Caribbean news briefs Nov 15, 2009
The federal Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry said Friday it intends to "modify" some of its earlier research on Vieques, where the U.S. and its allies trained for conflicts from Vietnam to Iraq. CONTINUED 1. (OregonLive, OR -- News)
Wyoming briefs Nov 8, 2009
The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry says the effects of hydrogen sulfide exposure range from eye irritation to death depending on concentration. Sulfur dioxide exposure can cause similar effects. (Casper Star-Tribune, WY)
GUEST OPINION: A Synthetic Turf cautionary tale Nov 7, 2009
The first three paragraphs explain how in the course of a routine health investigation at a scrap metal processing facility in Newark, New Jersey, the Department of Health and Senior Services and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry tested a nearby community athletic field for lead contamination. They discovered high levels of lead in the field dust, and what surprised them was that the lead did not derive from the scrap metal facility. (Winchester Star, MA, MA)
Chinese drywall not hazardous to health, experts say Nov 7, 2009
Todays sessions focus on the exposure of humans and possible toxic effects of drywall, with a speakers from the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, David Krause, toxicologist for the state health department, and others in the private sector, like Phil Goad, Center for Toxicology and Environmental Health, based in Arkansas, who evaluated the toxic effects of the drywall for Knauf Tianjin, a manufacturer of the defective drywall, and found nothing. There will also be discussion of... (The News-Press -- Business)
Mount Sinai assessing health impacts of 1 of the nation's largest environmental disasters Nov 3, 2009
8 million from the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) of the federal Center for Disease Control and Prevention. The crisis in Libby, a mining town whose history has been shaped by vermiculite-producing corporations since the 1920s, is the result of community-wide occupational and environmental exposure to Libby's naturally occurring vermiculite, contaminated with asbestos and asbestos-like silicate fibers up to 26% by weight. (EurekAlert!)
FDA warns of scams exploiting swine flu fear Oct 25, 2009
The federal Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry says silver "may cause harmful health effects," depending on the amount and type of exposure. This article appeared on page D - 1 of the San Francisco Chronicle. (San Francisco Chronicle -- Business)
EPA probes Atlanta lead smelter Oct 18, 2009
4:41 p.m. Saturday, October 17, 2009. EPA investigation into Atlanta lead smelter. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution -- Metro)
Pollution Lingers at Old Missile Sites Oct 11, 2009
Exposure to high concentrations of the chemical could cause nervous system problems, liver and lung damage, abnormal heartbeat, coma and death, according to the Department of Health and Human Services' Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. TCE also may cause cancer, other government agencies say. (Time.com)
Man with breast cancer blames Marine base Oct 9, 2009
According to Hagan, the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, which is part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is conducting human health and water modeling studies to determine whether the toxic water contributed to health problems at the base. Some of the water was contaminated with toxins at concentrations up to 280 times what is currently considered safe by the Environmental Protection Agency, Hagan said. (CNN -- Health)
Besser returns to the CDC Thursday for live GMA segments Oct 8, 2009
Besser is one of the premiere and leading authorities on the H1N1 influenza as he served as Acting Director for the CDC and Acting Administrator for the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry from January through June 2009, and during that time, led the CDC and its response to the H1N1 swine flu influenza outbreak. Dr. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution -- Living)
Male breast cancer patients blame water at Marine base Sep 25, 2009
Frank Bove, an epidemiologist with the federal Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, said the level of contamination in one sample taken at Camp Lejeune was "the highest I've ever seen in a public water system in this country." But he added, "Whether exposures were long enough and high enough at Camp Lejeune to cause disease -- that's the question.". Researchers need to know more about where the men lived on the base, what kind of work they did, their medical histories and other... (CNN)
Hazardous Chemicals at Vieques: Is the Government Accountable? Sep 16, 2009
Still, the federal Agency for Toxic Substances se Registry (ATSDR) said in 2003 it found no ill health effects from the Navy's decades on Vieques ... "The ATSDR conclusion seemed borderline criminal," says former Vieques Mayor Radames Tirado, a plaintiff in the Sanchez suit who says at least 13 of his relatives there today have cancer ... As a result, Congress this summer sent the ATSDR back to Vieques to begin a review of its earlier findings. (Time.com)
Trial over FEMA trailer fumes opens Sep 15, 2009
Buzbee said Alexander and Cooper were exposed the formaldehyde levels that were multiple times higher than those determined to be safe by the federal Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. Gulf Stream attorney Andrew Weinstock said formaldehyde levels in the plaintiffs' trailer were many times lower than standards set by the Department of Housing and Urban Development. (MSNBC -- Environment)
The Uses of Hydrogen Peroxide Aug 23, 2009
According to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) there are a few health hazards associated with exposure to hydrogen peroxide. Inhaling 3% hydrogen peroxide can cause respiratory irritation. (Suite101.com)
Navy cleans vieques, but suspicions remain Aug 8, 2009
