Archive for September 2023
EPA Removing Hazardous Materials Following Fires in Maui
Construction & Demolition Recycling by Bob Gaetjens Maui, Hawaii – EPA says its personnel are working with federal, state and local agencies to remove hazardous material from areas affected by the wildfires in Maui in recent weeks. The EPA’s hazardous materials work is Phase 1 of the overall federal cleanup response. Phase 2 will be debris…
Read MoreCape Cod
Cape and Islands NPR by Brian Engles State and federal regulators are not seeing eye-to-eye with the Air Force on next steps for cleaning up the harmful ‘forever chemicals’ PFAS from Joint Base Cape Cod. A 6,200 acre plume of concentrated PFAS stemming from the base’s old fire training area led to groundwater contamination in Mashpee…
Read MoreEPA Issues Next PFAS Chemical Test Order
Paint Square US EPA issued its third Toxic Substances Control Act test order, requiring testing on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances under the National PFAS Testing Strategy. In the National Testing Strategy, the EPA assigned different PFAS into smaller categories based on similarities in structure, physical-chemical properties and existing toxicity data. The EPA then issued test orders for…
Read MoreStudy Reveals Troubling Information About Nearly Half of All U.S. Tap Water: ‘Millions of People Have Been Drinking [it]’
Yahoo News by Sara Klimek US – An extensive study released by the United States Geological Survey revealed that many per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, a group of thousands of “forever chemicals,” contaminate nearly half of the nation’s drinking water. The study examined over 700 taps and kitchen faucets from homes, schools, and offices, looking for…
Read MoreUsing Marine Bacteria to Detoxify Asbestos
Environmental Factor Philadelphia, PA NIEHS grantees from the University of Pennsylvania (Penn) Department of Earth and Environmental Science recently discovered that bacteria from extreme marine environments have the potential to detoxify asbestos. Their study, published in the journal Applied and Environmental Microbiology, suggests that the marine microbes may be better candidates for asbestos bioremediation than previously…
Read MoreMontana Clinic Files for Bankruptcy Following $6 Million Judgment Over False Asbestos Claims
AP by Matthew Brown Billings, MT – A health clinic in a Montana town plagued by deadly asbestos contamination has filed for bankruptcy protection after a judge ordered it to pay the government almost $6 million in penalties and damages for submitting hundreds of false claims for benefits. A seven-person jury in June found the…
Read MoreEPA Advances Asbestos Part 2 Risk Evaluation, Seeks Peer Review on White Paper
Washington, DC – EPA released a white paper as part of its Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) Risk Evaluation for Asbestos Part 2 – Supplemental Evaluation Including Legacy Uses and Associated Disposals of Asbestos for public comment and peer review. The white paper presents EPA’s quantitative approach for the human health assessment for part 2…
Read MoreEPA Finalizes New Asbestos Reporting Rule
Washington, DC – EPA announced a final rule to require comprehensive reporting on all six fiber types of asbestos as the agency continues its work to address exposure to this known carcinogen and strengthen the evidence that will be used to further protect people from this dangerous chemical. The rule, issued under section 8(a) of…
Read MoreNew EJ Toolkit for Lead Paint Enforcement Programs
EHS Daily Advisor by Lisa Whitley Coleman The EPA recently released a new resource for federal, state, tribal, and local government enforcement practitioners to use during all stages of environmental enforcement and compliance monitoring activities designed to eliminate harmful exposures to lead paint in housing. The Environmental Justice Toolkit for Lead Paint Enforcement Programs is a compilation…
Read MoreEPA Settlements with Renovation Companies Protect Public from Lead-Based Paint Health Hazards
San Francisco, CA -EPA announced settlements with three companies over claims of violations of federal law that protect the public from lead-based paint. The settlements address renovation, repair, and painting work performed by the companies – MCEC Inc., Kreative Paintworks, and ZPainters – at residential and commercial properties in the greater Los Angeles area. EPA…
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