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Calif. Gov. Jerry Brown Proposes Prop. 65 Changes
San Francisco Chronicle, 05/08/2013"Gov. Jerry Brown said Tuesday that he intends to change California's landmark consumer-safety law in an attempt to reduce frivolous lawsuits and give the public clearer information about toxic chemicals."
"Will Lead Bullets Finally Kill Off the California Condor?"
YaleE360, 05/07/2013"The California condor, the largest bird in North America, was saved from extinction by a captive breeding program that increased its numbers in the wild. But now the condor is facing a new and pernicious threat — the lead from bullets used by game hunters."
"Mercury Exposure Linked To Dramatic Decline in Arctic Foxes"
BBC, 05/07/2013"Scientists say that foxes in Arctic regions who feed on ocean prey are being exposed to dangerous levels of mercury."
"Toxic Waste Sites May Cause Health Problems for Millions"
Science News, 05/07/2013"Living near a toxic waste site may represent as much of a health threat as some infectious diseases, a study in three developing countries finds."
"'Chemicals of High Concern' Found in Thousands of Children's Products"
EHN, 05/06/2013"Cobalt in plastic building blocks and baby bibs. Ethylene glycol in dolls. Methyl ethyl ketone in clothing. Antimony in high chairs and booster seats. Parabens in baby wipes. D4 in baby creams. An Environmental Health News analysis of thousands of reports from America’s largest companies shows that toys and other children’s products contain low levels of dozens of industrial chemicals, including some unexpected ingredients that will surprise a public concerned about exposure."
Flame Retardant Chemicals Bring Firefighters Higher Cancer Risk
Bangor Daily News, 05/06/2013"ELLSWORTH, Maine — New research by a Blue Hill scientist shows that during a fire, firefighters are exposed to dangerous levels of toxic, cancer-causing chemicals created when commercial flame retardants burn."
"Honey Bee Decline Due to ‘Complex’ Multiple Factors" -- Study
ENS, 05/03/2013"WASHINGTON, DC -- Multiple factors are responsible for the steep decline in honey bees across the United States, including parasites and disease, genetics, poor nutrition and pesticide exposure, federal government officials reported today, releasing a new scientific consensus on honey bee health."
"Environmental Exposures in the Context of Child Care"
Environmental Health Perspectives, 05/03/2013"Research has proven that infants and toddlers, who spend more time on the floor and experience the world with their hands and mouths, are not merely in closer contact with many indoor pollutants2 but also more sensitive to them. Yet environmental health standards in child care settings nationwide—which can include not just centers but also private homes, workplaces, universities, and places of worship—still lag behind those of schools, where children are older, larger, and somewhat less susceptible to environmental exposures. Unlike with more uniformly regulated schools, child care licensing, permitting, and oversight occur on a variety of levels, resulting in a fractured regulatory landscape."
"Decades-Old Question: Is Antibacterial Soap Safe?"
Guardian, 05/03/2013"It's a chemical that's been in U.S. households for more than 40 years, from the body wash in your bathroom shower to the knives on your kitchen counter to the bedding in your baby's basinet. But federal health regulators are just now deciding whether triclosan -- the germ-killing ingredient found in an estimated 75 percent of antibacterial liquid soaps and body washes sold in the U.S. -- is ineffective, or worse, harmful."
"America's Fertilizer Keeps Blowing Up. It Doesn't Have To."
Mother Jones, 05/03/2013"Europe and Australia long ago recognized the benefits of a fertilizer formula that doesn’t blow up. Here, the chemical industry fought back."
30 Toxic Chemicals Found at Arkansas Tar Sands Oil Spill Site
DeSmogBlog, 05/02/2013"An independent study co-published by the Faulkner County Citizens Advisory Group and Global Community Monitor reveals that, in the aftermath of ExxonMobil's Pegasus tar sands pipeline spill of over 500,000 gallons of diluted bitumen (dilbit) into Mayflower, AR, air quality in the area surrounding the spill has been affected by high levels of cancer-causing chemicals."
"Lipstick Study Opens Up Concerns About Carcinogen"
USA TODAY, 05/02/2013"Lipstick may brighten your face but may not be good for the rest of you, a study today suggests. Testing of 32 commonly sold lipsticks and lip glosses found they contain lead, cadmium, chromium, aluminum and five other metals — some at potentially toxic levels, according to researchers at the University of California-Berkeley's School of Public Health."
Exemption Shields Some Fertilizer Plants from Safety Rules, Inspections
Center for Public Integrity, 05/02/2013"The Texas fertilizer plant that blew up on April 17, killing at least 15 people, appears to have been claiming an arcane exemption that allowed it to avoid targeted workplace inspections and safety requirements and enter a 'streamlined prevention program' with environmental regulators, a government spokesman confirmed."
"Study Links Insecticide Use To Invertebrate Die-Offs"
Guardian, 05/02/2013"The world's most widely used insecticide is devastating dragonflies, snails and other water-based species, a groundbreaking Dutch study has revealed."
"Thousands Of Kids’ Products Contain Toxic Chemicals, Report Says"
McClatchy, 05/01/2013"More than 5,000 products, including clothing, toys and bedding, contain toxic chemicals that could be dangerous for children’s health, yet stores still stock them and consumers know little about their content, an advocacy group reported this week."

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