Monthly Archives: April 2013

Industrial Accidents and Public Health

Posted on April 27, 2013 by jamiemyers

On the night of December 3, 1984, a Union Carbide pesticide plantleaked over 40 tons of methyl isocyanate (MIC) gas in Bhopal, India. The leaked gas formed a poisonous cloud that enveloped the city of Bhopal while people were sleeping. … Continue reading →

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The Role of Government

Posted on April 27, 2013 by srockwell

The Sequester is back in the news. People have to wait longer at airports, and federal agencies are putting off hiring new employees because of budget uncertainty. The Sequester is representative of the way the U.S. federal government approaches so … Continue reading →

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A Dam Shame – Reservoirs and Elevated Mercury Levels

Posted on April 25, 2013 by Alex English

One of the oldest forms of “renewable” energy comes from hydropower. From ancient grain mills to tanneries to hydroelectric generation, humanity has long harnessed the power of flowing water. Unfortunately, increased use of water power has corresponded with increased environmental impacts. Tanneries, … Continue reading →

Posted in drinking water, environmental health, fish consumption advisories, food contamination, mercury, public health, Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA), risk communication, routes of exposure, vulnerable populations | Tagged | Comments Off on A Dam Shame – Reservoirs and Elevated Mercury Levels

High Fructose Corn Syrup and Diabetes

Posted on April 22, 2013 by KarenLee

A shocking health article on corn syrup and the adverse health consequences from consuming too much of it was reported by The Guardian on June 11, 2012.The article, ‘Why food is making us fat,’ pointed out that we are way … Continue reading →

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Meat with a side of Drug Resistant Bacteria

Posted on April 19, 2013 by msinnott

Last month, the FDA released the 10th National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System Retail Meat Annual Report. The results showed, among other things, that 81% of ground turkey, 69% of pork chops, 55% of ground beef, and 39% of chicken sold … Continue reading →

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Acting in Haste: The BP Oil-Dispersant Spill

Posted on April 18, 2013 by abarnes

On April 20, 2010, the Deepwater Horizon oil rig exploded, sending 4.9 million barrels of oil rushing into the Gulf of Mexico. As the days passed and crude continued to hemorrhage from the rig, the EPA gave BP the go-ahead … Continue reading →

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Rice with a Side of Arsenic and Lead

Posted on April 17, 2013 by abarnes

Last year, studies found alarmingly high levels of arsenic in domestic rice products. This blog reported on arsenic in rice in an earlier posting. Now studies are showing elevated levels of lead in imported rice—the highest concentrations coming from China … Continue reading →

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U.S. government agreed to clean up its “mess” in Vietnam

Posted on April 16, 2013 by KarenLee

On August 9, 2012, the United States initiated a project to “clean  up” herbicides including Agent Orange used in Vietnam during the Vietnam War. A large amount of toxic chemicals were used in Vietnam by the U.S. government to discover … Continue reading →

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China’s Dirty Air

Posted on April 16, 2013 by dchangala

The skies of China’s biggest cities are notoriously painted gray. Outdoor air pollution, or “ambient particulate matter pollution,” is a documented leading health risk in China. In 2010, outdoor air pollution was the fourth highest risk factor for deaths in … Continue reading →

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THE INLAND WATERS RULE: Can Numeric Water Quality Criteria Save Lake Erie?

Posted on April 14, 2013 by mkyle

In the 1960s, pollution in Lake Erie was so extensive that the lake was frequently declared “dead” in the media. In his original 1971 edition of The Lorax, Dr. Seuss referred to the lake’s degraded condition in describing the poor Humming-Fish and their … Continue reading →

Posted in agriculture, algal blooms, Clean Water Act, dead zones, environmental cleanup, environmental health, environmental law, EPA, Great Lakes, nonpoint source pollution, water quality standards | Comments Off on THE INLAND WATERS RULE: Can Numeric Water Quality Criteria Save Lake Erie?