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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. Contamination cases renew fears over globalized food supply. Two food-contamination cases this August have renewed concerns about the effects of globalization on the food supply. Outbreaks linked to imported food have been on the rise since the late 1990s, according to data published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Al Jazeera 'The safe Games': Judges convinced over Fukushima fallout fears as Tokyo wins the race to host 2020 Olympics. Some felt the lasting Fukushima fallout might have been a stumbling block for voting members following reports that 300 tonnes of radioactive water is leaking into the Pacific Ocean every day. The Independent, United Kingdom. Fracking strikes fear far from gas-rich shale. The global debate over the risks of pulverizing shale bedrock to unlock trapped oil and natural gas raises the following question: Is the public’s fear of fracking overshadowing legitimate threats posed by the drilling technique? Consider Bowling Green as northwest Ohio’s biggest case study. Toledo Blade, Ohio. U.S. Forest Service set to decide on fracking in George Washington National Forest. By the end of the month, the U.S. Forest Service is expected to decide whether to ban or allow hydraulic fracturing under the George Washington National Forest’s new, 15-year management plan. The decision will settle a raging dispute between conservationists and the oil and gas industry. Washington Post [Registration Required] Heartbreaking portraits of Vietnamese children suffering from devastating effects of toxic herbicide sprayed by U.S. Army 40 years ago. They were born decades after American forces had sprayed the herbicide dioxin Agent Orange in South Vietnam, but some children living in the region today continue to suffer from the horrifying effects of the chemical. London Daily Mail, United Kingdom. Tobacco giant Philip Morris 'spent millions in bid to delay EU legislation.' Confidential documents have revealed the formidable lobbying operation waged by a tobacco giant seeking to undermine efforts to make cigarettes less attractive to children and women, and force packs to carry larger health warnings. The Guardian, United Kingdom. Electronic cigarettes growing in popularity with teens. One out of 10 American high school students used electronic cigarettes in 2012, along with nearly 3% of middle school students, according to a new federal report, about double the rate of e-cigarette use in 2011 and translates into 1.78 million children and teens who have tried the battery-powered devices. Los Angeles Times [Registration Required] 'Pollution weakening lung functions' in India. As a recent Cancer Registry Report noted that Bangalore tops the list of Indian cities in cases of lung cancers, other studies have claimed that Indians have lower lung capacities than Europeans, suggesting a lower lung function due to existing health issues or other factors. Chennai New Indian Express, India. Protecting our water resources. In Malaysia, the oil spillage at Sungai Selangor which resulted in a major water disruption in the Klang Valley last Sunday has shown just how vulnerable and exposed our water sources are. Petaling Jaya Star, Malaysia. Coping with climate change. As cities like Miami, New York and other vulnerable spots strategize about how to respond to climate change, researchers from the National Science Foundation, universities and global organizations flock to Greenland in search of answers, and a snapshot of climate change as it happens. Miami Herald, Florida. In drought, water war in California fought underground. Throughout the Central Valley - one of the world's most productive agricultural regions - farmers, residents and cities have seen their wells go dry. Experts say water supplies have been strained by growing city populations and massive tracts of newly planted orchards and vineyards. Associated Press Atlantic hurricane season - a record-breaking dud? The 2013 Atlantic hurricane season, which forecasters had predicted would be more active than normal, has turned out to be something of a dud so far as an unusual calm hangs over the tropics. Reuters Poll plummet: What happened to Germany's Green Party? Just two years ago, it looked like Germany's Green Party was going to challenge the Social Democrats for the honor of being the country's second largest party. Now, poll numbers suggest only one in 10 voters will support them. What went wrong? Der Spiegel Climate change pact wins US support. A new Pacific regional pact calling for aggressive action to combat climate change has achieved a "major accomplishment" by gaining US support, officials said on Sunday. Agence France-Presse City inaction on polluted soil angers residents. Decades after a Miami city incinerator incinerator was shut down, the ghost of its toxic plume has reappeared in a growing dispute between residents of the West Grove and city officials, who discovered the contamination more than two years ago but have yet to clean it up, or to even lay out a clean-up plan. Miami Herald, Florida. The tooth hurts: Dental expert is eager to expose the cavities in fluoride conspiracy theories. As a young dentist, Australia's leading expert on fluoride spent a year peering into the mouths of 1500 five-year-old children. This project in 1975 was part of a ground-breaking longitudinal study into the impact of fluoridation. Sydney Morning Herald, Australia. [Registration Required] Scientists' water filter to aid poor. A water purification filter created by Australian scientists has pipes just 10,000th the width of a human hair and could provide relief to millions of people without access to safe drinking water. Sydney Morning Herald, Australia. [Registration Required] Sewage spills continue despite EPA order. Lehigh County municipalities and sewer-service providers have collectively responded by spending nearly $25 million during the past four years to end what the EPA calls "sewer overflows." But they say they are unlikely to meet the deadline, even though they could face stiff penalties for future spills. Allentown Morning Call, Pennsylvania. ‘Flushable’ personal wipes clogging sewer systems, utilities say. Sewer agencies in the Washington area and across the country say the rapidly growing use of pre-moistened “personal” wipes — used most often by potty-training toddlers and people seeking what’s advertised as a more “thorough” cleaning than toilet paper — are clogging pipes and jamming pumps. Washington Post [Registration Required] Florida lake cleanup is expensive and messy. A black bag that resembles a gargantuan beached whale in Winter Park's Mead Garden. Slime that bubbles like "sick oatmeal" in downtown Orlando's Lake Lucerne. These are two examples of the same lake cleanup problems in Florida communities. Orlando Sentinel, Florida. [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. 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