Search Results for 'environmental working group'

  • Did They Really Write That? Five of the Worst Science Headlines of 2015

    One of our goals at the Center for Accountability in Science is to point out egregious examples of sensationalist health and science reporting and put those stories in context based on the weight of scientific evidence. In 2015, there were numerous times the media exaggerated scientific findings to needlessly worry consumers. We picked our top […]

  • Should You Say ‘No’ to Paper Receipts?

    By now, most consumers are used to seeing plastic water bottles and food containers marketed as “BPA-free” even though major government agencies such as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) insist BPA poses no risk to consumers of any age. But BPA is used in more than just food […]

  • Is Painting Your Nails Harming Your Health?

    Earlier this week, the Environmental Working Group (an environmental activist group known for dubious science) released a new study with Duke University researchers that examined women’s levels of triphenyl phosphate (TPHP), a chemical sometimes used in nail polish. The researchers told the media women who painted their nails had “substantially higher” levels of TPHP than […]

  • When Policymakers Ignore Science

    Check out my latest op-ed for The Hill. There aren’t many American lawmakers with advanced science degrees, and it’s a safe bet that very few of them curl up at night with the latest issue of a peer-reviewed medical journal. But lawmakers don’t actually have to be scientific experts themselves to pass sound, science-based public policy. […]

  • The ‘Nontoxic’ Scam: Scaremongering, For Fun And Profit

    In a new op-ed for the Daily Caller, Dr. Joseph Perrone discusses how celebrities like Jessica Alba and Gwyneth Paltrow and activist groups like the Environmental Working Group have financial incentives to promote “nontoxic” products. Dr. Perrone debunks some of their health claims and explains that there’s no reason to fear the cosmetics and sunscreens you […]

  • Sunburned Consumers Criticize Jessica Alba’s Organic Sunscreen as ‘Useless’

    Jessica Alba’s Honest Company prides itself on creating “nontoxic,” organic products for consumers and their children. But apparently at least one of these “chemical-free products” doesn’t actually serve its intended purpose. In recent days, a growing number of Honest Company customers have uploaded videos and pictures showing horrible sunburns developed after using the brand’s sunscreen. […]

  • Gwyneth Paltrow Whips Up Consumer Fears to Promote New Organic Cosmetics Line

    Gwyneth Paltrow isn’t exactly known for giving the best health advice. She advocates “detoxing” by severe diet restrictions, saunas, and colonics to “flush out” toxins—treatments that are at best useless (as Frank Sacks, MD, of the Harvard School of Public Health says, the idea that you need to help your body get rid of toxins has “no […]

  • Deciphering Facts and Myths about the Federal GMO Labeling Bill

    Today, the U.S. House of Representatives plans to vote on a bill that would create a U.S. Department of Agriculture-certified program allowing companies to certify their foods as “GMO-free.” To ensure companies can sell the same foods in all 50 states without creating many different labels to comply with a patchwork of state rules, this […]

  • Should you avoid canned food?

    The Environmental Working Group (EWG)—the same group that publishes a scaremongering annual report on sunscreen safety—is now trying to discourage the consumption of canned foods. In a new report, EWG argues that since a large amount of the canned items on consumer shelves use bisphenol A (BPA) in can linings, consumers should “limit or avoid […]

  • Are there ‘Worrisome’ Ingredients in Sunscreens?

    Memorial Day is just around the corner, which for many Americans signals the opening of swimming pools and the beginning of beach vacations. For the Environmental Working Group (EWG), it’s the opportunity to release its scary annual report about the “danger” posed by most sunscreens on the market. This year, EWG’s splashy new finding is […]