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In the News:
Get quick access to breaking stories around the world.
20 November NIEHS Director: "We kind of jump from the proverbial fry pan into the fire" when replacing chemicals. As head of the federal institute examining environmental health, Linda Birnbaum and her staff are taking on many controversial topics, including Bisphenol A and new flame retardants. She is concerned about what role chemicals play in cancer and other diseases. Environmental Health News. 20 November Effects of judge's Katrina ruling could be huge. The finding that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is liable for much of the flooding during Hurricane Katrina could have a far-reaching effect on flood-control policies and on the government's long-standing refusal to take responsibility for its errors. Los Angeles Times, California. 20 November Environmentalists take legal actions to block dredging of Delaware River. Five environmental organizations Thursday filed legal challenges in opposition to the Army Corps of Engineers plan to dredge the Delaware River, which they claimed violates seven federal laws, as well as Delaware law. Newsroom Jersey, New Jersey. 20 November As smart grid expands, so does vulnerability to cyber attacks. The accelerating deployment of tens of millions of advanced electric meters and other smart grid devices may help fight climate change. But it also could make the nation's power network potentially more vulnerable, the head of the nation's electric grid operations monitor says. ClimateWire. 20 November U.S. group sees worsening coastal flooding threat. Fast-melting ice from Greenland and Antarctica will lead to a much sharper rise in sea levels than previously estimated, touching off flooding that will radically alter U.S. East Coast cities from Miami to Baltimore, according to a new study. Reuters. 20 November Harvard finds kidney stones, malaria among global-warming risks. Kidney stones, malaria, Lyme disease, depression and respiratory illness all may increase with global warming, researchers at Harvard Medical School said. Bloomberg News. 20 November Eco-alchemy in Alberta. There's a roaring debate in Canada about whether tailings ponds, and oil mines in general, are ecologically salvageable—specifically, whether they can ever support the same flora and fauna as undisturbed land. Science. 20 November Radioactive waste contaminating Canadian water supply: Report. Nuclear facilities and power plants are contaminating local Canadian food and water with radioactive waste that increases risks of cancer and birth defects, says a new report to be released on Friday. Canwest News Service. 20 November Mexico City's transit improvements on track. Cash-strapped Mexico City is pressing ahead with new bus lines and bike lanes in 2010, buoyed by prestigious recognition for a world-class transit system that has reduced pollution in one of the globe's largest cities with more than 20 million residents and 6 million cars. Associated Press. 20 November Four ways to feed the world. Global population is set to grow to 9.1 billion by 2050, while global warming will have a serious impact on farming. So, what can be done? New Scientist. 20 November Government reintroduces DDT to eradicate Malaria. Malaria remains a huge health challenge in Botswana and has compelled the government to reintroduce the use of DDT. Gaborone Mmegi, Botswana. 20 November Workers, students exposed to potential toxins at Paramus school. Nearly 100 people affiliated with the West Brook Middle School are suing the school board and the borough, accusing them of knowingly exposing the plaintiffs to potentially toxic chemicals in 2007, according to documents filed in Bergen County Superior Court in Hackensack. Bergen County Record, New Jersey. 20 November Owners sue Quadrant Homes over 'sick' houses. Homeowners contend that mold growing in houses built by Quadrant Corp -- flowering, they claim, because rushed construction schedules didn't leave time to dry wet building materials -- is circulated through poorly designed and badly built heating systems, poisoning occupants. Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Washington. 20 November Asian carp may have breached barrier. The decade-old battle to keep Asian carp out of the Great Lakes might be over. New research shows the fish likely have made it past the $9 million electric fish barrier on the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Wisconsin. 20 November EPA intervention in Florida cleanup unwelcome, says DEP. A panel of experts spoke out Monday in opposition to a federal judge's decision allowing the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to set surface water pollution standards for Florida -- the first time any state's standards have been overridden in this manner. Suwannee Democrat, Florida. 20 November Lawsuit abuse charge by western lawmakers enrages enviro groups. Poor government oversight has allowed advocacy groups to squander taxpayer money on frivolous lawsuits that drain the budgets of federal land management agencies without the knowledge of the public or Congress, a group of Western lawmakers charge. Greenwire. 20 November Average UK woman wears 515 chemicals a day. The average British woman "hosts" 515 chemicals on her body every day, according to a new study. Reuters. 20 November Culture clash in medicine. Two new recommendations, calling for delaying the start and reducing the frequency of screening for breast and cervical cancer, have been met with anger and confusion from some corners, not to mention a measure of political posturing. New York Times. More news from today |
New Science:
Understand new scientific results that expand knowledge of environmental links to health.
