Thursday’s Senate Commerce hearing was the first opportunity lawmakers have had to publicly question federal regulators about a 44-year-old flammability regulation that critics say needlessly exposes kids to concerning–and, in some cases, even known cancer-causing—flame retardants in … [Read more...]
Ladies of The Talk on CBS Talk Flame Retardants in Car Seats
Following a 6-month investigation into harmful flame retardants in car seats, Julie Watts shared her findings with a national audience on CBS's The Talk. … [Read more...]
Car Seat Chemical Probe Prompts Legislation, Lands Reporter On ‘The Talk’ • CBS San Francisco
Excerpt CBSSF.com: Excerpt CBSSF.com: Rep. Jared Huffman (D-San Rafael) introduced legislation to rid car seats of flame retardant chemicals.The bill follows a series of reports by ConsumerWatch reporter Julie Watts. Those reports earned Watts an invite to the CBS show “The Talk” to … [Read more...]
Investigating Car Seat Chemicals
What began as a NewsMom editorial, expanded into a six month KPIX-CBS investigation exposing alleged false advertising, apparent legal loopholes and outdated federal regulations that systematically expose millions of children to concerning car seat chemicals.First, we established … [Read more...]
Part 4: Feds Blamed for Exposing Kids to Car Seat Chemicals • CBS San Francisco
Excerpt CBSSF.com:A KPIX investigation reveals that the 44-year-old federal flammability standard, which manufacturers say ostensibly requires chemical flame retardants in car seats, has never even been tested in car seats, and regulators admit there is no data to indicate the … [Read more...]
Investigating Car Seat Chemicals: The Lawmaker Response
“If chemical-conscious moms spent as much time advocating against flame retardants in car seats as they did trying to find one without flame retardants, we wouldn’t be here.” That was the response from Green Science Policy Institute founder Arlene Blum when asked what parents could do … [Read more...]
Car Seat Chemicals: Resources for Parents
A car seat is the only consumer product required by law in all 50 states, but critics say many of those seats are unnecessarily exposing kids to potentially dangerous chemicals.Parents don’t currently have the option to buy a car seat without chemical flame retardants, even though … [Read more...]
How I Found “Cancer-Causing” Flame Retardants In My Child… And In Her ‘Green’ Car Seat
I'm not a particularly green mom. Though, as a consumer reporter I've covered enough studies over the years to know I should try to reduce my child's exposure to concerning chemicals (especially those "known to cause cancer"). It certainly never occurred to me that there might be a … [Read more...]
Part 3: Reporter’s Shocking Discovery – Daughter & Car Seat Positive for “Cancer-Causing” Flame Retardant • CBS San Francisco
Excerpt CBSSF.com:The day after we received my daughter’s bio-monitoring results, we received the results from the foam sewn into in her car seat’s head rest and “Orbit Green Certified Fabric.” Ultimately three independent labs confirmed the car seat’s foam tested positive for … [Read more...]
Part 2: Car Seats With Violations, Consumers In The Dark • CBS San Francisco
Excerpt CBSSF.com: Companies are required to provide clear and reasonable warning before knowingly exposing anyone to a listed chemical known to cause cancer or reproductive harm. TDCPP is one of those cancer-causing chemicals, and we’ve discovered that Orbit Baby was twice served … [Read more...]