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You’re gonna love it: List of nuclear whistleblowers

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List of nuclear whistleblowers

Wikimedia list article

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There have been a number of nuclear whistleblowers, often nuclear engineers, who have identified safety concerns about nuclear power and nuclear weapons production. In 1976 Gregory Minor, Richard Hubbard and Dale Bridenbaugh “blew the whistle” on safety problems at nuclear power plants in the United States, and Fukushima in Japan. George Galatis was a senior nuclear engineer who reported safety problems at the Millstone 1 Nuclear Power Plant, relating to reactor refueling procedures, in 1996. Other nuclear power whistleblowers include Arnold Gundersen and David Lochbaum.

2000 candles in memory of the Chernobyl disaster in 1986, at a commemoration 25 years after the nuclear accident, as well as for the Fukushima nuclear disaster of 2011.

Karen Silkwood

Main article: Karen Silkwood

The first prominent nuclear whistleblower was Karen Silkwood, who worked as a chemical technician at a Kerr-McGee nuclear fuel plant. Silkwood became an activist in the Oil, Chemical and Atomic Workers International Union in order to protest health and safety issues. In 1974, she testified to the United States Atomic Energy Commission about her concerns. A few months later she died in a car crash under mysterious conditions on the way to a meeting with a New York Times reporter and a national union leader. The 1983 film Silkwood is an account of this story.

The “GE Three”

Main article: GE Three

On 2 February 1976, Gregory C. Minor, Richard B. Hubbard, and Dale G. Bridenbaugh (known as the GE Three) “blew the whistle” on safety problems at nuclear power plants, and their action has been called “an exemplary instance of whistleblowing“.

The three engineers gained the attention of journalists and their disclosures about the threats of nuclear power had a significant impact. They timed their statements to coincide with their resignations from responsible positions in General Electric‘s nuclear energy division, and later established themselves as consultants on the nuclear power industry for state governments, federal agencies, and overseas governments. The consulting firm they formed, MHB Technical Associates, was technical advisor for the movie, “The China Syndrome.” The three engineers participated in Congressional hearings which their disclosures precipitated.

Browns Ferry Unit 1 under construction

Browns Ferry nuclear power plant construction began in 1966. It was located in Alabama and in 1967 it earned a federal construction permit. The plant received new design standards which call for “physical separation of electrical cables.” There was an issue with the instructions on how to accomplish this so the AEC inspector F.U. Bower requested that the AEC elaborate; however, there was no response from the organization and installation went on. Still, no instructions were issued after five failed inspections in 1970. The lack of cable separation instructions led to the sacrifice of safety coolant systems in two of the units in order to improve one with severe safety violation. The ignorance of the AEC led to the fire that occurred on 22 March 1975, that almost led to a radiation leak. The substance separating the wires caught fire when tests to find air leaks with a candle ignited it thus resulting in damage to the control systems. With damage to the control systems, the cooling system that keeps the units from leaking radiation did not work properly. Somehow the situation was avoided and the units were put out of service. Throughout the occurrence of these events Bridenbaugh had been discussing his reservations on the safety at the plant in vain and in 1976 a year later Bridenbaugh, Hubbard and Minor resigned.

Crystal River 3 and Lou Putney

Main article: Crystal River 3 Nuclear Power Plant

Lou Putney came on the scene of the Crystal River 3 plant after receiving a call from a plant engineer. The engineer claimed that the managers hired engineers based on “good ol’ boy mentality.” The plant had experience numerous shut downs since 1978. Along with this concern, the engineer was not confident that the manager possessed the qualifications to be a manager. Although the engineer pursued nothing further with his complaint, it prompted Putney to purchase shares of stock in the company that would allow him to file “shareholder resolutions.” Putney had looked into the nuclear reactors that were built of an unsafe material for emergency cooling procedures. The NRC had placed Crystal River on the top 14 worst reactors list because of this. So, the shares were purchased in 1981, which is when Putney filed his first shareholder resolution requesting the plant be shut down. This tradition was upheld by Putney for seven years until he was required to purchase more stock in order to continue filing resolutions. Over the course of sixteen years, Putney filed a total of fourteen shareholder resolutions. All of these resolutions were ignored and were met with offers to buy out his shares so he could no longer file the resolutions. The plant was officially decommissioned in September 2009.

Ronald Goldstein

Ronald J. Goldstein was a supervisor employed by EBASCO, which was a major contractor for the construction of the South Texas plants. In the summer of 1985, Goldstein identified safety problems to SAFETEAM, an internal compliance program established by EBASCO and Houston Lighting, including noncompliance with safety procedures, the failure to issue safety compliance reports, and quality control violations affecting the safety of the plant.

SAFETEAM was promoted as an independent safe haven for employees to voice their safety concerns. The two companies did not inform their employees that they did not believe complaints reported to SAFETEAM had any legal protection. After he filed his report to SAFETEAM, Goldstein was fired. Subsequently, Golstein filed suit under federal nuclear whistleblower statutes.

The U.S. Department of Labor ruled that his submissions to SAFETEAM were protected and his dismissal was invalid, a finding upheld by Labor Secretary Lynn Martin. The ruling was appealed and overturned by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, which ruled that private programs offered no protection to whistleblowers. After Goldstein lost his case, Congress amended the federal nuclear whistleblower law to provide protection reports made to internal systems and prevent retaliation against whistleblowers.

Fernald Nuclear Incidents

Aerial view of Fernald Feed Materials Production Center

Uranium components fabricated at Fernald

Main article: Fernald Feed Materials Production Center

The Fernald Feed Materials Production Center was built in Crosby Township, Ohio in 1951, and decommissioned in 1989. Fernald processed uranium trioxide and uranium tetrafluoride, among other radioactive materials, to produce the uranium fuel cores for nuclear weapons. It was shrouded in suspicion with many manager changes and the people of the town ill-informed of the purpose of the plant. The Fernald Feed Materials Production Center also conducted an evaluation of how much material was contaminated by Radium. Using 138 pieces of the CR-39 film assays, they were able to determine that people working in the area where K-65 silos ( Underground chamber used to store missiles) had lower levels of exposure of materials contaminated by Radon than the Q-11 silos between the period of 1952-1988 Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology.Throughout 1951-1995 the plant had numerous scandals including faking numbers for contamination and disregarding evidence of ground water pollution. Among the citizens affected by the pollution was Mrs. Lisa Crawford who took action. Crawford and other residents filed a lawsuit in 1985 and became president of the organization FRESH (Fernald Residents for Environmental Safety and Health). A lawsuit was then filed once again against Fernald by former employees several years later in 1990. After several years of being heavily advised not to blow the whistle, the workers earned themselves a $15 million settlement and lifelong medical monitoring. In 1992, FERMCO was hired to construct a cleanup plan for the plant and in 1996, around accusations of wasteful spending, the cleanup of ground water and soil was completed.

