Client Earth: New @netflix.com series Toxic Town is based on the true story of mothers seeking justice for harm done to their children by toxic #pollution in their town.
Communities living in such 'sacrifice zones' are victims of industrial greed & negligence. More here
https://www.europesays.com/1838249/ Serve the People, Protect the Environment #Environment #health #PhilippineElections2025 #PlasticWasteAndPollution #ToxicChemicals
High levels of #ToxicChemicals found in #BrunswickMaine airport hangar #sewers
#CitizenPFAS monitoring revealed concerning levels of toxic chemicals in the sewer outfall of #Hangar6 in Brunswick, though a company hired to assess risk at the hangar said there is no leak of the toxic firefighting foams on the premises.
by Kristian Moravec, The Times Record
Posted February 4, 2025, Updated February 5
"A citizens group’s testing revealed that sewer water flowing from Hangar 6 at Brunswick’s airport has high levels of harmful per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, better known as PFAS.
"#FriendsOfMerrymeetingBay conducted testing on Nov. 26. The tests detected high levels of a particularly toxic #PFAS chemical compound known as #PFOS. The update comes the same day the owner of the hangar, the #MidcoastRegionalRedevelopmentAuthority, sent a letter to the town stating that tanks that stored the chemicals were not leaking.
"PFOS is a compound known to be harmful to human health and is found in high levels in aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF). Brunswick Executive Airport’s Hangar 4, which is owned by the Navy but operated by MRRA, dumped 1,450 gallons of AFFF concentrate mixed with 50,000 gallons of water on Aug. 19, 2024.
"The spill prompted ongoing cleanup and monitoring efforts as well as a push to get rid of the foam at the airport. Concern has grown around Hangar 6, which some have speculated is leaking harmful chemicals based on the testing data around the airport that Friends of Merrymeeting Bay has collected over the years. The sewage that flows out of Hangar 6, which is not treated for PFAS, ultimately flows into the #AndroscogginRiver."
Original article:
https://www.pressherald.com/2025/02/04/high-levels-of-toxic-chemicals-found-in-brunswick-airport-hangar-sewers/
Archived version:
https://archive.md/LlHx1
https://www.europesays.com/1808498/ The hidden threat in our environment and bodies #Dr.MatthewCampen #ecosystems #Environment #EnvironmentalPollution #HumanHealth #Microplastics #Nanoplastics #PlasticProduction #ToxicChemicals
Good advice from
@CHEMTrust on how to avoid children’s products containing harmful chemicals:
Source: https://chemtrust.org/news/toxic-chemicals-christmas-childrens-toys/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPKXk0o8hl8
Is your #makeup harmful?
Testing big brands for #foreverchemicals
#PFAs #maquillage #cosmetics #consumerknowledge #toxicchemicals #sludge #farm #farmers #farmland including #organicfarmers affected
dimethyl tetrachloroterephthalate, or #DCPA, marketed under the trade name #Dacthal — “stops the growth of some annual grasses and weeds”
#agriculture #agroecology #biodiversity #farmworkers #herbicides #pesticides #science #toxicchemicals #EPA
#viaCampesina
#Formaldehyde And Formaldehyde-Releasing Preservatives
Formaldehyde and formaldehyde-releasing preservatives (#FRPs) are used in many #PersonalCare products, particularly in #shampoos and liquid #BabySoaps.
"These preservatives release small amounts of formaldehyde over time. Since low levels of formaldehyde can cause health concerns-at levels as low as 250 parts per million and even lower levels in sensitized individuals-the slow release of small amounts of formaldehyde are cause for concern. A 2015 study determined that longer storage time and higher temperature increase the amount of formaldehyde released from FRPs and could ultimately lead to more severe health concerns.
"#Quaternium15 is the most sensitizing of these FRPs and is found in #blush, #mascara, #lotion and #shampoo.
"#DMDMHydantoin is found in lotion, #sunscreen and make-up remover and is one of the least sensitizing of the FRPs.
"#ImidazolidinylUrea, #DiazolidinylUrea, and #polyoxymethylene urea, are found in shampoo, conditioner, blush, #EyeShadow, and lotion and are all known human #allergens. #Imidazolidinyl urea is one of the most common #antimicrobial agents used in personal care products and is often combined with #parabens to provide a broad spectrum preservative system. #Diazolidinyl urea releases the most formaldehyde of any FRP.
