Announcements/News Feed
 News and announcements related to environmental impacts on human health, collected from a multitude of sources, especially Environmental Health News. To subscribe to this feed, visit healthandenvironment.org/CHE.xml.
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 News Article |  Journal Article |  Calendar Event |  Job Opening |  Announcement |  Call for Proposals |
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News and announcements older than those listed here are archived and searchable in CHE's group bulletins: ICEH Bulletin. From the Initiative on Children's Environmental Health working group, these bulletins focus on items related to children's health and the environment. LDDI Bulletin. From the Learning and Developmental Disabilities Initiative working group, these bulletins focus on items related to learning and developmental disabilities and the environment. Fertility/Reproductive Health Bulletin. From the Fertility/Reproductive Health Working Group, these bulletins focus on items related to fertility and reproductive health and the environment. CHE-Washington Bulletin. From the CHE-Washington regional group, these bulletins focus on items related to health and the environment in the Pacific Northwest. | MORE EVENTS |
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More events are listed in a searchable calendar. The calendar now includes calls for proposals and for presentation abstracts. |
Dry cleaning usually uses a toxic chemical, but the safety picture is unclear.
Tuesday, March 09, 2010
Because a company says it's green, that doesn't make it so. Sneaky "greenwashing" cleaners are claiming to be "organic" because they use carbon-based solvents. Under that definition, even percloroethylene is organic. Washington Post. Working outdoors reduces male kidney cancer risk, study says.
Tuesday, March 09, 2010
In the largest study of its kind, scientists found that vitamin D -- produced by the skin when exposed to ultraviolet light -- was associated with a reduced rate of renal cancer of up to 73 percent among men. London Guardian, United Kingdom. Low birth weight may affect adult lung health.
Tuesday, March 09, 2010
In a study of 627 Chinese men and women in their 40s, researchers found that participants' scores on standard lung-function tests generally lined up with their birth weights. Reuters Health. 'Eating for two' may harm baby.
Tuesday, March 09, 2010
A study in pregnant mice found that diets which were high in fat or carbohydrates had an effect on almost 2,000 genes in the developing offspring, including those involved in kidney function and smell. London Times, United Kingdom. Scope of salmonella-tainted flavouring recall will continue to grow.
Tuesday, March 09, 2010
It could take months for some companies to figure out whether a flavoring ingredient contaminated with salmonella found its way into their products, experts say. The U.S. FDA says this could turn into one of the largest-ever food recalls in North America. Canwest News Service. Court to decide if vaccine makers can be sued.
Tuesday, March 09, 2010
The Supreme Court said on Monday that it would decide whether a federal law protects vaccine manufacturers from lawsuits in state court seeking damages for alleged design defects. The case involves a lawsuit by the parents of a child who suffered seizures after her third dose of a DTP vaccine. Reuters Health.
[See a related article: 1 in 4 parents buys unproven vaccine-autism link] Are fire retardants putting us at risk?
Tuesday, March 09, 2010
You have flame retardant chemicals in your body. They’re toxic. Americans have the highest levels of anyone in the world. The chemicals are in the dust in our homes and offices and schools. And they’re showing up in our food. Environment Report. Yale study details how and why of BPA's dangers.
Tuesday, March 09, 2010
Exposing a female fetus to a chemical found in plastics causes permanent changes in a daughter’s uterus that might result in cancer -- and a research team led by a Yale doctor has figured out why. New Haven Register, Connecticut.
[See related articles: Hidden dangers of phthalates, Boys and girls differ in genetic response to what mom eats and For pregnant mice, eating matters more for their sons] Call for proposals: Smart Growth Program.
Monday, March 08, 2010
The Development, Community, and Environment Division (DCED), known as the Smart Growth Program, in EPA’s Office of Policy, Economics, and Innovation is seeking letters of interest from states, regions, and communities that want to develop in ways that reflect the principles of smart growth and meet environmental and other goals. EPA will provide technical assistance to successful applicants. Letters of intent are due April 9th. Health Canada offers environmental health resource.
