Chemical Cocktails Cause Penis Deformities in Baby Rats

You know how the EPA and the chemical industry are always claiming that all kinds of chemicals are safe, based on minimal exposure to a single chemical at a time? And you always think, “who’s only exposed to one chemical at a time?” Well, your instinct to distrust these claims is right on the mark, according to a new study that finally evaluated the effect of exposure to multiple chemicals.

Researchers found that harmful effects – including penis deformities – where found in baby rats after a pregnant mother was exposed to a mixture of chemicals, even when each individual chemical in the cocktail causes no harm on its own.

The pregnant rats were given either a phthalate called DEHP, fungicides vinclozolin or prochloraz, the drug finasteride or a mixture of the four chemicals.

From Environmental News Network:

Some groups were exposed to levels of the chemicals that previous research has suggested causes no harm (the “no observed adverse effect level,” or NOAEL). Others were exposed to the chemicals at the NOAEL level.

Once born, the baby rats were weighed, inspected for nipple retention and genital deformities, and measured for the distance between their anus and the base of their penis (anogenital distance). All males were scored for their degree of feminization. In some male animals, researchers also weighed reproductive organs and the kidney and liver. What did they find?

The mixture of DEHP, vinclozolin, prochloraz and finasteride, given at doses known to harm reproductive development, caused decreases in anogenital distance, increased prostate weights and retained nipples. The effects seen in relation to these conditions was additive and could be predicted given the responses observed when looking at the chemicals individually.

However, incidence of penis deformities were much stronger with the mixes than what would be predicted from the potency of the individual chemicals. For a significant number of rats, the penis opening was not at the tip, but was often located toward the base of the genitals.

Eek! A deformed rat penis!

When you think about how many supposedly ‘safe’ chemicals we are exposed to on a daily basis, it seems like there is all manner of opportunity for harm. And just because your mom worked in a chemical factory/drank antifreeze/did other dumb shit when she was pregnant with you and you’re “fine” doesn’t mean anything (fine is relative).

Seriously, who wants to risk having a baby with penis deformities and other problems because we are all so apathetic about the chemicals that are absorbed by our bodies? Time to get serious about cutting chemicals out of your home, especially if you’re a woman of childbearing age.

(If you’re wondering how many times we can possibly make a South Park screen cap relevant to environmental news, the answer is: AN INFINITE NUMBER OF TIMES.)

Link [ENN]
Photo credit: South Park

EPA to Investigate Waste Dumping in Poor U.S. Communities

With the news about Britain getting caught dumping toxic waste in Brazil and Ghana, the injustice of hazardous dumping in third-world countries is getting some much-deserved press and analysis. But what about poor communities right here in the U.S. that are experiencing the same thing? Industry polluters abuse low-income and minority communities across the country, something that activists like Robert Bullard and Irma Muñoz often refer to as ‘environmental racism’.

According to the L.A. Times, this practice will finally be getting some attention from the federal government. The EPA has announced its intention to look into the impact of hazardous waste recycling plants in poor communities.

From the L.A. Times:

The move hearkens back to a Clinton-era executive order that required federal agencies to consider the impact of their policies on disadvantaged communities. Although the Bush administration largely ignored the mandate, Obama-appointed EPA administrator Lisa P. Jackson has promised to analyze those impacts.

Under the Bush administration, hazardous waste recycling plants had a free pass to process more than 1 million pounds of toxic material without federal oversight. In Los Angeles and other areas, such plants are disproportionately located in low-income communities and communities largely populated by non-whites, maps created by Earthjustice show.

For example, coal ash from a spill in east Tennessee last December has been relocated to areas largely populated by black people in Alabama and Georgia, noted Robert Bullard of the Environmental Justice Resource Center at Clark Atlanta University.

That last bit is pretty shocking. The TVA already ruined the lives of hundreds of people in Harriman, Tennessee when the coal ash spill occurred last December and their idea of cleaning it up is to move it to poor Southern communities? It’s an outrage.

The EPA needs to tackle the problem at the source  – making life hell for the companies that carry out these injustices in the first place. A little karma would do them some good.

Link [LA Times]
Photo credit: WeAct.org

Britain Gets Caught Dumping Toxic Waste

It’s been going on for decades, and nobody has ever called them out on it. Perhaps that’s what gave British companies the balls to continue dumping toxic hazardous waste in countries like Brazil and Ghana for all these years, despite the fact that it’s clearly harmful to the environment and human health. But two companies have finally been formally accused of dumping, which may help call attention to the problem.

