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February 03, 2008

Lead astray

We’ve all heard that you shouldn’t drink hot water out of the tap, and most of us know why. As a story from this past week’s New York Times explains, contaminants from pipes, such as lead, are easily dissolved into hot water. But the article goes on to state something I didn’t know: “even newer plumbing advertised as ‘lead-free’ can still contain as much as 8 percent lead.”

What?

Sure enough, if you dig around in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s website, you can learn all about the Lead and Copper Rule. Paragraph D of section 141.43 states that the term lead free, “[w]hen used with respect to pipes and pipe fittings refers to pipes and pipe fittings containing not more than 8.0 percent lead.”

I’m reminded of the “0 grams of trans fat” language approved by the Food and Drug Administration. As I’ve ranted about here before, products can claim to have 0 grams but actually contain .49 grams—nothing to sneeze at when you consider that the American Heart Association recommends consuming less than 2 grams of trans fat a day (assuming a regular 2,000-calorie diet).

The Lead and Copper Rule has been in force since 1991, and apparently it’s an improvement over previous regulations, so that’s good, but still. Eight percent is not “lead free,” in my book.

Can any doublespeak experts out there shed light on this?

Posted at 08:00 AM in Government outrages, Products: food & drink |

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My buycotts & boycotts

  • April 2008
    I'm going to start buying my canned beans from Eden Foods, for two reasons: it uses custom-made cans that don't contain bisphenol A, and it's an independent, family-operated company.
  • February 2008
    From now on, whenever I order takeout or ask for a doggy bag, I’ll make sure to avoid #6 polystyrene containers (and, of course, Styrofoam).
  • January 2008
    My morning yogurt is now garnished with a combination of bulk granola from Oat Cuisine, a locally owned company, and Food for Life's Ezekiel 4:9 cereal. This instead of Kashi Nuggets (Kashi is owned by Kellogg, and the cereal, despite all the "whole grains" messages on the box, isn't organic and probably contains GMOs) or Grape Nuts, which is owned by Altria (Philip Morris), isn't organic, and almost certainly contains GMOs.
  • October 2007
    Until Kimberly-Clark stops destroying virgin North American forests to make its products, I will boycott it and urge others to do so. Feeling outraged? Call K-C's customer service department: 1-888-525-8388 (North America and Puerto Rico only). Following are the brands to avoid. First, the ones I've heard of: Kleenex, Scott, Scottex, Huggies, Kotex, Depend, Viva, Fiesta, Cottonelle. Now a bunch more: Andrex, Block-it, Camelia, DryNites, GoodNites, Kimcare, KimTech, KleenBebé, KleenGard, Little Swimmers, Page, Peaudouce, Pingos, Plenitud, Poise, Pull-Ups, Snugglers, Subtelle, Tela, Le Trefle, WypAll.
  • October 2007
    First Odwalla was bought by Coca-Cola; then Naked Juice was acquired by Pepsico. I'll buy my juice (when I splurge on fresh-squeezed) from Columbia Gorge, which is family-run and all organic.
  • June 2007
    Started buying my organic yogurt from Straus instead of Trader Joe's after hearing from an organics activist that TJ's drives a really hard bargain with organic-food producers. Plus, Straus is local and demonstrates a clear commitment to the environment: its methane digester captures gas from its cows' manure and generates up to 600,000 kWH of electricity per year. I'd rather pay a little extra to support that.
  • March 2007
    Started buying Wildwood soy creamer instead of Silk after learning that White Wave, Silk’s maker, is owned by Dean Foods, the world’s largest dairy processor and distributor. I'm happier supporting the little(r) guy, and Wildwood is just as good—and less expensive.
  • February 2007
    Resolved to buy gas only from BP/Arco and Sunoco after reading the "Pick Your Poison" guide in Sierra. At the very least, no more patronizing Exxon or 76.
  • October 2006
    Started buying Dr. Bronner's soap after seeing Dr. Bronner's Magic Soap Box. I'm impressed by its charitable giving, treatment of employees, leadership in fair trade and organics, and environmental record. More recently, the company has helped facilitate organic and fair-trade certification for olive-oil makers in Israel and Palestine so that it can buy the oil for use in its products.

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