EHN Originals

Thirteen popular children’s backpacks have detectable levels of organic fluorine, an indicator of the group of chemicals known as PFAS, according to a new report from Mamavation. Partnering with EHN.org, the environmental wellness blog and community had 19 backpacks from 18 brands tested by a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency-certified lab and found levels of organic…

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PITTSBURGH — Community advocates tasked with spending $5 million in fines from Shell’s industrial air pollution are determined not to let the oil company take credit for the projects. In a region long plagued by industrial pollution, community advocates say weak enforcement leads to a “pay-to-pollute” model, where it’s cheaper for companies to pay fines…

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PITTSBURGH—Residents living near fracking wells were more likely to experience childhood cancer, severe asthma attacks and low birth weights, found three long-awaited studies on fracking and health released by the Pennsylvania Department of Health on Tuesday evening. The three studies, conducted in collaboration with researchers at the University of Pittsburgh’s school of public health, looked…

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Two environmental hazards are emerging in tandem with the promise of disruptions to municipal financial markets. One, global warming, has received widespread attention; the other, toxic waste, less so. Sea level rise due to a climate change presents an existential threat to coastal towns and cities as they experience a steady gnawing away of their…

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PITTSBURGH—There’s nothing better than a summer day spent in the garden — but be careful where you plant it. Villanova University researchers tested 21 gardens in Pennsylvania— many built on former industrial sites — and found concerning levels of heavy metals, particularly lead. Five of the gardens were in Pittsburgh and the rest were in…

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A half year after the train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, independent researchers say their work contradicts the government narrative that the area is safe and residents say they are sick and are navigating the causes of their symptoms without any reliable guidance. Meanwhile, public policy advocates are fatalistic about efforts to increase regulation of…

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PITTSBURGH — Last year, a group of climate-concerned doctors at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center approached their bosses with a list of sustainability requests. The leadership team agreed to most requests, with one exception: Divesting from fossil fuels. To date, more than 1,500 institutions representing more than $40 trillion in assets have pledged to…

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PITTSBURGH—The closure of one of Pittsburgh’s largest coal-processing plants in 2016 led to a lasting reduction in hazardous air pollution and a decrease in heart-related hospital visits, according to a new study. The Shenango Coke Works, located on Pittsburgh’s Neville Island, processed coal into coke, a key ingredient in steelmaking, until its closure in January…

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Most people have heard of BPA — but researchers say its chemical cousin, BADGE, is leaving scores of workers, artisans and individuals at risk. BADGE, short for bisphenol-A diglycidyl ether, BADGE, has gotten far less attention than BPA (bisphenol-A), though it shows potentially equal endocrine-disrupting potential (meaning it interferes with the proper functioning of hormones),…

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Editor’s note: This is part of an ongoing series, BPA’s evil cousin. LOWELL, MA — During the 25 years he worked as an industrial and commercial painter, Ken Seal handled a lot of nasty chemicals, like epoxy resins, titanium dioxide, isocyanates and volatile organic solvents. Once, while leading a crew on a job painting with…

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