Not that Britain is alone – companies in the United States and other Western countries do it too, and government has looked the other way. Our toxic waste has long been somebody else’s problem – namely, poor people who have no way to protect themselves from the onslaught of chemicals.

From Times Online:

Hilary Benn, the Environment Secretary, ordered an investigation into two British companies linked to 90 shipping containers containing 1,400 tonnes of waste. They included syringes, condoms and nappies. The companies that received the waste — sent from Felixstowe to three Brazilian ports — said that they had been expecting recyclable plastic.

In a separate case, the Ministry of Defence was unable to explain how one of its computers was found by The Times on a notorious dump on the outskirts of Accra, Ghana. Children as young as 5 extract scrap metal from electrical items there and are exposed to potentially lethal chemicals.

Inspectors from Brazil’s environment agency, Ibama, found hospital waste in several containers, reportedly including bags of blood. Another container was full of dirty toys with a note in Portuguese saying they should be washed before being given to “poor Brazilian children”.

Ingrid Oberg, an Ibama official, who opened containers found in the port of Santos on national television news, said: “Whoever put this rubbish into the containers in the UK knew what they were doing and knew where they were going, so it is a criminal act. England needs to assume responsibility.”

Worldwide Biorecyclables Ltd and UK Multiplas Recycling Ltd are the companies being investigated. They’re hardly the only ones that do it, but forcing these companies to take responsibility for their actions may make others think twice before continuing the despicable practice.

Unfortunately, they’ll probably just find sneakier ways to do it. The European Union tightened toxic shipment rules in 2007 and dumping still happens all the time.

PBS Frontline has been conducting an investigation into e-waste dumping in Ghana – check out the video in our recent post, ‘Ghana, an E-Waste Graveyard’.

Link [Times Online]
Photo credit: BBC News

California Identifies 30 More Toxic Chemicals

It’s nice to know that, while we haven’t been able to count on our federal government to properly warn and protect us against toxic chemicals found in everyday items, we can count on California. The state with the nation’s most stringent chemical reporting laws has identified 30 ‘new’ toxic chemicals that can potentially cause cancer or reproductive and developmental health problems, according to the NRDC. These chemicals are found in products like weed killers, insecticides, fingernail polish and adhesives.

From The Daily Green:

Male Reproductive Toxicants

1. n-Butyl glycidyl ether, a chemical used to make epoxy resins with a number of uses in common products
2. Carbaryl, a household pesticide used to kill a range of insects, and sold as Sevin by GardenTech and Bayer (also a developmental toxicant)
3. 2-Chloropropionic acid, a chemical used to make herbicides
4. Dichloroacetic acid, which forms in drinking water as a byproduct of disinfection using chlorine
5. Diglycidyl ether, a chemical used to make epoxy resins
6. Ethylene oxide, a chemical mainly used in the manufacturing of chemicals like antifreeze and polyester (also a developmental toxicant)
7. Ethyl-tert-butyl ether, a common gasoline additive
8. Methyl chloride, a chemical used primarily to make silicone polymers, but also used in other processes, including the oil refining
9. Methyl n-butyl ketone, an industrial solvent
10. Phenyl glycidyl ether, an industrial chemical
11. 1,3,5-Triglycidyl-s-triazinetrione, a constituent of some paints
12. 4-Vinyl-cyclohexene, a chemical used in the production of epoxy resins (also a female reproductive toxicant)

Carcinogens

1. Amsacrine, a chemotherapy drug
2. Bleomycins, antibiotics used in chemotherapy treatments
3. Chlorophenoxy herbicides, including 2,4-D, are common weedkillers sold for lawn and garden use
4. Marine diesel fuel
5. Progestins, synthetic hormones found in some birth controls
6. Styrene, an ingredient in many plastic and foam products
7. Toxins derived from Fusarium moniliforme (Fusarium verticillioides), a fungus
8. Vinyl acetate, a compound used to make polymers used in plastics, films, lacquers, adhesives, inks, water-based emulsion paints, floor tiling, safety glasses, cosmetics and personal care products and other goods
9. Wood dust
10. Zalcitabine, an HIV drug sold as Hivid
11. Zidovudine (AZT), an HIV drug

