Media Center

Release: Groups Sue EPA Over Decades-Long Failure to Protect Communities from Most Dangerous Chemical Spills

March 21, 2019

New York, N.Y. – The Environmental Justice Health Alliance, Clean Water Action, and Natural Resources Defense Council today filed a lawsuit against the Environmental Protection Agency for its failure to pass regulations requiring the most dangerous chemical facilities to develop plans to prevent and respond to worst-case scenario spills of hazardous substances, including spills triggered by natural disasters that put people’s health at risk. Congress mandated such regulations in 1990 – but more than 25 years later, EPA has failed to act. Read More

Release: Victory for Environmental Justice Communities as Court Orders Disclosure of Emissions from Chemical Facility Incidents

March 12, 2019

Environmental justice community members celebrated a ruling which will require chemical facilities to disclose unpermitted toxic chemical emissions to the public. Read More

Press Release: Dollar Store Chains Lag on Toxic Chemicals, while 21 Retailers Make Progress to Protect Consumers

November 14, 2018

Los Angeles, CA — A report released today reveals that major retail companies are making slow but meaningful progress at improving the chemical safety of the products, food, and packaging they sell, but nearly half of those scored — including the 99 Cents Only discount retail chain — have failed to take any public measures to help eliminate toxic chemicals from the products they carry. The third annual Who’s Minding the Store? A Report Card on Retailer Actions to Eliminate Toxic Chemicals evaluated and graded the chemical policies and practices of 40 of the largest North American retailers, including grocery and fast food chains, as part of Safer Chemicals Healthy Families’ Mind the Store campaign and the Campaign for Healthier Solutions. Read More

Informe: Cadenas de Tiendas de Dólar Se Quedan Atrás en Cuanto a Sustancias Químicas Peligrosas, Mientras que 21 Comercios Minoristas Muestran Avances para Proteger a Consumidores

November 14, 2018

LOS ANGELES, CA — Un informe publicado el día de hoy revela que las grandes empresas de minoristas están logrando avances lentos pero significativos en cuanto a la mejora de seguridad química en los productos, alimentos y empaques que venden, pero casi la mitad de los que se calificaron — incluyendo la cadena de tiendas de descuento 99 Cents Only — han fracasado en llevar a cabo medidas públicas para ayudar a eliminar sustancias químicas de los productos que surten.  La tercera boleta anual ¿Quién está Cuidando la Tienda? Una Boleta de Calificaciones sobre las Medidas de Comercios para Eliminar Sustancias Químicas Tóxicas (Who’s Minding the Store? A Report Card on Retailer Actions to Eliminate Toxic Chemicals) evaluó y calificó a las políticas de sustancias químicas y las prácticas de los 40 comercios de minoristas más grandes de norte américa, incluyendo supermercados y cadenas de comida rápida, como parte de la campaña de Cuida la Tienda de Sustancias Químicas más Seguras de Familias Sanas (Safer Chemicals Healthy Families’ Mind the Store) y la Campaña para Soluciones Saludables (Campaign for Healthier Solutions). Read More

Consumidores Exhortan a Dollar Tree a Implementar Medidas Sobre Sustancias Químicas Toxicas en sus Productos, Comida Chatarra “Áreas de Snacks” en la Junta Anual de Accionistas

June 14, 2018

Norfolk, VA—Hoy, los consumidores y accionistas de Dollar Tree hicieron un llamado por políticas comprensivas sobre sustancias químicas peligrosas durante la junta anual de accionistas. Preocupados por sustancias químicas peligrosas halladas en productos y alimentos adquiridos en las tiendas de Dollar Tree (o las tiendas Family Dollar, que pertenecen a Dollar Tree )—incluyendo sustancias per/polifluorados (PFAS por sus siglas en inglées) en palomitas de microondas, bisfenol-A (BPA por sus siglas en inglés) en comida enlatada, arsenico en cereal infantil de arroz, y metales pesados y ftalatos en productos para el consumidor—padres de familia dueños de acciones en la empresa y expertos en la salud pidieron a los ejecutivos que adoptaran políticas amplias sobre sustancias químicas peligrosas y que las compartieran con el público, así como lo han hecho otras tiendas. Read More

Press Release: New Interactive Online Map Shows Who Lives in Chemical Disaster Zones

September 26, 2018

Our new interactive map and report, titled, Life at the Fenceline, shows that people living within a three-mile 'fenceline' zone of hazardous chemical facilities are disproportionately people of color, impoverished, and suffer a greater risk of cancer and respiratory illness caused by air pollution. The mapping and analysis found that over 124 million Americans (39%) live in constant threat of catastrophic explosion or poison gas release within a fenceline zone of one or more hazardous chemical facilities. Read More

