August 31, 2020 – By Kate S. Petersen, Environmental Health News – Researchers say that more microplastics pollution is getting into farm soil than oceans—and these tiny bits are showing up in our fruits, veggies, and bodies. More links Microplastics in farm soils: A growing concern
August 11, 2020 – By John Fagan et al., Environmental Research – An organic diet was associated with significantly reduced urinary levels of glyphosate and AMPA. The reduction in glyphosate and AMPA levels was rapid, dropping to baseline within three days. This study demonstrates that diet is a primary source of glyphosate exposure and that
July 24, 2020 – By Kevin Miller, Portland Press Herald – Milk from a Central Maine dairy farm contained levels of a harmful “forever chemical” that were 60 to 150 times higher than health standards, triggering a state investigation and raising new concerns about PFAS contamination on farms. More links State investigating ‘very startling’ levels
July 14, 2020 – Environmental Working Group – Independent laboratory tests commissioned by the Environmental Working Group found glyphosate, the notorious weedkiller linked to cancer, in more than 80 percent of non-organic hummus and chickpeas samples, and detected at far lower levels in several organic versions. More links High Levels of Bayer’s Weedkiller Found in
June 15, 2020 – By Shirah Dedman, Food Safety News – Covid-19 is bringing out the hoarder in all of us. Canned goods, packaged foods, and bottled water are flying off shelves almost as soon as they are stocked. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) waylays concerns that fresh produce may carry the virus. It’s
May 4, 2020 – By Ramin Skibba, Hakai Magazine – Preliminary research shows that a popular insecticide [imidacloprid] hampers arthropods in the ocean. More links What’s Bad for Bees Could Be Bad for Marine Life, Too
April 23, 2020 – By Jerrold J. Heindel and Linda S. Birnbaum, Environmental Health News – We are an unhealthy nation—and many of our elevated disease rates are linked to environmental chemicals. COVID-19 is bringing into sharp focus the need to prevent this widespread exposure. More links Endocrine-disrupting chemicals weaken us in our COVID-19 battle:
April 22, 2020 – By Liza Gross, Food & Environment Reporting Network – With stores rationing bottled water, some 1 million residents whose tap water is tainted with agricultural pollutants confront the state’s failure to solve the problem. More links Coronavirus forces California farmworkers to scramble for safe drinking water
March 30, 2020 – By Carey Gillam, The Guardian – The US agriculture giant Monsanto and the German chemical giant BASF were aware for years that their plan to introduce a new agricultural seed and chemical system would probably lead to damage on many US farms, internal documents seen by the Guardian show. More links
March 28, 2020 – By Laura Geggel, Live Science – Despite what a doctor in a viral video suggests, it’s not a good idea to wash fruits and vegetables with soap and water, even during the COVID-19 pandemic, food scientists told Live Science. More links Viral video advises washing fruit and vegetables with soap. Here’s