Developmental Toxicants

1. Tert-Amyl methyl ether, a common fuel additive
2. Carbaryl, a household pesticide used to kill a range of insects, and sold as Sevin by GardenTech and Bayer (also a male reproductive toxicant)
3. Chloroform, which is used in the manufacturing of other chemicals, and which can form in drinking water as a byproduct of disinfection using chlorine
4. N,N-dimethylacetamide, a solvent used in industries ranging from fibers and adhesives to pharmaceuticals and plasticizers
5. Ethylene oxide, a chemical mainly used in the manufacturing of chemicals like antifreeze and polyester (also a male reproductive toxicant)
6. 2-Ethylhexanoic acid, a chemical associated with phthalates and PVC plastics
7. p,p’-Oxybis (benzenesulfonyl hydrazide), an industrial chemical
8. Phenylphosphine, an industrial chemical

Female Reproductive Toxicants

1. Toluene, a constituent of oil, is found in gasoline and is used to make paints, paint thinners, fingernail polish, lacquers, adhesives, and rubber
2. 4-Vinyl-cyclohexene, a chemical used in the production of epoxy resins (also a male reproductive toxicant)

30 more reasons to live a simpler, more natural life.

Link [The Daily Green]

FEMA Might Get Sued for Toxic Trailers

Here we are, over three years after Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast, and residents in that area are still dealing with the after effects in more ways than one.  We all know the story of how FEMA royally screwed up in the aftermath of the hurricane, failing to do its job in protecting and aiding the citizens of this country during a disaster. But the government agency also failed when they failed to act after it was discovered that the travel trailers given to affected residents to live in after their homes were destroyed were packed with formaldehyde.

Earlier this month a House committee found that the CDC and FEMA failed to protect the public’s health, and a federal judge also determined that the agency is not immune from lawsuits from Gulf Coast residents who had to breathe in the toxic fumes.

From Treehugger:

“The agency’s incomplete and inadequate handling of their public health assessment, the failure to quickly and effectively correct their scientific mistakes and their reluctance to take appropriate corrective actions was all marked by notable inattention and inaction on the part of ATSDR’s ( Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry ) senior leadership.  As a result, tens of thousands of Hurricane Katrina and Rita families living in trailers with elevated levels of formaldehyde were kept in harm’s way for at least one year longer than necessary.”

“U.S. District Judge Kurt Engelhardt cited evidence that the Federal Emergency Management Agency delayed investigating complaints about formaldehyde levels in its trailers because it might be held legally responsible. The preservative can cause breathing problems and is classified as a carcinogen.”

Last Friday’s ruling showed just how dirty the politics got behind the scenes at FEMA and the CDC – dirty enough to play with the health of thousands of Americans.

The trailers weren’t even tested for safety until 2006, when the Sierra Club stepped in after residents started complaining about health issues.  Treehugger reports that the CDC and FEMA didn’t react with urgency when they found out about the formaldehyde levels in the trailers, in what amounts to a cover-up.

What about the makers of the trailers, who put these products out onto the market with such dangerous levels of formaldehyde? Someone should definitely go to jail for this.

Link [Treehugger]
Photo credit: Flickr user szlea

After Hurricane Ike, Receding Floodwaters Leave Toxic Mix

Hurricane Ike may be long gone from Galveston, Texas, but for the residents who live there, the storm’s effects are far from over. One of the worst side effects of hurricanes is the toxic sludge left behind as floodwaters recede.  The mix is full of human waste, asbestos, lead, gasoline, bacteria and other substances and organisms that pose serious health and environmental risks.  Mosquitoes breed in the stagnant water, and as the water dries the sludge turns to dust that can cause respiratory issues.

The New York Times reported some of the issues Galveston and other areas affected by Hurricane Ike are currently facing:

Homes must be inspected for structural damage and for leaks before natural gas service can be restored.  And before debris can be hauled away, hazardous material has to be separated from what can be sent to recycling centers, burned or chipped into mulch.

“At 60,000-feet altitude, the damage just looks like a lot of debris,” said Steve LeBlanc, the city manager. “Just clean it up. Flip a switch. And we can be back online. It’s a whole lot more complicated than that.”

Total damages to the island are estimated to be more than $10 billion, city officials said.

Officials said that they did not expect electricity and natural gas to be restored on the entire island for at least a month and that it might take more than a year to remove all the debris. Water should be running within the next couple of weeks, they said.

