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| Above the fold. News aggregated by www.EnvironmentalHealthNews.org | Read today's editorials |
| Daily links to top stories in the news about environmental health. Opinion: 'Chemical brain drain' endangers generations of children. Centuries ago, citizens of the Roman Empire and Japan's Samurai regime suffered severe lead poisoning. The brains of their children were seriously damaged, and some scholars say this could have contributed to the downfall of these mighty empires. Environmental Health News Wal-Mart announces phase-out of hazardous chemicals. Prodded by health and environmental advocates, Wal-Mart Stores announced Thursday that it will require suppliers to disclose and eventually phase out nearly 10 hazardous chemicals from the fragrances, cosmetics, household cleaners and personal care products at its stores. USA Today Obama approves federal disaster aid for flooding in Boulder County, Colorado. President Barack Obama signed an emergency order Thursday night, approving federal disaster aid for Boulder County after torrential rainfall prompted 100-year flooding that has, so far, resulted in two confirmed deaths, at least nine more missing and National Guard rescue efforts. Boulder Daily Camera, Colorado. In Louisiana’s 'Cancer Alley,' huge sinkhole creates more concerns. More than 150 petrochemical companies and 17 refineries are located along the Mississippi River, from New Orleans to Baton Rouge. Environmental scientists told us that this industry releases dangerous levels of toxic chemicals into the air and water. Al Jazeera 'Fracking' debate erupts in Michigan. The Raymer family once raised their own cattle and crops to avoid the chemicals on store-bought groceries. Years later, a Texas-based company set its sights on the Raymers’ Conway Township property in connection with an exploratory well for oil or gas that will include high-volume hydraulic fracturing. Livingston Daily Press & Argus, Michigan. Nuclear waste likely not from Hanford tank, report says. It's highly likely that radioactive liquid collected by a system to detect leaks in a Hanford double-shell tank did not come from inside the tank, according to results of a recently completed investigation. Bellingham Herald, Washington. Coal industry cries foul over Obama emission rules. Representatives of coal-intensive utilities and coal-producing regions said that President Barack Obama would effectively outlaw construction of new power plants using the fuel with pending environmental rules. Bloomberg News Sea change: The Pacific's perilous turn. Ocean acidification, the lesser-known twin of climate change, threatens to scramble marine life on a scale almost too big to fathom. Seattle Times, Washington. Dengue fever presence in Florida at a 'pretty serious level.' A mosquito-borne disease once contained to metro areas in the tropics is gaining foothold in the U.S., possibly due to climate change. Al Jazeera Exide plant will pay for blood tests for Los Angeles County residents. The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health will offer free blood testing on a massive scale for lead poisoning to address worries that a Vernon battery recycler has jeopardized the health of hundreds of thousands of residents in southeast Los Angeles, officials said Thursday. Los Angeles Times [Registration Required] California fracking law has huge holes, critics argue. For the first time, California state law will now directly regulate and track hydraulic fracturing in the state. But environmental critics say the law has huge holes in it and does not go far enough. They say it would have been better if the California legislature would have done nothing. Bay Area NBC, California. Wisconsin’s booming grape crop at risk from herbicide drift. Grape farmers in Wisconsin are facing a growing threat, and in many cases it is coming from their own neighbors. Herbicides that are used to kill weeds in crops such as corn and soybeans can be deadly to other plants, including grapes. WisconsinWatch.org Environmentalists: New York pollution checks declining. New York has reduced pollution inspections more than one-third over the past three years following large staffing cuts, according to a report issued Thursday by an environmental group. Associated Press Eastern rivers 'on Rolaids' raise concerns. Fresh water isn't what it used to be. New research has found that human activity has caused subtle but significant changes in the basic makeup of rivers in Maryland and elsewhere, with potential consequences for public water use and the health of aquatic ecosystems. Baltimore Sun, Maryland. Nuclear plants don't raise child leukemia risk: study. Despite fears to the contrary, children who live near nuclear power plants have no greater risk of developing leukaemia or a type of cancer known as non-Hodgkin lymphoma, according to a large British study published on Friday. Reuters What's all the buzz in Winnipeg? Mosquitoes—and how to kill them. For decades Winnipeg has waged an annual war with the flying insects, bombing them with pesticides and fogging them from a fleet of trucks. Now some Winnipeggers want change, and their fight is going organic. Wall Street Journal [Subscription Required] Sweet, sticky molasses spill blights Honolulu waters. Health officials warned swimmers, surfers and snorkelers in Hawaii to stay out of the waters near Honolulu after a leak of 1,400 tons of molasses killed hundreds of fish, potentially attracting sharks. Reuters Study shows Yom Kippur's empty roads make for cleaner air. Israelis have long suspected that Yom Kippur is good not only for the soul, but for the environment — and now there is scientific proof. Times of Israel, Israel. 'Recirculate' button cuts drivers' exposure to air pollution, study says. Consider this next time you’re sitting in traffic on the freeway: You’re in a zone where air pollution can be five to 10 times higher than in surrounding areas. A new study says the single best thing you can do to protect yourself is roll up the windows and set your vehicle’s ventilation system to "recirculate." Los Angeles Times [Registration Required] More news from today Shortcuts to stories from today about The good news, Avian flu, Climate, Children's health, Air pollution, Cancer, Reproductive disorders, Endocrine disruption, Birth defects, Learning and developmental disabilities, Immune disorders, Environmental justice, Superfund, Water treatment/sewage, Food safety, Integrity of science, Green chemistry. You can also read last weekend's news. 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