Letting children play with hand-me-down plastic toys could constitute a health risk. When researchers at the University of Gothenburg tested a large number of old toys and dress-up items made of plastic, 84 per cent of the items were found to contain toxins that can disrupt growth and development and reproductive capacities in children. These […]
The Most Detailed Map of Cancer-Causing Industrial Air Pollution in the U.S.
This story was originally published by ProPublica. by Lylla Younes, Ava Kofman, Al Shaw and Lisa Song, with additional reporting by Maya Miller, Poison in the Air The EPA allows polluters to turn neighborhoods into “sacrifice zones” where residents breathe carcinogens. ProPublica reveals where these places are in a first-of-its-kind map and data analysis. From the urban sprawl of Houston to […]
Parkinson’s disease linked to gene targeted by blue-green algae toxin
Scientists have discovered a possible link between Parkinson’s disease and a gene impacted by a neurotoxin found in blue-green algae. University of Queensland scientist Dr Jacob Gratten said the findings increased the understanding of the environmental risk factors of Parkinson’s disease. “We looked for a link between Parkinson’s and changes in the human genome that […]
Particles emitted by consumer 3D printers could hurt indoor air quality
Consumer-grade 3D printers have grown in popularity in recent years, but the particles emitted from such devices can negatively impact indoor air quality and have the potential to harm respiratory health, according to a study from researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology and UL Chemical Safety. For the study, which was published September 12 […]
Congressional Report Reveals Manufacturers ‘Knowingly’ Sold Toxin-Tainted Baby Food
Leading baby food manufacturers are selling—knowingly and without warning—unsafe products contaminated with dangerous levels of toxic heavy metals that can cause serious and often irreversible damage to infant brain development, according to a new congressional investigation that is generating renewed calls for greater regulation of the industry. “Millions of babies are exposed to these contaminants every […]
Nail polishes with ‘n-free’ labels are not necessarily free of toxic compounds
Consumers are growing more knowledgeable about the potential health effects of nail polish, and manufacturers have taken action. They have started removing potentially toxic ingredients and labeling their products as being free of those substances. However, these labels aren’t always accurate, and reformulated products aren’t necessarily safer, according to a report in Environmental Science & Technology. […]