EWG News Roundup (4/12): The First EWG VERIFIED® Fragrance, Unregulated Factory Farms in Ohio and More

This week, Michelle Pfeiffer launched Henry Rose, a line of five distinct fragrances that became the first fine scents to earn the EWG VERIFIED™ mark. Typically, a fragrance can be concocted from any number of almost 4,000 ingredients and kept under wraps as a “trade secret” – but Henry Rose discloses 100 percent of its ingredients, setting a new industry standard for transparency for perfumes.

“Earning the EWG VERIFIED mark isn’t easy, as anyone who has read our exacting criteria can attest,” said EWG President Ken Cook. “We are thrilled to add a fine fragrance to the growing list of EWG VERIFIED products. These scents prove that fragrance companies are capable of disclosing all of their ingredients.”

Also happening this week, EWG released a groundbreaking analysis of unregulated factory farms along the Maumee watershed in Ohio – one of the leading causes of yearly toxic algae outbreaks along Lake Erie. Manure and fertilizer from the many farms along the watershed funnel nutrient-rich pollution into the lake, which leads to blooms. Through aerial photography, EWG mapped hundreds of operations along the basin – a 40 percent increase in factory farms since 2005.

In a rare move, the Environmental Protection Agency’s inspector general’s office issued an alert this week claiming the agency had failed to provide information about toxic chemical releases across the nation. The issue stems from the agency’s Toxic Release Inventory, which contains out of date and inaccurate data.

Also this week, a group of bipartisan lawmakers introduced legislation that would provide members of the military with up-to-date information on the presence of and the latest scientific information about the toxic fluorinated chemicals known as PFAS.

And finally, President Trump’s outlandish statements about wind energy have earned a ton of airtime in recent weeks, but despite his ridiculous dismissal of wind, the energy source is being welcomed more and more across the nation.

Here’s some news you can use going into the weekend.

Maumee River Basin and Harmful Algal Blooms

The Columbus Dispatch: Report: Growth in unregulated farms in Maumee Watershed fuels Lake Erie’s toxic algae blooms

Over half of the manure in the Maumee River watershed comes from an exploding number of unregulated factory farms, according to a new report by the Environmental Working Group and Environmental Law & Policy Center.

Scientific American: Environment Watchdogs Harness AI to Track Overflowing Factory Farm Waste

“That’s something we would strongly considering investing in,” say Soren Rundquist, director of spatial analysis at the nonprofit Environmental Working Group (EWG) in Washington, D.C.

Akron Beacon Journal: Report: Growth in unregulated farms in Maumee Watershed fuels Lake Erie’s toxic algae blooms

The Environmental Working Group and Environmental Law & Policy Center took about a year to collect and analyze the data, which showed a 40 percent increase in hog, cattle, dairy and poultry operations in the Maumee River watershed in Ohio, Indiana and Michigan from 2005 to 2018, for a total of 775 livestock farms.

Civil Eats: Factory Farms are Polluting Lake Erie. Will the Lake’s New Legal Rights Help?

report released today by the Environmental Working Group and the Environmental Law & Policy Center states that “unregulated animal factory farms are funneling nutrient-rich pollution into Lake Erie.”

Michigan Advance: New enviro report underscores loose factory farm regulation

More than a hundred farms in Southeast Michigan may be contributing to Lake Erie pollution, according to a new report from the Washington, D.C.-based Environmental Working Group (EWG) and Environmental Law & Policy Center.

Henry Rose Launch

TODAY Show: Michelle Pfeiffer Dishes on New Projects, Perfume Line
Oscar-nominated actress Michelle Pfeiffer joins TODAY to talk about launching her new line of fragrances called Henry Rose, plus how she’s keeping busy with her latest acting roles and being a working mom.

