Environmental Health

"Proposed Settlement Reached in Monsanto Dioxin Case"

"WINFIELD, W.Va. -- A proposed settlement has been reached in a huge class-action lawsuit where Nitro residents say the chemical giant Monsanto unsafely burned dioxin wastes and spread contaminated soot and dust across Nitro, polluting homes with unsafe levels of the chemical."

Source: Charleston Gazette, 02/24/2012

Chromium-6 In Some Wells More Than 1,000 Times Above State Goal

"Hexavalent chromium, a potentially cancer-causing heavy metal made famous by activist Erin Brockovich, is found in drinking water supplies throughout most of the Coachella Valley at 150 to more than 1,000 times above California’s public health goal, a Desert Sun review of local water agencies’ well-testing results found."

Source: Palm Springs Desert Sun, 02/20/2012

Dioxins Report Released; EPA Says Low Doses Risky But Most People Safe

"After 21 years of wrangling over health threats, uncertain science and industry pressure, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Friday released its assessment of dioxins defining how toxic they are. Lauded by environmental activists and criticized by industry, the report concluded that there are potentially serious effects at ultra-low levels of exposure."

Source: EHN, 02/20/2012

"The Fracking Industry Buys Congress"

The damage that the natural gas production method known as hydrofracturing ("fracking") can do to water wells and streams is hard to document because of a federal law prohibiting disclosure of chemicals drilling companies inject underground. There are almost no federal regulations protecting the public from fracking pollution. "Why? The answer is money. The oil and gas industry has reaped billions in profits from fracking. And since 1990, they've pumped $238.7 million into gubernatorial and Congressional election campaigns to persuade lawmakers that fracking is safe, which has effectively blocked federal regulation."

Source: ENS, 02/17/2012
June 20, 2012 to June 22, 2012

Rio+20 United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development

The Conference will focus on two themes: a green economy, in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication; and the institutional framework for sustainable development.

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March 13, 2012

Poisons in the Press: Deciding for Yourself What's 'Safe' (in San Francisco)

When the news media report on contamination in the air, drinking water or food supply, the public understandably demands to know straight away, “Is it safe?” A distinguished panel of toxicologists and environmental journalists will discuss why the question defies straightforward answers, what’s keeping the public in the dark, and how citizens can make informed decisions on toxic risks in the absence of certainty.

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