Another lawsuit regarding the ongoing Chinese drywall debacle is set to begin sometime next week. The lawsuit involves four Manatee County, Florida homes, said Bradenton.com.

Taylor Woodrow Homes and Taylor Morrison Homes filed suit against Scottsdale Insurance Company on February 23 claiming Scottsdale should pay for replacing defective drywall in homes that were built in the subdivisions of Aberdeen, Crystal Lakes, Greenbrook, and Oakley Place, said Bradenton.com. This lawsuit is just one of many hundred that have been consolidated with a federal drywall proceeding in New Orleans.

The Taylor suit alleges that the builders hired Nu Way Drywall LLC to supply and install drywall in the four Manatee homes, said Bradenton.com. In one of the cases, a homeowner sued Taylor Morrison, which then agreed to remove and replace the drywall and pay damages; remediation is about 50-percent complete, added Bradenton.com. Meanwhile, Taylor Morrison said that Scottsdale provided liability coverage to Nu Way but did not defend it in the lawsuit, despite that it was mandated to do so and was also required to cover replacement costs for drywall, said Bradenton.com.

At least 3,000 people from across the country have filed suit over defective Chinese drywall. All of the Chinese drywall lawsuits filed in federal courts have been consolidated in the US District Court in New Orleans under Judge Eldon E. Fallon as part of a multidistrict litigation. The first trial is scheduled for March 15 and involves a Louisiana family, said Bradenton.com.

We recently wrote that nine people living in homes with Chinese drywall have died from various ailments and, now, several lawmakers are demanding answers. According to a report in the New Orleans Times-Picayune, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) said death reports were among the Chinese drywall complaints it has received; however, it has not found direct scientific evidence to support a link between the deaths and the drywall. The death reports were first uncovered by the Scripps Howard News Service, which filed a freedom of information request to receive copies of 2,700 drywall complaints filed with the agency, the Times-Picayune said.

Now, said Bradenton.com, a number of federal agencies are probing the deaths and the agencies and the federal judge are expected to issues protocols for the removal and replacement of defective Chinese drywall, said Bradenton.com.

Since late 2008, the CPSC has received about 3,000 reports from residents in 37 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico regarding defective Chinese drywall. Gases emitted from Chinese drywall are being blamed for significant property damage, including damage to HVAC systems, smoke detectors, electrical wiring, metal plumbing components, and other household appliances. These gases also produce a sulfurous odor that permeates homes, and cause metals, including air conditioning coils and even jewelry, to corrode. People living with Chinese drywall have also suffered eye, respiratory, and sinus problems that may be linked to the gases.

Meanwhile, some Virginia homeowners, plaintiffs in the first federal Chinese drywall trial, recently gave testimony about the toll the disaster has taken on their lives. In that case, the plaintiffs are arguing that the only way to truly fix their homes is to gut them down to the studs. The costs calculated for remediation itself, based on bids solicited independently from two Virginia builders, averaged about $86 per square foot, or roughly $172,000 for a typical 2,000- square-foot home. Those plaintiffs are seeking $2.5 million, with about $1.2 million covering remediation, and at least another $1.3 million for damages beyond remediation.

States; counties; and other entities, including some manufacturers, such as baby bottle makers; Canada; and the European Union, have taken matters into their own hands regarding the controversial chemical, bisphenol A—BPA—by banning the estrogenic chemical in a variety of uses and for certain demographics. Now, reports the Associated Press (AP), Wisconsin is banning BPA in some children’s items sold in that state. Governor Jim Doyle signed the bill into law this week, said the AP.

The Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Chicago bans apply to bottles and sippy cups for children aged three and younger; the Connecticut law does not have an age limit, said the AP.

Doyle said that as more and more states continue to place bans on the industrial chemical, more and more manufacturers will likely stop using it, as well, reported the AP. As we’ve previously written, six key baby bottle makers—Avent, Disney First Years, Gerber, Dr. Brown, Playtex, and Evenflow—no longer use the polycarbonate plastic in the manufacturer of those products.

Countless established and emerging reports continue to confirm that the chemical appears to cause significant disruption to the body’s endocrine system and has been linked to cardiovascular disease, intestinal problems, and brain cell connection interference. BPA has also been connected to increased risks of reproductive and immune system diseases and disorders; problems with liver function testing; interruptions in chemotherapy treatment; links with serious health problems; and erectile dysfunction and other sexual problems in males. In urine tests, BPA is found in the overwhelming majority of Americans, more than 93 percent and, significantly, the chemical is found in 90 percent of all newborns. “British scientists have linked BPA to heart disease, diabetes and liver-enzyme abnormalities,” said Reuters.

Industry has long argued that scientists and advocates exaggerate BPA’s adverse effects, continually citing two industry studies; however, at last count, over 900 peer-reviewed studies found links between BPA and such effects. Also, studies have overwhelmingly found BPA to have negative effects at doses lower than current FDA standards; retention in the body longer than was previously believed; leeching into liquids being held in containers regardless of the containers’ temperature; and longer lasting damage, which some feel can be passed to future generations. Now, states; counties; and other entities, including some manufacturers; Canada; and the European Union, are taking matters into their own hands by banning the estrogenic chemical in a variety of uses and for certain demographics.