Press Release: Customers Urge Dollar Tree to Act on Toxic Chemicals in Products, Junk Food "Snack Zones" at Annual Shareholder Meeting

June 14, 2018

Dollar Tree customers and shareholders called for comprehensive hazardous chemical policies at Dollar Tree’s annual shareholder meeting. Concerned about hazardous chemicals found in products and food purchased from the Dollar Tree stores (or Dollar Tree owned Family Dollar stores), stock-holding parents and health experts asked executives to adopt comprehensive hazardous chemical policies and share them with the public, as other retailers have already done. Read More

Press Release: Wilmington ‘Environmental Justice Communities’ Suffer Disproportionate Health Risks from Multiple, Overlapping Toxic Exposures

October 19, 2017

Wilmington, DE — Today, the Union of Concerned Scientists, the Environmental Justice Health Alliance, and local community organizations released a new analysis of public health and mapping information showing all of seven ‘environmental justice communities’ studied in the Wilmington area face substantially higher risk of developing cancers and respiratory illnesses linked to toxic pollution in or near their neighborhoods. Read More

Press Release: The Environmental Justice Health Alliance Commends Senator Booker's New Bill to Address Environmental Injustices

October 24, 2017

Newark, NJ — Senator Cory Booker was joined by Michele Roberts, National Co-Coordinator of the Environmental Justice Health Alliance (EJHA), to introduce a new legislation seeking to address some environmental injustices communities across the nation face.  'Environmental justice communities', often composed predominantly of people of color and the poor, suffer disproportionate levels of environmental pollution and its resulting health impacts. Read More

Press Release: Major Retailers Graded on Toxic Chemicals in Products and Packaging

November 14, 2017

Washington, DC – Just in time for the holiday shopping season, today the Campaign for Healthier Solutions and the Mind the Store campaign released their second annual report card on toxic chemicals in consumer products, which found that one-third of 30 major U.S. retailers are leaders, but two-thirds remain serious laggards. The report, Who’s Minding the Store? -- A Report Card on Retailer Actions to Eliminate Toxic Chemicals,includes evaluations of nineteen retailers for the first time. The nation’s largest dollar stores scored poorly, with Dollar Tree earning a grade of ‘D’ and Dollar General earning an ‘F’.  Read More

Victoria para la Salud del Consumidor: Siete Cadenas Grandes de Tiendas Se Comprometen a Reducir el Uso de Sustancias Químicas Toxicas en Productos y sus Empaquetados

November 14, 2017

Washington, DC – Justo a tiempo para las compras de la época festiva, hoy la campaña de Mind the Store publicó su boleta anual de calificaciones sobre sustancias químicas toxicas en productos para el consumidor, mismo que encontró que una tercera parte de las 30 cadenas más grandes de tiendas en los Estados Unidos son líderes, pero dos terceras partes permanecen muy atrasadas. Este informe, ¿Quién Está Cuidando la Tienda? – Una Boleta de Calificaciones Sobre las Acciones de Cadenas de Tiendas Hacia la Eliminación de Sustancias Químicas Toxicas (Who’s Minding the Store? -- A Report Card on Retailer Actions to Eliminate Toxic Chemicals), incluye, por primera vez, evaluaciones de diecinueve tiendas. Read More

Press Release: Shoppers, Parents and Health Experts Visit 80+ Dollar Tree and Family Dollar Locations Asking for Toxic Chemical Safety this Holiday Season

December 5, 2017

San Diego, CA—During the busy holiday shopping season, concerned customers and activists alerted dollar store visitors to dangerous chemicals found in some products.  Activists then met with store managers at over 80 Dollar Tree and Family Dollar store locations in 20 states, Washington, D.C. and Canada to ask for transparent and more protective chemical safety policies.   Read More

Visitan más de 80 Tiendas de Dollar Tree y Family Dollar Compradores, Padres de Familia y Especialistas en Asuntos de la Salud para Solicitar Seguridad de Sustancias Químicas Toxicas esta Temporada de Fiestas

December 5, 2017

San Diego, CA— Durante la temporada alta de compras por los días festivos, consumidores preocupados y activistas dieron a conocer información a los visitantes de las tiendas sobre las sustancias químicas peligrosas encontradas en algunas de los productos de venta en las tiendas de dólar. Después, activistas llevaron a cabo reuniones con los gerentes de más de 80 tiendas de Dollar Tree y Family Dollar en 20 estados, Washington, D.C., y Canadá, para solicitar políticas de seguridad química más transparentes y protectoras. Read More

