Monthly Archives: March 2014

UN Panel Releases Report on the Impacts of Climate Change

Posted on March 31, 2014 by caitlin

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) Working Group II released the most recent contribution to the Fifth Assessment Report (AR5), the second of three reports the IPCC will ultimately synthesize and release in December, 2014. Established in 1988 by … Continue reading →

Posted in climate change and health | Comments Off on UN Panel Releases Report on the Impacts of Climate Change

Vermont strives for comprehensive chemical regulation

Posted on March 28, 2014 by tbach

Vermont has enacted a variety of commercial chemicals laws over the last decade in response to specific issues.  For example, 18 V.S.A. § 1511 limits the concentration of  phthalates in products intended for children under 3 years old; 9 V.S.A. … Continue reading →

Posted in chemical safety regulation, children's products, flame retardants, label laws, phthalates, public health, synthetic chemicals | Comments Off on Vermont strives for comprehensive chemical regulation

EU enforcement of consumer product safety laws steps up

Posted on March 27, 2014 by tbach

The European Union’s Consumer Affairs Commission reports that an increasing number of toxic toys and skin-irritating textiles are being removed from supermarket shelves.  Europe’s Rapid Information System (RAPEX) issued 2,364 notifications of unsafe non-food products in 2013, a 3.8% increase … Continue reading →

Posted in chemical safety regulation, children's products, China, RAPEX, REACH, synthetic chemicals, TAFTA | Comments Off on EU enforcement of consumer product safety laws steps up

WHO describes air pollution as single largest environmental health risk

Posted on March 26, 2014 by tbach

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), some 7 million people died in 2012 due to air pollution.  The majority of these deaths, from heart disease, stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and lung cancer, resulted from indoor smoke from cook stoves.  Air pollution is … Continue reading →

Posted in air pollution, indoor air pollution, WHO | Comments Off on WHO describes air pollution as single largest environmental health risk

Coastal waters and human health

Posted on March 26, 2014 by tbach

This new report from the NAS, Understanding the Connections Between Coastal Waters and Ocean Ecosystem Services and Human Health – Workshop Summary, covers the following: “Humans rely on the natural environment – such as oceans and coastal waters – for … Continue reading →

Posted in coastal waters, ecosystems services, NAS | Comments Off on Coastal waters and human health

Exxon Valdez Oil Spill–25 Years Later

Posted on March 24, 2014 by caitlin

On March 24, 1989, the Exxon Valdez oil tanker ran aground along the Bligh Reef, spilling an estimated 260,000 to 750,000 barrels of crude oil from the Prudhoe Bay oil field into the Prince William Sound–enough to fill 125 Olymplic … Continue reading →

Posted in environmental cleanup, EPA | Comments Off on Exxon Valdez Oil Spill–25 Years Later

Residential traffic pollution associated with rising incidence of childhood leukemia

Posted on March 23, 2014 by tbach

A new meta-analysis report by the CDC published in the April 2014 issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine concludes the following: “Exposure to elevated concentrations of traffic-related air pollutants in the near-road environment is associated with numerous adverse … Continue reading →

Posted in air pollution, carcinogens, CDC | Comments Off on Residential traffic pollution associated with rising incidence of childhood leukemia

West Virginia Responds to the Elk River Spill With SB373

Posted on March 19, 2014 by caitlin

At least nineteen lawsuits have been filed in Kanawha County Circuit Court in response to the January 9, 2014 chemical spill, where the company’s Charleston facility leaked MCHM into the Elk River. The claims, mainly filed on behalf of the … Continue reading →

Posted in chemical safety regulation, drinking water, environmental health | Comments Off on West Virginia Responds to the Elk River Spill With SB373

Mapping autism

Posted on March 15, 2014 by tbach

The conclusion of this recent Newsweek article, Geography of Autism, points to the uncertainty of studies seeking to link the disease with environmental exposures.  “It’s a working hypothesis,” says autism researcher Angelica Ronald at Birkbeck, University of London. This recent study sought to … Continue reading →

Posted in autism, environmental health, lead, pesticides | Comments Off on Mapping autism

Update on the commercial chemicals bill

Posted on March 13, 2014 by tbach

As explored in earlier posts here and here and here, the Chemicals Safety Improvement Act (CSIA), a bipartisan bill introduced in the Senate last May to address many shortcomings of the Toxic Substances Chemical Act (TSCA), has been slowly making its … Continue reading →

Posted in chemical safety regulation, congress, environmental law, synthetic chemicals, TSCA | Comments Off on Update on the commercial chemicals bill