Does your bathroom paper include indications of poisonous PFAS “without end chemical compounds?” Mamavation was requested that query by our viewers and the one method to discover out was to ship the preferred bathroom paper merchandise to the lab. So that’s what we did in our newest shopper research on PFAS.
You have trusted Mamavation to convey you matters like finest inexperienced magnificence make-up sans PFAS, finest and worst cookware sans PFAS, and finest water filters to seize PFAS, now be a part of us for a shopper research on indications of PFAS and bathroom paper. Scroll right down to the underside of this put up to see the uncooked knowledge from our EPA-certified laboratory.
Disclosure: This shopper research is launched in partnership with Environmental Well being Information. Scientific opinions had been carried out by (1) Terrence Collins, Teresa Heinz Professor of Inexperienced Chemistry and Director of Institute for Inexperienced Sciences at Carnegie Mellon College, (2) Linda S. Birnbaum, Scientist Emeritus and Former Director of the Nationwide Institute of Environmental Well being Sciences and Nationwide Toxicology Program, (3) Pete Myers, Chief Scientist at Environmental Well being Sciences, Adjunct Professor of Chemistry at Carnegie Mellon College, and Co-author of Our Stolen Future, and (4) Scott Belcher, Affiliate Professor with the Heart for Environmental and Well being Results of PFAS at North Carolina State College.
This put up was medically reviewed by Sondra Strand, RN, BSN, PHN. Donations had been offered by Environmental Well being Information and Mamavation neighborhood members. Mamavation has solely “spot-checked” the business and thus we can’t make predictions about manufacturers and merchandise that now we have not examined. Merchandise and manufacturing aides can change with out discover so purchaser beware.
This put up comprises affiliate hyperlinks, with some to Amazon, which suggests Mamavation will obtain a portion of these gross sales and we’ll use that to pay ourselves again for the testing. You can even give a tax-deductible donation to our shopper research right here by way of Environmental Well being Sciences. Click on “sure” when requested if the present is in honor of somebody and sort “Mamavation.” Thanks!
Mamavation Finds Indications of PFAS in Rest room Paper
PFAS “without end chemical compounds” are per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances used as stain-resistant, water resistant, and oil-resistant chemical compounds in commerce. They’ve been used for many years inside shopper merchandise, manufacturing, and constructing supplies.
There are over 12,000 totally different chemical compounds within the PFAS chemical class (together with PFOA and PTFE), and since there are such a lot of of them, they’re extremely laborious to establish and take a look at for. In truth, it is solely actually doable to establish about 100 or so in a very good industrial laboratory.
The most important drawback with PFAS is their endurance — they don’t depart the surroundings or our our bodies for a few years, which is the rationale they’re dubbed “without end chemical compounds.”
Mamavation despatched 17 bathroom paper merchandise to an EPA-certified laboratory to check for natural fluorine, which is a marker for PFAS “without end chemical” compounds. We included as many sorts of bathroom paper we may reminiscent of bamboo, sugarcane, recycled, and traditional wooden pulp.
We bought the merchandise between October 2021 and June 2022 from Amazon.com, utilizing Instacart, or in-store from retailers in Los Angeles. Listed here are the primary findings from Mamavation’s Rest room Paper PFAS Shopper Research:
- 24% of bathroom paper examined at Mamavation’s EPA-certified lab had indications of PFAS “without end chemical compounds,” whereas 76% of bathroom paper examined didn’t. In different phrases, 4 out of 17 merchandise contained indications of PFAS “without end chemical compounds.”
- In accordance with our lab, ranges of natural fluorine, a marker for PFAS, had been discovered between 10 elements per million (ppm) to 35 elements per million (ppm).
- 50% of the merchandise with detectable ranges of natural fluorine had been bamboo merchandise. In different phrases, 2 out of 4 detectable merchandise had been comprised of bamboo, one was comprised of typical wooden pulp, and one was comprised of recycled paper.
When PFAS is detected in private care merchandise, reminiscent of bathroom paper, within the quantities we’re seeing they’re unlikely added on function however are extra probably current resulting from manufacturing or packaging contamination of some variety within the provide chain.
[Updated to add on 10/22: We tested additional brands based on public demand. 6 additional toilet paper products tested bringing the total to 23. 22% of all toilet paper sent to the lab came back with indications of PFAS. Overall, 3/5 brands with detections were made of bamboo.]
Potential Well being Impacts of Publicity to PFAS ‘Without end Chemical substances’ in Rest room Paper
PFAS “without end chemical compounds” are problematic to human well being and the surroundings. They’re thought of ubiquitous, persistent, and poisonous. Many can final for years in our our bodies. Subsequently, it is crucial to cut back the quantity of PFAS you might be uncovered to from meals and water and private care merchandise reminiscent of bathroom paper.