Good Morning America: Michelle Pfeiffer launches ‘100% transparent’ fine fragrance

The Henry Rose collection has five fragrances that have all been confirmed by Environmental Working Group (EWG), as being free of chemicals that can be harmful. Reprinted by ABC NewsWIMS (Radio, Michigan City)My Central Oregon (Radio)KTSA (Radio, Portland)WFIN (Radio, Findlay OH)WADK Newport (Radio)WOND (Radio, South Jersey)US92 (Radio, Nebraska)KWLM (Radio, Lakeland MN)KONP (Radio, Port Angeles)Q93.7 (Radio, Ohio)My Central Oregon and other ABC News radio affiliates.

Vogue: Michelle Pfeiffer on the Power of Fragrance, and Launching Her Own Clean Perfume Line

One day she stumbled upon the Environmental Working Group's Skin Deep Database, which creates online profiles for cosmetics and personal care products, honing in on their potential hazards. Reprinted by Yahoo!

Vogue: Michelle Pfeiffer Is Launching A “Clean” Fragrance Line

To that end, Pfeiffer partnered with the Environmental Working Group, a non-profit that advocates for safer consumer goods, to establish what could and could not be included in a clean fragrance line, whittling down an ingredients list from some 3,000 to 250. Reprinted by Vogue U.K.

Allure: Michelle Pfeiffer’s New Fragrance Is the Perfume the Clean Beauty World Has Been Missing

They had already been doing some work with Cradle to Cradle, so I thought, Great, let’s get that certification [which assesses a product’s sustainability] on top of the EWG’s.

Bloomberg: Michelle Pfeiffer Thinks You Should Know What’s in Your Perfume

The breakthrough for Pfeiffer came approximately three years ago when she met Ken Cook, a co-founder of the Environmental Working Group, a Washington-based nonprofit with a database that scores the toxicity of chemicals. Reprinted by The OklahomanBusiness TimesBusiness MaverickEdge MarketsThe StarCanada 24 News

The Cut: Michelle Pfeiffer Is Now a Beauty Entrepreneur

She discovered the Environmental Working Group’s database and deep dived into the world of personal care and beauty red-flags.

People: Michelle Pfeiffer Didn’t Wear Perfume for 10 Years – So She Launched Her Own Fragrance Line

he Academy Award-winning actress discovered the Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep database and became shocked to learn that fragrances she and her children, Claudia Rose, 26, and John Henry Pfeiffer, 24, used were flagged as “high hazard.”

People: Michelle Pfeiffer Announces Foray Into Fragrance With Henry Rose Collection

The line is set to be a gamechanger in the celebrity fragrance world, as it will be the first fine fragrance collection to be verified by the Environmental Working Group. Reprinted by Tattle TimesHollywood.com

People: Michelle Pfeiffer Targeting Both Men And Women With New Fragrance Line

Her research has led her to become a more educated beauty consumer and she frequently researches products through Skin Deep, a database of cosmetic items led by the Environmental Working Group that informs buyers about what ingredients are in personal care products. Reprinted by Tattle Times.

PopSugar: Michelle Pfeiffer’s New Fragrances Are Gorgeous Inside and Out

The five-fragrance line is completely free of chemicals deemed harmful by the Environmental Working Group (EWG).

W Magazine: Michelle Pfeiffer on the Radical Transparency of Her New Fragrance Brand

What's more, it is the first fine fragrance to receive the distinction of Environmental Working Group Verified® and Cradle to Cradle Certified at the gold level, with a Material Health score of platinum—which is an official way of saying, it's legit.

Coveteur: 60 Seconds with Michelle Pfeiffer

It’s the first fine fragrance to be developed with the Environmental Working Group, and the brand is also committed to using sustainable and renewable packaging whenever possible.

Congress and Chemistry Research and Development Act

The Ripon Advance: Moolenaar’s bipartisan, bicameral bill provides federal support for sustainable chemistry

Thus far, the legislation has received support from numerous organizations and private companies, including the GC3 Sustainable Chemistry Alliance, the American Chemical Society, the American Chemistry Council, the American Sustainable Business Council, the Dow Chemical Co., DuPont, the Environmental Working Group, Procter & Gamble, and others. 

