Texas landfills are leaking toxins into groundwater (Interactive Map)

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The following data comes from the 2015 Joint Groundwater Monitoring and Contamination Report released annually by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. Interactive Google map created by Texas Campaign for the Environment Fund.
Since over a third of active, monitored landfills are leaking in Texas, we should definitely not be throwing toxic household items into the landfill! In addition to reducing toxic items from your trash bin, use our Take Action page to contact your elected officials about passing common sense policies to make recycling more convenient where we live, work, and play.

batteryfeaturedFor example, battery companies are already providing convenient recycling programs for most Canadians, Europeans, and Vermont residents, because of legislation that has passed there. Tell your state lawmakers to support HB 1874 to expand  household battery recycling options in Texas.

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The 10 Most Toxic Items at Dollar Stores

Written by

Country Living
By Molly Rauch
Original article here

When it comes to safety, dollar-store deals might not be a bargain after all. Recent testing of their products found that 81% contained one or more hazardous chemicals. The tests, conducted by the consumer testing group Healthy Stuff, found chemicals associated with cancer, obesity, diabetes, asthma, thyroid and kidney diseases, learning problems, lower IQ, birth defects and early puberty. Here are 10 items you’re better off buying elsewhere.

1. Electronic Accessories

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Extension cords, USB charging cords and cell phone charger cables from dollar stores tested high in chlorine, a sign that the items were made with a plastic called polyvinyl chloride, or PVC. PVC is made from vinyl chloride, a cancer-causing chemical that has harmed workers and contaminated communities close to the factories. Pick up these accessories from electronics stores instead.

2. Plastic Kitchen Utensils

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Those black slotted spoons and spatulas may contain high levels of bromine, a component in brominated flame retardants, or BFRs. Though these are added to make the products resistant to fire, they’ve been linked to cancer, birth defects and impaired brain development, and have been banned or phased out in the U.S. So what are they doing in kitchen utensils? Suppliers are likely substituting cheap, hazardous recycled content–probably from old electronics–for virgin plastic. Products made with such recycled plastic can be contaminated with BFRs, and our regulatory system misses them. Instead, choose stainless steel.

3. Flannel-Backed Table Covers

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Protecting your table from scratches and stains, these bright, reusable covers seem like a good way to add a festive feel to your feast. But recent testing uncovered high levels of lead, aneurotoxic metal that is especially harmful to fetuses and children. It can reduce IQ and cause behavioral problems. Vinyl tablecloths aren’t a good alternative, because they’re made with cancer-causing vinyl chloride. Instead, look for a reusable, washable cloth table cover or a disposable paper or plastic one.

4. Metallic Christmas Garlands

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Saving on once-a-year items makes good financial sense. But these have tested high in bromine, indicating that some are made with recycled plastics containing BFRs. These can seep into household dust, possibly causingthyroid problems, memory impairment and other health issues. In general, clear and translucent plastics don’t have the hazardous recycled content, so look for see-through garlands or paper varieties, or make your own out of good old popcorn and cranberries.

5. Silly Straws

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These have tested high for levels of DEHP, a phthalate (pronounced “thal-ate”) used widely in consumer products, usually to soften brittle plastics. Some phthalates interfere with the body’s endocrine system, and studies have linked phthalate exposure to asthma and allergies, prostate and testicular cancer and type 2 diabetes. Six phthalates, including DEHP, have been restricted in children’s products–but silly straws aren’t technically children’s products, so they can legally contain high levels of DEHP.

6. Vinyl Floor Coverings

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Flexible, adhesive bath mats from dollar stores have tested high in both phthalates and chlorine. Jeff Gearhart, research director ofHealthy Stuff, is especially concerned about the impact of phthalates because they’re used in so many different products. “Exposures are from multiple sources and affect multiple parts of our bodies,” he says. He recommends avoiding products that have the word “vinyl” on the label.

7. Holiday Light Strings

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Handling such products as you style your tree could spread toxic dust to your hands, and then you might ingest it. Hard to swallow, considering the high levels of chlorine and bromine (and therefore PVC and flame-retardant chemicals) in these have been linked to cancer and thyroid problems. When buying holiday lights, check the tag to make sure they are RoHS-compliant. (“Restriction of Hazardous Substances” is a European toxics standard that limits some flame retardants in electronics).

8. Metal Children’s Jewelry

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All that glitters is not safe: Recent tests showed earrings from dollar stores with high lead levels, exceeding Consumer Product Safety Commission regulations. Lead can leach out of jewelry when children suck or scratch it, and ingesting even tiny amounts of the heavy metal can harm children’s brain development. Since most products never get screened for toxins, and can slip through even when they surpass federal safety standards, skip jewelry like this completely.

