Wednesday, May 30, 2012

La. lawmakers address lead hazard with legislation | KATC.com | Acadiana-Lafayette, Louisiana

La. lawmakers address lead hazard with legislation | KATC.com | Acadiana-Lafayette, Louisiana
In the Louisiana Legislature, three bills that take aim at lead contamination in playgrounds, day care centers and schools statewide are nearing final passage. All three, backed by the Senate, are pending in the House.
 

La. lawmakers address lead hazard with legislation | KATC.com | Acadiana-Lafayette, Louisiana

La. lawmakers address lead hazard with legislation | KATC.com | Acadiana-Lafayette, Louisiana

PressTV - PVC flooring chemicals taken up by children's bodies

PressTV - PVC flooring chemicals taken up by children's bodies

Chemicals in tsunami debris could pose coastal threat - Technology & Science - CBC News

Chemicals in tsunami debris from Japan could pose coastal threat to  - Technology & Science - CBC News

Flame Retardant Found in Some Common Foods

Flame Retardant Found in Some Common Foods

Local group wants to know: Are your chemicals safe? | Local & Regional | KBOI 2 - Boise News, Weather, Sports and Breaking News

Local group wants to know: Are your chemicals safe? | Local & Regional | KBOI 2 - Boise News, Weather, Sports and Breaking News

"Any chemicals in our household products, whether it be in detergents, or any cleaning substances. I can't really name any specific chemical because there hasn't been very much research on these chemicals, and that's what the bill is supposed to do," says coalition member Caleb Crim.

Obesity and Chemicals: A Matter of Environmental Justice

Obesity and Chemicals: A Matter of Environmental Justice

Scientific evidence shows that certain chemicals block our hormones and disrupt the body’s normal functions. Known “endocrine-disrupting” chemicals, this class of toxins includes PCBs, DDT, dioxin, some pesticides, and many plasticizers, like BPA. These chemicals play an important role in the global epidemic of obesity. Dr. Bruce Blumberg, professor of developmental and cell biology and pharmaceutical sciences at the University of California in Irvine believes there’s evidence that industrial pollutants are contributing to America's obesity epidemic. 
Read more on Safer Chemicals Healthy Families Blog at  http://blog.saferchemicals.org/2010/03/obesity-and-chemicals-a-matter-of-environmental-justice.html

Poland beekeepers kick Monsanto out of the hive, successfully ban bee-killing GM corn

Poland beekeepers kick Monsanto out of the hive, successfully ban bee-killing GM corn

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

More than 10,000 participants have joined the GuLF STUDY: NIH seeking thousands more oil spill workers to find potential health effects of spill

More than 10,000 participants have joined the GuLF STUDY: NIH seeking thousands more oil spill workers to find potential health effects of spill

Perhaps NIH should also study the health effects on children who live near or played on the beach during the BP oil spill contamination.  The absurdity of government agencies were displayed in Press Release Photos showing young children and babies in bathing suits playing in the sand next to men garbed in  protective clothing and masks cleaned up tar balls.

Nature News Blog: Lead poisoning continues to plague northen Nigeria : Nature News Blog

Nature News Blog: Lead poisoning continues to plague northen Nigeria : Nature News Blog
More than 400 children have died and some 4,000 have been contaminated by exposure to lead in what the NGO calls one of the worst cases of mass lead poisoning in the modern era.

Low-level cadmium exposure can increase female cancer risk. — Environmental Health News

Low-level cadmium exposure can increase female cancer risk. — Environmental Health News
A recent study suggests a new understanding of the way long-term cadmium exposure from a women's diet can increase her risk for cancer.
Cadmium levels in the blood of women from Argentina were linked to changes in how the DNA in cells is tagged or marked by a methyl group, a process that can alter the way the genes are read and expressed. The decreased number of DNA markers associated with cadmium exposures in the women resemble genes commonly found in cancer cells and not normal cells.
What about the effect of cadmium exposure on pregnant women and their unborn child?  Many women artists and crafters use paints that contain cadmium.  

Thursday, May 10, 2012

Campaign for Safe Cosmetics : Industry-backed Cosmetics Safety Bill a Trojan Horse, Will Set Back Cosmetics Safety

Campaign for Safe Cosmetics : Industry-backed Cosmetics Safety Bill a Trojan Horse, Will Set Back Cosmetics Safety

(Washington, DC)—Health and consumer groups denounced today the Cosmetic Safety Amendments Act of 2012, introduced last week by Rep. Leonard Lance (R-N.J.), as an affront to consumer and worker health. Written by the cosmetics industry trade association, the bill will codify much of the current system that allows the industry to “self-regulate” the safety of cosmetics which has resulted in public-health scandals including formaldehyde in hair products and mercury in face creams.

Read more.  Find out how you can help.

 

Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Tribune watchdog: Playing with fire -- Chicago Tribune

Tribune watchdog: Playing with fire -- Chicago Tribune: The average American baby is born with 10 fingers, 10 toes and the highest recorded levels of flame retardants among infants in the world. The toxic chemicals are present in nearly every home, packed into couches, chairs and many other products. Two powerful industries — Big Tobacco and chemical manufacturers — waged deceptive campaigns that led to the proliferation of these chemicals, which don’t even work as promised.

Lautenberg Receives Champion for Children Award - Cape May County Herald

 Lautenberg Receives Champion for Children Award - Cape May County Herald

WASHINGTON, DC — May 7, U.S. Senator Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ) received the inaugural Champion for Children Award presented by the Children's Environmental Health Center (CEHC) at Mount Sinai Medical Center. Senator Lautenberg was honored for his work to reform toxic chemical laws and to protect children’s health.
“Keeping our families and children safe and healthy. . .Read more.