Nobody is aware of the direct affect of utilizing bathroom paper with indications of PFAS, however that does not imply there isn’t a hazard. Nonetheless, we do know what the well being impacts are when publicity to PFAS by way of water and meals and they’re listed beneath:
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Decreased vaccination response |
Elevated danger of allergy symptoms and bronchial asthma in younger kids |
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Affected progress, studying, and habits of infants and older kids |
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Lowered a lady’s likelihood of getting pregnant |
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Causes endocrine disruption |
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• Particular consideration: bathroom paper touches our most intimate elements — 1000’s of chemical compounds are used to course of industrial paper merchandise like child wipes, bathroom paper, and paper towels. However most significantly, what we put subsequent to our physique, particularly touching our vascular non-public elements, has the potential to have an effect on our well being.
There is not quite a bit identified about dermal publicity of PFAS “without end chemical compounds” to our intimate elements, however that does not imply that there isn’t a hazard; it actually simply means we do not know the extent of the hazard. However we do have some clues from research that had been carried out on dermal publicity and that potential drawback:
◦ One research discovered that dermal publicity to PFBA demonstrated results on the liver and confirmed related outcomes to oral PFBA and PFOA publicity.
◦ One research taking a look at PFAS in toddler automotive seats discovered that PFAS can migrate from material to sweat, suggesting a possible danger of dermal publicity.
◦ One other research discovered that dermal publicity is much like oral publicity to PFOA and could be immunotoxic.
Linda S. Birnbaum, Scientist Emeritus and Former Director of the Nationwide Institute of Environmental Well being Sciences and Nationwide Toxicology Program says “PFAS trigger results in women and men of animals and folks in almost each organ and at each life stage. As a result of bathroom paper is created to rub up in opposition to such vascular elements of the physique, it is logical to be involved with this publicity.”
• Bleaching — extra potential well being and environmental dangers — Rest room paper has additionally been suspected of persistent irritation of the vulva due to bleach. Dyes comprised of petroleum may also be used to vary the colour of the bathroom paper.
In a 2010 research, they discovered that bathroom paper could also be guilty for persistent irritation of the vulva as a result of a carcinogen, formaldehyde, was discovered current to enhance the power of the bathroom paper. That is regarding for any bathroom paper utilizing that kind of bleaching methodology.
The American Forest and Paper Affiliation (AFPA) acknowledges these methods of bleaching and as you possibly can see there are advantages and disadvantages to most strategies:
◦ Elemental chlorine bleaching — Elemental chlorine is used to bleach and soften bathroom paper. This course of can pollute the surroundings. Most merchandise manufactured in North America don’t use this course of anymore, nonetheless paper merchandise manufactured abroad are extra probably to make use of this methodology.
◦ Elemental Chlorine Free (ECF) — Whereas they do not use the cruel aspect chlorine, they do use a chlorine by-product like chlorine dioxide. This course of is much much less poisonous than utilizing elemental bleach to course of.
◦ Course of Chlorine Free (PCF) — This course of is often utilized by recycled paper merchandise that haven’t been re-bleached with chlorine-based compounds. As a result of it is recycled with the PCF methodology, it is not possible to know whether or not the virgin papers had been bleached with elemental chlorine or chlorine dioxide.
◦ Completely Chlorine Free (TCF) — No chlorine or chlorine compounds had been used to bleach the pulp. As an alternative, they use oxygen-based brokers or hydrogen peroxide. Sadly, TCF is primarily carried out in China, which is unregulated and generally makes use of poor and unsafe requirements.
◦ Unbleached — Means it is untreated and usually very tough to the contact.
• Extra poisonous components that do not belong in bathroom paper — Rest room paper with scents or lotions and flushable wipes probably include problematic elements that enter as elements or as a part of the manufacturing course of. We’re uncertain at this level if the usage of PFAS is a part of how these extra elements are used or manufactured themselves. Nevertheless it’s clear that these kinds of merchandise are usually not thought of eco-friendly bathroom papers or sustainable bathroom papers.
◦ Polyethylene Glycol (PEGs) — This was an issue with flushable wipes. Lots of them contained a wide range of PEG compounds. Ethoxylated elements (like PEGs) on their very own are of decrease concern to people, nonetheless, the method of ethoxylation can depart behind hint quantities of carcinogens: ethylene oxide and 1,4-dioxane.
◦ Undisclosed fragrances — As a result of there isn’t any method to know what parts are within the perfume, now we have no method to know if the elements are dangerous or may cause an allergic response.