9. Metallic Beads

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Mardi Gras may mean Fat Tuesday, but throw in some dollar-store garlands, and it’s Toxic Tuesday instead. These necklaces tested high in bromine, indicating that recycled plastic was probably the filler ingredient for the beads. Gearhart has estimated that “a single year’s inventory of Mardi Gras beads may contain up to 900,000 pounds of hazardous flame retardants and 10,000 pounds of lead.” Unless you are partying in the French Quarter, just say no to metallic beads.

10. Window Clings and Removable Wall Stickers

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Whether life-size photos of favorite sports stars or colorful holiday graphics, don’t be tempted to redecorate your children’s walls or windows with these. They tend to contain PVC, which the American Public Health Association has called “among the most hazardous of plastic materials” and urges action to phase out the material from homes, schools, hospitals and daycare centers.

Discount retailers can do better–Walmart and Target are responding to consumer demand for safer products, requiring their suppliers to phase out the most harmful chemicals–but so far top dollar store CEOs haven’t responded to requeststo get toxic chemicals off their shelves. What should dollar stores do about toxic chemicals in their products? Click here to let the CEOs of Dollar Tree, Family Dollar and Dollar General know what you think.

Houston Runoff Election Environmental Questionnaire

Written by

TCE Blog
Melanie Scruggs, Houston Program Director

Questionnaire Graphic v4Early voting began Dec. 2nd and runs through Dec. 8th for the City of Houston runoff election on Saturday, Dec. 12th. Voters will decide our next Mayor, four of five At-Large Council Members and three out of eleven district-specific Council members who are in the runoff. There are other races on the ballot as well.

We helped put together a short environmental questionnaire for City Council runoff candidates with the help of our co-sponsors: NAACP Houston Branch, Texas Environmental Justice Advocacy Services (t.e.j.a.s.), Citizens Climate Lobby, Dr. Robert Bullard, Air Alliance Houston, Sierra Club Houston Regional Group, San Jacinto River Coalition and the League of Women Voters Houston. We especially thank Dr. Jacqueline Smith with the NAACP Houston Branch Climate and Environmental Justice Committee for her assistance with the questionnaire.

You can read candidates’ responses to the environmental questionnaire here or by clicking the button below.

Read Responses

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Answers have been published as submitted including spelling or grammatical errors. Any responses that exceed the character limit of 1000 characters are ended with asterisks. Each of the 16 candidates was asked to respond to the following three questions:

 

 

  1. In 2015, Houston expanded curbside recycling for all neighborhoods with city trash services. What specific policies or programs would you support to build on this progress and address illegal dumping, prevent new trash facilities from being located in low-income areas, and expand recycling, composting and education?

  2. This December, the UN Climate Change Conference is meeting in Paris, France to achieve a universal agreement on global actions for all nations to address climate change. How will you lead Houston as a global city in addressing climate change?

    Sylvester Turner: Energy-efficient technologies and energy conservation are major ways to reduce energy consumption and make Houston cleaner and greener. I am pleased with the city’s ongoing embrace of renewable energy – we are currently the top municipal purchaser of renewable power in the nation… Read More

    Bill King: The science is clear that climate change is underway and that human activities are one of the primary drivers. The only question that still merits serious debate is this: given what we know, what do we do about the problem?… Read More

  3. What local environmental and environmental justice issues are most important to you? What policies will you support to address these issues?

Our questionnaire includes links to your voting location information. Learn more about where Houston candidates stand with the League of Women Voters Runoff Edition Voter Guide and helpful questionnaires from Bike Houston, Scenic Houston and OffCite.org (a quarterly published by the Rice Design Alliance).

Please share this blog post to help educate your friends and co-workers about the runoff election with a reminder to always vote with the environment in mind. Your voice and your vote make a huge difference in this and every election!

 

Learn to Compost! Morning Seminar Summary

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Esmesha Campbell

Compost-binThe July 11 Composting Seminar was a major success! Entitled “Learn to Compost! Morning Seminar,” the information session was held at an eco-friendly store/restaurant called A Movable Feast and was sponsored by Texas Campaign for the Environment Fund. There were about thirty attendees, most of whom were seasoned composters over the age of 50. The session was also headed by three keynote speakers including Jared McNabb, founder of the vermicomposting company called The Mighty Worm, Dr. John Ferguson of Nature’s Way Resources and composting enthusiast Daniela Ochoa Gonzalez of Solurso Sustainable Urban Solutions. My role throughout the seminar was to basically make note of the studies and statistics presented while also acting as a co-host alongside Texas Campaign for the Environment Program Director Melanie Scruggs. Each speaker spoke for about thirty minutes each on their designated fields of composting expertise.