Mordechai Vanunu

Mordechai Vanunu 2009

Main article: Mordechai Vanunu

Mordechai Vanunu blew the whistle on the nuclear plant in Dimona, Israel in an interview with The Sunday Times that was published on 5 October 1986. According to Vanunu, this plant had been producing nuclear weapons for 10 to 20 years. It is estimated that there may be around 200 nuclear weapons in possession of Israel’s nuclear weapons program. Vanunu demonstrated his knowledge to Frank Barnaby and John Steinbach and they confirmed the credibility of his story. Frank Barnaby wrote in his Declaration of Frank Barnaby in the Matter of Mordechai Vanunu that Vanunu had the bare minimum knowledge of nuclear physics that a technician should have and accurately described the makeup of the nuclear plant in Dimona. Having served in full his 18 years prison term, ruled in closed door trial, including 11 years in solitary Vanunu has been further in and out of jail after. In 2007, sentenced to six months for violating terms of his parole, and in May 2010, again to three months for having met foreigners in violation of his release terms from jail.

Vanunu is ethnic Mizrahi Jew, born in Marrakesh Morocco, having emigrated to Israel, following its independence in 1948, like did many of the North African Jewish community did. Amnesty International issued a press release on 2 July 2007, stating that “The organisation considers Mordechai Vanunu to be a prisoner of conscience and calls for his immediate and unconditional release.”[6] Vanunu has been characterized internationally as a whistleblower[7][8] and by Israel as a traitor. Despite the whistle blown towards the operation of the nuclear weapons program in Israel, the Israeli government denied the existence of all allegations.Mordechai Vanunu is known as Israel`s Nuclear Whistleblower.

Arnold Gundersen

Main article: Arnold Gundersen

In 1990 Arnold Gundersen discovered radioactive material in an accounting safe at Nuclear Energy Services in Danbury, Connecticut, the consulting firm where he held a $120,000-a-year job as senior vice-president. Three weeks after he notified the company president of what he believed to be radiation safety violations, Gundersen was fired. According to The New York Times, for three years, Gundersen “was awakened by harassing phone calls in the middle of the night” and he “became concerned about his family’s safety”. Gundersen believes he was blacklisted, harassed and fired for doing what he thought was right.

The New York Times reports that Gundersen’s case is not uncommon, especially in the nuclear industry. Even though nuclear workers are encouraged to report potential safety hazards, those who do risk demotion and dismissal. Instead of correcting the problems, whistleblowers say, industry management and government agencies attack them as the cause of the problem. Driven out of their jobs and shunned by neighbors and co-workers, whistleblowers often turn to each other for support.

The Whistleblower Support Fund is an organization that has compiled resources for whistleblowers to access if they are considering whistleblowing. It was founded by Donald Ray Soeken, who has counseled whistleblowers for 35 years. In addition, a social network to connect whistleblowers to other whistleblowers will be implemented. It will be a private discussion where whistleblowers can safely seek support.

David Lochbaum

Main article: David Lochbaum

In the early 1990s, nuclear engineer David Lochbaum and a colleague, Don Prevatte, identified a safety problem in a plant where they were working, but were ignored when they raised the issue with the plant manager, the utility and the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). After bringing their concerns to Congress, the problem was corrected not just at the original nuclear plant but at plants across the country.

Gerald W. Brown

Main article: Gerald W. Brown

Gerald W. Brown

Gerald W. Brown was the whistleblower on the Thermo-Lag scandal, as well as on silicone foam firestop issues in the US and Canada, exposing the fact that fireproofing of wiring between control rooms and reactors did not function as intended and exposing bounding and combustibility issues with organic firestops.

George Galatis

Main article: George Galatis

George Galatis was a senior nuclear engineer and whistleblower who reported safety problems at the Millstone 1 Nuclear Power Plant, relating to reactor refueling procedures, in 1996. The unsafe procedures meant that spent fuel rod pools at Unit 1 had the potential to boil, possibly releasing radioactive steam throughout the plant. Galatis eventually took his concerns to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, to find that they had “known about the unsafe procedures for years”. As a result of going to the NRC, Galatis experienced “subtle forms of harassment, retaliation, and intimidation”.

Rainer Moormann

Rainer Moormann in 2004

Rainer Moormann is a German chemist and nuclear power whistleblower. Since 1976 he has been working at the Forschungszentrum Jülich, doing research on safety problems with pebble bed reactors, fusion power and spallation neutron sources. In 2008 Moormann published a critical paper on the safety of pebble bed reactors, which raised attention among specialists in the field, and managed to distribute it via the media, facing considerable opposition. For doing this despite the occupational disadvantages he had to accept as a consequence, Moormann was awarded the whistleblower award of the Federation of German Scientists (VDW) and of the German section of the International Association of Lawyers Against Nuclear Arms (IALANA).

Setsuo Fujiwara

Setsuo Fujiwara, who used to design reactors, said he clashed with supervisors over an inspection audit he conducted in March 2009 at the Tomari nuclear plant in Japan. Fujiwara refused to approve a routine test by the plant’s operator, Hokkaido Electric Power, saying the test was flawed. A week later, he was summoned by his supervisor, who ordered him to correct his written report to indicate that the test had been done properly. After Fujiwara refused, his employment contract was not renewed. “They told me my job was just to approve reactors, not to raise doubts about them”, said Fujiwara, 62, who is now suing the nuclear safety organization to get rehired. In a written response to questions from The New York Times, the agency said it could not comment while the court case was under way. Along with the lawsuit Mr. Fujiwara filed against the agency he used to work for, he had gone to the Tokyo District Court to further write several complaints about how the JNES ( Japan Nuclear Energy Safety Organization) failed to follow the UN laws concerning how to properly inspect nuclear energy reactors. Mr. Fujiwara also submitted several documents and emails that dealt with how the reactor inspections were improperly handled by JNES even though JNES denies all allegations. [42]

Walter Tamosaitis

The Hanford site resulted in a number of whistleblowers during the efforts to clean the site up. Walter Tamosaitis blew the whistle on the Energy Department’s plan for waste treatment at the Hanford site in 2011. Tamosaitis’s concern was the possibility of explosive hydrogen gas being built up inside tanks that the company was to store the harmful chemical sludge they were trying to put into hibernation for its chemical life. Shortly after this Tamosaitis was demoted and two years later, fired which triggered his lawsuit for wrongful termination. A $4.1 million settlement was offered to Tamosaitis from AECOM on 12 August 2015. Tamosaitis has since been reinstated.

