National Tribal Toxics Council

Toxics News

EPA Toxics

U.S. EPA Toxic Chemicals and Pesticides News

U.S. EPA Toxic Chemicals and Pesticides News

Washington landlord cited for failing to notify tenants of lead paint (Seattle – May 15, 2012) Robert Kerr of Everett, Washington will pay a penalty for alleged violations of the federal Real Estate Notification and Disclosure Rule, according to a settlement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Mr. Kerr leases properties located in Bellingham, Washington. From 2008-2010, Mr. Kerr leased 26 residential units numerous times and failed to notify tenants about the presence of lead paint and lead-based paint hazards, as required by the Disclosure Rule. Mr EPA, Massachusetts and Connecticut Host Public Meetings on Housatonic River Status (Boston, Mass. – May 15, 2012) – EPA and the states of Massachusetts and Connecticut  will be holding public meetings in both states next week to discuss next steps for the potential clean up of the Housatonic River in western Massachusetts and Connecticut EPA Promotes Safer Alternatives to Nonylphenol Ethoxylates WASHINGTON — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has released the final report on alternatives to nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPEs) through the Design for the Environment (DfE) Alternatives Assessment Program. NPEs are widely used surfactants with a range of industrial applications and are commonly found in consumer products, such as laundry detergents. When released into the environment, they can be persistent and highly toxic to aquatic organisms

NY Times

NYT > Hazardous and Toxic Substances

News about hazardous and toxic substances, including commentary and archival articles published in The New York Times.

Are You Safe on That Sofa? Flame retardants illuminate everything that’s wrong with our money-driven politics. Choosing Safe Food Containers The president of the Glass Packaging Institute says glass is safer than plastic for food storage. E.P.A. Chemist, Cate Jenkins, Who Warned of Ground Zero Dust Is Reinstated Cate Jenkins argued that the agency had fired her for accusing it of understating the toxicity of the dust at the Lower Manhattan site.

EcoWorld

Environmental News, Articles & Information | Global Warming News | EcoWorld

Environmental News, Information & Articles on Climate Change, Global Warming and Sustainability

BP Faces New Oil Spill Claim BP Plc is facing a new lawsuit by state pension funds in Ohio and New York that claim the oil giant misled investors about its commitment to safety before the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The funds filed the class-action suit in the U.S. District Court in the southern district of Texas Monday seeking compensation for the investments lost after the April 20 disaster in the Gulf of Mexico. Penguins Sent to U.S. for Global Warming Exhibition A group of 20 penguins rescued from Brazilian beaches last year have been sent to the U.S. for an exhibition on climate change. Brazilian scientists say the Magellanic penguins arrived safely this weekend in Los Angeles, where they will be kept in quarantine before being sent to California's Monterey Bay Aquarium, AFP reports. EU Calls for New CO2 Restrictions for Vans The European Union is placing new restrictions on carbon dioxide emissions for commercial vans in an effort to reduce fuel costs and eliminate the heat-trapping gases blamed for climate change. The European parliament voted Tuesday for new limits that will require auto manufacturers to reduce CO2 emissions by 14 percent by 2017, AFP reports. A 28 percent reduction from 2007 levels would follow in 2020.

P2 Resource Exchange

Pollution Prevention Resource Exchange (P2Rx) News

P2Rx pulls P2 National headlines from different regional center and publishes on p2rx.

64 lbs. of mercury for sale ... on Craigslist? A tip from an alert online shopper who noticed an unusual posting on Craigslist allowed authorities to recover 64 pounds of dangerous elemental mercury from a Floodwood resident. The ad, offering "instrument grade' mercury in four plastic bottles for $650, was posted by a man who said he found it when cleaning out his late grandfather's garage. The alert shopper contacted the Western Lake Superior Sanitary District, which in turn notified the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, triggering a hurried effort last month to get the mercury out of circulation. PCA officials decided the best action was to buy the mercury from the seller rather than begin a lengthy and complicated compliance investigation. WLSSD officials made the purchase for $300 using a state grant and brought the mercury back to the WLSSD Household Hazardous Waste Facility in Duluth for proper disposal. Montana tribes honored with national conservation award The Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes will be honored with the National Wildlife Federation Conservation Achievement Award in Government. CSKT established the nation's first tribally designated wilderness area on the Flathead Indian Reservation. EPA Promotes Safer Alternatives to Nonylphenol Ethoxylates WASHINGTON -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has released the final report on alternatives to nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPEs) through the Design for the Environment (DfE) Alternatives Assessment Program. NPEs are widely used surfactants with a range of industrial applications and are commonly found in consumer products, such as laundry detergents. When released into the environment, they can be persistent and highly toxic to aquatic organisms. The report identifies eight safer alternatives to NPEs that meet EPA's criteria for safer surfactants. "I applaud the product manufacturers who have stopped using NPEs and switched to safer alternatives and the chemical manufacturers who have made the safer alternatives available," said Jim Jones, acting assistant administrator for EPA's Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention (OCSPP). "This report shows the important strides that have been made to identify safer alternatives and the progress being made to phase out NPEs in detergents and reduce its use in other applications. By developing rigorous technical assessments through public participation, EPA can help successfully encourage the transition to safer chemicals."