Jared McNabb enlightened the audience about vermicomposting (the composting technique involving the addition of various types of worms, especially red wigglers) and his business experience in working alongside institutions, parks and hospitals while using nitrogen rich methods to restore their landscapes. His presentation also shed light on how important the recycling of food and trash waste can be to the growth of the Houston metropolitan area. Jared also emphasized the significance of reusing wastes to help cultivate other forms of compost including leaf mould. His key takeaway points were to 1) Take what you need, 2) Compost! Compost! Compost! and 3) Return it to the earth. This young composter’s spirit was the highlight of his presentation and his unwavering willingness to answer even the most complex questions proved that he did, in fact, house a deep passion for both composting and preserving the condition of our environment.

Dr. John Ferguson was the second speaker and his oration explored the market barriers for composters. Dr. Ferguson’s presentation touched on different perspectives and allowed attendees to take a quick glimpse into some of the regulations and policies that hinder the progress of education about the importance of composting. Some of the more controversial barriers include, but are not limited to, the lack of clarity within Texas Commission for Environmental Quality (TCEQ) regulation interpretations, bad operators and unregulated products, the lack of collection services by waste companies and the immense deficiency of education/knowledge about the general benefits of composting. Ferguson’s teachings broadened my views on composting from the public administration/environmental policy perspective. With so many law-makers pushing against the implementation of policies that could potentially encourage the method of composting as opposed to chemical fertilizing, the possibility of introducing it as a waste alternative such as recycling would seem to be more feasible. All in all, Dr. Ferguson’s talk was filled with jaw-dropping statistics, memorable photos and well-founded opinions. It also focused attention to the true views of our state’s regulatory bodies, which have great potential to encourage the composting sector.

The final speaker was compost enthusiast Daniela Ochoa Gonzalez. Gonzalez concentrated on the need of composting training in elementary schools throughout the city of Houston. With a presentation coined “Hope Beyond Hype for School Composting,” she also broke down the school hierarchy in which composting could be adequately received within the education system. The hierarchy starts with leadership and branches into student participation, custodians, teachers and administrative staff and, finally, parents. Gonzalez emphasized that the full hierarchy must be respected and executed in order to successfully conquer the stigma of rejecting the idea of composting in the school system. After discussing each point of the hierarchy, Gonzalez also urged the compost seminar attendees to research and support an organization called the Urban School Food Alliance. The Urban School Food Alliance uses purchasing power and the ability to negotiate with vendors to bring compostable and biodegradable materials to cafeterias and school lunches; therefore, when it is time for the “trash” to be disposed of, the waste will be more useful than harmful.

Each speaker presented valuable and important information within each of their sessions. Not only did I learn a great deal about composting, but I also internalized a few ideals of my own when it comes to the implementation of governmental policies. In my opinion, there seems to be a great deal of uncertainty and fear around composting from the policy perspective. For our lawmakers, perhaps, fear of the unknown and fear of the potential financial and environmental effects of composting may raise more than a few eyebrows. Instead of the Texas legislature and local policy makers opening their minds to a positive environmental alternative, there is a response to maintain regulations the way they know how and continue throwing food waste into landfills. With the steady increase in landfills across Houston, composting may be the best bet that ensures our city’s prosperity, preservation and well-being in the years to come.

Esmesha_CampbellINTERNEsmesha Campbell is a staff writer for Fashion Bomb Daily, MPA Candidate through Texas Southern University in the Barbara Jordan-Mickey Leland School of Public Affairs, and summer intern at Texas Campaign for the Environment.

Scruggs: We should heed pope’s climate change stance

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Houston Chronicle Op-Ed
Melanie Scruggs, Texas Campaign for the Environment

There is an old joke about the man in a flooding house who prays for rescue. As the water rises, firefighters come by in a rowboat and offer to help him out. He says, “No, no, I’m waiting for God to rescue me.” A while later, the water is higher and a motorboat comes. He tells them, “No, no, I’m waiting for God to rescue me.” Finally, the water is up to his roof and a helicopter offers help. “No, no, I’m waiting for God to rescue me,” the man says. The water keeps rising however, and the man drowns.

In heaven now, the man asks God, “Why didn’t you rescue me?”

