Category Archives: EPA

More Bark, Less Bite?

Posted on January 31, 2014 by tbach

The EPA announced yesterday that it is paring its regional workforce, offering buyout and early retirement packages to hundreds of employees.  EPA officials say that they hope to restructure the workforce, clearing out some higher-paid positions to make way for … Continue reading →

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Water Safe to Drink After West Virginia Spill (Just Not for Pregnant Women)

Posted on January 19, 2014 by caitlin

On January 9, 7500 gallons of Crude MCHM, or 4-methylcyclohexane methanol, a chemical used to clean coal during processing, leaked from a storage tank at Freedom Industries and contaminated the Elk River and the drinking water supply in nine counties. … Continue reading →

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As Winter Descends, EPA Proposes Stricter Standards for Wood Stoves

Posted on January 6, 2014 by caitlin

New Englanders feeding their wood stoves in a struggle against the sub-zero temperatures have something new to read, because EPA has proposed new emission limits on residential wood-burning heaters. While more than twelve million U.S. homes rely on wood stoves … Continue reading →

Posted in air pollution, asthma, carbon monoxide, cardiovascular disease, Clean Air Act, EPA, Fine Air Particulates, pollution control standards, soot, Uncategorized, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), woodstoves | Comments Off on As Winter Descends, EPA Proposes Stricter Standards for Wood Stoves

And the Green Chemistry Challenge Award goes to . . .

Posted on December 13, 2013 by tbach

The envelope has been opened, and although the acceptance speeches were short and the t.v. coverage light, today’s Environmental Health News puts the spotlight on the winners of the 2013 Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Awards: For Greener Synthetic Pathways Life Technologies … Continue reading →

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Group Urges Stricter Chemical Regulation to Prevent Chemical Disasters

Posted on October 23, 2013 by caitlin

The Coalition to Prevent Chemical Disasters released a video in support of stricter chemical regulation. The video supports the Coalition’s mission to advance the use of safer chemicals and processes to prevent harm from chemical disasters. According to the Coalition, … Continue reading →

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Addressing asthma in the U.S.

Posted on October 15, 2013 by tbach

Yesterday’s NYT special report on asthma, The Soaring Cost of a Simple Breath, chronicles how the disease drives pharmaceutical costs.  Asthma is the most common chronic disease in the U.S., affecting some 40 million adults and children.  Medical research has … Continue reading →

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Public Health and Environmental Protection

Posted on September 30, 2013 by tbach

While Caitlin attended the VLS symposium on Friday, I was at the University of Michigan Law School’s Environmental Law and Policy Program’s fall conference.  Co-sponsored by the school’s Environmental Law Society and the Michigan Journal of Environmental and Administrative Law, … Continue reading →

Posted in agriculture and human health, built environment, climate change and health, environmental cleanup, environmental health, environmental health law, environmental justice, EPA, Fine Air Particulates, lead, mercury, NRDC, pesticides, pollution control standards, precautionary principle, public health, risk assessment, risk management, vulnerable populations | Comments Off on Public Health and Environmental Protection

GAO Reviews EPA’s use of Conditional Registration

Posted on September 17, 2013 by caitlin

Pursuant to the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), EPA conducts toxicity assessments to determine whether or not to register chemical substances. In a recent report, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) addressed EPA’s longstanding struggle to obtain adequate scientific information on … Continue reading →

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Committee Hearing on the Chemical Safety Improvement Act turns into Preemption Debate

Posted on September 13, 2013 by caitlin

One of the biggest topics of debate surrounding the bi-partisan attempt to reform the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) has been whether the bill, the Chemical Safety Improvement Act (CSIA), would preempt state law. Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Chair of … Continue reading →

Posted in BPA, chemical safety regulation, environmental health law, EPA, lead, mercury, TSCA, Uncategorized | Comments Off on Committee Hearing on the Chemical Safety Improvement Act turns into Preemption Debate

FDA Issues Statement about Arsenic in Rice

Posted on September 6, 2013 by caitlin

On September 6, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a statement after testing over 1,300 rice products for the presence of arsenic. The tests follow research indicating that rice products contained unsafe levels of arsenic. Arsenic is naturally present … Continue reading →

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