How to decode labels on the products you use every day
Product labels are famously cryptic. Here's what to look for, and what different words or logos can say about a product’s safety.
News
Whether it’s tracking toxic chemicals in drinking water or uncovering new mechanisms by which they trigger breast cancer, we publish updates about our work throughout the year.
Here, you’ll find the latest news about our research and our impact. For detailed information about our past and present projects, please explore Our Science.
News
Companies quietly switching out toxic product ingredients in response to California law
Interviews with major retailers and manufacturers show how Proposition 65 promotes greater transparency around harmful chemicals in products and shifts markets toward safer products.
Over 97 million U.S. residents exposed to unregulated contaminants in their drinking water
Hispanic communities more likely to have poorer water quality, higher exposures to PFAS.
Curbing plastics pollution could help reduce global burden of breast cancer
Hundreds of chemicals that influence the development of breast cancer are used in everyday plastic items, according to new study by Silent Spring.
Firefighters exposed to chemicals linked with breast cancer
Study led by Silent Spring identifies 12 toxic chemicals that put female firefighters at increased risk for the disease.
People’s exposure to toxic chemicals declined in the U.S. following listing under California law
First study to evaluate effectiveness of Proposition 65 shows benefits of law extend nationwide.
Silent Spring scientists share their latest research at the Annual Meeting of the International Society of Exposure Science
Silent Spring scientists made a dynamic impact at the 2024 International Society for Exposure Science (ISES) Annual Meeting in Montreal.
Columbia University’s Dr. Mary Beth Terry named Executive Director of Silent Spring Institute
An internationally renowned cancer epidemiologist, Dr. Terry was chosen for her leadership and expertise in environmental risk factors for breast cancer, as well as her commitment to breast cancer prevention, community engagement, and health equity.
EPA establishes limits on PFAS chemicals in U.S. drinking water supplies
EPA announced drinking water standards for six PFAS chemicals, marking the first time in more than 20 years the federal agency has set an enforceable limit on a new unregulated drinking water contaminant.
EPA’s plan to evaluate pesticides for safety does not protect women’s health
In a comment submitted to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), scientists at Silent Spring Institute say the agency’s pesticide safety reviews overlook pesticides that could increase breast cancer risk.
