The Swiss water bottle company built a marketing machine out of a consumer scare about BPA in plastic water bottles. But the company made a huge mistake in failing to disclose that the lining in its own bottles contained the harmful chemical.

Now the company is in major damage control mode, after the CEO posted a public letter on the company website in August about the presence of trace amounts of the chemical in bottle liners produced before 2008. The tone of this letter was very matter-of-fact and unapologetic, which put Sigg’s customers on the defensive.

In 2008, Washington became the first state in the nation to pass a law requiring manufacturers to report whether certain products contain chemicals toxic to children. 

But nine months after the deadline, the state is still months from creating a list of top 50 chemicals that manufacturers of children's products, such as toys and car seats, would be required to disclose.

State officials blame budget cuts, a hiring freeze and the difficulty of prioritizing a short list from a field of thousands of chemicals that are most harmful to children.

"It's been quite a bit harder than we anticipated," said Carol Kraege, the state's toxics policy coordinator. "We are late, and we're doing as much as we can do."

The state will seek public comment next month on how best to come up with that list. It will come up with top 50 list by next spring.

We are excited to announce that MOMS now offers Belli Skincare products through its online store. MOMS and Belli are a perfect combination: Belli skincare is the only skincare line that is LactMed screened and tested for teratogens (birth-defect causing agents).

Because Belli is committed to furthering the MOMS' mission of protecting moms and babies from toxic chemicals, it is helping to support our work through the sale of products from the MOMS store.

Belli Skincare is offering an exlcusive 20% discount for MOMS members who purchase Belli products through the our store.  If you're looking for the perfect gift for a new mom or baby, check out Belli products and support MOMS at the same time.

To receive the exclusive 20% discount, enter coupon code MOMSPROMO at checkout. 

Some flip-flops, sandals, clogs, and rubber shoes recently tested in the Philippines have shown high concentrations of chemicals that are harmful to human health and the environment, an investigation by a Swedish environmental group revealed.

We have found frightening concentrations of environmental toxins in the shoes that can spread to people and to the environment as the shoes become worn,” Swedish Society for Nature Conservation (SSNC) president Mikael Karlsson said.

The investigation on toxins in flip-flops, sandals, clogs, and rubber shoes was conducted in seven countries: the Philippines, Indonesia, India, Tanzania, Uganda, South Africa, and Sweden.

Based on the report “Chemicals Up-Close,” 17 of the 27 pairs of rubber shoes tested positive for phthalates, which are used as softening agents in polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastic.

SSNC’s local partner, Ecological Waste Coalition (EcoWaste), said phthalates contains endocrine disruptors which are associated with developmental and reproductive disorders, including incomplete testicular growth and decreased fertility in men.