Children's Health Defense
Toxic “forever chemicals” are increasingly being used in U.S. pesticides, threatening human health as they contaminate waterways and are sprayed on staple foods, a study said on July 24.
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have come under increasing scrutiny in recent years, but environmental regulations against them have mainly paid attention to sources such as industrial facilities, landfills, and consumer products like certain cookware and paints.
New research published in the peer-reviewed journal Environmental Health Perspectives says that pesticides used on crops including corn, wheat, spinach, apples and strawberries — and other sources such as insect sprays and pet flea treatment — can now be added to the list.
“The more we look, the more we find it,” co-author Alexis Temkin, a toxicologist at the non-profit Environmental Working Group, told AFP. “And it just emphasizes the importance of cutting down on sources and really regulating these chemicals.” There is also emerging evidence they may reduce fertility, lead to growth delays in children, and interfere with the body’s natural hormones.
Maine Organic Farming Group Sues EPA Over Forever Chemicals
Portland Press Herald reported:
The Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association joined a federal lawsuit on Tuesday against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for failing to regulate the amount of forever chemicals allowed in sewage sludge.
A handful of Maine farms certified as organic by the Unity-based group came forward in 2022 to report their crops and cattle were contaminated by the forever chemicals from sewage sludge fertilizer spread on their fields or neighboring fields, or used by their hay suppliers.
“MOFGA has had to divert significant staff time and financial resources to assisting farmers dealing with PFAS contamination from land-applied sewage sludge,” the lawsuit alleges. “The organization responded with nearly all staff hands on deck to provide affected farmers.”
MOFGA is the country’s biggest state organic farming group. It created a PFAS Emergency Relief Fund that has handed out more than $1.5 million in direct support to more than 50 affected farm families. Seven MOFGA-certified operations had to pause sales due to the severity of PFAS contamination, and two had to shut down entirely.
Avian Flu Infects Two More Colorado Poultry Cullers, One at Second Farm
The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) today reported that another worker culling poultry at a second large layer farm tested positive for H5N1 avian influenza in preliminary tests, just days after it reported another case at the first farm, raising the total number to seven.
Also, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed initial positive results for H5N1 in two of Colorado’s recent cases, detailed genetic sequencing findings from a sample from a sick Colorado poultry culler, and reported preliminary results from a seroprevalence study in Michigan farm workers…
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