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MONDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2009
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NEWS ABOUT: toxic chemicals

toxic chemicals stories: 11 news summaries
glossies

 Calif. Strawberries 
 May Turn Toxic 


Jul 17, 09 8:40 PM CDT
(Newser) - California appears close to producing strawberries that induce side-effects such as neurological damage and fetal loss, Gourmet reports. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is under industry pressure to approve a fumigant called methyl iodide, which rids soil of all living organisms without hurting the ozone layer. But a group of 50 scientists... More »

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cancer • agriculture • California • Arnold Schwarzenegger • toxic chemicals • hazardous chemicals

 Toxic Drywall May Be 
 Sickening Homeowners 

Chinese-imported materials used in more than 500,000 homes

Apr 11, 09 4:43 PM CDT
(Newser) - Something’s rotten in the state of American homes: Chinese-imported drywall, which emits a sulfurous odor and could sicken homeowners, AP reports. More than 500 million pounds of the material was imported during America’s housing boom, when domestic supply was scarce and expensive, and it could line over 100,... More »

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health • toxic chemicals • home builders • homeowners • Chinese imports • Chinese drywall

ANALYSIS

Bush's EPA Gutted Toxic Chemical Protections

Military-use substances were deemed less toxic, key reviews stalled

Nov 11, 08 4:15 PM CST
(Newser) - The Environmental Protection Agency program that rates the toxicity of chemicals used in the US, and around the world, has been manipulated in favor of industry and the military under the Bush administration, Rebecca Claren reports in Salon. Budget-cutting directives from the White House have allowed outside organizations, including the... More »

MORE ABOUT:
chemicals • toxic chemicals • budget • Environmental Protection Agency • Department of Defense • George W. Bush • EPA • Integrated Risk Information System

Congress Moves to Ban
Toxin Found in Toys

Bush could yet veto bill including measure to keep phthalates away from children

Jul 29, 08 1:11 PM CDT
(Newser) - Congressional negotiators have agreed to ban a group of toxins common in children’s toys, part of a consumer-protection bill, the Washington Post reports. The ban mirrors tougher standards at big retailers like Wal-Mart and Toys R Us, and, like those bans, wouldn’t take effect until after the holiday... More »

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Congress • plastic • toys • toxic chemicals • phthalates • toy safety • Exxon Mobil

OPINION

 Artists Are Making
 Junk—Literally 

Despite greenie claims, they flush chemicals, abandon art pieces

May 30, 08 8:25 PM CDT
(Newser) - Beware the scruffy artists at the corner cafe—they may be serial polluters and not even know it, Laurie Fendrich writes in the Chronicle of Higher Education. Many painters, tree-huggers by claim, will flush chemicals down the drain, and ignore the carbon footprint of their synthetic pigments. They just... More »

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art • landfill • toxic chemicals • artist • toxic waste • environmental damage

Pollution Decreasing Off
US Shores: Study

Past 20 years have seen general contaminant decline

May 12, 08 6:35 PM CDT
(Newser) - Levels of pesticides and other toxic chemicals in US coastal waters are generally decreasing, McClatchy reports. A 20-year study by the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration's Mussel Watch looked at levels of 140 chemicals and found decreasing trends. Laws banning many of the chemicals were passed in the 1970s, but... More »

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pollution • ocean • toxic chemicals • PCBs • DDT • industrial pollution • contaminated water

 When Green Doesn't Mean Safe 

Americans rush to eco-friendly cleaners, but dangers remain

Apr 28, 08 12:16 PM CDT
(Newser) - Americans are increasingly buying eco-friendly cleaning agents, the Los Angeles Times reports, in an attempt to limit exposure to toxic chemicals. But consumer advocates urge caution in embracing the “green” label on cleaners, which is more marketing lingo than strict scientific criteria. A recent study found a common carcinogen... More »

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cancer • toxic chemicals • carcinogens • cleaning • green products • eco friendliness • green revolution

Lawsuit to iPhones: You're Toxic

Oct 21, 07 10:09 AM CDT
(Newser) - A California environmental group has announced it's filing a lawsuit against Apple's popular iPhone, demanding the company eliminate "dangerous" toxic chemicals from the gadgets or include a warning label on the product as required by state law. At issue are phthalates, suspected of causing birth defects, that are used... More »

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Steve Jobs • iPhone • Apple • toxic chemicals • lawsuit

Groups Ask Feds to Regulate Air Fresheners

Environmental lobby claims scents contain toxins, harm health

Sep 20, 07 6:23 PM CDT
(Newser) - Air fresheners contain dangerous chemical compounds linked to asthma, cancer, and developmental problems, said a coalition of environmental groups in petitioning the EPA yesterday to regulate the industry. While most companies denied the charges, Walgreen Co. responded by pulling three fresheners off shelves in its 5,850 stores, the San ... More »

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cancer • toxic chemicals • Environmental Protection Agency • consumer protection • phthalates • Walgreens • asthma • air freshener • benzene • formaldehyde

Wal-Mart Owns Up to Melamine in Dog Treats

Company quietly pulled products as it waited for further testing

Aug 22, 07 10:20 AM CDT
(Newser) - Two Chinese brands of dog treats sold at Wal-Mart contain a toxic chemical, the discount giant confirms. Customer complaints about the products prompted the company to quietly pull them from its shelves last month as it waited for further tests. The results confirmed the presence of melamine, the chemical at... More »

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FDA • pet food recall • melamine • toxic chemicals • recall • dog food • Wal-Mart • dog

Train Derails in Ukraine, Releasing Toxic Cloud

Accident evokes Chernobyl, but officials downplay danger

Jul 17, 07 6:32 PM CDT
(Newser) - A freight train derailed in western Ukraine, releasing a toxic cloud of yellow phosphorus and igniting fears of another Chernobyl nuclear disaster, the AP reports. Twenty people were poisoned and hospitalized, and more than 800 were evacuated from their homes. Rescuers had to extinguish a fire that created a gas... More »

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fires • toxic chemicals • crash • train • accident • Ukraine

11 Stories


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