This is to announce the availability of an updated Air Quality Guide for Particle Pollution at http://www.epa.gov/airnow/air-quality-guide_pm_2013.pdf. The guide provides information about who is at risk, ways to protect health when particle pollution levels reach the unhealthy range, and ways to reduce particle pollution. This new version contains the following updates to health information:  

[continue reading...]

Environment and Human Health, Inc.’s new research report closely examines the health risks that flame-retardants pose to the general population and recommends sweeping policy changes to protect the public. Recent toxicological studies demonstrate that flame-retardants pose the greatest risk to the normal growth and development of fetuses, infants and children.

The Coalition for a Safe and Healthy Connecticut has acknowledged a recent bi-partisan federal effort to reform the Toxic Substances Control Act. “It’s about time that our outdated, inadequate law is reformed,” said Anne Hulick RN, MSN, JD, of the coalition. “For years we’ve maintained that protecting children from toxic chemicals should not be a partisan issue.” The federal bill recognizes that we need more protective chemical policy and actually supports what we are trying to do here in Connecticut. Click on this Environmental Headline for more on this story.

A Connecticut bill banning young people from using indoor tanning services is moving to the governor’s desk.

Environment and Human Health, Inc. — along with just about every health organization in CT – as well as a lot of very dedicated individuals — worked to pass a ban on tanning bed use for minors. CT legislators did not want to ban tanning beds for all minors – and so a compromise Bill

[continue reading...]

A compromise tanning Bill ban has just passed the CT Senate — and it passed unanimously. Environment and Human Health, Inc. — along with  just about every health organization in CT -  as well as a lot of  very dedicated individuals —  worked to pass a ban on tanning bed use for minors.  CT legislators

[continue reading...]

(HARTFORD, CT) – Gov. Dannel P. Malloy released the following statement on the Next Generation Connecticut and Bioscience Connecticut initiatives passing out of the Finance, Revenue and Bonding Committee earlier today: “I would like to commend Co-Chairs Sen. John Fonfara and Rep. Patricia Widlitz and members of both parties on the Finance, Revenue and Bonding

[continue reading...]

Connecticut’s Department of Energy and Environmental Protection has announced a comprehensive settlement with CVS in Connecticut under which this major national pharmacy chain is paying penalties of $800,000 for violations of the state’s hazardous waste management regulations and recycling laws found at seven CVS stores in Connecticut.

The American Cancer Society (ACS) is urging federal officials to “impose greater control” over the manufacture and distribution of tanning beds, citing an elevated risk of cancer from their use. “Indoor tanning beds are not safe and not appropriately regulated,” ACS Deputy Chief Medical Officer Len Lichtenfeld, M.D., wrote to Sebelius.

Connecticut public health officials say asthma is increasing in the state but it’s not clear why. The state Department of Public Health says in a recent report that the number of adults with asthma increased by 17.9 percent between 2000 and 2010, and rose 7.6 percent among children between 2005 and 2010. For more on

[continue reading...]

The state of Connecticut is making $360,000 in grants available to replace on-road, heavy-duty diesel trucks with new, low-emission trucks. The Department of Energy and Environmental Protection unveiled the program on Friday. For more on this story, visit: New Connecticut program to cut diesel emissions – Norwich, CT – The Bulletin. Connecticut Department of Energy

[continue reading...]

The University of Connecticut has announced that it is a Grand Challenges Explorations winner, an initiative funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

The Obama administration has finalized new clean car standards that will double the fuel efficiency of today’s vehicles by 2025, drastically reducing emissions of carbon pollution and cutting oil use in Connecticut and nationwide. The standards will cover new cars and light trucks in model years 2017-2025, and require those vehicles to meet the equivalent of a 54.5 miles-per-gallon standard by 2025.

Nancy Alderman, of Environment and Human Health writes: 1. With Connecticut having tanning laws less strict than other states (see article in the New Haven Independent that researched this http://c-hit.newhavenindependent.org/health/entry/ct_indoor_tanning_law_not_as_strict_as_other_states     2. With the CT state legislature not getting last year’s tanning Bill out of the Public Health committee;     3. Now we

[continue reading...]

From Nancy Alderman at Environment and Human Health Inc. Although the franchise pesticide spraying business, “Mosquito Squad,”  (http://www.mosquitosquad.com) has taken down their coloring book for toddlers – their cartoon pesticide spraying mascot, “Dred Skeeter,” is all over YouTube —  he is at parades, playing with children, playing with small dogs, attending baseball games etc. Is

[continue reading...]

PSEG, residents, environmenalists, others face off over Bridgeport power plant

Even though less than 2 percent of Connecticut’s power came from coal burning sources last year, the owners of the PSEG Bridgeport Harbor Station seem determined to get their operating permit renewed.

Click on this environmental headline for more on this story from Environmental Headlines and other news sources.

WEST HAVEN — A city child care center was recognized at a ceremony in Washington, D.C., Wednesday for being named one of 20 winners in a national competition focused on promoting healthful habits and exercise for young children. The West Haven Child Development Center Inc. was lauded at the Let’s Move! Child Care Recognition Luncheon

[continue reading...]

According to the EPA, indoor air quality (IAQ) directly impacts student academic performance and health. Better IAQ increases productivity and improves the performance of mental tasks such as concentration and recall in both adults and children. Poor IAQ can trigger health issues, such as asthma.

American Electric Power (AEP) will be much in the news this week, with an annual shareholder meeting in Tulsa Oklahoma on Tuesday and a speech by AEP’s CEO and President Nick Akins to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce on Thursday. You can count on AEP spending a lot of time during these events talking about

[continue reading...]

EHHI has released a new report calling for tougher standards to regulate cellular technologies—especially for children and pregnant women.

This report is the first part of a project researching the health effects of cell phone use. John Wargo, Ph.D., professor of Environmental Risk and Policy at Yale and lead author of the report, said, “The scientific evidence is sufficiently robust showing that cellular devices pose significant health risks to children and pregnant women….” Click on this environmental headline for more of this story.