Monday, March 08, 2010
The site includes links for information about the Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS), which is Canada's national hazard communication standard, as well as information about drinking water, indoor air quality, chemical substances, and the National Dosimetry Services, an agency that since 1951 has provided medical surveillance services to Canadian workers exposed to ionizing radiation. Environmental Protection. One hospital's simple measure to defeat infections.
Monday, March 08, 2010
Nearly 100,000 patients die every year in the U.S. from infections they get in hospitals. A major cause of hospital-acquired infections, remarkably, is poor hand-washing. Philadelphia Inquirer, Pennsylvania. Burn plants seem cleaner, but facts debated.
Sunday, March 07, 2010
Every year, Dutchess County's trash-burning incinerator in the Town of Poughkeepsie releases 3,777 tons of global-warming carbon dioxide, along with 333 tons of soot, sulfur compounds and various other pollutants, according to environmental reports. Poughkeepsie Journal, New York. Can technology solve nuclear's problems?
Sunday, March 07, 2010
Will nuclear power plants become safe, viable options in the coming decades? Where do we put all of the waste from those new nuclear power plants if Yucca Mountain is closed? Talk of the Nation, NPR. Fat American children: many causes, a lifetime of effects.
Sunday, March 07, 2010
The percentage of American children who are overweight or obese has been growing for decades, and now nearly one in three has a body mass index that's greater than normal. Los Angeles Times, California.
[See a related article: Obesity risks start before birth] Studies show danger of even small amounts of lead in children’s blood.
Sunday, March 07, 2010
High doses of lead have for some time been linked to chronic kidney damage. But a recent study out of Johns Hopkins Children's Center found that even small levels of lead exposure may be damaging to children's kidneys. Los Angeles Times, California.
]See related articles: Lead abatement effort gets $5.2 million shot in arm, Clashing lead laws may derail progress and The awful cost of a rural lead-smelting miracle] Climate change may extend allergy season: study.
Saturday, March 06, 2010
Sneezing, congestion, and runny noses from hay fever may be lasting longer because climate change may be extending pollen seasons, doctors in Italy said on Monday. Reuters. ExxonMobil guilty in pipe case.
Saturday, March 06, 2010
After deliberating over seven days, a Jefferson Parish jury on Friday found that ExxonMobil Corp. failed to warn workers at a Harvey industrial yard that the offshore drilling pipes they cleaned contained radioactive material, heightening their chances of developing cancer. New Orleans Times-Picayune, Louisiana. Years after war, the battle for benefits continues.
Saturday, March 06, 2010
Some 700 thousand U.S. veterans served in the Gulf War in 1990 and '91. Of them, some 200,000 have reported symptoms of Gulf War Illness. So, the VA has committed to investigating disability claims for thousands of Gulf War vets who were previously denied benefits. Living On Earth. Martin County Health Department seeking women for mercury study.
Saturday, March 06, 2010
With a snip of hair and a survey, the Martin County Health Department hopes to test mercury levels in the county’s childbearing-aged women, and create awareness about the risks of high mercury levels on children. TC Palm, Florida. Birth defects in Iraqi town linked to attack?
Saturday, March 06, 2010
A BBC investigation has found a high level of birth defects in the Iraqi city of Falluja - including a baby with three heads - blamed on weapons used by the US in an attack six years ago, it reported on Thursday. South African Press Association, South Africa. Attention and debate over study on cancer risk.
Saturday, March 06, 2010
A study that identifies the bottom third of Florida as a massive brain cancer cluster has set off a firestorm among Acreage residents worried about their community's reputation. Cox News Service.
[See a related article: Lawmakers raise concerns about cancer cluster studies] Dust bunnies tainted with toxins?
Friday, March 05, 2010
Around 60 percent of floor dust comes from soil stuck on shoes. And if someone lives near a contaminated Superfund site or industrial plant, that dirt could be loaded with toxins. Discovery News. Leukemia: the price of living close to an oil refinery?
