California lawmakers pass bill banning food dyes in schools
By Shannon Kelleher
California lawmakers this week passed a bill banning schools from serving foods with six artificial dyes linked to neurobehavioral problems in children.
Shannon Kelleher
About Shannon Kelleher
Posts by Shannon Kelleher:
Climate change may be driving extreme fires far ahead of schedule, study warns
By Dana Drugmand
Last year’s record-shattering Canadian wildfire season was directly linked to human-caused climate change, according to a new study, which warns that the climate crisis may be fueling extreme fires decades earlier than previously expected.
As the world heats up, so does the debate around artificial turf
By Carmela Guaglianone
Artificial turf carpets athletic fields, playgrounds, and residential lawns across the US, offering a low-maintenance alternative to natural grass that always looks lush and doesn’t require heavy watering. But while this popular synthetic material is marketed as eco-friendly, it has also long attracted controversy.
Early exposure to toxic TCDF messes with gut bacteria later in life, finds study in mice
By Shannon Kelleher
Early-in-life exposure to a common toxic chemical found in some foods and in breastmilk may disrupt healthy bacteria in the gut and increase a person’s risk for developing various diseases later in life, according to a new animal study.
Pressure grows to close controversial Napa Valley landfill
By Shannon Kelleher
A coalition of environmental groups are pushing California officials to close a Napa Valley-area landfill that has been the site of repeated regulatory violations and is suspected of sending toxic chemicals into local waterways, which drain into the river that irrigates the valley’s famous vineyards.
California bill to ban food dyes in schools may have nationwide impact
By Shannon Kelleher
A bill that would ban six food dyes linked to childhood learning problems from meals served at California public schools is close to passage and could bolster efforts to make foods safer across the US, according to proponents.
EPA issues rare “emergency” suspension of dangerous weed killer
By Benjamin Purper
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on Tuesday said it was taking the rare step of issuing an “emergency suspension” of a chemical used to kill weeds on farms, golf courses and athletic fields, citing risks to unborn children.
EPA has failed to protect consumers from PFAS-laced containers, lawsuit alleges
By Shannon Kelleher
US regulators have failed to protect the public from millions of plastic containers that contain toxic PFAS chemicals, which can leach into pesticides, condiments, household cleaners, and many other products, alleges a lawsuit filed this week by environmental groups
The perils of plastics extend to our pets
By Aidan Charron
By now, you’d practically have to be living on Mars not to have heard about the health risks associated with plastics and the toxic chemical cocktail used to produce them.
Pesticide exposure as risky as smoking, study finds
By Shannon Kelleher
People who don’t farm, but live in US agricultural communities where pesticides are used on farms, face an increased cancer risk as significant as if they were smokers, according to a new study.