Press Releases, 2005

December 7, 2005: Major Corporations Phase Out PVC, “the Poison Plastic”
Microsoft, HP, Kaiser Permanente, Toyota and Honda make commitments to phase out PVC plastic, a common material in consumer packaging and products. They join the growing ranks of companies demonstrating concern about its health impacts. Studies link hazardous chemicals used and created during the PVC product lifecycle to cancer, reproductive and immune system damage, and asthma. Over 96,000 tons of PVC waste go into Michigan landfills every year.

December 1, 2005: Our State Cleanup Laws Are Under Attack
Legislators trying to protect Dow Chemical propose changing how Michigan manages cleanup laws -- with negative consequences. Cleanups would become slower and more expensive, while residents may lose the ability to force polluters to pay. Other provisions would prevent property owners from knowing about contamination. Help us send a strong message to the State Senate. HB4617 is opposed by environmental organizations and the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality. You can additionally sign a petition to force Dow to clean up its mess.

September 16, 2005: Testing Finds High Level of Mercury in Store-Bought Fish in Michigan
The Ecology Center has released the results of a major 22-state mercury testing project which included samples of swordfish and tuna taken from Kroger in Michigan. The national project, led by Oceana and the Mercury Policy Project, confirmed that store-bought swordfish and tuna contain levels of mercury that the federal government has determined may be hazardous to human health, particularly children.

September 15, 2005: Industry-NGO Partnership Calls on Ford to Remove Mercury Switches from Recalled Vehicles
Inside the 3.8 million vehicles that Ford is recalling for defective cruise control switches are approximately 2.5 million mercury switches that pose another threat to the public. These switches combined contain as much as 6,500 pounds of mercury, which is as much mercury as the top five emitting coal-fired power plants emit in one year.

September 12, 2005: State Legislature Urged to Act Now to Stop Out-of-State Trash
As state House Republicans unveiled proposals for out-of-state waste contingent on action by Congress, environmentalists called for action now. "Michigan should not wait for the Feds," said Brad van Guilder of the Ecology Center, a key leader of Don't Trash Michigan. "We need to address the fundamental economics behind Michigan's trash problems -- it's too cheap to dump in landfills. The legislature can and should act quickly to pass dumping charge (surcharge) legislation to protect and benefit Michigan communities."

August 9th, 2005: Automaker Strategies Aggravate Global Warming
Despite growing concern over global warming, major automakers still pursue product strategies that make the problem worse. Through 2003, carbon dioxide emissions -- a primary cause of global warming -- from U.S. cars and light trucks have increased 25 percent above the 1990 levels, according to a new report by Environmental Defense.

August 15th, 2005: EPA Balks on Banning Major Automotive Lead Use
Environmentalists criticized the decision by the Environmental Protection Agency to reject a request to ban the use and sale of lead-containing weights used to balance wheels on vehicles. The Ecology Center, a Michigan-based environmental advocacy organization, had asked EPA to ban the sale of one off the largest unregulated sources of lead to the environment, automotive wheel balancing weights. The Ecology Center is now considering legal action to compel EPA action, along with ramped up efforts to pass legislation at the state level to ban the sale of lead-containing wheel weights.

July 26th, 2005: Ecology Center and the City of Ann Arbor to Host Third Huron River Renaissance Clean Up
You are invited to participate in the third Huron River Renaissance Clean Up event on Saturday, August 6 from 9:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. At this last clean-up of the summer sponsored by the Ecology Center and the City of Ann Arbor, adult volunteers will canoe on Gallup Pond and help remove litter. Free canoe lessons, t-shirts, and lunch will be provided.

June 24, 2005: UAW-Environmental Partnership Showcases Fuel-Efficient Vehicle Technologies Made in Southeast Michigan
The UAW, environmental leaders and state officials joined together in a unique show of support for greater automobile fuel-efficiency. This unprecedented partnership, known as the Green Machines Tour, showcased new vehicles and technologies -- currently or soon to be produced in southeast Michigan -- that labor and environmental leaders say are key to enhancing the competitiveness of the region's automobile industry.

June 16, 2005: Environmentalists Testify to Urge Green Priorities for Jobs Bond
Noting trends favoring cleaner materials and cleaner energy, environmentalists challenged the legislature and the Governor to "green" the jobs bond. State environmental groups urged that priority be given to areas of rapid job growth that will also result in clean manufacturing, clean air and water, energy efficiency, preservation of farmland, and protection of the Great Lakes.

