 Stories About: health AND news AND toxics
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Check Mate, CheckMate
California officials yank controversial urban spraying plan |
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22 Jun 2008 |
News |
| Posted at 12:07 PM on 22 Jun 2008 California officials have announced that they will not spray the urban Bay Area with a pheromone this summer, delighting activists who had campaigned strenuously against the plan. The pheromone with the ominous name CheckMate LBAM-F keeps the crop-gobbling light brown apple moth from reproducing, but also has been linked to complaints of respiratory trouble in humans. Spraying had ... |
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| Topics: agriculture, California, health, news, San Francisco, toxics (all these topics) |
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Take My Breath Away
Fumes from Minn. dairy force neighbors to evacuate |
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11 Jun 2008 |
News |
| Posted at 3:25 PM on 11 Jun 2008 A giant dairy farm in Thief River Falls, Minn., is producing such noxious fumes that the state health department has advised nearby residents to evacuate. Excel Dairy's emissions of hydrogen sulfide have been calculated at 200 times the standard allowed by Minnesota law; neighbors' complaints include headaches, nausea, blurred vision, shortness of breath, and fatigue. "It's so strong and ... |
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| Topics: agriculture, air pollution, health, industrial ag, Minnesota, news, toxics (all these topics) |
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C6 of One, Half Dozen of the Other
Replacement for nasty chemical may be no less nasty, says EWG |
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10 Jun 2008 |
News |
| Posted at 4:40 PM on 10 Jun 2008 Under pressure from the U.S. EPA, eight chemical companies are phasing out perfluorooctanoic acid in nonstick, oil-resistant, and stain-resistant products -- but industry-favored substitutes may be no safer, says a new report from the Environmental Working Group. The chemical, known for brevity as PFOA or C8, has been linked to cancer, reproductive problems, and immu ... |
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| Topics: green living, health, news, toxics (all these topics) |
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Pb & Jail
Childhood lead exposure linked to criminal behavior, violence |
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28 May 2008 |
News |
| Posted at 6:36 AM on 28 May 2008 Childhood exposure to high lead levels leads to smaller brain mass and is linked to criminal behavior and violence, according to two new comprehensive studies. Researchers tracked kids from Cincinnati, Ohio, from before birth through adulthood and found that early exposure to lead resulted in a loss of brain matter of over 1 percent on average, particularly in the areas of the brain resp ... |
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| Topics: environmental justice, health, news, scientific research, toxics (all these topics) |
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Where the Lead Comes Sweepin' Down the Plain
Tornado ravages town already ravaged by pollution |
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12 May 2008 |
News |
| Posted at 10:41 AM on 12 May 2008 Six people were killed in Picher, Okla., this weekend as a giant tornado swept through. The not-so-bright bright side: It's likely that some fatalities were avoided, since many residents of Picher have already left. Picher is so polluted with mining waste that it's listed as a Superfund site; the town's booming lead and zinc mines closed decades ago, and its population ... |
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| Topics: air pollution, health, mining, news, Oklahoma, placemaking, severe weather, toxics, waste (all these topics) |
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Getting Hard to Carrion
Wild Asian vultures going the way of the dodo |
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30 Apr 2008 |
News |
| Posted at 1:24 PM on 30 Apr 2008 Wild Asian vultures are likely going to the way of the dodo, a new study says. The white-backed vulture population has plunged by nearly 99.9 percent in India since 1992, and two other vulture species have seen a drop of 97 percent, say researchers publishing in the Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society. Researchers blame diclofenac, a drug given to livestock and ingested by the birds ... |
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| Topics: endangered species, health, India, news, scientific research, toxics, wildlife (all these topics) |
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Health Bent
EPA chemical-review process sucks, says GAO |
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29 Apr 2008 |
News |
| Posted at 1:32 PM on 29 Apr 2008 U.S. EPA reviews of the health risks posed by ubiquitous chemicals are hampered by extensive nonscientist involvement, says a report from the Government Accountability Office. The EPA review process, rejiggered by the White House in 2004, is cloaked in secrecy, causes years of delay, and has lost credibility, the GAO says. The Defense Department, Energy Department, and NASA, all of which have a vested inter ... |
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| Topics: Government Accountability Office, health, news, politics, toxics, US EPA (all these topics) |
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The Moth-Ban Prophecies
Bay Area escapes aerial spraying, for now |
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25 Apr 2008 |
News |
| Posted at 10:48 AM on 25 Apr 2008 A plan to spray Santa Cruz County with synthetic pheromones must be postponed until an environmental review is completed, a county judge ruled Thursday. The spraying, an attempt by agriculture officials to curb the invasion of the crop-gobbling light brown apple moth, was to begin in Santa Cruz County in June and expand to seven other Bay Area counties in August. But many of the 7 million resident ... |
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| Topics: agriculture, California, health, news, toxics (all these topics) |
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Down to the Last Drop
Nalgene, Wal-Mart back away from BPA |
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18 Apr 2008 |
News |
| Posted at 4:08 PM on 18 Apr 2008 Bottle manufacturer Nalgene will stop using plastic containing bisphenol A in response to concerns from the National Toxicology Program and the Canadian health department that the chemical probably shouldn't be sucked on by kids. Nalgene says it still believes its clear, hard plastic bottles "are safe for their intended use" but says it's responding to customers who "indicated they preferr ... |
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| Topics: business, food, green living, green products, health, news, shopping, toxics (all these topics) |
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Ew, Toxins Again?
