Uptick In Wildfires, Flooding Contributing To A ‘Toxic Gumbo’ Of Chemicals In Survivors’ Daily Lives
The toxic substances displaced during disasters “are much more long-lasting and ubiquitous than I think people realize,” said Gina McCarthy, who ran the EPA during the Obama administration. “And we clearly haven’t caught up in terms of our laws and regulations, and the process of disaster response.”
The New York Times:
‘Toxic Stew’ Stirred Up By Disasters Poses Long-Term Danger, New Findings Show
New research shows that the extreme weather and fires of recent years, similar to the flooding that has struck Louisiana and the Midwest, may be making Americans sick in ways researchers are only beginning to understand. By knocking chemicals loose from soil, homes, industrial-waste sites or other sources, and spreading them into the air, water and ground, disasters like these — often intensified by climate change — appear to be exposing people to an array of physical ailments including respiratory disease and cancer. (Flavelle, 7/15)
In other environmental health news —
The New York Times:
E.P.A. Broke Rules In Shake-Up Of Science Panels, Federal Watchdog Says
The Trump administration failed to follow ethics rules last year when it dismissed academic members of Environmental Protection Agency advisory boards and replaced them with appointees connected to industry, a federal watchdog agency concluded Monday. The agency, the Government Accountability Office, found that the administration “did not consistently ensure” that appointees to E.P.A. advisory panels met federal ethics requirements. It also concluded that Trump administration officials violated E.P.A. guidelines by not basing the appointments on recommendations made by career staff members. (Friedman, 7/15)
