CSE Lab Report: Phthalates in Toys
Phthalates or phthalate esters, are esters of phthalic acid mainly used as plasticizers (substances added to plastics to increase their flexibility) in Poly Vinyl Chloride (PVC).
Continuing nightmare in Bhopal: CSE laboratory tests soil, water samples from Union Carbide
Links toxins to production processes of plant. Bhopal, December 1, 2009: For more than 25 years, the Union Carbide (UCIL) factory has been contaminating the land and water of Bhopal. Latest tests show that groundwater in areas even three km away from the factory contains almost 40 times more pesticides than Indian standards.
Pesticide regulations
Pesticides are widely used in agriculture without paying much heed to the consequences of its unregulated and indiscriminate use.
How do you like your food, sir?
My local vegetable vendor sells ordinary lemons packed in plastic bags. It got me thinking if this is a sign of improving standards of food safety and hygiene. After all if we go to any supermarket in the rich and food-processed world, we will find food neatly packed so that there is no contamination through human hands. Then there is the army of food inspectors, who check everything from the processing plant to the supplies in restaurants.
The Kasaragod Declaration
A National Workshop to develop a Comprehensive Rehabilitation and Rebuilding Program for the Survivors and Rejuvenation of the Eco-systems in the Endosulfan affected areas of Kasaragod District, was held on July 21-22. The two day program, CONCORD 2012, was held under the chairmanship of P Karunakaran, MP and it was inaugurated by the Kerala Chief Minister Ommen Chandy. Sunita Narain, Director General, Centre for Science and Environment was the key note speaker on the occasion. Read more
Toxic toys
We generally take toys for granted but this may no longer be the case atleast not if we are concerned about the health of our young children.
When battered people took on the pesticide industry
Today, I want to tell you a true story of extraordinary courage. The past week, I was in Kasaragod, a district in Kerala, splendid in beauty and with abundant natural resources, but destroyed by the toxic chemical, endosulfan. The pesticide was aerially sprayed over cashew plantations, for some 20 years, in complete disregard of the fact that there is no demarcation between plantations and human habitation in this area. It is also a high rainfall region and so, the sprayed pesticide leached into the ground and flowed downstream.
The Kasaragod Declaration
We, the Participants of the National Workshop, that assembled under the Chairmanship of Sri P Karunakaran, MP and that was inaugurated by the Hon'ble Chief Minister of the Kerala State, Sri Oommen Chandy and consisted of the People's representatives and leaders, activists and members of social, cultural, health and environmental organisations, experts in various fields, the victims and survivors of the endosulfan induced tragedy, the District administration and
Disposal of Endosulfan begins in Kasaragod
KERALA has started disposing of expired stocks of endosulfan. A task force, chaired by deputy collector of Kasaragod district, started Operation Blossom Spring at a Plantation Corporation of Kerala (PCK) godown in Kasaragod on June 17 Read more
Bhopal to Germany
Twenty-eight years after the lethal gas leak at Union Carbide plant in Bhopal, the 350 tonnes of toxic waste lying at the defunct factory is likely to be airlifted to Germany for safe disposal. The disposal process, however, will start only after India’s Hazardous Waste (Management, Handling and Transboundary Movement) Rules of 2008, which forbid export and import of hazardous waste, are amended. Read more
BIS agrees Phthalates are harmful
The BIS agrees that there is a need to regulate the use of phthalates in toys. The BIS stated this in a response to the Bombay High Court on Feb 24th 2011. The court was hearing a PIL filed by the Consumers Welfare Association in 2007, seeking action against the sale of toxic toys in India. The Bombay High Court bench of Chief Justice Mohit Shah and Justice DY Chandrachud in September last year, asked the BIS to respond to central government's suggestions on the need to regulate the use of phthalates in toys.
Energy conservation is a moving target
A decade has passed since the Energy Conservation Act was enacted in 2001.
ICMR Report: Effect of Long Term Endosulfan Exposure on Male Fertility May 31, 2011
To find relation between serum reproductive hormones and cytogenetic changes in the peripheral blood lymphocytes of exposed population.
CSE responds to the endosulfan industry's bullying tactics
I thought I should let you know about the recent attacks against us by the pesticide industry. You will recall, we had way back in 2001 analyzed samples of soil, water and blood from Padre village in Kerala to check for contamination. We went there because local doctors and activists wrote about the horrific diseases and abnomalities in this region. We tested and found high levels of endosulfan pesticide.
Home truths
Modern houses are suffused with harmful chemicals. One of them is lead, present in paints. It is banned in several countries but not in India.