Recently, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reversed its position that BPA was safe for all saying it has “some concern” about BPA’s effects on the brain; behavior; and prostates of fetuses, infants, and young children, said the Journal Sentinel. But, on the heels of a meeting between chemical industry lobbyists and Obama administration officials, federal regulators at the EPA are doing what seems to be a bit of a back track regarding the inclusion of BPA in its regulation of dangerous chemicals.

The FDA has earmarked about $30 million to fund additional studies over two years, said AP, which noted that when the Wisconsin ban becomes effective in June retail outlets and manufactures must state the targeted products are free of the chemical; wholesalers, retailers, and manufacturers could face fines and jail time if found to be in violation of the ban.

Now, the Associated Press (AP) is reporting that an environmental contractor “dramatically underreported” the amount of benzene, a known carcinogen, found in tap water at the Camp and, worse, completely omitted its presence in information when the base was preparing for a federal health review, said the AP. Ten years prior, the Marine Corps was warned about the “dangerously high” benzene levels that originated from “massive” fuel tank leaks at the base, said the AP, citing studies and its review.

Last year, we wrote that Michael Partain (42) was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2007 and, speaking to the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, pointed out that his parents were stationed at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina when he was born. No less than 40 more U.S. Marines, or sons of Marines, who lived at the Marine base have been diagnosed with breast cancer, considered relatively rare in men, said CNN previously. Partain said that when his mother was pregnant with him, his family was subjected to high levels of tetrachloroethylene, trichloroethylene, dichloroethylene, benzene, and vinyl chloride in Camp Lejeune’s tap water wrote CNN, previously.

Partain is not the only one. Marines have long been citing Camp Lejeune as the origin of cancer and other illnesses in their families, pointing to water contaminated by dry cleaning solvents, said the AP, adding that accusations of a military cover-up are not new.

Benzene was found in the Camp’s water in 1984 at levels indicating the concentration “far exceeds” the federal safety limit, said the AP. In 1991, as water studies were continuing, a different contractor issued another warning to the Navy about adverse health reactions known to be linked to high benzene levels. The following year, the federal Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease, part of the Department of Health and Human Services, conducted a health risk assessment and a different—the third—contractor, the Michael Baker Corp., issued a draft feasibility report to correct the problem, reported the AP.

Among other problems, the report changed the massive finding of 380 parts per billion (ppb) of benzene found in the water to a more reasonable 38 ppb; by the time the final report was issued, mention of benzene was completely removed, said the AP. Sadly, benzene levels have worsened and testing conducted from June 2007 to August 2009 revealed benzene levels at a horrifying 3,490 ppb, said the AP, citing a fourth contractor.

A veteran enforcement officer at the Environmental Protection Agency, Kyla Bennett, who was later an ecologist and environmental attorney, looked at the various reports and concluded that it was not easy to believe that so-called “innocent mistakes” occurred in the documents submitted by Baker Corp. “It is weird that it went from 380 to 38 and then it disappeared entirely,” she said. “It does support the contention that they did do it deliberately,” quoted the AP.

Lead poisoning is considered the greatest environmental health threat to children under the age of six. In children and fetuses, lead exposure can cause brain and nervous system damage, behavioral and learning problems, slowed growth, hearing problems, headaches, mental and physical retardation, and behavioral and other health problems. Lead is known to cause cancer and reproductive harm and, in adults, can damage the nervous system. Experts agree that there is no safe level of lead. Most noteworthy, children under the age of six face these great risks because their growing bodies absorb lead more easily than adult bodies do.

According to CEH,  the inflated vinyl Valentine’s Day love messages (eg, “I love U”) the "Message Bears" were carrying had lead levels that were nearly 10 times higher than what is allowed under federal law. Results of the CEH tests prompted California Attorney General Jerr Brown to send a letter to Target requesting a recall of the bears. A spokesperson for Target told the Associated Press that the retailer has received that letter, and is conducting an internal investigation. The officials said Target is removing the toy bears from shelves as well as hard-locking them at the registers.

The action involves two “Message Bears.” One is a pink stuffed bear with “XOXO” across the chest and the other a brown stuffed bear with “I Love U” across the chest, with “love” represented by a heart. The bears were made in China and sold exclusively by Target stores.

The study was limited to women who were “sub-fertile” and eventually did become pregnant. The researchers surmised that had they included infertile couples in the study, it is possible that they would have seen an even stronger effect from PBDE exposure.

To determine the impact PBDE’s might have on a woman’s ability to conceive, researchers at Berkeley measured PBDE levels in blood samples from 223 pregnant women who took part in a study at the Center for the Health Assessment of Mothers and Children of Salinas, which looked at environmental exposures and reproduction. Among these women, concentrations of PBDEs were slightly lower than in the general U.S. population, which could be attributed to the fact that many of the women grew up in Mexico, where exposure to the chemical is more limited.

Among women who were trying to become pregnant, those with high levels of PBDE in their blood were half as likely to do so in any given month. In fact, for every tenfold increase in blood levels of PBDEs, the odds of becoming pregnant were reduced 30 percent. Even after the researchers took into account other factors, such as exposure to pesticides, irregular menstrual cycles, frequency of intercourse, weight, use of birth control pills in the year before conception, smoking, and alcohol and caffeine use, the results were the same.