Chemical Watch: US Congress round-up

The bill has been endorsed by the American Chemistry Council (ACC), the Environmental Working Group (EWG), the American Sustainable Business Council (ASBC) and a variety of other trade groups and corporations.

Energy

Truth Out: Trump Is Rewriting the Rules to Favor the Pipeline Industry

Solar and wind energy production have tripled in recent years, lowering costs for renewable energy and creating as many jobs as the fossil fuel and nuclear industries, according to the Environmental Working Group.

Environmental Protection Agency

The Hill: Overnight Energy: EPA watchdog issues rare ‘alert’ on toxic substances data | Trump to announce new orders to speed up pipeline permits | New Keystone XL pipeline permit challenged in court | Congress approves seven-state drought bill

“EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler should take the inspector general’s warning seriously and move immediately to restore the integrity of the TRI,” said Ken Cook, president of the Environmental Working Group. Reprinted by The Rural Blog

PressReleasePoint: Weeler Defends Trumps Plan To Slash EPA Budget

“As the nation’s population has grown, the environmental and public health challenges caused by pollution have grown even greater,” said EWG President Ken Cook.

Lifehacker: How to Do Laundry Without Making the Environment Worse

You can also search for your current detergent on the Environmental Working Group’s website to get a better sense of your impact now.

Live Kindly: The Complete Guide to Cruelty-Free Cleaning Products

Alongside its Environmental Working Group verified personal care products, Attitude also stocks a line of vegan household cleaning products which are made from plant and mineral compounds.

Cosmetics

PopSugar: When We Say “Clean” Beauty, Here’s What That Really Means

“When I ask companies to explain, I get responses like that a product is vegan, organic, natural, or has no chemicals, preservative, is ‘ethical’ with minimal waste, or ingredients that are on the warning list with the Environmental Working Group that would be glass and not plastic.”

California Cosmetics Bill

Los Angeles Times: Cosmetics industry crushes bill that would have made makeup and hair products safer

Susan Little, senior advocate for California government affairs for the Environmental Working Group, said it’s foolish to keep products on store shelves if there’s even a remote chance they’re dangerous. Reprinted by The Virginian-PilotPost BulletinRome News-TribuneBristol Herald CourierSanta Maria TimesBakersfield.com

Consumer Affairs: Cosmetics industry crushes California’s proposal to ban potentially toxic ingredients

“California has the fifth-largest economy in the world and is a leader in the makeup industry,” an Environmental Working Group lobbyist who supported the bill told the Los Angeles Times.

Skin Deep® Cosmetics Database

The Epoch Times: 8 Everyday Cancer-Causing Chemicals Hiding at Home That You May Have Overlooked

EWG provides a wide list of safer alternatives to use.

Fashionista: 8 Common Fear-Mongering Natural Beauty Marketing Claims, Fact-Checked

"Thankfully, many nonprofits have stepped in to help watchdog the industry," says Dahl, nodding at the Environmental Working Group's efforts to clarify the risks and rewards of synthetic versus natural ingredients.” 

EWG VERIFIED™ 

The Science Times: 6 Korean Beauty Products That Are Eco-Friendly

The brand is 100 percent EWG (Environmental Working Group) certified.

Food Additives

Yahoo!: Chemicals that make food last longer may harm us

According to the Environmental Working Group, “the [baking] industry claims potassium bromate is theoretically fully converted into potassium bromide, a similar yet non-carcinogenic chemical, during baking. Reprinted by MSNPress From.

Natural News: Phosphates are common food additives that could be making you tired and lazy

On the contrary, the Environmental Working Group (EWG) considers sodium phosphate, which is a common type of phosphate added to more than 6,000 food products, as a “moderate concern” in foods. Reprinted by Chemicals.News

Food Scores

Observer-Dispatch: Sugary cereals are back

A report on sugar in children’s cereals by the Environmental Working Group noted that a 2012 study by the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity, then a part of Yale University, found that the average sugar content in children’s cereals had decreased from 36 percent to 33 percent from 2009 to 2012. 

