Chemical regulation needs to protect health, Woodruff testifies

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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

EPA’s proposed revisions to TSCA Risk Evaluation Framework Rule will put more people in harm’s way

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The UCSF Program on Reproductive Health issued the following statement today. Instead of strengthening health protections and using best available science under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), EPA's proposed framework rule weakens them by stripping away requirements that ensure TSCA risk evaluations reflect real-world chemical exposures and risks. It removes requirements for EPA to … Continue reading EPA’s proposed revisions to TSCA Risk Evaluation Framework Rule will put more people in harm’s way

Scientists unite on how to protect children from toxic contributors to autism

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The following is a guest blog from Project TENDR. Autism is a complex neurological disorder with multiple causes; vaccines are not one of them. There is ample evidence that many toxic chemicals, including air pollution, pesticides, and plastics chemicals, are dangerous to children’s brains. If the current administration wants to address neurological disorders including autism, … Continue reading Scientists unite on how to protect children from toxic contributors to autism

MAHA plan fails to recommend real solutions to rising chronic disease

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The new MAHA action plan provides evidence that industry stepped in and said, ‘not while we are in charge.’ What’s telling is not only what’s in the report, but what has been removed from the report, including any effort to address corporate capture of regulatory agencies by the chemical industry. In some places, the MAHA … Continue reading MAHA plan fails to recommend real solutions to rising chronic disease

PRHE at ISEE 2025: The newest science on how toxic chemicals impact pregnancy and child health

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A team of PRHE scientists will share their latest research on how plastic-related chemicals, pesticides, and chemicals in antimicrobials and clothing are affecting pregnancy and child development. What lesser-known chemicals are affecting pregnancy? Which toxic chemicals are linked to miscarriage and gestational diabetes? What combinations of toxic chemicals and social stressors are harming children’s neurodevelopment? … Continue reading PRHE at ISEE 2025: The newest science on how toxic chemicals impact pregnancy and child health

Rising waters and rising risks in Richmond

Photo credit: Richmond Shoreline Alliance. Source: https://www.richmondshorelinealliance.org/
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Main takeaways: Sea level rise is raising risks of harmful chemical exposures in shoreline communities like Richmond, CA These risks are falling disproportionately on communities already hard hit by contamination and pollution  One of those risks is increase in exposure to VOCs (volatile organic compounds), which enter buildings and can increase cancer risk  The Richmond … Continue reading Rising waters and rising risks in Richmond

Scientists urge plastics treaty negotiators to prioritize health

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Plastics are made of more than 16,000 chemicals, mostly derived from oil and gas. Over 4,200 are known to be hazardous, while the toxicity of the majority of the remaining is unknown. – “Negotiating the plastics treaty to protect health and the environment” Main takeaways: The United Nations (UN) is in the process of negotiating … Continue reading Scientists urge plastics treaty negotiators to prioritize health

Exposure to chemical dyes in clothing increases risk of gestational diabetes

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Exposure to chemical dyes found in textiles increases the risk of gestational diabetes, especially among pregnant women carrying male fetuses, according to researchers at UC San Francisco. The study is also one of the first to find that racial discrimination increases risk of gestational diabetes. People can be exposed to aromatic amines, which are found … Continue reading Exposure to chemical dyes in clothing increases risk of gestational diabetes

Trump’s proposed asbestos rollback is a warning sign for all toxic chemicals

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Dr. Rashmi Joglekar, Associate Director of Science, Policy and Engagement at the Program on Reproductive Health at UCSF, issued the following statement today. On Monday, the Trump administration announced plans to stymie implementation of the EPA’s long-awaited ban on asbestos by threatening to delay and reopen the rule for reconsideration in a process that could … Continue reading Trump’s proposed asbestos rollback is a warning sign for all toxic chemicals

Chemicals used in firefighting and pesticides linked to most common and deadly brain tumors

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Causes of gliomas, the most common type of deadly brain tumor, remain a mystery despite improvements in understanding glioma risks. Firefighters have a higher rate of these cancerous tumors, so we explored how exposure to haloalkanes, chemicals present in a number of widely used products including flame retardants, some fire extinguishants, solvents and pesticides, might … Continue reading Chemicals used in firefighting and pesticides linked to most common and deadly brain tumors