"Sodium #hydroxymethylglycinate is found in shampoo, moisturizer, conditioner, and lotion. Animal studies have shown that sodium hydroxymethylglycinate has the potential for sensitization and #dermatitis.
"#Bromopol is found in #Nail Polish, #makeup remover, #moisturizer and #BodyWash. Bromopol is considered safe in concentrations less than 0.1%, but cannot be found in formulations with the FRP amine. Mixing bromopol and amines produce #nitrosamines which have been found to penetrate the skin and cause #cancer.
"#Glyoxal is found in conditioner, lotion, nail polish and nail treatment. CIR Expert Panel has declared that glyoxal is a skin allergen.
Regulations
"Banned from use in #cosmetics and #toiletries in #Japan and #Sweden; in the #EU, restricted in personal care products, and labeling is required in products that do contain these chemicals; concentration restrictions in Canada. The EU allows the use of Quaternium-15 up to 0.2% as a preservative in cosmetic products.
How to Avoid?
Read labels and avoid products containing the following ingredients: Formaldehyde, quaternium-15, dimethyl-dimethyl (DMDM) hydantoin, imidazolidinyl urea, diazolidinyl urea, sodium hydroxymethylglycinate, 2-bromo-2-nitropropane-1,3-diol (bromopol). In addition, choose nail products that are labeled formaldehyde-free or “toxic-trio-free” (formaldehyde, toluene and DBP). Skip hair-smoothing products—especially those sold in salons, as salon-based products are exempt from labeling laws. Don’t use expired cosmetic products or store cosmetic products in the sun because this can cause more formaldehyde to be released."
Houston-based Allied Powder Coating was issued fines totaling more than $338,000 for failing to protect workers from overexposures to dust as well as toxic chemicals such as arsenic, beryllium and lead, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.
#nurdles absorb #toxicchemicals like DDT and #mercury—tiny poison pills to be eaten by fish—make their way up the food chain.
nurdles are susceptible to spilling out into waterways and storm drains—companies dump nurdles down the drain on purpose.
10 TRILLION tiny plastic nurdles enter our oceans each year—and yet there's often no penalty for those responsible.
support the #PlasticPelletFreeWatersAct now.
‘#ForeverChemicals’ – the part of cleaning you don’t want to last
"Notable categories of cleaners that either may contain, or have historically contained, PFAS are:
- glass and hard surface cleaners
- fabric, upholstery, and #CarpetCleaners and treatments
- #waxes and polishes for #floors, #furniture, #cars and #boat vessels
- dishwashing rinse aids
- #AerosolPropellant-based #cleaners and #AirFresheners
- #paints and #coatings.
"Floor sealers and finishes – products that cure into a film once applied – often contain PFAS. During floor stripping and waxing, PFAS concentrations in dust and air particulate matter were one order of magnitude greater than typical residential indoor air and two orders of magnitude greater than outdoor air, according to a 2022 study.
"But now the cleaning products #Industry wants to keep consumers in the dark about the use of these chemicals in their brands. Earlier this month, a bill was introduced in Congress on behalf of leading household cleaning product makers that would deny Americans the right to know about #ToxicChemicals in cleaning products.
"The manufacturer #Reckitt applauded Rep. Larry Bucshon (R-Ind.) for introducing the bill, which would rob consumers of crucial information about the ingredients in their products. Reckitt makes popular household brands like #Lysol, #Woolite, #AirWick, #Vanish, #Calgon, among many others.
And industry giant #SCJohnson
called for a 'clear federal standard' on disclosing ingredients, knowing any such standard could take a decade or longer. The company manufactures #Glade, #Drano, #Pledge, #ScrubbingBubbles, #Shout and #Windex, along with many other products, including #Ziploc."
