SafetyNEST delivers clear, personalized guidance with easy-to-follow steps so you can create a healthy home for you, your baby and family.
Planning, pregnant or new family?
Reproductive health provider?
SafetyNEST partners with respected leaders in reproductive, environmental and public health to keep you informed with the most current, evidence-backed research and findings about toxic chemicals.
Easy Tips to Prevent Toxic Chemicals in the Home
Choose glass, stainless steel or ceramic for food storage.
Store leftovers in glass, stainless steel, or ceramic containers and avoid plastic cling wrap. Be extra careful when storing hot food and drinks. Avoid plastic containers as heat makes plastic release harmful chemicals like phthalates, BPA and vinyl chloride.
Avoid products with flame retardants.
Choose foam products, such as mattresses and upholstered furniture, that have a label that says “flame retardant free” or “compliant with TB-117-2013.” Flame retardants can harm health and affect a child’s brain.
Vacuum your home regularly.
Make sure your vacuum cleaner has a HEPA filter to capture dust rather than blowing it around your home.
“SafetyNest provides evidence-based recommendations for preventing toxic chemical exposures in the home and preserving health of individuals and their families, across the lifespan – a very important contribution to the public health.”
Dr. Linda Giudice, MD, PhD, FACOG, FRCOG (hon)
Distinguished Professor / Founder, Program for Reproductive Health and the Environment
University of California, San Francisco
Chair of the Committee on Climate Change and Toxic Environmental Exposures of the International Federation of Gynecologists and Obstetricians (FIGO)
Changemaker
Nancy Rakela, OMD, LAc
Hi! I’m Nancy – a proud Doctor of Oriental Medicine and a licensed acupuncturist practicing in Berkeley, CA for over 30 years. Since 1992, I have been a Diplomate of the National Board of Acupuncture Orthopedic with a specialty in Acupuncture Orthopedics (a certification held by less the 5% of acupuncturists). This enables me to provide specialized treatment from both Chinese and Western perspectives.
Spotlight
Promoting Healthy Environments for All: Maida Galvez, MD, MPH
Dr. Maida Galvez devotes her clinical, research and advocacy work to promoting healthy environments for all children and families. As a pediatrician and professor in the Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health and the Department of Pediatrics at the...
In the News
Chemicals found in sunscreen and makeup can lead to hypertension during pregnancy, study finds
Chemicals found in certain personal care products — including sunscreen and makeup — may cause hypertension during pregnancy and affect the long-term health of both the pregnant parent and the fetus, according to a study led by a Northeastern professor. The study...