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Recent Success Stories
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Exposing lead contamination in baby powders: Manufacturers
of baby powder have known about lead contamination in their products
for years, but have refused to warn parents. Lead poisoning in children
can cause brain damage, lowered IQ's, and behavioral problems. CEH
is fighting giants like Johnson & Johnson and Pfizer to stop
these lead exposures.
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Changing the health care industry: CEH is a leading member
of Health Care Without Harm, a collaborative campaign for environmentally
responsible health care made up of more than 300 hospitals and non-profit
organizations in 24 countries (www.noharm.org).
CEH also works with Bay Area hospitals to phase out their use of
mercury, which causes brain damage, and cancer-causing PVC plastics.
details
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Stopping the release of cancer-causing chemicals into low-income
communities: CEH is challenging Integrated Environmental Systems
(IES), the last commercial medical waste incinerator in California,
to switch to a safer technology for treating medical waste. IES
burns plastics from medical waste, releasing dioxin, which is one
of the most toxic substances known to science. In one recent victory,
Stanford University Medical Center committed to stop sending their
waste to IES. details
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Changing the building industry: As a founding member and
national leader in the Healthy Buildings Network, a nationwide coalition
modeled after Health Care Without Harm, CEH is pioneering work with
the architecture, building and construction industries to reduce
the use of toxic materials in buildings by changing to healthier,
non-toxic alternatives. details
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Writing anti-toxic legislation: CEH co-authored "dioxin-elimination"
resolutions that have been passed by four local governments (Oakland,
San Francisco, Berkeley, and Marin County) and have already led
to changes in government purchasing policies. These resolutions
serve as models for other city governments throughout the nation.
As a result of these resolutions, CEH was hired this fall to advise
the Association of Bay Area Governments on dioxin policy.
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Protecting children from illegal tobacco advertising next to
schools: CEH's lawsuit not only required advertisers throughout
California to remove tobacco advertising targeted at youth, it also
forced them to post anti-smoking billboards in their place. In 2000,
our anti-smoking billboards have been placed in low-income communities
that were disproportionately targeted for tobacco advertising.
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Forcing regulators to act: In coalition with our allies,
CEH successfully convinced the Bay Area Air Quality Management District
to create an Environmental Justice Working Group, a new advisory
panel to the District comprised in part of community members and
activists, including CEH.
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Supporting communities for environmental justice: In partnership
with People United for a Better Oakland (PUEBLO) and the Center
for Third World Organizing (CTWO), CEH is working with the Alameda
County Department of Public Health on a major, multi-year collaboration.
This project focuses on environmental justice priorities along the
I-880 corridor in East Oakland.
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Stopping polluters from emitting toxic chemicals: This year,
CEH forced many polluters to reduce or eliminate their emissions
of methylene chloride, perchloroethylene, and other toxic chemicals
into our air and water. These chemicals cause cancer, birth defects,
neurological problems, infertility, and other diseases. Many of
the industries using such toxic chemicals are located in low-income
neighborhoods and communities of color.
See examples of our successes in 2000.
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