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Some Hair Dyes and Straighteners Linked to Higher Breast Cancer Risk, Especially in Black Women
13 December 2019
Health + Wellness
Permanent hair dyes and chemical hair straighteners could be increasing women's risk of breast cancer. kali9 / E+ / Getty Images
Permanent hair dyes and chemical hair straighteners could be increasing women's risk of breast cancer, according to a new study by the National Institutes of Health.
<p>The study, published in the <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/ijc.32738?referrer_access_token=jKQzYf5ZmiEX96960hrJek4keas67K9QMdWULTWMo8N4v3ZOmabsczOLk9UPFn8NYxbj0kxwBqSFQYWJxbtah9oioMvjgU-iBiUuRNVJCjWVTtDbFmTuvyBFS_ieBUN-1scZtcJu3H2MUQiRwbxLPA%3D%3D" target="_blank">International Journal of Cancer</a>, found that, overall, women who had used permanent hair dye before participating were 9 percent more likely to get breast cancer than those who did not.</p><p>For black women, however, the risk was six times higher, despite being less likely than white women to use the dyes. When accounting for race, black women had a 45 percent higher risk of breast cancer while white women had a 7 percent higher risk, <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2019/12/06/health/hair-dye-breast-cancer-black-women-trnd/index.html" target="_blank">CNN reported</a>.</p><p>Black and white women who used chemical hair straighteners had an 18 percent higher risk of breast cancer, but black women were much more likely to use these products, with 74 percent of black participants saying they did compared to only 3 percent of white participants.</p>
<p>How often the women used the products was also a factor, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/04/health/cancer-hair-dye-black-women.html" target="_blank">The New York Times reported</a>, as black women who used the hair dye products every five to eight weeks had a 60% higher risk of developing breast cancer. Women who used chemical hair straighteners every five to eight weeks were 31 percent more likely to get breast cancer overall.</p><p>"In our study, we see a higher breast cancer risk associated with hair dye use, and the effect is stronger in African American women, particularly those who are frequent users," corresponding author Alexandra White, Ph.D., head of the NIEHS Environment and Cancer Epidemiology Group, said in a <a href="https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/permanent-hair-dye-straighteners-may-increase-breast-cancer-risk" target="_blank">statement</a>.</p><p>The researchers noted that hair products can contain more than 5,000 <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/chemicals">chemicals</a>, which aren't always fully listed on the label.</p>
<p>According to the <a href="https://www.ewg.org/news-and-analysis/2019/12/study-links-hair-dye-and-chemical-straighteners-breast-cancer-risk-dye" target="_blank">Environmental Working Group</a>, ingredients commonly found in these dyes and straightening products have been associated with cancer and other health risks, including:</p><ul><li>formaldehyde, which is a carcinogen</li><li>resorcinol, which can harm hormones and cause allergic reactions</li><li>p-phenylenediamine, which has been linked to tumor formation in rats</li></ul><p>For the study, the researchers examined eight years of data for nearly 47,000 women aged 35 to 74 who were enrolled in the National Institute of Environmental Health's Sister Study, which tracks women whose sisters have been diagnosed with breast cancer, <a href="https://www.salon.com/2019/12/09/hair-dyes-linked-to-higher-risk-of-breast-cancer-study/" target="_blank">Salon reported</a>. None of the women had breast cancer at the beginning of the study, but 2,794 of them received a diagnosis by the end of the study.</p><p>That said, the findings are probably not enough to say that the products cause cancer, according to <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/04/health/cancer-hair-dye-black-women.html" target="_blank">The New York Times</a>, as fewer than 10 percent of the participants were black, their use of the products was only surveyed once, and the figures did not show that using the products doubled or tripled risk of cancer – a common threshold for concern among scientists.</p><p>The researchers themselves stopped short of issuing any firm warnings, but suggested avoiding the products or seeking alternatives wherever possible. Experts not involved in the study stressed that while these results may be alarming, more studies must first be done to replicate the findings – especially since <a href="https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2007-05/aafc-hsc051607.php" target="_blank">previous studies</a> of chemical straighteners have not shown any link to breast cancer risk.</p><p>"I think it's important for women, particularly African American women, not to panic every time a study comes out," Dr. Doris Browne, a medical oncologist and former president of the National Medical Association, told <a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2019/12/04/784838430/hair-dye-and-straightener-use-linked-to-higher-cancer-risk-especially-for-black-" target="_blank">NPR</a>. "But it should raise questions for our primary care providers."</p>
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Monsanto Roundup Cancer Trial Postponed in St. Louis, Bayer Stock Climbs
09 January
Health + Wellness
The compound of German chemicals and pharmaceuticals giant Bayer in Berlin on March 20, 2019. ODD ANDERSEN / AFP via Getty Images
By Carey Gillam
A highly anticipated Roundup cancer trial set to start later this month in the St. Louis area has been pulled from the docket, a court official said on Wednesday.
<p>The trial, which was to pit a woman named Sharlean Gordon against Roundup maker <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/monsanto" target="_self">Monsanto</a> Co., was to start Jan. 27 in St. Louis County and was to be broadcast to the public. Notably, Gordon's lawyers planned to put former Monsanto CEO Hugh Grant on the stand. St. Louis was the home of Monsanto's corporate headquarters until the company was purchased by Bayer AG of Germany in June of 2018.</p><p>In taking the trial off the calendar, the judge in the case has ordered that a status conference be set for a month from now, said St. Louis County Court spokeswoman Christine Bertelson.</p>
<p>The Gordon trial was already postponed once – it originally was scheduled for August. It is one of several trials that have been postponed in the last several months as Bayer attempts to find a settlement to the mass of claims filed against Monsanto by people stricken with non-Hodgkin lymphoma they claim was caused by exposure to Monsanto Roundup and other <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/glyphosate" target="_self">glyphosate</a>-based herbicides. Bayer officials have said that Monsanto is facing more than 42,700 plaintiffs in the U.S.</p><p>Gordon developed non-Hodgkin lymphoma after using Roundup herbicides for 25 years at her residence in South Pekin, Illinois, and has suffered extensive debilitation due to her disease. Gordon's stepfather, who also used Roundup at the family home, died of cancer. <a href="https://usrtk.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Sharlean-Gordon-v.-Monsanto.pdf" target="_blank">The case</a> is actually derived from a larger case filed in July 2017 on behalf of more than 75 plaintiffs. Gordon was to be the first of that group to go to trial.</p>
<p>Monsanto and Bayer have denied that Monsanto's herbicides can cause cancer, and assert the litigation is without merit but is being fueled by greedy plaintiffs' attorneys.</p><p>According to sources close to the litigation, <a href="https://usrtk.org/monsanto-roundup-trial-tacker/more-monsanto-roundup-cancer-trials-expected-to-be-postponed/" target="_blank">discussions are underway</a> to postpone more Roundup cancer trials, possibly including one set to start Jan. 21 in St. Louis City Court. Attorneys for Monsanto and for the plaintiffs in the upcoming January trials declined to comment.</p><p>Shares in Bayer hit a 52-week high and were up close to 3 percent Wednesday. Investors have been pushing the company to find a way to avoid future trials and to settle the litigation.</p>
<p>In the three Roundup cancer trials held so far, unanimous juries have found that exposure to Monsanto's herbicides does cause non-Hodgkin lymphoma and that the company covered up the risks and failed to warn consumers. The three juries awarded a total of four plaintiffs more than $2 billion in damages, but the trial judges in each case <a href="https://www.baumhedlundlaw.com/toxic-tort-law/monsanto-roundup-lawsuit/monsanto-roundup-settlement/" target="_blank">have reduced the awards</a> significantly.</p><p>No damages have yet been paid as Monsanto appeals the verdicts.</p><p>Bayer's annual shareholders' meeting is set for April 28 and analysts said investors would like to see either a settlement of the litigation by that time, or at least meaningful progress in containing the liability. Bayer's <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/13/business/monsanto-roundup-cancer-verdict.html" target="_blank">stock took a dive</a>, losing billions of dollars in value, after the first jury verdict in August 2018, and share prices remain depressed.</p>
<p><em>Reposted with permission from <a href="https://usrtk.org/monsanto-roundup-trial-tacker/st-louis-monsanto-roundup-trial-postponed/" target="_blank">U.S. Right to Know</a>.</em></p>From Your Site Articles
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Pineapple juice is a popular tropical beverage.
It's made from pineapple fruit, which is native to countries like Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Kenya, India, China, and the Philippines.
<p>Many cultures use the fruit and its juices as a traditional folk remedy to treat or prevent various ailments.<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3529416/" target="_blank"></a></p><p>Modern research has linked pineapple juice and its compounds to health benefits, such as improved digestion and heart health, reduced inflammation, and perhaps even some protection against cancer. However, not all evidence has been conclusive.</p><p>Here are 7 science-based benefits of pineapple juice, based on the current research.</p>
<p><em>Reposted with permission from </em><a href="https://www.healthline.com/" target="_blank"><em>Healthline</em></a><em>. For detailed source information, please view the original article on </em><em><a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/pineapple-juice-benefits" target="_blank">Healthline</a></em><em>.</em></p>
1. Rich in Nutrients
<p>Pineapple juice provides a concentrated dose of various nutrients. One cup (240 mL) contains around:</p><ul><li><strong>Calories:</strong> 132</li><li><strong>Protein:</strong> less than 1 gram</li><li><strong>Fat:</strong> less than 1 gram</li><li><strong>Carbs:</strong> 33 grams</li><li><strong>Sugars:</strong> 25 grams</li><li><strong>Fiber:</strong> less than 1 gram</li><li><strong>Manganese:</strong> 55% of the Daily Value (DV)</li><li><strong>Copper:</strong> 19% of the DV</li><li><strong>Vitamin B6:</strong> 15% of the DV</li><li><strong>Vitamin C:</strong> 14% of the DV</li><li><strong>Thiamine: </strong>12% of the DV</li><li><strong>Folate:</strong> 11% of the DV</li><li><strong>Potassium:</strong> 7% of the DV</li><li><strong>Magnesium:</strong> 7% of the DV</li></ul><p>Pineapple juice is particularly rich in manganese, <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/foods-high-in-copper" target="_blank">copper</a>, and vitamins B6 and C. These nutrients play an important role in bone health, immunity, wound healing, energy production, and tissue synthesis.</p><p>It also contains trace amounts of iron, calcium, phosphorus, zinc, choline, and vitamin K, as well as various B vitamins.</p><p><strong>Summary</strong></p><p><strong></strong>Pineapple juice is rich in a variety of vitamins and minerals. It's especially packed with manganese, copper, vitamin B6, and vitamin C — all of which play important roles in the proper functioning of your body.</p>2. Contains Additional Beneficial Compounds
<p>In addition to being rich in vitamins and minerals, pineapple juice is a good source of <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/antioxidants-explained" target="_blank">antioxidants</a>, which are beneficial plant compounds that help keep your body healthy.</p><p>Antioxidants help neutralize unstable compounds known as free radicals, which can build up in your body due to factors like pollution, stress, or an unhealthy diet and cause cell damage.</p><p>Experts believe that the antioxidants in pineapple juice, particularly <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/vitamin-c-foods" target="_blank">vitamin C</a>, beta carotene, and various flavonoids, are in large part to thank for its potential beneficial effects.</p><p>Pineapple juice also contains bromelain, a group of enzymes linked to health benefits, such as reduced inflammation, improved digestion, and stronger immunity.</p><p><strong>Summary</strong></p><p><strong></strong>Pineapple juice is rich in antioxidants, which help protect your body from damage and disease. It also contains bromelain, a group of enzymes that may reduce inflammation, improve digestion, and boost immunity.</p>3. May Suppress Inflammation
<p>Pineapple juice may help <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/anti-inflammatory-diet-101" target="_blank">reduce inflammation</a>, which is believed to be the root cause of many chronic diseases.</p><p><span></span>This may largely be due to its bromelain content. Some research suggests that this compound may be as effective as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) — but with fewer side effects.<span></span></p><p>In Europe, bromelain is approved for use to reduce inflammation caused by trauma or surgery, as well as to treat surgical wounds or deep burns.</p><p>In addition, there's evidence that ingesting bromelain before surgery may help reduce the level of inflammation and pain caused by surgery.</p><p>Some studies further suggest that <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/bromelain" target="_blank">bromelain</a> may help reduce pain and inflammation caused by a sports injury, rheumatoid arthritis, or osteoarthritis of the knee.</p><p>That said, research has yet to test the direct effects of pineapple juice on inflammation.</p><p>Therefore, it's unclear whether the bromelain intakes achieved through drinking small to moderate amounts of pineapple juice would provide the same anti-inflammatory benefits as those observed in these studies.</p><p><strong>Summary</strong></p><p><strong></strong>Pineapple juice contains bromelain, a group of enzymes that may help reduce inflammation caused by trauma, injuries, surgery, rheumatoid arthritis, or osteoarthritis. However, more juice-specific studies are needed.</p>4. May Boost Your Immunity
<p>Pineapple juice may contribute to a <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/food-nutrition/foods-that-boost-the-immune-system" target="_blank">stronger immune system</a>.</p><p>Test-tube studies suggest that bromelain, a mixture of enzymes naturally found in pineapple juice, may activate the immune system.</p><p>Bromelain may also improve recovery from infections, such as <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/pneumonia" target="_blank">pneumonia</a>, sinusitis, and bronchitis, especially when used in combination with antibiotics.</p><p>However, most of these studies are dated, and none have examined the immunity-boosting effects of pineapple juice in humans. Therefore, more research is needed to confirm these results.</p><p><strong>Summary</strong></p><p><strong></strong>Some research suggests that pineapple juice may contribute to a stronger immune system. It may also help increase the effectiveness of antibiotics. However, more studies are needed before strong conclusions can be made.</p>5. May Help Your Digestion
<p>The enzymes in pineapple juice function as proteases. Proteases help break down protein into smaller subunits, such as amino acids and small peptides, which can then be more easily absorbed in your gut.</p><p>Bromelain, a group of enzymes in pineapple juice, may particularly help <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/ways-to-improve-digestion" target="_blank">improve digestion</a> in people whose pancreas cannot make enough digestive enzymes — a medical condition known as pancreatic insufficiency.</p><p>Animal research suggests that bromelain may also help protect your gut from harmful, diarrhea-causing bacteria, such as <em>E. coli</em> and <em>V. cholera.</em></p><p>Moreover, according to some test-tube research, bromelain may help reduce gut inflammation in people with inflammatory bowel disorders, such as <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/crohns-disease" target="_blank">Crohn's disease</a> or ulcerative colitis.</p><p>That said, most studies have investigated the effect of concentrated doses of bromelain, rather than that of pineapple juice, and very few were conducted in humans. Therefore, more research is needed.</p><p><strong>Summary</strong></p><p><strong></strong>The bromelain in pineapple juice may aid digestion, guard against harmful, diarrhea-causing bacteria, and reduce inflammation in people with inflammatory bowel disorders. However, more research is needed.</p>6. May Promote Heart Health
<p>The bromelain naturally found in pineapple juice may also <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/heart-healthy-foods" target="_blank">benefit your heart</a>.</p><p>Test-tube and animal studies suggest that bromelain may help reduce high blood pressure, prevent the formation of blood clots, and minimize the severity of angina pectoris and transient ischemic attacks — two health conditions caused by heart disease.<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3529416/" target="_blank"></a></p><p>However, the number of studies is limited, and none are specific to pineapple juice. Therefore, more research is needed before strong conclusions can be made.</p><p><strong>Summary</strong></p><p><strong></strong>Some research links the bromelain naturally found in pineapple juice to markers of improved heart health. However, more pineapple-juice-specific studies are needed.</p>7. May Help Fight Certain Types of Cancer
<p>Pineapple juice may have potential <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/cancer-fighting-foods" target="_blank">cancer-fighting effects</a>. Again, this is likely in large part due to its bromelain content.</p><p>Some studies suggest that bromelain may help prevent the formation of tumors, reduce their size, or even cause the death of cancerous cells.</p><p>However, these were test-tube studies using concentrated amounts of bromelain that were much higher than those you'd ingest from drinking a glass of pineapple juice. This makes it difficult to project their results to humans.</p><p>Therefore, more research is needed before strong conclusions can be made.</p><p><strong>Summary</strong></p><p><strong></strong>Test-tube studies suggest that concentrated amounts of bromelain may help protect against cancer. However, it's currently unclear whether pineapple juice offers similar benefits in humans.</p>Possible Precautions
<p>Pineapple juice is generally considered safe for most people.</p><p>That said, bromelain, a group of enzymes naturally found in pineapple juice, may enhance the absorption of certain drugs, especially antibiotics and blood thinners.</p><p>As such, if you are taking medications, consult your physician or registered dietitian to make sure it's safe to consume pineapple juice.</p><p>This beverage's acidity may also trigger heartburn or reflux in some people. Specifically, those with <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/gerd" target="_blank">gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)</a> may want to avoid consuming large amounts of this beverage.</p><p>Despite its potential benefits, it's important to remember that pineapple juice remains low in fiber yet high in sugar.</p><p>This means it's unlikely to fill you up as much as eating the same quantity of raw pineapple would. Therefore, it may promote weight gain in some people.</p><p>What's more, while drinking small amounts of juice has been linked to a lower risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease, drinking more than 5 ounces (150 mL) per day may have the opposite effect.</p><p>Therefore, it's likely best to avoid drinking too much pineapple juice, and when you do, stick to 100% pure varieties that are free of <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/too-much-sugar" target="_blank">added sugars</a>.</p><p><strong>Summary</strong></p><p><strong></strong>Pineapple juice is low in fiber yet rich in sugar, and drinking too much may lead to weight gain or disease. This beverage may also interact with medications and trigger heartburn or reflux in some people.</p>The Bottom Line
<p><a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/benefits-of-pineapple" target="_blank">Pineapple</a> juice contains a variety of vitamins, minerals, and beneficial plant compounds that may protect you from disease.</p><p>Studies link this beverage to improved digestion, heart health, and immunity. Pineapple juice or its compounds may also help reduce inflammation and perhaps even offer some protection against certain types of cancer.</p><p>However, human studies are limited, and it's unclear whether the effects observed in test tubes or animals can be achieved by small daily intakes of pineapple juice.</p><p>Moreover, this beverage remains low in fiber and rich in sugar, so drinking large quantities each day is not recommended.</p>From Your Site Articles
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Motorists traveling on Interstate 696 in Michigan caught a peculiar sight on Friday when a mysterious green slime oozed onto the highway from a retaining wall, according to The New York Times.