PBDEs have been used in consumer products since the 1970’s, when new fire safety standards were imposed in the U.S.  Animal studies have found that PBDEs can harm neurodevelopment, lower thyroid hormones and change levels of sex hormones. They can leach into the environment and be stored in fat cells. Dust containing PBDE’s has been found in homes, and studies have found that 97 percent of Americans have detectable levels of the chemicals in their blood.

Three PBDE’s – pentaBDE, octaBDE and decaBDE — have been developed for commercial use as flame retardants. PentaBDE and octaBDE have both been banned in several states but are still in products made before 2004. Last month, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced that three major manufacturers of decaBDE will phase out this product by 2013.

Sealcoat products are widely used in the U.S., both commercially and by homeowners on their driveways. The products are commonly applied to parking lots of commercial businesses (including strip malls and shopping centers); apartment and condominium complexes; churches, schools, and business parks; residential driveways; and playgrounds. The sealcoat wears off of the surface relatively rapidly, especially in areas of high traffic, and manufacturers recommend resealing every three to five years.

Two kinds of sealcoat products are widely used: coal-tar-emulsion based products and asphalt-emulsion based products. Earlier studies have suggested that coal-tar based sealcoat is more commonly used in the Midwest, the South, and on the East Coast.

According to researchers at the U.S. Gelological Survey (USGS), elevated levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in house dust has been linked to coal-tar-based sealcoat, the black, shiny substance sprayed or painted on many parking lots, driveways, and playgrounds. PAHs are an environmental health issue because several are probable human carcinogens and they are toxic to fish and other aquatic life. In the past, several factors have been thought to affect PAH concentrations in house dust, including tobacco smoking and frequency of vacuuming. Researchers have had little success, however, demonstrating a relation between any of those factors and PAH concentrations.

 Coal tar is a byproduct of the coking of coal, and can contain 50 percent or more PAHs by weight. Coal-tar-based pavement sealants therefore have very high levels of PAHs compared to other PAH sources (e.g., soot, vehicle emissions, used motor oil).

The USGS study found that apartments adjacent to coal-tar-sealcoated parking lots contained concentrations of PAHs in house dust with that were 25 times higher than in house dust from apartments with concrete, asphalt, or asphalt-based sealcoat parking lot surfaces. The study also found that dust directly on the coal-tar-sealcoated parking lots had PAH concentrations that were 530 times higher than in dust on the parking lots without coal-tar sealcoat. Researchers conducting the study surmised that small particles of sealcoat, which contains extremely high concentrations of PAHs, likely are tracked indoors by residents after they walk across the parking lot.

Previous research by the same group of USGS scientists, published earlier in 2009, demonstrated that dust from sealcoated parking lots in cities east of the Continental Divide had concentrations of PAHs that were about 1,000 times higher than in dust from sealcoated parking lots in cities west of the Continental Divide.

The study is published online in Environmental Science and Technology.

Cadmium is a known carcinogen, and can interfere with brain development in very young children. On the Centers for Disease Control’s priority list of 275 most hazardous substances in the environment, cadmium ranks No. 7. Kids can ingest the cadmium in jewelry by sucking or biting it.

In spite of its high toxicity, there are no restrictions on cadmium content on jewelry, and the sale of these products is perfectly legal. The Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 set the first explicit regulation of jewelry, but that only applies to painted toys. And despite periodic complaints about the toxin over the past couple of years, the Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) has never issued a recall because of cadmium.

According to the Associated Press, Chinese manufacturers likely switched to using cadmium in the jewelry because they are barred from using lead.

Some of the pieces with the highest cadmium content included bracelet charms sold at Wal-Mart, at the jewelry chain Claire’s and at dollar stores, as well as “The Princess and the Frog” pendants. Other findings included the fact that the toxic cadmium shed easily from some pieces, increasing the danger to children.

According to the Associated Press, the CPSC said it would be opening an investigation into the matter immediately. Inez Tenenbaum, head of the agency, also addressed the controversy in taped remarks slated to be delivered Tuesday in Hong Kong, and urged other countries to ensure that manufacturers do not substitute cadmium, antimony or barium in place of lead in children’s products. The Associated Press reported that Tenenbaum singled out cadmium, buts stressed that voluntary efforts to restrict its use might not be enough.

A day after the Associated Press published its report on cadmium tainted jewelry, a Wal-Mart spokesperson said the findings were “troubling”, and the retailer began pulling the items cited in the Associated Press report.

According to the Associated Press, New York City does not filter its water, which comes from reservoirs in the Catskills, thanks to a waiver from the federal Environmental Protection Agency. Instead, it has spent about $1.5 billion since 1997 to protect the watershed. Building a filtration plant would cost New York City around $10 billion.

Hydraulic fracturing involves injecting water, sand, and a cocktail of chemicals at high pressure into rock formations thousands of feet below the surface. This opens existing fractures in the rock and allows gas to rise through the wells. The practice makes drilling possible in areas that 10 to 20 years ago would not have been profitable. The major concern with shale gas drilling is the chemicals used in the process, and the wastewater it produces.