“What are you talking about?” God asks. “I sent two boats and a helicopter!”

popeThis joke is not only appropriate in light of the historic rain and flooding we have seen in Houston lately, but in light of another man of prayer’s recent statements on a likely contributor to this exceptional weather: Pope Francis’ encyclical on climate change. The man in the joke thought his solution would come miraculously, but it came instead from conscientious neighbors working for the common good. Many Texans seem to believe that we will be magically delivered from the consequences we are already facing as a result of our unrestrained consumption and waste – record droughts, record floods and more violent tropical storms. In truth, it is the leadership of thousands of activists working in our community that offers real hope for our future.

Pope Francis’ encyclical is important, but it is only the latest statement from a faith leader urging action on climate change. Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu and Protestant leaders – including the Southern Baptist Convention – have said that climate change is a moral issue, and failure to act to mitigate it is a moral failing. Somehow, however, Texas politicians – usually not too shy about mixing religion into their politics – have not gotten the message. Some climate change denialists with whom I have spoken in Austin have even suggested that God would not allow climate change to destroy our wasteful way of life!

The notion that God will bail us out of the consequences of our own bad decisions is not one taken seriously by any religion I am familiar with, and as a pastor’s daughter, I am confident that I never learned that one in Sunday school. Instead, the Bible and many scriptures from other faiths are full of stories of otherwise decent, even holy people making selfish decisions they repeatedly have been warned against and facing inevitable consequences as judgment. They can be forgiven, they can be healed, and they can repent and take instead a different path. But as long as they persist in their destructive behavior, there is a price to be paid.

Those of us working to build a more sustainable and just society across Texas are leading the way, however, to avert disaster and save lives. We are working to put Houston on a path to zero waste by advocating a long-term plan to expand recycling and composting programs all over the city. We are lobbying to defend our renewable energy portfolio standards. We are educating and protecting communities that live closest to polluting facilities. We need to be doing even more, and collaborating more. Some of needed changes may be uncomfortable, but doing the right thing often is. Many Texas politicians, however, would rather pretend as though the problem does not exist than make any changes necessary to address it.

Flooding and miraculous rescues, it turns out, are no joke. A climate warming out of control is one where floods, droughts, powerful storms and other costs to human life and civilization become increasingly unavoidable. We would do well to heed Pope Francis’ pleas, and be the people piloting the figurative rescue boats and helicopters, not those refusing help when we need it most.

Scruggs is Houston program director for Texas Campaign for the Environment.

Texas environmentalists call for change of chemical policies in Walgreen’s Products

Written by

NewsFix CW 39
MTruehill3rd
Original story here

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HOUSTON – Folks upset with Walgreen’s about chemicals in its products are protesting at the corner of sad and toxic.

Not exactly, but in Houston protesters with the Texas Campaign for the Environment called for safer chemical policies outside the Walgreen’s at the corner of Westheimer and Weslayan.

“Independent chemical testing has shown that Walgreen’s products like school supplies and dog toys contain lead, and arsenic, formaldehyde, chemicals that we really shouldn’t be bringing into our homes with our children and pets,” said Melanie Scruggs.

Some dressed in hazmat suits and facemasks chanting their demands.

“These chemicals have got to go! Hey, hey, ho, ho! These chemicals have got to go,” they shouted from the sidewalk.

Walgreen’s does have a line of products called Ology, which is said to be free of harmful chemicals, and says they’re working with vendors to ensure the quality and safety of the products they offer for sale.

You know how the saying goes, what doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger.

Protesting pirates demand change from local company

Written by

WISC-TV News 3 Madison

Velena Jones

Original story here

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Pirate costumes are not what you would expect to see at a protest, but it’s something Texas protest organizer Andrew Dobbs hopes will help get a message across.

“We want people to have fun with it always, but we also hope that people know even down in Texas we are working to make sure that Madison-area companies are held accountable,” Dobbs said.

Over two dozen environmental protesters from Texas and Madison came together to bring a message to Spectrum Brands. The company is a sponsor of Madison’s Clean Lakes Festival and the parent company of Rayovac, a Middleton-based battery company.

“Rayovac admits themselves overseas that throwing batteries in the trash is harmful to the environment and a waste of resources. Over here they tell people to throw their batteries in the trash. We want them to be consistent,” he said.

 

It’s a message other protesters want the Clean Lakes Alliance to support.

“We are all about clean lakes, but we think that if you are going to sponsor a festival called the Clean Lakes Festival, you should own up to the pollution and do everything you can to reduce and prevent the pollution,” Madison protester Maria Powell said.