Boys exposed to phthalates during pregnancy are less likely to choose “boy typical” toys such as trucks, suggesting that phthalates can alter brain development and gender-specific behaviors. This is the first study to suggest a link between prenatal phthalate exposure and male behavior. The results indicate that phthalates can interfere with testosterone during development leading to a less masculinized brain. More... For the first time, research shows that nanoparticles called fullerenes are filtered out of water by oysters and taken up by their liver cells. Fullerenes may cause long-term health problems in oysters and reduced survival and reproduction. More... 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... 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... Persistent pollutants measured in the blood of college students may be the remnants of past exposures instead of current exposures through food and dust, researchers conclude in a recently published study. While different in structure and use, PCBs and DDT are types of long-lived pollutants that can persist in the environment, concentrate through food chains, and accumulate in fatty tissue of wildlife and people. They are slow to leave the body and are linked to some endocrine effects and cancers. More... Common air pollutants can react with one another to form highly reactive and toxic chlorine gasses, reports a study published online in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. In areas where both NOx and HCl concentrations are generally high, these chemical reactions can also increase ozone pollution. More... Flourescing fish may offer a quick and easy way to test if specific chemicals – or complex mixtures found in the environment – will affect the thyroid gland and its normal hormonal functions. With so many chemical contaminants in the environment, rapid screening tools that target specific physiological processes or tissues are increasingly valuable to regulators and researchers. More... People who eat wild game shot by hunters have significantly higher levels of lead circulating in their blood than those who do not, report researchers from the CDC. The results agree with a handful of other studies that have found the lead from the bullets used to kill game such as deer and elk can leach into the meat and then into the people who eat it. More... New research in Virginia reports that levels of hormones key for growth and controlling stress were skewed in tree swallow nestlings contaminated with mercury. The study finds some of the highest mercury levels ever measured in wild songbird nestlings. The researchers point to the birds' insect food as the source of contamination. More... Levels of antibiotics measured in streams, lakes and well water near pharmaceutical factories in India are 100,000 to 1,000,000 times higher than levels measured in waters that receive sewage effluent in the US or China. Much of the world's supply of supply of generic antibiotics are produced in the study area. More... Household dust is an important source of exposure to a lesser known – but ubiquitous and potentially toxic – flame retardant, reports a study from Belgium. This study is the first to examine the relationship between dust, diet and serum concentrations of hexabromocyclododecanes (HBCDs). Results are consistent with studies of other better known flame retardants, indicating that indoor sources may contribute most of human exposure to these chemicals. More... A new study finds that fewer older people are hospitalized due to heart problems associated with air pollution if they live in places that have more homes with central air conditioning. But, a vicious cycle of energy demand, air conditioning use and air pollution can develop, the researchers explain. More air conditioning use requires more energy. Generating energy leads to air pollution and contributes to global warming, possibly spurring higher use of air conditioning. More... A mother's contribution of pollutants to her offspring is more important to the survival of a young turtle than its exposure through food, according to a new wildlife study that compared the long-term effects of PCBs from both sources. The results show for the first time that it is exposure from the mother, and not diet, that has more serious consequences for survival of these turtles. Additionally, the most severe effect --death-- was only seen after an 8-month delay. More... Exposure to low to moderate levels of lead before birth and as a child can permanently change the brain's structure in a way that may alter if and how it transmits messages, a new study finds. More differences in the nerve cells and the thickness of their coverings were found in adults who had higher lead exposure during development and as children. Some areas of the brain developed less robust nerve pathways and other parts had thicker or thinner coverings. More... New experiments with combinations of contaminants shows that mixtures can cause harm even when the level of each chemical in the mixture would cause no effect by itself. Because people are exposed to hundreds of chemicals at a time--or more--these results indicate that setting safety standards based on