Toxic threats
The chemicals used in everything from perfumes to cleaners to fertilizers should make our lives better — not harm our health or our environment.
There are more than 80,000 chemicals on the market in the United States, used in everything from perfumes and household cleaners to fertilizers and industrial solvents. Surprisingly, most chemicals go into use without testing their long-term impact on our health or the environment. We should make sure that any chemical in use is safe, eliminate any we know are dangerous, and when industries make a toxic mess, we should know right away, and they should pay to clean it up.
The Latest on Toxic threats
Statement: New rule will aid PFAS clean-ups
Has PFAS contaminated your beach?
Updates
Action to tackle PFAS pollution in Colorado continues
Colorado gets a ‘C+’ for efforts to get the lead out of water
During Lead Poisoning Prevention Awareness Week, experts share dangers, make recommendations to provide lead-free drinking water in schools
What You Can Do
Featured Resources
Superfund Back on Track
The Threat of “Forever Chemicals”
Who are the top toxic water polluters in your state?
“Chemical recycling”: What you need to know.
The Latest
Type
Polluter tax to clean up Superfund sites kicks in Friday
After decades of taxpayers bearing the cost of cleaning up toxic waste sites, a new tax on companies that produce chemicals will kick in Friday to pay for toxic waste clean up. The so-called “polluter pays” tax will give the EPA’s “Superfund” program, which is responsible for cleaning up the most hazardous waste sites in the country, a major boost and help to free many Coloradans from the threat of deadly toxic waste.
Preparing for a hurricane: Here are tips to protect yourself, your home and your finances
Here's how to keep your property, your pets and your wallet safe
Campaign for Columbia Sportswear Commitment to Eliminate PFAS Launched Today
Today U.S. PIRG Education Fund and NRDC launched a campaign to urge Columbia Sportswear to eliminate toxic PFAS in their products and supply chain by 2024. The campaign will engage everyday consumers through a petition drive and mobilize the public impacted by PFAS contamination.
New scorecard grades popular apparel brands on commitments to avoiding PFAS
CoPIRG Foundation, Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc.(NRDC) and Fashion FWD released a scorecard on Wednesday ranking popular retail and apparel brands on policy commitments to eliminate a dangerous class of toxic “forever chemicals,” known as PFAS, from their products. Levi Strauss & Co. earned the highest marks while Walmart, Costco, Tapestry (parent company for Coach) and GIII Apparel Group (parent company for DKNY and Andrew Marc) received low marks for failing to adopt policies that ban PFAS chemicals or provide up-to-date, publicly available information on any ongoing efforts to phase out these toxic chemicals from their products.
Burger King commits to eliminating toxic “forever chemicals” in food packaging globally
Restaurant Brands International (RBI), parent company of Burger King, Tim Hortons and Popeyes, announced Wednesday evening a new global commitment to eliminate per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in food packaging used in its restaurants by 2025.