U.S. health agency says ubiquitous chemical may harm kiddos |
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16 Apr 2008 |
News |
| Posted at 3:24 PM on 16 Apr 2008 A U.S. federal agency has declared that there is "some concern" that chemical bisphenol A can harm the development of children's brains and reproductive systems. The National Toxicology Program, part of the National Institutes of Health, issued a draft report following up on an 18-month review of BPA. The agency reported more concern than was suggested by its advisory panel, ... |
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| Topics: food, green living, health, news, parenting, politics, toxics (all these topics) |
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Bisphenol, Eh?
Health Canada primed to declare bisphenol A toxic |
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15 Apr 2008 |
News |
| Posted at 2:43 PM on 15 Apr 2008 Canada's health department is expected to become the first regulatory body ever to declare chemical bisphenol A a toxic substance that humans should reduce their exposure to. BPA shows up in (and leaches from) hard plastic water bottles, aluminum cans, and other containers that consumers regularly eat and drink from. The chemical, which has been linked to reproductive anomalies, has come under some ... |
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| Topics: Canada, food, health, news, politics, toxics (all these topics) |
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If It's Broke, Fix It
EPA announces new lead standards for renovation of older buildings |
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31 Mar 2008 |
News |
| Posted at 3:04 PM on 31 Mar 2008 Contractors will have to train workers to follow "lead-safe work practice standards" when renovating or repairing older dwellings that house children or pregnant women, according to new standards introduced Monday by the U.S. EPA. The new requirements are an attempt to keep lead out of the bloodstreams of babes, as structures built before 1978 are likely to contain ... |
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| Topics: green building, green living, health, news, placemaking, toxics, US EPA (all these topics) |
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Misfortunes of War
Gulf War syndrome likely caused by chemical exposure, says research |
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11 Mar 2008 |
News |
| Posted at 5:56 PM on 11 Mar 2008 Fatigue, dizziness, rashes, memory loss, and other symptoms of Gulf War syndrome are likely tied to a combination of chemicals that veterans were exposed to during the war, says new research published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The review of studies on Gulf War syndrome supports the theory that pesticides used around military bases, anti-nerve-gas ... |
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| Topics: health, news, toxics (all these topics) |
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'Hyde and Shriek
CDC confirms FEMA trailers tainted with formaldehyde; residents urged to move |
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14 Feb 2008 |
News |
| Posted at 12:03 PM on 14 Feb 2008 The U.S. Centers for Disease Control has confirmed that the trailers used to house Gulf Coast hurricane victims are tainted with high levels of formaldehyde. The Federal Emergency Management Agency urged residents of over 35,000 of the trailers to move out as soon as possible, especially families with kids, elderly folks, and those with chronic illnesses. Formaldehyde ... |
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| Topics: health, news, toxics, United States (all these topics) |
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Polyvinyl Want an Attacker?
PVC is latest target of folks concerned about toxic toys |
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13 Feb 2008 |
News |
| Posted at 11:57 AM on 13 Feb 2008 Photo: iStockphoto Lead-toy furor is so last year; the source du jour of parental outrage is plastic polyvinyl chloride in toys. Numerous playthings -- balls, dolls, rubber duckies, tea sets, you name it -- contain PVC, which is made with carcinogen vinyl chloride, often softened with phthalates, and frequently contains lead and other heavy metals. While the Toy Industry Associa ... |
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| Topics: green living, health, news, parenting, toxics (all these topics) |
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Toxic as a Baby's Bottom
Lotioned-up babies have high phthalate levels, says study |
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04 Feb 2008 |
News |
| Posted at 9:58 AM on 04 Feb 2008 Photo: iStockphoto Ways to poison your kids: It's not just bottles, car seats, and toys anymore! Tots exposed to baby cosmetics -- lotions, shampoos, powders, and the like -- have high levels of toxic phthalates in their wee bodies, according to a new study published in the journal Pediatrics. Lotion exposure led to the highest phthalate concentrations in infant urine; use of baby ... |
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| Topics: green living, health, news, parenting, toxics (all these topics) |
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A Thorn in Our Sulfide
U.S. EPA considers regulating hydrogen sulfide, industry not into the idea |
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11 Dec 2007 |
News |
| Posted at 2:29 PM on 11 Dec 2007 It may be shocking to learn that a gas with the odor of rotten eggs is actually not good for you, but sure enough: the U.S. EPA is considering regulating hydrogen sulfide, a nasty-smelling gas that emanates from oil refineries, paper mills, landfills, CAFOs, and any other place where organic material containing sulfur decomposes. Hydrogen sulfide is known to be dead ... |
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| Topics: air pollution, health, jackassery, news, toxics, US EPA (all these topics) |
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The Sands of Grime
Waterways downstream from oil sands are full o' toxins, says study |
