Environmental Toxins: October 2006 Archives

U.S. Salmonella Outbreak Appears Over

A salmonella outbreak that sickened dozens of people in 19 states appears to be over, but investigators still are unsure how it began. Health officials believe that the outbreak may have been caused by tomatoes or other fresh produce, but have been unable to find a concrete source. 171 were sicked during the outbreak, but there were no deaths. The illnesses peaked in late September; this means that the outbreak should be over, according to Dr. David Acheson, chief medical officer in the Food and Drug Administration's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition. Acheson added that "whatever was contaminated that caused the illness, it has either been consumed, destroyed or thrown out. So the suggestion there is a need to put out a consumer warning about produce on the shelf is unwarranted. It seems to be past."

Salmonella outbreak appears over

Acheson said that information collected thus far is too broad to pinpoint the source of the salmonella to any specific source. People in Arkansas, Connecticut, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, North Carolina, New Hampshire, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Virginia, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin were reported sickened by salmonella.

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KFC Switches to Trans Fat-Free Oils

Kentucky Fried Chicken has announced plans to switch to trans fat-free cooking oils. KFC has been a major target of health critics who want trans fat to be eliminated from foods. Wendy's International Inc. switched to trans fat-free oils over the summer. Restaurant chains are hesitant to switch to trans fat-free cooking because it has the potential to change the taste of foods.

KFC to use trans fat-free cooking oil at US restaurants

Last June, the Center for Science in the Public Interest, sued KFC, asking that the fast food company stop using cooking oil containing trans fat or begin posting signs in its restaurants to alert consumers to the content of trans fats in its foods. A motion to dismiss the lawsuit is under discussion, says a Center for Science spokesman.

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Looking for E. coli Answers

While the exact source of the strain of E. Coli that is blamed for the deaths and sickenings of many spinach eaters may never be known, experts say the investigation has given valuable insight into preventing future outbreaks. "We've completely overhauled the way we test and package greens," said Samantha Cabaluna, a spokeswoman for Natural Selection Foods LLC, the company that packaged the tainted spinach. "Regardless of the source or method of contamination, we're better prepared to catch it."

No clear answers in E. coli infections

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration launched one of the most extensive investigations in its history after being alerted of the E. coli outbreak September 13, 2006. "We put more people and far more resources into this than ever before," said Jack Guzewich, director of emergency coordination and response for the FDA. Health officials now say that six new samples from the ranch believed responsible for the outbreak tested positive for the strain of E. coli found in the tainted spinach. Pigs were allowed to eat spinach from the field, acting as carriers of the bacteria.

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Mayo Study Could Lead to Safer Pesticides

Roughly $100 million in crops were lost in 2005 to two pests: the greenbug and the English grain aphid. A Mayo Clinic researcher has published work that may allow for better control of the two pests and with safer pesticides. The study's author, Yuan-Ping Pang, PhD., has found a key enzyme that can be used as a direct target for a new insecticide that would not affect animals and humans.

Mayo Clinic Study Could Lead To Safer Pesticides

"We now have a blueprint that will enable the development of a new generation of pesticides that will not be toxic to humans. Ultimately, the idea would be that we would be able to eat apples without washing them -- even though it may be covered with pesticides," says Dr. Pang. Greenbugs are found in North, Central, South America, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. The bugs suck plant juices and inject a toxin into the plant during the process; the toxin is highly damaging to the plant. Anticholinesterase-based pesticides have been used to help prevent against bugs. The problem with this pesticide is that it affects both humans and insects. Some of these pesticides have been found to enter the brain of fetuses and young children and destroy cells in the developing nervous system.

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MBTA Fined for Failing to Clean Toxins

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority was ordered to pay at least $230,000 for not cleaning asbestos and other hazardous materials from what was once the South Boston Power Plant. Of this fine, $130,000 will go to the South Boston Community Health Center's Asthma Program. “Mass DEP wanted to ensure that the South Boston community would receive a direct environmental benefit from this agreement,” said DEP acting commissioner Arleen O’Donnell.

MBTA fined for failing to clean hazardous materials

The remaining $100,000 of the fine will go to the state. Conditions at the former site were brought to the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection in 1997 by a civilian complaint. According to the DEP, the MBTA did not notify it of the conditions and did not properly clean or restrict access to the area.

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First Spinach Lawsuit Filed in Ohio

The first lawsuit in northwest Ohio related to the E. coli spinach scare has been filed. A Toledo-based law firm has filed the complaint on behalf of a family who claims a spinach salad from Natural Selection Foods made them sick. The family says they are filing the lawsuit to make a statement to the company. Attorney David Zoll said that the family wished to "Try to send a message to them and other growers out there that people need to have safe food for their families. And if they don't get their safe food, then they'll be told that they will be held accountable."