Friday, March 05, 2010
Swedish scientists have discovered a remarkable increase in the incidence of leukemia in people living close to an oil refinery. Environmental Health News. Vienna battles toxins in drinking water.
Friday, March 05, 2010
The Maries County of Vienna has been fighting high levels of a toxin in its drinking water for years -- water contaminated with a toxin known as PCE, a chemical used in dry-cleaning and metal degreasing. New Bloomfield KRCG TV, Missouri. Feds targeting three pollutants.
Friday, March 05, 2010
Delaware has made strides in improving its air quality, but a "national solution" is necessary to curb emissions from out-of-state power plants, the state's top environmental official told lawmakers Thursday. Wilmington News Journal, Delaware. EPA drastically underestimates coal waste pollution's threat to human and environmental health.
Thursday, March 04, 2010
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has severely underreported the severity of coal ash waste pollution and its threat to human and environmental health throughout the United States, a new independent study released February 24 by the Environmental Integrity Project (EIP) and Earthjustice says. AlterNet. EPA requests public comments on vessel water discharges report.
Thursday, March 04, 2010
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is seeking public comments on a draft report that, when made final, will provide Congress with information it may use for the regulation of incidental discharges from certain vessels. EPA adds 10 sites to the Superfund list.
Thursday, March 04, 2010
After years of languishing as the neglected stepchild of environmental enforcement, there are signs that the Environmental Protection Agency’s Superfund program is beginning a big shift in priorities for cleaning up federal toxic waste sites, advocates say. Christian Science Monitor. Cigarette smoking may raise prostate cancer risk.
Thursday, March 04, 2010
Cigarette smoking may increase a man's risk for developing and dying from prostate cancer, pooled data from 24 studies involving 21,600 men with the disease indicates. Reuters Health. Cell phone warnings Maine panel weighs cancer alerts.
Thursday, March 04, 2010
Ignoring the health risks of heavy cell phone use invites a cancer epidemic, supporters of a bill requiring manufacturers to put labels on mobile phones and packaging said Tuesday. Brattleboro Reformer, Vermont.
[See related articles: Cell-phone safety, Green your phone, save your brain and Cell phones and electromagnetic radiation a growing concern] Chip of tooth tells radiation dose.
Thursday, March 04, 2010
A tiny chip of tooth enamel can tell the tale of radiation exposure, scientists reported at a meeting of the American Physical Society. The technique may allow researchers to better understand the links between radiation exposure and illnesses such as cancer. Science News. Plasticizers kept from leaching out.
Thursday, March 04, 2010
Scientists working with the widely used plasticizers known as phthalates have locked down these compounds, preventing them from migrating. The research may lead to improved versions of hard plastics that don’t leach their ingredients. Science News.
[See a related article: Phthalates predispose mice to allergies] What's best for kids: Bottled water or fountains?
Thursday, March 04, 2010
Tap water may be better for kids than sugary sodas, but many schools have lead-contaminated water. National Geographic News. Lead in our roadways.
Thursday, March 04, 2010
Many asphalt companies in and around Kansas City use a type of hard rock known as chat, that is ideal for creating super pave, a hard asphalt used for highways and interstates. Unfortunately chat, a byproduct of 1920's lead and zinc mining, is a potential health hazard. Kansas City KCTV5, Kansas, Missouri. States push EPA, Congress to curb business confidentiality claims for chemicals.
Wednesday, March 03, 2010
Federal law forces companies to provide detailed information to U.S. EPA about the toxicity of the chemicals they use. But there is a catch. The same law -- the 1976 Toxic Substances Control Act, or TSCA -- prohibits the agency from sharing that information with the public or even with state and local authorities. New York Times. Fat rats skew research results.
Wednesday, March 03, 2010
Failure to recognize that many laboratory animals live unhealthy lives may be leading researchers to misinterpret their findings, potentially misdirecting efforts to develop theraputic drugs. Nature. Study points to high cost of polluted air.
Wednesday, March 03, 2010
Foul, filthy air is wafting over California and making people sick to the tune of almost $200 million a year in hospital expenses, according to a Rand Corp. study released today. San Francisco Chronicle.