Donna Busche blew the whistle resulting in her 2013 lawsuit with claims that the URS “retaliated against her. She was head of nuclear safety and a URS employee around the time when she expressed her concerns.

Gary Brunson reported 34 safety and engineering violations after quitting in 2012. Brunson was federal engineering chief before he quit.

Shelly Doss earned “$20,000 in emotional distress and $10,000 in callous disregard of her rights” as well as reinstatement in 2014. Doss was an environmental specialist at the time of her firing in 2011 working for Washington River Protection Solutions.

Larry Criscione and Richard H. Perkins

In 2012, Larry Criscione and Richard H. Perkins publicly accused the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission of downplaying flood risks for nuclear plants which are sited on waterways downstream from large reservoirs and dams. They are engineers with over 20 years of combined government and military service who work for the NRC. Other nuclear safety advocates have supported their complaints.

ist of nuclear whistleblowers

Wikimedia list article

---

There have been a number of nuclear whistleblowers, often nuclear engineers, who have identified safety concerns about nuclear power and nuclear weapons production. In 1976 Gregory Minor, Richard Hubbard and Dale Bridenbaugh “blew the whistle” on safety problems at nuclear power plants in the United States, and Fukushima in Japan. George Galatis was a senior nuclear engineer who reported safety problems at the Millstone 1 Nuclear Power Plant, relating to reactor refueling procedures, in 1996. Other nuclear power whistleblowers include Arnold Gundersen and David Lochbaum.

2000 candles in memory of the Chernobyl disaster in 1986, at a commemoration 25 years after the nuclear accident, as well as for the Fukushima nuclear disaster of 2011.

Karen Silkwood

Main article: Karen Silkwood

The first prominent nuclear whistleblower was Karen Silkwood, who worked as a chemical technician at a Kerr-McGee nuclear fuel plant. Silkwood became an activist in the Oil, Chemical and Atomic Workers International Union in order to protest health and safety issues. In 1974, she testified to the United States Atomic Energy Commission about her concerns. A few months later she died in a car crash under mysterious conditions on the way to a meeting with a New York Times reporter and a national union leader. The 1983 film Silkwood is an account of this story.

The “GE Three”

Main article: GE Three

On 2 February 1976, Gregory C. Minor, Richard B. Hubbard, and Dale G. Bridenbaugh (known as the GE Three) “blew the whistle” on safety problems at nuclear power plants, and their action has been called “an exemplary instance of whistleblowing“.

The three engineers gained the attention of journalists and their disclosures about the threats of nuclear power had a significant impact. They timed their statements to coincide with their resignations from responsible positions in General Electric‘s nuclear energy division, and later established themselves as consultants on the nuclear power industry for state governments, federal agencies, and overseas governments. The consulting firm they formed, MHB Technical Associates, was technical advisor for the movie, “The China Syndrome.” The three engineers participated in Congressional hearings which their disclosures precipitated.

Browns Ferry Unit 1 under construction

Browns Ferry nuclear power plant construction began in 1966. It was located in Alabama and in 1967 it earned a federal construction permit. The plant received new design standards which call for “physical separation of electrical cables.” There was an issue with the instructions on how to accomplish this so the AEC inspector F.U. Bower requested that the AEC elaborate; however, there was no response from the organization and installation went on. Still, no instructions were issued after five failed inspections in 1970. The lack of cable separation instructions led to the sacrifice of safety coolant systems in two of the units in order to improve one with severe safety violation. The ignorance of the AEC led to the fire that occurred on 22 March 1975, that almost led to a radiation leak. The substance separating the wires caught fire when tests to find air leaks with a candle ignited it thus resulting in damage to the control systems. With damage to the control systems, the cooling system that keeps the units from leaking radiation did not work properly. Somehow the situation was avoided and the units were put out of service. Throughout the occurrence of these events Bridenbaugh had been discussing his reservations on the safety at the plant in vain and in 1976 a year later Bridenbaugh, Hubbard and Minor resigned.

Crystal River 3 and Lou Putney

Main article: Crystal River 3 Nuclear Power Plant

Lou Putney came on the scene of the Crystal River 3 plant after receiving a call from a plant engineer. The engineer claimed that the managers hired engineers based on “good ol’ boy mentality.” The plant had experience numerous shut downs since 1978. Along with this concern, the engineer was not confident that the manager possessed the qualifications to be a manager. Although the engineer pursued nothing further with his complaint, it prompted Putney to purchase shares of stock in the company that would allow him to file “shareholder resolutions.” Putney had looked into the nuclear reactors that were built of an unsafe material for emergency cooling procedures. The NRC had placed Crystal River on the top 14 worst reactors list because of this. So, the shares were purchased in 1981, which is when Putney filed his first shareholder resolution requesting the plant be shut down. This tradition was upheld by Putney for seven years until he was required to purchase more stock in order to continue filing resolutions. Over the course of sixteen years, Putney filed a total of fourteen shareholder resolutions. All of these resolutions were ignored and were met with offers to buy out his shares so he could no longer file the resolutions. The plant was officially decommissioned in September 2009.

Ronald Goldstein

Ronald J. Goldstein was a supervisor employed by EBASCO, which was a major contractor for the construction of the South Texas plants. In the summer of 1985, Goldstein identified safety problems to SAFETEAM, an internal compliance program established by EBASCO and Houston Lighting, including noncompliance with safety procedures, the failure to issue safety compliance reports, and quality control violations affecting the safety of the plant.

SAFETEAM was promoted as an independent safe haven for employees to voice their safety concerns. The two companies did not inform their employees that they did not believe complaints reported to SAFETEAM had any legal protection. After he filed his report to SAFETEAM, Goldstein was fired. Subsequently, Golstein filed suit under federal nuclear whistleblower statutes.

The U.S. Department of Labor ruled that his submissions to SAFETEAM were protected and his dismissal was invalid, a finding upheld by Labor Secretary Lynn Martin. The ruling was appealed and overturned by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, which ruled that private programs offered no protection to whistleblowers. After Goldstein lost his case, Congress amended the federal nuclear whistleblower law to provide protection reports made to internal systems and prevent retaliation against whistleblowers.

