Archive for October 2023
How Moldy is Missouri marijuana? Local Company’s Tests Stir Up Controversy
St. Louis Today by Jack Suntrup St. Louis, MO – A St. Charles County microbiologist’s test results for mold in marijuana, which he has shared on social media, are drawing questions from cannabis consumers and legal threats from members of the state’s cannabis industry. Kirk Hartwein, owner of Missouri Mold LLC of O’Fallon, has posted dozens…
Read MoreMilitary Barracks Found with Mold, Pests, Broken AC and Brown Water
Washington Post by Joe Davidson Washington, DC – A new audit by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) says some barracks, not just in the Army, are so bad that they degrade quality of life and military readiness. The report has drawn bipartisan, bicameral outrage and a blunt admission from the Pentagon. The Government Accountability Office…
Read MoreAre you Required to Report Asbestos Data to EPA? New Reporting Instructions Are Available!
EPA Washington, DC On Monday, EPA announced the availability of reporting instructions for entities required to report on their use of asbestos under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). In July 2023, EPA finalized a rule that requires comprehensive reporting on all six fiber types of asbestos as the agency continues its work to address exposure…
Read MoreInside EPA: Asbestos Ban Bill Gains First GOP Cosponsor But Prospects Uncertain
Inside EPA Washington, DC Anti-asbestos groups have convinced a House Republican to co-sponsor their bill seeking to ban the carcinogen from use in the United States, the first time a GOP lawmaker has backed the legislation, though the Senate version remains without a GOP co-sponsor and Congress is unlikely to act on the legislation anytime soon…
Read MoreDesignate PFOA and PFOS as Hazardous Substances Under CERCLA
JDSupra Wasington, DC Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) proposed a rule to designate perfluorooctanic acid (“PFOA”) and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (“PFOS”), two per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (“PFAS”), as hazardous substances under the federal Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (“CERCLA”). If finalized, the rule would have far-reaching consequences on closed and in-progress Superfund sites, state cleanup…
Read MoreSyracuse Finds Thousands of Lead Paint Violations in Year One of Enforcement
CNY Central by Conor Wight Syracuse, NY For the past year, the City of Syracuse Code Enforcement team has had the ability to cite lead paint issues. The head of the department said they’ve issued thousands of tickets as efforts continue to help prevent kids from becoming lead-poisoned. the city identified around 3,000 violations in about…
Read MoreAsbestos Lurks in Turkey’s Earthquake Zone
Deutsche Welle Turkey In Hatay, southern Turkey, crews are still demolishing buildings that were heavily damaged in the earthquake that struck on February 6, 2023, and killed tens of thousands of people. Yellow diggers move piles of leftover rubble, kicking up clouds of dust that shroud the city. An expert team from the Turkish Chamber of…
Read MoreNew Mexico OSHB Fines City of Albuquerque for Gateway Center Asbestos
WRAL News by Allison Giron and Marilyn Upchurch Albuquerque, NM Willful and serious. That is how New Mexico’s Environment Department’s Occupational Health and Safety Bureau (OHSB) describes the City of Albuquerque’s actions in ignoring asbestos while renovating the Gateway Center. The state organization levied its largest fine ever against the City of Albuquerque. The debris was…
Read MoreAsbestos Foes See Boost For Ban Bill From Olin Support, Spending Rider
Inside EPA US Advocates for banning commercial imports and use of asbestos are rallying to push a legislative ban over the finish line with the help of a new and unusual ally, Olin Corp. — one of the largest remaining users of the mineral — and a little-noticed provision in last year’s spending bill they…
Read MoreHomeowners Impacted by Oregon Road, Gray Fires Facing New Challenges with Asbestos Testing
KREM CBS Spokane, WA Weeks after the Oregon Road and Gray fires burned through parts of Spokane County, heartache turned into headaches for homeowners who lost everything to the flames. That’s because many of them are finding out they’re required to get an asbestos test before they clean up the debris. One reason it’s become a…
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