the action of individual chemicals will not be sufficient to protect human health. More... The common and highly-used herbicide atrazine can act within the brain to disrupt the cascade of hormone signals needed to initiate ovulation, finds a new study. The results shed new light on the way atrazine affects the female reproductive system and the persistence of these effects when adults are exposed. More... The more perfumes and body lotions that are used, the higher the levels of synthetic fragrances – called polycyclic musks – that are in the blood, reports a new study that examined college students from Austria. This is one of only a few recent studies that have measured levels of polycyclic musks in human blood, even though they have widespread and increasing use in personal care products. More... Scientists report that a number of Roundup formulations tested at very dilute concentrations can alter hormone actions and cause human liver cells to die within 24 hours of treatment. The key factor affecting how dangerous the different formulations were lay in their "inert ingredients" ... chemicals usually protected by trade secrets clauses. More... Sperm counts are lower in mice whose mothers were exposed during pregnancy to a mixture of particles found in diesel exhaust. The results add to a small but growing series of studies that suggest exposure to diesel exhaust can disrupt the proper development of the testis in rats and mice and perhaps affect reproduction. More... A new study conducted in New York City concludes that prenatal exposure to the common air pollutants – polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) – can lower children’s IQ at kindergarten age. While this is the first study to show that prenatal exposure to PAH can lower children’s IQ, PAHs are known to affect neurodevelopment, reproduction and growth, and to cause cancer. More... |
New Reports:
By organizations working to protect human health from environmental exposures.
At least 1,600 pet deaths related to spot on treatments with pyrethroids were reported to the EPA over the last five years, according to an analysis of EPA pesticide incident exposure data by the Center for Public Integrity. That is about double the number of reported fatalities tied to similar treatments without pyrethroids, such as Frontline and Advantage — although these products also have critics. Pets and pesticides: Let’s be careful out there. Published by Center for Public Integrity. Environmental factors are key drivers in Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases, according to a comprehensive review of how the environment affects aging. Relevant environmental influences include common dietary patterns, toxic chemical exposures, inadequate exercise, socio-economic stress and other factors. These influences can begin in the womb and continue throughout life, setting the stage for the later development of neurodegenerative as well as other chronic diseases. Environmental threats to healthy aging. Published by Greater Boston Physicians for Social Responsibility. Hundreds of companies located in the U.S. produce or import hundreds of chemicals designated as dangerous by the European Union. These chemicals are being produced in the U.S. in large amounts and at many different sites in 37 states. Across the Pond. Published by Environmental Defense. Laboratory tests reveal adolescent girls across America are contaminated with chemicals commonly used in cosmetics and body care products. Studies link these chemicals to potential health effects including cancer and hormone disruption. Teen girls' body burden of hormone-altering cosmetics chemicals. Published by Environmental Working Group. It takes a lot of nerve to go up against the $3 trillion-a-year global chemical industry. Ask University of Missouri-Columbia scientists Frederick Vom Saal and Wade Welshons. They've been in the industry's crosshairs for more than a decade, for their research on bisphenol A. What the chemical industry doesn't want you to know. Published by Environmental Working Group. New measurements reveal that toddlers and preschoolers typically had 3 times as much toxic flame retardants in their blood as their mothers. In total 11 different flame retardants were found in these children, and 86 percent of the time the chemicals were present at higher levels in the children than their mothers. Fire Retardants in Toddlers and Their Mothers. Published by Environmental Working Group. Pyrethrins, extracted from the chrysanthemum plant, and their synthetic relatives, pyrethroids, have exploded in popularity over the last decade. The number of reported human health problems, including severe reactions, attributed to pyrethrins and pyrethroids, increased by about 300 percent over that period. Perils of the new pesticides. Published by Center for Public Integrity. Overall, several auto manufacturers showed improvement over last year’s findings, including Mazda, General Motors and Nissan. General Motors, whose average vehicle ranking improved by 27%, showed the most improvement of the domestic automakers. Average child car seat scores improved by 28% overall, proving that toxic chemicals are not required for the manufacturing of child car seats and interior automobile components. 