Fernald Nuclear Incidents

Aerial view of Fernald Feed Materials Production Center

Uranium components fabricated at Fernald

Main article: Fernald Feed Materials Production Center

The Fernald Feed Materials Production Center was built in Crosby Township, Ohio in 1951, and decommissioned in 1989. Fernald processed uranium trioxide and uranium tetrafluoride, among other radioactive materials, to produce the uranium fuel cores for nuclear weapons. It was shrouded in suspicion with many manager changes and the people of the town ill-informed of the purpose of the plant. The Fernald Feed Materials Production Center also conducted an evaluation of how much material was contaminated by Radium. Using 138 pieces of the CR-39 film assays, they were able to determine that people working in the area where K-65 silos ( Underground chamber used to store missiles) had lower levels of exposure of materials contaminated by Radon than the Q-11 silos between the period of 1952-1988 Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology.Throughout 1951-1995 the plant had numerous scandals including faking numbers for contamination and disregarding evidence of ground water pollution. Among the citizens affected by the pollution was Mrs. Lisa Crawford who took action. Crawford and other residents filed a lawsuit in 1985 and became president of the organization FRESH (Fernald Residents for Environmental Safety and Health). A lawsuit was then filed once again against Fernald by former employees several years later in 1990. After several years of being heavily advised not to blow the whistle, the workers earned themselves a $15 million settlement and lifelong medical monitoring. In 1992, FERMCO was hired to construct a cleanup plan for the plant and in 1996, around accusations of wasteful spending, the cleanup of ground water and soil was completed.

Mordechai Vanunu

Mordechai Vanunu 2009

Main article: Mordechai Vanunu

Mordechai Vanunu blew the whistle on the nuclear plant in Dimona, Israel in an interview with The Sunday Times that was published on 5 October 1986. According to Vanunu, this plant had been producing nuclear weapons for 10 to 20 years. It is estimated that there may be around 200 nuclear weapons in possession of Israel’s nuclear weapons program. Vanunu demonstrated his knowledge to Frank Barnaby and John Steinbach and they confirmed the credibility of his story. Frank Barnaby wrote in his Declaration of Frank Barnaby in the Matter of Mordechai Vanunu that Vanunu had the bare minimum knowledge of nuclear physics that a technician should have and accurately described the makeup of the nuclear plant in Dimona. Having served in full his 18 years prison term, ruled in closed door trial, including 11 years in solitary Vanunu has been further in and out of jail after. In 2007, sentenced to six months for violating terms of his parole, and in May 2010, again to three months for having met foreigners in violation of his release terms from jail.

Vanunu is ethnic Mizrahi Jew, born in Marrakesh Morocco, having emigrated to Israel, following its independence in 1948, like did many of the North African Jewish community did. Amnesty International issued a press release on 2 July 2007, stating that “The organisation considers Mordechai Vanunu to be a prisoner of conscience and calls for his immediate and unconditional release.”[6] Vanunu has been characterized internationally as a whistleblower[7][8] and by Israel as a traitor. Despite the whistle blown towards the operation of the nuclear weapons program in Israel, the Israeli government denied the existence of all allegations.Mordechai Vanunu is known as Israel`s Nuclear Whistleblower.

Arnold Gundersen

Main article: Arnold Gundersen

In 1990 Arnold Gundersen discovered radioactive material in an accounting safe at Nuclear Energy Services in Danbury, Connecticut, the consulting firm where he held a $120,000-a-year job as senior vice-president. Three weeks after he notified the company president of what he believed to be radiation safety violations, Gundersen was fired. According to The New York Times, for three years, Gundersen “was awakened by harassing phone calls in the middle of the night” and he “became concerned about his family’s safety”. Gundersen believes he was blacklisted, harassed and fired for doing what he thought was right.

The New York Times reports that Gundersen’s case is not uncommon, especially in the nuclear industry. Even though nuclear workers are encouraged to report potential safety hazards, those who do risk demotion and dismissal. Instead of correcting the problems, whistleblowers say, industry management and government agencies attack them as the cause of the problem. Driven out of their jobs and shunned by neighbors and co-workers, whistleblowers often turn to each other for support.

The Whistleblower Support Fund is an organization that has compiled resources for whistleblowers to access if they are considering whistleblowing. It was founded by Donald Ray Soeken, who has counseled whistleblowers for 35 years. In addition, a social network to connect whistleblowers to other whistleblowers will be implemented. It will be a private discussion where whistleblowers can safely seek support.

David Lochbaum

Main article: David Lochbaum

In the early 1990s, nuclear engineer David Lochbaum and a colleague, Don Prevatte, identified a safety problem in a plant where they were working, but were ignored when they raised the issue with the plant manager, the utility and the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). After bringing their concerns to Congress, the problem was corrected not just at the original nuclear plant but at plants across the country.

Gerald W. Brown

Main article: Gerald W. Brown

Gerald W. Brown

Gerald W. Brown was the whistleblower on the Thermo-Lag scandal, as well as on silicone foam firestop issues in the US and Canada, exposing the fact that fireproofing of wiring between control rooms and reactors did not function as intended and exposing bounding and combustibility issues with organic firestops.

George Galatis

Main article: George Galatis

George Galatis was a senior nuclear engineer and whistleblower who reported safety problems at the Millstone 1 Nuclear Power Plant, relating to reactor refueling procedures, in 1996. The unsafe procedures meant that spent fuel rod pools at Unit 1 had the potential to boil, possibly releasing radioactive steam throughout the plant. Galatis eventually took his concerns to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, to find that they had “known about the unsafe procedures for years”. As a result of going to the NRC, Galatis experienced “subtle forms of harassment, retaliation, and intimidation”.

Rainer Moormann

Rainer Moormann in 2004

Rainer Moormann is a German chemist and nuclear power whistleblower. Since 1976 he has been working at the Forschungszentrum Jülich, doing research on safety problems with pebble bed reactors, fusion power and spallation neutron sources. In 2008 Moormann published a critical paper on the safety of pebble bed reactors, which raised attention among specialists in the field, and managed to distribute it via the media, facing considerable opposition. For doing this despite the occupational disadvantages he had to accept as a consequence, Moormann was awarded the whistleblower award of the Federation of German Scientists (VDW) and of the German section of the International Association of Lawyers Against Nuclear Arms (IALANA).