<p>Authorities blocked sections of the highway in Madison Park, a Detroit suburb, while hazardous material cleanup crews worked to contain and remove the material. The Michigan state police <a href="https://twitter.com/mspmetrodet/status/1208408319506952192" target="_blank">tweeted</a> on Saturday that the green slime was the <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/cancer" target="_self">cancer</a>-causing <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/chemicals" target="_self">chemical</a> hexavalent chromium, which was leaking from the basement of a local business, as <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2019/12/21/us/green-liquid-detroit-highway-trnd/index.html" target="_blank">CNN</a> reported.</p><p>"It's a serious situation," said Jill A. Greenberg, a spokeswoman for the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy on Sunday, as <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/22/us/green-slime-detroit-.html" target="_blank">The New York Times</a> reported. "Clearly, this site needs to be cleaned up."</p><p>However, she added that cleanup crews seem to have the situation under control and she said there is no imminent threat of air or <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/drinking-water" target="_self">drinking water</a> contamination. The contaminated water is migrating underground and working its way to the freeway, she said, as the <a href="https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/oakland/2019/12/22/madison-heights-crews-cleanup-greenish-yellow-ooze/2729089001/" target="_blank">Detroit Free Press</a> reported.</p><p>Hexavelent chromium is the cancer-causing manufacturing compound that the Pacific Gas and Electric Company was accused of leaking and contaminating drinking water with in southern California. That story was made famous by the 2000 movie <em>Erin Brokovich.</em> The chemical is usually made during industrial processes like plating and is a known carcinogen, according to the<a href="https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/hexavalentchromium/" target="_blank"> Occupational Safety and Health Administration</a>. Hexavalent chromium damages the respiratory system, kidneys, liver, skin and eyes, as <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2019/12/21/us/green-liquid-detroit-highway-trnd/index.html" target="_blank">CNN</a> reported.</p><p>The chemical was traced back to a pit in the basement of the local business, Electro-Plating Services Inc. whose owner was previously convicted of illegally storing dangerous chemicals in leaky containers, according to the <a href="https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/oakland/2019/12/22/madison-heights-crews-cleanup-greenish-yellow-ooze/2729089001/" target="_blank">Detroit Free Press</a>. The chemical leaked down into the ground and found its way into a drain that emptied onto the eastbound side of the interstate. If the liquid had not been discovered, it could have ended up in Lake St. Clair, said Candice Miller, Macomb County public works commissioner, as <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2019/12/21/us/green-liquid-detroit-highway-trnd/index.html" target="_blank">CNN</a> reported.</p><p>"The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) indicated that once the chemical came up thru the drain, it froze into a yellow blob," police tweeted, as <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2019/12/21/us/green-liquid-detroit-highway-trnd/index.html" target="_blank">CNN</a> reported. "The plan to dispose of the chemical is to bring in a type of excavator, scoop up the frozen waste, and place it into a safe container."</p><p>Cleanup crews were using a sump pump on Sunday to remove the hexavalent chromium from the pit, according <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/22/us/green-slime-detroit-.html" target="_blank">The New York Times</a>. "We have cleaned out the sewers and the clean out drains between the facility and 696," said Greenberg, as <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2019/12/21/us/green-liquid-detroit-highway-trnd/index.html" target="_blank">CNN</a> reported. "We're also in the process of cleaning up the basement of the facility."</p><p>The <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/epa" target="_self">EPA</a> teamed up with local authorities to determine that the liquid likely was groundwater contaminated with hexavalent chromium. Sample results from the site are expected this week, Greenberg said, as the <a href="https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/oakland/2019/12/22/madison-heights-crews-cleanup-greenish-yellow-ooze/2729089001/" target="_blank">Detroit Free Press</a> reported.</p><p>"We are operating under the presumption that this is groundwater contaminated with chromium from historic plating operations," Greenberg said in a statement.</p><p>State authorities shut down Electro-Plating Services Inc. in 2016 "for [the] imminent and substantial threat due to the mismanagement of hazardous waste," as <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/us/mysterious-green-slime-michigan-highway-identified" target="_blank">Fox News</a> reported. It was then designated it a Superfund cleanup site. The company's owner, Gary A. Sayers, <a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/michigan-man-and-his-company-plead-guilty-illegally-storing-hazardous-waste-madison-heights" target="_blank">pleaded guilty</a> earlier this year to storing hazardous waste illegally, as <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/22/us/green-slime-detroit-.html" target="_blank">The New York Times</a> reported. Sayers was sentenced to one year in prison and fined $1.5 million for the cleanup.</p><p>The police announced that parts of the highway would remain closed for the weekend and asked drivers to be careful.</p><p>"Please use caution as there will be workers in the area. And a yellow blob," police said.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Hopefully this will answer some questions we have been getting about I 696 in Madison Heights.<br> <br>At about 2 30 PM on 12/20, we were asked by Madison Heights Fire Dispatch to block the right lane of east bound I-696 near Couzens while the fire department cleaned up a liquid spill. <a href="https://t.co/WGFy5sYDkk">pic.twitter.com/WGFy5sYDkk</a></p>— MSP Metro Detroit (@mspmetrodet) <a href="https://twitter.com/mspmetrodet/status/1208408319506952192?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 21, 2019</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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Formosa Plastics has plans to bulldoze over a sacred slave burial ground in St. James Parish, Louisiana, pictured above for a new manufacturing complex that will cover the size of 80 football fields. Louisiana Bucket Brigade
A major plastics manufacturing complex planned for construction in a highly-polluted region of Louisiana may disrupt a historic slave burial site, The Intercept reports.
<p>Human remains and evidence of grave shafts were discovered earlier this year on land being developed by Formosa Plastics Group in St. James Parish in Louisiana. The plant could double the amount of <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/air-pollution" rel="noopener noreferrer">air pollution</a> in the region and emit 13 million tons of carbon pollution each year. Many of the residents of St. James Parish, located in a stretch of the state known as "Cancer Alley," one of the most polluted stretches in America, say they are descended from slaves who worked on various plantations in the area. "That's sacred ground," activist and St. James Parish resident Sharon Lavigne told The Intercept. "They're saying they don't care about your ancestors. They're slapping us in the face." </p><h4>For a deeper dive:</h4><p><a href="https://climatenexus.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=d1f5797e59060083034310930&id=aef93e97a4&e=0afd421a28" target="_blank">The Intercept</a></p><p><em>For more </em><a href="http://ecowatch.com/climate-change-news/" target="_blank"><em>climate change</em></a><em> and </em><a href="http://ecowatch.com/business/renewables/" target="_blank"><em>clean energy</em></a><em> news, you can follow Climate Nexus on </em><a href="https://twitter.com/ClimateNexus" target="_blank"><em>Twitter</em></a><em> and </em><a href="https://www.facebook.com/ClimateNexus/" target="_blank"><em>Facebook</em></a><em>, and sign up for daily </em><a href="http://climatenexus.us4.list-manage1.com/subscribe?u=d1f5797e59060083034310930&id=7c84c08aaa" target="_blank"><em>Hot News</em></a><em>.</em></p>
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<p>Notably, you aren't limited to tossing it into salads and sides. Juicing fresh spinach has become a popular way to enjoy this green veggie.</p><p>In fact, spinach juice is linked to an array of impressive health benefits.</p><p>Here are 5 of the top science-backed benefits of spinach juice.</p>
<p><em>Reposted with permission from </em><a href="https://www.healthline.com/" target="_blank"><em>Healthline</em></a><em>. For detailed source information, please view the original article on </em><em><a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/spinach-juice-benefits" target="_blank">Healthline</a></em><em>.</em></p>
1. High in Antioxidants
<p>Drinking spinach juice is a great way to boost your antioxidant intake.</p><p><a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/foods-high-in-antioxidants" target="_blank">Antioxidants</a> neutralize unstable molecules called free radicals, thus protecting you against oxidative stress and chronic disease.</p><p>In particular, spinach is a good source of the antioxidants lutein, <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/beta-carotene-benefits" target="_blank">beta carotene</a>, coumaric acid, violaxanthin, and ferulic acid.</p><p>According to a small, 16-day study in 8 people, drinking 8 ounces (240 mL) of spinach daily prevented oxidative damage to DNA.<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21384253" target="_blank"><span></span></a></p><p>Animal studies reveal similar findings, tying spinach to oxidative stress prevention.</p><p><strong>Summary</strong></p><p><strong></strong>Spinach juice is high in antioxidants, which can help prevent oxidative damage and safeguard against chronic illnesses.</p>2. May Improve Eye Health
<p>Spinach juice is loaded with <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/lutein-and-zeaxanthin" target="_blank">lutein and zeaxanthin</a>, two antioxidants necessary for maintaining healthy vision.<span></span></p><p>Some research suggests that these compounds help protect against age-related macular degeneration, a common condition that can cause progressive vision loss.</p><p>A review of six studies linked increased intake of zeaxanthin and lutein to a lower risk of cataracts, an eye condition that clouds and blurs the lens of your eye.</p><p>What's more, spinach juice is high in vitamin A, which is <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/eye-vitamins" target="_blank">important for eye health</a>. A deficiency in this vitamin can cause dry eyes and night blindness.</p><p>Although the exact amount varies based on how much water you use and whether you add other ingredients, juicing 4 cups (120 grams) of raw spinach generally produces about 1 cup (240 mL) of juice.</p><p>In turn, this amount of juice provides nearly 63% of the Daily Value (DV) for vitamin A.</p><p><strong>Summary</strong></p><p><strong></strong>Spinach juice is rich in vitamin A and antioxidants like zeaxanthin and lutein, all of which promote healthy vision.</p>3. May Decrease Cancer Cell Growth
<p>Although more human research is needed, some studies suggest that certain compounds in spinach may help <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/cancer-and-diet" target="_blank">combat cancer cell growth</a>.</p><p>In a 2-week study in mice, spinach juice reduced the volume of colon cancer tumors by 56%.</p><p>Another mouse study showed that monogalactosyl diacylglycerol (MGDG), a spinach compound, enhanced the effects of radiation therapy to kill pancreatic cancer cells.</p><p>Furthermore, human studies indicate that eating more <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/leafy-green-vegetables" target="_blank">leafy greens</a> lowers your risk of lung, prostate, breast, and colorectal cancer.</p><p>Nonetheless, these studies are focused on overall leafy green intake rather than spinach juice specifically. Thus, additional studies are needed.</p><p><strong>Summary</strong></p><p><strong></strong>Animal studies note that some compounds in spinach may decrease cancer cell growth, while human research associates leafy greens with a lower risk of certain cancers. All the same, further research is necessary.</p>4. May Reduce Blood Pressure
<p>Spinach juice is high in naturally occurring nitrates, a type of compound that can help dilate your blood vessels. In turn, this may <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/foods-good-for-high-blood-pressure" target="_blank">lower blood pressure</a> and boost blood flow.</p><p>A 7-day study in 27 people found that eating spinach soup daily decreased blood pressure and arterial stiffness, compared with a control group.</p><p>In another small study, 30 people who ate nitrate-rich spinach experienced lower systolic blood pressure (the upper number of a reading) and improved nitric oxide status.</p><p>One cup (240 mL) of spinach juice also packs over 14% of the DV for <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/high-potassium-foods" target="_blank">potassium</a> — a mineral involved in regulating blood pressure by controlling the amount of sodium excreted through your urine.</p><p><strong>Summary</strong></p><p><strong></strong>Spinach is high in nitrates and potassium, which may improve blood flow and reduce blood pressure.</p>5. May Promote Healthy Hair and Skin
<p>Spinach juice is a great source of vitamin A, with nearly 63% of the DV in 1 cup (240 mL).<span></span></p><p>This vitamin helps regulate skin cell generation and produce mucous to protect against infections.</p><p>One cup (240 mL) of spinach juice also contains about 38% of the DV for vitamin C, which is an essential water-soluble vitamin that doubles as an antioxidant.</p><p>Studies show that vitamin C protects your skin against oxidative stress, inflammation, and skin damage, all of which can accelerate signs of aging. Furthermore, it helps synthesize <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/collagen" target="_blank">collagen</a>, a connective tissue protein that promotes wound healing and skin elasticity.</p><p>What's more, <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/vitamin-c-benefits" target="_blank">vitamin C</a> may increase iron absorption and even help prevent hair loss associated with iron deficiency.</p><p><strong>Summary</strong></p><p><strong></strong>Spinach juice is high in vitamins A and C, two important micronutrients that can promote skin and hair health.</p>Potential Side Effects
<p>While spinach juice is associated with some benefits, there are a few drawbacks to consider.</p><p>For starters, most of the available research is focused on spinach itself — not the juice. Thus, further studies on the juice are needed.</p><p>Additionally, juicing removes most of the fiber from spinach, which could curb some of its benefits.</p><p>Studies show that <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/22-high-fiber-foods" target="_blank">fiber</a> may help improve blood sugar control, weight loss, and blood pressure and cholesterol levels. It may also protect against several digestive disorders, including hemorrhoids, constipation, acid reflux, and diverticulitis.</p><p>Spinach is likewise high in vitamin K, large amounts of which can interfere with blood thinners like warfarin. If you're taking blood thinners, consult a healthcare professional before adding spinach juice to your daily routine.</p><p>It's also important to carefully read labels if you purchase store-bought juices, as some varieties may be high in <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/too-much-sugar" target="_blank">added sugar</a>.</p><p>Finally, keep in mind that spinach juice should not be used as a meal replacement, as it's lacking in many of the nutrients necessary for a balanced diet.</p><p>Rather, you should drink it to supplement a healthy diet, enjoying it alongside a variety of other whole fruits and vegetables.</p><p><strong>Summary</strong></p><p><strong></strong>Juicing removes most of the fiber from spinach, which may inhibit some of its health benefits. Furthermore, you shouldn't use spinach juice as a meal replacement.</p>The Bottom Line
<p>Spinach juice is high in antioxidants and beneficial compounds that may protect your vision, decrease blood pressure, and improve hair and skin health.</p><p>However, it's low in fiber and isn't an appropriate meal replacement, as it's lacking in important nutrients like protein and <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/10-super-healthy-high-fat-foods" target="_blank">healthy fats</a>.</p><p>If you drink spinach juice, be sure to enjoy it alongside other whole, nutritious foods as part of a <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/healthy-eating-for-beginners" target="_blank">balanced diet</a>.</p>From Your Site Articles
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Monsanto's former chairman and CEO Hugh Grant speaks about "The Coming Agricultural Revolution" on May 17, 2016. Fortune Brainstorm E / Flickr
By Carey Gillam
Former Monsanto Chairman and CEO Hugh Grant will have to testify in person at a St. Louis-area trial set for January in litigation brought by a cancer-stricken woman who claims her disease was caused by exposure to the company's Roundup herbicide and that Monsanto covered up the risks instead of warning consumers.
<p>Grant, who led St. Louis-based Monsanto from 2003 until the company was sold to Bayer AG of Germany in June of 2018, and spent a total of 37 years working for Monsanto, was subpoenaed by lawyers for <a href="https://usrtk.org/monsanto-roundup-trial-tacker/st-louis-roundup-cancer-trial-could-be-postponed-talk-of-bayer-settlement/" target="_blank">plaintiff Sharlean Gordon,</a> to testify at a trial slated to begin Jan. 27 in St. Louis County Circuit Court.</p><p>The Gordon trial was originally scheduled for August of this year but was delayed as part of an effort to undertake settlement talks between Bayer and lawyers for tens of thousands of plaintiffs who are suing Monsanto with claims similar to Gordon's.</p><p>Two other trials set for January, both in courts in California and both involving children diagnosed with cancer, were <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-12-06/two-bayer-roundup-trials-postponed-to-give-mediation-more-time" target="_blank">recently postponed</a> due to continued settlement talks.</p><p>Bayer estimates that there are currently more than 42,000 plaintiffs alleging that exposure to Monsanto's Roundup and other <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/glyphosate" target="_self">glyphosate</a>-based herbicides made by Monsanto caused them or their loved ones to develop non-Hodgkin lymphoma.</p><p>Grant did not have to testify live at the three Roundup cancer trials that have taken place so far because they were all held in California. But because Grant resides in St. Louis County, plaintiffs' attorneys saw an opportunity to get him on the stand in person.</p><p>Attorneys for Grant have been fighting the subpoena, arguing that he is not a scientist or regulatory expert and he has already provided information in deposition testimony. Grant has also argued that he should not have to testify because he plans to be out of the country starting Feb. 9.</p><p>But in a decision handed down Dec. 5, a special master appointed to the case sided with Gordon's attorneys <a href="https://usrtk.org/wp-content/uploads/bsk-pdf-manager/2019/12/Order-for-Hugh-Grant-to-testify-at-trial.pdf" target="_blank">and ruled</a> that Grant was not entitled to an order quashing the subpoena for trial testimony.</p><p>"Mr. Grant appeared for interviews on public radio representing that Roundup is not a carcinogen; in earnings calls for investors Mr. Grant personally responded that the classification of glyphosate as a probable carcinogen was 'junk science;' in 2016 Mr. Grant personally lobbied the EPA Administrator and the Agricultural Committee Chair of the topic of glyphosate," the special master's order states.</p><p>"Although Mr. Grant does not have scientific knowledge that doubtless will be a significant component to this lawsuit, he was CEO of Monsanto for 15 years and took part in presentations, discussions, interviews and other appearances for Monsanto as CEO in which the topics of Roundup and glyphosate were explained, discussed and defended," Special Master Thomas Prebil said in his decision.</p><p>Gordon developed non-Hodgkin lymphoma after using Roundup herbicides for 25 years at her residence in South Pekin, Illinois, and has suffered extensive debilitation due to her disease. Gordon's stepfather, who also used Roundup at the family home where Gordon lived into adulthood, died of cancer. <a href="https://usrtk.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Sharlean-Gordon-v.-Monsanto.pdf" target="_blank">The case</a> is actually derived from a larger case filed in July 2017 on behalf of more than 75 plaintiffs. Gordon is the first of that group to go to trial.</p><p>In the three previous trials, unanimous juries have found that exposure to Monsanto's herbicides does cause non-Hodgkin lymphoma and that the company did cover up the risks and fail to warn consumers. The three juries awarded a total of four plaintiffs more than $2 billion in damages, but the three trial judges <a href="https://www.baumhedlundlaw.com/toxic-tort-law/monsanto-roundup-lawsuit/monsanto-roundup-settlement/" target="_blank">have reduced the awards</a> significantly in each case.</p><p>All are being appealed and none of the winning plaintiffs have yet received any of the monetary awards the juries ordered.</p>
<h2>Johnson Appeal Delayed</h2><p>The first plaintiff to win against Monsanto is a California school groundskeeper from California. <a href="https://time.com/5460793/dewayne-lee-johnson-monsanto-lawsuit/" target="_blank">Dewayne "Lee" Johnson </a>was awarded $289 million by a jury in August 2018. The trial judge later lowered the damages to $78 million. Monsanto appealed seeking to overturn the jury decision and Johnson cross-appealed seeking to reinstate the full award of $289 million.</p><p>The California Court of Appeal 1st Appellate District said it would act swiftly in ruling on the consolidated appeals and lawyers for both sides initially hoped to have a ruling by the end of this year. But the case has been delayed for several weeks as both sides awaited a date for oral arguments. On Dec. 3, Monsanto's attorneys asked the court not to schedule oral arguments in January or February, as several new Roundup trials are set for those months. Johnson's attorneys opposed that request for further delay.</p><p>On Friday, the court issued an order stating that while it agreed with Johnson about the need to<br>"schedule oral argument as soon as practicable," it was unlikely oral arguments could be held until March of April "given the number and length of all the briefs to be considered, the outstanding motions that the court must rule on when considering the merits of the appeal," and other factors.</p>
<p><em>Reposted with permission from <a href="https://usrtk.org/monsanto-roundup-trial-tacker/former-monsanto-ceo-ordered-to-testify-at-roundup-trial-in-person/" target="_blank">U.S. Right to Know</a>.</em></p>From Your Site Articles
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An American flag waves in the wind at the Phillip Burton Federal Building in San Francisco, California on May 17 where a trial against Monsanto took place. Alva and Alberta Pilliod, were awarded more than $2 billion in damages in their lawsuit against Monsanto, though the judge in the case lowered the damage award to $87 million. JOSH EDELSON / AFP / Getty Images
By Carey Gillam
For the last five years, Chris Stevick has helped his wife Elaine in her battle against a vicious type of cancer that the couple believes was caused by Elaine's repeated use of Monsanto's Roundup herbicide around a California property the couple owned. Now the roles are reversed as Elaine must help Chris face his own cancer.