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09 Nov 2007 |
News |
| Posted at 1:46 PM on 09 Nov 2007 Fish, water, and sediment downstream from the gigantic oil sands projects in Alberta are chock-full of carcinogens and other toxins, says a new study. While the research does not make a direct link between the oil sands, the toxins, and presumed health consequences, the largely Native residents of downstream community Fort Chipewyan have long suspected that they experience high ... |
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| Topics: Alberta, energy, environmental justice, health, news, oil, oil sands, scientific research, toxics (all these topics) |
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Fume and Far Between
FEMA prohibits employees from entering toxic trailers |
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09 Nov 2007 |
News |
| Posted at 11:54 AM on 09 Nov 2007 Concerned about formaldehyde fumes, the Federal Emergency Management Agency has prohibited its employees from entering thousands of stored trailers. And the hurricane victims living in some 50,000 trailers in Louisiana and Mississippi? Well, FEMA hasn't gotten around to seeing if those trailers are toxic yet -- last week, the agency postponed plans to begin testing -- but eh, they'll be f ... |
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| Topics: health, insanity, Louisiana, Mississippi, news, toxics (all these topics) |
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Toxics 'R' Us
Everyday folk found to be contaminated with toxic chemicals |
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09 Nov 2007 |
News |
| Posted at 9:16 AM on 09 Nov 2007 Volunteers across the U.S. were found to have toxic bisphenol-A, PBDEs, and phthalates in their blood and urine, says a small study sponsored by a coalition of environmental health groups. The "Is It in Us?" study analyzed 35 people from seven states; while the sample size was too small to be representative of the larger population, the results were quite similar to those of a hu ... |
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| Topics: Centers on Disease Control and Prevention, green living, health, news, scientific research, toxics (all these topics) |
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Patty Ache
Asbestos legislation watered down, disappointing activists |
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06 Nov 2007 |
News |
| Posted at 4:08 PM on 06 Nov 2007 Public-health advocates who in June praised legislation to ban asbestos now say the version passed by the Senate last month was watered down so significantly that they no longer support it. Thanks in large part to industry lobbying, many products containing cancer-causing asbestos wouldn't be banned under the new version of the bill. Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.), who has labored for years to ge ... |
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| Topics: health, legislation, news, politics, toxics, US Senate (all these topics) |
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Banana Split
Six farmworkers compensated for pesticide exposure, six cases dismissed |
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06 Nov 2007 |
News |
| Posted at 3:00 PM on 06 Nov 2007 Six farmworkers who became sterile after working on a Nicaraguan banana plantation three decades ago were awarded a total $3.3 million from Dole Food Co. and Dow Chemical, after a judge agreed that the corporations "actively suppressed information about" the "reproductive toxicity" of now-banned pesticide DBCP. Six other plaintiffs with a similar claim had th ... |
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| Topics: agriculture, business, health, industrial ag, litigation, news, Nicaragua, toxics (all these topics) |
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Leaded Gasoline Is a Crime -- No, Literally
Phasing out leaded gasoline may have reduced crime rates, says research |
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22 Oct 2007 |
News |
| Posted at 4:39 PM on 22 Oct 2007 Thank the Clean Air Act for significantly reducing violent crime rates in the U.S., says researcher Jessica Wolpaw Reyes. The legislation was behind the phaseout of leaded gasoline in the 1970s and '80s, which significantly reduced blood levels of the heavy metal in Americans. The arc of lead-exposure rates seems to match the arc of violent crime i ... |
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| Topics: health, news, scientific research, toxics (all these topics) |
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Berry Bad News
EPA approves carcinogenic pesticide |
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08 Oct 2007 |
News |
| Posted at 1:45 PM on 08 Oct 2007 Just when we think the U.S. EPA might have some sense, it goes and approves a carcinogenic pesticide, ignoring scientists' warnings that "pregnant women and the fetus, children, the elderly, farmworkers, and other people living near application sites would be at serious risk." As a substitute for ozone-depleting fumigant methyl bromide, California and Florida strawberry growers and other farmers will w ... |
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| Topics: agriculture, California, Florida, health, news, toxics, US EPA (all these topics) |
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The Age of Ban
Senate passes asbestos ban, Democrats want to rid toys of lead |
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05 Oct 2007 |
News |
| Posted at 5:38 PM on 05 Oct 2007 Hey, you with the asbestos-contaminated attic: The Senate has unanimously passed a measure to ban importation, manufacture, processing, and distribution of products containing asbestos. Forty other nations have already banned the cancer-causing mineral, which is found in more than 3,000 consumer products in the U.S. Speaking of things that should have happened a long time ago, Democrat ... |
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| Topics: green living, health, legislation, news, parenting, politics, toxics, US Senate (all these topics) |
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