Setsuo Fujiwara

Setsuo Fujiwara, who used to design reactors, said he clashed with supervisors over an inspection audit he conducted in March 2009 at the Tomari nuclear plant in Japan. Fujiwara refused to approve a routine test by the plant’s operator, Hokkaido Electric Power, saying the test was flawed. A week later, he was summoned by his supervisor, who ordered him to correct his written report to indicate that the test had been done properly. After Fujiwara refused, his employment contract was not renewed. “They told me my job was just to approve reactors, not to raise doubts about them”, said Fujiwara, 62, who is now suing the nuclear safety organization to get rehired. In a written response to questions from The New York Times, the agency said it could not comment while the court case was under way. Along with the lawsuit Mr. Fujiwara filed against the agency he used to work for, he had gone to the Tokyo District Court to further write several complaints about how the JNES ( Japan Nuclear Energy Safety Organization) failed to follow the UN laws concerning how to properly inspect nuclear energy reactors. Mr. Fujiwara also submitted several documents and emails that dealt with how the reactor inspections were improperly handled by JNES even though JNES denies all allegations. [42]

Walter Tamosaitis

The Hanford site resulted in a number of whistleblowers during the efforts to clean the site up. Walter Tamosaitis blew the whistle on the Energy Department’s plan for waste treatment at the Hanford site in 2011. Tamosaitis’s concern was the possibility of explosive hydrogen gas being built up inside tanks that the company was to store the harmful chemical sludge they were trying to put into hibernation for its chemical life. Shortly after this Tamosaitis was demoted and two years later, fired which triggered his lawsuit for wrongful termination. A $4.1 million settlement was offered to Tamosaitis from AECOM on 12 August 2015. Tamosaitis has since been reinstated.

Donna Busche blew the whistle resulting in her 2013 lawsuit with claims that the URS “retaliated against her. She was head of nuclear safety and a URS employee around the time when she expressed her concerns.

Gary Brunson reported 34 safety and engineering violations after quitting in 2012. Brunson was federal engineering chief before he quit.

Shelly Doss earned “$20,000 in emotional distress and $10,000 in callous disregard of her rights” as well as reinstatement in 2014. Doss was an environmental specialist at the time of her firing in 2011 working for Washington River Protection Solutions.

Larry Criscione and Richard H. Perkins

In 2012, Larry Criscione and Richard H. Perkins publicly accused the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission of downplaying flood risks for nuclear plants which are sited on waterways downstream from large reservoirs and dams. They are engineers with over 20 years of combined government and military service who work for the NRC. Other nuclear safety advocates have supported their complaints.

Just a thought: What do these people have in common? NOTHING, ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!

BBC News: President Obama drinks water in crisis-hit Flint

President Obama drinks water in crisis-hit Flint – http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-36206897

WAKE UP PEOPLE!!! They Poisoned Our Water? Interview With UAW Region 1D Assistant Director Steve Dawes On Flint: A CRIME AGAINST HUMANITY

They Poisoned Our Water? Interview With UAW Region 1D Assistant Director Steve Dawes On Flint

laborvideo

Published on Feb 1, 2016

UAW 1D Assistant Regional Director Steve Dawes talks about the contamination of the water of Flint Michigan and who was responsible. He discusses the fact that the GM engine plant stopped the use of the water due to the rusting of engines by the contaminated water. He also discusses the role of privatization and union pipe fitters who are changing the facets to allow screens to protect the residents.
This interview was done on 2/1/16
For more info:
http://www.mlive.com/news/flint/index…
http://www.mlive.com/news/flint/index…
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/22/us/…
http://motorcitymuckraker.com/2016/01…
WorkWeek Radio
https://soundcloud.com/workweek-radio
Production of Labor Video Project
http://www.laborvideo.org

I stand with @ewg in opposing the chemical industry’s bill that will harm families – RT if you stand with us!

I stand with @ewg in opposing the chemical industry’s bill that will harm families – RT if you stand with us! #tsca pic.twitter.com/rrZ8P7zjeW

— erin brockovich (@ErinBrockovich) March 17, 2015

this pressed for the environmental health: Mounting Electronic Waste Poses Major Threat to Environment, Health

Mounting Electronic Waste Poses Major Threat to Environment, Health

By Lauren Walker 11/28/14 at 1:32 PM
E-waste

An employee arranges discarded computers at a newly opened electronic waste recycling factory in Wuhan, Hubei province. Stringer/ REUTERS

 

Filed Under: Tech & Science, Technology, Electronics, e-waste, Black Friday, Environment, Pollution

Excerpts: “…While the fact that 95.5 million Americans said they would shop on Black Friday is good news for retailers, it is a far less positive figure for the environment. Cheap electronics are one of the biggest draws for shoppers on the day (and indeed the rest of the year), but these immediate savings hide the ultimate collective cost – old electronics (e-waste) that are improperly disposed can result in environmental pollution with its attendant health risks, as well as data theft.

In 2012, the world amassed almost 49 million metric tons of e-waste, including everything from last generation cellphones and laptops to televisions and…”

via Mounting Electronic Waste Poses Major Threat to Environment, Health.

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press this: U.S. Chamber, You Are Wrong | Regs Talk

 

U.S. Chamber, You Are Wrong | Regs Talk.

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NEWS: BRAIN DEVELOPMENT DISRUPTION IN THE WOMB LINKED TO AUTISM

Brain Development Disruption in the Womb Linked to Autism

Autism has been the focus of intense study in recent years, but experts are still far from understanding the root causes of the disorder. For a time, childhood vaccines were thought to be the culprit, but this theory has since been largely debunked. Now scientists have found evidence that the foundations for autism may be set in the womb, during prenatal brain development. Autistic children’s brains show a much higher incidence of cortical abnormalities in regions involved in language and social and emotional communication than their non-autistic peers. Abnormalities were identified in the brains of 90% of the children with autism studied, whereas only 10% of unaffected children exhibited abnormalities. More… Discuss

Related articles

• Brain changes suggest autism starts in womb
• For autistic children, brain abnormalities may begin in womb

Calls for Safer Chemicals Dominate Listening Session on Chemical Security | Center for Effective Government

 

Calls for Safer Chemicals Dominate Listening Session on Chemical Security | Center for Effective Government.

Banning Lead Ammunition Could Give Condors a Chance

 

Banning Lead Ammunition Could Give Condors a Chance.

Mercury Poisoning Symptoms

http://www.ihealthtube.com http://www.facebook.com/ihealthtube
Dr. Alison Adams discusses mercury toxicity and how it may affect you. Dr. Adams talks about how mercury can affect different parts of the body and how it reacts with other metals. Could your condition be from mercury toxicity? Please watch!

 

Just How Toxic is Mercury? – A Study by University of Calgary

In this video, you will see just how toxic mercury really is and how it causes damage to the brain.