<p>Chris Stevick, who often mixed Roundup for his wife and tested the sprayer used to dispense the weed killer, was diagnosed last month with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), a type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Unlike Elaine's aggressive type of NHL known as central nervous system lymphoma, Chris's cancer is a type that tends to grow slowly. He was diagnosed after a physical examination showed abnormalities in his blood and prompted further tests.</p><p>The diagnosis has prompted a scramble among lawyers involved in the sprawling Roundup products liability litigation given that the Stevick's lawsuit against Monsanto is set as the next federal case to go to trial.</p><p>With the trial date of Feb. 24, 2020 looming, Elaine Stevick's lawyers <a href="https://usrtk.org/wp-content/uploads/bsk-pdf-manager/2019/11/Stevick-Letter-Brief-re-husband-cancer-diagnosis.pdf" target="_blank">asked Monsanto's attorneys</a> if the company would agree that Chris Stevick's cancer claims could be joined with his wife's for the February trial in San Francisco. The attorneys argue that at the very least Chris Stevick's diagnosis is admissible evidence at his wife's trial as additional proof of their claim that Roundup exposure can cause non-Hodgkin lymphoma.</p><p>Monsanto's attorneys oppose the joining of the claims and say that Elaine Stevick's trial should only proceed in February if there is no mention made of her husband's cancer. Alternatively, Monsanto requests that the February trial be delayed and the company be given time to do discovery into Chris Stevick's diagnosis.</p><p>The issue is to be discussed in a case management conference Thursday, which the Stevicks plan to attend. U.S. District Judge Vince Chhabria said <a href="https://usrtk.org/wp-content/uploads/bsk-pdf-manager/2019/11/Stevick-order-Nov-6-2019.pdf" target="_blank">ahead of the hearing</a> that he is "tentatively of the view" that a continuance of the trial will be necessary if the couple wants to try their claims together. He also said that if Elaine Stevick proceeds on her exposure claims alone, evidence of her husband's cancer diagnosis "will likely be inadmissible…"</p><p>If the judge confirms that joining the claims would indeed require a continuance, Elaine Stevick will choose to proceed on her own in February, said attorney Mike Miller.</p><p>Earlier this year another husband and wife suffering from cancer, Alva and Alberta Pilliod, were awarded <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/13/business/monsanto-roundup-cancer-verdict.html" target="_blank">more than $2 billion in damages</a> in their lawsuit against Monsanto, though the judge in the case lowered the damage award to $87 million. The Pilliod trial was the third Roundup products liability trial to take place and the third in which juries found that Monsanto's Roundup herbicides cause non-Hodgkin lymphoma and that the company has hidden the risks from consumers. Alberta Pilliod's cancer has recently returned and it is not clear she will survive much longer, according to her attorneys.</p><p>None of the people so far awarded money in the three trials have received any payout from Monsanto as its owner Bayer AG appeals the verdicts.</p><p>There are currently more than 42,000 people suing Monsanto in the U.S., alleging that Monsanto's herbicides cause non-Hodgkin lymphoma. The lawsuits additionally allege that the company was well aware of the dangers but did nothing to warn consumers, working instead to manipulate the scientific record.</p><p>The Stevick trial is only one of at least six in five different venues slated for January and February, with each expected to last several weeks. Many lawyers are involved in more than one of the cases, and all have overlapping expert witnesses, setting up organizational and resource challenges for both sides. Multiple trials that had been set for this fall were delayed until next year.</p><p>In the meantime, both sides of the litigation are keeping an eye on the California Appellate Court, where lawyers for plaintiff <a href="https://time.com/5460793/dewayne-lee-johnson-monsanto-lawsuit/" target="_blank">Dewayne "Lee" Johnson</a> and lawyers for Monsanto are awaiting a date for oral arguments in their cross appeals. Monsanto is seeking to overturn the unanimous jury decision handed down against the company in August 2018. The trial judge in that case lowered the jury award from $289 million to $78 million and Johnson is appealing for the reinstatement of the full $289 million.</p><p>Johnson was the first to go to trial against Monsanto and his victory sent share prices in Bayer plummeting just two months after Bayer closed the purchase of Monsanto in June 2018. Johnson was granted "trial preference" due to predictions by his doctors that he did not have long to live. Johnson has outlived those predictions, though his health continues to decline.</p><p>As the litigation drags on, several plaintiffs have died or are nearing death, or have suffered such extreme health problems that their ability to undergo the rigors of depositions and trials has become limited.</p><p>In some cases, family members are being substituted as plaintiffs for deceased loved ones. In legal parlance, the notices to the courts are titled "<a href="https://usrtk.org/wp-content/uploads/bsk-pdf-manager/2019/11/Suggestion-of-Death.pdf" target="_blank">Suggestion of Death</a>."</p>
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Air Pollution Kills Thousands of Americans Yearly – Here’s a Low-Cost Strategy to Help
02 March
Insights + Opinion
A family living next to a Shell petroleum refinery plant pets their dogs on Nov. 9, 2019 in Norco, Louisiana. Andrew Lichtenstein / Corbis via Getty Images
By Jason West and Yang Ou
About one of every 25 deaths in the U.S. occurs prematurely because of exposure to air pollution. Dirty air kills roughly 110,000 Americans yearly, which is more than all transportation accidents and shootings combined.
<p>When the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (<a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/epa" target="_self">EPA</a>) weighs decisions about air pollution regulations, it typically selects candidate actions from one or more sectors, such as electric power generation and industry. For each strategy considered, the agency carefully estimates the costs and benefits, then decides which actions to pursue.</p>
<p>We study <a href="https://sph.unc.edu/adv_profile/jason-west-phd/" target="_blank">air pollution</a> and <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=SDTX4PQAAAAJ&hl=en" target="_blank">options for reducing it</a>. In a <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-020-14783-2" target="_blank">newly published study</a>, we flipped the traditional approach around by starting with the goal of finding emission control actions, among all sources, that could save a specified number of lives for the lowest cost. In doing so, we identified a set of low-cost actions to reduce air pollutant emissions from highly polluting industrial and residential sources, such as residential wood-burning furnaces, that can provide highly cost-effective health benefits.</p><p>The U.S. has made <a href="https://gispub.epa.gov/air/trendsreport/2019/#summary" target="_blank">tremendous progress</a> in reducing air pollution since 1990, and this has produced <a href="https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-15003-2018" target="_blank">significant public health improvements</a>. But air pollution still imposes a serious health burden on the U.S. population, and there are signs that past progress in improving air quality <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/10/24/climate/air-pollution-increase.html?action=click&module=Top%20Stories&pgtype=Homepage" target="_blank">may now be</a> <a href="https://www.popsci.com/story/environment/air-pollution-gains-slow-report-2018/" target="_blank">leveling off</a>. New ways of analyzing actions to control air pollution and its health impacts can help.</p>
<img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMjgzODIzOS9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYzNDk4ODEwMH0.r2zV789cMpYp3g6Jle69OTq0kVMVZObmHdqQLboc8ZU/img.png?width=980" id="b969d" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="2a3f88fac5e70498d43e3bf1f2ec9349" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" />
The number of bad air days in 35 major U.S. cities has plateaued since 2013. U.S. EPA
<h3>An Alternative Approach</h3><p>Under the 1970 Clean Air Act, it is the EPA's job to set <a href="https://www.epa.gov/criteria-air-pollutants/naaqs-table" target="_blank">National Ambient Air Quality Standards</a>. These regulations limit concentrations of six major air pollutants that harm public health and the environment. Then each state adopts actions that will meet these standards, such as reducing emissions from power plants or large industries.</p><p>The EPA also sets limits on emissions from some specific sources over which it has legal authority, including new power plants and motor vehicles. In doing so, the agency aims for air that is considered healthy for all Americans to breathe.</p><p>For each strategy considered, the EPA often runs a full cost-benefit analysis. This approach requires a complex atmospheric model to estimate how each proposed action will affect air pollutant concentrations, and the health impacts that will result. This limits the number of options that can be considered.</p><p>Our study focused on fine particulate matter, known as PM2.5. We created a framework that simplified the complexity of the atmosphere and air pollution's health impacts. For each U.S. state we calculated <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-020-14783-2" target="_blank">impact factors</a>, which represent deaths related to PM2.5 exposure per ton of emissions of different chemical components from different sources. Then we fed these impact factors into an economic model of the U.S. energy system, allowing the model to calculate deaths for any strategy.</p><p>Next we set a limit on total deaths caused by PM2.5, and let the model select the least expensive set of actions that would meet energy needs – an important factor because energy use is a major air pollution source – while keeping PM2.5-related deaths below our ceiling. Our model projected future scenarios to 2050, so we considered different ceilings at various points in time, and observed the actions the model selected.</p><p>This alternative approach has the advantage of considering a wide range of possible control strategies that affect many different sources. It prioritizes the actions that most cost-effectively reduce premature deaths. Further, by considering these actions in the context of the broader energy system, we can include actions like fuel switching and energy efficiency as alternatives, and quantify consequences of actions throughout the U.S. energy system.</p>
<span style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="c904fadb6c347e1884950b6866c0188c"><iframe lazy-loadable="true" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/GVBeY1jSG9Y?rel=0" width="100%" height="auto" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;"></iframe></span>
<h3>High Particulate Emitters</h3><p>Using this approach, we pinpointed a set of sources whose emissions contribute disproportionately to PM2.5 mortality impacts. They include factories and other industrial facilities powered by <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/coal">coal</a> and oil, and wood-fired residential furnaces. Emissions from these sources are rising and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ab59cb" target="_blank">may continue to increase</a> in the future without additional controls.</p><p>Our model showed that reducing emissions from these sources – mainly by electrifying them – could cut projected national air pollution-related deaths in 2050 in half very cost-effectively. Overall national health benefits from these reductions would be roughly seven times the cost of the pollution controls. As many studies have found, air pollution controls <a href="https://www.epa.gov/clean-air-act-overview/benefits-and-costs-clean-air-act-1990-2020-second-prospective-study" target="_blank">tend to be very cost-effective</a> because these emissions cause people to die prematurely through cardiovascular diseases, stroke, lung cancer and other long-term illnesses.</p>
<img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMjgzODI0Ni9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYwNDEzODM0OX0.do7iijiI9IECVT3571TflLrpX5n35BiQT4j7F-kxiHs/img.png?width=980" id="00fc1" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="b3d4025d2cb1ed7d01d0a6ae7c82a5bd" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" />
Reductions in the costs of PM2.5-related deaths due to emission reductions from each state, from a scenario that cuts projected national PM2.5-related deaths in 2050 in half. Ou et al., 2020., CC BY
<p>Our study shows that this approach would reduce PM2.5-related emissions in each state. Progress would be greatest in northern and eastern states, including Ohio and Pennsylvania. These regions have many large industrial sources and are densely populated, which means that many people benefit from cleaner air.</p><p>Ohio has the largest potential for cost-effectively reducing PM2.5 deaths through cutting industrial coal emissions. California would benefit most from controls on residential wood burning, and Texas would see the greatest reductions in emissions from large petrochemical industries.</p><p>We also found that these actions had little influence on overall energy usage in the U.S., and therefore little effect on greenhouse gas emissions. This was interesting because previous research has found that most initiatives to reduce greenhouse gases – which typically involve switching to less-polluting fuels, such as going from coal to natural gas to renewables – <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/nclimate2009" target="_blank">also reduce air pollutant emissions</a>, with significant <a href="https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1748-9326/aa8f76" target="_blank">benefits for public health</a>. But the opposite is not true: Low-cost air pollution controls do not appear to have a big influence on U.S. greenhouse gas emissions.</p>
<img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMjgzODI1MC9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyNzM5OTE3Nn0.soUQgbIne08w_XKJeJb4Mpkcl7l8Kh6_BBj6CdCdAbk/img.png?width=980" id="40fb6" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="11ddbcfde3d92057bad382f23a22b991" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" />
The costs and health benefits of identified low-cost actions to reduce projected national 2050 PM2.5-related deaths by 10% to 50%. Yang Ou, CC BY-ND
<h3>Looking Forward to Cleaner Air</h3><p>Our approach finds the least-cost way of reducing the health impacts of fine particle pollution among all Americans. But it does not ensure that current standards will be met everywhere. One limitation of our method is that we analyzed emissions at the state level, but our current model does not permit us to look more closely at air quality and health impacts for individual urban areas within states that exceed fine particle standards.</p><p>Still, our methods offer another tool that the EPA and states can use to help in planning air quality improvements, and the actions identified as being cost-effective for improving health can be compared with those currently being pursued. Spotlighting alternative pollution reduction options can help federal and state regulators make decisions about energy resources and their environmental and health impacts for the coming decades.</p><p>As natural gas and <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/renewable-energy/">renewable energy</a> prices fall, energy industries are in the <a href="https://theconversation.com/fight-or-switch-how-the-low-carbon-transition-is-disrupting-fossil-fuel-politics-122376" target="_blank">midst of a transition</a> driven by new technologies and changing economics. As this shift takes place, it is important to consider how to meet new energy demands while reducing greenhouse emissions and the health impacts of air pollutants. We hope our methods will be useful in informing these decisions in the U.S. and elsewhere.</p>
<img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMjgzODI1NS9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYwNTg3MjQwOH0.ab3Px9qKaX7pCuwhVbZVPaluGDRgorLXVRHjteBsdGw/img.png?width=980" id="5d82b" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="fde4bd6facc365c34195b6ff4893455a" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" />
<p>
<em>Jason West is a professor of environmental sciences and engineering at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.</em>
</p><p>
<em>Yang Ou is a postdoctoral associate at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.</em>
</p><p>
<em>Disclosure statements: </em><em>Jason West receives funding from the EPA, NASA, NSF, the Donald and Jennifer Holzworth Faculty Acceleration Fund in Climate Change, and the State of North Carolina.</em>
</p><p>
<em>Yang Ou was supported by the Research Participation Program at the Center for Environmental Measurement and Modeling, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, administered by the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE).</em>
</p><p>
<em>Reposted with permission from <a href="https://theconversation.com/air-pollution-kills-thousands-of-americans-every-year-heres-a-low-cost-strategy-to-reduce-the-toll-131875" target="_blank">The Conversation</a>.</em>
</p><script async="async" data-counter="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/131875/count?distributor=republish-lightbox-advanced" id="theconversation_tracker_hook" src="https://theconversation.com/javascripts/lib/content_tracker_hook.js" type="text/javascript"></script>Inefficient wood stoves and wood-burning furnaces are major fine particle sources. Madison & Dane County Public Health
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Eating Lots of Dairy May Increase Prostate Cancer Risk, But Plant-Based Diets Reduce It, Study Finds
25 October 2019
Food
Dairy products are usually the leading source of calcium in Western countries. fcafotodigital / E+ / Getty Images
Ditching cheese, milk and other dairy products for more plant-based foods could reduce your risk of developing prostate cancer.
<p>In a new study published in <a href="https://jaoa.org/article.aspx?articleid=2753613" target="_blank"><em>The Journal of the American Osteopathic Association</em></a>, Mayo Clinic researchers found that eating a lot of dairy products was associated with an increased risk of prostate cancer. And though the association between eating other animal products and prostate cancer wasn't as clear — <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/meat-consumption" target="_self">meat diets</a> showed both increased and unchanged risks — plant-based diets appeared to actually decrease that risk.</p><p>"Our review highlighted a cause for concern with high consumption of dairy products," lead author John Shin, a Mayo Clinic oncologist, said in a <a href="https://osteopathic.org/2019/10/21/mayo-clinic-researchers-find-dairy-products-associated-with-increased-risk-of-prostate-cancer/" target="_blank">press release</a>. "The findings also support a growing body of evidence on the potential benefits of plant-based diets."</p><p>Around one in every nine American men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer, according to the <a href="https://www.cancer.org/cancer/prostate-cancer/about/key-statistics.html" target="_blank">American Cancer Society</a>, making it one of the most common cancers in the U.S. Prostate cancer also has the <a href="https://osteopathic.org/2019/10/21/mayo-clinic-researchers-find-dairy-products-associated-with-increased-risk-of-prostate-cancer/" target="_blank">second-highest mortality rate</a> out of all cancers for men in the U.S., leading to 31,620 deaths annually.</p><p>Analyzing previous studies, the <a href="https://osteopathic.org/2019/10/21/mayo-clinic-researchers-find-dairy-products-associated-with-increased-risk-of-prostate-cancer/" target="_blank">researchers</a> found that dairy products are usually the leading source of calcium in Western countries, which have higher rates of prostate cancer compared to Asian countries, where dairy products aren't consumed as much.</p><p>It's thought that increased calcium levels are associated with prostate cancer, as the calcium can halt the formation of a type of vitamin D called calcitriol, which could otherwise prevent the proliferation and spread of prostate cancer cells. The study did not identify how much dairy per person was associated with the increased risk, the <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-7596435/Consuming-lots-milk-cheese-raise-risk-prostate-cancer.html" target="_blank">Daily Mail reported</a>.</p><p>For the report, the researchers examined 550 scholarly references sourced from three databases. After excluding articles that did not investigate the link between diet and prostate cancer, as well as letters, editorials and case reports, the researchers found 47 usable studies published in scientific journals between 2006 and February 2017, which involved more than 1 million participants in total, <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/eating-dairy-products-prostate-cancer-plant-based-diets-risk-1466662" target="_blank">Newsweek reported</a>. These included cohort studies ranging in size from small to very large, case-control studies, meta-analyses and a population study.</p><p>But the researchers acknowledged this range was also a weakness because of the differing methods employed by the studies. Future research, they said, should have standardized methods for collecting data to better account for non-dietary factors and include randomized controlled trials.</p><p>Experts not involved in the study agreed. David Montgomery, director of research at Prostate Cancer UK, said that the findings could not yet replace weight, age and ethnicity as primary factors driving prostate cancer risk.</p><p>"The previous studies are of variable quality and have not consistently taken account of other factors beyond diet that could impact the results," Montgomery told <a href="https://www.foodnavigator.com/Article/2019/10/23/Dairy-products-associated-with-higher-risk-of-prostate-cancer-study" target="_blank">FoodNavigator</a>. "We would not encourage anyone to avoid or increase intake of certain foods as a result of this study."</p><p>Still, the association between plant-based foods and prostate cancer continues to grow. Another <a href="https://www.phillyvoice.com/mushrooms-prostate-cancer-diet-lower-risk-research-men/" target="_blank">recent study</a> this month found that eating at least three servings of mushrooms each week was associated with a reduced risk of prostate cancer.</p><p>The benefits of a plant-based diet don't stop there, either: it's also been recently associated with <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/plant-based-diet-type-2-diabetes-2639337131.html" target="_self">reduced type 2 diabetes risk</a> and a <a href="https://www.pcrm.org/news/health-nutrition/plant-based-diets-promote-healthy-gut-microbiome" target="_blank">healthy gut</a>.</p>
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Turkish Scientist Sentenced to Prison for Publishing Paper Linking Pollution to Cancer
02 October 2019
Science
A child plays under the heavy smoke of factories in Dilovasi, Turkey on Nov. 7, 2006. BULENT KILIC / AFP / Getty Images
A Turkish food engineer, columnist and human rights advocate was sentenced to 15 months in prison last week for publishing an environmental paper that linked pollution to a high incidence of cancer in Western Turkey, according to Science Magazine.