In 2003, the U.S. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, which assesses health hazards at Superfund sites, concluded that levels of heavy metals and explosive compounds found in Vieques' soil, groundwater, air and fish did not pose a health risk ... In 2003, the U.S. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, which assesses health hazards at Superfund sites, concluded that levels of heavy metals and explosive compounds found in Vieques' soil, groundwater, air and fish did not... (Honolulu Star-Bulletin)
Cluster causes elusive Aug 2, 2009
At a congressional hearing in March, Democratic lawmakers blasted the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, a sister agency to the CDC, for its shoddy review of the cancer cluster. A report by the congressional committee's staff called the agency's handling of such cases a "clear and present danger" to public health. (The Palm Beach Post)
20,000 mercury meters Jul 27, 2009
Mercury is ranked third on the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry s priority list of hazardous substances under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act, commonly known as Superfund. To this, Briggs said, You re not supposed to drink the crap. (New Iberia, LA)
Four cars derail Jul 21, 2009
According to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, phosphine is a colorless, flammable and explosive gas that smells like garlic or decaying fish and is used as a pesticide in stored grain. It evaporates into air and breaks down when in contact with soil or water. (New Iberia, LA)
Feds wrap up interviews at cement factory town Jul 18, 2009
The U.S. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry began interviewing residents this week and were to wrap up by Saturday. The agency, charged with protecting public health around toxic sites, has promised a thorough review of the town that's home to the nation's largest concentration of cement plants. (KSLA.com, LA)
Van der Horst cleanup nearing completion Jul 9, 2009
A health official with the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, a division of the Centers for Disease Control, told the group that typically an environmental link is found when victims suffer from the same type of cancer, for example, if they each developed lung cancer. And, according to an ATSDR chromium fact sheet, the species of chromium detected off-site is one that "is an essential nutrient that helps the body use sugar, protein and fat." However, breathing high levels of the... (Terrell Tribune, TX)
States digging deep to monitor water Jul 6, 2009
Test results show wells being used for drinking water do not contain enough contamination to cause adverse health effects, according to a federal report by the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry released Friday. An earlier draft of the health consultation report on the Homestake mill had classified the site as a public health hazard because samples from some wells showed uranium and selenium concentrations above drinking water standards. (Fresno Bee -- Nation)
Fallon Cancer Cluster Jul 5, 2009
He pointed in particular to a town hall meeting in which the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, a sister agency of the CDC, announced in unequivocal terms that the pipeline "does not pose a current or future public health hazard.". "Their declarations, the terms were absolute," Sands said. (Las Vegas Review-Journal -- Nevada News)
Feds: NM well water not apparent health hazard Jun 30, 2009
Test results show wells being used for drinking water do not contain enough contamination to cause adverse health effects, according to a federal report by the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry released Friday ... Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. (San Francisco Chronicle -- Science)
US senators call for Chinese drywall probe Jun 24, 2009
" Besides the CPSC, which has been named as the lead US federal agency for this investigation, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is also active, working with both the CPSC and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (CDC-ATSDR). According to an EPA analysis conducted earlier this year at the request of the CDC-ATSDR, "sulfur was detected at 83 parts per millions (ppm) and 119 ppm in the Chinese drywall samples. Sulfur was not... (Asia Times Online)
Marine fights for justice over contaminated Lejeune water May 31, 2009
The federal Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry also acknowledged for the first time that the water contained benzene, a known carcinogen. And it is working on a modeling project expected to show that tainted water flowed to the spigots of many more people than the Marine Corps originally reported and for much longer. (News & Observer)
Toxic 'carbon tet' lingers in air near schools May 20, 2009
Carbon tet is a clear, sweet-smelling liquid that easily evaporates, so most that has escaped into the environment is found as a gas, according to a chemical profile by the U.S. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. The EPA says the chemical's primary purpose was to make chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), which were used as refrigerants and propellants and were the key target of the Montreal Protocol, enacted in 1987. (USA Today -- Tech)
Safety board monitoring ammonia leak May 16, 2009
Exposure to high concentrations of ammonia vapor can burn the skin, eyes, throat and lungs, according to the federal Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. In extreme cases, it can cause blindness, lung damage or death. (Courier-Journal -- Business)
Chemical plumes continue to grow May 10, 2009
After a few weeks, that amount of arsenic could destroy a person s digestive tract and cause organ failure, according to scientists with the ATSDR.. After 100 years of operation, Asarco idled its 142-acre East Helena facility in April 2001, blaming the shutdown on economics, and the company later declared bankruptcy. (Helena Independent Record, MT)
Cancer risk for some Lejeune Marines May 7, 2009
But last week, the Associated Press (AP) reported officials at the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry have admitted tap water sources were contaminated with benzene, perchloroethylene (PCE) and trichloroethylene (TCE), all cancer-causing agents. The AP also reported the Navy's legal office, which is handling the claims, has received claims from 1,500 former Camp Lejeune residents totaling $33. (Burlington Union, MA)