Quoted from the video:

“Shown here is the neurite of a live neuron isolated from snail brain tissue displaying linear growth due to growth cone activity.

It is important to note that growth cones in all animal species, ranging from snails to humans, have identical structural and behavioral characteristics, and use proteins of virtually identical composition.

In this experiment, neurons also isolated from snail brain tissue were grown in culture for several days. Afterwhich, very low concentrations of mercury (30 micrograms) were added to the culture medium for 20 minutes.

Over the next 30 minutes, the neuron underwent rapid degeneration leaving the denuded neurofibrils seen here.

To understand how mercury causes this degeneration, let us return to our illustration. As mentioned before, tubulin proteins link together during normal cell growth to form microtubules which support the neurite structure.

When mercury ions are introduced into the culture medium, they infiltrate the cell and bind themselves to newly synthesized tubulin molecules.

More specifically, the mercury ions attach themselves to the binding sites reserved for Guanosine Triphosphate (GTP) on the beta subunit of the affected tubulin molecules.

Since bound GTP normally provides the energy which allows tubulin molecules to attach to one another, mercury ions bound to these sites prevent tubulin proteins from linking together.

Consequently, the neurite’s microtubules begin to disassemble into free tubulin molecules, leaving the neurites stripped of its support structure.

Ultimately, both the developing neurite and its growth cone collapse, and some denuded neurofibrils form aggregates, or tangles, as depicted here.

Shown here is a neurite growth cone stained specifically for tubulin and actin, before and after mercury exposure.

Note that the mercury has caused disintigration of tubilin microtubule structure. 

These new findings reveal important visual evidence as to how mercury causes neuro-degeneration.

More importantly, this study provides the first direct evidence that low-level mercury exposure is indeed a precipitating factor that can initiate this neuro-degenerative process within the brain.”

 

Elderly may be getting too many bone density tests | TIME.com

Elderly may be getting too many bone density tests | TIME.com.

Indeed, such tests should be done in middle age, and for sure as a precautionary, in patients diagnosed, or symptomatic of diseases and medical conditions (or suspected of such) including Diabetes, menopause, etc., in both genders. The Insurance industry, and the “established protocols to be followed upon by doctors, is hellishly denying patients (those who are endowed with any health care at all) greedy and limited to what administrators think care should be( a big banner, claiming that (‘CARE MORE” for instance) 🙂

New Widget at euzicasa: Environmental Working Group: The Power of Information

http://www.ewg.org/enviroblog/2013/07/real-chemical-reform-must-ban-asbestos (click to access the Environmental Working Group)

TUESDAY, JULY 30, 2013

What you can’t see can be deadly: virtually invisible, yet absolutely lethal asbestos fibers lead to environmental and occupational diseases that claim the lives of 30 Americans every day.

The time is now for the Senate to draft and pass meaningful legislation to overhaul the outdated and ineffective Toxic Substances Control Act  of 1976 and protect children from asbestos and dangerous toxic chemicals such as bisphenol A, an endocrine-disrupting chemical in some plastics and food can linings, and flame retardants infused into car seats, nap pads and other kid goods.

 

National Geographic – Gyre: Creating Art From a Plastic Ocean

Published on Aug 21, 2013

In this full-length web exclusive, National Geographic journeys along the remote Alaskan coast … in search of garbage. A team of scientists and artists investigates the buildup of marine debris washing out of the great gyres, or currents, in the Pacific Ocean. Called the Gyre Expedition, their goal is to create art from the trash they find to raise awareness about its impact on oceans and wildlife. Their artwork will become part of a traveling exhibition in 2014. 

Learn more about the expedition and the next phase of the Gyre Project:
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/gyre

 

With New Leader in Place, EPA Can Recommit to Its Environmental Agenda | Center for Effective Government

 

With New Leader in Place, EPA Can Recommit to Its Environmental Agenda | Center for Effective Government.

Dare call this bread? By the way Forgot to mention High fructose, and high Corn Syrup you guys love so much to feed us!

Calories in Bread, Reduced-calorie, Wheat

 

 

 

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Bread, Reduced-calorie, Wheat

bread, whole wheat bread, wheat bread, lunch, breakfast

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46Calories

 

 

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 1 slice (23 g)

Per Serving% Daily Value*

Calories 46

Calories from Fat 5

Total Fat 0.5g1%

Saturated Fat 0.1g0%

Polyunsaturated Fat 0.2g

Monounsaturated Fat 0.1g

Cholesterol 0mg0%

Sodium 118mg5%

Carbohydrates 10.0g3%

Dietary Fiber 2.8g11%

Sugars 0.7g

Protein 2.1g

 

Vitamin A 0% · Vitamin C 0%

Calcium 2% · Iron 4%

See More

 

*Based on a 2000 calorie diet

Bread, Reduced-calorie, Wheat Calories and Health Benefits

 

Fat

 

Pro

 

Carb

 

Alc

 

 

GOOD POINTS
• Low in saturated fat
• No cholesterol
• Very high in dietary fiber
• High in manganese
• Very high in selenium
• High in thiamin

