The Sciences
EPA Launches Sustainability Reform Effort
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and National Academy of Sciences will collaborate to ensure the agency's policies are driven by sustainability
Stories by Marla Cone
The Sciences
Household Cleaners to be Reformulated to Clean Up California Smog
Kitchen cleaners, glass sprays and other household cleaning products will be reformulated to reduce smog-forming compounds
The Sciences
Major U.S. Cities Violate New EPA Lead Standards
Los Angeles, Cleveland, Muncie, and 13 other U.S. areas violate new lead standard, EPA says
Health
Volatile Organic Compounds May Worsen Allergies and Asthma
Children who sleep in bedrooms containing fumes from water-based paints and solvents are two to four times more likely to suffer allergies or asthma, according to a new scientific study
Health
Recipe for High BPA Exposure: Canned Vegetables, Cigarettes and a Cashier Job
More than 90 percent of pregnant women had detectable levels of BPA from a variety of sources, according to new research
The Sciences
Toxic Pesticide Banned after Decades of Use
Twenty-five years after the worst outbreak of pesticide poisoning in U.S. history, an agreement is announced that phases out all uses of aldicarb
Health
Urban Air Pollutants Can Damage IQs before Baby's First Breath
A study in Krakow, Poland, corroborates New York City findings that link children's lower IQ scores with mothers' exposure to compounds created by burning fossil fuels
Health
Flame Retardants May Alter Hormones of Pregnant Women
High levels of brominated flame retardants can alter pregnant women’s thyroid hormones, which are critical to a baby’s growth and brain development, according to a California study
Health
Endosulfan to Be Banned, Pesticide Poses "Unacceptable Risks," EPA Says
The EPA, declaring that endosulfan is unsafe for farm workers, moves to ban one of the last organochlorine pesticides left in the U.S. Like DDT, endosulfan accumulates in the environment and in the bodies of people and wildlife, and is transported around the world to remote places...
Health
Doctors Underestimate Environment as Cause for Cancer
A presidential panel warns about human exposure to carcinogens
Health
Small Dogs Prove Susceptible to Flea Poison
Warning that the powerful poisons can endanger dogs and cats, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will require new instructions and labeling for flea products
Health
Chemical Exposure Linked to Attention Deficit Disorder in Children
A study of New York City students found that phthalate exposure was linked to behavioral problems
Health
Scientists link flame retardants and reduced human fertility
For the first time, scientists have found evidence that flame retardants ubiquitous in homes and in the environment may be reducing human fertility
Health
Autism Clusters Found in California's Major Cities
California scientists have identified autism clusters where children are twice as likely to have autism and mostly have highly educated parents
Sustainability
California Acts to Control Chromium in Drinking Water
The state sets new standards for the carcinogen that made Erin Brockovich famous
Sustainability
Rural Well Water Linked to Parkinson's Disease
California finding bolsters theory linking neurological ailment to insecticides
Health
Birth Defect Study Casts Doubt on Phthalate Fears
Hypospadias is apparently not on the rise in the U.S., casting doubt on claims that phthalates and other endocrine disruptors cause reproductive abnormalities in humans
Health
Car Exhaust Associated With Premature Births in Southern California
Mothers living near freeways and congested roads are more likely to give birth to premature babies and suffer from preeclampsia
Health
Clean Diesel Comes of Age
A new study shows that diesel trucks and buses are spewing far less soot and smog into the air than they did just a few years ago
Health
Are Selenium Levels Linked to Diabetes?
A new study finds that diabetics had higher levels of selenium, a mineral found in U.S. soil but also some dietary supplements