Press Release: Educational Video Highlights Toxic Chemicals Found in Microwave Popcorn

March 28, 2018

Albuquerque, NM—Today, health experts and community leaders held a press conference to release a new educational video drawing attention to children's health risks from toxic chemicals in microwave popcorn. The fun and engaging video also shows viewers how to make safer microwave popcorn using nontoxic household ingredients. The video was released after independent lab testing found per/polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in 100% of microwave popcorn samples purchased from dollar stores. Read More

Educativo Video Destaca las Sustancias Químicas Toxicas Encontradas en Palomitas para Microondas

March 28, 2018

Albuquerque, NM—Hoy, expertos en el área de la salud y líderes comunitarios convocaron una conferencia de prensa para difundir un nuevo video educativo atrayendo atención a los riesgos a la salud de los niños debido a las sustancias químicas toxicas presentes en palomitas para microondas. El divertido y entretenido video demuestra cómo preparar palomitas para microondas más seguras utilizando ingredientes caseros no tóxicos. Se difundió el video después de que estudios de laboratorios independientes encontraron sustancias per/polifluoroalquilo (PFAS) en 100% de las muestras de palomitas para microondas compradas en tiendas de dólar. Read More

Press Release: Customers Urge Dollar General Executives to Act on Toxic Chemicals in Products at Annual Shareholder Meeting

May 30, 2018

Nashville, TN—Today, activist shareholders and customers called for product safety and hazardous chemical policies at Dollar General’s annual shareholder meeting.  Concerned about hazardous chemicals found in products and food purchased from the discount retail chain’s stores—including per/polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in microwave popcorn, bisphenol-A (BPA) in canned food, and heavy metals and phthalates in consumer products—stock-holding parents and health experts asked executive leadership to adopt hazardous chemical policies and share them with the public, as other retailers have already done. Read More

Clientes Exigen que los Ejecutivos de Dollar General Tomen Medidas Para Actuar Sobre Sustancias Químicas Toxicas en Productos durante la Junta Anual de Accionistas

May 30, 2018

Nashville, TN—Hoy, activistas accionistas y clientes hicieron un llamado para la seguridad de los productos así como para políticas de sustancias químicas peligrosas durante la junta anual de accionistas de Dollar General. Preocupados por sustancias químicas peligrosas encontradas en productos y alimentos adquiridos de la cadena de tiendas de descuento – incluyendo PFOS en palomitas para microondas, BPA en alimentos enlatados, metales pesados y ftalatos en productos para el consumidor – padres de familia accionistas y expertos en materia de la salud solicitaron que el liderazgo ejecutivo implemente políticas de sustancias químicas peligrosas y que compartan dichas políticas con el público, así como lo han hecho otras cadenas de tiendas. Read More

Press Release: Consumer Agency to Ban Harmful Chemicals in Children’s Toys

October 18, 2017

WASHINGTON – In a major victory for public health, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) voted today, 3-2, to ban several harmful phthalate chemicals from plastic used in children’s toys and child care articles.

The agency finalized its rule on phthalates today in response to a legal settlement approved by a judge in a lawsuit brought by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), the Environmental Justice Health Alliance (EJHA) and Breast Cancer Prevention Partners (BCPP) against the CPSC last December. The final rule permanently bans five types of phthalates from use in children’s toys and child care articles. Read More

A Toxic Storm: Hazardous Facilities, Failed Chemical Safety Policies, and Extreme Weather Leave Houston Residents Swimming in Toxic Soup

August 30, 2017

In response to the devastation and suffering created by Tropical Storm Harvey, and the toxic hazards posed to health and the environment by dozens of hazardous industrial and commercial facilities concentrated in the Houston area, Michele Roberts, Co-Coordinator of the Environmental Justice Health Alliance (EJHA), issued the following statement: Read More

Coming Clean and EJHA's Joint Statement on Racist Violence in Charlottesville

August 24, 2017

Coming Clean, a network of 200 community, state and national organizations working to reduce the disproportionate suffering toxic chemicals impose on people of color and the poor, is deeply saddened and disappointed by the recent racist, hateful actions in Charlottesville, Virginia. Our hearts are with the victims of these attacks—whether they died or were injured directly by white supremacists, died in an accident while seeking to protect the public, or were one of the millions among us who felt the chill and horror intended by this terrorist attack. We condemn racism and all supremacist ideologies everywhere they appear, be they in the streets of Charlottesville, our institutions of government and criminal justice, and in the daily lives of those who continue to suffer their impacts. Read More