Late last month, acting Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Commissioner Steven Lawitts issued a statement on the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation draft regulations for hydraulic drilling the  saying the process posed too high a risk to the city's drinking water.  According to the Associated Press, consultants to the DEP noted several possible risks from hydraulic fracturing in the watershed. These include damage to the city’s water supply infrastructure, especially underground water tunnels, as well as the risk that chemicals used in the hydraulic fracturing process would seep into groundwater, and eventually make their way into the streams that feed reservoirs.

The city also faulted the state for not analyzing cumulative impacts of the industrial development necessary for drilling and not sufficiently addressing public health concerns, the Associated Press said.

The surface paint coating on the ball contains excessive levels of lead, violating the federal lead paint standard. To date, no incidents or injuries have been reported.

This recall involves Oozora and Shin-Fuji Kendama Japanese wooden skill toys. The toys have a ball connected by a string to a handle with three cups and spike on top. A Japanese Kendama Association sticker is affixed to the toy. The red and green balls on the Oozora and only the red balls on the Shin Fuji are included in the recall.

The recalled Wooden Skill Ball Toys were manufactured in Japan and sold at Kendamaspot’s Web site and cultural festivals in Washington State from July 2008 through April 2009 for about $20.

The CPSC is advising consumers to immediately take the recalled toys away from children and contact Kendamaspot to receive a free replacement ball. Kendamaspot can be reached toll-free at 1-866-903-7795 between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Pacific Time, Monday through Friday, or at the firm’s Web site at www.kendamaspot.com

In 1978, a federal ban was put in place that prohibited toys and other children’s articles from having more than 0.06 percent lead—by weight—in paints or surface coatings. In 2007, over six million toys were recalled because of lead; the highest number ever due to product defects. Potentially dangerous toys remained on store shelves several times during that year and by the time that year’s holiday season hit—the busiest selling time for toy companies—the CPSC had recalled 75 brands of toys. Of those, 39 recalls were implemented due to lead exposure. As a result of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008, the regulatory limit for allowable lead was reduced to 0.009 percent on August 14, 2009.

In children and fetuses, lead exposure can cause brain and nervous system damage, behavioral and learning problems, slowed growth, hearing problems, headaches, mental and physical retardation, and behavioral and other health problems. Lead is known to cause cancer and reproductive harm and, in adults, can damage the nervous system. Once poisoned by lead, no organ system is immune. Lead poisoning is difficult to recognize because it manifests with subtle symptoms and there are no definitive indicators that point to contamination. When faced with peculiar symptoms that do not match any one particular disease, lead poisoning should be considered.

According to Michael Herndon, agency spokesman, the FDA will not make any decision this year, breaking its prior promise of doing so by year-end, said JSOnline, noting that the year-end promise was made after the FDA missed its November 30th deadline.

"I'm extremely frustrated by the FDA delay, and I'm even more frustrated by their silence about the delay," said Janet Nudelman, policy director at the Breast Cancer Fund. "Each day it further delays taking action, more newborn babies, children, and pregnant women are left unprotected from this hormone-disrupting compound linked to breast cancer and birth defects," Nudelman added, quoted JSOnline.

Developed in the 1930s as an estrogenic mimicker, BPA appears to wreak havoc on the body’s endocrine system. In urine tests, BPA is found in the overwhelming majority of Americans, more than 93 percent. Of note, the chemical is found in 90 percent of all newborns; a significant concern given that BPA has been connected to increased risks of brain, reproductive, cardiac, and immune system diseases and disorders; problems with liver function testing; interruptions in chemotherapy treatment; and links with serious health problems. Studies have overwhelmingly found BPA to have negative effects at doses lower than current FDA standards; retention in the body longer than was previously believed; leeching into liquids being held in containers regardless of the containers’ temperature; and longer lasting damage, which some feel can be passed to future generations. Recent reports link high levels of exposure to BPA to erectile dysfunction and other sexual problems in males.

Environmental Working Group spokesman, Alex Formuzis, described BPA’s risks as "overwhelming." The group is a health advocacy organization known for conducting tests that looked at BPA exposure. "We believe it's time to act," said Formuzis, quoted JSOnline.

Industry argues that scientists and advocates exaggerate BPA’s adverse effects, continually citing two industry studies; however, at last count, over 900 peer-reviewed studies found links between BPA and such effects. The FDA has maintained BPA’s safety, declaring the chemical safe for all usage as of August 2008, said JSOnline; however, the agency’s science board recommended it had not looked at enough of the studies and began its review, setting the original November 30th deadline.

Previously, JSOnline reported that, based on emails it obtained, it seems the FDA’s prior ruling was crafted, in part, by “lobbyists for the BPA-makers.” The agency’s science board concluded that the apparently ignored studies pointing to BPA’s harm. Since, FDA director Margaret Hamburg, speaking to Congress, said the agency would take a "fresh look" at the issue, promising an early fall decision that was moved to November 30th, then year-end, said JSOnline. The agency has not issued another deadline and is not saying if consumers should consider the chemical harmful or safe, added JSOnline.

Earlier this fall, President Obama’s administration said it was slating $30 million to the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences to look at BPA’s effects. Director Linda Birnbaum told JSOnline that people should find alternatives to BPA-containing products and pregnant women, infants, and children should not ingest BPA.

