The Chemicals Within

Anne Underwood authored an article appearing in Newsweek's February 4, 2008 edition titled "The Chemicals Within." Underwood highlights three potentially hazardous classes of compounds found in common household products like shampoo, tin cans, shower curtains and upholstery. You can read the article by clicking here. One source for the article is a November 2007 report (titled "Is It In Us?") documenting the results of a national biomonitoring project that tested 35 diverse people from seven states for contamination with three types of toxic industrial chemicals -- Bisphenol-A, Pthalates, and Polybrominated diphenyl ethers. The report is another interesting, ablbeit alarming, read. You can obtain the report in pdf form by clicking here.

Chemicals Considered For Possible Listing Under California Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act

The Act (Proposition 65) requires California's governor to publish and update a list of chemicals known to the State to cause cancer or reproductive toxicity. Two chemicals are recently being considered for addition to the list: Dibromoacetic acid and Methylimidazole. You can read the announcement by the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment by clicking here. With respect to Dibromoacetic acid, I found a report identifying the 3 most polluted communities in California. You can read the California State Contaminant Report published by EWG/National Tap Water Quality Database by clicking here.

House Members to Watch on Global Warming

The Environmental Defense Action Fund recently published information about 10 of the most influential movers and shakers in the House and their involvement in global warming legislation. You can read ED's here.