BPA to sperm: DROP DEAD

According to the latest reports from people in White Coats, workers in Chinese factories that process BPA-laden products had two to four times lower quality sperm, including lower sperm counts, than workers in factories that don't deal with BPA. Those with the worst sperm also had the highest levels of BPA.

The report was published by the Journal of Fertility and Sterility. Oddly, the article The impact of luteal phase support on gene expression of extracellular matrix protein and adhesion molecules in the human endometrium during the window of implantation following controlled ovarian stimulation with a GnRH antagonist protocol, also in the current issue, hasn't generated any press coverage.

Asked to comment on the possibility that BPA can lower sperm counts, study author Dr. De-Kun Li simply responded "That can't be good."

BPA apologist and spokesperson for the American Chemistry Council Stephen Hentges probably had the same thought. However, he is quoted in media reports as saying "This study of Chinese workers with high exposure to BPA is of limited relevance to consumers who, by contrast, are exposed to only very low levels of BPA."

"I mean is there really an American consumer who worries about the welfare of factory workers who make their cheap consumer crap?" Hentges inferred but did not actually say.

Li, who isn't on the BPA industry payroll had this to say:

"When you see this kind of association with semen you have to wonder what else BPA has an effect on," says Li. As a precautionary principle, he adds, "Everybody should avoid BPA as much as you can."

Chinese Sofa = Death

A rash of complaints by British couch potatoes has lead to the discovery that as many as 200,000 Chinese-made sofas were made with toxic chemicals that have caused skin rashes, increased the likelihood of cancer, and even allegedly caused one death.

From The Sun:

TOXIC Chinese sofas that left thousands of Brits with burns have now been linked to CANCER, The Sun can reveal.

Medics are probing claims the couches triggered the disease in the skin and lower body.

Lawyer Richard Langton, who has led legal action for victims, said cancer cases were being investigated among 5,000 complaints - including one death.

The Sun told last year how Brits had been left with burns, eye problems and breathing trouble by the sofas, which were packed with toxic fungicide DMF to prevent mould on the voyage from China.

Mr Langton, of lawyers Russell Jones and Walker, said: "The mystery of the sofas is far from over."

"We have several cases involving serious complications - including cancer and even death - and we are investigating."

He said other fungicides may also have been used.

Mr Langton added: "DMF was identified by chance after months of detective work."

"Hundreds of other banned chemicals could cause problems."

It is believed DMF has the effect of stripping the human skin, exposing it to toxins.

A total of 200,000 sofas were sold in stores including Argos and Land of Leather in three years.

No More Kids' Stuff At Goodwill

Ack. A serious dilemma for this here Worried Dad and several of his co-conspirators in the world of guerrilla parenting.

Here's the short of it:

* America want cheap junk from China.

* China complies, but slaps extra lead on every kind of book, toy, lunchbox, and article of clothing to help keep costs down.

* Americans freak out (including your humble blogger here).

* American Congress passes sweeping anti-lead law. Now every store, vendor, producer, etc. of children's anything must prove that their products are lead free.

* Worried Dad then walks into favorite Goodwill store and discovers that all children's clothing and toys are gone, baby, gone.

* Worried Dad ponders global economic apocalypse and wonders if kids today really need all those extra IQ points after all...

Scary Chinese Fortune Cookie

Not that they want anyone to get really worried, but the FDA has just ordered that all shipments of food products (for both humans and pets) must be tested first for melamine.

The Wall Street Journal reported that the FDA acted after 60 or so tests of Chinese candy and crackers tested positive for the additive, which has sickened tens of thousands of Chinese children, and caused at least four deaths.

Melamine is a particularly nasty chemical substance that has many industrial uses, but is toxic to humans, especially infants and children. Food suppliers have been illegally using it as a cheap filler.

The New York Times reports that in addition to the previously reported White Rabbit candy, consumers are being urged to worry about breaded shrimp, dietary supplements, and protein powders and shakes.