Artificial musks and phthalates usually conceal in hidden “perfume” that’s undisclosed. Phthalates are potent endocrine-disrupting chemical compounds linked to weight problems, hyperactivity in kids, and degraded sperm high quality, amongst many different well being issues.
◦ Paraffin wax — That is comprised of petroleum by-products.
Subsequently, deciding on bathroom paper that does the least quantity of hurt to each our our bodies and the surroundings is smart.
• Bisphenol A (BPA) or Bisphenol S (BPS) can contaminate recycled bathroom paper — Whereas recycled paper is, in fact, the most suitable choice for the planet, there’s one soiled little secret it’s hiding — bisphenols like BPA and BPS.
Bisphenols like BPA have been found as a hideaway inside recycled bathroom paper in accordance with a research printed within the journal Environmental Science and Know-how. Researchers discovered BPA ranges in paper that had been 100 to 1 million occasions increased than quantities detected in canned and packaged meals.
It is because thermal receipt paper and transport labels, contaminated with bisphenols BPA and BPS, find yourself discovering their method into recycled paper merchandise like bathroom paper. Bisphenols like BPA are endocrine disruptors and research have linked them to reproductive issues, early puberty, low sperm rely, weight problems, and breast most cancers.
(Fortunately, due to Mamavation you not want to fret about bisphenols like BPA or BPS on the receipt paper at Goal. A number of years again, we petitioned Goal to make their receipts safer and after gathering over 50,000 petition signatures and assembly with Goal, they did so in 2020. Dealer Joe’s, Finest Purchase, CVS, and different manufacturers have adopted go well with, nonetheless not all manufacturers have fastened their receipts so it is nonetheless an enormous drawback.)
Estimation of How A lot Potential PFAS Publicity Is Attainable Via Rest room Paper
Yearly the common American shopper makes use of 12.7 kg of bathroom paper, in accordance with statistics from 2018, and that bathroom paper results in sewage yearly. If all bathroom paper had 10 ppm, the common particular person flushed in 2018 within the US 12.7 kg = 12,700 g = 12,700,000 mg. (12,700,000 mg paper 0.000001 mg PFAS/mg paper)/particular person = 12.7 mg PFAS/particular person)
The inhabitants within the US in December 2018 was 328,082,386 individuals. Subsequently, 2018 Nationwide Releases = 12.7 mg PFAS/particular person x 328,082,386 individuals = 4166646302.2 mg = 4166 kg = 4.165 tonnes of PFAS launched to surroundings.
So not understanding how a lot PFAS-contaminated bathroom paper was used (solely know 4 manufacturers had between 10 to 35 ppm), let’s use the decrease restrict and look at what the quantity could be if 10% of the tissue utilized in 2018 was PFAS contaminated at 10 ppm and all bathroom paper went to sewage. Subsequently, about 0.4165 tonnes could be launched to the surroundings by way of sewage sludge and municipal wastewater. One among our fundamental advisors has some context so that you can share:
“The film Darkish Waters documented hideous injustice across the PFAS compound, perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). In bringing this injustice to mild, Robert Bilott, the lawyer who did battle with DuPont over the PFOA poisoning of the Parkersburg citizenry, has grow to be an impressive American hero. His work led to the largest epidemiological research of all time which discovered that PFOA is able to immense well being impacts at tiny doses.
Different PFAS compounds are identified to share PFOA’s injurious properties. And since PFAS compounds are usually not possible for nature to degrade on any significant time scale, the American folks can’t appear to flee the impacts.
It has grow to be unacceptable that measurable quantities of PFAS needs to be present in on a regular basis shopper merchandise reminiscent of bathroom paper,” says Terrence Collins, Teresa Heinz Professor of Inexperienced Chemistry and Director of Institute for Inexperienced Sciences at Carnegie Mellon College.
Sustainable Subject — TP Manufacturing Disrupts Largest Carbon Sink in World
There are some extra issues when deciding on your bathroom paper that need to do with the well being of our Planet — most American bathroom paper comes from the Canadian Boreal Forest, the most important carbon sink on the planet.
Individuals use shut to eight million tons of bathroom paper per yr in accordance with Shopper Experiences. Paper manufacturing like bathroom paper, paper towels, child wipes, tissue paper, espresso filters, and writing paper are extremely poisonous to the surroundings, depart an enormous carbon footprint, and deplete forests all around the world. In truth, the paper manufacturing business, in accordance with the Nationwide Useful resource Protection Council, is the third largest polluter.