June 6, 2005: Environmental Groups Join for Beer & Bucks
Support the earth while having fun and enjoying award-winning brews! A special beer-tasting fundraiser for Clean Water Action and the Ecology Center will be hosted by Arbor Brewing Company (114 E. Washington in Ann Arbor) on Sunday, June 26 from 4-6pm. All proceeds from this first-ever joint fundraiser by the two prominent area environmental organizations will help fund programs to protect Michigan’s environment and the Great Lakes.

May 17, 2005: Ecology Center Moves to Ban Major Automotive Lead Use
Automotive wheel balancing weights are one of the largest unregulated sources of lead to the environment, accounting for an estimated 4,865 metric tons of lead being released onto U.S. roadways each year. The Ecology Center's "Lead Free Wheels" program has worked to install over 25,000 lead free weights (made of zinc and steel) in fleets around the country and has now petitioned EPA to ban the sale of lead weights within 2 years.

March 22, 2005: Sick of Dust: Chemicals in Common Products -- a Needless Health Threat in Our Homes
A national study found 35 hazardous industrial chemicals in the common household dust samples taken from 70 homes across the U.S. including 10 in Michigan. This study is the first in the U.S. to look at a wide range of chemicals used in computers, cosmetics, upholstery, pesticides and other products. All of these chemicals are legal despite being internationally recognized as toxic or harmful to the immune and reproductive systems. Babies and young children are particularly at risk from exposure.

March 10, 2005: Clean Environment and Good Jobs Ecology Center Annual Membership Meeting -- Sunday, April 3, 1:30 - 3:30 p.m., Matthaei Botanical Gardens, 1800 Dixboro Rd.
The keynote speaker will be Bracken Hendricks, Executive Director of the Apollo Alliance -- a national coalition of labor, environmental, business, urban, and faith communities that supports good jobs and energy independence. The coalition's goals include diversifying U.S. energy sources to make them less dependent on imported oil and less polluting.

February 23, 2005: U.S. Automakers Receive Near Failing Grades on the Use of Environmentally Safe Plastics in Cars
U.S. automakers received nearly failing grades in the use of recyclable, safe plastics in vehicles, according to a report released today by the Michigan-based Ecology Center, in collaboration with Clean Production Action. The six top-selling automakers in the U.S. were graded on their commitment to using environmentally friendly plastics. Toyota led the group with a C, while Ford, Daimler Chrysler and General Motors were among the lowest scoring companies, all receiving Ds.

February 17, 2005: 35th Anniversary Earth Day Celebration -- Sunday, April 24
Ann Arbor’s Earth Day Festival will again be held at the Farmers Market in the Kerrytown District. On Sunday, April 24 from 12:00 - 4:00 pm, everyone is invited to this free event, which will include live music & storytelling, live animal demonstrations, exhibits, Earth-friendly products, local artisans and environmental groups, as well as face painting and other hands-on activities. At 2 pm, the All Species Parade will wind through the market.

January 24, 2005: Groups Criticize Dow-Granholm Dioxin Deal
Environmentalists today sharply criticized an agreement between Dow Chemical and the Granholm administration, saying it fails to deliver a cleanup of dioxin contamination in the Saginaw Bay basin. "It's promoted as results-oriented, but the only result will be further delays, more studies, and it does little to protect the health of residents ... Dow's dioxin contamination is a public health threat, and Dow needs to start cleanup now," said Michelle Hurd Riddick, a Lone Tree Council member who lives in the basin. "It doesn't even rise to the level of a short-term fix," adds James Clift, Michigan Environmental Council Policy Director.

January 4, 2005: Health Advocates Applaud New State Ban on Flame Retardants
Michigan public health advocates and environmental groups cheered Governor Granholm's signing of landmark bills banning two dangerous flame retardants, and urged legislators to move quickly on a third related chemical. "This is an important first step to protect Michigan residents from chemicals ... [that] can damage the thyroid and impair the central nervous system," said Tracey Easthope, Environmental Health Director of the Ecology Center. The Michigan Environmental Council's James Clift states that "... to protect public health, we need to switch quickly to alternative chemicals that do not pose the same health risks."

Archived Press Releases

2007

2006

2004

2003

2002

2001