Chemicals Policy
The Pump Handle
Category archives for Chemicals Policy
Excess breast cancer risk among women employed in automobile plastics facilities
Posted by Celeste Monforton, DrPH, MPH of George Washington University School of Public Health & Health Services on December 12, 2012 Two recently published papers funded by the federal agency Health Canada report on excess risk of breast cancer among auto plastics workers and the chemical compounds and processes used that are the likely culprits.
New DOT policy promises better health and safety protections for flight attendants
Posted by Celeste Monforton, DrPH, MPH of George Washington University School of Public Health & Health Services on December 10, 2012 After three decades, the FAA has finally acknowledged that its regulations to protect the health and safety of flight attendants are not adequate. A new policy—barring major objections from the airlines—-will extend OSHA protections to airline flight attendants.
Public health association adopts new policies opposing military recruiting in schools, supporting taxes on sugar-sweetened beverages
Posted by Celeste Monforton, DrPH, MPH of George Washington University School of Public Health & Health Services on November 5, 2012 At last week’s American Public Health Association (APHA) annual meeting its Governing Council adopted about a dozen new policies to guide the Association’s advocacy activities.
Public Health Classics: Collecting children’s baby teeth to identify lead poisoning
Posted by Celeste Monforton, DrPH, MPH of George Washington University School of Public Health & Health Services on October 23, 2012 The baby teeth of children collected by their teachers, allowed Dr. Herb Needleman to make the link between lead poisoning and lower IQ scores.
Report on chemical-asthma links a useful resource for workers at risk
Posted by The Pump Handle on September 21, 2012 It really is a chemical world, which is bad news for people with asthma. According to a recent report, at this very moment from where I write, I’m surrounded by objects and materials that contain chemicals that are known or suspected asthmagens — substances that can act as asthma triggers if inhaled.
Don’t blame the messenger, calls to save NTP’s Report on Carcinogens
Posted by Celeste Monforton, DrPH, MPH of George Washington University School of Public Health & Health Services on September 11, 2012 Producers and users of styrene and formaldehyde can’t handle the truth about those compounds’ carcinogenicity, and use their friends in Congress to punish the messenger.
States and localities take on poor working conditions, safety hazards
Posted by Celeste Monforton, DrPH, MPH of George Washington University School of Public Health & Health Services on September 7, 2012 In the final section of our new report “The Year in U.S. Occupational Health & Safety,” we end on a high note. We profile a number of new laws at the state and local levels to improve working conditions for Americans and protect them from serious health and safety hazards.
US chemical manufacturers just blowing smoke about burdensome worker safety regulations
Posted by Celeste Monforton, DrPH, MPH of George Washington University School of Public Health & Health Services on July 17, 2012 The American Chemistry Council is making the ludicrous claim that a proposed OSHA regulation on combustible dust will negatively impact the economy and job growth. That’s a bunch of baloney. OSHA doesn’t even have combustible dust on its regulatory agenda.
Five years and $10 billion later, but process safety problem halts production at brand new U.S. oil refinery
Posted by Celeste Monforton, DrPH, MPH of George Washington University School of Public Health & Health Services on July 11, 2012 Royal Dutch Shell’s and Sauid Aramco’s Motiva refinery in Port Arthur Texas open last month with fanfare. The celebration was quickly overshadowed by a ruinous leak of corrosive into the heart of the refinery. The incident could have resulted in catastrophic loss of life
Trying to avoid the “cancer-causing” label, diesel manufacturers join the club
Posted by Celeste Monforton, DrPH, MPH of George Washington University School of Public Health & Health Services on June 11, 2012 An expert panel convened by the WHO’s Int’l Agency for Research on Cancer is evaluating the scientific evidence on the carcinogenicity of diesel exhaust. In preparation for the meeting, diesel engine manufacturers, oil companies and mining firms hired consultants to re-analyze and critique the epidemiological studies conducted by others to manufacturer doubt about