<p>The court in Istanbul found that Bülent Şık, former deputy director of the Food Safety and Agricultural Research Center at Akdeniz University, had disclosed classified information when he published the results of his study in a Turkish newspaper in April 2018. Amnesty International described the sentenced as "a travesty of justice," as <a href="https://www.afp.com/" target="_blank">Agence-France Presse</a> reported and <a href="https://phys.org/news/2019-09-turkey-doctor-months-revealing-pollution.html" target="_blank">Phys.org</a> published.</p><p>"Bülent Şık fulfilled his duty as a citizen and a scientist and he used his right to freedom of expression," his lawyer, Can Atalay, said in his closing statement, as <a href="https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2019/09/turkish-scientist-gets-15-month-sentence-publishing-environmental-study" target="_blank">Science</a> reported.</p><p>Şık carried out his study with several other scientists from 2011 to 2015 to test whether soil toxicity, water pollution and food had a link to the high rates of cancer in Western Turkey.</p>
<p>The study, which was commissioned by Turkey's Ministry of Health, found dangerous levels of <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/pesticides" target="_self">pesticides</a> and heavy metals in various food and water samples from several provinces in western Turkey. <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/water" target="_self">Water</a> in a few residential areas also tested positive for unsafe levels of <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/lead" target="_self">lead</a>, aluminum, chrome and arsenic pollution, according to <a href="https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2019/09/turkish-scientist-gets-15-month-sentence-publishing-environmental-study" target="_blank">Science</a>.</p><p>Şık published his findings in the newspaper <em>Cumhuriyet</em> after three years of lobbying the government to take action, but realizing his pleas were falling on deaf ears.</p><p>The study "clearly revealed the extent to which water resources were contaminated by toxic materials," said Şık to reporters after the verdict, as <a href="https://phys.org/news/2019-09-turkey-doctor-months-revealing-pollution.html" target="_blank">AFP</a> reported. "The court ruling shows that the results of a study that directly concerns public health can be hidden. This is unacceptable."</p><p>Şık was unapologetic about his actions, even though offering an apology would have allowed him to avoid jail time.</p><p>"[H]iding data obtained from research prevents us from having sound discussions about the solutions," Şık said in a statement to the court provided to <a href="https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2019/09/turkish-scientist-gets-15-month-sentence-publishing-environmental-study" target="_blank">Science</a> by his lawyer. "In my articles, I aimed to inform the public about this public health study, which was kept secret, and prompt the public authorities who should solve the problems to take action."</p><p>Environmental groups have pointed out that Turkey has put economic growth ahead of safety as it has ignored environmental regulations during a boom in industrial growth, as <a href="https://phys.org/news/2019-09-turkey-doctor-months-revealing-pollution.html" target="_blank">AFP</a> reported.</p><p>Şık's report singled out the industrial zone around Dilovasi, about 50 miles away from Istanbul and home to several chemical factories, as having cancer rates well above the international average.</p><p>"The case against Bülent Şık has been, from the start, a travesty of justice," said Andrew Gardener, Amnesty International's Turkey researcher to the <a href="https://phys.org/news/2019-09-turkey-doctor-months-revealing-pollution.html" target="_blank">AFP</a>. "Instead of pursuing a whistleblower through the court, the Turkish authorities should be investigating this important public health issue."</p><p>"What is quite striking in this case is that the Ministry of Health did not argue that what Bülent Şık published was not true," said Milena Buyum, a senior campaigner on Turkey at Amnesty International in London, as <a href="https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2019/09/turkish-scientist-gets-15-month-sentence-publishing-environmental-study" target="_blank">Science</a> reported.</p><p>She added that the government's argument that the information was confidential suggests there is a real danger to health.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Our governments are refusing to listen to science.<br><br>We must make them listen:<a href="https://t.co/e8XUOuGem0">https://t.co/e8XUOuGem0</a><br><br>This is a climate and ecological emergency.<a href="https://t.co/vPNMsQym1h">https://t.co/vPNMsQym1h</a></p>— Extinction Rebellion ⌛️ (@ExtinctionR) <a href="https://twitter.com/ExtinctionR/status/1159911001950760960?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 9, 2019</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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Some Hair Dyes and Straighteners Linked to Higher Breast Cancer Risk, Especially in Black Women
13 December 2019
Health + Wellness
Permanent hair dyes and chemical hair straighteners could be increasing women's risk of breast cancer. kali9 / E+ / Getty Images
Permanent hair dyes and chemical hair straighteners could be increasing women's risk of breast cancer, according to a new study by the National Institutes of Health.
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<p></p><p>The study, published in the <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/ijc.32738?referrer_access_token=jKQzYf5ZmiEX96960hrJek4keas67K9QMdWULTWMo8N4v3ZOmabsczOLk9UPFn8NYxbj0kxwBqSFQYWJxbtah9oioMvjgU-iBiUuRNVJCjWVTtDbFmTuvyBFS_ieBUN-1scZtcJu3H2MUQiRwbxLPA%3D%3D" target="_blank">International Journal of Cancer</a>, found that, overall, women who had used permanent hair dye before participating were 9 percent more likely to get breast cancer than those who did not.</p><p>For black women, however, the risk was six times higher, despite being less likely than white women to use the dyes. When accounting for race, black women had a 45 percent higher risk of breast cancer while white women had a 7 percent higher risk, <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2019/12/06/health/hair-dye-breast-cancer-black-women-trnd/index.html" target="_blank">CNN reported</a>.</p><p>Black and white women who used chemical hair straighteners had an 18 percent higher risk of breast cancer, but black women were much more likely to use these products, with 74 percent of black participants saying they did compared to only 3 percent of white participants.</p><p></p>
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<p></p><p>How often the women used the products was also a factor, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/04/health/cancer-hair-dye-black-women.html" target="_blank">The New York Times reported</a>, as black women who used the hair dye products every five to eight weeks had a 60% higher risk of developing breast cancer. Women who used chemical hair straighteners every five to eight weeks were 31 percent more likely to get breast cancer overall.</p><p>"In our study, we see a higher breast cancer risk associated with hair dye use, and the effect is stronger in African American women, particularly those who are frequent users," corresponding author Alexandra White, Ph.D., head of the NIEHS Environment and Cancer Epidemiology Group, said in a <a href="https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/permanent-hair-dye-straighteners-may-increase-breast-cancer-risk" target="_blank">statement</a>.</p><p>The researchers noted that hair products can contain more than 5,000 <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/chemicals">chemicals</a>, which aren't always fully listed on the label.</p><p></p>
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<p></p><p>According to the <a href="https://www.ewg.org/news-and-analysis/2019/12/study-links-hair-dye-and-chemical-straighteners-breast-cancer-risk-dye" target="_blank">Environmental Working Group</a>, ingredients commonly found in these dyes and straightening products have been associated with cancer and other health risks, including:</p><ul class="ee-ul"><li>formaldehyde, which is a carcinogen</li><li>resorcinol, which can harm hormones and cause allergic reactions</li><li>p-phenylenediamine, which has been linked to tumor formation in rats</li></ul><p>For the study, the researchers examined eight years of data for nearly 47,000 women aged 35 to 74 who were enrolled in the National Institute of Environmental Health's Sister Study, which tracks women whose sisters have been diagnosed with breast cancer, <a href="https://www.salon.com/2019/12/09/hair-dyes-linked-to-higher-risk-of-breast-cancer-study/" target="_blank">Salon reported</a>. None of the women had breast cancer at the beginning of the study, but 2,794 of them received a diagnosis by the end of the study.</p><p>That said, the findings are probably not enough to say that the products cause cancer, according to <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/04/health/cancer-hair-dye-black-women.html" target="_blank">The New York Times</a>, as fewer than 10 percent of the participants were black, their use of the products was only surveyed once, and the figures did not show that using the products doubled or tripled risk of cancer – a common threshold for concern among scientists.</p><p>The researchers themselves stopped short of issuing any firm warnings, but suggested avoiding the products or seeking alternatives wherever possible. Experts not involved in the study stressed that while these results may be alarming, more studies must first be done to replicate the findings – especially since <a href="https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2007-05/aafc-hsc051607.php" target="_blank">previous studies</a> of chemical straighteners have not shown any link to breast cancer risk.</p><p>"I think it's important for women, particularly African American women, not to panic every time a study comes out," Dr. Doris Browne, a medical oncologist and former president of the National Medical Association, told <a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2019/12/04/784838430/hair-dye-and-straightener-use-linked-to-higher-cancer-risk-especially-for-black-" target="_blank">NPR</a>. "But it should raise questions for our primary care providers."</p><p></p>
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Monsanto Roundup Cancer Trial Postponed in St. Louis, Bayer Stock Climbs
09 January
Health + Wellness
The compound of German chemicals and pharmaceuticals giant Bayer in Berlin on March 20, 2019. ODD ANDERSEN / AFP via Getty Images
By Carey Gillam
A highly anticipated Roundup cancer trial set to start later this month in the St. Louis area has been pulled from the docket, a court official said on Wednesday.
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<p></p><p>The trial, which was to pit a woman named Sharlean Gordon against Roundup maker <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/monsanto" target="_self">Monsanto</a> Co., was to start Jan. 27 in St. Louis County and was to be broadcast to the public. Notably, Gordon's lawyers planned to put former Monsanto CEO Hugh Grant on the stand. St. Louis was the home of Monsanto's corporate headquarters until the company was purchased by Bayer AG of Germany in June of 2018.</p><p>In taking the trial off the calendar, the judge in the case has ordered that a status conference be set for a month from now, said St. Louis County Court spokeswoman Christine Bertelson.</p><p></p>
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<p></p><p>The Gordon trial was already postponed once – it originally was scheduled for August. It is one of several trials that have been postponed in the last several months as Bayer attempts to find a settlement to the mass of claims filed against Monsanto by people stricken with non-Hodgkin lymphoma they claim was caused by exposure to Monsanto Roundup and other <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/glyphosate" target="_self">glyphosate</a>-based herbicides. Bayer officials have said that Monsanto is facing more than 42,700 plaintiffs in the U.S.</p><p>Gordon developed non-Hodgkin lymphoma after using Roundup herbicides for 25 years at her residence in South Pekin, Illinois, and has suffered extensive debilitation due to her disease. Gordon's stepfather, who also used Roundup at the family home, died of cancer. <a href="https://usrtk.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Sharlean-Gordon-v.-Monsanto.pdf" target="_blank">The case</a> is actually derived from a larger case filed in July 2017 on behalf of more than 75 plaintiffs. Gordon was to be the first of that group to go to trial.</p><p></p>
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<p></p><p>Monsanto and Bayer have denied that Monsanto's herbicides can cause cancer, and assert the litigation is without merit but is being fueled by greedy plaintiffs' attorneys.</p><p>According to sources close to the litigation, <a href="https://usrtk.org/monsanto-roundup-trial-tacker/more-monsanto-roundup-cancer-trials-expected-to-be-postponed/" target="_blank">discussions are underway</a> to postpone more Roundup cancer trials, possibly including one set to start Jan. 21 in St. Louis City Court. Attorneys for Monsanto and for the plaintiffs in the upcoming January trials declined to comment.</p><p>Shares in Bayer hit a 52-week high and were up close to 3 percent Wednesday. Investors have been pushing the company to find a way to avoid future trials and to settle the litigation.</p><p></p>
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<p></p><p>In the three Roundup cancer trials held so far, unanimous juries have found that exposure to Monsanto's herbicides does cause non-Hodgkin lymphoma and that the company covered up the risks and failed to warn consumers. The three juries awarded a total of four plaintiffs more than $2 billion in damages, but the trial judges in each case <a href="https://www.baumhedlundlaw.com/toxic-tort-law/monsanto-roundup-lawsuit/monsanto-roundup-settlement/" target="_blank">have reduced the awards</a> significantly.</p><p>No damages have yet been paid as Monsanto appeals the verdicts.</p><p>Bayer's annual shareholders' meeting is set for April 28 and analysts said investors would like to see either a settlement of the litigation by that time, or at least meaningful progress in containing the liability. Bayer's <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/13/business/monsanto-roundup-cancer-verdict.html" target="_blank">stock took a dive</a>, losing billions of dollars in value, after the first jury verdict in August 2018, and share prices remain depressed.</p><p></p>
</div></p><p><em>Reposted with permission from <a href="https://usrtk.org/monsanto-roundup-trial-tacker/st-louis-monsanto-roundup-trial-postponed/" target="_blank">U.S. Right to Know</a>.</em></p><div class="post-pager js-listicle-pager" data-listicle-style="" data-async_load_parameters="platform=desktop&display_ads=1&settings=%7B%22enter_url%22%3A+null%2C+%22no_post_section%22%3A+null%2C+%22ads_breaks%22%3A+%5B2%2C+2%5D%2C+%22prevent_last_break_repetition%22%3A+false%2C+%22use_numeration%22%3A+false%2C+%22show_columns_on_mobile%22%3A+null%2C+%22ads_order%22%3A+%5B2%5D%2C+%22turn_into_posts%22%3A+null%2C+%22list_breaks%22%3A+null%2C+%22reorder_voting%22%3A+null%2C+%22cooldown_in_seconds%22%3A+null%2C+%22pagination_order%22%3A+null%2C+%22source%22%3A+%22engine_settings%22%2C+%22next_post_url%22%3A+null%2C+%22up_down_voting%22%3A+false%2C+%22allow_url_change%22%3A+null%2C+%22numeration_sort%22%3A+-1%2C+%22allow_url_update%22%3A+null%2C+%22use_pagination%22%3A+false%2C+%22body_text_above%22%3A+false%2C+%22use_ads%22%3A+true%2C+%22items_as_posts%22%3A+false%2C+%22multiple_answers%22%3A+null%2C+%22no_redirect%22%3A+null%2C+%22is_guest_voting_allowed%22%3A+null%2C+%22layout_type%22%3A+null%7D">
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Pineapple juice is a popular tropical beverage.
It's made from pineapple fruit, which is native to countries like Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Kenya, India, China, and the Philippines.
<p>Many cultures use the fruit and its juices as a traditional folk remedy to treat or prevent various ailments.<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3529416/" target="_blank"></a></p><p>Modern research has linked pineapple juice and its compounds to health benefits, such as improved digestion and heart health, reduced inflammation, and perhaps even some protection against cancer. However, not all evidence has been conclusive.</p><p>Here are 7 science-based benefits of pineapple juice, based on the current research.</p><p></p><div class="rebellt-item col1" id="rebelltitem1" data-id="1" data-reload-ads="false" data-is-image="False" data-href="https://www.ecowatch.com/pineapple-juice-health-benefits-2645906788.html?rebelltitem=1#rebelltitem1" data-basename="1-rich-in-nutrients" data-post-id="2645906788" data-published-at="1588511317">
<h3 data-role="headline">
1. Rich in Nutrients
</h3>
<p></p><p>Pineapple juice provides a concentrated dose of various nutrients. One cup (240 mL) contains around:</p><ul class="ee-ul"><li><strong>Calories:</strong> 132</li><li><strong>Protein:</strong> less than 1 gram</li><li><strong>Fat:</strong> less than 1 gram</li><li><strong>Carbs:</strong> 33 grams</li><li><strong>Sugars:</strong> 25 grams</li><li><strong>Fiber:</strong> less than 1 gram</li><li><strong>Manganese:</strong> 55% of the Daily Value (DV)</li><li><strong>Copper:</strong> 19% of the DV</li><li><strong>Vitamin B6:</strong> 15% of the DV</li><li><strong>Vitamin C:</strong> 14% of the DV</li><li><strong>Thiamine: </strong>12% of the DV</li><li><strong>Folate:</strong> 11% of the DV</li><li><strong>Potassium:</strong> 7% of the DV</li><li><strong>Magnesium:</strong> 7% of the DV</li></ul><p>Pineapple juice is particularly rich in manganese, <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/foods-high-in-copper" target="_blank">copper</a>, and vitamins B6 and C. These nutrients play an important role in bone health, immunity, wound healing, energy production, and tissue synthesis.</p><p>It also contains trace amounts of iron, calcium, phosphorus, zinc, choline, and vitamin K, as well as various B vitamins.</p><p><strong>Summary</strong></p><p><strong></strong>Pineapple juice is rich in a variety of vitamins and minerals. It's especially packed with manganese, copper, vitamin B6, and vitamin C — all of which play important roles in the proper functioning of your body.</p><p></p>
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<div class="rebellt-item col1" id="rebelltitem2" data-id="2" data-reload-ads="false" data-is-image="False" data-href="https://www.ecowatch.com/pineapple-juice-health-benefits-2645906788.html?rebelltitem=2#rebelltitem2" data-basename="2-contains-additional-beneficial-compounds" data-post-id="2645906788" data-published-at="1588511317">
<h3 data-role="headline">
2. Contains Additional Beneficial Compounds
</h3>
<p></p><p>In addition to being rich in vitamins and minerals, pineapple juice is a good source of <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/antioxidants-explained" target="_blank">antioxidants</a>, which are beneficial plant compounds that help keep your body healthy.</p><p>Antioxidants help neutralize unstable compounds known as free radicals, which can build up in your body due to factors like pollution, stress, or an unhealthy diet and cause cell damage.</p><p>Experts believe that the antioxidants in pineapple juice, particularly <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/vitamin-c-foods" target="_blank">vitamin C</a>, beta carotene, and various flavonoids, are in large part to thank for its potential beneficial effects.</p><p>Pineapple juice also contains bromelain, a group of enzymes linked to health benefits, such as reduced inflammation, improved digestion, and stronger immunity.</p><p><strong>Summary</strong></p><p><strong></strong>Pineapple juice is rich in antioxidants, which help protect your body from damage and disease. It also contains bromelain, a group of enzymes that may reduce inflammation, improve digestion, and boost immunity.</p><p></p>
