The Weekly Toxic Times
From the Michigan Network for Children's Environmental HealthNews highlights from March 15 – March 21, 2008
A recap of the top stories on toxins in Michigan, National, and International news.
Michigan News
Ecology Center’s lindane suit settled
Ann Arbor News, Saturday, March 15, 2008
“The Ecology Center has settled a lawsuit filed by a pharmaceutical company that sought more than $9 million from the Ann Arbor-based nonprofit because of its participation in an aggressive campaign to restrict use of a chemical believed to be harmful to people and the environment….”
http://www.mlive.com/news/annarbornews/index.ssf?/base/news-26/12055
63216142590.xml&coll=2
New standards will limit mercury discharges
Bay City Times, Sunday, March 16, 2008
“Wastewater discharges will get a little less toxic under new mercury rules heading toward approval in Michigan. The restrictions will in most cases require municipal wastewater treatment plants and other permitted facilities to remove more mercury before wastewater is discharged to waterways. The proposed changes are the result of a federal lawsuit brought by a Bay City area environmental group, the Lone Tree Council…”
http://blog.mlive.com/bctimes/2008/03/new_standard_will_limit_mercur.html
Hamtramck bans lead from rental units
Detroit News, Monday, March 17, 2008
“HAMTRAMCK – City, county and state officials are set to announce a precedent-making ordinance that would require all rental units in Hamtramck to be inspected for lead-based paint hazards. The ordinance, which the City Council unanimously approved, is billed as the first of its kind in Michigan. It requires landlords remove lead from units before renting properties…”
http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080317/METRO/
803170451/1409/METRO
Get real: Only bans on phosphorus use will help the Bay
Bay City Times, Friday, March 14, 2008
Opinion piece by the editors of the Bay City Times encouraging the Michigan to issue a ban on phosphorous in products, including dishwasher detergents and fertilizers.
http://www.mlive.com/columns/bctimes/index.ssf?/base/news-1/1205507
721306500.xml&coll=4
Dioxin cleanup near Dow Chemical plant remains on slow track
MLive Michigan Environmental Issues, Monday, March 17, 2008
“MIDLAND – More than a century after Dow Chemical Co. began dumping dioxins into a river flowing past its mid-Michigan plant, the company and regulators are still debating how to cleanse a swath of waters and wetlands that now reaches 50 miles to Lake Huron…”
http://www.mlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2008/03/dioxin_cleanup_near
_dow_chemic.html
Dioxin cleanup near Dow plant going slowly
Lansing State Journal, Tuesday, March 18, 2008
“MIDLAND – More than a century after Dow Chemical Co. began dumping dioxins into a river flowing past its mid-Michigan plant, the company and regulators still are debating how to cleanse a swath of waters and wetlands that now reaches 50 miles to Lake Huron…:”
http://www.lsj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080318/NEWS01/803180323/
1001/news
National News
Toxic Toys
Now on PBS, Friday March 21, 2008
Articles and videos on toxins in toys, including phthalates, and legislative efforts to ban the toxins.
http://www.pbs.org/now/shows/412/index.html
CDC: More tests needed to know if chemical is unsafe
Ledger, Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Article discusses the findings to date from studies on Bisphenol A from the CDC and National Toxicology Program.
http://www.theledger.com/article/20080319/NEWS/803190577/1023
FDA relied on industry studies to judge safety
Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, Friday, March 21, 2008
“Ignoring hundreds of government and academic studies showing a chemical commonly found in plastic can be harmful to lab animals at low doses, the Food and Drug Administration determined the chemical was safe based on just two industry-funded studies that didn't find harm…”
http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=730965
Toy safety steps back into national spotlight
USA Today, Sunday, March 16, 2008
Article discusses actions by states to ban chemicals in toys.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2008-03-16-toy-safety_N.htm
Toy-safety measure may trigger a lawsuit
Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Sunday, March 16, 2008
Article discusses the possibility of legal action by industry against Washington state because of its recent legislation about phthalates.
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/health/355209_plastic17.html
Reebok’s deadly lead charm draws $1 million federal fine
Star Tribune (Minneapolis-St. Paul), Tuesday, March 18, 2008
“Two years after a Minneapolis boy swallowed part of a charm bracelet given away with a pair of athletic shoes and died of lead poisoning, the shoes' maker, Reebok, has agreed to pay the government $1 million to settle allegations that it violated the Federal Hazardous Substances Act…”
http://www.startribune.com/local/west/16769521.html
School district makes plan to get rid of lead in toys
St. Cloud Times (Minnesota), Thursday, March 20, 2008
Article covers the policy choices one school district faces with after discovering some of its toys contained lead.
http://www.sctimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080320/NEWS01
/103200032/1009
Articles on recent toy recalls and detection of toxics in toys:
Hannah Montana gear has excessive lead, group says
LA Times, Wednesday, March 19, 2008
http://www.latimes.com/business/printedition/la-fi-hannah
19mar19,1,6118202.story
Lab: Some Hannah Montana products test high for lead
Chicago Tribune, Saturday, March 22, 2008
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-032108
hannah-montana-lead,1,7159811.story
Blocked study draws attention to PCBs
Green Bay Press Gazette, Saturday, March 15, 2008
Article discusses the lack of current fish advisories in the Great Lake states, and a report on PCBs that the CDC chose not to publish last year.
Man-made chemicals may put strain on fish
Washington Post, Thursday, March 18, 2008
“The Potomac River contains an array of man-made chemicals that could play havoc with animals' hormone systems, federal scientists have found in their best glimpse yet of the river's problems with a mysterious new class of pollutant…”
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/
03/17/AR2008031702506.html
State keeps wrap on cancer information
Delaware Online, Saturday, March 15, 2008
Article discusses high cancer rates in Delaware and action by the state to prevent outside researchers from investigating the issue.
http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080316/
NEWS02/803160356/1006/NEWS
Good hygiene decreases exposure to toxic substances
Environmental Science and Technology News, Wednesday, March 19, 2008
“We all know that we can reduce our risk of exposure to viruses and bacteria by washing our hands before we eat. New research in ES&T suggests that good hygiene may also help protect people—especially children—from taking up persistent organic pollutants (POPs) from everyday objects like TVs and cell phones…”
http://pubs.acs.org/subscribe/journals/esthag-w/2008/mar/science/kb_
wipes.html
Lawmakers probe EPA conflicts
Associated Press, Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Article discusses a House Energy and Commerce Committee-initiated investigation into conflicts of interests among scientists serving on EPA scientific advisory panels. Article discusses the investigation’s focuses on scientists advising EPA on chemicals they are receiving industry funding to research.
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5jeUws0YW_ERohyoQeQuNrEnFxZFwD
8VFEF480
International News
Lice shampoo contains banned pesticide: Critics
Toronto Star (Canada), Monday, March 17, 2008
“Parents of children with head lice are being urged to avoid over-the-counter treatments that contain the pesticide lindane, which is outlawed for agricultural use in dozens of countries, including Canada…”
http://www.thestar.com/News/Canada/article/346801
Toy cars seized in Norfolk
Eastern Daily Press (England), Friday, March 14, 2008
“Toy cars made in China containing dangerous levels of lead and chromium have been seized in Norfolk. Tests were carried out on the toys, known as “Friction Power Toy Cars”, following a spot check by Norfolk County Council trading standards officers. Results showed the toys' paint contained up to 40 times the legal limit of lead and five times the legal limit of chromium.”
Articles were researched and compiled by Diane Sherman, MNCEH Intern.
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