Lawsuit Filed by Wood County Family Sickened by Spinach

The E. coli outbreak caused at least 175 to become sick and 93 of those people had to be hospitalized, said the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Several deaths may also be linked to the spinach. The family's lawyers say they are seeking compensatory and punitive damages in excess of $100,000. States reporting E. coli outbreaks are: Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming.

Posted by Patricia Bowling at 06:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Firm Faked Recycling

A newly released ASARCO, a now bankrupt copper giant, pretended for years that it was recycling metals while it actually was burning hazardous waste in an El Paso smelter. ASARCO and its subsidiary Encycle had a permit to extract metals from hazardous waste products but used that as a cover to burn the waste until the late 1990s, therefore saving on the high costs of proper disposal. "This activity, plain and simple, was illegal treatment and disposal of hazardous waste," said the EPA's memorandum.

EPA: Firm faked recycling of metals

Messages left for ASARCO were unanswered, though a company history states that "ASARCO is committed to responsible management of our natural resources." ASARCO has long faced complaints of contaminating broad areas of downtown El Paso and border areas of Mexico with lead and other dangerous metals.

Posted by Patricia Bowling at 09:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

EPA Investigates Indiana Landfill Containing Toxic Chemicals

The Environmental Protection Agency has agreed to look at an abandoned landfill near Lowell, Indiana where high levels of toxic chemicals have been found. Mick Hans, an EPA spokesman, says that the agency will have to review the area before federal cleanup funds can be made available. It likely will cost between $20 and $35 million to clean the site.

EPA to Investigate Lake County Landfill Containing Toxic Chemicals

Pete Visclosky, a Democratic Congressman, says that he asked the EPA to investigate and was disappointed in the response by state environmental regulators. High levels of methane, hydrogen cyanide, lead and arsenic have been found at the landfill.

Posted by Patricia Bowling at 09:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Democrats Challenge EPA Pesticide Rule

Three Democrats in Congress have added their names to a lawsuit which hopes to end the practice of testing pesticides on children by the

Democrats Challenge EPA Pesticide Rule

Jennifer Wood, spokeswoman for the EPA, says that the agency has always worked to protect vulnerable populations, including pregnant women and children. In July of 2005, Congress issued a one-year moratorium on testing pesticides on humans and gave the EPA six months to issue a new rule to prevent testing on pregnant women and children.

Posted by Patricia Bowling at 09:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Houston's Air Needs Cleaning

A recent study suggests that Houston's air has much higher concentrations of carcinogens and respiratory irritants than other major cities. The scientists who conducted the study said that there needed to be immediate reduction in toxin concentrations in downtown areas of Houston and along major highway intersections. ''The level of air toxin concentration that we're seeing in the Houston area indicates a high risk to community health," said Matt Fraser, the principal investigator of the study.

Study: Urgent action needed to cut air toxics

Texas currently has more lenient guidelines regulating emissions of toxic air pollution. The state also fails to include toxic emission from cars, ships, and other sources when deciding if pollution from a factory smokestack will pose a health risk. The study authors say that these are problems that must be fixed. More benzene and 1,3-butadiene are known carcinogens that are present in greater quantities in areas of Houston than anywhere else in the United States.

Posted by Patricia Bowling at 10:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

E. Coli in Lettuce Now?

Just as consumers were again feeling it was safe to eat their vegetables, a new E. Coli scare is popping up. Foxy brand green-leaf lettuce, a Salinas, California company is voluntarily recalling 8,500 cartons of lettuce after tests showed that the water used for irrigation of the lettuce was contaminated with E. Coli. No illnesses have been reported as yet and it is not known if the lettuce is even contaminated.

Lettuce Is Pulled Amid E. Coli Fears

Tom Nunes, Jr., president of Nunes company which ships Foxy brand, says of the recall: "This is a precautionary measure based upon the recent events in the produce industry and our concern for our customers. No other products except green-leaf lettuce are a part of this recall." About 8,200 cartons of the lettuce have been recovered at this point and the remaining cartons in question likely were distributed in California, Arizona, Nevada, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, or Montana. Because the problem was caught so early on, it is doubtful much of the lettuce has even made it into grocery stores.