One of the vital areas on the planet for capturing carbon is the Boreal Forest in Canada in North America. Your bathroom paper and bathroom roll probably began there as a tree within the largest carbon sink on the planet. Chopping down on bathroom paper comprised of wooden pulp and on the lookout for alternate options like bamboo and sugarcane helps this effort. Watch how your alternative of bathroom paper helps battle local weather change.
In accordance with a report by the Nationwide Assets Protection Fund, “industrial logging claims greater than 1,000,000 acres of boreal forest yearly, equal to seven Nationwide Hockey League rinks every minute, partly to fulfill demand for tissue merchandise in the USA.”
Lengthy story brief, if you wish to grow to be a part of this resolution, on the lookout for alternate options could be the best way to go. They’re solely logging the Boreal forest as a result of we demand bathroom paper comprised of wooden pulp. Begin demanding bathroom paper comprised of bamboo and sugarcane as a substitute.
Alternate options to Rest room Paper for Your House — The Bidet
If you happen to’ve ever traveled in Europe, the Center East, or Asia, you could have come throughout a bidet. The bidet makes use of water to carry out an analogous operate to rest room paper, however cleaner. Some bidets are stand-alone washbasins which can be situated near the bathroom, whereas different bidets could be hooked as much as an everyday bathroom. No want for a pack of bathroom paper or to purchase any bathroom paper in bulk when you have got these programs. Listed here are some bidets to take a look at to chop down on bathroom paper use:
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Hi there Tushy Traditional Bidet (That is the one I’ve! Use low cost code “NUMBERTWO2” for 20% off purchases.) |
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CRX Good Rest room Bidet |
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Sanamity Rest room with Bidet and Dryer |
Mamavation’s Investigation of Rest room Paper and PFAS ‘Without end Chemical substances’ — Uncooked Information from Lab
Mamavation despatched 17 totally different bathroom paper merchandise off to an EPA-certified laboratory to search for indications of PFAS “without end chemical compounds.” The merchandise consisted of typical bathroom paper, FSC licensed bathroom paper, bamboo bathroom paper, and bamboo and sugarcane blended bathroom paper. We didn’t buy any merchandise particularly for septic tanks or septic programs, however a few of these merchandise are thought of septic secure.
Mamavation’s lab used marker testing to establish the potential presence of PFAS “without end chemical compounds” in bathroom paper merchandise. Natural fluorine is a marker for PFAS as a result of all PFAS chemical compounds are carbon-based compounds that include fluorine. The particular lab methodology utilized by Mamavation examined for complete fluorine was the Willpower of Complete Fluorine by Oxygen Flask Combustion and Ion-Selective Electrode.
If complete fluorine was noticed at a detection degree of 10 ppm, the lab did the Willpower of free Fluoride Ion in the bathroom paper by Ion-Selective Electrode after which subtracted that from the Complete Fluorine to find out the quantity of natural fluorine. This marker testing is more likely to present the presence of PFAS, however different prospects are issues like fluorinated pesticide residue and fluorinated prescription drugs.
4 manufacturers out of the 17 manufacturers we examined got here again with detectable ranges of natural fluorine, which suggests PFAS is probably going current. Testing for PFAS immediately is not possible to do as a result of there are over 12,000 totally different compounds. Subsequently, we’re utilizing this marker testing, which can be utilized by the meals packaging business to find out whether or not merchandise are “compostable” or not.
Scott Belcher, Ph.D. and Affiliate Professor with the Heart for Environmental and Well being Results of PFAS at North Carolina State College says “fluoropolymers, reminiscent of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) or Teflon®, are extraordinarily frequent types of PFAS that could possibly be contributing to the natural fluorine present in meals merchandise.
Strategies used for detecting particular person PFAS, reminiscent of PFOA or GenX, can’t immediately establish PTFE. Nonetheless, the evaluation of complete natural fluorine does account for all PFAS contaminants in meals, together with PTFE. Subsequently, this serves as ‘spot-check’ of shopper merchandise.”
[Updated to add on 10/22: We added 6 additional brands based on public demand. 1/6 brands had indications of PFAS according to our lab. Therefore, 6/23 brands tested for indications of PFAS in total, which is 22%. The additional brand we added was also made of bamboo, bringing that total to 3/6 brands with detections made of bamboo.]
• Not our favourite bathroom paper — In accordance with lab assessments, these merchandise include natural fluorine, which is a marker for PFAS “without end chemical compounds.” We don’t suggest you buy from this class.
