Last week, the Organic Trade Association (OTA) and the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) issued a joint Fact Sheet regarding the labeling of organic mattresses.

In May 2011, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Organic Program (NOP) issued a Policy Memorandum that changed how mattresses that incorporate organic fibers can be labeled.

Basically, the rule is that “mattresses must be certified to either the USDA organic regulations or the Global Organic Textile Standard, or they may not be labeled as ‘organic.’ ”

What this means in practice is that a mattress must meet one or the other of these requirements:

1) the GOTS certification for “organic mattress” which covers the entire mattress, including all materials used and processing

OR

2) the USDA National Organic Program standards for the raw agricultural products (cotton and wool) used in the making of the mattress.

It’s important to distinguish between a GOTS-certified organic mattress and one that contains organic materials.

A GOTS-certified organic mattress includes organic certification of every step of making the mattress containing organic fiber. This includes spinning, knitting, weaving, dyeing and manufacturing, plus an array of environmental and social provision for post-farm to retail shelf management. Included, for example, are a ban on use of child labor, genetic enegineering, heavy metals, and hazardous chemicals. “GOTS certification requires that all processing stages through manufacturing of the finished product take place in GOTS-certified facilities, and all B2B traders involved in the supply chain of GOTS-certified products must be certified to GOTS themselves. Only if these certification requirements are met may a GOTS-certified entity apply the GOTS label (including the GOTS seal) to a final product and claim in promotional materials that their products are GOTS-certified.”

A GOTS-certified organic mattress does contain organic materials and probably even contains USDA certified organic cotton. However, The USDA has no certification for organic mattresses as a product. The USDA has endorsed GOTS to do this certifiction. And, if a mattress has a GOTS certification, it cannot use the USDA certification and logo even if it contains USDA certified organic cotton. The certification is GOTS or USDA, but not both.

So, if a mattress is labeled “organic mattress” it MUST also carry a GOTS certification.

Other mattresses may state “fabric (or filling) contains USDA certified organic cotton” or “fabric (or filling) contains USDA certified organic wool” but they cannot be labeled “organic mattress.” “Made with…” is only permitted for organic products where the organic content is 70-95 percent.

To the best of my knowledge, the only GOTS-certified mattresses currently sold in the USA are Naturepedic and Organic Mattresses Inc, though there are many others that use organic materials.

For more information, read the full Fact Sheet.

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Question from Craig D.

Hi, Debra. I found some more websites.

http://www.widu.com/ – all natural brushes and combs

http://www.organicbouquet.com/ – eco-friendly and organic floral gifts

http://www.floracopeia.com/ – pure essential oils, and aromatherapy products

http://www.thefutonshop.com/ – eco-friendly chemical free organic and natural futons

http://agreenerkitchen.com/ – eco-friendly kitchen products and accessories

Debra’s Answer

Thank you.

Have you been to debraslist.com? I have a lot of websites listed there.

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Question from keelyeliz

Dear Debra,

As a mom to two toddlers (ages 2 & 4), I am frustrated at the research coming out in regards to infant/toddler/booster car seats containing extremely high levels of flame retardants and other toxic chemicals from the EPS foam. With childhood cancers and other serious illnesses on the rise, I am doing my best to reduce my children’s exposure to harmful chemicals. The government does not make these easy. At times it feels like an uphill battle!

I have done my research and found the *least* toxic of the carseats available, but even these are required by federal law to have some level of flame retardants in them.

Which leads me to my question! I have come to the conclusion that perhaps buying a cover for my children’s carseats is the best solution? There are two companies that I have found, one which makes organic cotton covers (VERY expensive, more than the cost of our carseat!!!), and the other which makes a wool cover, with a polyester backing material. From what the website states, this makes the cover washable.

To be honest, the wool cover would be more affordable. But, I’m concerned that it’s not organic. The organic [cotton] cover is GREAT, but at almost $300, it’s hard to swallow.

I’m linking the two sites I just referenced, and would love any advice you have! (What would you do??)

Debra’s Answer

You’ll have to forgive me for not being totally familiar with how an infant car seat is constructed. Having no children, I’ve never used one myself.

So here are my concerns, just looking at pictures and reading the descriptions.

It sounds like the cover of the car seat is removable and you replace it with one of these more comfortable, more natural covers. However, is all the fire retardant on the cover? If you remove the cover, will that remove the fire retardant completely?

There is nothing in either of these covers that indicates to me it would do anything to block any fire retardant that may be on the chair elsewhere.

If I were wanting to make a car seat safe, I would wrap the whole thing in a “space blanket” that has a layer of foil in it, which would block any chemical, then I would use foil tape to tape it all up. Not very attractive, I know, but that would be the least toxic car seat I can think of.

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I just received an article about one of the best treatments for chronic disease that I’ve seen in a long time—the use of small community support groups where people help each other make lifestyle changes that improve their illnesses.