Posted by Patricia Bowling at 04:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Vacuum Sealers Lock in Germs

While vacuum sealers are touted for their abilities to keep food fresh, the seal also can trap toxins such as botulism in with the food. Botulism thrives in oxygen-free environments, like those conditions set up by vacuum sealers. Botulism is so dangerous that only a few nanograms of the bacterium have the ability to kill.

Vacuum-packing foods locks in goodness

However, botulism can be easily avoided if standard food preservation is observed. For instance, a vacuum sealed piece of meat should still be refrigerated, although a food that does not need to be refrigerated, like crackers, does not need to be refrigerated once vacuum sealed. "It's critically important to protect the temperature--keep it under 40 degrees," said Michael Doyle of the Center for Food Safety. "We still have to use good food-handling practices, so hot foods should be hot and cold foods should be cold. Keep the food under 40 degrees, or heat it to more than 140 degrees."

Posted by Patricia Bowling at 08:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Effects of Dioxin Still Seen in Vietnam

Wartime

Legal View: Environmental Toxins
Dioxin Homepage
Dioxin Research at the
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS)

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Forcing Automobile Makers to be Environmentally Conscious with Laws

Bill Lockyer, the Attorney General of California, has filed lawsuits against six of the world's largest automobile manufacturers, alleging that greenhouse gas emissions from the vehicles sold by these companies has resulted in damages to California's environment. Lockyer told the press that "we're getting the taxpayers' money back;" he believes that greenhouse gases have caused hundreds of millions of dollars in damages.

However, the motivations of such lawsuits are questionable. Is it ethical to almost force automobile makers into producing more environmentally friendly cars out of fear of future lawsuits?

Posted by Patricia Bowling at 09:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

BP Sued

According to a lawsuit filed on behalf of its shareholders, BP PLC executives and its board of directors were negligent their maintenance of pipelines in the Prudhoe Bay oil field in Alaska. As a consequence, leaks developed which allegedly damaged BP's reputation while losing the company millions of dollars in penalties and fines. The lawsuit alleges that BP is nowhere near as environmentally conscious as it makes itself out to be: "Unfortunately, BP has a long and sordid history of environmental law violations its executives now try to camouflage with a little green and yellow sunburst."

BP sued over Prudhoe Bay oversight

Plaintiffs seek damages that could be as high as several millions of dollars. Unite Here National Retirement Fund and Jeffrey Pickett filed the claim. The lawsuit states that BP was aware of the potential for problems in Alaska but decided against doing anything in order to increase profits in the short run.

Posted by Patricia Bowling at 09:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

FDA Broadens Access to Lead Screening Test

The Food and Drug Administration will increase the availability of a simple and portable lead test system so that more than 115,000 certified point-of-care locations nationwide will have access to the system. As a result, children and adults who may have been exposed to lead will be able to to be tested much more quickly. "Broader availability and easier access to this test means healthcare providers will have more opportunities to test for lead exposure in the community and detect and treat people earlier, before the damaging effects of lead poisoning occur," said Andrew von Eschenbach, M.D., the acting commissioner of the FDA.

FDA Broadens Access To Lead Screening Test That Gives Immediate Results

The test is called the LeadCare II Blood Lead Test System and is made by ESA Biosciences of Chelmsford, Massachusetts. The test looks for harmful levels of lead by using a finger stick or a whole blood sample and results can be verified in as little as three minutes. Right now, the test only is available at certain hospitals, private and public health laboratories.

Posted by Patricia Bowling at 12:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Santa Clara Water Supply Contaminated?

A report issued by the Environmental Protection Agency warns that volatile compounds leaked from Keysor Century Corp., a former plastics plant, have made their way into Santa Clara's groundwater. 23 drinking wells in a four-mile radius are affected by the leak. Water purveyors believe that the contamination has not spread to Santa Clarita's drinking water sources. Robert DiPrimio, president of the Valencia Water Co., said "we monitor all of our production wells on a regular basis in accordance with drinking water regulations that are set by the Department of Health Services (and) to date, no wells have turned up any contamination from this site."

EPA: Keysor toxins may harm wells

DiPrimio admitted he had not seen the EPA report which indicated that carcinogens were found in the region of the wells he is representing. Keysor Corp. produced polyvinyl chloride (PVC); the EPA classifies vinyl chloride, a gas used in the production of PVCs, as a carcinogen.

Posted by Patricia Bowling at 06:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

CSX Workers Fear Lung Damage

Eight former employees of CSX railroad say the company did not provide them with a safe place to work, in violation of the Employer's Liability Act. According to a suit filed in Madison County, Illinois, the workers suffer extreme fear of developing lung disease. "Plaintiffs have been informed by their physicians that as a result of their occupational exposure to harmful dusts, they are at a significantly increased risk of developing various medical ailments including, but not limited to infections of the lung, progressive lung disease, bronchogenic carcinomas, mesothelioma and gastro-intestinal carcinomas. Plaintiffs suffer extreme fear, nervousness, mental anguish, and distress and a decreased ability to enjoy life," the complaint also states." says the complaint.

