Environmental Health

"Puberty Before Age 10: A New 'Normal'?"

Many girls seem to be entering puberty much earlier than girls did a few decades ago. Research suggests the cause may be small amounts of estrogen-mimicking chemicals in the food and water supply. For kids and parents struggling with this phenomenon, doctors seem to have few answers besides redefining "normal." Some unhappy families are turning to less conventional practitioners. A closer look at the research reveals that the causes may be more complex than originally thought.

Source: NY Times Magazine, 04/02/2012

"FDA Rejects Petition To Ban BPA in Food Packaging"

"The Food and Drug Administration announced Friday that it was denying a petition to ban BPA from all food and drink containers, saying the science does not show an immediate cause for such action. However, the federal agency cautioned that this ruling does not declare bisphenol A, or BPA, as safe. The agency says it is continuing its assessment of the chemical, which is used in the lining of most canned food and drinks."

Source: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 04/02/2012

"State Setting Health Standards for Emerging Contaminants"

"ST. PAUL, Minn. -- The Minnesota Department of Health is taking a closer look at a variety of chemicals that make their way into the water supply. Federal and state regulators have already placed limits on many contaminants found in drinking water, among them lead and mercury. But health officials are turning their attention to other chemicals that are not widely known, including those in fragrances, prescription drugs and bug spray."

Source: Minnesota Public Radio, 03/29/2012

"Enviros Challenge Trade Secret Protections for Hydraulic Fracturing"

"Environmentalists have mounted a legal challenge against Wyoming regulators they say are improperly approving oil and gas companies’ 'overly broad,' boilerplate requests to shield information about the chemicals they use in drilling operations."

Source: FuelFix, 03/27/2012

"For Pennsylvania's Doctors, a Gag Order on Fracking Chemicals"

"Under a new law, doctors in Pennsylvania can access information about chemicals used in natural gas extraction—but they won't be able to share it with their patients. A provision buried in a law passed last month is drawing scrutiny from the public health and environmental community, who argue that it will "gag" doctors who want to raise concerns related to oil and gas extraction with the people they treat and the general public."

Source: Mother Jones, 03/26/2012

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