Reflections on pesticide regulation from a “recovering” EPA chemist
A former EPA chemist recounts agency reluctance to respond to risks seen with pesticides.
DuPont
Dow insecticide causes Parkinson’s disease, lawsuit alleges
A New York man has filed a lawsuit blaming exposure to Dow Chemical’s once-commonly used insecticide chlorpyrifos for his development of Parkinson’s disease, a claim that adds a new twist to an explosion of litigation over alleged pesticide impacts on human health.
Groups move for disclosure of Chemours’ sealed PFAS documents
By Trisha Talton, Coastal Review
The chemical manufacturing company that has publicly touted its products, business strategies and chemistries in ad campaigns aimed at polishing its image will further harm North Carolinians if it is successful in keeping thousands of pages of documents sealed in court, environmental organizations argue.
PFAS found in household dust near North Carolina chemical plant
By Shannon Kelleher
Residues of harmful industrial chemicals, including some phased out of production 20 years ago, have been found in household dust in research that shows exposure risks go beyond contaminated food and water, according to a study published Monday.
Plastics industry engaged in 50 years of fraud over recycling, report alleges
By Dana Drugmand
Plastics makers and petrochemical industry players have engaged in a decades-long fraud aimed at deceiving the public about plastic recycling, according to a new report that spotlights freshly uncovered industry communications and internal documents.
For a second time, US court bans dicamba weed killers, finds EPA violated law
By Johnathan Hettinger
Dealing a blow to three of the world’s biggest agrochemical companies, a US court this week banned three weed killers widely used in American agriculture, finding that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) broke the law in allowing them to be on the market.
Ohio PFAS class action lawyers slam US judges; seek rehearing
By Shannon Kelleher
A federal appeals court should grant a rehearing in a class action lawsuit filed against the makers of toxic PFAS chemicals after a panel of three federal judges disregarded legal precedent and misstated crucial facts in rejecting claims of liability alleged against PFAS makers, according to a petition filed by plaintiffs’ lawyers in the closely watched legal battle.
Chemical found widely in the environment causes cancer, global experts determine
By Shannon Kelleher
A group of global scientific cancer experts this week classified a widespread chemical known as PFOA as carcinogenic to humans, confirming decades of research, and building on concerns about human and animal exposure to that chemical and to the larger class of manmade substances that are commonly known as “forever” chemicals because of their persistence in the environment. Separately, the experts deemed a related chemical called PFOS as possibly carcinogenic to humans.
After historic drinking water settlements, PFAS personal injury lawsuits loom
By Shannon Kelleher
In the wake of landmark settlements requiring chemical giants 3M and DuPont to pay billions to US water systems for alleged toxic chemical contamination, litigation over personal injuries from PFAS exposure is starting to move forward.
PFAS industry spent over $110 million on recent lobbying, report finds
By Shannon Kelleher
Chemical industry advocates have spent more than $110 million in recent years on lobbying efforts that included opposing laws designed to reduce the use of, and exposure to, a group of toxic chemicals known as PFAS, according to a new study.