[See related articles: Air pollution: It's not just your lungs that suffer, Clearing the air at American ports, AQMD cracks down on ports, Something in the air in Krakow, Chronic social stress and susceptibility to concentrated ambient fine particles in rats, Black lung lofts and Settlement reached in pollution complaint] PCBs found in fish oil capsules, suit says.
Wednesday, March 03, 2010
Some fish oil capsules sold as as health supplements contain trace amounts of PCBs, according to a lawsuit filed Tuesday in California by an environmental group. CBC Canada. Tap water contaminant 'castrates' frogs.
Wednesday, March 03, 2010
An herbicide [atrazine] that contaminates the tap water consumed by millions of Americans has been found to produce gender-bending effects in male frogs, "chemically castrating" some and turning others into females, a study shows. USA Today.
[See related articles: Frogs: Clues to how weed killler may feminize males and Sex change chemicals in river, plus others regarding pesticides: 'Pesticide drift' eluding efforts to combat it, Pesticide exposure deprives Yaqui girls of breastfeeding -- ever, Neurobehavioral deficits and increased blood pressure in school-age children prenatally exposed to pesticides, Perturbation of lipids and glucose metabolism associated with previous 2,4-D exposure: a cross-sectional study of NHANES III data, 1988-1994, Pesticides pose health risks, Derived from flowers, but not benign: Pyrethroids raise new concerns, Campaign targets lawn weedkillers, pesticides, Perth's pesticide peril, Loopholes in pesticide regulation and Officials in China at odds over food scandal] Secondhand smoke damages arteries in teens.
Wednesday, March 03, 2010
Children as young as 13 who have evidence of secondhand smoke in their blood also have visibly thicker arteries, Finnish researchers reported on Tuesday. Reuters.
[See related articles: Where there's no smoke and Statewide smoking ban starts on July 1] Cost of food-borne illnesses is deemed much higher than earlier estimates.
Wednesday, March 03, 2010
A new report has found that the health-related costs of food-borne illnesses total $152 billion a year, including medical bills, lost wages and lost productivity. That's more than four times an earlier USDA estimate. Los Angeles Times, California. EPA makes polluters pay less.
Wednesday, March 03, 2010
The Environmental Protection Agency is riling many businesses with proposals to regulate greenhouse gases for the first time, but data suggest it has been slow out of the gate under President Barack Obama in enforcing existing regulations on traditional pollutants. Wall Street Journal. Use of acetaminophen in pregnancy associated with increased asthma symptoms in children.
Tuesday, March 02, 2010
Children who were exposed to acetaminophen prenatally were more likely to have asthma symptoms at age five in a study of 300 African-American and Dominican Republic children living in New York City. Columbia Center for Children's Environmental Health. EPA announces environmental justice video contest: Faces of the Grassroots.
Tuesday, March 02, 2010
The Faces of the Grassroots contest is an opportunity to publicly exhibit creativity with environmental justice stories, and connect with others working to raise awareness of the movement. Radiation risks prompt push to curb CT scans.
Tuesday, March 02, 2010
Federal regulators, radiology groups and hospitals are launching efforts to scale back use of the scans, also called CAT scans, amid growing evidence that they are exposing patients to radiation that may elevate the risk of cancer in the future. Wall Street Journal.
[See a related article: CT scans for children face more scrutiny] Panel kills bill barring some beauty products.
Tuesday, March 02, 2010
Fifteen harmful chemicals, including formaldehyde and arsenic, will remain in beauty products in the state after a legislative panel Monday killed a proposal that would have prohibited the sale of toiletries and cosmetics that contain them. Denver Post, Colorado. Relationship between environmental phthalate exposure and the intelligence of school-aged children.
Monday, March 01, 2010
Controlling for maternal IQ and other covariates, the results show an inverse relationship between phthalate metabolites and IQ scores; however, given the limitations in cross-sectional epidemiology, prospective studies are needed to fully explore these associations. Environmental Health Perspectives. While we were sleeping...