Read more:
https://www.ewg.org/news-insights/news/2023/10/forever-chemicals-part-cleaning-you-dont-want-last
#PFAS #PFOS #WaterIsLife #WaterPollution #PFASPollution #PFOA #PTFE #Wildlife #Cancer #Contamination #Chemicals #Environment #FoodPackaging #Plastics #FireFightingFoam #Firefighters #Health #Mining #Lubricants #Electronics #Cosmetics #PFNA #PFHxS #PFB #GenXChemicals
#Toxic #DowChemical #DuPont #3M #BASF #Teflon #RainWater #DrinkingWater
What are #PFAs? Everything you need to know about the ‘#ForeverChemicals’ surrounding us every day
#ToxicChemicals have been found in everything from strawberries to waterproof clothing. Should we worry?
• ‘They’re in dust – and the thing I use to clean the dust’: can I eradicate PFAS from my home?
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/article/2024/may/25/what-are-pfas-everything-you-need-to-know-about-the-forever-chemicals-surrounding-us-every-day
#Environment #PublicHealth #ProfitBeforePeople
Toxic #Gaslighting: How #3M Executives Convinced a Scientist the #ForeverChemicals She Found in Human Blood Were Safe
Decades ago, #KrisHansen showed 3M that its #PFAS chemicals were in people’s bodies. Her bosses halted her work. As the #EPA now forces the removal of the chemicals from drinking water, she wrestles with the secrets that 3M kept from her and the world.
by Sharon Lerner
May 20, 6 a.m. EDT
"Kris Hansen had worked as a chemist at the 3M Corporation for about a year when her boss, an affable senior scientist named Jim Johnson, gave her a strange assignment. 3M had invented #ScotchTape and #PostIt notes; it sold everything from sandpaper to kitchen sponges. But on this day, in 1997, Johnson wanted Hansen to test human blood for chemical contamination.
"Several of 3M’s most successful products contained man-made compounds called #fluorochemicals. In a spray called #Scotchgard, fluorochemicals protected leather and fabric from stains. In a coating known as #Scotchban, they prevented food packaging from getting soggy. In a soapy foam used by #firefighters, they helped extinguish jet-fuel fires.
"Johnson explained to Hansen that one of the company’s fluorochemicals, #PFOS — short for perfluorooctanesulfonic acid — often found its way into the bodies of 3M factory workers. Although he said that they were unharmed, he had recently hired an outside lab to measure the levels in their blood. The lab had just reported something odd, however. For the sake of comparison, it had tested blood samples from the American Red Cross, which came from the general population and should have been free of fluorochemicals. Instead, it kept finding a contaminant in the blood.
"Johnson asked Hansen to figure out whether the lab had made a mistake. Detecting trace levels of chemicals was her specialty: She had recently written a doctoral dissertation about tiny particles in the atmosphere. Hansen’s team of lab technicians and junior scientists fetched a blood sample from a lab-supply company and prepped it for analysis. Then Hansen switched on an oven-size box known as a mass spectrometer, which weighs molecules so that scientists can identify them.
"As the lab equipment hummed around her, Hansen loaded a sample into the machine. A graph appeared on the mass spectrometer’s display; it suggested that there was a compound in the blood that could be PFOS. That’s weird, Hansen thought. Why would a chemical produced by 3M show up in people who had never worked for the company?"
'High levels of #weedkiller found in more than half #sperm samples, study finds
#Glyphosate found in samples from French #infertility clinic raising questions about controversial chemical’s impact on #fertility'
'The paper comes as researchers look for answers to why #GlobalFertility rates are dropping, and many suspect exposure to #ToxicChemicals like glyphosate is a significant driver of the decline.'
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/article/2024/may/17/glyphosate-weedkiller-sperm
#PublicHealth #Environment #Farming #ProfitBeforePeople #BigChem
Chemicals in vapes could be highly toxic when heated, research finds | Vaping | The Guardian
https://www.theguardian.com/society/article/2024/may/08/chemicals-in-vapes-could-be-highly-toxic-when-heated-research-finds
#Vapes
#Chemicals
#ToxicChemicals
#HealthHazards
#Irritants
#VolatileCarbonyls
#COPD
#RCSIUniOfMedicineAndHealthSciences
#Flavours
#Teenagers
#YoungAdults
#DeptOfHealth
#DeptOfHealthAndSocialCare
Republicans are generally anti-science now, but supposedly they're pro-family. Will they a block a future bill that will address this chemicals from plastic problem contributing to premature births?
