News
Pet flea treatments can be dangerous, more safety steps in the works, EPA says
Warning that the powerful poisons can endanger some dogs and cats, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will require new instructions and labeling for on-spot flea products. The EPA began investigating the products, which include the popular Frontline and Advantage brands, after discovering a sharp rise in the number of dogs and cats reported to be sick. The investigation concluded that certain pets – small dogs between 10 and 20 pounds – are most susceptible to the problems, which include rashes, vomiting, diarrhea and seizures. Incidents reported by consumers rose from 28,895 in 2007 to 44,263 in 2008, an increase of 53 percent. Most of the problems were minor, such as skin rashes, but about 600 dogs and cats died in incidents reported in 2008.
Derived from flowers, but not benign: Pyrethroids raise new concerns
Chemicals derived from flowers may sound harmless, but new research raises concerns about compounds synthesized from chrysanthemums that are used in virtually every household pesticide. For at least a decade, pyrethroids have been the insecticide of choice for consumers, replacing organophosphate pesticides, which are far more toxic to people and wildlife. But evidence is mounting that the switch to pyrethroids has brought its own set of new ecological and human health concerns.
Too much pavement, too little oversight: EPA to tackle stormwater runoff
Across the country, stormwater runoff hammers thousands of rivers, streams and lakes. Communities are left to struggle with the consequences of too much pavement and too little oversight. Now the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is gearing up to tighten federal stormwater rules that have been criticized by environmental groups and deemed ineffective by a national panel of researchers.
Children more likely to have attention, behavioral problems when exposed to phthalates in womb, New York study says
Children exposed in the womb to chemicals in cosmetics and fragrances are more likely to develop behavioral problems commonly found in children with attention deficit disorders, according to a study of New York City school-age children published Thursday. Scientists said the findings uncovered a new problem that could be related to phthalates - effects on a child’s developing brain. "More phthalates equaled more behavioral problems," said Stephanie Engel, an associate professor of preventive medicine at Mount Sinai School of Medicine. "For every increase of exposure, we saw an increase in frequency and severity of the symptoms," including attention problems, poor conduct and aggression. The connection was only detected for the types of phthalates used in perfumes, shampoos and other personal care products, not the ones found in vinyl toys and other soft plastics.
Scientists link flame retardants and reduced human fertility
Scientists for the first time have found evidence that flame retardants - ubiquitous in homes and in the environment - may be reducing human fertility. California women exposed to high levels of the compounds take substantially longer to get pregnant than women with low levels.
FDA shifts stance on BPA, announces "some concern" about children's health
The FDA shifts its position on BPA, saying it has "some concern" about health of children exposed to the chemical in plastic bottles and cans.
Autism clusters found in California, linked to highly educated parents
California scientists have identified clusters of autism, largely in the Los Angeles and San Francisco areas, where children are twice as likely to have autism as children in surrounding areas. The 10 clusters were found mostly among children with highly educated parents, leading researchers to report that they probably can be explained by better access to medical experts who diagnose the disorder. Because of the strong link to education, the researchers from University of California at Davis said the new findings do not point to a localized source of pollution, such as an industry, near the clusters. “I suspect access to services plays the major role,” said Irva Hertz-Picciotto, senior author of the study published Tuesday in the journal Autism Research. They added, however, that there could be other reasons why higher-educated parents lead to more autism, including environmental exposures, such as chemicals from consumer products.
EPA announces plan to require disclosure of secret pesticide ingredients
Reversing a decade-old decision, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced Tuesday that it plans to require pesticide manufacturers to disclose to the public the inert ingredients in their products. An inert ingredient is anything added to a pesticide that does not kill or control a pest. In some cases, those ingredients are toxic, but companies do not identify them on pesticide labels. For 11 years, EPA denied petitions seeking disclosure of the chemicals but now the new administration says it plans to draft a rule that will increase transparency and encourage companies to replace toxic substances. Manufacturers worry about revealing trade secrets.
Heavy metal: Some airborne particles pose more dangers than others
Around the world, whenever airborne particles increase, so do deaths from heart and lung diseases. Now new evidence is emerging that some particles may be more dangerous than others. A growing body of research – much of it in New York City – suggests that breathing nickel and other metals may put acute stress on the lungs and heart, resulting in illnesses and deaths at particulate levels below national standards.
Selenium from power plants poses ecological risks, spurs EPA review
Selenium is an essential nutrient, but excess amounts can be dangerous to wildlife and people. Now the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is preparing a new regulation that would require more than 600 coal-fired power plants to clean up — perhaps even eliminate — wastewater discharged into lakes, rivers and other waterways. The national standards would replace a patchwork of state regulations that EPA officials say are too lax to protect fish and wildlife from toxic metals and other elements, particularly selenium, in the plants’ wastewater. Some states allow the plants to emit selenium at levels hundreds of times higher than EPA’s water-quality standards, while others don’t even require monitoring for it.
