In The News / Nov 7

Chemicals and cholesterol.

JP Myers

PFCs are everywhere--from Teflon pans to stain resistant carpeting and take-out food containers. A new study shows a strong association between these chemicals and increased human cholesterol levels.

Based on data from a national survey of contamination levels in Americans by the Centers for Disease Control, the analysis reflects patterns in the general US population, not highly exposed workers. Virtually everyone tested had measurable amounts.

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Salinas Valley schools perched near pesticide-sprayed farmland.

While the Monterey County Agricultural Commissioner's office often restricts pesticide use near sensitive locations, such as schools, beyond what the law requires, some worry the limits aren't enough.

Grounds for those concerns are highlighted in a new study, which showed areas near day-care facilities, schools and other kid-friendly places that are routinely sprayed, and in a petition filed by a coalition of environmentalists and farmworker groups urging the federal government to better regulate where the chemicals end up.

Gonzales resident Aurora Valdez said she's fearful pesticides sprayed near Gonzales High School, where her kids attend classes, will harm her teenage sons.

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New Science

Understand the latest scientific findings
  • Red wine compound slows brain plaque linked to Alzheimer's disease, study finds. 6 November 2009

    A compound in red wine may offer yet another health benefit – it may slow formation of the amyloid plaques associated with Alzheimer’s disease. Results from a newly published laboratory study show the compound may slow the development of protein clumps – called amyloid fibrils. The fibrils – made of beta-amyloid protein – ultimately aggregate into the distinctive plaques commonly found in Alzheimer’s patients. more…

  • Arsenic makes good cells go bad. 5 November 2009

    Exposure to arsenic causes human stem cells to transform into cancer cells, report researchers who studied the cells in a laboratory. People in certain regions of the world are exposed to high levels of arsenic through drinking water tainted by the naturally-occurring element. The results of this new study may explain why arsenic is associated with several human cancers, including prostrate cancer in men. more…

Media Review

Scientists critique media coverage

Editorials

  • Cargo peril.

    Southern California has plenty of evidence about the dangers of air pollution; what it needs are solutions that reduce the risk. International trade can bring jobs and commerce to the region, but those benefits should not come at the cost of residents' health. more…

  • Congress, toys and a bad law on lead.

    The wheels on the bus won't go 'round and 'round in many playrooms this year if the Consumer Product Safety Commission has its way. The Commission voted against a petition to exempt brass used in the wheels of toy vehicles from draconian lead standards. more…

Opinions

More news from EHN From Environmental Health News

Research shows pesticide-free homes can be bug-free, too.

When a building supervisor notified tenants in Brooklyn that one of the apartments had a bedbug infestation, Eddie Rosenthal feared that it was only a matter of time until they spread to his home. But it wasn't just the bugs that gave Rosenthal the creeps. So did the prospect of using pesticides.

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Rapid change threatens foundations of human health - report.

Rapid changes already underway to the Earth's climate, ecosystems and land cover threaten the health of billions, undermining key human life-support systems and threatening the core foundations of healthy communities worldwide, according to a new report released Wednesday.

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Soy foods: eating too much of a good thing might be bad, scientists say.

Seeking healthful foods, Americans are eating more soy than ever. But recent research with animals shows that consuming large amounts could have harmful effects on female fertility and reproductive development.

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Idle moments add up to tons of pollutants at schools.

Idling longer than one minute in a school zone is illegal in New York City, but the laws are rarely enforced. That puts children at risk when they leave school. Idling vehicles in New York City spew out as much pollution as nine million diesel trucks driving from the Bronx to Staten Island.

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In The News (CONTINUED) / Nov 7

More news from today
>100 more stories, including:
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  • Swine flu: 'Ambushed'; Watch animals closely; All Beijing residents to get vaccination
  • Climate: China big winner in carbon credit game; Scathing attack on carbon offset industry; Climate religion?; Old king coal
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  • Editorials: Leading in solar; Funding the lakes agenda