Dr Mark Hyman MD created such a program in his community after reading a book by the former head of the National Health Service in Great Britain called Turning the World Upside Down, which tells what we can learn from developing countries about putting patients and communities at the center of health care, instead of doctors and hospitals. Yay for that idea!

“I realized we had to decentralize healthcare,” writes Dr Hyman, “and put patients and communities at the center of the solution empowering them to create health, not simply treat disease. I realized that if you were sick, the best place to create health might not be the doctor or clinic but your own community.”

One year ago, Dr Hyman launched a program in his own community to help patients help each other to lose weight and improve their diabetic conditions. So far, participants in the program collectively have lost about 250,000 pounds and also reduced medication use, hospitalizations and doctors visits. And the program was free.

You can read more about this at: New Cure for Chronic Disease Discovered.

This type of health care is available to EVERYONE. There is nothing stopping anyone from forming a local group, getting some good health care information, and start helping each other do it.

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Question from RuthAnn

Recently Ceramcor has made available silicone collapsible containers for food storage which can go from freezer to stove. Would these be as healthy an option as glass? Currently we try to freeze soups etc. in glass jars, but there is always the risk of breakage? Does silicone leech into the food? Thank you.

Debra’s Answer

Here’s an interesting fact: Silicone and glass are both made from the same natural element silicon, which is basically sand.

Here are the facts about silicone from Ceramcor:

Based on this and other research I have done on silicone, I don’t see a toxic problem here. Looks fine to me.

I have a set of these storage containers. They can also be used as bakeware. There are two things I like about them. One is that they collapse so they take up less space to store. The other is they actually absorb cold, so they keep food cold out of the refrigerator, like a little cooler. I don’t know how long this thermal effect lasts, but plastic doesn’t hold the cold at all. Great feature!

And the FDA approved these containers for both baking and food storage.

I don’t see anything toxic about them,

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Question from jiwaskow

New construction – need to cover nail holes in door trim etc with wood putty. I got wood putty sticks but carpenter says they are too brittle and he wants to use Minwax putty, which has a strong smell for me.

Any other ideas, alternatives? Need something fast. Thanks!

Debra’s Answer

Just mix a little sawdust from the wood you are using with yellow woodworker’s glue to make a paste. Totally nontoxic and the color blends perfectly!

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Question from 4dyami

Hi Debra, I’m about to move into an apartment that has plain particle board on the walls. Will Safecoat safe seal be sufficient for preventing off-gasing into the space? The space has been in this state for the last 10+ years. Thanks! Dyami

Debra’s Answer

Yes, however, if the particleboard is more than ten years old, you may not need to seal it at all.

You can get an inexpensive formaldehyde test kit to test the air and find out if the particleboard is actually emitting formaldehyde.

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Question from petercsantoro@yahoo.com

I am still confused about plastics. I am not sure which plastics, if any, are safe or recommended.

I am trying to slowly weed out the bad plastics in my house and there is a lot.

I already asked about the storage containers (#5 plastic). I see that most of the plastic food containers are #5 or “PP” as well as my children’s sippy cups. Can I assume this plastic leeches?

Also, so many toys are made of plastic. I stopped buying plastic and buy wood when possible, but everyone else buys the plastic toys for the kids. It is not stated on the box or toy what type of plastic is used, and is pretty much impossible to research all the toys. Do you recommend getting rid of these toys?

I think I read in one of your books that they pollute the indoor air…is it true even for the new plastic toys? What about the ones made of #2 plastic (I bought a brand called ” Green Toys” which is made of #2).

Lastly, my concern is the plastic container my raw milk is in (#2 HDPE). I can purchase it in a glass, half gallon Ball jar, but my concern with that is that the metal lid contains BPA, I believe. So which would you recommend? My children, including infant, drink the raw milk. I did find plastic lids that fit the glass Ball canning jars which are BPA free.

Debra’s Answer

I understand and had to smile reading your last sentence…plastics DO cause headaches in more ways than one.

You should assume ALL plastic leaches/outgasses to some degree or another. Hard plastics less than soft plastics. The degree of toxicity of what is leaching/offgassing also varies with the plastic. PP is one of the safer ones, but HDPE is better.

I recommend getting rid of any toys you don’t know what they are made of. It’s worth the time to check with the manufacturer. If you don’t want to do that, toss them.

Toys made of #2 plastic are OK, but even better are toys made from natural materials such as wood and cotton.

Best for your milk would be glass with BPA-free lids, but #2 HDPE is OK. Raw milk is soooo good for your body that drinking it outweighs any possible harm from HDPE.

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Question from mammina

Hi Debra,

I was wondering if you knew this company, and what were your thoughts about their products. I remember somebody told me that they make the best shower filter. What do you think? I am looking for a shower filter, but I am on a budget, and the only one I could afford from your list is not made in the USA, which makes me uncomfortable.

http://www.naturallyfiltered.com/home

Thanks a lot!

Debra’s Answer

This shower filter looks fine to me, as long as your water contains chlorine. It will NOT remove chloramine.

Is it the best? Many shower filters are made with the same KDF filter media.

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