◦ Charmin Extremely Delicate Rest room Paper — 13 elements per million (ppm) natural fluorine
◦ Seventh Era 100% Recycled Bathtub Tissue — 35 elements per million (ppm) natural fluorine
◦ Tushy Bamboo Rest room Paper — 10 elements per million (ppm) natural fluorine
◦ Who Offers a Crap Bamboo Rest room Paper — 11 elements per million (ppm) natural fluorine
◦ DeBella Bamboo Septic Protected Bathtub Tissue — 10 elements per million (ppm) natural fluorine [updated on 10/22]
• Higher bathroom paper — These merchandise didn’t include detectable natural fluorine however are usually not made from sustainable supplies. These manufacturers are very probably consuming supplies from the Boreal Forest in Canada or an analogous forest which is contributing to deforestation and including extra carbon to the ambiance. Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is most well-liked over Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) certification for fibers.
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Angel Delicate 230+ Sheets Double Roll Rest room Paper (made with Sustainable Forestry Initiative licensed fiber) – Non-detect natural fluorine |
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Cottonelle Mega Extremely Consolation Care — Non-detect natural fluorine |
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Kirkland (Costco) Bathtub Tissue — Non-detect natural fluorine [updated on 10/22] |
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Presto (Amazon) Extremely-Delicate Septic Protected Rest room Paper — Non-detect natural fluorine [updated on 10/22] |
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Scott 1000 Sheets Per Roll Rest room Paper (made with FSC licensed fiber) — Non-detect natural fluorine |
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Signature Choose (Albertsons) Mega Extremely Premium Bathtub Tissue — Non-detect natural fluorine |
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Dealer Joe’s Tremendous Delicate Bathtub Tissue the Huge Roll — Non-detect natural fluorine [updated on 10/22] |
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Quilted Northern Extremely Plush Delicate and Robust Premium Consolation Rest room Paper (made with FSC licensed fiber) — Non-detect natural fluorine |
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Worth Nook (Safeway) Lavatory Tissue — Non-detect natural fluorine |
• Finest bathroom paper — These merchandise didn’t include detectable natural fluorine and are additionally made from extra sustainable supplies like 100% recycled wooden pulp, bamboo, and cane sugar. As a result of generally recycled papers can include hint quantities of bisphenol S (BPS) or bisphenol A (BPA), we choose you select from the bamboo or cane sugar variations. Processing is both chlorine-free or elemental chlorine free and fragrance-free.
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Caboo Tree-Free Bamboo Bathtub Tissue — Non-detect natural fluorine |
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Cheeky Panda Eco-Pleasant Pure Bamboo Rest room Paper — Non-detect natural fluorine [updated on 10/22] |
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Cloud Paper Bamboo Rest room Paper — Non-detect natural fluorine [updated on 10/22] |
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ECOS Treeless Bamboo and Sugarcane Lavatory Tissue — Non-detect natural fluorine |
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Nature Z Method Bamboo Bathtub Tissue — Non-detect natural fluorine |
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Open Nature 100% Recycled Paper Lavatory Tissue — Non-detect natural fluorine |
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Public Items Rest room Paper (bamboo and cane sugar) — Non-detect natural fluorine |
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Reel Bamboo Rest room Paper — Non-detect natural fluorine [updated on 3/23] (Use low cost code “MAMAVATION” for 20% off the product!) |
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Seedling by Grove Tree-Free Rest room Paper (made with FSC licensed bamboo) — Non-detect natural fluorine |
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Sprouts 100% Recycled Rest room Paper — Non-detect natural fluorine |
Extra Mamavation Investigations to Assist Your Household
Mamavation has been working laborious to find the place to seek out PFAS “without end chemical compounds” inside meals and different merchandise we buy and produce inside our properties. This is the reason now we have determined to fee our personal shopper research on indications of PFAS in numerous shopper classes and share that data with you.
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Nut butters (peanut butter, and so on.) |
Cooking oils (olive oil, almond oil, canola oil, and so on.) |
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Activewear (yoga pants) |
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We additionally produce other unhazardous investigations on merchandise to your kids or the remainder of your loved ones. Listed here are some that we thought you could like.
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Finest electrolyte alternative drinks, sports activities drinks, and coconut water |
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Click on right here for an entire checklist of product investigations.
Concerning the Creator
Leah Segedie is the President and Founding father of Mamavation.com. Mamavation produces award-winning content material and unbiased shopper research analyzing the intersection of endocrine-disrupting chemical compounds (EDCs) and on a regular basis merchandise introduced into American households. She’s been referred to by many as “the actual FDA.”
Since 2008, Mamavation has been serving to on a regular basis mothers navigate the grocery retailer by commissioning shopper research on meals, drinks, private care merchandise and different such merchandise and thus democratizing science and testing for everybody.
