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Cyanide & toxic chemical News ARChives
Elevated cancer level found in Pa.
This article reports that the federal government found an elevated number of cases of a rare blood cancer in northeastern Pennsylvania, but uncovered no link to any possible cause in the environment. Residents, however, dispute this finding. Some patients diagnosed with the cancer live 80 miles north of a site where McAdoo Associates accepted hundreds of thousands of gallons of paint sludge, waste oils, used solvents, PCB's, cyanide, pesticides, and many other known or suspected carcinogens.
Mudslide damages plant at Costa Rica Glencairn mine
This article reports that Glencairn Gold Corp's Bellevista mine in Costa Rica suffered a landslide; however, no cyanide was released as a result of the landslide.
This article reports that Turkish miners allege cyanide leaching of gold will not damage the environment if cyanide is used properly, but environmental experts do not agree due to the past record of gold mines in Turkey. Mehmet Torun, the head of the Chamber of Mining Engineers, comments that the use of cyanide for leaching gold can be controlled via proper engineering and that about 85 percent of gold in the world is being enriched using cyanide.
Health officials study Pa. toxic waste dump for possible link to rare blood disease
This article reports on an abandoned mine in McAdoo, Pennsylvania, that was turned into a toxic waste dump. The company, McAdoo Associates, began operating in 1975 extracting and recycling metals from chemical waste, and, in the process, accepted hundred of thousands of gallons of paint sludge, waste oils, used solvents, PCBs, cyanide, pesticides and many other known or suspected carcinogens. Four years later, when the EPA stepped in, McAdoo Associates had stockpiled enough chemicals to nearly fill an Olympic-size swimming pool.
Family Security Matters (10/22/07)
Al Qaeda Driven by Undiminished Intent to Attack Homeland
This article reports on a White House report entitled "National Strategy for Homeland Security" published last week that updates a strategy put forth in July 2002. The article discusses the report's call for terrorism preparedness and mentions that in March 2003, Al Qaeda's deputy leader, Ayman al-Zawahiri, had decided to disband plans for a cyanide attack on the New York subway.
Angry villagers campaign against toxic storage plans
This article reports that residents of Melmerby (England) signed a petition against the storage of toxic materials near their homes. The petition objects to an application by the Potter Group to store 500 tons of liquefied petroleum gas, 280 tons of very toxic material, including cyanide and hydrofluoric acid, and 2,000 tons of flammable material on its 42-acre site at Melmerby Industrial Estate. The site has been used for the storage of hazardous substances since 1972.
Pacific News Center (10/20/07)
Medics lend hand in Topoff 4 exercise
The Guam Memorial Hospital and Naval Hospital and Airmen from the 36th Medical Group helped out in theTopoff 4 terrorism preparedness exercise in Guam. Topoff 4 is a Congressionally-mandated terrorism preparedness exercise, involving top officials at every level of government, as well as representatives from the international community and private sector. Each Topoff exercise involves a two-year cycle of seminars, planning events and exercises, which culminates in a full-scale assessment of the nation's capacity to prevent, prepare for, respond to, and recover from terrorist attacks involving weapons of mass destruction.
The Arizona Republic (10/18/07)
Woman arrested in evacuation scare
Phoenix, Arizona officials reported that a woman in Scottsdale, Arizona attempted to evacuate two hotels and two gas stations yesterday, claiming that a poisonous cyanide cloud was approaching. The woman has been taken into custody on charges of disorderly conduct and unreasonable noise. No cyanide cloud has been detected.
The Los Angeles Times reports that according to an analysis of U.S. Bureau of Land Management records, more than 21,300 mining claims have been staked within 10 miles of California's national parks and monuments and federal wilderness and roadless areas. With its open pits, acid drainage, and air and water pollution, mining is the dirtiest of all resource developments, accounting for more Superfund toxic cleanup sites than any other industry. In 2002, California became the first state to require that open pits be refilled after a mine closes. On Oct. 18, the House Committee on Natural Resources is to take up a proposed revision of the statute that would impose royalties on mining companies and recognize the value of water quality, fish and wildlife habitat in the consideration of claims. Roadless areas would be off-limits to new mines. Environmentalists are seeking an amendment for buffers that would protect the Grand Canyon, Yosemite and other national parks.