Meat Eater’s Guide to Climate Change + Health

Eat This, Not That!: 10 Ways You Can Eat For The Planet (And Be Healthier)

According to the Environmental Working Group (EWG), while lamb, beef, pork, and cheese generates the most climate-affecting greenhouse gases, high-protein plant foods like lentils, tofu, and beans produce the least. In addition, producing meat also uses up large amounts of “environmentally destructive and energy-intensive” pesticides, fertilizer, fuel, and water.

Reprinted by msn lifestyle

Monsanto’s Glyphosate

The Herald & Review (Decatur, Ill.): Dear Dr. Roach: Traces of herbicide are not pleasant, but probably benign

A 2018 study by the Environmental Working Group found levels of glyphosate in oatmeal breakfast cereals to be between 0.5 and 1 parts per million.

Natural News: A peek behind the (toxic) curtain: Here’s why glyphosate is sprayed on food crops before harvest

Research from the Environmental Working Group (EWG) has shown that a striking majority of cereals, snack bars and other grain-based foods are tainted with glyphosate residue.

Reprinted by chemicals.news

Chemicals.news: Would you feed your kids cancer-causing breakfast foods? Tests reveal many cereals contain the weed killer glyphosate

Tests carried out by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) found glyphosate in every sample they tested of popular oat-based cereals and other foods marketed to children – and the levels aren’t insignificant.

Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce™

People: 17 Easy Ways to Be Eco-Friendly (without Exerting Any Effort)

Not in the budget to eat all-organic? Start by prioritizing the EWG’s “Dirty Dozen,” a list of produce most plagued by pesticides.

Reprinted by My Style News

Detroit Free Press: Pesticides in fruits and vegetables: List of cleanest, dirtiest

It [kale] has wound up on Environmental Working Group’s 2019 Dirty Dozen list, an annual ranking of the fruits and vegetables that contain the most pesticides.

KALW (San Francisco): One Planet: Pesticides in fruits and vegetables

On this edition of Your Call’s One Planet Series, we’ll discuss the Environmental Working Group’s “Dirty Dozen,” a list of the fruits and vegetables with the highest amount of pesticides.

CBS12: WJTV (Jackson, Miss.): Focused on Fitness: Kale named one of the dirtiest veggies

Kale was named as one of the 12 fruits and vegetables with the most pesticide residue. For the last 15 years, the nonprofit, nonpartisan, Environmental Working Group has ranked produce on pesticide contamination levels. Specifically, after that produce has been washed and peeled. 

FOX8: WJW (Cleveland, Ohio): Local dietitian shares recipe for produce cleaner to help reduce pesticide risk

Strawberries and spinach top this year's 'Dirty Dozen' list put out by the Environmental Working Group. This annual list is based on reports from the USDA's Pesticide Data Program.

EWG Guide to Sunscreens

Reader’s Digest: Is Your Sunscreen Doing More Harm Than Good? Here’s What to Look for

The Environmental Working Group (EWG) reviewed data on the nine chemicals most commonly found in sunscreen—and concluded that there is cause for alarm.

PFAS in Drinking Water

Consumer Reports: Should You Be Concerned About PFAS Chemicals?

You can also check data from the EPA testing results or look at this map created by researchers from the Environmental Working Group and Northeastern University based on that data. 

Reprinted by Yahoo!

Central Jersey: Engineer: Freehold Borough water system complies with federal standards

He made note of a drinking water report from the Environmental Working Group, which presents data from the EPA and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) for each of the state’s large water utility systems that serve more than 10,000 people.

Center for American Progress: 5 Ways Wheeler Is Dirtying Our Water

According to the Environmental Working Group (EWG), the tap water for an estimated 110 million Americans is contaminated with PFAS, which have been shown to cause various cancers, thyroid disease, and a weakened immune system in children.

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