Category Archives: risk assessment

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

The Disclosure Debates at Vermont Law School: Part One

Posted on September 28, 2013 by caitlin

The Vermont Law Review hosted its 13th Annual Symposium, the Disclosure Debates: The Regulatory Power of an Informed Public. The event addressed disclosure in the context of environmental laws, financial regulation, food and product labeling, and campaign finance. Professor Pat … Continue reading →

Posted in chemical safety regulation, environmental health, environmental law, hydraulic fracturing, risk assessment | Comments Off on The Disclosure Debates at Vermont Law School: Part One

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 →

Posted in agriculture and human health, arsenic, environmental health, EPA, FDA, food contamination, risk assessment, Safe Drinking Water Act | Tagged | Comments Off on FDA Issues Statement about Arsenic in Rice

Popular reaction to the Chemical Safety Improvement Act of 2013

Posted on May 30, 2013 by tbach

I listened with interest today to On Point’s segment on this proposed bipartisan bill.  The segment was captioned “Toxic Chemicals:  A New Push to Get a Grip.”  Ken Cook of the Environmental Working Group was a featured guest (I mentioned his group’s … Continue reading →

Posted in breast cancer, carcinogens, chemical safety regulation, congress, dioxins, environmental health, environmental health law, EPA, EWG, lead, PCBs, precautionary principle, public health, risk assessment, synthetic chemicals, TSCA, vulnerable populations | Comments Off on Popular reaction to the Chemical Safety Improvement Act of 2013

TSCA Redo Redux?

Posted on May 26, 2013 by tbach

The New York Times reported yesterday  that Senator Frank Lautenberg’s Sisyphean battle to improve federal regulation of chemicals used in U.S. manufacturing may succeed this time.  Lautenberg, a Democrat from New Jersey (who will retire this year), has offered bills … Continue reading →

Posted in BPA, carcinogens, chemical safety regulation, environmental health, environmental health law, EPA, EWG, NRDC, PCBs, public health, risk assessment, synthetic chemicals, TSCA, vulnerable populations | Comments Off on TSCA Redo Redux?

The Rehberg Amendment’s $214,775 Price Tag

Posted on April 11, 2013 by ju11

Black lung is a disease that afflicts coal miners. It is both incurable and irreversible in later stages.  It is caused by inhalation of excessive amounts of coal mine dust.  According to the National Institute for Occupational Health and Safety … Continue reading →

Posted in environmental health, environmental health law, environmental justice, environmental law, Fine Air Particulates, pollution control standards, public health, public health law, risk assessment, risk management, Uncategorized, vulnerable populations | Comments Off on The Rehberg Amendment’s $214,775 Price Tag

Health Impact Assessments: A Tool to Determine the Health Impacts of Government Policies

Posted on April 8, 2013 by Emily Dupraz

As individuals, we tend to consider all of consequences before we make an important decision. When we buy a car, for example, we consider how much we want to spend, where we plan to drive, who we plan to transport, … Continue reading →

Posted in built environment, CDC, environmental health, environmental health law, environmental justice, international law, public health, public health law, public participation process, risk assessment, risk management, WHO | Comments Off on Health Impact Assessments: A Tool to Determine the Health Impacts of Government Policies

Antibiotics and Agriculture

Posted on March 3, 2013 by caitlin

FDA Draft Guidance #213 proposes voluntary guidelines to reduce the use of antibiotics in farm animals raised for food.  It specifically recommends that drug companies remove indications (instructions) for using antibiotics for growth promotion.  Manufacturers have 3 months to notify … Continue reading →

Posted in agriculture and human health, CAFO's, FDA, food contamination, public health, risk assessment, risk management, routes of exposure, supplements | Comments Off on Antibiotics and Agriculture

Regulating Naturally Occurring Heavy Metals: How do Genetics, Behavior and the Environment Affect Toxicity?

Posted on January 27, 2013 by caitlin

Substances affecting human health are often analyzed in a vacuum.  Even though exposure is never limited to a single substance, the interactions between chemicals and the effects of small doses over time are largely ignored when setting limits for exposure.  … Continue reading →

Posted in CDC, drinking water, environmental health, environmental health law, environmental law, EPA, NIEHS, public health, public health law, risk assessment, risk management, routes of exposure | Comments Off on Regulating Naturally Occurring Heavy Metals: How do Genetics, Behavior and the Environment Affect Toxicity?

Revising Fish Consumption Rates in the Pacific Northwest: The Inextricable Link Between Environmental Protection & Human Health

Posted on January 26, 2013 by mkyle

The Problem of Low Fish Consumption Rates Washington State is currently in the process of revising its fish consumption rates (FCRs). The current rates were developed in the 1980s and 1990s, and recent studies indicate that Washingtonians consume much more fish … Continue reading →

Posted in CERCLA, Clean Water Act, cooperative federalism, dioxins, environmental cleanup, environmental health, environmental health law, environmental justice, environmental law, EPA, fish consumption advisories, mercury, PCBs, pollution control standards, public health, public health law, public participation process, risk assessment, risk communication, risk management, vulnerable populations, water quality standards, WHO | Comments Off on Revising Fish Consumption Rates in the Pacific Northwest: The Inextricable Link Between Environmental Protection & Human Health