Just 10 years ago, it wouldn’t have been possible to bring leading physicians, scientists and advocates together in a consensus on toxic chemicals and neurological disorders in children, says Maureen Swanson. But with the science increasing “exponentially,” she said the time was ripe for a concerted call to action.
Farmworker and health groups submitted a petition to EPA urging the agency to immediately suspend the use of chlorpyrifos, a neurotoxic pesticide implicated in acute farmworker poisonings.
In a new study — the first of its kind — researchers fed water laced with fracking chemicals to pregnant mice and then examined their female offspring for signs of impaired fertility. They found negative effects at both high and low chemical concentrations, which raises red flags for human health as well.
Environmental Health
Dangerous chemicals, dangerous technology – Industry’s persistent push to protect asbestos
Users of asbestos in the chlor-alkali industry do not want EPA to list asbestos as one of its priority chemicals. They claim it can be used safely. The industry’s record of controlling hazards does not support their assertion.
Oklahoma Supreme Court rules against state’s opt-out workers’ compensation law; asbestos removal companies accused of discriminatory hiring; new research finds New York City’s paid sick leave law barely impacted businesses and hiring; and researchers predict that raising Colorado’s minimum wage will pump millions into the local economy.
Environmental Health
Defending their toxics – Industry pushes to protect its preferred chemicals under the new TSCA
As the EPA begins implementing the Frank Lautenberg Chemical Safety Act, the chemical industry is already busy pushing the agency to limit scrutiny of various widely used but highly toxic chemicals.
As EPA begins work under the Lautenberg Chemical Safety Act, more striking divisions are emerging between what environmental health advocates and what chemical manufacturing and industry groups want from the law.
Restaurant workers in California experience severe injuries and disability; OSHA pushes back against a judge’s ruling in poultry plant inspection case; Gov. Chris Christie vetoes a $15 minimum wage bill; and the women making Nike products in Vietnam often earn poverty wages and face grueling production expectations.
The verdict on whether electronic cigarettes are safer than traditional cigarettes is still very much out. However, a recent study found e-cigarette emissions contain a variety of concerning chemicals, including some considered to be probable carcinogens.
Environmental Health
Protecting those most vulnerable to chemical exposures: How will the EPA decide who gets protected under the new TSCA?
The newly passed Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety Act requires the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to protect those most vulnerable to chemical exposures. Exactly who it will protect and how the EPA will interpret this requirement remains to be seen.