Officials with the Clean Lakes Alliance said while they respect the protesters’ message, their demonstration took away from the mission of Saturday’s Clean Lakes Festival.

“I think it’s very unfortunate that an out-of-state group would pit one environmental issue against another and really hijack a local event,” said Elizabeth Katt-Reinders, director of policy and communications at the Clean Lakes Alliance.

The alliance started four years ago. Katt-Reinders said the group hopes to tackle other environmental issues in the future, but are currently focused on accomplishing one main objective, reducing phosphorous.

Despite mixed perceptions of protesters’ demonstrations, their message did not go unnoticed. Dobbs said their efforts started a discussion with the company he hopes will continue.

“Through our pressure they have agreed to support legislation, but they still have not agreed to tell people to recycle their batteries,” Dobbs said.

Spectrum Brands’ ties with Clean Lakes Alliance prompting festival protest

Written by

Capital Times
Jessica VanEgeren
Original article here

The connection between Spectrum Brands, the maker of Rayovac batteries, and the Clean Lakes Alliance is prompting a protest Saturday at one of the Clean Lakes Alliance’s biggest annual fundraisers, the Clean Lakes Festival.

The protest, coordinated by the Texas Campaign for the Environment, is being held to apply pressure to Middleton-based Spectrum Brands to create a process or actively promote legislation that allows people to recycle rather than throw away their alkaline and rechargeable batteries.

Rayovaction Boat“We need to call them out on this double standard,” said Robin Schneider, an activist with Texas Campaign for the Environment. “They are providing recycling for people in Europe and Canada, but not in the United States, its home country.”

According to Schneider, rechargeable batteries contain highly toxic materials and alkaline batteries can corrode landfill liners, allowing other toxins to more easily pollute soil and groundwater.

Spectrum-Rayovac has been the target of environmentalists since it pulled out of discussions in 2011 with Energizer, Duracell and Panasonic to create a national single-use battery take-back program. Efforts have stalled since then.

Spectrum is a prominent supporter of the Clean Lakes Alliance and one of its main fundraising events, the Clean Lakes Festival.

The Saturday demonstration will be held from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m., beginning at B.B. Clarke Beach on Lake Monona, with participants then moving to the site of the Clean Lakes Festival in Law Park, near Monona Terrace.

Protesters plan to be dressed like pirates, with some scheduled to be in boats on Lake Monona with banners criticizing Spectrum Brands for Rayovac’s poor recycling record.

“We looked at the report card for the Clean Lakes Alliance. It talks about water clarity, temperature and phosphorus, but they refuse to address toxics in the lakes,” Schneider said. “There is a toxic legacy in Madison lakes and many different toxic issues this organization will not address.”

Dave Lumley, Spectrum’s chief executive officer, is a staunch supporter of the Clean Lakes Alliance, a Madison-based organization created in 2011 with a goal to clean up Madison’s lakes. A major goal of the group is to cut the amount of phosphorus in the polluted lakes in half by 2025.

Lumley was a keynote speaker at the Clean Lakes Alliance’s Save Our Lakes community breakfast in April. Event attendees pledged $40,000 to the nonprofit.

Lumley never chaired the clean Lakes Alliance board, as the environmental activist incorrectly stated, but he was on the 32-member community board until 2012 and is still listed as a 2014 community board member on the Clean Lakes website. But Don Heilman, executive director of the Clean Lakes Alliance, said in an email Monday that Lumley hasn’t attended a meeting in two years.

“Our focus is on cleaning up the lakes with the primary goal being the reduction of phosphorus entering them,” Heilman said in an emailed statement responding to news of the protest. “We are grateful for the support Spectrum Brands has given to these efforts.”

Another top Spectrum executive, Stacey Neu, is on the 2014 Clean Lakes Alliance executive board. Neu is the company’s vice president of human resources.

Heilman deferred all environmental questions related to battery recycling to David Pritchard, a Spectrum-Rayovac spokesman. Pritchard did not respond to requests for comment Monday.

“We think we need to hold Spectrum accountable for its ongoing pollution and the pollution that is coming,” Schneider said. “It will not take responsibility for the end of life of its products.”

Another protest is planned for 4 p.m., Friday, at Spectrum’s Middleton headquarters. Activists have 25,000 letters from consumers requesting it recycle its batteries, which activists will attempt to deliver to company executives.

They also will be chanting at workers leaving for the weekend, while hoisting a 90-square-foot banner featuring a skull and crossed batteries to represent a “toxic” symbol.

Progressive Dane and the Midwest Environmental Justice Organization also will be participating in the protests.