Water9.94 g

Energy46 kcal

Energy190 kj

Protein2.09 g

Total lipid (fat)0.53 g

Ash0.44 g

Carbohydrate, by difference10.03 g

Fiber, total dietary2.8 g

Sugars, total0.71 g

Calcium, Ca18 mg

Iron, Fe0.68 mg

Magnesium, Mg9 mg

Phosphorus, P23 mg

Potassium, K28 mg

Sodium, Na118 mg

Zinc, Zn0.26 mg

Copper, Cu0.032 mg

Manganese, Mn0.196 mg

Selenium, Se7 mcg

Vitamin C, total ascorbic acid~ mg

Thiamin0.097 mg

Riboflavin0.068 mg

Niacin0.894 mg

Pantothenic acid0.145 mg

Vitamin B-60.029 mg

Folate, total21 mcg

Folic acid14 mcg

Folate, food6 mcg

Folate, DFE31 mcg_DFE

Choline, total4.3 mg

Vitamin B-12~ mcg

Vitamin B-12, added~ mcg

Vitamin A, IU~ IU

Vitamin A, RAE~ mcg_RAE

Retinol~ mcg

Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol)0.06 mg

Vitamin E, added~ mg

Vitamin K (phylloquinone)~ mcg

Fatty acids, total saturated0.079 g

4:0~ g

6:0~ g

8:0~ g

10:0~ g

12:00.001 g

14:00.002 g

16:00.068 g

18:00.006 g

Fatty acids, total monounsaturated0.058 g

16:1 undifferentiated0.009 g

18:1 undifferentiated0.049 g

20:1~ g

22:1 undifferentiated~ g

Fatty acids, total polyunsaturated0.223 g

18:2 undifferentiated0.211 g

18:3 undifferentiated0.012 g

18:4~ g

20:4 undifferentiated~ g

20:5 n-3~ g

22:5 n-3~ g

22:6 n-3~ g

Cholesterol~ mg

Tryptophan0.025 g

Threonine0.063 g

Isoleucine0.082 g

Leucine0.147 g

Lysine0.06 g

Methionine0.037 g

Cystine0.043 g

Phenylalanine0.102 g

Tyrosine0.063 g

Valine0.092 g

Arginine0.078 g

Histidine0.045 g

Alanine0.07 g

Aspartic acid0.1 g

Glutamic acid0.658 g

Glycine0.073 g

Proline0.226 g

Serine0.101 g

Alcohol, ethyl~ g

Caffeine~ mg

Theobromine~ mg

Carotene, beta~ mcg

Carotene, alpha~ mcg

Cryptoxanthin, beta~ mcg

Lycopene~ mcg

Lutein + zeaxanthin9 mcg

Read more:

Calories in Bread, Reduced-calorie, Wheat | Nutrition and Health Facts

http://caloriecount.about.com/calories-bread-reduced-calorie-wheat-i18055#ixzz2bWTa0Qlw

This Day in the Yesteryear: US DROPS ATOMIC BOMB ON HIROSHIMA (1945)

US Drops Atomic Bomb on Hiroshima (1945)

After Germany surrendered in May 1945, the Allied forces focused on ending the war in the Pacific. Japan refused to surrender, dismissing the Allies’ vows to devastate the country. The atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima was the first ever dropped on a populated area. At least 130,000 people were killed, injured, or declared missing, and 90 percent of the city was leveled by the blast. Another atomic bomb was dropped on the city of Nagasaki three days later. When did Japan surrender? More… Discuss

Exclusive: Japan nuclear body says radioactive water at Fukushima an ’emergency’

Exclusive -_- Japan nuclear body says radioactive water at Fukushima an ’emergency’- From Reuters (Click to access Exclusive Report at Reuters)

EXCERPTS:

By Antoni Slodkowski and Mari Saito

TOKYO – Highly radioactive water seeping into the ocean from Japan’s crippled Fukushima nuclear plant is creating an “emergency” that the operator is struggling to contain, an official from the country’s nuclear watchdog said on Monday.

This contaminated groundwater has breached an underground barrier, is rising toward the surface and is exceeding legal limits of radioactive discharge, Shinji Kinjo, head of a Nuclear Regulatory Authority (NRA) task force, told Reuters.

Countermeasures planned by Tokyo Electric Power Co are only a temporary solution, he said.

 

Ignore fracking protests, government tells planners | Environment | The Observer

 

Ignore fracking protests, government tells planners | Environment | The Observer.

This Day in the Yesteryear: OPERATION SUNSHINE: FIRST CROSSING OF A SUBMERGED VESSEL AT NORTH POLE (1958)

Operation Sunshine: First Crossing of a Submerged Vessel at North Pole (1958)

The USS Nautilus was the world’s first operational nuclear-powered submarine. In 1958, the Nautilus embarked on Operation Sunshine, during which it completed the first submerged journey across the North Pole, resurfacing northeast of Greenland 96 hours later. During the mission, deep ice in the area of the Chukchi Sea forced the Nautilus to turn back temporarily. In the event that the submarine became trapped in ice, what dramatic action did its commander plan to take? More… Discuss

Success of EPA Climate Standards Will Depend on White House Support | Center for Effective Government

 

Success of EPA Climate Standards Will Depend on White House Support | Center for Effective Government.

THE INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY IS ESTABLISHED (1957)

In 1953, during the Cold War, US President Dwight D. Eisenhower proposed the creation of an international body to regulate the use of nuclear power in his “Atoms for Peace” address to the United Nations General Assembly. Four years later, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) was established to promote the peaceful use of nuclear energy. The IAEA may purchase and sell fissionable materials, and it inspects for compliance with the Non-Proliferation Treaty. Is the IAEA part of the UN? More… Discuss

 

risk associated with fracking

risk associated with Fracking

INDIAN SCHOOLCHILDREN SICKENED AND KILLED BY CONTAMINATED LUNCH

At least 25 schoolchildren in the Indian state of Biharhave died and dozens of others have been hospitalized after consuming a school-provided lunch apparently contaminated with insecticide. India’s Mid-Day Meal Scheme is the world’s largest school feeding program, providing free meals to 120 million children. Regrettably, it seems the entire incident could have been avoided if the headmistress had simply heeded the cook’s warning that something smelled funny about the food. Instead, she demanded that it be served anyway. Once news of the mass poisoning broke, the headmistress fled. It is not yet known whether the contamination was intentional. More… Discuss

 

Advocate_-_ NY Farm Workers ‘Treated Like An Insect’

Advocate_-_ NY Farm Workers ‘Treated Like An Insect’ (Click to access report and video)

ONTARIO, N.Y. – Farm workers from New York and around the nation have flown to the nation’s capital to urge Congress to pass stronger legislation to reduce what one government estimate says are 10,000 to 20,000 acute pesticide poisonings yearly in the agricultural industry. Alina Diaz, a farmworkers’ organizer from the town of Ontario, is in Washington with several workers who toil in New York’s fields and orchards. “One of them told me, ‘I’m tired of being treated like a roach, like an insect. I’m tired of being sick,” said Diaz, vice president, Alianza Nacional de Campesinas. – See more at: http://www.publicnewsservice.org/index.php?/content/article/33462-2&utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter#sthash.5jZ55XE4.dpuf

 

WATCH: ‘Ag Gag’ Laws Silence Factory Farm Whistleblowers | Bill Moyers

 

WATCH: ‘Ag Gag’ Laws Silence Factory Farm Whistleblowers | Bill Moyers.

