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James Vallette | January 24, 2018 | Optimizing Recycling
In January 2018, the Healthy Building Network research team produced technical reports on the trade, production, use and disposal of four highly toxic, persistent, bioaccumulative chemicals. Public health advocates used these reports to inform the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency about previously unpublished ways in which these chemicals enter...
Tom Lent | November 04, 2015 | Optimizing Recycling
In an October 13 memo, the healthcare giant Kasier Permanente prohibited its design teams from specifying fabric, furniture or finishes with antimicrobials drawing its banned list from a 2014 HBN study of antimicrobials commonly used in building products. Kaiser cited research from the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) tha...
James Vallette | July 09, 2015 | Optimizing Recycling
Parents should wash their toddlers’ hands, and regularly mop vinyl floors, especially if children crawl on the floors, warns the Consumers Union in the August 2015 issue of Consumer Reports. (1)
The Consumers Union is the advocacy arm of the venerable Consumers Reports magazine. It has “long raised concerns about phthalates,&rd...
Bill Walsh | July 16, 2013 | Optimizing Recycling
As I hit the road for Dallas last week I realized that this year I will travel to Texas more often than any other state to speak about healthy building materials. In April I was pleased to participate in HKS’s Green Week. This fall I will be part of a Houston event sponsored by the local USGBC chapter. Is the Texas green b...
Larry Kilroy | March 01, 2012 | Optimizing Recycling
When I was asked to write the opening blog post for Version 2 of the Pharos Project, I realized there were several avenues I could take. While I could talk about the large amounts of new data, new product categories, increased usability, rapid development environment, and improved workflow of our new features all day, ultimately I felt it w...
Tom Lent | February 25, 2010 | Optimizing Recycling
So, you picked a low- or no-VOC paint or high performance coating (HPC) and it still smells. What went wrong? It might be the tints.Listings of the VOC level in product literature for paints and HPCs generally only account for the un-tinted base product. Each ounce of colorant added to tint your paint or HPC may contain anywhere between 5 and 20 gr...
Larry Kilroy | February 11, 2010 | Optimizing Recycling
The Pharos Project, at its core, is a campaign for transparency in the building materials market. What we are creating is the ultimate campaign tool: a tool for users to locate the best materials to meet their current needs and enduring values; a tool to help cut through the prolific greenwashing; a space where users can discuss what makes a produc...
Bill Walsh | January 28, 2010 | Optimizing Recycling
Last week, the NYT ran an editorial on the chemical bisphenol-A (BPA), which in closing advises "wise consumers try to avoid BPA." HBN's letter to the editor was declined. Other fine letters were printed -- but none making our point: wise consumers must demand full transparency and disclosure of all product ingredients from manufactur...
Bill Walsh | December 16, 2009 | Optimizing Recycling
Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist. We won’t soon forget 2009, a year of tremendous challenges, accomplishments, and fun. In fact, our April 1st newsletter "Introducing Organic Vinyl" was so much fun we had to issue a retraction to stem the tide of angry emails and...
Bill Walsh | November 05, 2009 | Optimizing Recycling
We look forward to seeing old friends and making new ones at Greenbuild 2009. Here’s where you can find us.
EXHIBITION HALL, BOOTH 2258
HBN’s Pharos Project will be at booth 2258. There you can get a live demonstration, sign up for a subscription, and talk with members of the Pharos leadership team.
RADICAL TRANSPARENCY PANEL D...