Plaintiffs claim that CSX used and purchased asbestos containing products in its locomotives, railcars, yards, shops, and facilities during their employment. They also say that CSX failed to give them suitable tools and equipment with protective masks and inhalation devices to avoid inhaling the dangerous dust. Plaintiffs are seeking damages of upwards of $100,000.

Posted by Patricia Bowling at 03:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

"Nano-Napkin?"

Cornell University researchers are working to create a "nano-napkin." The nano-napkin would have fibers designed to bind to "bad" environmental compounds, such as bacteria and viruses, as well as many other things present in the environment. Margaret Frey, the Lois and Mel Tukman Assistant of Fiber Science and Apparel design at Cornell is optimistic about the development of the napkin. "It's very inexpensive, it wouldn't require that someone be highly trained to use it, and it could be activated for whatever you want to find. So if you're working in a meat-packing plant, for instance, you could swipe it across some hamburger and quickly and easily detect E. coli bacteria."

The napkin is designed to change to a specific color if it finds a compound that might be dangerous. It likely will not be available for several years to come.

Posted by Patricia Bowling at 02:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

New York to Ban Trans-Fats?

New York City health officials are contemplating banning trans fats in NYC restaurants, according to MSNBC.com. The city council proposed Tuesday a measure that would prevent cooks at any of the city's 24,600 restaurants from using ingredients containing trans-fats. Such a ban likely would have great effects: trans fats are found in commonly used ingredients like shortenings, margarines and frying oils. Chuck Hunt, of the city's chapter of the New York State Restaurant Association, said “labeling is one thing, but when they totally ban a product, it goes well beyond what we think is prudent and acceptable.”

Not only would the proposal cause problems for local eateries, big chains also would be affected. McDonald's french fries, Kentucky Fried Chicken, and several types of Dunkin' Donuts all contain trans-fat. Health Commisioner Thomas Frieden dismissed concerns by saying trans-fats can be easily replaced with substitute oils that taste the same and do not contain trans-fats. A similar ban has been proposed in Chicago.

Posted by Patricia Bowling at 02:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Spinach Safe Again

No more worries about the toxicity of fresh spinach; Tuesday, the FDA announced it had traced spinach tainted with E. Coli to three California counties. While spinach from these areas still is to be avoided, spinach from elsewhere is safe to eat. Spinach lovers everywhere are expected to rejoice. Hema Potla, owner of Hema's Kitchen, an Indian restaurant in Lincoln Park, said "My customers will be thrilled. They keep ordering spinach even though it's not on the menu. They are spinach-loving people."

Chicago Tribune: Spinach put back on the dinner table

The FDA warns that spinach grown in the California counties of Monterey, San Benito, or Santa Clara still should not be eaten. "Consumers are advised not to buy or eat fresh spinach if they cannot verify that it was grown in areas other than the three California counties implicated in the outbreak," said the Illinois Department of Public Health. Frozen and canned spinach remained safe to eat throughout the scare. Upwards of 183 people in 26 states became sick because of the E. Coli outbreak. Two deaths believed to be linked to spinach consumption are being investigated.

Posted by Patricia Bowling at 02:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Teachers Warned of Pin Danger

Teachers in England are being warned of the dangers of using pins to put children's work on classroom walls. The pins can loose asbestos, which can lead to cancer. Eight school staff members are seeking compensation after claiming they ended up with asbestos after years of pinning students' work to the walls. Regional secretary of the National Union of Teachers Elaine Kay said of the claims: "Every school should have an asbestos plan which says where it is and what's been done to seal it and render it safe. Everybody in the school should have information so teachers don't go sticking pins in it. It's when that information falls short that it becomes a serious risk, which is unacceptable because teachers stick pins in the wall all the time, as do children."

Teachers warned of asbestos drawing pin danger in schools

Over 90% of the schools in the area contain some form of asbestos. Mick Lyons, executive member for the teaching union NASUWT said of the danger: 'I know of people drilling through walls to put in a telephone cable and disturbing asbestos. A school in Durham put in a whiteboard but forgot to mention that the ceiling panels were made of asbestos. Nowadays, most local authorities know where it is and schools have asbestos plans, but we're looking at a time bomb from the sixties, seventies and eighties when it wasn't so well known.'

