When Politics Trumps Science: Why asbestos is still legal in the USA

by Christopher Gerry Weathering over fifty years’ worth of damning scientific evidence, asbestos, a known carcinogen, appears as resistant to American legislation as it is to fire, electricity, and heat. Asbestos is a naturally occurring fibrous substance with properties that make it an attractive material for use in construction and manufacturing. An overwhelming amount of evidence, however, has linked ingestion or inhalation of microscopic asbestos … Continue reading When Politics Trumps Science: Why asbestos is still legal in the USA

New Toxic Substances Control Act: An End to the Wild West for Chemical Safety?

by Cory Gerlach figures by Tito Adhikary There are currently more than 85,000 chemicals in the US that make up the products in our daily lives and few, besides medications and pesticides, have been assessed thoroughly for safety. In fact, the federal government has had relatively little oversight over most chemicals in commerce (Figure 1). As a result, nearly all of the chemicals in our cosmetics, … Continue reading New Toxic Substances Control Act: An End to the Wild West for Chemical Safety?