According to a recent ProPublica article, energy companies have figured out how to drill wells with fewer toxic chemicals, and enclose wastewater so it can't contaminate streams and groundwater.  The use of "green" chemicals - such as mineral oil - could go a long way to improve the safety of the hydraulic fracturing process.  Yet while a few drillers have made such a switch,  these safer methods are not used very much in the 32 states where shale gas drilling is currently taking place. In addition, it is still too difficult to gauge how safe any given company's drilling fluid is.  According to ProPublica, most companies still keep the exact makeup of their fluids a secret from state and federal regulators.  There are also no laws that dictate what chemicals can be used for drilling on U.S. soil.  

Disposing of the wastewater from hydraulic drilling is another environmental problem that could be addressed with the adoption of safer methods.  According to ProPublica, for the most part, waste is now collected in open, dirt-brimmed waste pits where it sits until it's hauled off to treatment facilities or injection wells.  While it awaits removal, the toxic water can seep into the ground, or even overflow the pit when there has been heavy rain or snow.

According to ProPublica, this hazard can be eliminated through the use of a closed loop system, a series of pipes that gathers the waste as it comes out of a gas well, separates some of the water for reuse, and confines the concentrated leftovers in a steel tank.    Yet in spite of the clear advantages of a closed loop system, ProPublica says the drilling industry continues to aggressively fight efforts by states to enact regulations that would encourage their use.

The accident highlighted issues with contaminants in coal ash. For instance, we previously wrote that an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) report stated that some “potentially toxic pollutants,” such as mercury and arsenic, found in coal ash, could present serious health and environmental problems.

Now, Environment News Service (ENS) is writing that issues surrounding toxins released from an unlined coal ash waste dump in Washington, DC have prompted action from four environmental groups. The groups gave formal notice that they plan on suing Mirant MD Ash Management, LLC and Mirant Mid-Atlantic, LLC Corporation of Atlanta, Georgia for violations of the Clean Water Act in Maryland, said ENS. The four groups—Defenders of Wildlife, Sierra Club, Chesapeake Climate Action Network, and Patuxent Riverkeeper—allege Mirant companies neglected to follow discharge permit mandates at the Brandywine Coal Combustion Waste Landfill, said ENS.

The groups referred to a March 2009 EPA report in which it stated that coal combustion waste disposal in “unlined landfills and surface impoundments is hazardous to human health” said ENS. According to the groups, the waste allows “unacceptably high risks of cancer and diseases of the heart, lung, liver, stomach, and other organs,” said ENS.

According to ENS, Mirant's coal-fired Chalk Point Power Plant, Maryland’s largest power authority, sends its fly and bottom ash to the Brandywine Coal Combustion Waste Landfill. The groups’ concern is with landfill operations, claiming that Mirant companies are illegally dumping toxins into the Mataponi Creek and tributaries from so-called outfalls as well as leaks at the landfill’s “disposal cells,” said ENS. Mataponi Creek flows through the Merkle Wildlife Sanctuary, the only sanctuary run by that state’s Department of Natural Resources and the winter home for thousands of Canadian geese and home to a number of other wildlife species including red fox, groundhogs, white-tailed deer, osprey, heron, hummingbirds, and songbirds, said ENS.

Earlier this year we wrote about how information pointing to “significantly higher cancer risks” for those living near coal-fired power plant ash dumps was allegedly covered up by the recent Bush Administration, citing a report by EnvironmentalIntegrity.org. Also, numerous studies concluded that coal dumps leach dangerous toxins into the environment that can cause cancer, birth defects, and other serious health outcomes in water and wildlife populations, including frightening guarantees of developing cancer from drinking contaminated water and suffering damage to the liver, kidney, lungs and other organs from toxic metal exposure, such as cadmium, cobalt, lead, and other pollutants far above levels considered safe,” said Environmental Integrity, previously.

The group noted that the danger to wildlife and ecosystems is “off the charts, with one contaminant—boron—expected to leach into the environment at levels two thousand times thresholds generally considered to be safe.” The toxin has killed aquatic wildlife, contaminated wells, and adversely affected wildlife, according to an earlier Tennessean piece, with the causes linked to coal ash wastewater. The waste has been both accidentally and “routinely” released as a result of coal-fired plant daily operations, the Tennessean noted. “Many of the common pollutants found in coal combustion wastewater (e.g., selenium, mercury, and arsenic) are known to cause environmental harm and can potentially represent a human health risk,” said the report, quoted the Tennessean.

The Washington Post said that the U.S. Public Interest Research Group (U.S. PIRG) released its report—“Trouble in Toyland”—in which it states that although many stores and toy makers are in compliance with the laws, some are not. This is problematic because it is virtually impossible for consumers to determine which toys are and are not safe.

Both lead and phthalates were issues with toys cited in the U.S. PIRG report. Phthalates, chemicals that make plastics and vinyls more flexible, have been linked to many adverse health events. So much so, that stringent phthalate levels have been imposed as part of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA). Lead levels were also reduced under the Act.

Exposure to lead in children can cause brain and nervous system damage, behavioral and learning problems, slowed growth, hearing problems, headaches, mental and physical retardation, and behavioral and other health problems. Lead is also known to cause cancer and reproductive harm. Once poisoned by lead, no organ system is immune. Of particular concern is the developing brain because negative influences can have long-lasting effects and can continue well into puberty and beyond.

