10 Americans

About the Project

Prominent, current studies link many government-approved but clinically-untested chemicals in everyday products to miscarriages, birth defects, reproductive malfunction, cancer, and countless other health problems. Based on tests of human blood, urine, and breast milk, Environmental Working Group (EWG) research measuring exposure to toxic chemicals registered for use in the United States reveals alarmingly high "body burdens" (the accumulation of toxic chemicals in human body tissues). Risk of developing health conditions related to chemical exposure persists through a person's lifetime, with the earliest and most worrisome risk beginning in the womb. In 2005, EWG released their first umbilical cord blood study that found 287 different chemicals present in ten newborn American babies, including industrial chemicals, pesticides, and other pollutants. View the study here.

Still, even with this growing body of knowledge, little is done to protect the public from preventable harm. This is mainly due to the existing U.S. system of chemicals management - an ineffective patchwork of over 15 separate major laws spread over several federal agencies including the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Pro-business policies currently allow companies to skip costly testing of chemicals, leaving the unmanageable task of tracking these substances to the EPA under the weak and ineffective Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) of 1976. Our laws were written to assume commercial chemicals are safe unless regulators (like EPA and FDA) have specific information showing otherwise. TSCA is the weakest federal environmental law on the books, and the only one that has never been reauthorized since its original passage.

The Kid-Safe Chemicals Act will be re-introduced during the Obama administration. It would transform the outdated TSCA into a true public health and environmental statute by requiring that chemicals be proven safe for infants and children, putting the burden of proof on industry and granting EPA unequivocal authority to request studies necessary to prove a chemical's safety and act against chemical manufacturers who fail to comply.

In 2006, EWG developed a multimedia presentation entitled "10 Americans" to disseminate the results of their important 2005 umbilical cord blood study and build support for chemical policy reforms. The presentation includes effective, moving visuals to show the dangers of toxic chemical exposure in utero, as well as how the government can take action to prevent such exposures. It also includes useful tips for viewers to improve the environmental health of their homes.

This video tells the story contained in the "10 Americans" presentation. It effectively conveys an important and potentially negative message in a way that makes the audience realize the seriousness of the issue while laughing and ultimately feeling empowered to make change.

The Fledgling Fund Impact

The Fledgling Fund provided completion and audience engagement funding for this project because the importance of the 10 Americans message is immediately apparent and action is urgent. The project is also directly linked to the Kid-Safe Chemicals Act, which, after watching 10 Americans, is clearly a critical step toward keeping our children and families safe. We believe in the power of this project to be a catalyst in the movement toward a healthier and safer America.