This is why we should grow our own food, and import less: LEAD CONCERNS IN IMPORTED RICE

Lead Concerns in Imported Rice

In recent years, concerns about arsenic levels in rice have led theUK’s Food Standards Agency and the US Food and Drug Administration to issue recommendations regarding the preparation and consumption of the grain. It turns out, however, that arsenic is not the only poisonous metal contaminating rice crops. Researchers found worrisome levels of lead in rice imported to the US from Bhutan, Italy, China, Taiwan, India, Thailand, and the Czech Republic. More… Discuss

Today’s Birthday: ALICE HAMILTON (1869) A Pioneer in Industrial Toxicology

Alice Hamilton (1869)

A pioneer in industrial toxicology and the first female faculty member at Harvard University, Hamilton became an authority on lead poisoning and a worldwide specialist in occupational diseases. Her services as an authority on industrial conditions, ailments, and poisons were eagerly sought by government agencies, and her reports on substances such as lead and rubber resulted in improved safety standards in industrial workplaces across the US. Her name was once included in what unlikely list? More… Discuss

Related articles

• Alice Hamilton, pioneer of industrial disease and toxicology (sciencelens.wordpress.com)
• The real facts about children and lead poisoning, on Babble.com. | Babble (babble.com)
• Lead poisoning gaining attention but losing funding… (leadfreenj.wordpress.com)
• Health officials target lead paint (toledoblade.com)
• Get the Lead Out! What You Should Know about Lead Paint (babyzone.com)
• Lead poisoning blamed in eagle’s death (kcaw.org)
• Environmental, animal welfare groups move to ban lead bullets for all hunting in California (mercurynews.com)

 

News Release: Licorice Lead recall showcases the need for more food safety programs (from U.S. PIRG)

News Release: Licorice Lead recall showcases the need for more food safety programs (from U.S. PIRG) (click to read more)

Research ship finds the world‘s oceans are ’plasticized’ (from CNN)

Research ship finds the world‘s oceans are ’plasticized’.

The Truth of the Apple iPad Behind Foxconn’s Lies

In 2010, Foxconn was under the spotlight of the media due to the suicide tragedies. At least 18 workers committed suicides and 3 survived. One year on from the spate of suicides, SACOM has high expectation on Foxconn and Apple to fulfil their promises to ensure decent working conditions at the factories. In spring 2011, SACOM visited Foxconn’s iPad production site in Chengdu. Rampant labour rights violations and harsh management remain. Workers always have excessive and forced overtime work. Sometimes, they have to skip meals if they cannot accomplish the production target. They have to stand for over 10 hours on shop floor and cannot talk with each other. They are exposed to chemicals aluminium dust but do not have adequate protection. And it is appalling that almost all the new workers have to undergo “military training”.

According to the interviewees, the big clients, including Apple, always have representatives in the factory to monitor the quality and productivity of the products. In other words, Apple is aware of the labour rights abuses at Foxconn. Despite the code of conduct of Apple dictates “under no circumstances shall workweeks exceed the maximum permitted under applicable laws and regulations.” In reality, Foxconn workers in Chengdu always have 80-100 overtime hours per month which are 2-3 times of the legal limit. Likewise, Apple always claims it will ensure the suppliers to establish measures to protect workers from occupational diseases. However, Foxconn workers who produce iPad do not have pre-post training about substance of the chemicals, no adequate protective equipment and no on-post health examination. On 20 May, an explosion erupted at Foxconn in Chengdu. The tragedy happened in the polishing department and involved an explosion of ultra-light dust. Workers complained to SACOM that the ventilation of department is poor. Workers polish the iPad cases to make them shinny. In the process, there is lots of aluminium dust floating in the air. Workers always breathe in aluminium dust even though they put on mask. When workers take off their cotton gloves, their hands are covered with aluminium dust. Regardless the explosion, this is detrimental to the health of workers.
Regrettably, Apple simply connives at the blatant labour rights violations at Foxconn.

SACOM’s investigative report, Foxconn and Apple Fail to Fuifill Promises: Predicaments of Workers after the Suicides, is downloadable athttp://sacom.hk/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/2011-05-06_foxconn-and-apple-fail-….

 Published on Apr 19, 2012 by ientry

The labor conditions in Asia have long been a controversial topic, but they have recently come into the spotlight due to concerns over Apple’s working practices in China. Back in January, the New York Times exposed new details involving what takes place in the factories of Apple’s largest supplier, Foxconn.

Ross Eisenbrey, the Vice President of the Economic Policy Institute (EPI), told WebProNews that these conditions include 60-70 hour work weeks, chemical exposures, explosions from uncontrolled aluminum dust, and more. In an effort to raise awareness of these issues, the EPI held a forum last week in conjunction with working rights’ groups.

According to Eisenbrey, Apple is to blame since it is in control of the situation. He told us that these issues date back to 2005 and that Apple has yet to do anything to actually resolve the conditions. What’s more, the working conditions at Apple’s Foxconn factories in Brazil are completely different.

Although Apple and Foxconn have agreed to some remediations after the Fair Labor Association conducted an investigation, Eisenbrey remains skeptical since the problems have gone on for so long. However, he is hopeful that consumers will react. When this happens, he believes Apple’s eyes will be opened.

Related articles

• Would Apple be hurt by a strike at Foxconn Brazil? (news.cnet.com)
• Violations found at Foxconn factories (news.cnet.com)

Just how toxic is that Halloween face paint on your child’s face?

Just how toxic is that Halloween face paint on your child’s face? (click here to read the story at San Francisco Chronicle)

Texas Campaign for the Environment: Walmart Here I Come!

This is such a environmentally sound, way to implement environmental laws!
This is a good model for other states, like California, if there isn’t already a recycling law in place for TV Sets!

Legislature approves tougher penalties for lead in jewelry

Legislature approves tougher penalties for lead in jewelry (California Watch)

Related Articles:

• http://www.boston.com/business/globe/articles/2007/10/09/where_do_lead_tainted_products_end_up_its_often_not_clear/

Related articles

• Methyl Iodide Controversy: California Officials Ignored Scientists In Approving Dangerous Pesticide (huffingtonpost.com)
• Health minister proposes new guidelines on toxic metal in kids’ jewelry (canada.com)

Cancer Death Risk Greater for Men

US researchers say men diagnosed with cancer are more likely to die from the disease than women. They attribute the discrepancy in part to the fact that men are at greater risk of developing cancer than women, perhaps as a result of differences in exposure to carcinogens or hormonal or metabolic differences. According to the American Cancer Society, men have about a 1 in 2 chance of developing cancer, while women have just a 1 in 3 chance. In addition, men are more likely than women to have advanced disease by the time their cancer is detected. More… Discuss

Related articles

• Men with cancer have higher death rates than women (sfgate.com)
• Men more likely to die of cancer (cnn.com)
• Men Have Higher Cancer Death Rates Than Women (webmd.com)

In the News: China Covering up Children Lead Poisoning

China downplays risk to children from lead poisoning_report Reuters (Click on picture to read original article)