How EPA can improve identifying and reducing environmental health inequities

~ PRHE

Advancing health equity through environmental health science and policy is a core mission of PRHE. Inequities in exposures to environmental contaminants are an important contributor to health inequities and can have a significant effect on the quality of life in at-risk communities. A potentially important step toward addressing inequities came with President Biden’s Executive Order … Continue reading How EPA can improve identifying and reducing environmental health inequities

5 years after TSCA reform – Why EPA must prioritize science to protect public health

~ PRHE

Implementation by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) does not fully account for science or protect the public’s health, so how can EPA strengthen implementation of the law? The Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment (PRHE) has closely monitored EPA’s TSCA implementation, submitting public comments on how inadequate … Continue reading 5 years after TSCA reform – Why EPA must prioritize science to protect public health

FIGO urges removal of PFAS use around the globe

~ PRHE ~ 2 Comments

Today, the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics issued an opinion calling for PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) chemicals to be restricted around the globe. PRHE has been working in partnership with FIGO and the Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL) on efforts to interpret the science and inform ob-gyn patients about how chemicals impact pregnant … Continue reading FIGO urges removal of PFAS use around the globe

WHO and ILO finds working long hours one of the largest burdens of disease globally

~ PRHE ~ 1 Comment

People who work more than 55 hours/week are at significantly higher risk of heart disease and stroke than people who work the typical 35-40 hours/week, according to a Joint Estimates by the World Health Organization (WHO) and International Labour Organization (ILO) which evaluated the evidence using the Navigation Guide systematic review method developed by the … Continue reading WHO and ILO finds working long hours one of the largest burdens of disease globally

New study unveils more worker deaths from methylene chloride than previously reported

~ PRHE

Growing up in urban poverty with working-class parents subjected to occupational exposures taught me that where you live and work affects your health. I was raised with the conviction that one should not have to choose between work and health. So, when I learned about the dangers that methylene chloride posed to human health (e.g., … Continue reading New study unveils more worker deaths from methylene chloride than previously reported

Double jeopardy: exposure to PFAS and social stress leads to elevated CRH, a biomarker leading to preterm birth

~ PRHE

Everyone in the United States is exposed to hundreds of environmental chemicals every day. One class of chemicals has recently become more concerning, per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). PFAS are chemicals found in nonstick cookware and food packaging materials, such as pizza boxes and microwave popcorn bags. Historically, chemical companies dumped PFAS into lakes and … Continue reading Double jeopardy: exposure to PFAS and social stress leads to elevated CRH, a biomarker leading to preterm birth

Formaldehyde and EPA – time for a change

~ PRHE

The 30-year story of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) attempting to regulate formaldehyde reads like a tragic relationship that may finally be changing. Formaldehyde is a chemical commonly found in building materials, insulation, furniture, and clothing, and shown to have negative health effects related to asthma and fertility. EPA’s doomed attempts to regulate formaldehyde … Continue reading Formaldehyde and EPA – time for a change

PRHE finds evidence of 55 new chemicals in people

~ PRHE ~ 1 Comment

Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment's scientists used new technology to detect 109 chemicals in pregnant women and newborns, including 55 chemicals never before reported in people and 42 “mystery chemicals,” whose sources and uses are unknown. The study was published in the March 17, 2021, Environmental Science & Technology journal. The chemicals include … Continue reading PRHE finds evidence of 55 new chemicals in people