Environmental

Recent Posts

BPA exposure may be underestimated because of laboratory method used
Posted on 14 Jun 2011 by Thomas H. Clarke, Jr.

Prior posts have discussed various animal studies that have reported the potential for adverse impacts from BPA exposure, as well as the controversial conclusions of FDA under President Bush in assessing the risk of such exposure to humans. Recently... Read More

District Court Holds Vapor Intrusion Is Imminent and Substantial Endangerment
Posted on 18 Jun 2012 by Larry Schnapf

By Lawrence Schnapf, Principal, Schnapf LLC The recent decision in Sisters of Notre Dame De Namur v. Mrs. Owen J. Garnett-Murray , 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 78747 (N.D. Cal. 6/6/12) , is the latest example of how vapor intrusion has become a game changer... Read More

World Health Organization (WHO) Issues Life Stage Guidance for Risk Assessment
Posted on 9 Jan 2012 by E. Lynn Grayson

By E. Lynn Grayson, Partner, Jenner & Block According to WHO, a significant challenge exists with monitoring and assessing individual and population level exposure and risk to environmental chemicals associated with how to consider age and life... Read More

WHO Announces Second Meeting On Global Collaboration In Chemical Risk Assessment
Posted on 23 Jan 2012 by E. Lynn Grayson

By E. Lynn Grayson, Partner, Jenner & Block The World Health Organization (WHO) has announced its second meeting focused on strengthening global collaboration in chemical risk assessment to be held 29-30 March 2012 in Bonn, Germany. The first... Read More

The neurological effects of lead & PCB's compared with ADHD: What can be learned from the similarities and differences
Posted on 3 Dec 2010 by Thomas H. Clarke, Jr.

Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, is one of the most frequently diagnosed neurobehavioral problems in children and is thought to be largely hereditary. But only a small number of cases have been linked to specific genes, leading many... Read More

WHO Announces Second Meeting On Global Collaboration In Chemical Risk Assessment
Posted on 23 Jan 2012 by E. Lynn Grayson

By E. Lynn Grayson, Partner, Jenner & Block The World Health Organization (WHO) has announced its second meeting focused on strengthening global collaboration in chemical risk assessment to be held 29-30 March 2012 in Bonn, Germany. The first... Read More

The multitude of factors that influence what illness or disease strike are sometimes quite surprising
Posted on 10 Mar 2010 by Thomas H. Clarke, Jr.

As noted in prior posts, the key issue in toxic torts is causation. Yet, how an illness, disease, or adverse impact occurs is sometimes quite surprising. Only to illustrate the principle, I note two recent reports that demonstrate the unexpected. ... Read More

Lead and cadmium may delay the onset of puberty in girls
Posted on 18 Dec 2010 by Thomas H. Clarke, Jr.

Violation of lead and cadmium standards are often used in litigation under California's Proposition 65 because the threshold warning level, based on "reproductive toxicity", requires the potential ingestion of very small amounts. The general... Read More

Silver nanoparticles are transformed by sewage treatment
Posted on 18 Dec 2010 by Thomas H. Clarke, Jr.

Prior posts have noted a number of issues related to nanoparticles. Silver nanoparticles are used in hundreds of consumer products, including food storage containers, clothing, computer keyboards, cosmetics, pillows, cell phones, and medical appliances... Read More

Diet impacts gut bacteria, which in turn influences rates of asthma, allergies, inflammatory bowl disease, and other inflammatory diseases
Posted on 30 Aug 2010 by Thomas H. Clarke, Jr.

When children become sick, when rates of disease increase in adults, both apparently without an obvious cause, there is an unfortunate tendency for some to seek to profit at the expense of the suffering by offering up phony theories and bizarre hypotheses... Read More

World Health Organization (WHO) Issues Life Stage Guidance for Risk Assessment
Posted on 9 Jan 2012 by E. Lynn Grayson

By E. Lynn Grayson, Partner, Jenner & Block According to WHO, a significant challenge exists with monitoring and assessing individual and population level exposure and risk to environmental chemicals associated with how to consider age and life... Read More

What is third-hand tobacco smoke and is it dangerous?
Posted on 26 Feb 2011 by Thomas H. Clarke, Jr.

In general terms, the phrase "third-hand tobacco smoke" ("THS") refers to the tobacco particulates and gas that get on clothes, in hair, etc. You have smelled it when you approach a smoker, even if they are smoking at that time. Technically... Read More

Flame retardants found in butter
Posted on 10 Dec 2010 by Thomas H. Clarke, Jr.

Researchers found very high levels of the flame retardant PBDE in one of ten samples of butter. The researchers believe the butter wrapper was the source of contamination, and they speculate that Deca-PBDE, which is being phased out of U.S. production... Read More