Monday, March 01, 2010
GM food and the brink of no return. Beneath public radar, there has been a silent infiltration of GMOs into our food supply with minimal testing and misrepresented results. Salem News, Oregon. New Indiana rules would restrict wood-fired boilers.
Monday, March 01, 2010
Wood-fired boilers that send soot and dust from backyard smokestacks could face tougher regulations under rules proposed by Indiana environmental officials to help protect air quality. Columbus Republic, Indiana. Rulings restrict clean water act, foiling E.P.A.
Monday, March 01, 2010
Thousands of the nation’s largest water polluters are outside the Clean Water Act’s reach because the Supreme Court has left uncertain which waterways are protected by that law, according to interviews with regulators. As a result, some businesses say that the law no longer applies to them. New York Times. EPA issues stricter limitations on fish.
Monday, March 01, 2010
The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency on Friday released new, stricter limitations on fish consumption in local waterways. Sandusky Register, Ohio. Arsenic-contaminated water threat to southern Punjab inhabitants.
Monday, March 01, 2010
Southern Punjab is facing serious threat due to high-level arsenic contamination in the drinking water, which is causing cancer, still births, post-neonatal mortality and other diseases. Lahore Nation, Pakistan. Toxic toys on sale.
Monday, March 01, 2010
Laboratory tests carried out on a number of imported toys randomly collected from city markets have shown that they contain high levels of toxic metals and chemicals. Karachi Herald, Pakistan. Striking number of obesity risks hit minority kids.
Monday, March 01, 2010
The odds of obesity appear stacked against black and Hispanic children starting even before birth, provocative new research suggests. Associated Press.
[See a related article: Childhood obesity linked to heart ills] For frogs, and perhaps humans, there’s something strange in the water.
Monday, March 01, 2010
Medications leaking into groundwater are producing strange effects on the frogs of Connecticut, effects that could be a harbinger of safety concerns for humans, too, researchers say. Greenwich Time, Connecticut. The danger of daily aspirin.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Public-health officials are scaling back official recommendations for the painkiller to target a narrower group of patients who are at risk of a heart attack or stroke. The concern is that aspirin's side effects, which can include bleeding ulcers, might outweigh the potential benefits when taken by many healthy or older people. Wall Street Journal. What lies beneath.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Thousands of tank systems across Pennsylvania have failed and contaminated soil and water exposing neighborhoods to dangerous chemicals. Allentown Morning Call, Pennsylvania. Fertility problems may not affect kids' coordination.
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Despite some concerns to the contrary, parents' fertility problems may have little effect on their children's risk of coordination problems as they reach school age, a new study finds. Reuters Health. Removing lead pipes could backfire.
Saturday, February 27, 2010
A costly program meant to protect Londoners from lead in tap water may instead be placing thousands at risk, a leading expert says. London Free Press, Ontario. Association of exposure to phthalates with endometriosis and uterine leiomyomata: Findings from NHANES, 1999-2004.
Friday, February 26, 2010
The positive associations for monobutyl phthalate (MBP) and inverse associations for mono(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (MEHP) in relation to endometriosis and leiomyomata warrant investigation in prospective studies. Environmental Health Perspectives. Sebastopol safety concerns over PG&E SmartMeters.
Friday, February 26, 2010
Some Sebastopol residents have questioned whether radio frequency radiation from Pacific Gas and Electric Co.'s new SmartMeters, which transmit their data to the utility via wireless communications, could threaten their health. San Francisco Chronicle, California. Judge throws out soldiers' chemical exposure suit.
Friday, February 26, 2010
A federal judge Thursday dismissed a lawsuit alleging that a defense contractor concealed the risks of a cancer-causing chemical that nearly 140 Indiana National Guard soldiers may have been exposed to while serving in Iraq. Associated Press. U.S. examining possible effects of bisphenol A.
Friday, February 26, 2010
The federal agency that investigates health risks is concerned that the chemical bisphenol A may harm people and is spending $20 million to study the substance, widely used in food containers, a U.S. official said on Thursday. Reuters.