A hurricane and its aftermath is, of course, an environmental disaster.  Animals are killed and displaced and plants are ripped from the ground.  Debris from ruined structures ends up in landfills.  Large swaths of land are sprayed with pesticide to kill mosquito larvae, and toxic substances in the floodwater make their way into the drinking water supply.  The desire to get things back in order as quickly as possible can lead to the improper disposal of toxic chemicals.

The Environmental Protection Agency will be taking samples of the sludge and floodwaters this week, and testing them for contaminants.  The EPA generally sends out HazMat teams to areas affected by flooding to properly clean up toxic waste.  It’s scary to think of what might be lurking in that water, and whether the methods the EPA uses are actually good enough.  Seems like residents would be better off waiting a while before returning to their homes.

Link [The New York Times]
Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons

Lawmakers Finally Agree to Ban Poison in Kids’ Items Despite Exxon Lobbying

Gee, Congress. Pat on the back. After literally decades of kids playing with toys filled with toxic chemicals, you’ve finally gotten around to banning pthalates in kids’ items. Great job. We’re so glad that you’ve been on top of children’s’ safety issues, protecting our kids from harm.

The U.S. does not currently require industries to prove the safety of a chemical before it’s allowed on the market. Parents may purchase these toys for their kids thinking, ‘Surely it’s safe – the government wouldn’t allow them to be sold if they weren’t, right?’ Unfortunately, that’s incorrect. Congress just now passed a measure that would ban pthalates, a dangerous family of toxins, from kids’ items. The ban would take effect in 6 months – that is, if President Bush doesn’t veto it, which he has threatened to do.

From The Washington Post:

Among other things, the legislation would ban lead in children’s products and would give consumers access to a new database of complaints or accident reports for goods. The measure also allows stiffer fines for violations and enhanced enforcement of consumer safety laws.

Under language finalized yesterday, House and Senate lawmakers agreed to permanently ban three types of phthalates from children’s toys and to outlaw three other phthalates from products pending an extensive study of their health effects in children and pregnant women.

Phthalates make plastics softer and more durable and also are added to perfumes, lotions, shampoos and other items. They are so ubiquitous that in one 1999 study, the Food and Drug Administration found traces in all of its 1,000 subjects.

We haven’t even gotten to the worst part yet. Believe it or not, this legislation got bogged down in the House due to a ‘costly battle’ waged by Exxon Mobil (could they BE any more evil?), who manufacture the pthalate most commonly found in children’s toys. In fact, they have said that they’re protesting the ban because without pthalates, manufacturers will be ‘forced’ to use even more dangerous chemicals instead.

Here’s an idea, folks: STOP PUTTING TOXINS IN KIDS’ TOYS! It’s really not that hard! It’s amazing that these companies are allowed to knowingly poison kids – and our country has just sat back and allowed it to happen. Sickening.

Link [The Washington Post]
Photo credit: Flickr user greenmelinda

White House Preventing EPA From Testing Toxicity of Chemicals

What do you know, the White House and the EPA are in our ‘Planet Killers’ news once again. Congressional investigators have found that the Bush administration is keeping the EPA from performing important tests on chemicals to determine health effects. What they’re doing, basically, is allowing nonscientists to have a big say in the process, and keeping it a secret from the public (or trying to).

From MSNBC.com:

The administration’s decision to give the Defense Department and other agencies an early role in the process adds to years of delay in acting on harmful chemicals and jeopardizes the program’s credibility, the Government Accountability Office concluded.

At issue is the EPA’s screening of chemicals used in everything from household products to rocket fuel to determine if they pose serious risk of cancer or other illnesses.

A new review process begun by the White House in 2004 is adding more speed bumps for EPA scientists, the GAO said in its report, which will be the subject of a Senate Environment Committee hearing Tuesday. A formal policy effectively doubling the number of steps was adopted two weeks ago.

While we’re stewing in a toxic mix of chemicals that could very well be altering our cells in a way that science has yet to identify and understand, the government is engaging in this chaotic game of ping pong where various agencies are throwing information back and forth at each other with no apparent rhyme or reason to the process. I suppose we shouldn’t be surprised, since hardly anything the government does is actually efficient, but this is a matter of life and death – literally.

What it amounts to is the government protecting chemical companies. How many industries has the Bush administration whored itself out to? It’s astounding.

Link [MSNBC]

Photo credit: Flickr user Foxtongue