EDCs in the News

Parents living in communities contaminated with PFAS, or “forever chemicals,” face difficult decisions about breastfeeding as research suggests these toxic substances can pass to infants through breastmilk, raising concerns about their long-term health effects. Nicole Williams writes for Undark Magazine.

President Trump’s sweeping freezes on meetings, travel, and hiring at the National Institutes of Health have sparked fear and confusion among researchers. Meredith Wadman and Jocelyn Kaiser report for Science.

The Trump administration has ordered a temporary halt to external communications from federal health agencies, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration, sparking confusion among staff about its duration and impact. Lena H. Sun, Dan Diamond, and Rachel Roubein report for The Washington Post.

Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), questioned Lee Zeldin, President Donald Trump’s nominee for EPA administrator, about the plastic pollution crisis in a confirmation hearing Thursday held by the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works. PBS video on plastic pollution starts at 4:02.

Residents of Jersey are being advised to undergo bloodletting to lower dangerous PFAS levels in their blood, caused by decades of water contamination from firefighting foams used at the island’s airport. Leana Hosea and Rachel Salvidge report for The Guardian.

A Washington jury awarded $100 million to four plaintiffs who said PCBs at a Seattle-area school caused serious health issues, while finding Bayer not liable for 11 other claims. Brendan Pierson and Dietrich Knauth report for Reuters.

Newly revealed documents show 3M marketed firefighting foams as biodegradable and safe despite knowing they contained PFAS, chemicals that persist in the environment and harm health. Rachel Salvidge and Leana Hosea report for The Guardian.

Firefighters are now protected against crushing medical bills for reproductive cancers, thanks to a new federal policy that acknowledges the unique hazards women in the field face. Jessica Kutz reports for The 19th.

As Los Angeles residents return to neighborhoods scarred by recent wildfires, experts warn that toxic ash and chemical residues from burned homes, vehicles and infrastructure pose ongoing health and environmental risks. Amudalat Ajasa and Ruby Mellen report for The Washington Post.

PFAS contamination has cost the Netherlands nearly €70 million across 52 cleanup sites, with total costs expected to climb as more projects are evaluated. NL Times reports.

PFAS, a class of over 10,000 synthetic “forever chemicals” used in everyday products, persist in the environment for centuries and have spread worldwide, contaminating water, soil and human blood. Raphaëlle Aubert and Stéphane Horel report for Le Monde.

For the first time, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency warns that sewage sludge used as fertilizer contains “forever chemicals” posing significant health risks, raising concerns about contaminated food and water supplies. Hiroko Tabuchi reports for The New York Times.

Uncontrolled PFAS emissions could cost the UK £9.9bn annually in cleanup expenses as contamination sites multiply, according to a major cross-border investigation. Leana Hosea and Rachel Salvidge report for The Guardian.

Planes dropping fire retardant are a critical wildfire defense, but new research highlights concerns about the chemical’s environmental impact due to heavy metals and other pollutants. Hiroko Tabuchi reports for The New York Times.

A new analysis in JAMA Pediatrics reviews international studies suggesting potential links between high fluoride levels and lower IQ in children, sparking renewed controversy as Robert F. Kennedy Jr. prepares to influence federal health policy. Pien Huang reports for NPR.

Australian turtles exposed to PFAS, known as “forever chemicals,” show alarming health effects, raising urgent questions about the ecological toll of these pollutants. Danielle Beurteaux reports for Science News.

New Mexico officials fined Cannon Air Force Base $67,000 after the military failed to report a 4,000-gallon PFAS spill into groundwater for over two weeks. Danielle Prokop reports for Source New Mexico.

Exxon Mobil has launched a legal counterattack against California’s attorney general, environmental groups and even an Australian charity, accusing them of defamation and undermining its business over claims that the company misled the public about plastic recycling. Karen Zraick and Rebecca F. Elliott report for The New York Times.

The medications we rely on daily may be leaving a toxic legacy in our water, as wastewater treatment plants struggle to filter out fluorinated chemicals linked to serious health risks. Amudalat Ajasa reports for The Washington Post.

A leading fertility scientist warns that heating food in plastic containers can release chemicals that disrupt hormones, potentially affecting fertility and raising cancer risks. Emily Stearn and John Ely report for the Daily Mail.