"We have seen substantial progress over the last year because of the new law and new leadership at the Consumer Product Safety Commission," said Elizabeth Hitchcock, public health advocate at U.S. PIRG. "At the same time, we are seeing some products that slip through the cracks." U.S. PIRG has been releasing the toy safety report each year at the beginning of the holiday season for 24 years, said the Washington Post.

This report is the first since the revised consumer safety laws were enacted last year, said the Washington Post. The laws were implemented, in part, due to very high levels of lead found in many toys imported into this country from China. The Washington Post also pointed out that not only did Congress vote to reduce lead levels in toys, it also voted to ban phthalates from children’s products.

U.S. PIRG sent 15 children's products for testing at an independent laboratory, which found four contained excessive lead levels, and two contained phthalates, said the Washington Post. A Claire's boutiques charm was found to be 71 percent lead by weight; the legal limit is .03 percent, said the Washington Post. "Big Rex and Friends," a book bought at Toys R Us, tested at 0.19 percent lead, reported the Washington Post, which noted that Toys R Us stopped selling the book when it learned of the results, but the book can be purchased elsewhere.

A Pretty Princess Puppy Purse, also from Claire's boutiques, tested with 5.4 percent phthalates, and Elmo lunch bag made by Fast Forward New York had a level of 7.2 percent of another phthalate, said the Washington Post. In both cases, the phthalates involved are banned under the Act.

According to Inez Tenenbaum, chairman of the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), toy recalls dropped to 38, to date, in 2009, from 162 in 2008; children’s product recalls over excessive lead levels dropped from 85 to 15 in the same time frame, according to the Washington Post.

An incorrect part allows more fuel to pass to the range’s oven than can be burned efficiently, causing incomplete combustion and the release of carbon monoxide. This poses a risk of carbon monoxide poisoning to consumers. To date, Electrolux has received four reports of incidents involving carbon monoxide being released from the recalled gas range. No injuries have been reported.

The following Electrolux ICON and Kenmore PRO 30” freestanding gas range model and serial numbers are included in this recall. For Electrolux ICON, the model and serial numbers are located on the back of the range. For the Kenmore PRO, the model and serial numbers are located near the base of the range just below the bottom right portion of the oven door and also on the back of the range. Not all serial numbers within these ranges are included in the recall.

•    Electrolux ICON Gas Range: Model: E30GF74HPS; Serial Number Range: NF83000000 – NF93633000
•    Kenmore PRO 30” Gas Range: Model: 790.76913800 and 790.76913801; Serial Number Range: NF83000000 – NF93633000

The recalled Electrolux ICON and Kenmore PRO 30” Free-Standing Gas Ranges, which were manufactured in Canada, were sold at appliance retailers nationwide from August 2008 through October 2009 for between $2,500 and $3,500.

The CPSC is advising consumers to immediately stop using the range’s oven and contact Electrolux for the Electrolux ICON or Sears for the Kenmore PRO to schedule a free repair. Consumers can continue to use the cook-top (top burners) and the broiler as well as any clock and/or timer functions.

Electrolux can be reached toll-free at (888) 360-8557 between 8:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday and on Saturdays between 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m., or at the firm’s Web site at www.gasrangeorifice.com. Consumers with Kenmore PRO brand ranges should call Sears toll-free at (800) 733-2299 between 8:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. ET Monday through Saturday.

Of note, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently warned that carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning can look a lot like the flu and can kill a person in minutes if exposed to high levels. CO poisoning is responsible for 15,000 emergency room visits and 500 deaths annually. Carbon monoxide is an odorless and colorless gas, the number one cause of poisoning deaths in this country, and is dangerous and deadly when it builds up in improperly vented spaces, said HealthDay News previously.

Most cigarettes—about 84 percent, according to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC)—are labeled as lower in tar and nicotine, reported WebMD.

The study found smokers who switched from "full-flavored" cigarettes to lower tar or lighter cigarettes had to make more tries to quit and were unable to quit in about half of the cases, said WebMD. "We found that switching for any reason to a so-called lighter cigarette appears to be associated with a lower chance of quitting, especially when people switched with the intent of quitting smoking," study researcher Hilary Tindle, MD, PhD, told WebMD. Tindle and her team from the University of Pittsburgh Center for Research on Health Care looked at a 2003 survey of smokers sponsored by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Cancer Institute; the sample included some 31,000 current and former smokers, said WebMD.

According to WebMD, health officials have known that cigarette-packaging indicating lowered tar or nicotine or as being light, mild, or ultra-light, do not offer reduced opportunities for lung cancer, heart disease, or other smoking-related diseases. According to established evidence, smokers who smoke so-called lighter cigarettes generally smoke more and inhale more intensely, reported WebMD.

Until now, research has not determined switching to lighter cigarettes affected quit smoking rates, noted WebMD. The recent research found the following, said WebMD:

• Of those surveyed, a little over 12,000—38 percent—said they had, at one time or another, switched to a lighter cigarette.
• Of those who switched to lighter cigarettes, most—58 percent—were likelier to have attempted to quit smoking in the year just before taking the survey.
• Of those who switched to lighter cigarettes—when compared to smokers who did not switch—the likelihood of quitting smoking was 46 percent decreased.
• Those smokers who switched to lighter cigarettes to improve their health were the least likeliest to quit smoking.

