The Alliance to Save Energy’s 9th annual Energy Efficiency Global Forum (#EEGlobal), held May 11-12, showcased the many ways energy efficiency drives productivity and profitability across the economy. Industry professionals, policymakers and members of academia reflected on the significant gains achieved to date and “next steps” for efficiency efforts. In exciting keynotes, Senators Rob Portman […]
Nanotechnology – A small part of big solutions
Researchers are constantly looking for ways to combat disease, whether it is a familiar one like the flu or something never seen before like the Zika virus. Nanotechnology may offer hope to develop treatments for both. Dr. Tom Webster, chair of Northeastern University’s chemical engineering department and the president of the Society of Biomaterials, is […]
BfR ‘consensus statement’ on EDCs reinforces 5 key principles underpinning risk-based model of regulation
When reports surfaced last month that nearly two dozen scientists had gathered in Berlin to reach an “expert consensus” on how to identify endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs), it wasn’t immediately clear who attended, how they were selected, or how – or even if – the European Commission would use some of the outcomes to help […]
How do various screening tools evaluate different chemicals?
Retailers and product manufacturers are increasingly using a variety of tools, lists and other approaches to determine whether specific chemical ingredients in consumer products may be a concern, or to certify what some call “greener” chemical ingredients. But what sort of information do these various tools provide? To address this question, a group of researchers […]
Capito demonstrates commitment to helping emergency responders
Last night, Congress passed a resolution introduced by Senator Capito that recognizes the incredible work of the TRANSCAER® program in helping communities prepare and respond to a potential transportation incident involving hazardous materials. While congressional resolutions can be fairly common, TRANSCAER is a truly unique program. Last year alone, the program helped more than 50,000 […]
What a “defective” radiation-risk standard can teach us about improving chemical risk assessments
Wall Street Journal editorial board member Holman W. Jenkins, Jr. seems to have a knack for battling bad science – especially what he perceives to be misguided reporting and alarmist stories about climate change. In his most recent piece, Jenkins laments the fact that some activists have used faulty research to overstate the risks associated […]
What makes polystyrene so different from styrene? It’s a matter of chemistry
On April 22, 2016, the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) listed the substance styrene on California’s Proposition 65 list, pursuant to the Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986 that requires the state to publish a list of substances known to cause cancer or birth defects or other reproductive harm. […]
OEHHA P65 Warnings Website provides few answers for consumers
Without fanfare, OEHHA launched the Proposition 65 Warnings Website last Friday to further consumer understanding of warning labels required by the Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986, better known as Prop 65. Under that law, manufacturers and facilities are prohibited from knowingly exposing any individual to any of more than 800 listed […]
What “hulk” Mark Ruffalo doesn’t understand about trade policy
If you’ve listened to some of the discussions on trade policy during the Presidential primary season, you’d be forgiven for thinking that trade deals have had a negative impact on the U.S. economy. That’s far from the case. Indeed, it’s been a frustrating few months for those in favor of rational, evidence-based debate on U.S. […]
No shortcuts to sound science
One of the most important jobs a public health researcher can undertake is asking stimulating questions that could, through meticulous and valid research, help policymakers make informed decisions about how best to protect human health and the environment. But it is a long journey from raising initial questions, to designing and conducting robust research, to […]