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GM Crops May Cause Disease

A Mosanto whistleblower says genetically engineered crops may be responsible for causing disease. Mosanto projects itself as "saving the world through genetic engineering." Kirk Azevedo, a former employee of the company, begs to differ. Upon beginning to voice his concerns to others in the company, Azevedo says, “once they understood my perspective, I was somewhat ostracized. It seemed as if once I started questioning things, people wanted to keep their distance from me. I lost the cooperation with other team members. Anything that interfered with advancing the commercialization of this technology was going to be pushed aside.”

GM Crops May Cause Disease

In the summer of 1997, Azevedo spoke with a Monsanto scientist who was testing Roundup Ready cotton. Through Western blotting, the scientist was able to separate proteins based on their molecular weight. Azevedo was told by this scientist that the GM cotton contained proteins that had been created during the gene insertion process. Azevedo is concerned that these proteins have the potential to cause prion-like diseases and wants more strict regulation on genetic modification.

Posted by Patricia Bowling at 03:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Study Confirms Ammunition as Source of Lead Poisoning in Condors

UCSC environmental toxicologists have confirmed that bullet fragments and shotgun pellets in the carcasses of animals killed by hunters are the primary source of lead poisoning in California condors that have been reintroduced into the wild. "There had been anecdotal reports for years about condors being exposed to lead from ammunition, but there was never enough clear evidence to document the extent of the problem. We knew that we could probably identify the sources of the lead using isotopic signatures," said Donald Smith, professor of environmental toxicology at UCSC and coauthor of the paper.

Study confirms ammunition as main source of lead poisoning in condors

Lead poisoning has been a major factor limiting the success of bolstering the endangered California condor. Since the mid-1980s, efforts have been in place to reintroduce the birds into the wild. California condors feed on carrion; this makes them vulnerable to the lead left from ammunition. Lead is a known environmental toxin. Feathers and blood samples from the birds were used to form data.

Posted by Patricia Bowling at 03:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Chemicals in Air Fresheners May Damage Lungs

The Los Angeles Times reports that people who regularly are exposed to paradichlorobenzene may damaging their lungs. In tests of respiratory function, those who were regularly exposed to paradichlorobenzene showed decreased respiratory function. While the decrease in lung function was temporary, experts note that such effects "generally precede permanent effects." The compound is found in mothballs, air fresheners, and in toilet bowl cleaner. Dr. John Barnes, a pulmonary critical care physician and professor of medicine at the University of California-Berkeley warns patients to to use air fresheners: "I'd say if you can avoid it, not to use them."

In the most recent study of Environmental Health Perspectives, paradichlorobenzene made better known dangerous organic compounds such as benzene, styrene, and toluene, appear tame in comparison. Of the 11 compounds tested in the study, only paradichlorobenzene was associated with decreased lung function. When people sustain permanent lung damage, they are at an increased risk for heart disease, stroke, and cancer.

Posted by Patricia Bowling at 09:52 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

October 31, 2006

U.S. Salmonella Outbreak Appears Over

October 30, 2006

KFC Switches to Trans Fat-Free Oils

October 29, 2006

Looking for E. coli Answers

October 25, 2006

Mayo Study Could Lead to Safer Pesticides

MBTA Fined for Failing to Clean Toxins

October 23, 2006

First Spinach Lawsuit Filed in Ohio

October 22, 2006

Firm Faked Recycling

October 21, 2006

EPA Investigates Indiana Landfill Containing Toxic Chemicals

October 20, 2006

Democrats Challenge EPA Pesticide Rule

October 19, 2006

Houston's Air Needs Cleaning

October 18, 2006

E. Coli in Lettuce Now?

October 17, 2006

Vacuum Sealers Lock in Germs

October 16, 2006

Effects of Dioxin Still Seen in Vietnam

October 15, 2006

Forcing Automobile Makers to be Environmentally Conscious with Laws

October 14, 2006

BP Sued

October 13, 2006

FDA Broadens Access to Lead Screening Test

October 12, 2006

Santa Clara Water Supply Contaminated?

October 11, 2006

CSX Workers Fear Lung Damage

October 10, 2006

"Nano-Napkin?"

October 09, 2006

New York to Ban Trans-Fats?

October 07, 2006

Spinach Safe Again

October 06, 2006

Teachers Warned of Pin Danger

October 05, 2006

GM Crops May Cause Disease

October 04, 2006

Study Confirms Ammunition as Source of Lead Poisoning in Condors

October 01, 2006

Chemicals in Air Fresheners May Damage Lungs