The chemical lobby is trying to weaken the law that protects people from toxic chemicals

~ PRHE

Toxic chemicals and pollutants are contributing to a rise in chronic disease including cancer, Parkinson’s, diabetes, heart disease, autism, and infertility. Yet, the chemical lobby is trying to rewrite the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), the one law designed to protect people from harmful chemicals. If they are successful, it could result in significantly higher … Continue reading The chemical lobby is trying to weaken the law that protects people from toxic chemicals

Scientists identify hundreds of chemicals from plastics in people

~ PRHE

Hundreds of plastic-related chemicals were identified in pregnant women by scientists at UC San Francisco in a study published today in Environment & Health Journal. Alarmingly, many of these chemicals have little to no current exposure data, which means little is known about how much they are impacting people and their health. “It is extremely … Continue reading Scientists identify hundreds of chemicals from plastics in people

EPA’s draft evaluation of D4 ignores real-world risks

~ PRHE

You may not have heard of octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane (known as D4), but we can guarantee you have probably come into contact with it. Used in products from adhesives and automotive care products to cosmetics, hair treatments, and deodorants, regulators in Canada, the European Union, and the United Kingdom have determined that D4 can pose reproductive and … Continue reading EPA’s draft evaluation of D4 ignores real-world risks

EPA’s proposed changes to its formaldehyde risk evaluation echo chemical industry demands

~ PRHE

Main Takeaways: EPA sidelines chronic health risks of formaldehyde in a revised formaldehyde risk evaluation. The revisions represent a blow to the federal government’s ability to regulate formaldehyde and protect workers and others exposed to the hazardous chemical. While EPA maintains that formaldehyde still presents an overall “unreasonable risk” to human health, the Agency’s revisions … Continue reading EPA’s proposed changes to its formaldehyde risk evaluation echo chemical industry demands

Advisors tell EPA to act on plastic pollution to benefit kids’ health

~ PRHE

The US EPA Children's Health Protection Advisory Committee (CHPAC) summarized the science on plastic pollution and children's health and made recommendations to the Agency that are a wake-up call on the health impacts of plastic pollution.  The majority of committee members found “…the science is clear that plastic pollution can harm children’s health and raise risks of … Continue reading Advisors tell EPA to act on plastic pollution to benefit kids’ health

PRHE to EPA: Protect people from harmful phthalates

~ PRHE ~ 1 Comment

Main Takeaways Phthalates are plasticizers that are widely used and present in everyone’s bodies. They can increase the risk of health harms including preterm birth, metabolic disorders and infertility; the government urgently needs to enact regulations that will stop harmful exposures. EPA’s recent draft risk evaluations under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) severely underestimate … Continue reading PRHE to EPA: Protect people from harmful phthalates

UCSF EaRTH Center furthers environmental health at NIEHS annual meeting

~ PRHE

NIH-funded environmental health centers from 18 states are gathered in Lexington, Kentucky this week for their annual meeting to further science and public health research. The Environmental Health Sciences Core Centers, a consortium of 26 centers including the UCSF EaRTH Center, are collaborating with colleagues and sharing the latest science despite the government shutdown that … Continue reading UCSF EaRTH Center furthers environmental health at NIEHS annual meeting

Chemical regulation needs to protect health, Woodruff testifies

~ PRHE

Dr. Tracey Woodruff testified today at the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works hearing on "Examining the Beneficial Use and Regulation of Chemicals”. The following is her full testimony. Testimony before the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works Subcommittee on Chemical Safety, Waste Management, Environmental Justice, and Regulatory Oversight Tracey J. Woodruff, PhD, … Continue reading Chemical regulation needs to protect health, Woodruff testifies