POPs in the news

Invisible pollutants and the tipping point for endocrine disruption

15/12/2018 -

The closer we look, the more complicated the picture appears. Studies have shown that environmental exposures can modify the expression of genes (without changing the coding sequence), leading to diseases and dysfunctions. This suggests that there are other factors, so far hidden, triggering such a profound increase in these so-called lifestyle disorders. More:


Invisible pollutants and the tipping point for endocrine disruption

The closer we look, the more complicated the picture appears. Studies have shown that environmental exposures can modify the expression of genes (without changing the coding sequence), leading to diseases and dysfunctions. This suggests that there are other factors, so far hidden, triggering such a profound increase in these so-called lifestyle disorders. More:

Carpets Cited as a Health Hazard, Especially for Children and Poor Communities

13/12/2018 -

Many popular carpet brands, including those widely used in affordable housing projects, contain toxic chemicals that put people’s health at risk while in use and when the carpets are disposed of, according to a new report by three environmental advocacy groups. The findings are particularly worrisome given that babies and children often spend considerable time crawling and playing on carpets, and they are most sensitive to the potential health consequences from the toxins detected. More:


Carpets Cited as a Health Hazard, Especially for Children and Poor Communities

Many popular carpet brands, including those widely used in affordable housing projects, contain toxic chemicals that put people’s health at risk while in use and when the carpets are disposed of, according to a new report by three environmental advocacy groups. The findings are particularly worrisome given that babies and children often spend considerable time crawling and playing on carpets, and they are most sensitive to the potential health consequences from the toxins detected. More:

New chemical substitutes threaten to undermine NJ’s cutting-edge rules on PFAS

10/12/2018 -

New Jersey’s efforts to protect the public from a class of toxic chemicals in drinking water are being threatened by the emergence of substitutes that may be just as hazardous to human health, experts argue. At a public roundtable on PFAS chemicals, scientists said chemical manufacturers have responded to increasing regulation of the chemicals by New Jersey and other states by introducing so-called short-chain alternatives, such as the chemical Gen-X, that serve the same purposes but have not been fully vetted by regulators. More:


New chemical substitutes threaten to undermine NJ’s cutting-edge rules on PFAS

New Jersey’s efforts to protect the public from a class of toxic chemicals in drinking water are being threatened by the emergence of substitutes that may be just as hazardous to human health, experts argue. At a public roundtable on PFAS chemicals, scientists said chemical manufacturers have responded to increasing regulation of the chemicals by New Jersey and other states by introducing so-called short-chain alternatives, such as the chemical Gen-X, that serve the same purposes but have not been fully vetted by regulators. More:

The consequences of status quo chemical policy are becoming increasingly clear

06/12/2018 -

Chemicals are manufactured for use in almost everything with which humans come into contact including food, plastics, personal care products, clothing and building materials. In addition, manufactured chemicals contaminate our environment in ways not always anticipated in air, dust, food and water. More:


The consequences of status quo chemical policy are becoming increasingly clear

Chemicals are manufactured for use in almost everything with which humans come into contact including food, plastics, personal care products, clothing and building materials. In addition, manufactured chemicals contaminate our environment in ways not always anticipated in air, dust, food and water. More:

Children's car seats found to contain toxic flame retardants

03/12/2018 -

For parents of small children, car seats are an integral part of day-to-day life. Making sure children are safely buckled and secure is the first step for any car ride, and it helps to ease parent’s minds before hitting the road. However, a new study conducted by researchers from Indiana University and The Ecology Center should serve as a warning for many parents. The researchers found that many child’s car seats contain toxic flame retardants. More:


Children's car seats found to contain toxic flame retardants

For parents of small children, car seats are an integral part of day-to-day life. Making sure children are safely buckled and secure is the first step for any car ride, and it helps to ease parent’s minds before hitting the road. However, a new study conducted by researchers from Indiana University and The Ecology Center should serve as a warning for many parents. The researchers found that many child’s car seats contain toxic flame retardants. More:

PFOA and PFOS cause lower sperm counts and smaller penises, study finds

30/11/2018 -
There's a new reason to be concerned about toxic chemicals used in nonstick pans, waterproof products, and firefighting foam: PFOA and PFOS impair male reproductive health, according to a study. More:

PFOA and PFOS cause lower sperm counts and smaller penises, study finds

There's a new reason to be concerned about toxic chemicals used in nonstick pans, waterproof products, and firefighting foam: PFOA and PFOS impair male reproductive health, according to a study. More:

Businesses discharging PFAS into Michigan's waterways

29/11/2018 -
An investigation found that manufacturing sources are sending one version of the "forever chemicals" PFAS at up to 20,000 times the allowed amount into wastewater systems that discharge it into the state's lakes, rivers and, ultimately, threatening drinking water supplies for millions of people. More:

Businesses discharging PFAS into Michigan's waterways

An investigation found that manufacturing sources are sending one version of the "forever chemicals" PFAS at up to 20,000 times the allowed amount into wastewater systems that discharge it into the state's lakes, rivers and, ultimately, threatening drinking water supplies for millions of people. More:

The Insect Apocalypse Is Here

27/11/2018 -
Trillions of bugs flitting from flower to flower pollinate some three-quarters of our food crops, a service worth as much as $500 billion every year. By eating and being eaten, insects turn plants into protein and power the growth of uncountable species — including freshwater fish and a majority of birds — that rely on them for food, and the creatures that eat those creatures. More:

The Insect Apocalypse Is Here

Trillions of bugs flitting from flower to flower pollinate some three-quarters of our food crops, a service worth as much as $500 billion every year. By eating and being eaten, insects turn plants into protein and power the growth of uncountable species — including freshwater fish and a majority of birds — that rely on them for food, and the creatures that eat those creatures. More:

Hundreds of thousands of Pennsylvanians have been exposed to dangerous PFAS chemicals, including around Pittsburgh’s airport

27/11/2018 -

The contamination is from a class of chemicals referred to as PFAS (perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances). The chemicals have gotten into water supplies in hundreds of locations across the country and are associated with a range of cancers and serious illnesses in humans, even if they've been exposed to very small amounts. More:


Hundreds of thousands of Pennsylvanians have been exposed to dangerous PFAS chemicals, including around Pittsburgh’s airport

The contamination is from a class of chemicals referred to as PFAS (perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances). The chemicals have gotten into water supplies in hundreds of locations across the country and are associated with a range of cancers and serious illnesses in humans, even if they've been exposed to very small amounts. More:

Chemicals on our food: When “safe” may not really be safe

27/11/2018 -
Weed killers in wheat crackers and cereals, insecticides in apple juice and a mix of multiple pesticides in spinach, string beans and other veggies – all are part of the daily diets of many Americans. For decades, federal officials have declared tiny traces of these contaminants to be safe. But a new wave of scientific scrutiny is challenging those assertions. More:

Chemicals on our food: When “safe” may not really be safe

Weed killers in wheat crackers and cereals, insecticides in apple juice and a mix of multiple pesticides in spinach, string beans and other veggies – all are part of the daily diets of many Americans. For decades, federal officials have declared tiny traces of these contaminants to be safe. But a new wave of scientific scrutiny is challenging those assertions. More:

Is a New Toxic Danger Threatening California?

19/11/2018 -
PFAS compounds are found in clothing, carpeting, furniture, food packaging, non-stick cooking products and fire-fighting foams. They’ve been linked in humans to cancers and hormonal disruption, as well as developmental, reproductive and immune system problems. More:

Is a New Toxic Danger Threatening California?

PFAS compounds are found in clothing, carpeting, furniture, food packaging, non-stick cooking products and fire-fighting foams. They’ve been linked in humans to cancers and hormonal disruption, as well as developmental, reproductive and immune system problems. More:

Leading researchers call for a ban on widely used insecticides

09/11/2018 - Public health experts have found there is sufficient evidence that prenatal exposure to widely used insecticides known as organophosphates puts children at risk for neurodevelopmental disorders. In a scientific review and call to action, the researchers call for immediate government intervention to phase out all organophosphates. More:

Leading researchers call for a ban on widely used insecticides

Public health experts have found there is sufficient evidence that prenatal exposure to widely used insecticides known as organophosphates puts children at risk for neurodevelopmental disorders. In a scientific review and call to action, the researchers call for immediate government intervention to phase out all organophosphates. More:

PFAS What You Need to Know

08/11/2018 -
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of man-made chemicals that includes PFOA, PFOS, GenX, and many other chemicals. PFAS have been manufactured and used in a variety of industries around the globe since the 1940s. PFOA and PFOS have been the most extensively produced and studied of these chemicals. Both chemicals are very persistent in the environment and in the human body – meaning they don’t break down and they can accumulate over time. More:

PFAS What You Need to Know

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of man-made chemicals that includes PFOA, PFOS, GenX, and many other chemicals. PFAS have been manufactured and used in a variety of industries around the globe since the 1940s. PFOA and PFOS have been the most extensively produced and studied of these chemicals. Both chemicals are very persistent in the environment and in the human body – meaning they don’t break down and they can accumulate over time. More:

Dirt rich: Healthy soil movement gains ground in farm country

08/11/2018 -

Regenerative agriculture, the approach to farming built around four basic rules: Never till the soil; use cover crops so soil is never bare; grow a more diverse mix of plants and graze livestock on fields after harvest or before planting. The movement developed amid concerns that traditional farming is mining the soil, which leads to poor soil health, reduced biodiversity and overuse of insecticides on crops. More:


Dirt rich: Healthy soil movement gains ground in farm country

Regenerative agriculture, the approach to farming built around four basic rules: Never till the soil; use cover crops so soil is never bare; grow a more diverse mix of plants and graze livestock on fields after harvest or before planting. The movement developed amid concerns that traditional farming is mining the soil, which leads to poor soil health, reduced biodiversity and overuse of insecticides on crops. More:

Regulation of foam's toxic chemicals a moving target

05/11/2018 -

A federal health organization was set to publish a study earlier this year that would cast serious doubt on levels of per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) the Environmental Protection Agency deems safe in drinking water. More:


Regulation of foam's toxic chemicals a moving target

A federal health organization was set to publish a study earlier this year that would cast serious doubt on levels of per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) the Environmental Protection Agency deems safe in drinking water. More:

Childhood exposure to contaminants varies by country and compound

30/10/2018 -

The levels of 45 environmental contaminants were measured in samples from 1 300 mother-child pairs in Greece, Spain, France, Lithuania, UK and Norway, as part of the HELIX Study. Most of the contaminants were found in almost all the participants, but less than one per cent of the samples had levels that exceeded current thresholds for increased risk of adverse health effects. For mercury and two perfluoroalkyl substances (PFOS and PFOA), many of the participants had concentrations that exceeded the threshold for which a reduction in exposure is recommended. More:


Childhood exposure to contaminants varies by country and compound

The levels of 45 environmental contaminants were measured in samples from 1 300 mother-child pairs in Greece, Spain, France, Lithuania, UK and Norway, as part of the HELIX Study. Most of the contaminants were found in almost all the participants, but less than one per cent of the samples had levels that exceeded current thresholds for increased risk of adverse health effects. For mercury and two perfluoroalkyl substances (PFOS and PFOA), many of the participants had concentrations that exceeded the threshold for which a reduction in exposure is recommended. More:

The Teflon Toxin Part 19: EPA continues to approve toxic PFAS chemicals despite widespread contamination

25/10/2018 -
Such chemicals, like PFOA and PFOS, have been associated with cancers, hormonal disruption, obesity, and immune and reproductive problems. In all, 203 PFAS have been made in or imported to the U.S. in large quantities since 1986, when the first CDR was published, according to EPA data. More:

The Teflon Toxin Part 19: EPA continues to approve toxic PFAS chemicals despite widespread contamination

Such chemicals, like PFOA and PFOS, have been associated with cancers, hormonal disruption, obesity, and immune and reproductive problems. In all, 203 PFAS have been made in or imported to the U.S. in large quantities since 1986, when the first CDR was published, according to EPA data. More:

Dieldrin dilemma: How dated science and fish-eating advisories may be putting brains at risk

22/10/2018 -
Dieldrin, a long-banned pesticide lingers in fish across the US. Its toxic effects on the brain have never been incorporated into fish consumption advisories. More:

Dieldrin dilemma: How dated science and fish-eating advisories may be putting brains at risk

Dieldrin, a long-banned pesticide lingers in fish across the US. Its toxic effects on the brain have never been incorporated into fish consumption advisories. More:

Arctic wildlife remains at risk from contaminants, says a Arctic Council report

11/10/2018 -
The Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme report says levels of mercury, and polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs, remain “a significant exposure concern” for Arctic wildlife, including polar bears, killer whales, pilot whales, seals, and various seabirds, shorebirds and birds of prey. More:

Arctic wildlife remains at risk from contaminants, says a Arctic Council report

The Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme report says levels of mercury, and polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs, remain “a significant exposure concern” for Arctic wildlife, including polar bears, killer whales, pilot whales, seals, and various seabirds, shorebirds and birds of prey. More:

Nationwide class action lawsuit targets Dupont, Chemours, 3M, and other makers of PFAS chemicals

06/10/2018 -

A class action lawsuit against 3M, DuPont, and Chemours was filed this week on behalf of everyone in the United States who has been exposed to PFAS chemicals. The suit was brought by Kevin Hardwick, an Ohio firefighter, but “seeks relief on behalf of a nationwide class of everyone in the United States who has a detectable level of PFAS chemicals in their blood.” More:


Nationwide class action lawsuit targets Dupont, Chemours, 3M, and other makers of PFAS chemicals

A class action lawsuit against 3M, DuPont, and Chemours was filed this week on behalf of everyone in the United States who has been exposed to PFAS chemicals. The suit was brought by Kevin Hardwick, an Ohio firefighter, but “seeks relief on behalf of a nationwide class of everyone in the United States who has a detectable level of PFAS chemicals in their blood.” More:

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