Dangerous Mercury Spills Still Trouble Schoolchildren May 6, 2009
Of those, 30,891 concerned broken thermometers and 6,396 were caused by other sources, such as old science laboratories and religious or cultural ceremonies, according to a new report by the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, part of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The report, released in February, was prompted by a number of high-profile incidents of children exposed to mercury, in particular, a 2004 case involving as many as 100 children in a... (Scientific American)
Feds disavow base's toxic water study Apr 29, 2009
William Cibulas of the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry said Tuesday the agency "can no longer stand behind the accuracy of the information in that document.". More from msnbc. (MSNBC -- Environment)
Key events in Camp Lejeune's water contamination Apr 29, 2009
August 1997: The U.S. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry concludes that adults had little or no increased cancer risk from the past contaminated water, but raised concern about effects on developing fetuses ... Sources: Marine Corps chronology, Environmental Protection Agency, Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, Marine Corps documents. (Yahoo News -- Politics)
EPA to present cleanup plan for St. Joe Apr 11, 2009
The Missouri Department of Health & Senior Services (MDHSS) and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) recommend limiting exposure of young children to lead sources such as lead-contaminated soil and the tailings and chat found at the Park. For more information, the administrative record and site-related documents for the Federal Mine Tailings Superfund Site are available for review at the following locations. (Park Hills Daily Journal, MO)
Florida finds strontium sulfide in Chinese drywall Mar 25, 2009
Exposure to low levels of the gas "may cause irritation to the eyes, nose or throat ... [and] may also cause difficulty breathing for some asthmatics," according to the federal Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. Two of the China samples were marked as having been made in China or by a Chinese manufacturer. (CNN -- US)
Exposure To Insecticide May Play Role In Obesity Epidemic Among Some Women Mar 21, 2009
The study was funded by a 300,000 grant from the federal Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. Osuch said the study s findings can have a huge impact on how researchers treat and seek to prevent obesity. (Science Daily)
Insecticide May Play Role in Obesity Epidemic Mar 21, 2009
The study was funded by a $300,000 grant from the federal Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. Osuch said the study's findings can have a huge impact on how researchers treat and seek to prevent obesity. (Newsmax)
Risks to public's health hard to gauge, official says Mar 13, 2009
"There are things we can do better," Howard Frumkin, director of the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, told a congressional hearing. He said the agency is reviewing its mission and operations, but is intrinsically vulnerable to public anger and frustration. (Boston Globe)
Tonko: Study NL site impact Mar 13, 2009
Democratic lawmakers said the handling of toxic exposures at the defunct plant and other sites nationwide showed that the 29-year-old U.S. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry isn't doing enough to investigate legitimate health concerns. "It's clear ... that the ATSDR failed the people of Colonie and Albany who live near the site," said U.S. Rep. (Albany Times Union)
Agency to improve reporting of neighborhood toxics Mar 13, 2009
Under criticism from Congress and the public, the director of the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry says he is taking advantage of advances in chemical science and technology and reviewing the agency s mission and problems with its performance. Related health stories. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution -- Health)
INSIDE WASHINGTON: Probe finds health risks missed Mar 11, 2009
A House investigative report says officials from the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry "deny, delay, minimize, trivialize or ignore legitimate health concerns.". Local communities have voiced frustration and confusion at findings by the agency that are challenged by outside scientists or are ambiguous about whether people living near industrial pollution or toxic dumps or breathe foul-smelling air have reason to worry. (Albany Times Union)
Probe finds health risks missed Mar 11, 2009
A House investigative report says officials from the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry deny, delay, minimize, trivialize or ignore legitimate health concerns. Earlier, an environmental consultant raised concerns about the agency's 4-year study into residents' complaints of foul odors and health ailments near a waste plant in Dayton (Ohio). (FOX19.com, OH)
Ex-Grace officials on trial in asbestos poisoning Feb 19, 2009
And last fall the U.S. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry undertook a study of people who might have had other, lesser exposure to the dust. To begin with, the agency is trying to track down 6,000 or so people who graduated from Libby High School from 1950 to 2000. (International Herald Tribune)
Hawaii to clean old lead pellets from parts of Kaimalino Beach Feb 15, 2009
According to the federal Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, lead can affect almost every organ and system in the body. The main target for lead toxicity is the nervous system, both in adults and children, though children are more vulnerable to lead poisoning. (Honolulu Advertiser)
W.R. Grace civil suits have been in the courts for decades Feb 15, 2009
A series of screenings by the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry detected lung abnormalities in hundreds more individuals, who were later diagnosed with asbestos-related diseases. Two of the diseases most commonly associated with asbestos asbestosis and mesothelioma have latency periods of up to 40 years. (Missoulian, MT)
PADOH deems BoRit's surrounding population safe Feb 11, 2009
Advanced News Search. Wednesday, February 11. (Souderton Independent, PA)