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<div class="rebellt-item col1" id="rebelltitem3" data-id="3" data-reload-ads="true" data-is-image="False" data-href="https://www.ecowatch.com/pineapple-juice-health-benefits-2645906788.html?rebelltitem=3#rebelltitem3" data-basename="3-may-suppress-inflammation" data-post-id="2645906788" data-published-at="1588511317">
<h3 data-role="headline">
3. May Suppress Inflammation
</h3>
<p></p><p>Pineapple juice may help <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/anti-inflammatory-diet-101" target="_blank">reduce inflammation</a>, which is believed to be the root cause of many chronic diseases.</p><p><span></span>This may largely be due to its bromelain content. Some research suggests that this compound may be as effective as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) — but with fewer side effects.<span></span></p><p>In Europe, bromelain is approved for use to reduce inflammation caused by trauma or surgery, as well as to treat surgical wounds or deep burns.</p><p>In addition, there's evidence that ingesting bromelain before surgery may help reduce the level of inflammation and pain caused by surgery.</p><p>Some studies further suggest that <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/bromelain" target="_blank">bromelain</a> may help reduce pain and inflammation caused by a sports injury, rheumatoid arthritis, or osteoarthritis of the knee.</p><p>That said, research has yet to test the direct effects of pineapple juice on inflammation.</p><p>Therefore, it's unclear whether the bromelain intakes achieved through drinking small to moderate amounts of pineapple juice would provide the same anti-inflammatory benefits as those observed in these studies.</p><p><strong>Summary</strong></p><p><strong></strong>Pineapple juice contains bromelain, a group of enzymes that may help reduce inflammation caused by trauma, injuries, surgery, rheumatoid arthritis, or osteoarthritis. However, more juice-specific studies are needed.</p><p></p>
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<div class="rebellt-item col1" id="rebelltitem4" data-id="4" data-reload-ads="false" data-is-image="False" data-href="https://www.ecowatch.com/pineapple-juice-health-benefits-2645906788.html?rebelltitem=4#rebelltitem4" data-basename="4-may-boost-your-immunity" data-post-id="2645906788" data-published-at="1588511317">
<h3 data-role="headline">
4. May Boost Your Immunity
</h3>
<p></p><p>Pineapple juice may contribute to a <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/food-nutrition/foods-that-boost-the-immune-system" target="_blank">stronger immune system</a>.</p><p>Test-tube studies suggest that bromelain, a mixture of enzymes naturally found in pineapple juice, may activate the immune system.</p><p>Bromelain may also improve recovery from infections, such as <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/pneumonia" target="_blank">pneumonia</a>, sinusitis, and bronchitis, especially when used in combination with antibiotics.</p><p>However, most of these studies are dated, and none have examined the immunity-boosting effects of pineapple juice in humans. Therefore, more research is needed to confirm these results.</p><p><strong>Summary</strong></p><p><strong></strong>Some research suggests that pineapple juice may contribute to a stronger immune system. It may also help increase the effectiveness of antibiotics. However, more studies are needed before strong conclusions can be made.</p><p></p>
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<div class="rebellt-item col1" id="rebelltitem5" data-id="5" data-reload-ads="true" data-is-image="False" data-href="https://www.ecowatch.com/pineapple-juice-health-benefits-2645906788.html?rebelltitem=5#rebelltitem5" data-basename="5-may-help-your-digestion" data-post-id="2645906788" data-published-at="1588511317">
<h3 data-role="headline">
5. May Help Your Digestion
</h3>
<p></p><p>The enzymes in pineapple juice function as proteases. Proteases help break down protein into smaller subunits, such as amino acids and small peptides, which can then be more easily absorbed in your gut.</p><p>Bromelain, a group of enzymes in pineapple juice, may particularly help <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/ways-to-improve-digestion" target="_blank">improve digestion</a> in people whose pancreas cannot make enough digestive enzymes — a medical condition known as pancreatic insufficiency.</p><p>Animal research suggests that bromelain may also help protect your gut from harmful, diarrhea-causing bacteria, such as <em>E. coli</em> and <em>V. cholera.</em></p><p>Moreover, according to some test-tube research, bromelain may help reduce gut inflammation in people with inflammatory bowel disorders, such as <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/crohns-disease" target="_blank">Crohn's disease</a> or ulcerative colitis.</p><p>That said, most studies have investigated the effect of concentrated doses of bromelain, rather than that of pineapple juice, and very few were conducted in humans. Therefore, more research is needed.</p><p><strong>Summary</strong></p><p><strong></strong>The bromelain in pineapple juice may aid digestion, guard against harmful, diarrhea-causing bacteria, and reduce inflammation in people with inflammatory bowel disorders. However, more research is needed.</p><p></p>
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<div class="rebellt-item col1" id="rebelltitem6" data-id="6" data-reload-ads="false" data-is-image="False" data-href="https://www.ecowatch.com/pineapple-juice-health-benefits-2645906788.html?rebelltitem=6#rebelltitem6" data-basename="6-may-promote-heart-health" data-post-id="2645906788" data-published-at="1588511317">
<h3 data-role="headline">
6. May Promote Heart Health
</h3>
<p></p><p>The bromelain naturally found in pineapple juice may also <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/heart-healthy-foods" target="_blank">benefit your heart</a>.</p><p>Test-tube and animal studies suggest that bromelain may help reduce high blood pressure, prevent the formation of blood clots, and minimize the severity of angina pectoris and transient ischemic attacks — two health conditions caused by heart disease.<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3529416/" target="_blank"></a></p><p>However, the number of studies is limited, and none are specific to pineapple juice. Therefore, more research is needed before strong conclusions can be made.</p><p><strong>Summary</strong></p><p><strong></strong>Some research links the bromelain naturally found in pineapple juice to markers of improved heart health. However, more pineapple-juice-specific studies are needed.</p><p></p>
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<div class="rebellt-item col1" id="rebelltitem7" data-id="7" data-reload-ads="true" data-is-image="False" data-href="https://www.ecowatch.com/pineapple-juice-health-benefits-2645906788.html?rebelltitem=7#rebelltitem7" data-basename="7-may-help-fight-certain-types-of-cancer" data-post-id="2645906788" data-published-at="1588511317">
<h3 data-role="headline">
7. May Help Fight Certain Types of Cancer
</h3>
<p></p><p>Pineapple juice may have potential <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/cancer-fighting-foods" target="_blank">cancer-fighting effects</a>. Again, this is likely in large part due to its bromelain content.</p><p>Some studies suggest that bromelain may help prevent the formation of tumors, reduce their size, or even cause the death of cancerous cells.</p><p>However, these were test-tube studies using concentrated amounts of bromelain that were much higher than those you'd ingest from drinking a glass of pineapple juice. This makes it difficult to project their results to humans.</p><p>Therefore, more research is needed before strong conclusions can be made.</p><p><strong>Summary</strong></p><p><strong></strong>Test-tube studies suggest that concentrated amounts of bromelain may help protect against cancer. However, it's currently unclear whether pineapple juice offers similar benefits in humans.</p><p></p>
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<div class="rebellt-item col1" id="rebelltitem8" data-id="8" data-reload-ads="false" data-is-image="False" data-href="https://www.ecowatch.com/pineapple-juice-health-benefits-2645906788.html?rebelltitem=8#rebelltitem8" data-basename="possible-precautions" data-post-id="2645906788" data-published-at="1588511317">
<h3 data-role="headline">
Possible Precautions
</h3>
<p></p><p>Pineapple juice is generally considered safe for most people.</p><p>That said, bromelain, a group of enzymes naturally found in pineapple juice, may enhance the absorption of certain drugs, especially antibiotics and blood thinners.</p><p>As such, if you are taking medications, consult your physician or registered dietitian to make sure it's safe to consume pineapple juice.</p><p>This beverage's acidity may also trigger heartburn or reflux in some people. Specifically, those with <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/gerd" target="_blank">gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)</a> may want to avoid consuming large amounts of this beverage.</p><p>Despite its potential benefits, it's important to remember that pineapple juice remains low in fiber yet high in sugar.</p><p>This means it's unlikely to fill you up as much as eating the same quantity of raw pineapple would. Therefore, it may promote weight gain in some people.</p><p>What's more, while drinking small amounts of juice has been linked to a lower risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease, drinking more than 5 ounces (150 mL) per day may have the opposite effect.</p><p>Therefore, it's likely best to avoid drinking too much pineapple juice, and when you do, stick to 100% pure varieties that are free of <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/too-much-sugar" target="_blank">added sugars</a>.</p><p><strong>Summary</strong></p><p><strong></strong>Pineapple juice is low in fiber yet rich in sugar, and drinking too much may lead to weight gain or disease. This beverage may also interact with medications and trigger heartburn or reflux in some people.</p><p></p>
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<div class="rebellt-item col1" id="rebelltitem9" data-id="9" data-reload-ads="true" data-is-image="False" data-href="https://www.ecowatch.com/pineapple-juice-health-benefits-2645906788.html?rebelltitem=9#rebelltitem9" data-basename="the-bottom-line" data-post-id="2645906788" data-published-at="1588511317">
<h3 data-role="headline">
The Bottom Line
</h3>
<p></p><p><a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/benefits-of-pineapple" target="_blank">Pineapple</a> juice contains a variety of vitamins, minerals, and beneficial plant compounds that may protect you from disease.</p><p>Studies link this beverage to improved digestion, heart health, and immunity. Pineapple juice or its compounds may also help reduce inflammation and perhaps even offer some protection against certain types of cancer.</p><p>However, human studies are limited, and it's unclear whether the effects observed in test tubes or animals can be achieved by small daily intakes of pineapple juice.</p><p>Moreover, this beverage remains low in fiber and rich in sugar, so drinking large quantities each day is not recommended.</p><p></p>
</div><p></p><p><em>Reposted with permission from </em><a href="https://www.healthline.com/" target="_blank"><em>Healthline</em></a><em>. For detailed source information, please view the original article on </em><em><a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/pineapple-juice-benefits" target="_blank">Healthline</a></em><em>.</em></p><div class="post-pager js-listicle-pager" data-listicle-style="" data-async_load_parameters="platform=desktop&display_ads=1&settings=%7B%22enter_url%22%3A+null%2C+%22no_post_section%22%3A+null%2C+%22ads_breaks%22%3A+%5B2%2C+2%2C+2%2C+2%5D%2C+%22prevent_last_break_repetition%22%3A+false%2C+%22use_numeration%22%3A+false%2C+%22show_columns_on_mobile%22%3A+null%2C+%22ads_order%22%3A+%5B2%5D%2C+%22turn_into_posts%22%3A+null%2C+%22list_breaks%22%3A+null%2C+%22reorder_voting%22%3A+null%2C+%22cooldown_in_seconds%22%3A+null%2C+%22pagination_order%22%3A+null%2C+%22source%22%3A+%22engine_settings%22%2C+%22next_post_url%22%3A+null%2C+%22up_down_voting%22%3A+false%2C+%22allow_url_change%22%3A+null%2C+%22numeration_sort%22%3A+-1%2C+%22allow_url_update%22%3A+null%2C+%22use_pagination%22%3A+false%2C+%22body_text_above%22%3A+false%2C+%22use_ads%22%3A+true%2C+%22items_as_posts%22%3A+false%2C+%22multiple_answers%22%3A+null%2C+%22no_redirect%22%3A+null%2C+%22is_guest_voting_allowed%22%3A+null%2C+%22layout_type%22%3A+null%7D">
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Motorists traveling on Interstate 696 in Michigan caught a peculiar sight on Friday when a mysterious green slime oozed onto the highway from a retaining wall, according to The New York Times.
<p><div class="rebellt-item col1" id="rebelltitem1" data-id="1" data-reload-ads="false" data-is-image="False" data-href="https://www.ecowatch.com/green-slime-michigan-highway-cancer-2641672859.html?rebelltitem=1#rebelltitem1" data-basename="particle-1" data-post-id="2641672859" data-published-at="">
<p></p><p>Authorities blocked sections of the highway in Madison Park, a Detroit suburb, while hazardous material cleanup crews worked to contain and remove the material. The Michigan state police <a href="https://twitter.com/mspmetrodet/status/1208408319506952192" target="_blank">tweeted</a> on Saturday that the green slime was the <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/cancer" target="_self">cancer</a>-causing <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/chemicals" target="_self">chemical</a> hexavalent chromium, which was leaking from the basement of a local business, as <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2019/12/21/us/green-liquid-detroit-highway-trnd/index.html" target="_blank">CNN</a> reported.</p><p>"It's a serious situation," said Jill A. Greenberg, a spokeswoman for the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy on Sunday, as <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/22/us/green-slime-detroit-.html" target="_blank">The New York Times</a> reported. "Clearly, this site needs to be cleaned up."</p><p>However, she added that cleanup crews seem to have the situation under control and she said there is no imminent threat of air or <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/drinking-water" target="_self">drinking water</a> contamination. The contaminated water is migrating underground and working its way to the freeway, she said, as the <a href="https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/oakland/2019/12/22/madison-heights-crews-cleanup-greenish-yellow-ooze/2729089001/" target="_blank">Detroit Free Press</a> reported.</p><p>Hexavelent chromium is the cancer-causing manufacturing compound that the Pacific Gas and Electric Company was accused of leaking and contaminating drinking water with in southern California. That story was made famous by the 2000 movie <em>Erin Brokovich.</em> The chemical is usually made during industrial processes like plating and is a known carcinogen, according to the<a href="https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/hexavalentchromium/" target="_blank"> Occupational Safety and Health Administration</a>. Hexavalent chromium damages the respiratory system, kidneys, liver, skin and eyes, as <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2019/12/21/us/green-liquid-detroit-highway-trnd/index.html" target="_blank">CNN</a> reported.</p><p>The chemical was traced back to a pit in the basement of the local business, Electro-Plating Services Inc. whose owner was previously convicted of illegally storing dangerous chemicals in leaky containers, according to the <a href="https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/oakland/2019/12/22/madison-heights-crews-cleanup-greenish-yellow-ooze/2729089001/" target="_blank">Detroit Free Press</a>. The chemical leaked down into the ground and found its way into a drain that emptied onto the eastbound side of the interstate. If the liquid had not been discovered, it could have ended up in Lake St. Clair, said Candice Miller, Macomb County public works commissioner, as <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2019/12/21/us/green-liquid-detroit-highway-trnd/index.html" target="_blank">CNN</a> reported.</p><p>"The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) indicated that once the chemical came up thru the drain, it froze into a yellow blob," police tweeted, as <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2019/12/21/us/green-liquid-detroit-highway-trnd/index.html" target="_blank">CNN</a> reported. "The plan to dispose of the chemical is to bring in a type of excavator, scoop up the frozen waste, and place it into a safe container."</p><p>Cleanup crews were using a sump pump on Sunday to remove the hexavalent chromium from the pit, according <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/22/us/green-slime-detroit-.html" target="_blank">The New York Times</a>. "We have cleaned out the sewers and the clean out drains between the facility and 696," said Greenberg, as <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2019/12/21/us/green-liquid-detroit-highway-trnd/index.html" target="_blank">CNN</a> reported. "We're also in the process of cleaning up the basement of the facility."</p><p>The <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/epa" target="_self">EPA</a> teamed up with local authorities to determine that the liquid likely was groundwater contaminated with hexavalent chromium. Sample results from the site are expected this week, Greenberg said, as the <a href="https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/oakland/2019/12/22/madison-heights-crews-cleanup-greenish-yellow-ooze/2729089001/" target="_blank">Detroit Free Press</a> reported.</p><p>"We are operating under the presumption that this is groundwater contaminated with chromium from historic plating operations," Greenberg said in a statement.</p><p>State authorities shut down Electro-Plating Services Inc. in 2016 "for [the] imminent and substantial threat due to the mismanagement of hazardous waste," as <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/us/mysterious-green-slime-michigan-highway-identified" target="_blank">Fox News</a> reported. It was then designated it a Superfund cleanup site. The company's owner, Gary A. Sayers, <a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/michigan-man-and-his-company-plead-guilty-illegally-storing-hazardous-waste-madison-heights" target="_blank">pleaded guilty</a> earlier this year to storing hazardous waste illegally, as <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/22/us/green-slime-detroit-.html" target="_blank">The New York Times</a> reported. Sayers was sentenced to one year in prison and fined $1.5 million for the cleanup.</p><p>The police announced that parts of the highway would remain closed for the weekend and asked drivers to be careful.</p><p>"Please use caution as there will be workers in the area. And a yellow blob," police said.</p><p></p>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Hopefully this will answer some questions we have been getting about I 696 in Madison Heights.<br> <br>At about 2 30 PM on 12/20, we were asked by Madison Heights Fire Dispatch to block the right lane of east bound I-696 near Couzens while the fire department cleaned up a liquid spill. <a href="https://t.co/WGFy5sYDkk">pic.twitter.com/WGFy5sYDkk</a></p>— MSP Metro Detroit (@mspmetrodet) <a href="https://twitter.com/mspmetrodet/status/1208408319506952192?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 21, 2019</a></blockquote> <script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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Formosa Plastics has plans to bulldoze over a sacred slave burial ground in St. James Parish, Louisiana, pictured above for a new manufacturing complex that will cover the size of 80 football fields. Louisiana Bucket Brigade
A major plastics manufacturing complex planned for construction in a highly-polluted region of Louisiana may disrupt a historic slave burial site, The Intercept reports.