Tindle concluded that switching to lighter cigarettes could actually hamper quit smoking efforts. "Unfortunately, a substantial proportion of smokers and nonsmokers still believe these cigarettes are healthier even though we have known for many years this is not true," quoted WebMD.

This June, President Barack Obama signed The Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act into law allowing the federal government broad authority over tobacco products and regulators to control packaging and marketing and how much nicotine—the addictive component in cigarettes—is added in tobacco products, explained the Washington Post previously.

In addition to bans on flavored cigarettes and a number of other mandates, in July 2010, verbiage including the words “light,” “low,” or “mild” will be banned from tobacco product marketing. Sadly, according to Matt Myers, president of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, industry is trying to skirt the law, said WebMD. "The products will no doubt remain, but they will be called something else, Myers told WebMD. RJ Reynolds Tobacco spokesman David Howard said light cigarettes will be sold in blue packaging, while ultra-lights will be orange, a practice followed in other countries, said WebMD. Industry claims the color differentiations better enable consumers to determine what they are purchasing; however, critics disagree. Myers told WebMD the marketing change is simply another way to mislead consumers.

The Daily Herald points out that millions of gypsum sheets imported to the United States during the housing boom appear to have been contaminated with an array of sulfur compounds. The gypsum in drywall, which typically comes from mines, has recently come from a chemical process involving lime or limestone and gas from coal-fired power plants. Contaminants and sulfur found in power plant smokestacks are supposed to be removed in the process. Failure of proper removal is the cause of foul odors, respiratory complaints, and corrosion, according to some Chinese experts in building supplies. Others say phosphogypsum (calcium sulfate), a radioactive phosphorus substance, is to blame. Banned for use in U.S. construction in 1989, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says prolonged exposure to this radium-contained element can lead to a higher risk of lung cancer.

Many hundreds of lawsuits and complaints have been filed and many hundreds more are expected.

We have been writing about a time-sensitive, one-time offer made by Knauf Plasterboard (Tianjin) Co., Ltd. that is expected to do much to streamline the process for suing the major drywall manufacturer. To take advantage of this one-time offer, Chinese drywall claimants must sign on to an omnibus class action lawsuit by December 2, 2009.

According to an earlier New Orleans Times-Picayune article, Knauf Plasterboard has agreed not to demand plaintiffs included in that lawsuit to abide by international rules in serving legal papers. Under the agreement, the omnibus lawsuit must be filed by December 9. The Times-Picayune pointed out that the December 2 deadline for filing is a hard deadline; there will be no second chances and the omnibus complaint will not be amended at a later date to add more people. Claimants will also face a second deadline–December 14–by which time they must have filled out a profile form.

To be eligible for the lawsuit, claimants must submit pictures or other proof that they have wallboard made by Knauf Plasterboard in their homes. Any Chinese drywall homeowner interested in becoming a party to this lawsuit must start now by contacting an attorney and arranging to have their home inspected.

Parker Waichman Alonso LLP, the first law firm to file a federal Chinese drywall lawsuit, is offering assistance to any homeowner interested in joining the Knauf Plasterboard lawsuit. Free consultations are available through the firm’s website at www.yourlawyer.com, or by calling 1-800-LAW-INFO (1-800-529-4636).

Previously, Knauf Plasterboard required that service of process of any lawsuit be made through the Hague Convention, which sets forth the method for the service of process abroad. This had been a major obstacle to many Chinese drywall plaintiffs because The Hague Convention for the Service of Process Abroad requires claimants to pay approximately $15,000 per lawsuit, which allows for the translation of legal documents into Chinese and to have them presented to the appropriate authorities in China to obtain service on the Chinese drywall manufacturers.

An attorney representing Knauf Plasterboard told the Times-Picayune that the firm decided to waive the international rules in order to get a handle on the scope of the Chinese drywall claims it is facing. The company also hopes its action will spur other drywall manufacturers to take similar steps. Federal litigation involving defective drywall products has been consolidated in the multidistrict litigation, MDL 2047, pending in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana, before Judge Eldon E. Fallon. The offer applies to the consolidated federal litigation, not individual cases.

According to Consumer Reports’ December issue, it “tested soups, juice, tuna, and green beans,” said FoxNews, and discovered “19 name-brand foods” contain some level of BPA. As we have previously noted, BPA can be found in everything from baby bottles, sippy cups, water bottles, aluminum can linings, eyeglasses, and cars, to DVD and CD cases and some dental sealants. BPA can also be found in appliances and windshields; on recyclable bottles, BPA, as a component, can be verified if the item contains recycling number 7. We recently wrote that BPA has also been found to be present in common paper receipts. With BPA turning up in carbonless copy and thermal imaging papers, its common usage has grown exponentially.

FoxNews noted that the canned foods found containing BPA included organic foods, that organic foods did not necessarily have lower levels of the toxin, and that some products contained the toxin despite labeling that the cans were BPA-free. The highest levels were seen in Del Monte Fresh Cut Green Beans Blue Lake, Progresso Vegetable Soup, and Campbell's Condensed Chicken Soup, as well as in Similac Advance Infant Formula and canned Nestle Juicy Juice, reported FoxNews.

