Chemical Safety Helpdesk

3621. May 6, 2013 | Portsmouth News
‘Asbestos is a time bomb and it’s all around’, UK
It’s a silent killer. A ticking time bomb in your chest that hides its timer and doesn’t even let you hear the ticking as it winds down...

3622. May 6, 2013 | Xinhua
Air monitoring picks up arsenic threat in NZ urban areas, New Zealand
WELLINGTON, New Zealanders burning treated timber to keep warm in winter have caused airborne arsenic levels in some of the country's towns and cities to exceed national and international guidelines, a government research institute warned Monday...

3623. May 6, 2013 | Nationwide Children's Hospital
Summer sees a spike in chemical injuries in kids, USA
Hydrocarbons, a chemical compound commonly found in household items from cleaning products to gasoline, are among the top 10 causes of pediatric poisoning deaths in the United States...

3624. May 6, 2013 | United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
China's Top Actress Urges Greater Effort to End Illegal Ivory Trade on Visit to Kenya, Kenya
On a fact-finding mission to Kenya, film actress Li Bingbing, one of China's most popular celebrities and a rising Hollywood star, has urged greater effort by governments and consumers to combat illegal wildlife trade...

3625. May 6, 2013 | Environmental Health News
EHN Special Report: 'Chemicals of high concern' found in thousands of children's products
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...

3626. May 6, 2013 | Scientific American
Flame Retardants Linked to Lower IQs, Hyperactivity in Children, USA
A new study confirms that exposure in the womb to fire-beating chemicals in furniture and carpet pads may hinder child development...

3627. May 6, 2013 | Guardian Weekly
Guadeloupe and Martinique threatened as pesticide contaminates food chain, UK
Chemical once used on banana crops threatening livelihoods and public health by polluting soil and sea...

3628. May 6, 2013 | Environmental Health News
BPA reported in few children's products, USA
Bisphenol A was reported in eight children's products. Included are the dyes of soft toys sold by Triboro Quilt Manufacturing Corp. and Wal-Mart...

3629. May 6, 2013 | Xinhua
Ginger farmers abuse toxic pesticide: report, China
AUTHORITIES have started confiscating a highly toxic pesticide after it was found to be widely used in ginger fields in Weifang City, Shandong Province, Xinhua news agency reported yesterday...

3630. May 6, 2013 | Environmental Health News
Parabens used as preservatives
Parabens, widely used as preservatives in cosmetics, plastics and foods, showed up in dozens of children's products, including baby skin care lotions and wipes...

3631. May 6, 2013 | Environmental Health News
Low levels of phthalates in more than 700 products
Eight different phthalates, the controversial, hormone-disrupting chemicals used to make vinyl and fragrances, showed up in more than 770 children's products...

3632. May 6, 2013 | Environmental Health News
Two toxic metals: Antimony, molybdenum used as pigments
Antimony, a little-known metal used as a yellow pigment in consumer products, was detected in 525 children's products, including blankets, clothing and footwear from dozens of companies...

3633. May 5, 2013 | Kyodo News International
Japan, China, S. Korea address cross-border pollution, Japan
Japan, China and South Korea discussed cross-border environmental issues including airborne toxic pollutants as they began a two-day meeting of environment ministers Sunday in Kitakyushu, southwestern Japan...

3634. May 5, 2013 | The Associated Press (AP)
Y-12 worker suffered chemical burns in accident, USA
OAK RIDGE, Tenn. (AP) — A Y-12 worker received chemical burns to his face and eyelids while checking a problem with a system in the nuclear weapons plant's Beta-2 facility...

3635. May 5, 2013 | NYTime.com
Neighbors Resist a Plan to Clean a Toxic Canal, USA
Almost everybody wants the Gowanus Canal cleansed of its toxic gunk...

3636. May 5, 2013 | cleveland.com
Ohio coal mines fight, and win routinely, against big federal fines, USA
WASHINGTON— In eastern Ohio’s coal country last Aug. 13, a federal inspector went down into Powhatan Mine No. 6, one of the state’s two largest mines...

3637. May 4, 2013 | seattlepi.com
Dangerous chemicals spilled in Lake Union lab fire, USA
A fire at a north Lake Union research lab triggered a large response from the Seattle Fire Department and sent a plume of potentially dangerous smoke over Lake Union Saturday afternoon...

3638. May 4, 2013 | news24.com
300 evacuated after chemical train fire, Belgiam
Brussels - Belgian authorities on Saturday evacuated nearly 300 people from their homes after several cars of a train carrying chemicals derailed, causing a major fire near the city of Gent...

3639. May 4, 2013 | BelfastTelegraph.co.uk
Chemical spill causes traffic chaos, UK
The incident on the M25 near Theydon Bois in Essex brought about the closure of the road clockwise between junctions 26 and 27 for 10 hours...

3640. May 3, 2013 | The News Leader
Chemical blamed for eagle deaths on Eastern Shore, USA
BIRDSNEST — Authorities say a chemical caused the deaths of five bald eagles on Virginia’s Eastern Shore...