<p>Human remains and evidence of grave shafts were discovered earlier this year on land being developed by Formosa Plastics Group in St. James Parish in Louisiana. The plant could double the amount of <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/air-pollution" rel="noopener noreferrer">air pollution</a> in the region and emit 13 million tons of carbon pollution each year. Many of the residents of St. James Parish, located in a stretch of the state known as "Cancer Alley," one of the most polluted stretches in America, say they are descended from slaves who worked on various plantations in the area. "That's sacred ground," activist and St. James Parish resident Sharon Lavigne told The Intercept. "They're saying they don't care about your ancestors. They're slapping us in the face." </p><h4>For a deeper dive:</h4><p><a href="https://climatenexus.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=d1f5797e59060083034310930&id=aef93e97a4&e=0afd421a28" target="_blank">The Intercept</a></p><p><em>For more </em><a href="http://ecowatch.com/climate-change-news/" target="_blank"><em>climate change</em></a><em> and </em><a href="http://ecowatch.com/business/renewables/" target="_blank"><em>clean energy</em></a><em> news, you can follow Climate Nexus on </em><a href="https://twitter.com/ClimateNexus" target="_blank"><em>Twitter</em></a><em> and </em><a href="https://www.facebook.com/ClimateNexus/" target="_blank"><em>Facebook</em></a><em>, and sign up for daily </em><a href="http://climatenexus.us4.list-manage1.com/subscribe?u=d1f5797e59060083034310930&id=7c84c08aaa" target="_blank"><em>Hot News</em></a><em>.</em></p>
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Pixabay
<p>Notably, you aren't limited to tossing it into salads and sides. Juicing fresh spinach has become a popular way to enjoy this green veggie.</p><p>In fact, spinach juice is linked to an array of impressive health benefits.</p><p>Here are 5 of the top science-backed benefits of spinach juice.</p><p><div class="rebellt-item col1" id="rebelltitem1" data-id="1" data-reload-ads="false" data-is-image="False" data-href="https://www.ecowatch.com/spinach-juice-health-benefits-2645582739.html?rebelltitem=1#rebelltitem1" data-basename="1-high-in-antioxidants" data-post-id="2645582739" data-published-at="">
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1. High in Antioxidants
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<p></p><p>Drinking spinach juice is a great way to boost your antioxidant intake.</p><p><a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/foods-high-in-antioxidants" target="_blank">Antioxidants</a> neutralize unstable molecules called free radicals, thus protecting you against oxidative stress and chronic disease.</p><p>In particular, spinach is a good source of the antioxidants lutein, <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/beta-carotene-benefits" target="_blank">beta carotene</a>, coumaric acid, violaxanthin, and ferulic acid.</p><p>According to a small, 16-day study in 8 people, drinking 8 ounces (240 mL) of spinach daily prevented oxidative damage to DNA.<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21384253" target="_blank"><span></span></a></p><p>Animal studies reveal similar findings, tying spinach to oxidative stress prevention.</p><p><strong>Summary</strong></p><p><strong></strong>Spinach juice is high in antioxidants, which can help prevent oxidative damage and safeguard against chronic illnesses.</p><p></p>
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2. May Improve Eye Health
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<p></p><p>Spinach juice is loaded with <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/lutein-and-zeaxanthin" target="_blank">lutein and zeaxanthin</a>, two antioxidants necessary for maintaining healthy vision.<span></span></p><p>Some research suggests that these compounds help protect against age-related macular degeneration, a common condition that can cause progressive vision loss.</p><p>A review of six studies linked increased intake of zeaxanthin and lutein to a lower risk of cataracts, an eye condition that clouds and blurs the lens of your eye.</p><p>What's more, spinach juice is high in vitamin A, which is <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/eye-vitamins" target="_blank">important for eye health</a>. A deficiency in this vitamin can cause dry eyes and night blindness.</p><p>Although the exact amount varies based on how much water you use and whether you add other ingredients, juicing 4 cups (120 grams) of raw spinach generally produces about 1 cup (240 mL) of juice.</p><p>In turn, this amount of juice provides nearly 63% of the Daily Value (DV) for vitamin A.</p><p><strong>Summary</strong></p><p><strong></strong>Spinach juice is rich in vitamin A and antioxidants like zeaxanthin and lutein, all of which promote healthy vision.</p><p></p>
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3. May Decrease Cancer Cell Growth
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<p></p><p>Although more human research is needed, some studies suggest that certain compounds in spinach may help <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/cancer-and-diet" target="_blank">combat cancer cell growth</a>.</p><p>In a 2-week study in mice, spinach juice reduced the volume of colon cancer tumors by 56%.</p><p>Another mouse study showed that monogalactosyl diacylglycerol (MGDG), a spinach compound, enhanced the effects of radiation therapy to kill pancreatic cancer cells.</p><p>Furthermore, human studies indicate that eating more <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/leafy-green-vegetables" target="_blank">leafy greens</a> lowers your risk of lung, prostate, breast, and colorectal cancer.</p><p>Nonetheless, these studies are focused on overall leafy green intake rather than spinach juice specifically. Thus, additional studies are needed.</p><p><strong>Summary</strong></p><p><strong></strong>Animal studies note that some compounds in spinach may decrease cancer cell growth, while human research associates leafy greens with a lower risk of certain cancers. All the same, further research is necessary.</p><p></p>
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4. May Reduce Blood Pressure
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<p></p><p>Spinach juice is high in naturally occurring nitrates, a type of compound that can help dilate your blood vessels. In turn, this may <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/foods-good-for-high-blood-pressure" target="_blank">lower blood pressure</a> and boost blood flow.</p><p>A 7-day study in 27 people found that eating spinach soup daily decreased blood pressure and arterial stiffness, compared with a control group.</p><p>In another small study, 30 people who ate nitrate-rich spinach experienced lower systolic blood pressure (the upper number of a reading) and improved nitric oxide status.</p><p>One cup (240 mL) of spinach juice also packs over 14% of the DV for <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/high-potassium-foods" target="_blank">potassium</a> — a mineral involved in regulating blood pressure by controlling the amount of sodium excreted through your urine.</p><p><strong>Summary</strong></p><p><strong></strong>Spinach is high in nitrates and potassium, which may improve blood flow and reduce blood pressure.</p><p></p>
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5. May Promote Healthy Hair and Skin
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<p></p><p>Spinach juice is a great source of vitamin A, with nearly 63% of the DV in 1 cup (240 mL).<span></span></p><p>This vitamin helps regulate skin cell generation and produce mucous to protect against infections.</p><p>One cup (240 mL) of spinach juice also contains about 38% of the DV for vitamin C, which is an essential water-soluble vitamin that doubles as an antioxidant.</p><p>Studies show that vitamin C protects your skin against oxidative stress, inflammation, and skin damage, all of which can accelerate signs of aging. Furthermore, it helps synthesize <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/collagen" target="_blank">collagen</a>, a connective tissue protein that promotes wound healing and skin elasticity.</p><p>What's more, <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/vitamin-c-benefits" target="_blank">vitamin C</a> may increase iron absorption and even help prevent hair loss associated with iron deficiency.</p><p><strong>Summary</strong></p><p><strong></strong>Spinach juice is high in vitamins A and C, two important micronutrients that can promote skin and hair health.</p><p></p>
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Potential Side Effects
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<p></p><p>While spinach juice is associated with some benefits, there are a few drawbacks to consider.</p><p>For starters, most of the available research is focused on spinach itself — not the juice. Thus, further studies on the juice are needed.</p><p>Additionally, juicing removes most of the fiber from spinach, which could curb some of its benefits.</p><p>Studies show that <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/22-high-fiber-foods" target="_blank">fiber</a> may help improve blood sugar control, weight loss, and blood pressure and cholesterol levels. It may also protect against several digestive disorders, including hemorrhoids, constipation, acid reflux, and diverticulitis.</p><p>Spinach is likewise high in vitamin K, large amounts of which can interfere with blood thinners like warfarin. If you're taking blood thinners, consult a healthcare professional before adding spinach juice to your daily routine.</p><p>It's also important to carefully read labels if you purchase store-bought juices, as some varieties may be high in <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/too-much-sugar" target="_blank">added sugar</a>.</p><p>Finally, keep in mind that spinach juice should not be used as a meal replacement, as it's lacking in many of the nutrients necessary for a balanced diet.</p><p>Rather, you should drink it to supplement a healthy diet, enjoying it alongside a variety of other whole fruits and vegetables.</p><p><strong>Summary</strong></p><p><strong></strong>Juicing removes most of the fiber from spinach, which may inhibit some of its health benefits. Furthermore, you shouldn't use spinach juice as a meal replacement.</p><p></p>
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The Bottom Line
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<p></p><p>Spinach juice is high in antioxidants and beneficial compounds that may protect your vision, decrease blood pressure, and improve hair and skin health.</p><p>However, it's low in fiber and isn't an appropriate meal replacement, as it's lacking in important nutrients like protein and <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/10-super-healthy-high-fat-foods" target="_blank">healthy fats</a>.</p><p>If you drink spinach juice, be sure to enjoy it alongside other whole, nutritious foods as part of a <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/healthy-eating-for-beginners" target="_blank">balanced diet</a>.</p><p></p>
</div></p><p><em>Reposted with permission from </em><a href="https://www.healthline.com/" target="_blank"><em>Healthline</em></a><em>. For detailed source information, please view the original article on </em><em><a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/spinach-juice-benefits" target="_blank">Healthline</a></em><em>.</em></p><div class="post-pager js-listicle-pager" data-listicle-style="" data-async_load_parameters="platform=desktop&display_ads=1&settings=%7B%22enter_url%22%3A+null%2C+%22no_post_section%22%3A+null%2C+%22ads_breaks%22%3A+%5B2%2C+2%2C+2%5D%2C+%22prevent_last_break_repetition%22%3A+false%2C+%22use_numeration%22%3A+false%2C+%22show_columns_on_mobile%22%3A+null%2C+%22ads_order%22%3A+%5B2%5D%2C+%22turn_into_posts%22%3A+null%2C+%22list_breaks%22%3A+null%2C+%22reorder_voting%22%3A+null%2C+%22cooldown_in_seconds%22%3A+null%2C+%22pagination_order%22%3A+null%2C+%22source%22%3A+%22engine_settings%22%2C+%22next_post_url%22%3A+null%2C+%22up_down_voting%22%3A+false%2C+%22allow_url_change%22%3A+null%2C+%22numeration_sort%22%3A+-1%2C+%22allow_url_update%22%3A+null%2C+%22use_pagination%22%3A+false%2C+%22body_text_above%22%3A+false%2C+%22use_ads%22%3A+true%2C+%22items_as_posts%22%3A+false%2C+%22multiple_answers%22%3A+null%2C+%22no_redirect%22%3A+null%2C+%22is_guest_voting_allowed%22%3A+null%2C+%22layout_type%22%3A+null%7D">
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Monsanto's former chairman and CEO Hugh Grant speaks about "The Coming Agricultural Revolution" on May 17, 2016. Fortune Brainstorm E / Flickr
By Carey Gillam
Former Monsanto Chairman and CEO Hugh Grant will have to testify in person at a St. Louis-area trial set for January in litigation brought by a cancer-stricken woman who claims her disease was caused by exposure to the company's Roundup herbicide and that Monsanto covered up the risks instead of warning consumers.
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<p></p><p>Grant, who led St. Louis-based Monsanto from 2003 until the company was sold to Bayer AG of Germany in June of 2018, and spent a total of 37 years working for Monsanto, was subpoenaed by lawyers for <a href="https://usrtk.org/monsanto-roundup-trial-tacker/st-louis-roundup-cancer-trial-could-be-postponed-talk-of-bayer-settlement/" target="_blank">plaintiff Sharlean Gordon,</a> to testify at a trial slated to begin Jan. 27 in St. Louis County Circuit Court.</p><p>The Gordon trial was originally scheduled for August of this year but was delayed as part of an effort to undertake settlement talks between Bayer and lawyers for tens of thousands of plaintiffs who are suing Monsanto with claims similar to Gordon's.</p><p>Two other trials set for January, both in courts in California and both involving children diagnosed with cancer, were <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-12-06/two-bayer-roundup-trials-postponed-to-give-mediation-more-time" target="_blank">recently postponed</a> due to continued settlement talks.</p><p>Bayer estimates that there are currently more than 42,000 plaintiffs alleging that exposure to Monsanto's Roundup and other <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/glyphosate" target="_self">glyphosate</a>-based herbicides made by Monsanto caused them or their loved ones to develop non-Hodgkin lymphoma.</p><p>Grant did not have to testify live at the three Roundup cancer trials that have taken place so far because they were all held in California. But because Grant resides in St. Louis County, plaintiffs' attorneys saw an opportunity to get him on the stand in person.</p><p>Attorneys for Grant have been fighting the subpoena, arguing that he is not a scientist or regulatory expert and he has already provided information in deposition testimony. Grant has also argued that he should not have to testify because he plans to be out of the country starting Feb. 9.</p><p>But in a decision handed down Dec. 5, a special master appointed to the case sided with Gordon's attorneys <a href="https://usrtk.org/wp-content/uploads/bsk-pdf-manager/2019/12/Order-for-Hugh-Grant-to-testify-at-trial.pdf" target="_blank">and ruled</a> that Grant was not entitled to an order quashing the subpoena for trial testimony.</p><p>"Mr. Grant appeared for interviews on public radio representing that Roundup is not a carcinogen; in earnings calls for investors Mr. Grant personally responded that the classification of glyphosate as a probable carcinogen was 'junk science;' in 2016 Mr. Grant personally lobbied the EPA Administrator and the Agricultural Committee Chair of the topic of glyphosate," the special master's order states.</p><p>"Although Mr. Grant does not have scientific knowledge that doubtless will be a significant component to this lawsuit, he was CEO of Monsanto for 15 years and took part in presentations, discussions, interviews and other appearances for Monsanto as CEO in which the topics of Roundup and glyphosate were explained, discussed and defended," Special Master Thomas Prebil said in his decision.</p><p>Gordon developed non-Hodgkin lymphoma after using Roundup herbicides for 25 years at her residence in South Pekin, Illinois, and has suffered extensive debilitation due to her disease. Gordon's stepfather, who also used Roundup at the family home where Gordon lived into adulthood, died of cancer. <a href="https://usrtk.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Sharlean-Gordon-v.-Monsanto.pdf" target="_blank">The case</a> is actually derived from a larger case filed in July 2017 on behalf of more than 75 plaintiffs. Gordon is the first of that group to go to trial.</p><p>In the three previous trials, unanimous juries have found that exposure to Monsanto's herbicides does cause non-Hodgkin lymphoma and that the company did cover up the risks and fail to warn consumers. The three juries awarded a total of four plaintiffs more than $2 billion in damages, but the three trial judges <a href="https://www.baumhedlundlaw.com/toxic-tort-law/monsanto-roundup-lawsuit/monsanto-roundup-settlement/" target="_blank">have reduced the awards</a> significantly in each case.</p><p>All are being appealed and none of the winning plaintiffs have yet received any of the monetary awards the juries ordered.</p><p></p>
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<p></p><h2>Johnson Appeal Delayed</h2><p>The first plaintiff to win against Monsanto is a California school groundskeeper from California. <a href="https://time.com/5460793/dewayne-lee-johnson-monsanto-lawsuit/" target="_blank">Dewayne "Lee" Johnson </a>was awarded $289 million by a jury in August 2018. The trial judge later lowered the damages to $78 million. Monsanto appealed seeking to overturn the jury decision and Johnson cross-appealed seeking to reinstate the full award of $289 million.</p><p>The California Court of Appeal 1st Appellate District said it would act swiftly in ruling on the consolidated appeals and lawyers for both sides initially hoped to have a ruling by the end of this year. But the case has been delayed for several weeks as both sides awaited a date for oral arguments. On Dec. 3, Monsanto's attorneys asked the court not to schedule oral arguments in January or February, as several new Roundup trials are set for those months. Johnson's attorneys opposed that request for further delay.</p><p>On Friday, the court issued an order stating that while it agreed with Johnson about the need to<br>"schedule oral argument as soon as practicable," it was unlikely oral arguments could be held until March of April "given the number and length of all the briefs to be considered, the outstanding motions that the court must rule on when considering the merits of the appeal," and other factors.</p><p></p>
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</p><p><em>Reposted with permission from <a href="https://usrtk.org/monsanto-roundup-trial-tacker/former-monsanto-ceo-ordered-to-testify-at-roundup-trial-in-person/" target="_blank">U.S. Right to Know</a>.</em></p><div class="post-pager js-listicle-pager" data-listicle-style="" data-async_load_parameters="platform=desktop&display_ads=1&settings=%7B%22enter_url%22%3A+null%2C+%22no_post_section%22%3A+null%2C+%22ads_breaks%22%3A+%5B2%5D%2C+%22prevent_last_break_repetition%22%3A+false%2C+%22use_numeration%22%3A+false%2C+%22show_columns_on_mobile%22%3A+null%2C+%22ads_order%22%3A+%5B2%5D%2C+%22turn_into_posts%22%3A+null%2C+%22list_breaks%22%3A+null%2C+%22reorder_voting%22%3A+null%2C+%22cooldown_in_seconds%22%3A+null%2C+%22pagination_order%22%3A+null%2C+%22source%22%3A+%22engine_settings%22%2C+%22next_post_url%22%3A+null%2C+%22up_down_voting%22%3A+false%2C+%22allow_url_change%22%3A+null%2C+%22numeration_sort%22%3A+-1%2C+%22allow_url_update%22%3A+null%2C+%22use_pagination%22%3A+false%2C+%22body_text_above%22%3A+false%2C+%22use_ads%22%3A+true%2C+%22items_as_posts%22%3A+false%2C+%22multiple_answers%22%3A+null%2C+%22no_redirect%22%3A+null%2C+%22is_guest_voting_allowed%22%3A+null%2C+%22layout_type%22%3A+null%7D">
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An American flag waves in the wind at the Phillip Burton Federal Building in San Francisco, California on May 17 where a trial against Monsanto took place. Alva and Alberta Pilliod, were awarded more than $2 billion in damages in their lawsuit against Monsanto, though the judge in the case lowered the damage award to $87 million. JOSH EDELSON / AFP / Getty Images
By Carey Gillam
For the last five years, Chris Stevick has helped his wife Elaine in her battle against a vicious type of cancer that the couple believes was caused by Elaine's repeated use of Monsanto's Roundup herbicide around a California property the couple owned. Now the roles are reversed as Elaine must help Chris face his own cancer.
<p>Chris Stevick, who often mixed Roundup for his wife and tested the sprayer used to dispense the weed killer, was diagnosed last month with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), a type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Unlike Elaine's aggressive type of NHL known as central nervous system lymphoma, Chris's cancer is a type that tends to grow slowly. He was diagnosed after a physical examination showed abnormalities in his blood and prompted further tests.</p><p>The diagnosis has prompted a scramble among lawyers involved in the sprawling Roundup products liability litigation given that the Stevick's lawsuit against Monsanto is set as the next federal case to go to trial.</p><p>With the trial date of Feb. 24, 2020 looming, Elaine Stevick's lawyers <a href="https://usrtk.org/wp-content/uploads/bsk-pdf-manager/2019/11/Stevick-Letter-Brief-re-husband-cancer-diagnosis.pdf" target="_blank">asked Monsanto's attorneys</a> if the company would agree that Chris Stevick's cancer claims could be joined with his wife's for the February trial in San Francisco. The attorneys argue that at the very least Chris Stevick's diagnosis is admissible evidence at his wife's trial as additional proof of their claim that Roundup exposure can cause non-Hodgkin lymphoma.</p><p>Monsanto's attorneys oppose the joining of the claims and say that Elaine Stevick's trial should only proceed in February if there is no mention made of her husband's cancer. Alternatively, Monsanto requests that the February trial be delayed and the company be given time to do discovery into Chris Stevick's diagnosis.</p><p>The issue is to be discussed in a case management conference Thursday, which the Stevicks plan to attend. U.S. District Judge Vince Chhabria said <a href="https://usrtk.org/wp-content/uploads/bsk-pdf-manager/2019/11/Stevick-order-Nov-6-2019.pdf" target="_blank">ahead of the hearing</a> that he is "tentatively of the view" that a continuance of the trial will be necessary if the couple wants to try their claims together. He also said that if Elaine Stevick proceeds on her exposure claims alone, evidence of her husband's cancer diagnosis "will likely be inadmissible…"</p><p>If the judge confirms that joining the claims would indeed require a continuance, Elaine Stevick will choose to proceed on her own in February, said attorney Mike Miller.</p><p>Earlier this year another husband and wife suffering from cancer, Alva and Alberta Pilliod, were awarded <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/13/business/monsanto-roundup-cancer-verdict.html" target="_blank">more than $2 billion in damages</a> in their lawsuit against Monsanto, though the judge in the case lowered the damage award to $87 million. The Pilliod trial was the third Roundup products liability trial to take place and the third in which juries found that Monsanto's Roundup herbicides cause non-Hodgkin lymphoma and that the company has hidden the risks from consumers. Alberta Pilliod's cancer has recently returned and it is not clear she will survive much longer, according to her attorneys.</p><p>None of the people so far awarded money in the three trials have received any payout from Monsanto as its owner Bayer AG appeals the verdicts.</p><p>There are currently more than 42,000 people suing Monsanto in the U.S., alleging that Monsanto's herbicides cause non-Hodgkin lymphoma. The lawsuits additionally allege that the company was well aware of the dangers but did nothing to warn consumers, working instead to manipulate the scientific record.</p><p>The Stevick trial is only one of at least six in five different venues slated for January and February, with each expected to last several weeks. Many lawyers are involved in more than one of the cases, and all have overlapping expert witnesses, setting up organizational and resource challenges for both sides. Multiple trials that had been set for this fall were delayed until next year.</p><p>In the meantime, both sides of the litigation are keeping an eye on the California Appellate Court, where lawyers for plaintiff <a href="https://time.com/5460793/dewayne-lee-johnson-monsanto-lawsuit/" target="_blank">Dewayne "Lee" Johnson</a> and lawyers for Monsanto are awaiting a date for oral arguments in their cross appeals. Monsanto is seeking to overturn the unanimous jury decision handed down against the company in August 2018. The trial judge in that case lowered the jury award from $289 million to $78 million and Johnson is appealing for the reinstatement of the full $289 million.</p><p>Johnson was the first to go to trial against Monsanto and his victory sent share prices in Bayer plummeting just two months after Bayer closed the purchase of Monsanto in June 2018. Johnson was granted "trial preference" due to predictions by his doctors that he did not have long to live. Johnson has outlived those predictions, though his health continues to decline.</p><p>As the litigation drags on, several plaintiffs have died or are nearing death, or have suffered such extreme health problems that their ability to undergo the rigors of depositions and trials has become limited.</p><p>In some cases, family members are being substituted as plaintiffs for deceased loved ones. In legal parlance, the notices to the courts are titled "<a href="https://usrtk.org/wp-content/uploads/bsk-pdf-manager/2019/11/Suggestion-of-Death.pdf" target="_blank">Suggestion of Death</a>."</p>
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Air Pollution Kills Thousands of Americans Yearly – Here’s a Low-Cost Strategy to Help
02 March
Insights + Opinion
A family living next to a Shell petroleum refinery plant pets their dogs on Nov. 9, 2019 in Norco, Louisiana. Andrew Lichtenstein / Corbis via Getty Images
By Jason West and Yang Ou
About one of every 25 deaths in the U.S. occurs prematurely because of exposure to air pollution. Dirty air kills roughly 110,000 Americans yearly, which is more than all transportation accidents and shootings combined.