[See related articles: Md. among states seeking to limit BPA, Keeping harmful chemicals out of water, Decision to ban BPA in baby bottles was controversial: Documents, BPA update and Doyle signs bill limiting BPA use] Chemicals: Innocent or guilty?
Thursday, February 25, 2010
CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gupta explains why a 1976 toxic chemical law may be putting Americans at risk. CNN. New policy statement: American Chemical Society on endocrine disruptors.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
The American Chemical Society strongly endorses expanded endocrine disruptor education and research and the development of more effective science-based decision-making tools and methods for reducing and eliminating exposures of humans and the environment. EPA accepting comments on ArcelorMittal requests for hazardous waste injection well permits.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 5 will accept public comments until April 7th on ArcelorMittal's requests to continue injecting hazardous waste deep underground at its facility in Burns Harbor, Indiana. Group: N.C. power plants have tainted water.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Nine Carolinas power plants are among a growing number where coal ash has tainted water, two environmental advocacy groups said today. Charlotte Observer, North Carolina.
[See a related article: Disposal of spilled coal ash a long, winding trip] FDA creates partnership to boost regulatory science.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
The agency will collaborate with the National Institutes of Health in an effort to more quickly rule on the safety and effectiveness of new products and procedures. Los Angeles Times, California. Poor are agents, victims of environmental damage.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Growing environmental degradation is going to become one of the major problems even for economic managers, as the vicious combination of increasing population and deteriorating environment is expected to further worsen the state of poverty in Pakistan. Karachi News International, Pakistan. 495 workplace carcinogens listed.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
A group of labor unions, environmentalists and civic activists Thursday disclosed a list of 495 carcinogens that their research showed are in materials being used in Korea and urged the administration to take tougher action to prevent their use. Korea Times, South Korea. Hormone replacement tied to lung cancer risk.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Women who use hormone replacement therapy combining estrogen and progestin may have a higher risk of lung cancer than non-users, a new study finds. Reuters Health. Fish oil is no snake oil.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Recent reports on the health benefits of fish oil sound almost too good to be true. The omega-3 fatty acids that it contains have been shown to reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes and slow the formation of plaques in the arteries, and they may also lower blood pressure. Discover. Pakistan: Smoke-free stoves a godsend for village women.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Siddiqi is happily making a living by building earthenware stoves for the villagers. No ordinary stoves, these are godsend for rural women. Inter Press Service.
[See a related article: Better burning, better breathing: Improving health with cleaner cook stoves] Sunscreen's zinc factor ends up in blood.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
People who use a lot of sunscreen could be at risk of having "larger than normal" quantities of zinc in their bloodstream, with new evidence showing zinc particles penetrate the skin and are absorbed into the body. Sydney Australian, Australia. U.S. EPA partners with Indonesia to improve public health in Jakarta.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
The program aims to better understand Jakarta’s air pollution problems and to develop cost-effective strategies for improvement. EPA and its partners will provide technical assistance and training for developing air quality monitoring and emissions inventories. Suspected carcinogen found in fruit juice.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Researchers at the University of Copenhagen have found extremely high levels of the toxic substance antimony in prepackaged juice drinks. Copenhagen Post, Denmark. What's the source of Mississippi River pollution?
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
The mighty Mississippi has been the lifeblood of the Crescent City for hundreds of years, but some watchdog groups say the river is now badly contaminated, endangering the livelihood and health of the communities it supports. New Orleans WDSU TV, Louisiana. Water Authority: IMI rocket fuel seeping into water supply.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Rocket fuel and remains of explosives that seeped into the aquifer from the Israel Military Industries Ramat Hasharon plant are continuing to spread, according to data obtained by Haaretz. It is the worst instance of water pollution in Israel's history. Haaretz, Israel. Spills of drilling chemicals worry experts.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Even with no additional chemicals added by gas companies, water that flows back from hydro-fracked wells has enough heavy metals -- and often radioactivity -- to be classified as hazardous waste, said Ron Bishop, a biochemist at SUNY Oneonta. Gannett News Service.
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