Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are persistent organic pollutants (POPs). Recognizing that women, men and children can be affected differently following exposure to PCBs and other POPs, this report emphasizes the importance of engaging women and men alike as part of the solutions that the Global Environment Facility (GEF) project “Disposal of …
Environment can lead to a skewed male to female ratio environment can influence the ratio of males to females in plants as well as in human beings, say studies done by two different teams of scientists. In case of plants, it is an aspect of demography balancing the population. For …
Bone toxicity has been linked to organochlorine exposure following a few notable poisoning incidents, but epidemiologic studies in populations with environmental organochlorine exposure have yielded inconsistent results. The aim of this study was to investigate whether organochlorine exposure was associated with bone mineral density (BMD) in a population 60
Noble metals and Cu mainly are recycled in treating waste printed circuit boards (PCBs), and a large amount of nonmetallic materials in PCBs are disposed of by combustion or landfill, which may cause secondary pollution and resource-wasting. In this study, a kind of nonmetallic plate (NMP) has been produced by …
Lawmakers are again asserting that the Bush Administration is meddling in science. House Science Committee Democrats charge that federal officials have suppressed a report on potential health threats from pollution in the Great Lakes. They also say officials at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta, …
The article discussses the health effects of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB). Between 1960 and 1977 Monsanto's Newport plant produced several types of PCB, that are persistent and ubiquitous and toxic. But their usefulness in industry made them too profitable to withdraw from the market until manufacturers were forced to do so …
The article discusses the emergence of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB). Manufactured from the waste products of the crude oil refining process and a range of chlorinated chemicals, these oily, syrupy liquids had a multitude of uses and have been described as being as near perfect as any industrial chemical can be. …
The drive to the Chittagong shipbreaking yards betrays the character of the destination. The road is dotted with shops selling remnants of once-floating behemoths. Timber, torn out of ships, and wood in all shapes and sizes being sold are the most common sight. This is scrap wood and will be …
researchers from usa and Denmark have confirmed an association between increased exposure to persistent organic pollutants (pops) like polychlorinated biphenyls (pcb) and decreased antibody production in children vaccinated against tetanus and diphtheria. Action against pops was initiated in the early 1970s. The Stockholm Convention, banning use of pops, was signed …
In the first week of February, the European Commission (ec) adopted a new law setting maximum levels of the sum of dioxins and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls ( pcbs) in food and animal feed. Starting November 2006, any food or feed having higher levels of these chemicals than would not be …
A degraded environment brings with it a set of health problems - some new and some, which have posed a challenge over the years. Presenting Body Burden, a compilation of reports from Down to Earth on the health impacts of environment pollution in India.
The Irrawaddy dolphin (Orcaella brevirostris) is at risk of extinction throughout its range as a result of incidental catches, habitat degradation, and pollution. Populations of Irrawaddy dolphins are constrained by the species
The Indian government has finally signed the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs). The agreement aims at reducing and eliminating 12 deadly POPs from the environment. Though the decision was taken by Union minister for environment and forests T R Baalu in March 2002, the agreement has been signed …
Banned toxic chemicals that can cause cancer are sneaking into food more often and at higher levels than anyone suspected. Tests on over 20,000 food samples in Belgium in the wake of a massive food scandal in 1999 have revealed that up to four per cent of the samples contain …
Concentrations of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), dibenzofurans (PCDFs), and non- and mono-ortho-substituted polychlorinated biphenyls (dioxin-like PCBs) were measured in tissues of humans, fishes, chicken, lamb, goat, predatory birds, and Ganges River dolphins collected from various locations in India. PCDDs/DFs were found in most of the samples analyzed with the liver of …
A dozen notoriously toxic chemicals have been outlawed, or restricted around the world under a landmark United Nations treaty signed in Stockholm in May. It is a rare piece of good news for the global environment. The accord will ban, phase out or severely cut back a range of industrial …
A national plan for the elimination of polyclorinated biphenyls (pcbs) was recently adopted by the Argentine government. This has been done to phase out the harmful chemicals by 2025. "Once we conduct an inventory of the existing pcbs we will introduce a bill banning their use,' said Oscar Massei, secretary …
the Japanese cabinet will soon approve two bills that are aimed at encouraging the processing of polychlorinated biphenyls (pcb), a chemical that causes sexual, neural and developmental problems in animals. This is being done to destroy the country's decade-old stockpiles of the chemical. The bill includes plans to create national …
tonnes of dead fish have been found near Turkey's Gulf of Izmit, located south of Istanbul. Scientists have no clue as to why the gulf has been filling up with dead fish. Izmit is one of Turkey's main industrial centres. Environmental activists allege that an incinerator has been operating on …
