Parents and caregivers nationwide face a dire situation – infant formula shelves are bare, due to a voluntary recall sparked by the discovery of a dangerous pathogen. This week, EWG broke down what went wrong and asked Food and Drug Adminsitration Commissioner Robert Califf four questions about the crisis.
A recent EWG survey of thousands of Americans found that more than 50 percent believe their drinking water is unsafe. Despite widespread concern over tap water quality, nearly half of those surveyed are uncertain about who is responsible for protecting it.
“EWG would like to be a trusted tap water information provider,” said Olga Naidenko, Ph.D., EWG’s senior vice president for Science Investigations. “We want to create a community-level understanding of water as a resource for people, to build better engagement with the ultimate solution of pollution prevention and stricter regulation,” she said.
On the most recent episode of HBO’s “Last Week Tonight,” host John Oliver skewered corrupt monopoly utilities like Pacific Gas & Electric and Duke Energy. This is something EWG has been highlighting, especially in cases like PG&E’s effort to stifle California’s popular rooftop solar program while investing in dirty fossil fuels and Duke’s effort to price solar power out of reach of many of North Carolina's working-class residents.
In a press conference last week, California Gov. Gavin Newsom called rooftop solar “essential” to the state’s future. This comes during a highly charged battle over the fate of California’s “net metering” rooftop solar program.
“Although we appreciate Gov. Newsom’s rhetorical support for rooftop solar, it’s not enough,” said EWG President and California resident Ken Cook. “He must make clear to regulators and the utilities that any new proposal provides the essential incentive structure that will grow the program by allowing working-class families to afford it. And that doesn’t include any new tax on people who are already struggling to pay their bills.”
And finally, EWG dove into industry claims about beef production and touted the climate and health benefits of dairy alternatives.
Here’s some news you can use going into the weekend.
Baby formula shortage
Politico: Amid infant formula fallout, FDA turns to agency veteran with little food experience
Last month, a broad coalition of food industry, consumer, health and state groups sent a letter to Califf urging a reorganization of the agency’s food program in response to POLITICO’s investigation. The letter was signed by groups like the Center for Science in the Public Interest, Environmental Working Group, Consumer Brands Association and American Frozen Food Institute — a mix of interests that don’t often work together.
Abbott is not the only entity possibly at fault. “There's plenty of blame to go around here,” says Scott Faber, a professor at Georgetown University’s law center and vice president of government affairs at Environmental Working Group, a nonprofit aimed at empowering consumers.
California’s aging nuclear power plant
Reuters: U.S. extends application deadline for nuclear power rescue program
Environmental Working Group President Ken Cook complained that CNC was a “waste of scarce resources” and delays moving the country and California toward renewable electricity.
Crop insurance
Green Wire: Crop insurance costs climb as climate change deepens
The Environmental Working Group said its analysis of data from the Department of Agriculture reflects the growing cost to taxpayers of insuring crops against floods and other weather disasters. The group urged Congress to revamp crop insurance to discourage planting in areas prone to repeated floods.
The prices for wheat and other commodities are already so high that farmers have enough of an incentive to be growing those crops, said Anne Schechinger, Midwest director for the Environmental Working Group, which tracks farm subsidies. “I don't think this is going to make much of a difference at all to U.S. ag producers,” Schechinger said of the administration's $500 million request.
But a new analysis from the Environmental Working Group finds taxpayers fronted nearly $40 billion in crop insurance premium subsidies between 2001-2020 across 13 states, most of which are in the Mississippi River Basin. EWG expects the cost of the crop insurance premium subsidies to increase as climate change worsens.
Cleaning products
Treehugger: The 10 Best Sustainable Cleaning Products
Where it’s applicable, we’ve also considered the rating by the Environmental Working Group (EWG), a nonprofit that ranks products based on the toxicity of their chemical ingredients. You can also look up nearly any product's EWG grade yourself.
Consumer guides
The Environmental Working Group (EWG) website provides consumer information on a wide range of issues and products related to human health and the environment, including the use of cleaning and disinfectant products, 2,500 of which it has rated in terms of their effects on respiratory function and asthma.
Farm Bill
American Ag Network: What Non-Agriculture Groups Want in the New Farm Bill
Scott Faber is the senior vice president of government affairs for the Environmental Working Group, and he says controlling greenhouse gas emissions is one of their biggest priorities.
“Unless we reduce greenhouse gas emissions from farming, unless we reduce, in particular, nitrous oxide emissions from fertilizer and methane emissions from animals and their waste, we cannot avoid a climate catastrophe. Every sector of the economy, for a variety of reasons, but primarily because of policies set by the state governments or the federal government, are reducing their emissions but one: our farmers. Right now, agriculture accounts for about, or at least, 10 percent of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions. But as every sector reduces their emissions and agriculture increases emissions, agriculture share of U.S. emissions will grow perhaps to 20 percent by the end of this decade, or 30 percent by the end of the next decade.”
PFAS
Inside EPA: House Panel Approves Amended PFAS Research Bill On Bipartisan Vote
“EWG applauds Rep. Fletcher and the House Science Committee for making PFAS a priority,” Scott Faber, Environmental Working Group’s senior vice president for government affairs, said in a May 17 release on the markup.
EWG Guide to Sunscreens
The Skimm: Does Sunscreen Expire? And All Your Other Burning Questions
The idea that sunscreen might contain harmful ingredients may have started with a report released in 2008 by the nonprofit Environmental Working Group. It called on the FDA to look into oxybenzone, a common chemical found in sunscreen.
Vogue India: The best sunscreens to buy this summer and the suncare ingredients to avoid
The Environmental Working Group (EWG) has created a nifty Guide to Safer Sunscreens for choosing a sunblock. EWG’s guide specifies to avoid sunblocks containing ingredients Oxybenzone, Vitamin A (retinyl palmitate) and added insect repellent and look for ingredients such as Zinc Oxide and Mexoryl SX.
Tap Water Database
Eat This, Not That!: Ways You're Damaging Your Heart and Don't Even Know It
The Environmental Working Group's Tap Water Database is one way to find the true quality of water in your area – and you probably won't like what you see. So, what can you do about it?