The Weekly Toxic Times
From the Michigan Network for Children's Environmental HealthNews highlights from March 1 – March 7, 2008
A recap of the top stories on toxins in Michigan, National, and International news.
Michigan News
Safer wiggly worms
Great Lake Radio’s Environmental Report, Monday, March 3, 2008
Article discusses the ramifications of phthalates in fishing lures.
http://www.environmentreport.org/story.php3?story_id=3935
Dow Corning agrees to $95,000 EPA penalty
Midland Daily News, Sunday, March 1, 2008
“The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 5 announced Friday that it reached an agreement with Dow Corning Corp. on alleged clean-air violations at two of its production processes at 3901 S. Saginaw Road in Midland…”
http://www.ourmidland.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=19348678&BRD=
2289&PAG=461&dept_id=472542&rfi=6
Quality control builds sales for toy maker
Detroit News, Wednesday, March 5, 2008
“WALLED LAKE – While the toy industry grapples with concerns about the safety of its products, especially those imported from China, a local company [American Plastic Toys] continues to quietly produce wagons, pirate ships, strollers and other plastic items in the United States…”
http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080305/BIZ/
803050343/1001/BIZ
Traverse City: DNR sued over planned UP mine
Detroit Free Press, Saturday, March 2, 2008
“Opponents of a proposed nickel and copper mine in the Upper Peninsula sued the Michigan Department of Natural Resources on Thursday. The DNR approved Kennecott Minerals Co.'s plans last month and agreed to lease 120 acres of state land for the mine's surface facilities…”
http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080302/NEWS06/
803020608/1008/NEWS06
Ottawa is right to investigate in St. Clair River
The Times Herald (Port Huron), Thursday, Feb. 28, 2008
Article discusses Canada’s financial assistance with cleaning up the St. Clair River.
http://www.thetimesherald.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080228/
OPINION01/802280319/1014/OPINION
National News
House votes to curb lead in products for children
Washington Post, Saturday, March 1, 2008
“Maryland would hire inspectors to enforce a ban on manufacturing, selling, importing or distributing toys and other children's products containing dangerous levels of lead under legislation that passed overwhelmingly yesterday in the House of Delegates…”
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/
2008/02/29/AR2008022901861.html
Toy safety bill debated in senate
Chicago Tribune, Wednesday, March 5, 2008
“WASHINGTON - The Senate on Tuesday dove into what could be an extensive debate over a sweeping reform of the nation's toy safety system, rejecting an early attempt to scale back its mandates for increased toy testing and other safety measures…”
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-consumer
5mar05,1,3190919.story
Additional articles covering the bill and debate:
Bill to overhaul toy safety testing agency
NPR, All Things Considered, Tuesday, March 4, 2008
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=87898715
Fight looms over consumer database
Los Angeles Times, Thursday, March 6, 2008
http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/asection/la-na-consumers6
mar06,1,2239010.story
Senate weighs agency shakeup over lead-tainted toys
Houston Chronicle, Thursday, March 6, 2008
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/headline/nation/5596957.html
Maine supports bill to target toxic toys
Hemscott (from Associated Press), No date
http://www.hemscott.com/news/latest-news/item.do?newsId=60917668879249
Safety inspector just can’t stop poking around
Wall Street Journal (subscription required), Tuesday, March 4, 2008
Article discusses how a retiree from the Consumer Products Safety Commission is continuing to look for companies selling unsafe toys.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120468098497312193.html
Two articles discussing the removal of researcher Deborah Rice
from a EPA federal advisory panel on flame retardants:
Removal from review plane stirs defenders of Maine scientist
Boston Globe, Sunday, March 1, 2008
Researcher forced off toxics panel
Portland Press Herald, Sunday, March 1, 2008
http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/story.php?id=172862&ac=PHnws
Non-toxic tots: Parents pay dearly for safety
Washington Post, March 1, 2008
Article discusses the growth in businesses that sell children’s products made without toxic chemicals.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/
2008/02/29/AR2008022903658.html
Group backs bills against chemicals in toys
Bangor Daily News, Friday, Feb 29, 2008
“AUGUSTA, Maine – Concerned parents joined health and environmental organizations Thursday in urging state lawmakers to approve legislation aimed at removing potentially toxic chemicals from children’s toys and other household products…”
http://bangornews.com/news/t/news.aspx?articleid=160956&zoneid=500
Enforcing the lead limit
South Bend Tribune, Sunday, March 2, 2008
Article covers a toy testing event in Benton Harbor, MI by the Michigan Environmental Council.