Consumer advocates are pleased that their worrying is being heard, but urges the testing to expand to cover egg and fish products, foods that have recently been found to contain the harmful additive.

China keeps putting scary stuff in food

New reports today about the growing tainted food scandal in China. Seems they have been putting melamine not only into milk products (including baby milk formula), but also feed for animals. The chemical has now been found in eggs and egg products, but further testing is underway and the New York Times reports that it may have spread to everything from pork and chicken to bread, cakes, and seafood (hmm, sounds like the pu pu platter).

Melamine is a particularly nasty chemical substance that has many industrial uses, but is toxic to humans, especially infants and children. Food suppliers have been illegally using it as a cheap filler.

So far the only stuff that's been detected in the US food supply has been White Rabbit candy at import shops. But the extent of the contamination of the food supply doesn't bode well, and certainly isn't good for Chinese kids, where so far over 50,000 people have fallen ill and several babies have died.

Oh right, and the whole tainted pet food thing a year ago (note to self: stop eating Meow Mix).

Beware the White Rabbit - Tainted Candy Found in US Stores

The tainted Chinese dairy product scandal has finally hit the U.S. Bags of the popular Chinese White Rabbit candy tainted with Melamine have been found on store shelves in Connecticut.

According to the International Herald Tribune

Melamine is a chemical additive at the heart of China's contaminated dairy scare. It is used to make plastics and fertilizers, but it is sometimes illegally mixed into food products, including milk, because its high levels of nitrogen can help fool tests that measure protein levels.

In September, Chinese authorities acknowledged that more than 53,000 Chinese infants had been sickened after consuming powdered baby formula that had been contaminated with melamine. Of that total, 13,000 were hospitalized and four have died.

Please don't feed your head.

Toy helicopter explosions continue to terrorize nation

I don't know how I got started on this whole exploding toy helicopter thing. Since starting the blog I've documented more than two recalls per month, generally because they burst into flames, causing property damage, injury from burns, and widespread panic.

On Thursday, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (official motto: we don't want any more money, unless it's given to us by the people we regulate) recalled another one.

The "Protocol" remote-control mini helicopter has the nasty habit of overheating and burning people's fingertips. The copter is made by Ashley Collection, Inc., and is made in China.

I'm starting to develop a theory. China is trying to destroy us all. I'll elaborate in later posts.

In the meantime, if you're jonesing for a toy helicopter, I suggest something along these lines:

Toy Helicopters = Death

More toy helicopter tragedy.

First, the Consumer Product Safety Commission has put the kibosh on another toy helicopter because of exploding battery problems. The Chinese-made batteries in Hobbico Inc's Electrifly helicopter kits due to problems with the batteries melting, bursting into flames, and causing property damage.

On a sadder note, a six-year old boy was killed by a toy helicopter in the rural Brazilian city of Altinho in the state of Pernambuco. No word on what model it was, but let's face it, these things are just bad.

Kids Jewelry Is Still Bad

Remember the lead toy scare from a little while back? It doesn't get mentioned in the papers anymore, so I guess our friends at the CPSC have sorted it all out.


Uh oh. Perusing the CPSC recall list for July, we find the following (all made in China):

Bead Bazaar "It's a Girl Thing." "The jewelry features a variety of charms including flowers, shoes, letters and butterflies." Oh, and lead. Lots and lots of lead.

A nice little book by Parragon Books called The Magic Ballet Slippers comes with a necklace with a silver-colored chain with a silver-colored charm consisting of a pair of ballet shoes and a bow. And lead. Lots and lots of lead. Still for sale on Amazon -- I just posted a warning.

Action Products International puts out a neat series of craft kits for making shoelace and necklaces charms. "The craft kits contain components (i.e., charms, beads, wire, clasps) to assemble necklaces, jewelry accessories, or charms that can be hooked on shoelaces, backpacks, or used as zipper pulls." And lead. Lots and lots of lead. The kits are aptly named "Curiosity Kits," because, you know, curiosity killed the cat. With lead.