EDCs in the News

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.

A whistleblower and a former Pennsylvania regulator revealed that fracking wastewater pipelines, carrying toxic and radioactive waste, remain unregulated and pose serious risks to communities and the environment. Justin Nobel reports for DeSmog.

Oil and gas companies in Colorado have submitted falsified pollution data for hundreds of wells, obscuring levels of hazardous contaminants and raising questions about industry oversight. Joe Fassler reports for The Guardian.

Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) found in food packaging, plastics and household items can harm human health, but simple lifestyle changes can help reduce exposure. Allie Miller reports for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

Residents in an Athens, Georgia, community endured decades of contaminated well water without detection of PFAS chemicals, which testing could have revealed as early as 2009. Johnny Edwards reports for FOX 5 Atlanta.

The unchecked use of sewage sludge as fertilizer is spreading PFAS contamination to farms nationwide, with Maine leading the charge in banning the practice as farmers face health and environmental crises. Molly Taft reports for The New Republic.