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<p></p><p>When the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (<a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/epa" target="_self">EPA</a>) weighs decisions about air pollution regulations, it typically selects candidate actions from one or more sectors, such as electric power generation and industry. For each strategy considered, the agency carefully estimates the costs and benefits, then decides which actions to pursue.</p><p></p>
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<p></p><p>We study <a href="https://sph.unc.edu/adv_profile/jason-west-phd/" target="_blank">air pollution</a> and <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=SDTX4PQAAAAJ&hl=en" target="_blank">options for reducing it</a>. In a <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-020-14783-2" target="_blank">newly published study</a>, we flipped the traditional approach around by starting with the goal of finding emission control actions, among all sources, that could save a specified number of lives for the lowest cost. In doing so, we identified a set of low-cost actions to reduce air pollutant emissions from highly polluting industrial and residential sources, such as residential wood-burning furnaces, that can provide highly cost-effective health benefits.</p><p>The U.S. has made <a href="https://gispub.epa.gov/air/trendsreport/2019/#summary" target="_blank">tremendous progress</a> in reducing air pollution since 1990, and this has produced <a href="https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-15003-2018" target="_blank">significant public health improvements</a>. But air pollution still imposes a serious health burden on the U.S. population, and there are signs that past progress in improving air quality <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/10/24/climate/air-pollution-increase.html?action=click&module=Top%20Stories&pgtype=Homepage" target="_blank">may now be</a> <a href="https://www.popsci.com/story/environment/air-pollution-gains-slow-report-2018/" target="_blank">leveling off</a>. New ways of analyzing actions to control air pollution and its health impacts can help.</p><p></p>
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<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMjgzODIzOS9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYzNDk4ODEwMH0.r2zV789cMpYp3g6Jle69OTq0kVMVZObmHdqQLboc8ZU/img.png?width=980" id="b969d" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="2a3f88fac5e70498d43e3bf1f2ec9349" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image">
<small class="image-media media-photo-credit"><p><span style="background-color: initial;">The number of bad air days in 35 major U.S. cities has plateaued since 2013.</span> <span style="background-color: initial;"><a href="https://gispub.epa.gov/air/trendsreport/2019/#unhealthy_aq_days" target="_blank"><em>U.S. EPA</em></a></span></p></small>
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<p></p><h3>An Alternative Approach</h3><p>Under the 1970 Clean Air Act, it is the EPA's job to set <a href="https://www.epa.gov/criteria-air-pollutants/naaqs-table" target="_blank">National Ambient Air Quality Standards</a>. These regulations limit concentrations of six major air pollutants that harm public health and the environment. Then each state adopts actions that will meet these standards, such as reducing emissions from power plants or large industries.</p><p>The EPA also sets limits on emissions from some specific sources over which it has legal authority, including new power plants and motor vehicles. In doing so, the agency aims for air that is considered healthy for all Americans to breathe.</p><p>For each strategy considered, the EPA often runs a full cost-benefit analysis. This approach requires a complex atmospheric model to estimate how each proposed action will affect air pollutant concentrations, and the health impacts that will result. This limits the number of options that can be considered.</p><p>Our study focused on fine particulate matter, known as PM2.5. We created a framework that simplified the complexity of the atmosphere and air pollution's health impacts. For each U.S. state we calculated <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-020-14783-2" target="_blank">impact factors</a>, which represent deaths related to PM2.5 exposure per ton of emissions of different chemical components from different sources. Then we fed these impact factors into an economic model of the U.S. energy system, allowing the model to calculate deaths for any strategy.</p><p>Next we set a limit on total deaths caused by PM2.5, and let the model select the least expensive set of actions that would meet energy needs – an important factor because energy use is a major air pollution source – while keeping PM2.5-related deaths below our ceiling. Our model projected future scenarios to 2050, so we considered different ceilings at various points in time, and observed the actions the model selected.</p><p>This alternative approach has the advantage of considering a wide range of possible control strategies that affect many different sources. It prioritizes the actions that most cost-effectively reduce premature deaths. Further, by considering these actions in the context of the broader energy system, we can include actions like fuel switching and energy efficiency as alternatives, and quantify consequences of actions throughout the U.S. energy system.</p><p></p>
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<p></p><h3>High Particulate Emitters</h3><p>Using this approach, we pinpointed a set of sources whose emissions contribute disproportionately to PM2.5 mortality impacts. They include factories and other industrial facilities powered by <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/coal">coal</a> and oil, and wood-fired residential furnaces. Emissions from these sources are rising and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ab59cb" target="_blank">may continue to increase</a> in the future without additional controls.</p><p>Our model showed that reducing emissions from these sources – mainly by electrifying them – could cut projected national air pollution-related deaths in 2050 in half very cost-effectively. Overall national health benefits from these reductions would be roughly seven times the cost of the pollution controls. As many studies have found, air pollution controls <a href="https://www.epa.gov/clean-air-act-overview/benefits-and-costs-clean-air-act-1990-2020-second-prospective-study" target="_blank">tend to be very cost-effective</a> because these emissions cause people to die prematurely through cardiovascular diseases, stroke, lung cancer and other long-term illnesses.</p><p></p>
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<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMjgzODI0Ni9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYwNDEzODM0OX0.do7iijiI9IECVT3571TflLrpX5n35BiQT4j7F-kxiHs/img.png?width=980" id="00fc1" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="b3d4025d2cb1ed7d01d0a6ae7c82a5bd" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image">
<small class="image-media media-photo-credit"><p><span style="background-color: initial;">Reductions in the costs of PM2.5-related deaths due to emission reductions from each state, from a scenario that cuts projected national PM2.5-related deaths in 2050 in half.</span> <span style="background-color: initial;"><em><a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-020-14783-2" target="_blank">Ou et al., 2020.</a>, </em><a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" target="_blank"><em>CC BY</em></a></span></p></small>
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<p></p><p>Our study shows that this approach would reduce PM2.5-related emissions in each state. Progress would be greatest in northern and eastern states, including Ohio and Pennsylvania. These regions have many large industrial sources and are densely populated, which means that many people benefit from cleaner air.</p><p>Ohio has the largest potential for cost-effectively reducing PM2.5 deaths through cutting industrial coal emissions. California would benefit most from controls on residential wood burning, and Texas would see the greatest reductions in emissions from large petrochemical industries.</p><p>We also found that these actions had little influence on overall energy usage in the U.S., and therefore little effect on greenhouse gas emissions. This was interesting because previous research has found that most initiatives to reduce greenhouse gases – which typically involve switching to less-polluting fuels, such as going from coal to natural gas to renewables – <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/nclimate2009" target="_blank">also reduce air pollutant emissions</a>, with significant <a href="https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1748-9326/aa8f76" target="_blank">benefits for public health</a>. But the opposite is not true: Low-cost air pollution controls do not appear to have a big influence on U.S. greenhouse gas emissions.</p><p></p>
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<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMjgzODI1MC9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyNzM5OTE3Nn0.soUQgbIne08w_XKJeJb4Mpkcl7l8Kh6_BBj6CdCdAbk/img.png?width=980" id="40fb6" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="11ddbcfde3d92057bad382f23a22b991" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image">
<small class="image-media media-photo-credit"><p><span style="background-color: initial;">The costs and health benefits of identified low-cost actions to reduce projected national 2050 PM2.5-related deaths by 10% to 50%.</span> <span style="background-color: initial;"><em>Yang Ou, </em><a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/" target="_blank"><em>CC BY-ND</em></a></span></p></small>
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<p></p><h3>Looking Forward to Cleaner Air</h3><p>Our approach finds the least-cost way of reducing the health impacts of fine particle pollution among all Americans. But it does not ensure that current standards will be met everywhere. One limitation of our method is that we analyzed emissions at the state level, but our current model does not permit us to look more closely at air quality and health impacts for individual urban areas within states that exceed fine particle standards.</p><p>Still, our methods offer another tool that the EPA and states can use to help in planning air quality improvements, and the actions identified as being cost-effective for improving health can be compared with those currently being pursued. Spotlighting alternative pollution reduction options can help federal and state regulators make decisions about energy resources and their environmental and health impacts for the coming decades.</p><p>As natural gas and <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/renewable-energy/">renewable energy</a> prices fall, energy industries are in the <a href="https://theconversation.com/fight-or-switch-how-the-low-carbon-transition-is-disrupting-fossil-fuel-politics-122376" target="_blank">midst of a transition</a> driven by new technologies and changing economics. As this shift takes place, it is important to consider how to meet new energy demands while reducing greenhouse emissions and the health impacts of air pollutants. We hope our methods will be useful in informing these decisions in the U.S. and elsewhere.</p><p></p>
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<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMjgzODI1NS9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYwNTg3MjQwOH0.ab3Px9qKaX7pCuwhVbZVPaluGDRgorLXVRHjteBsdGw/img.png?width=980" id="5d82b" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="fde4bd6facc365c34195b6ff4893455a" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image">
<small class="image-media media-photo-credit"><p><span style="background-color: initial;">Inefficient wood stoves and wood-burning furnaces are major fine particle sources.</span> <span style="background-color: initial;"><a href="https://www.publichealthmdc.com/environmental-health/air-quality/outdoor-air-quality/wood-smoke-pollution" target="_blank"><em>Madison & Dane County Public Health</em></a></span></p></small>
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<em>Jason West is a professor of environmental sciences and engineering at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.</em>
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<em>Yang Ou is a postdoctoral associate at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.</em>
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<em>Disclosure statements: </em><em>Jason West receives funding from the EPA, NASA, NSF, the Donald and Jennifer Holzworth Faculty Acceleration Fund in Climate Change, and the State of North Carolina.</em>
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<em>Yang Ou was supported by the Research Participation Program at the Center for Environmental Measurement and Modeling, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, administered by the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE).</em>
</p><p>
<em>Reposted with permission from <a href="https://theconversation.com/air-pollution-kills-thousands-of-americans-every-year-heres-a-low-cost-strategy-to-reduce-the-toll-131875" target="_blank">The Conversation</a>.</em>
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Eating Lots of Dairy May Increase Prostate Cancer Risk, But Plant-Based Diets Reduce It, Study Finds
25 October 2019
Food
Dairy products are usually the leading source of calcium in Western countries. fcafotodigital / E+ / Getty Images
Ditching cheese, milk and other dairy products for more plant-based foods could reduce your risk of developing prostate cancer.
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<p></p><p>In a new study published in <a href="https://jaoa.org/article.aspx?articleid=2753613" target="_blank"><em>The Journal of the American Osteopathic Association</em></a>, Mayo Clinic researchers found that eating a lot of dairy products was associated with an increased risk of prostate cancer. And though the association between eating other animal products and prostate cancer wasn't as clear — <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/meat-consumption" target="_self">meat diets</a> showed both increased and unchanged risks — plant-based diets appeared to actually decrease that risk.</p><p>"Our review highlighted a cause for concern with high consumption of dairy products," lead author John Shin, a Mayo Clinic oncologist, said in a <a href="https://osteopathic.org/2019/10/21/mayo-clinic-researchers-find-dairy-products-associated-with-increased-risk-of-prostate-cancer/" target="_blank">press release</a>. "The findings also support a growing body of evidence on the potential benefits of plant-based diets."</p><p>Around one in every nine American men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer, according to the <a href="https://www.cancer.org/cancer/prostate-cancer/about/key-statistics.html" target="_blank">American Cancer Society</a>, making it one of the most common cancers in the U.S. Prostate cancer also has the <a href="https://osteopathic.org/2019/10/21/mayo-clinic-researchers-find-dairy-products-associated-with-increased-risk-of-prostate-cancer/" target="_blank">second-highest mortality rate</a> out of all cancers for men in the U.S., leading to 31,620 deaths annually.</p><p>Analyzing previous studies, the <a href="https://osteopathic.org/2019/10/21/mayo-clinic-researchers-find-dairy-products-associated-with-increased-risk-of-prostate-cancer/" target="_blank">researchers</a> found that dairy products are usually the leading source of calcium in Western countries, which have higher rates of prostate cancer compared to Asian countries, where dairy products aren't consumed as much.</p><p>It's thought that increased calcium levels are associated with prostate cancer, as the calcium can halt the formation of a type of vitamin D called calcitriol, which could otherwise prevent the proliferation and spread of prostate cancer cells. The study did not identify how much dairy per person was associated with the increased risk, the <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-7596435/Consuming-lots-milk-cheese-raise-risk-prostate-cancer.html" target="_blank">Daily Mail reported</a>.</p><p>For the report, the researchers examined 550 scholarly references sourced from three databases. After excluding articles that did not investigate the link between diet and prostate cancer, as well as letters, editorials and case reports, the researchers found 47 usable studies published in scientific journals between 2006 and February 2017, which involved more than 1 million participants in total, <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/eating-dairy-products-prostate-cancer-plant-based-diets-risk-1466662" target="_blank">Newsweek reported</a>. These included cohort studies ranging in size from small to very large, case-control studies, meta-analyses and a population study.</p><p>But the researchers acknowledged this range was also a weakness because of the differing methods employed by the studies. Future research, they said, should have standardized methods for collecting data to better account for non-dietary factors and include randomized controlled trials.</p><p>Experts not involved in the study agreed. David Montgomery, director of research at Prostate Cancer UK, said that the findings could not yet replace weight, age and ethnicity as primary factors driving prostate cancer risk.</p><p>"The previous studies are of variable quality and have not consistently taken account of other factors beyond diet that could impact the results," Montgomery told <a href="https://www.foodnavigator.com/Article/2019/10/23/Dairy-products-associated-with-higher-risk-of-prostate-cancer-study" target="_blank">FoodNavigator</a>. "We would not encourage anyone to avoid or increase intake of certain foods as a result of this study."</p><p>Still, the association between plant-based foods and prostate cancer continues to grow. Another <a href="https://www.phillyvoice.com/mushrooms-prostate-cancer-diet-lower-risk-research-men/" target="_blank">recent study</a> this month found that eating at least three servings of mushrooms each week was associated with a reduced risk of prostate cancer.</p><p>The benefits of a plant-based diet don't stop there, either: it's also been recently associated with <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/plant-based-diet-type-2-diabetes-2639337131.html" target="_self">reduced type 2 diabetes risk</a> and a <a href="https://www.pcrm.org/news/health-nutrition/plant-based-diets-promote-healthy-gut-microbiome" target="_blank">healthy gut</a>.</p><p></p>
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Turkish Scientist Sentenced to Prison for Publishing Paper Linking Pollution to Cancer
02 October 2019
Science
A child plays under the heavy smoke of factories in Dilovasi, Turkey on Nov. 7, 2006. BULENT KILIC / AFP / Getty Images
A Turkish food engineer, columnist and human rights advocate was sentenced to 15 months in prison last week for publishing an environmental paper that linked pollution to a high incidence of cancer in Western Turkey, according to Science Magazine.
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<p></p><p>The court in Istanbul found that Bülent Şık, former deputy director of the Food Safety and Agricultural Research Center at Akdeniz University, had disclosed classified information when he published the results of his study in a Turkish newspaper in April 2018. Amnesty International described the sentenced as "a travesty of justice," as <a href="https://www.afp.com/" target="_blank">Agence-France Presse</a> reported and <a href="https://phys.org/news/2019-09-turkey-doctor-months-revealing-pollution.html" target="_blank">Phys.org</a> published.</p><p>"Bülent Şık fulfilled his duty as a citizen and a scientist and he used his right to freedom of expression," his lawyer, Can Atalay, said in his closing statement, as <a href="https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2019/09/turkish-scientist-gets-15-month-sentence-publishing-environmental-study" target="_blank">Science</a> reported.</p><p>Şık carried out his study with several other scientists from 2011 to 2015 to test whether soil toxicity, water pollution and food had a link to the high rates of cancer in Western Turkey.</p><p></p>
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<p></p><p>The study, which was commissioned by Turkey's Ministry of Health, found dangerous levels of <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/pesticides" target="_self">pesticides</a> and heavy metals in various food and water samples from several provinces in western Turkey. <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/water" target="_self">Water</a> in a few residential areas also tested positive for unsafe levels of <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/lead" target="_self">lead</a>, aluminum, chrome and arsenic pollution, according to <a href="https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2019/09/turkish-scientist-gets-15-month-sentence-publishing-environmental-study" target="_blank">Science</a>.</p><p>Şık published his findings in the newspaper <em>Cumhuriyet</em> after three years of lobbying the government to take action, but realizing his pleas were falling on deaf ears.</p><p>The study "clearly revealed the extent to which water resources were contaminated by toxic materials," said Şık to reporters after the verdict, as <a href="https://phys.org/news/2019-09-turkey-doctor-months-revealing-pollution.html" target="_blank">AFP</a> reported. "The court ruling shows that the results of a study that directly concerns public health can be hidden. This is unacceptable."</p><p>Şık was unapologetic about his actions, even though offering an apology would have allowed him to avoid jail time.</p><p>"[H]iding data obtained from research prevents us from having sound discussions about the solutions," Şık said in a statement to the court provided to <a href="https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2019/09/turkish-scientist-gets-15-month-sentence-publishing-environmental-study" target="_blank">Science</a> by his lawyer. "In my articles, I aimed to inform the public about this public health study, which was kept secret, and prompt the public authorities who should solve the problems to take action."</p><p>Environmental groups have pointed out that Turkey has put economic growth ahead of safety as it has ignored environmental regulations during a boom in industrial growth, as <a href="https://phys.org/news/2019-09-turkey-doctor-months-revealing-pollution.html" target="_blank">AFP</a> reported.</p><p>Şık's report singled out the industrial zone around Dilovasi, about 50 miles away from Istanbul and home to several chemical factories, as having cancer rates well above the international average.</p><p>"The case against Bülent Şık has been, from the start, a travesty of justice," said Andrew Gardener, Amnesty International's Turkey researcher to the <a href="https://phys.org/news/2019-09-turkey-doctor-months-revealing-pollution.html" target="_blank">AFP</a>. "Instead of pursuing a whistleblower through the court, the Turkish authorities should be investigating this important public health issue."</p><p>"What is quite striking in this case is that the Ministry of Health did not argue that what Bülent Şık published was not true," said Milena Buyum, a senior campaigner on Turkey at Amnesty International in London, as <a href="https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2019/09/turkish-scientist-gets-15-month-sentence-publishing-environmental-study" target="_blank">Science</a> reported.</p><p>She added that the government's argument that the information was confidential suggests there is a real danger to health.</p><p></p>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Our governments are refusing to listen to science.<br><br>We must make them listen:<a href="https://t.co/e8XUOuGem0">https://t.co/e8XUOuGem0</a><br><br>This is a climate and ecological emergency.<a href="https://t.co/vPNMsQym1h">https://t.co/vPNMsQym1h</a></p>— Extinction Rebellion ⌛️ (@ExtinctionR) <a href="https://twitter.com/ExtinctionR/status/1159911001950760960?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 9, 2019</a></blockquote> <script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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First Brain Cancer Link to Air Pollution Found in New Study
15 November 2019
Campaigners from Friends of the Earth Scotland gather to demand clean air in August 2015. MAVERICK PHOTO AGENCY / Flickr / CC BY 2.0
Air pollution particles from motor vehicle exhaust have been linked to brain cancer for the first time, researchers at McGill University in Montreal say.
<p>According to a study published this week in <a href="https://journals.lww.com/epidem/Abstract/publishahead/Within_City_Spatial_Variations_in_Ambient.98468.aspx" target="_blank">Epidemiology</a>, increased exposure to ultra-fine particles (UFPs) produced by diesel engines and burning <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/coal" rel="noopener noreferrer">coal</a> raises the risk of developing malignant brain tumors by 10 percent.</p>
<p>The researchers found that the association was present after just a one-year increase in pollution exposure of 10,000 nanoparticles per cubic centimeter — that's about the difference you can expect after moving from a quiet street to a busier city street, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/nov/13/air-pollution-particles-linked-to-brain-cancer-in-new-research" target="_blank">The Guardian reported</a>.</p>
<p>"Any time you burn anything, these small particles are produced," co-author and epidemiologist Scott Weichenthal, <a href="https://www.upi.com/Health_News/2019/11/14/Nano-particles-in-air-pollution-linked-to-brain-cancer-risk/3511573747441/" target="_blank">told UPI</a>. "These particles are so small they can get into our bloodstream and into our brains."</p>
<p>While previous research has established that these UFPs are <a href="https://www.pnas.org/content/113/39/10797#ack-1" target="_blank">reaching the brain</a> and potentially <a href="https://journal.chestnet.org/article/S0012-3692(18)32723-5/fulltext" target="_blank">damaging every cell</a> in the body, this is the first time researchers have been able to show that even a moderate increase in UFPs could lead to one additional case of brain cancer for every 100,000 people exposed to the pollution.</p>
<p>The study looked at medical records and pollution exposure for 1.9 million adults in two cities, Toronto and Montreal from 1991 to 2016, <a href="https://dfw.cbslocal.com/2019/11/14/study-air-pollution-nanoparticles-linked-brain-cancer-first-time/" target="_blank">CBS reported</a>.</p>
<p>Pollution levels in those cities range from 6,000 to 97,000 nanoparticles per cubic centimeter. According to Weichenthal, these ranges are typical of most major North American cities, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/nov/13/air-pollution-particles-linked-to-brain-cancer-in-new-research" target="_blank">The Guardian reported</a>, and that those living with air pollution levels of 50,000 nanoparticles per cubic centimeter or more have a 50 percent higher risk of developing brain tumors than those at only 15,000 nanoparticles per cubic centimeter.</p>
<p>"Environmental risks like air pollution are not large in magnitude – their importance comes because everyone in the population is exposed," study co-author Scott Weichenthal, told <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/nov/13/air-pollution-particles-linked-to-brain-cancer-in-new-research" target="_blank">The Guardian</a>. "So when you multiply these small risks by lots of people, all of the sudden there can be lots of cases. In a large city, it could be a meaningful number, particularly given the fact that these tumours are often fatal."</p>
<p>The researchers acknowledged that the study did not show that the UFPs directly caused brain cancer, and more research into the environmental factors should be done, the <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-7681177/Moving-quiet-busy-street-raises-risk-brain-cancer.html" target="_blank">Daily Mail reported</a>.</p>
<p>Still, the study has implications for <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/public-health" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">public health</a> policy around the world in the face of growing air pollution crises. For instance, in Kabul, Afghanistan, smog and other air pollution may now be killing more people than war, the <a href="https://apnews.com/1e566a9f6cd647d2998ec9c2582a6176" target="_blank">Associated Press recently reported</a>, and New Delhi, India, has suffered from "severe" air quality with pollution <a href="https://apnews.com/4010a47552fa4e94928b6f40115c1169" target="_blank">exceeding eight times the recommended maximum</a> due to agricultural and weather patterns.</p>
<p>"At an individual level, it is always a good idea to reduce your exposure to pollutants," Weichenthal told The Guardian. "But the more important actions are at a regulatory level, where you can take action that reduces everyone's exposure – that is where the real benefits come in."</p>
<p>Currently, the <a href="https://www.who.int/health-topics/air-pollution#tab=tab_1" target="_blank">World Health Organization</a> estimates that 4.2 million people die from ambient air pollution each year.</p>
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Quitting smoking now may do more than just prevent further damage to your lungs — it could jumpstart the release of healthy cells that actually repair the linings of your airways.
