In Mossville, a town in Louisiana, toxic emissions from industrial plants have been reported as causing severe health issues for residents. These plants include oil refineries, petrochemical plants, and the country’s largest vinyl chloride manufacturer (a component of PVC plastic), all emitting millions of pounds of toxins each year into nearby air, water, and soil. … Continued
Read MoreAccording to documents posted by Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) recently decided not to enforce toxic lead limits required by law regarding artificial turf. This is shocking, particularly in light of recent safety concerns regarding the carcinogenic threats posed by the material. What Is Artificial Turf? What is artificial turf … Continued
Read MoreOn October 5, court documents were filed formalizing Louisiana’s landmark agreement with BP, initiating the process by which the state will finally receive funding for economic recovery and coastal restoration. Specifically, the Consent Decree was filed in the U.S. District Court in New Orleans, solidifying BP’s obligation to pay close to $7 billion to the … Continued
Read MoreThis month, environmental protection interests sued the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) over the agency’s failure to issue a plan to lower air pollution from coal-fired power plants in Louisiana. Specifically, without a plan under the EPA’s regional haze program, pollution will continue to affect the public health and environment in and adjacent to the … Continued
Read MoreThe recent scandal regarding Volkswagen (VW) selling half a million diesel cars after bypassing minimal air pollution standards has received a lot of attention. While most of the public discussions have focused on air pollution and climate change instead of human health hazards, what many do not realize is that there are huge implications of … Continued
Read MoreRecently, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) accused Volkswagen (VW) of selling nearly half a million diesel cars after intentionally bypassing minimal standards that screen for air pollution (in spite of these cars promising to be better on fuel efficiency and the environment). Specifically, the exhaust from the Volkswagen diesel engines includes larger particulates, which are … Continued
Read MoreAn investigation released this month revealed a number of environmental hazards on the sites of two federal government prisons: ASUP Thomson in Illinois and ADX Florence in Colorado—facilities built to house prisoners in solitary confinement. Specifically, a number of organizations sent a letter to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) questioning why these facilities do not … Continued
Read MoreRecent news coming out of California regarding labels for glyphosate—a main ingredient for many brands of herbicide—has consumers realizing that they have been exposed to a chemical known to cause cancer without any prior warning. Specifically, state regulators with the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (part of the California Environmental Protection Agency) announced (on … Continued
Read MoreIt was hard to miss the news covering the August 5 toxic mine spill near Silverton, Colorado into the Animas River, turning it a yellow-orange. The spill accidentally occurred when the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was trying to cleanup wastewater from the nearby Gold King mine that had been accumulating since the mine closed in … Continued
Read MoreThis month, environmental advocacy groups threatened to sue the Louisiana state Department of Education and the Recovery School District if they move forward with construction of a new school on a contaminated site without first conducting tests to ensure that the area is not hazardous. Opponents of the school’s construction are concerned that it will … Continued
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