http://www.southbendtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080302/
News01/803020437/1011/News
Hinchey proposes tougher TCE standards
Press & Sun Bulletin (New York). Tuesday, March 4, 2008
Article covers federal legislation proposed by Hinchey (D-NY) and Clinton (D-NY) to limit the public’s exposure to TCE.
http://www.pressconnects.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080304/
NEWS01/803040330/1006
Synthetic turf: Health debate takes route
Environmental Health Perspectives, March 2008
Article covers the recent debate and concerns about the health impacts of synthetic turf.
http://www.ehponline.org/members/2008/116-3/focus.html
A lifeblood with toxic undertones
Oregonian, Friday, March 7, 2008
“The 146 miles of the Columbia River from the Bonneville Dam to the Pacific Ocean, in some spots industrialized and in long stretches post-card beautiful, carries a low-level suite of toxics from flame retardants to prescription drugs to pesticides…”
http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/news/
120486570768000.xml&coll=7
Study links agriculture to increase in intersex fish in Potomac Basin
Chesapeake Bay Journal, March 2008
“Scientists have been perplexed for years as to why large numbers of male smallmouth bass in the Potomac River basin contain immature egg cells, but they offer some clues in a recent journal article. Results published in the Journal of Aquatic Animal Health suggest that the high rate of “intersex” characteristics in smallmouth bass from the Shenandoah River and the South Branch of the Potomac appears to be linked to areas with large human populations or intense agricultural operations…”
http://www.bayjournal.com/article.cfm?article=3285
Company fights ban of bird-killer
Denver Post, Monday, March 3, 2008
Article covers industry’s resistance to EPA’s first attempt in 20 years to ban a pesticide, carbofuran.
http://www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_8431857
Environmental speaker sheds light on toxins
South Town Star (Chicago), Tuesday, March 4, 2008
Article covers a talk by a the president of the Environmental Working Group about a study they completed that found 287 toxins in the umbilical cords of 10 newborns.
http://www.southtownstar.com/news/823617,030408environment.article
Public urged to lead on environmental safety
The Record (New Jersey), Tuesday, March 4, 2008
Article covers efforts of environmental community in New Jersey to get their state government to take action in ensuring schools are free of toxic chemical exposure and to apply a precautionary principle.
Dioxin’s long reach
Science (subscription required), Saturday, March 1, 2008
Article discusses a Dutch study on the impact of dioxin exposure on girls’ reproductive development.
http://www.sciencenews.org/articles/20080301/note15.asp
Jody Spear: Evaluating hazardous consumer products
Bangor News, Wednesday, March 5, 2008
Op-ed about known and suspected health concerns connected with various chemicals used in consumer products.
http://bangornews.com/news/t/viewpoints.aspx?articleid=161140&zoneid=35
Her game rules: child safe and eco-friendly
Los Angeles Times, Thursday, March 6, 2008
Article showcases Beyond Learning, a company creating and making products safer for children’s health and the environment.
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-toymaker6mar06,0,972713.story
Finding non-toxic toys
The Daily Green (blog), Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2008
Entry covers where to find toys without toxic chemicals.
http://www.thedailygreen.com/living-green/blogs/organic-parenting/zissu/
non-toxic-toys-55026301
International News
Persistence pays off in head lice debate
Mandurah (Australia), Wednesday March 5, 2008
Article covers a natural head lice treatment, a combination of tea tree oil, citronella oil, lavender oil and neem oil, developed by a couple in Australia and sold online at http://www.headlicenits.com.au/.
Pesticides may be hidden danger to child IQ
ABC (Australia), Wednesday, March 5, 2008
“Household pesticides may cause some of the intellectual development problems in children previously associated with lead, an Australian toxicologist says. In a commentary available online in the journal Science of the Total Environment, Professor Brian Gulson says there is no question lead has a detrimental effect on children's intellectual development…”
http://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2008/03/05/2178230.htm
Articles were researched and compiled by Diane Sherman, MNCEH Intern.
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