New frontiers – and limitations – in testing people's bodies for chemicals
New horizons in biomonitoring are identifying environmental exposures that may play a role in health problems, including cancer, neurological disorders and diabetes. At their fingertips, researchers already have precise measurements of nearly 150 chemicals in several thousand American adults and children. Now the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is preparing to release even more extensive data, and expand its reach by testing 500 umbilical cords, which will allow scientists to determine which chemicals babies are exposed to in the womb. Biomonitoring “is a game changer in environmental health,” said Thomas Burke of Johns Hopkins University. Nevertheless, actual use of the information hasn’t yet fulfilled its potential.
Inhaling Human Pathogens With Cigarette Smoke
Cigarettes contain hundreds of different strains of bacteria, including many human pathogens. That means smokers are inhaling live bacteria into their lungs, which could be one reason why they contract so many infections and chronic diseases, scientists say.
NIEHS Director Birnbaum: "We kind of jump from the proverbial fry pan into the fire" when replacing chemicals
Nanosilver in consumer products: No silver lining for fish
Smaller than a virus and used in more than 200 consumer products, silver nanoparticles can kill and mutate fish embryos, new research shows. Tiny particles of silver – potent anti-microbial agents that can kill bacteria on contact – are becoming increasingly popular in consumer goods, including washing machines, refrigerators, clothing and toys. Many nanoparticles, including nanosilver, wash down drains and are discharged into lakes and rivers, where fish and other aquatic life are exposed.
Special Report: Some vinegars -- often expensive, aged balsamics -- contain a big dose of lead
In a tradition dating back to medieval times, growers in Modena, Italy, are deep into the grape harvest, the first step in making their famed balsamic vinegar. Cooking the grapes releases rich juice that is then stored in vintage barrels. At least a dozen years of fermentation and evaporation reduces the wine to a sweet, fragrant elixir. Thousands of miles away, in California, signs in grocery stores warn shoppers about exposure to a dangerous metal in many balsamic and red wine vinegars. Although the amount of lead in vinegar is small, experts say regularly consuming it may pose a risk, particularly to children. Eating one tablespoon a day of some vinegars can raise a young child’s lead level by more than 30 percent. For this report, Environmental Health News had an expert calculate children's doses and also hired an independent lab to test two bottles. Consumers want to know if vinegars are safe, but there are no easy answers.
Research shows pesticide-free homes can be bug-free, too; 'Good housekeeping' is more effective than insecticides
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. So Rosenthal decided to try a few tricks that might keep his home bug-free without spraying chemicals. He raised his bed off the ground, filled some cracks and applied some nontoxic powder to spaces between walls. Now new research shows that such good housekeeping techniques not only minimize chemical use, but they are even more effective at controlling pests than hiring an exterminator to spray powerful, toxic pesticides. A single use of such techniques in 13 New York City apartment buildings eliminated substantially more cockroaches and mice than repeated professional applications of pesticides, according to a new study.
Soy Foods: Eating too much of a good thing might be bad, scientists say
Americans consume over $4 billion of soy foods each year because of their many health benefits. But new studies suggest that eating large amounts of soy's estrogen-mimicking compounds might reduce fertility in women, trigger early puberty and disrupt development of fetuses and children. 'We know that too much genistein is not a good thing for a developing mouse; it may not be a good thing for a developing child,' said Retha Newbold of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences.
Idling school buses spew black carbon, fine particles
Idling school buses spew tons of exhaust into the air, putting children at risk when they leave school at the end of each day. In New York City alone, idling vehicles emit as much pollution as nine million diesel trucks driving from the Bronx to Staten Island. But the city's laws requiring them to shut down their engines in school zones are poorly enforced.
EPA unveils plan to review 6 controversial chemicals, reform US toxics policy
President Obama’s top environmental official announced a new push to transform the way the nation regulates toxic chemicals that may endanger people and the environment. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa Jackson called the workings of a 1976 law 'inordinately cumbersome and time-consuming' and said the administration will promote a new chemical law in Congress.In the meantime, the EPA will analyze and regulate six high-profile, widely used chemicals that have raised health concerns, including BPA and phthalates.
Eating venison, other game raises lead exposure
New research raises questions about the safety of eating wild game, and triggers a renewed debate about banning lead ammunition. Tests by the CDC show that eating venison and other game can raise the amounts of lead in human bodies by 50 percent. The National Park Service has announced a controversial plan to ban lead bullets and fishing tackle, which Acting Director Dan Wenk said “will benefit humans, wildlife, and ecosystems inside and outside park boundaries.”