2nd annual guide to toxic chemicals in cars and children’s car seats. Published by Ecology Center of Michigan. Regulators remain oblivious to the harmful effects of bisphenol A and need to act urgently to protect consumers. despite firm scientific consensus about the health hazards of the chemical, European authorities are shirking their responsibilities and attempting to postpone any decision on whether this substance should require authorisation until 2013. Blissfully unaware of bisphenol A: Reasons why regulators should live up to their responsibilities. Published by Friends of the Earth Europe. An investigation of nearly 1,000 brand-name sunscreen products finds that 4 out of 5 contain chemicals that may pose health hazards or don't adequately protect skin from the sun's damaging rays. Some of the worst offenders are leading brands like Coppertone, Banana Boat, and Neutrogena. Sunscreens. Published by Environmental Working Group. Millions of U.S. workers will all benefit from the project of defeating global warming and transforming the United States into a green economy. Constructing windfarms, retrofitting buildings, building and operating mass transit, installing solar all create jobs that are in the same areas of employment in which people work today. Job opportunities for the green economy. Published by Center for American Progress. The plastics problem is growing in scale and complexity due to a collision of factors. These include government neglect of endocrine disruption; explosive growth of the plastics industry; lack of labeling requirements; and near universal human exposure. Plastics that may be harmful to children and reproductive health. Published by Environment and Human Health, Inc. There is no evidence that industry-touted replacements being rushed to market to replace a Teflon chemical are safer. Instead, it appears that DuPont and other manufacturers are continuing a decades-long pattern of deception about the health risks of PFOA and related chemicals. Toxic chemicals in food packaging and Dupont's greenwashing. Published by Environmental Working Group. Commonly used baby and children’s products, and upholstered household furniture contain dangerous levels of halogenated fire retardants. 56% of all infant carriers, 44% of all car seats, 40% of all strollers and 19% of all portable cribs were found to have high levels of halogenated fire retardants. Killer cribs. Published by Friends of the Earth. A chemical used to make Teflon, food wrappers and dozens of other products may harm the immune system, liver and thyroid and cause higher cholesterol in children The health effects observed in research in Ohio are strong indicators of health problems that might be caused by PFOA in average Americans. Early life exposure to chemicals in food packaging linked to adult obesity. Published by Environmental Working Group. First synthesized nearly 120 years ago and now used ubiquitously in modern commerce, bisphenol A is headed toward phase-out. A turning point was reached in April 2008, as federal authorities in Canada and the US both raised health concerns about the material. Major retailers have begun pulling it from market shelves, and even Nalgene has said it will end use of BPA in its water bottles. Bisphenol A Timeline: From Invention to Phase-Out. Published by Environmental Working Group. Climate change is having a greater and faster impact on the Arctic than previously thought. Melting of arctic sea ice and the Greenland Ice Sheet is severely accelerated, prompting concerns that both may be close to their 'tipping point'; the point where, because of climate change, natural systems may experience sudden, rapid and perhaps irreversible change. Arctic impact accelerates. Published by World Wildlife Fund - UK, United Kingdom. The EPA is under siege from political pressure. On numerous issues—ranging from mercury pollution to groundwater contamination to climate change—political appointees have edited scientific documents, manipulated scientific assessments, and generally sought to undermine the science behind dozens of EPA regulations. Interference at the EPA. Published by Union of Concerned Scientists. The stakes in the debate over bisphenol A safety are exceedingly high—economically, politically and biologically. The FDA’s safety standard remains conspicuously out of date. The public should not have to wait for years for unequivocal epidemiological evidence to determine the risks of this chemical. Battles over bisphenol A. Published by Project on Scientific Knowledge and Public Policy. Overwhelming evidence shows that exposures to natural and pharmaceutical estrogens are strong determinants of breast cancer risks. Some industrial chemicals and pesticides, as well as a large number of chemicals used in consumer products, have estrogenic characteristics. Risk reduction will not be achievable without considering preventable causes, particularly exposure to chemicals. Breast cancer and exposure to hormonally active chemicals: An appraisal of the scientific evidence. Published by ChemTrust, Health and Environment Alliance. |
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