<p>That's according to a new study <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-020-1961-1" target="_blank">published in Nature</a> by the UK's Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute and University College London Hospital, which found that these healthy cells resemble those of people who have never smoked, even in the lungs of former long-term smokers. </p>
<img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMjY0Mjk1Ni9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyMDg0ODUyMX0.eGBjr-KJ2fXnUDMr5bhqqhlm8m8EDFbZaV8CVfZ_W0I/img.jpg?width=980" id="7d6d8" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="39e96cc94927d8aa046820b358a3ce56" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" />
The lungs of ex-smokers contained up to four times as many genetically healthy cells than those of current smokers. The Sanger Institute / UCL
<p>"People who have smoked heavily for 30, 40 or more years often say to me that it's too late to stop smoking - the damage is already done," joint senior author Dr. Peter Campbell, of the Wellcome Sanger Institute, said in <a href="https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2020-01/cru-ntl012820.php" target="_blank">a press statement</a>.</p> <p>"What is so exciting about our study is that it shows that it's never too late to quit - some of the people in our study had smoked more than 15,000 packs of cigarettes over their life, but within a few years of quitting many of the cells lining their airways showed no evidence of damage from tobacco."</p> <p>Smoking causes up to 10,000 extra mutations in nine out of every 10 lung cells, the researchers found, including many that cause cancer. But in the former smokers the researchers examined, there were four times as many healthy cells, with up to 40 percent of their lung cells appearing no different than those in someone who has never smoked, <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/health-51279355" target="_blank">BBC News reported</a>.</p><p>"There is a population of cells that, kind of, magically replenish the lining of the airways," Campbell said <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/health-51279355" target="_blank">according to BBC News</a>.</p> <p>For the study, the researchers took lung biopsies from 16 people, including adults and children. Among them were current and former smokers, as well as those who were never smokers. They then sequenced the DNA of 632 non-cancerous cells from the samples and analyzed the patterns of mutations, the <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7945499/Giving-smoking-spark-growth-healthy-cells-reverse-damage-nicotine.html" target="_blank">Daily Mail reported</a>.</p><p>That said, the researchers could not identify how the healthy cells in former smokers avoided damage or what triggers their replacement of the damaged cells, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/society/2020/jan/30/lungs-damaged-by-smoking-can-magically-heal-study" target="_blank">AFP reported</a>, but they believe the body may have a reservoir of these cells stored somewhere.</p>
<p>In a <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-00165-7" target="_blank">review of the study published by Nature</a>, experts not involved in the study also said the surprising results may be due to the rather small sample size, meaning that more research is needed.</p>
<p>According to the <a href="https://www.lung.org/lung-health-and-diseases/lung-disease-lookup/lung-cancer/resource-library/lung-cancer-fact-sheet.html" target="_blank">American Lung Association</a>, lung cancer is the leading cancer killer for both men and women in the U.S. An estimated <a href="https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2020-01/cru-ntl012820.php" target="_blank">229,000 new cases</a> will be diagnosed in 2020, even as falling smoking rates and lung cancer treatment progress recently drove the <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/cancer-death-rate-us-2644664400.html?rebelltitem=1#rebelltitem1" rel="noopener noreferrer">largest single-year drop in cancer deaths</a> the nation has ever seen. Similarly, <a href="https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/health-professional/cancer-statistics/statistics-by-cancer-type/lung-cancer" target="_blank">Cancer Research UK estimates</a> that there are 47,000 cases of lung cancer diagnosed annually in the UK and 35,000 deaths.</p>
<p>"Our study has an important public health message and shows that it really is worth quitting smoking to reduce the risk of lung cancer," joint author Sam Janes, of University College London Hospitals Trust, said in a <a href="https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2020-01/cru-ntl012820.php" target="_blank">press release</a>. "Stopping smoking at any age does not just slow the accumulation of further damage, but could reawaken cells unharmed by past lifestyle choices."</p>
<p>"Further research into this process could help to understand how these cells protect against cancer, and could potentially lead to new avenues of research into anti-cancer therapeutics."</p><p>The benefits of quitting now may extend beyond the individual in other ways as well, considering that cigarette butts are <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/cigarette-butts-litter-2635534590.html" target="_self">the most littered item in the world</a>, spreading toxic chemicals into the earth and water sources.</p>
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Radiation warning sign at the Union Carbide uranium mill in Rifle, Colorado, in 1972. Credit: National Archives / Environmental Protection Agency, public domain
By Sharon Kelly
Back in April last year, the Trump administration's Environmental Protection Agency decided it was "not necessary" to update the rules for toxic waste from oil and gas wells. Torrents of wastewater flow daily from the nation's 1.5 million active oil and gas wells and the agency's own research has warned it may pose risks to the country's drinking water supplies.
<p>On Tuesday, a major new <a href="https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-features/oil-gas-fracking-radioactive-investigation-937389/" target="_blank">investigative report</a> published by Rolling Stone and authored by reporter Justin Nobel delves deep into the risks that the oil and gas industry's waste — much of it radioactive — poses to the industry's own workers and to the public.<em></em></p>
<p>"There is little public awareness of this enormous waste stream," Nobel, <a href="https://www.desmogblog.com/user/justin-nobel" target="_blank">who also reports for DeSmog</a>, wrote, "the disposal of which could present dangers at every step — from being transported along America's highways in unmarked trucks; handled by workers who are often misinformed and underprotected; leaked into waterways; and stored in dumps that are not equipped to contain the toxicity."</p><p>Additional documents obtained by Nobel and shared with DeSmog show that a report prepared for the <a href="https://www.desmogblog.com/american-petroleum-institute" target="_blank">American Petroleum Institute</a> (API), the nation's largest oil and gas trade group, described the risks posed by the industry's radioactive wastes to workers as "significant" in 1982 — long before the shale drilling rush unleashed new floods of wastewater from the industry — including waste from the Marcellus Shale, which can carry <a href="https://www.propublica.org/article/is-the-marcellus-shale-too-hot-to-handle-1109" target="_blank">unusually</a> high levels of radioactive contamination.</p>
A Trillion Toxic Gallons
<p>Oil and gas wells pump out nearly a trillion gallons of wastewater a year, Rolling Stone reported. That's literally a river of waste — enough to replace all the water flowing from the Mississippi River into the Gulf of Mexico for more than two and a half days.</p><p>Much of that wastewater, often referred to by the industry as "brine," carries high levels, not of familiar table salt, but of corrosive salts found deep below the Earth's surface, as well as toxic compounds and carcinogens.</p><p>That water can also carry serious amounts of radioactive materials. The Rolling Stone report, labeled "sobering" by the <a href="https://www.poynter.org/newsletters/2020/an-impeachment-media-diet-calls-for-moderation-a-hillary-scoop-is-the-ringer-for-sale/" target="_blank">Poynter Institute</a>, described levels of radium as high as 28,500 picocuries per liter in brine from the Marcellus Shale, underlying Pennsylvania, Ohio, New York, and West Virginia, levels hundreds of times as much as the Nuclear Regulatory Commission would allow in industrial discharges from other industries.</p><p>The oil and gas industry's waste, however, isn't regulated like most other industry's wastes, slipping instead through loopholes carved out in the nation's cornerstone environmental laws, including <a href="https://www.epa.gov/hw/special-wastes" target="_blank">exemptions</a> for the industry in federal laws covering hazardous waste.</p><p>"If I had a beaker of that on my desk and accidentally dropped it on the floor, they would shut the place down," <a href="https://cmdis.rpi.edu/faculty/yuri-gorby" target="_blank">Yuri Gorby</a>, a microbiologist who'd studied radioactive materials at the U.S. Geological Survey and Department of Energy, told the magazine. "And if I dumped it down the sink, I could go to jail."</p>Crude Oil, Gas, and Radiation
<p>"It is well-known that some naturally occurring elements, uranium for example, have an affinity for crude oil," the <a href="https://www.desmogblog.com/sites/beta.desmogblog.com/files/1982%20API%20Analysis%20of%20RADIONUCLIDES%20in%20oil%20and%20gas%20industry.pdf" target="_blank">1982 API report </a>says, noting that uranium can decay into elements like radium-226 ("a potent source of radiation exposure, both internal and external," API's report explained) and radon-222 (which can "cause the most severe impact to public health," it observed).</p><p>"Almost all materials of interest and use to the petroleum industry contain measurable quantities of radionuclides that reside finally in process equipment, product streams, or waste," the 1982 report notes.</p><p>"This contamination can produce <u>significant occupational exposures</u>," API's report continued (emphasis in original).</p><img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMjYwNDA1MS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYzOTgwNzUzOX0.f1riTcj11_moES2_oDX-Ye5j9Y1uIiK6YnuN7TV7ghk/img.jpg?width=980" id="22808" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="2735eb5edfa7c55183a14a31a3d3208e" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" />Excerpt from a 1982 report prepared for the American Petroleum Institute and titled "An Analysis of the Impact of the Regulation of 'Radionuclides' as a Hazardous Air Pollutant on the Petroleum Industry."
<p>API's report focused on the possibility that the federal government might step in and regulate those radioactive materials under the Clean Air Act or under federal Superfund laws.</p><p>"Depending on the mode of definition," the report adds, "very small quantities of petroleum products could easily contain reportable quantities of [radioactive materials]." A chart lists amounts as small as a half a barrel of crude oil or 17 cubic feet of natural gas as containing "one reportable quantity of uranium or radon" under the most restrictive definition.</p><p>The report labels uranium "a somewhat different dilemma" than radon gas. "We estimated earlier in this paper that significant quantities of uranium potentially enter our refineries via crude oil," the report continues. "Little is known of its fate, however."</p><p>"Since the law of conservation of matter must apply, it can only end up in the product, the process waste, remain in the process equipment, or escape into the environment," the report notes, calling for more study, particularly of the industry's refining equipment and waste.</p><div class="DC-embed DC-embed-document DV-container" id="DV-viewer-6668723-1982-API-Analysis-of-Radionuclides-in-Oil-and"></div>
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<p>Some of the report's most stark language warned about the possibility of federal regulation of the industry's radioactive wastes.</p><p>"It is concluded that the regulation of radionuclides could impose a severe burden on API member companies," the report says, "and it would be prudent to monitor closely both regulatory actions."</p><p>API spokesperson Reid Porter provided to DeSmog the group's response to the Rolling Stone investigation.</p><p>"We take each report of safety or health issues related to energy development very seriously," Porter said. "Nothing is more important than the health and safety of our workers, the local environment, and the communities where we live, operate, and raise families. Natural gas and oil companies meet or exceed strict federal and state regulations and also undergo regular inspections to ensure that all materials are managed, stored, transported, and disposed of safely. Through regular monitoring, ongoing testing, and strict handling protocols, industry operations are guided by internationally recognized standards and best practices to provide for safe working environments and public safety."</p><p><span style="background-color: initial;">API</span> also pointed to a one-page <a href="https://www.api.org/~/media/Files/Oil-and-Natural-Gas/Hydraulic-Fracturing/Environmental-Stewardship/NORM-In-the-Oil-and-Natural-Gas-Industry.pdf" target="_blank">document</a> titled "<span style="background-color: initial;">NORM</span> [naturally occurring radioactive materials] in the Oil and Natural Gas Industry." As of publication time, <span style="background-color: initial;">API</span> had not responded to questions from DeSmog regarding the 1982 report.</p>
10 Years Later, Hazards 'Widespread'; 20 Years Later, Workers Sue Over Cancers
<p>Over a decade later, problems persisted, other documents indicate. "Contamination of oil and gas facilities with naturally occurring radioactive materials (<span style="background-color: initial;">NORM</span>) is widespread," a <a href="https://www.desmogblog.com/sites/beta.desmogblog.com/files/Peter%20Gray_NORM%20Contamination%20in%20the%20Petroleum%20Industry%2C%201993_Society%20of%20Petroleum%20Engineers.pdf" target="_blank">1993 paper</a> published by the Society of Petroleum Engineers warned. "Some contamination may be sufficiently severe that maintenance and other personnel may be exposed to hazardous concentration."</p><p>Nonetheless, the paper focused on the potential for "over-regulation."</p><p>"Where possible, industry input should be directed to minimize an over-regulation of NORM contamination in the industry," author Peter Gray, an expert on radioactivity who formerly worked for Phillips Petroleum Co., wrote. He added that concentrations of radioactive contamination at the time were "relatively low and do not usually present a health hazard to the public or to most personnel in the industry," but added that some facilities "may be hazardous to maintenance personnel in particular."</p><div class="DC-embed DC-embed-document DV-container" id="DV-viewer-6668724-Peter-Gray-NORM-Contamination-in-the-Petroleum"></div> <script src="//assets.documentcloud.org/viewer/loader.js"></script><script> DV.load("https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/6668724-Peter-Gray-NORM-Contamination-in-the-Petroleum.js", { responsive: true, container: "#DV-viewer-6668724-Peter-Gray-NORM-Contamination-in-the-Petroleum" }); </script><noscript> <a href="https://assets.documentcloud.org/documents/6668724/Peter-Gray-NORM-Contamination-in-the-Petroleum.pdf">Peter Gray NORM Contamination in the Petroleum Industry, 1993 Society of Petroleum Engineers (PDF)</a> <br /> <a href="https://assets.documentcloud.org/documents/6668724/Peter-Gray-NORM-Contamination-in-the-Petroleum.txt">Peter Gray NORM Contamination in the Petroleum Industry, 1993 Society of Petroleum Engineers (Text)</a> </noscript><p>The 1993 paper notes that some oil-producing states had passed or were considering passing laws to protect against the industry's radioactive wastes, noting in particular that Louisiana and Mississippi had regulations in effect, and that Louisiana had required "radiation surveys of every petroleum facility in the state."</p><p>But state and federal regulators largely failed to act, Rolling Stone found. "Of 21 significant oil-and-gas-producing states, only five have provisions addressing workers, and just three include protections for the public, according to <a href="http://vjel.vermontlaw.edu/files/2018/02/Geltman_FP-2.pdf" target="_blank">research by [Elizabeth Ann Glass] Geltman</a>, the public-health expert," the magazine reported. "Much of the legislation that does exist seems hardly sufficient."</p><p>In documents dated nearly two decades later, from a 2011 lawsuit brought by more than 30 Louisiana oilfield workers who'd developed cancer, plaintiff's experts described as resulting from their exposure to radioactive materials at work.</p><p>The 2013 plaintiff's expert <a href="https://www.desmogblog.com/sites/beta.desmogblog.com/files/OCCUPATIONAL%20EXPOSURES%20TO%20RADIOACTIVE%20SCALE%20AND%20SLUDGE_Coleman%20et%20al%20v.%20H.C.pdf" target="_blank">report</a> describes in detail how jobs like roustabout, roughneck, and derrickman can expose workers to radioactive materials, including a sludge where radioactive elements concentrate that collects inside pipes and so-called "pipe scale," or crusty deposits that also attract radioactive materials. The case <a href="https://ecf.laed.uscourts.gov/doc1/08518908036" target="_blank">ended</a> in October 2016, following a long string of settlements on unspecified terms by individual plaintiffs in the case, public court records show.</p><div class="DC-embed DC-embed-document DV-container" id="DV-viewer-6668726-OCCUPATIONAL-EXPOSURES-to-RADIOACTIVE-SCALE-and"></div>
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Tracking the Trucks
<p>Nobel's Rolling Stone exposé depicts radioactive drilling waste sloshing into a striking array of corners.</p><p>For example, to keep dust down, the "brine" can be spread on roads, like a stretch in Pennsylvania where Nobel describes a group of Amish girls strolling barefoot. Nobel adds that contractors pick up waste directly from the wellhead and that in 2016 alone, more than 10.5 million gallons were sprayed on roads in the northwestern corner of Pennsylvania.</p><p>The waste has also been sold at Lowe's, bottled as "AquaSalina" and marketed as a pet-safe way to fight ice and salt, though an Ohio state lab found it contains radium at more than 40 times the levels the Nuclear Regulatory Commission allows in discharge from industry. And the radium-laced waste is spilled from trucks transporting it, in potential what the article indicates may be a violation of federal law.</p><p>One brine truck driver, identified only as a man named Peter from Ohio, started taking his own samples after being told by another worker with a radiation detector that he'd been hauling "one of the 'hottest loads' he'd ever seen," Rolling Stone reports. "A lot of guys are coming up with cancer, or sores and skin lesions that take months to heal," Peter told the magazine. Tests by a university lab found radium levels as high as 8,500 picocuries per liter, the article adds.</p><p><span></span>One expert, scientist Marvin Reisnikoff, who'd served as one of the plaintiff's experts in the lawsuit brought by the Louisiana oilfield workers and co-authored the 2013 report, told Rolling Stone that a standard brine truck rolling through Pennsylvania might be carrying radioactive wastewater at levels a thousand times higher than those allowed under federal Department of Transportation (<span style="background-color: initial;">DOT</span>) limits. But, a <span style="background-color: initial;">DOT</span> spokesperson told Rolling Stone, federal regulators rely heavily on industry self-reporting, and the rules seem generally unenforced.</p><p>Environmental groups immediately called for congressional hearings into the drilling industry's radioactive wastes.</p><p>"This alarming report brings into stark relief what we already knew to be true," Food & Water Watch Policy Director Mitch Jones said in a statement calling for a congressional investigation, "that highly toxic and radioactive waste generated by fossil fuel drilling and fracking cannot be stored or disposed of safely, and in fact is often being intentionally dispersed in our communities."</p><p>"It is imperative that Congress hold hearings soon to examine and expose the full extent of the threat oil and gas waste poses to families and workers throughout America," he added, "and take urgent action to halt fracking and the legal and illegal dispersal of the waste currently taking place."</p>
<p class=""><em>Reposted with permission from <a href="https://www.desmogblog.com/2020/01/22/american-petroleum-institute-oil-workers-radioactive-nobel-rollingstone" rel="noopener noreferrer">DeSmogBlog</a>.</em></p>
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