Tag Archives: Toxicity

WNYC – The Leonard Lopate Show: Off Label Uses

Leonard Lopate interviews

Keri Powell, a lawyer for the environmental group Earthjustice, who filed a suit requiring manufacturers to come clean on what’s in their products. We’ll also speak with industrial hygienist Monona Rossol from Arts Crafts and Theater Safety on why there’s been such resistance to comply – and what it means for our health.

Listen to the interview or follow the links to Powell’s and Rossol’s organizations for information on household chemical toxicity. I was struck to learn that formaldehyde is a byproduct of citrus oil – which, based on no evidence at all, I’d assumed was okay.

via Wikimedia Commonsvia WNYC – The Leonard Lopate Show: Off Label Uses May 11, 2009. Another reason we support WNYC; it’s hard to imagine a commercial radio station even raising the subject.

via Wikimedia Commons

What’s In Your Sewage? Liz Borkowski at The Pump Handle

Liz Borkowski at The Pump Handle

has an interesting discussion of sewage systems – she points out that

While most of sewage systems do a great job of making the water look clean and getting rid of bacteria and viruses, they often aren’t designed to remove synthetic chemicals. With so many of us dependent on daily doses of pharmaceuticals, we’re excreting lots of drugs (or their metabolites), and they’re sticking around in treated wastewater. Researchers are now starting to discover what that means for the environment.

What’s In Your Sewage? at The Pump Handle

And then, typically for The Pump Handle , follows up with well-sourced, calm discussion which will leave you better informed.

There may be long-term planning implications with respect to how we design sewage and filtration systems. We’re also reminded of the toxic soup post-Katrina – composed not only of sewage – but of every opened bottle of household cleanser, paint, insecticide, etc. which was on a floor low enough to have the water pass through. (I’ll try to update later with links to the post-Katrina water issues).