Our regular readers may already be familiar with Susanne Rust and Meg Kissinger, the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reporters who investigate the stories behind chemicals used in consumer products. Their series âChemical Falloutâ includes articles on bisphenol A and flame retardants, and in-depth looks at how EPA and FDA are (or arenât) regulating the many chemicals we […]
The Associated Press reports that Senators Byron Dorgan and Evan Bayh are still not satisfied with what the Department of Defenseâs response to illnesses among National Guard troops who were exposed to hexavalent chromium at the Qarmat Ali water plant near Basra, Iraq. The Senators seek updates on efforts to communicate with potentially exposed National […]
by revere, cross-posted from Effect Measure The plant in Blakely, Georgia that was the apparent source of the salmonella peanut butter outbreak didn’t make peanut butter for retail consumption. It made bulk peanut butter and peanut butter paste which became an ingredient in many other products. The number of products is now around 2000, the […]
When the U.S. Senate reconvenes on Tuesday, February 24th, I’ve learned that they will move ahead with a vote on the nomination of Hilda Solis to serve as 25th Secretary of Labor.  This confirmation vote will take place 35 days following President Obama’s inauguration.  If Mrs. Solis can secure the confirmation of our Asst. Secretaries for MSHA […]
Bloggers help us stay up to date on the stimulus packageâs latest permutation: Kate Sheppard at Gristmill gives us the rundown on funding for green priorities Scientists & Engineers for America Action Fund compiles the numbers on science funding Jake Young at Pure Pedantry warns of pitfalls when science funding takes this form Keith Johnson […]
Linda Reinstein is a mother and grandmother.  Linda Reinstein is an asbestos-disease widow. Her husband Alan Reinstein, 67, died on May 22, 2006 from mesothelioma. Like her husband, Linda Reinstein is a fighter, an organizer, an activist.  Following Alan Reinstein’s mesothelioma diagnosis in 2003, they founded the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO) which is now entering its sixth […]
by revere, cross-posted from Effect Measure My sciblings at Scienceblogs have done a pretty thorough fisking of the Andrew Wakefield affair.To recap breifly, a paper by Wakefield and others in The Lancet in 1998 raised an alarm that the widely used measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine was the cause of some cases of childhood autism and a […]
Iâve written before about this project; now, we’re very close to finishing data collection and are looking for a few more government scientists to interview. At the Project on Scientific Knowledge and Public Policy at George Washington University School of Public Health, weâve launched a multi-part study to understand the current policies surrounding scientistsâ work at […]
The nonprofit group OMB Watch is a terrific resource for learning about and monitoring the inner workings of the government. Their mission is âto increase government transparency and accountability; to ensure sound, equitable regulatory and budgetary processes and policies; and to protect and promote active citizen participation in our democracy.â Over the years, Iâve had […]
As weâve noted before, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health was the federal entity that responded most appropriately to respiratory problems among workers exposed to the butter-flavoring chemical diacetyl. They evaluated the hazards at workplaces using diacetyl and recommended steps to reduce exposures; as affected workers were probably sad to learn, though, NIOSH […]