EDCs in the News

A Georgia jury just ordered Bayer to pay $2.1 billion to a man who says Roundup caused his cancer, marking one of the largest blows yet in the ongoing legal war over the weed killer’s safety. Rachel Siegel reports for The Washington Post.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has unveiled a public database to track contaminant levels in foods, part of a broader push by the Department of Health and Human Services secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., to reduce chemicals in the U.S. food supply. Sneha S K reports for Reuters.

Toxic PFAS chemicals once linked to a closed ChemFab factory in Bennington, Vermont, are increasingly found in private wells and soils, with new research showing contamination is spreading and intensifying. Greta Solsaa reports for VTDigger.

Diplomats in Vietnam warned that halting USAID’s cleanup of dioxin contamination at Bien Hoa air base could turn into an environmental disaster, but Trump officials ignored the alarm. Anna Maria Barry-Jester, Brett Murphy, and Le Van report for ProPublica.

A Consumer Reports investigation found that nearly half of 41 powdered baby formulas sold in the U.S. contain concerning levels of lead, arsenic, PFAS, BPA, and acrylamide. Douglas Main reports for The New Lede.

Greenpeace has been ordered to pay $667 million to the company behind the Dakota Access Pipeline after a North Dakota jury found the environmental group defamed the company, a verdict that could have sweeping consequences for advocacy and free speech. Anna Phillips reports for The Washington Post.

The potential elimination of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Research and Development could result in mass layoffs of scientists and weaken the agency’s ability to assess and respond to environmental threats. Aman Azhar reports for Inside Climate News.

A Hong Kong Consumer Council investigation of 37 makeup primers found that more than half contain ingredients linked to endocrine disruption, skin irritation, or environmental harm, raising concerns for consumer safety. Dimsum Daily reports.

A New York woman has filed a lawsuit against the Girl Scouts of the USA, alleging the organization’s cookies contain harmful levels of heavy metals and pesticides, a claim the Girl Scouts dispute. Mary Walrath-Holdridge reports for USA TODAY.

The widespread presence of PFAS “forever chemicals” in water, air, and soil is fueling a public health crisis, with contaminated sewage sludge spreading the pollution even further. Mark Ruffalo writes for The Guardian.

Cancer rates are rising in adults under 50, with colorectal, breast, pancreatic, and esophageal cancers showing the sharpest increases, raising concerns about the role of diet, gut health, and environmental exposures. Raphael Cuomo writes for The New Lede.

Residents returning to areas scorched by recent Los Angeles wildfires may be exposed to harmful air, water, and soil contaminants, as researchers detect high levels of toxic compounds in burn zones. Brendan Borrell reports for The New York Times.

Fertilizers encased in plastic may be releasing microplastics into soil and water, potentially harming crops and food safety, a University of Missouri study finds. Tom Perkins reports for The Guardian.

Firefighters may be more likely to develop brain cancer due to prolonged exposure to chemicals found in flame retardants, fire extinguishers, and other industrial products, according to new research. Sharon Udasin reports for The Hill.

Bayer has told U.S. lawmakers it may pull its glyphosate-based Roundup weedkiller from the market if it does not receive stronger legal protections against lawsuits claiming the product causes cancer. Patricia Weiss and Ludwig Burger report for Reuters.

A generation after acid rain was largely eliminated, scientists say rainfall is now carrying something even more insidious — microplastics and forever chemicals that are nearly impossible to remove. Benji Jones reports for Vox.

Many plastics tossed into recycling bins never get repurposed, leading New York officials to push for policies that cut plastic use instead of relying on recycling. Lucy Hodgman reports for Times Union.

Less than a month after sidelining its entire environmental justice workforce, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is bringing back dozens of employees amid pressure from the White House and legal obligations. Amudalat Ajasa reports for The Washington Post.

Dozens of vegetable gardens near the Chemours factory in Dordrecht are contaminated with PFOA, a type of PFAS, and cleaning them will cost between €25 million and €50 million, a cost the company has agreed to cover. NL Times reports.

A Maine lawmaker is pushing a bill that would require health insurers to cover PFAS blood tests for exposed individuals, but opponents argue the mandate could drive up costs. AnnMarie Hilton reports for Maine Morning Star.