"The BPA levels in our samples of Nestle Juicy Juice, at about 9 parts per billion, were not among the highest in the foods we tested. However, considering how many servings of juice young children may consume daily, a child still could exceed a level that Consumers Union thinks would provide an adequate margin of safety," said Dr. Urvashi Rangan, director of Technical Policy, at Consumers Union, the nonprofit publisher of Consumer Reports, quoted FoxNews. "The lack of any safety margin between the levels that cause harm in animals and those that people could potentially ingest from canned foods has been inadequately addressed by the FDA to date," Dr. Rangan added. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) guidelines say 50 micrograms of BPA for each kilogram of body weight is acceptable, said FoxNews.

In urine tests, BPA is found in the overwhelming majority of Americans, more than 93 percent. Despite this, industry has long argued that scientists and consumer advocates exaggerate the chemical’s adverse effects, continually citing two industry studies; however, at last count, over 900 peer-reviewed studies found links between BPA and health effects. The industry group, American Chemistry Council, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also maintain current levels are safe, said FoxNews. New FDA guidelines are expected, as we have been writing, at month’s end.

BPA has long been connected to increased risks of brain, reproductive, cardiac, and immune system diseases and disorders; problems with liver function testing; interruptions in chemotherapy treatment; and links with serious health problems. Studies have overwhelmingly found BPA to have negative effects at doses lower than current FDA standards; retention in the body longer than was previously believed; leeching into liquids being held in containers regardless of the containers’ temperature; and longer lasting damage, which some feel can be passed to future generations.

Laws are either in effect or coming into effect in a variety of states and counties in the United States in which the sale of certain products containing polycarbonate has been banned, for instance, in baby bottles, food containers, and sippy cups. Canada was the first country to announce plans to ban BPA, calling it a toxin and some retailers and manufacturers have announced plans to stop making products containing the chemical. Other states are looking into similar measures and a federal ban has been proposed in Congress on all food contact material.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), about half of all urban children world-wide and under the age of five test with blood lead levels higher than the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) safe limit.

Exposure to lead in children can cause brain and nervous system damage, behavioral and learning problems, slowed growth, hearing problems, headaches, mental and physical retardation, and behavioral and other health problems. Lead is also known to cause cancer and reproductive harm. Once poisoned by lead, no organ system is immune. Of particular concern is the developing brain because negative influences can have long-lasting effects and can continue well into puberty and beyond.

As we have often written, lead is considered by many experts to be one of the most important chronic environmental illnesses affecting children today. Unfortunately, despite efforts to control lead exposure, serious cases still occur. Lead effects were first discussed in Australia in 1892, said the BBC, which added that in the United Kingdom, lead has been removed from paint and petrol (gasoline). In the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), said the BBC, dropped its “level of concern for blood” lead levels to 10 micrograms per deciliter.

WPCVA explained that lead can be in our homes, poisoning us without our ever being aware of its presence because it cannot be seen, tasted, or smelled and it does not break down. Lead has been removed, or mostly removed, from gasoline, plumbing, paint, and a variety of other products; however, precautions should be still be taken and consumers should be aware of the adverse effects of lead exposure, said WPCVA. As part of ongoing efforts to stave lead exposure and poisoning, WPCVA suggests the following:

• Ensure children are tested for lead levels, regardless of physical appearance since lead poisoning is not generally apparent.
• Reduce dust and dirt, which are known to contain lead, and ensure, for instance, toys, hands, pacifiers, floors, window frames, bottles, sippy cups, and surfaces, are routinely washed.
• Reduce lead paint exposure, particularly in homes built before 1976, by watching out for peeling or chipping paint and keeping children away from chewable, painted surfaces, such as window sills.
• Never attempt to remove lead paint and always hire a professional to do so.
• Eat right, especially consuming sufficient iron and calcium, which absorb less lead.
• Never store food or liquid in “lead crystal glassware or imported or old pottery,” said WPCVA. When using or reusing plastic bags, ensure the printing is on the bag’s exterior.

Under the new EPA rule effective next April, contractors renovating, repairing, and painting in such a way that lead-based paint is affected “in homes, child care facilities, and schools built before 1978” must be certified and follow specific work practices to prevent contamination, reported WPCVA. Until then, the EPA urges adherence to lead-safe work practices: “Contain the work area, minimize dust, and cleanup thoroughly,” said WPCVA.

• Acute and Subacute Transient Peripheral Neuropathy
• AL Amyloidosis
• Chloracne
• Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia
• Diabetes Mellitus (Type 2)
• Hodgkin's Disease
• Multiple Myeloma
• Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma
• Porphyria Cutanea Tarda
• Prostate Cancer
• Respiratory Cancers, and
• Soft Tissue Sarcoma (other than Osteosarcoma, Chondrosarcoma, Kaposi's sarcoma, or Mesothelioma)

• Clean air ducts
• Open windows to enhance ventilation; use exhaust fans
• Clean rooms to minimize dust; do not dry dust, use a wet or damp cloth
• Vacuum using appliances with high efficiency particulate air filtration systems; do not dry boom;
• Wash hands often and with soap and water, and always before eating and drinking; wash children’s toys often