"The mothers of a string of babies born with a birth defect on the same Kent street are convinced they've found the cause -- a banned weedkiller that's the subject of a legal battle being fought in the US by famed lawyer Erin Brockovich."

"Federal officials have been quick to reassure the public that there is no health threat from the mad cow disease discovered in the carcass of a Tulare County dairy cow. But there is a lot they don't know about the type of infection in that carcass -- including how the cow got the disease, how long it was ill, and the risk to the public if that strain gets into the food supply."

"Killer health problems such as diarrhoea, malnutrition, malaria and dengue are highly sensitive to climate change and could worsen in the coming decades, health experts agree. But how, where and to what extent remains unclear."

"OTTAWA - The Conservative government is using its massive budget bill to update Canada's food regulations so new health claims, food additives and chemical contamination caps can be approved much more quickly."

"WASHINGTON — The Senate Agriculture Committee passed a five-year, half-trillion-dollar farm bill on Thursday that would cut spending by almost $25 billion."

"A new biotech corn developed by Dow AgroSciences could answer the prayers of U.S. farmers plagued by a fierce epidemic of super-weeds. Or it could trigger a flood of dangerous chemicals that may make weeds even more resistant and damage other important U.S. crops. Or, it could do both."

"More than 127 million Americans -- about 41 percent of the country -- still suffer from pollution levels that can make breathing dangerous, according to a new report."

"The American Lung Association State of the Air 2012, released Wednesday, shows signs of air-quality improvement, but also indicates struggles in many regions nationwide. The volunteer health organization examined 2008-2010 ozone levels, the main ingredient of smog air pollution, and air-particle pollution at official measuring sites across the U.S.

"Twenty percent of U.S. EPA's radiation monitors were out of service last year when an earthquake caused a meltdown at Japan's Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, according to a new report that confirms some of the claims of environmental watchdogs."

"In their quest to rid cleaning products of toxic chemicals, consumer advocates have now set their sights on Tide, the best-selling laundry detergent.

"Ken Shefton is furious about what the government knew eight years ago and never told him — that the neighborhood where his five sons have been playing is contaminated with lead. Their Cleveland home is a few blocks from a long-forgotten factory that spewed toxic lead dust for about 30 years."