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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. Landmark Harvard study on health effects of air pollution is target of House GOP subpoena. House Republicans scouring for evidence of overreaching environmental regulations are taking aim at a two-decade-old, taxpayer-funded scientific study by Harvard researchers that linked air pollution to disease and death. Boston Globe, Massachusetts. [Subscription Required] What's in urine? 3,000 chemicals and counting. Scientists have laid out the entire chemical composition of human urine, revealing that more than 3,000 compounds are found in the fluid. The information may be of interest to physicians, nutritionists and environmental scientists because it reveals medical conditions, as well as information about what a person has consumed, and what chemicals she or he has been exposed to in the environment. LiveScience P&G halts use of 2 chemicals in personal care products. Procter & Gamble is phasing out the use of two chemicals by 2014 from its beauty and personal care products. Activist groups have targeted P&G and other manufacturers of consumer products to end the use of phthalates and triclosan. Cincinnati Enquirer, Ohio. EPA to withdraw 2 high-profile regulations – sources. U.S. EPA is set to withdraw two prominent chemical regulations, including a list of materials recommended for increased enforcement that had stalled under executive review for more than three years, according to two sources briefed by the Obama administration on the decision. Greenwire Arsenic levels in rice too low for short-term risk: FDA. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said on Friday that after testing 1,300 samples of rice and rice products, it has determined that the amount of detectable arsenic is too low to cause immediate or short-term negative health effects. Reuters Lawyers say case is clear for smelter action. Families of lead-affected children in the South Australian regional city of Port Pirie have clear grounds to sue smelter operator Nyrstar for damages after a new report revealed the extent of lead contamination in the area, class action lawyer Maurice Blackburn says. The Australian, Australia. [Subscription Required] US reactor safety in light of Fukushima. Japanese authorities are unable to control the radioactive water leaking out of the damaged Fukushima nuclear power plant. Now the government plans to install a wall of ice around the facility to contain the contaminated water. Some believe that American reactors are at risk for the same kind of flooding disaster. Living On Earth South Korea bans fish imports from Japan's Fukushima region. South Korea has banned all fish imports from a large area of Japan in response to growing concern over the possible environmental impact of recent leaks of highly toxic water at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. The Guardian, United Kingdom. India's coal cycle wallahs: 'People have no alternative but to steal from mines'. As India's overlooked energy suppliers – a vast, unrecorded network – the cycle wallahs keep brick kilns, sponge-iron factories, roadside eateries and chai stalls ticking over, and families in city and village alive. The Guardian, United Kingdom. Carbon tax malaise leads conservatives to victory in Australia. Australia's conservative opposition swept to power Saturday, ending six years of Labor Party rule and winning over a disenchanted public by promising to end a hated tax on carbon emissions, boost a flagging economy and bring about political stability after years of Labor infighting. Associated Press U.S., China agree to work on phasing out hydrofluorocarbons. The United States and China announced Friday they would seek to eliminate some of the world’s most potent greenhouse gases through the 1987 Montreal Protocol, the landmark treaty that successfully phased out ozone-depleting substances decades ago. Washington Post [Registration Required] What happened to biofuels? Scientists have long known how to convert various kinds of organic material into liquid fuel. Frustratingly, however, making biofuels in large quantities has always been more expensive and less convenient than simply drilling a little deeper for oil. Economist Four new cases of dengue fever reported in Treasure Coast. Four additional cases of dengue fever bring the total of reported cases to 15 in the Rio and Jensen Beach area. Until 2009, Dengue fever, widespread in the Caribbean, hadn't been reported in Florida since 1934. Palm Beach Post, Florida. Most island states have yet to come to grips with the possibilities of relocation. The possibility that rising sea levels might force island dwellers off their land is one of the biggest and most existential threats Pacific countries face from climate change. Yet leaders meeting for the 44th Pacific Island Forum say the topic remains so uncomfortable that finding a common message about climate-induced migration is nearly impossible. ClimateWire Rooftop solar panels become new enemy of US firefighters. Putrid air hung over a luncheon meats warehouse long after a blaze consumed the building where frustrated firefighters met their enemy: rooftop solar panels. Reuters PCBs found at other sewer sites in South Carolina. Hazardous chemicals have been located at several other waste oil hauling and storage companies across the Upstate, as state and federal agencies continue to investigate possible illegal dumping in three sewer districts. Spartanburg Herald-Journal, South Carolina. Fracking limits for Virginia forest spark debate on water. A proposal to restrict natural gas production in a Virginia national forest has become a flashpoint in the debate over whether drilling endangers water — in this case water used by millions of people in the Washington region. Bloomberg News Air pollution: Winning the battle involves government, technology, lifestyle. Much has been done to improve air quality in recent decades, but more work is needed to reduce levels of the Inland’s worst pollutants -- nitrogen oxides, ozone and particulate matter -- that threaten residents’ health, regulators said. Riverside Press-Enterprise, California. [related stories] Air pollution: Moreno Valley warehouse decision closely watched. Moreno Valley, a city embroiled in scandals that last month saw one City Council member resign after his arrest on fraud charges, also is a testing ground in the struggle to balance the need for jobs and the imperative for clean air. Riverside Press-Enterprise, California. [related stories] EPA seeking comments on reconsideration of air rule for backup stationary engines. The Environmental Protection Agency will accept public comments through Nov. 4 on its decision to reconsider three issues in air pollution standards for backup stationary engines that generate electricity, including the 2015 compliance date for requiring ultra low-sulfur diesel fuel. Bloomberg BNA Seeking investments that are profitable and a little bit green. After a series of bad choices, Sarah Kupferberg is no longer looking for companies at the vanguard of the green movement. Instead, she’s interested in those that are making a profit while also acting in a way that takes into account sound environmental, social and governance practices. New York 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. Plus: If you were on vacation last week, don't miss last week's top stories... Would you like to display the news stories from EnvironmentalHealthNews.org on your own web site? Check out our RSS feeds. Compiled by Environmental Health Sciences | |
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