Toxicity: An EWG Fact Sheet

The toxic fluorinated per-and polyfluoroalkyl chemicals known as PFAS are a class of thousands of environmentally persistent synthetic chemicals that have been used since the 1940s. They are added as...