In a recent news release, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) indicated that it’s taking two important steps to address the presence of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in the environment. These chemicals have been detected in drinking water in several communities over the past few…
Despite new research suggesting that exposure to toxic per- and polyfluoralkyl substances (PFAS) in firefighting foams may make COVID-19 infections more severe, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has refused to establish safety limits for those chemicals contained in some bottled water. The International…
In a recent press release, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced a voluntary agreement with manufacturers to phase out certain short-chain per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) currently used in food packaging. Companies use these toxic chemicals to create nonstick surfaces, but they have…
Firefighting foams regularly used at military bases and airports around the country have been linked with drinking water contamination. Over the past several years, water testing has revealed toxic levels of chemicals called per and poly-fluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS. Studies have found associations between exposure…
Since September 2019, six Philadelphia public schools have closed because of hazardous asbestos damage. Parents and students are understandably concerned about the related asbestos health risks. Many of the buildings are old and were built when asbestos was commonly used for insulation. Minor damage, however,…
JUUL Labs, the market leader in e-cigarette products, has been under intense scrutiny lately as authorities crackdown on the company’s alleged marketing of their products to young people. In addition to creating kid-friendly flavors, including chocolate cupcake, crème, mango, and tutti-frutti, JUUL was said to…
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that in 2016, about 8 in 10 middle and high school students—more than 20 million young people—had seen e-cigarette advertising. Between 2011 and 2015, e-cigarette use among students increased 900 percent, according to the U.S. Surgeon…
A new movie called “Dark Waters,” scheduled to be released in November 2019, is based on the true story of attorney Robert Bilott who discovered polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)—a group of chemicals that include perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA)—in the drinking water of a suburban town. The movie…
In March 2019, a California jury awarded plaintiffs in a Roundup lawsuit $80 million in damages. This was the first bellwether Roundup lawsuit to go to trial in the consolidated MDL. The plaintiff claimed he developed cancer after spraying Roundup for three decades. In a…
Could fracking cause cancer? That’s what a group of Pennsylvania residents are concerned about. More than a hundred recently signed a letter to Governor Tom Wolf, asking him to “begin an investigation into cancers diagnosed in all counties where shale gas drilling, fracking, and infrastructure…