One in 10 premature births in the United States have been linked to pregnant women being exposed to chemicals in extremely common plastic products, a large study said on Wednesday.
#Environment #Plastic #ToxicChemicals #ChemicalPollutants
#Health #PrematureBirths
https://phys.org/news/2024-02-premature-births-linked-plastic-chemicals.html
The #plastic paradox: How plastics went from #elephant saviors to eco-villains
Do the benefits of plastics outweigh the costs?
January 23, 2024
"It was 1869, and something needed to be done.
"With the price of #ivory skyrocketing, billiard ball manufacturers were scrambling for an alternative. The prized material derived from #ElephantTusks was being used to craft such things as knife handles, piano keys, dice, dominoes, chessmen, and yes, billiard balls. Now, with elephants growing scarce from overhunting, the wonder material was becoming difficult to procure and unreasonably expensive. After all, one tusk would yield just four or five balls. Leading pool table manufacturer Phelan and Collender offered $10,000 ($225,000 today) to any inventor who could discover a replacement for ivory.
"Albany inventor John Wesley Hyatt answered the call, molding together camphor, nitrocellulose, and alcohol under extreme pressure. His concoction, called #celluloid, was one of the first synthetic plastics. While Hyatt’s creation proved an unwieldy material for billiard balls — insufficiently durable and mildly explosive when struck — it inspired others to formulate something better. A few decades later, American chemist Leo Baekeland came up with the petroleum-derived #Bakelite. It became the first commercially successful synthetic plastic, and very likely saved elephants from extinction.
"More than a century later, this story has morphed into an intriguing irony…With their creation, plastics probably saved countless species — both plants and animals — from extinction. Derived from byproducts of #FossilFuel production, which had previously gone unused, the invention of synthetic plastics meant that humans no longer had to pillage the living #NaturalWorld to produce various products for a technologically advancing global society. Fast-forward to today: Plastics are demonized for eroding the environment and endangering human health, prompting many to wonder if we’d be better off without them."
Read more / listen:
https://bigthink.com/the-present/plastics-costs-benefits-paradox/?utm_source=pocket-newtab-en-us
#Health #Plastic
#Toxic #ToxicChemicals #Environment #Microplastic #Pollution #Paradox
Study: Most #Plastics Leach #HormoneLike #Chemicals
by Jon Hamilton
March 2, 2011
"Most plastic products, from #SippyCups to #FoodWraps, can release chemicals that act like the sex hormone #estrogen, according to a study in Environmental Health Perspectives.
"The study found these chemicals even in products that didn't contain #BPA a compound in certain plastics that's been widely criticized because it mimics estrogen.
"Many plastic products are now marketed as BPA-free, and manufacturers have begun substituting other #chemicals whose effects aren't as well known.
"But it's still unclear whether people are being harmed by BPA or any other so-called estrogenic chemicals in plastics. Most studies of health effects have been done in mice and rats.
"The new study doesn't look at health risks. It simply asks whether common plastic products release estrogen-like chemicals other than BPA.
"The researchers bought more than 450 plastic items from stores including Walmart and Whole Foods. They chose products designed to come in contact with food — things like baby bottles, deli packaging and flexible bags, says George Bittner, one of the study's authors and a professor of biology at the University of Texas, Austin."
Read more:
https://www.npr.org/2011/03/02/134196209/study-most-plastics-leach-hormone-like-chemicals
[Audio] #MedicalPlastic Linked to #BreastCancer Relapse
Air Date: Week of December 10, 2021
"Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer death among women worldwide, and #endocrine disrupting chemicals are partly to blame. One such chemical is #DEHP, a #phthalate chemical commonly used in plastic hospital #IntravenousBags and #MedicalTubing, and a recent study finds that it’s interfering with breast cancer treatment and augmenting the odds of relapse. Pete Myers, the founder and chief scientist of Environmental Health Sciences, talks with Host Steve Curwood about the study findings and how to protect patients from harm caused by endocrine disrupting chemicals."
Link to audio and transcript:
https://loe.org/shows/segments.html?programID=21-P13-00050&segmentID=2
