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Friday, November 18, 2005

Maybe This Time the Wrap Will Stick
This might make you think twice the next time you order pizza or unwrap a piece of candy. An ex-DuPont official recently leaked documents detailing how DuPont covered up 20-years of studies showing that the chemical Zonyl, produced by DuPont and used in the making of candy wrappers, microwave popcorn bags, pizza boxes and other food packaging, was degrading into the dangerous chemical perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and seeping into the food products at levels three-times the FDA-recommended limit from 1967. Studies in rats, which DuPont conveniently withheld from federal agencies and the public, showed kidney and liver damage as a result of exposure. Zonyl is related to another DuPont chemical, Teflon, which has also been found to leak PFOA into food when the Teflon coating degrades.

In January, EPA issued a draft risk assessment of the PFOA, which though acknowledging the potential health risks, fell far short of condemning the chemical or its makers. EPA will have a change to redeem itself, however, when an advisory panel meets next month to decide whether PFOA should be listed as a likely human carcinogen. EPA is also currently in settlement with DuPont over the withheld studies.

More Information:

AP: Papers: DuPont Hid Chemical Risk Studies"

EPA Risk Assessment Finds Potential Risk to Humans in Teflon(1/24/2005)

Making Sure that Nothing Sticks: EPA and DuPont (1/18/2005)

Posted by Genevieve Smith, 06:39:49 PM

Wednesday, November 02, 2005

The Bush Administration's Chummy Deal with Wal-Mart
Most people by now have read the news coverage of the Labor Dep't Inspector General report criticizing DOL for its chummy settlement with Wal-Mart in which it pledged to give Wal-Mart advance notice before it comes in to inspect for violations. If you want to read the report for yourself, click here to download it.

Among the highlights:

"Wal-Mart attorneys author[ed] key provisions of the Wal-Mart agreement." Of course, letting industry write its own rules is a pattern for the Bush administration.
"The Wal-Mart agreement required jointly developed press releases, in violation of stated [DOL press policy]." Giving industry approval over Bush administration press releases? -- also not new (click here and jump to page 24 of the PDF).
"The agreement between Wal-Mart and [DOL] was significantly different from other agreements entered into by [DOL]. Specifically, the Wal-Mart agreement has the most far-reaching restrictions on [DOL]'s authority to conduct investigations and assess [civil penalties]."

On this last point -- could the Bush administration be so chummy with Wal-Mart that it would put the public at risk? If this child labor case isn't bad enough, consider the White House's endorsement of industry's call for an anti-regulatory hit list that includes, among other things, allowing companies that aren't in the trucking business but have workers who drive trucks to force those workers to spend even more time on the job -- what some call a "Wal-Mart rule."

Posted by Robert Shull, 04:05:18 PM

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