Chemical explosion at UCSB, fume hood prevents student from injury
KSBY reports that a UC Santa Barbara chemistry student avoided serious injury Oct. 13 after an explosion during a laboratory experiment. The explosion was caused by a mixture of phosphorus oxychloride and sodium metal. Almost all experiments involving chemicals are done under a fume hood that protects students from potential accidents through a glass shield with a ventilation system.
California becomes first to ban chemical often found in plastic toys
This article reports that California has banned toys and baby products containing more than a trace amount of phthalate, a chemical used to soften plastics that scientists have linked to health problems. The ban makes California the first state to impose severe limits on a chemical that is widely used in baby bottles, soft baby books, teething rings, plastic bath ducks and other toys. This story has been run by several news outlets.
Toxicology: Research on toxicology discussed by E. Saussereau and co-researchers
This article reports that researchers have developed a new, rapid liquid chromatographic method for identifying thiocyanate in the blood plasma of people who have died in fires. The article reports that the researchers concluded that the new method could be of interest to forensic scientists looking for an additional tool for detecting cyanide in human blood. The article also appeared in Drug Week.
Obesity, Fitness & Wellness Week (10/13/07)
New findings from J.L. Fortin and co-authors in the area of toxicology published
This article reports that victims of cyanide poisoning are potential organ donors provided that a victim's organs are not damaged by the poison or antidotal treatment. The article reports that researchers examined a patient suffering from cyanide poisoning from smoke inhalation who had been administered hydroxocobalamin but ultimately died three days later of cardiac arrest. Researchers concluded that the use of hydroxocobalamin was not a contraindication to organ transplantation. This article also appeared in Biotech Week and Science Letter.
Agence France Presse (10/10/07)
Gold-mining giants leave Africa to clear up mess: report
At a book launch for "Black Gold," which is being published in collaboration with Oxfam France-Agir and the association Survie (Survival), campaigners said open-cast gold-mining operations in Africa by multinationals have created an ecological and health time-bomb and failed to help local people out of poverty. Cyanide and mercury, the two toxic substances that are used to purify the minerals during mining, have contaminated the local groundwater leading to cases of paralysis, blindness and numerous miscarriages.
Noblesville Daily Times (10/8/07)
Autopsy results in cyanide exposure
Riverview Hospital was put on alert for the second time in a week when officials conducting an autopsy were exposed to cyanide. Noblesville Fire Department Division Chief Rick Russell said when officials opened the man's stomach, gases escaped. Hamilton County Coroner Thurl Cecil and pathologist Joseph Czaja immediately recognized that they had just been exposed to some form of cyanide. Russell said no people were evacuated from the hospital; however, the heating and cooling system was shut down and no one was allowed inside or out of the emergency department until after Cecil and Czaja had been decontaminated and the cyanide contained.
Thailand: Map Ta Phut residents file complaint
against industry minister over pollution issue
The Bangkok Post reports that residents of Map Ta Phut (Thailand) have filed a complaint with the provincial administrative court against Deputy Prime Minister and Industry Minister Kosit Panpiemras and the National Environment Board for failing to declare Map Ta Phut a pollution control area. Residents claim they have been exposed to toxic chemicals released from factories in Map Ta Phut.
Pollution kills thousands of Canadians
The Vancouver Sun reports on a study led by University of B.C. Trudeau scholar David Boyd, that estimates that pollutants cause as many as 25,000 deaths, 24,000 new cases of cancer and 2,500 low-birth-weight babies in Canada every year. The study measured the magnitude of adverse health effects caused by exposure to environmental hazards such as air pollution, pesticides, dioxins and heavy metals.
Guns and drugs found, 3 arrested after burglary
This article reports that authorities arrested three San Andreas (CA) men in connection with an August burglary and possession of illegal firearms. During the arrest, investigators recovered blasting caps, illegal ammunition, an improvised explosive containing cyanide powder, methamphetamine and paraphernalia associated with methamphetamine use. This story was first reported last week by the Stockton Record newspaper.
Stockton Record (9/28/07)
Trio held in cyanide find don't appear to be terrorists, officials say
As a follow-up to an article published yesterday regarding three San Andreas, CA men arrested for possession of illegal firearms and a cyanide bomb, this article reports that the men do not appear to be terrorists, but their intentions still remain unclear. The article quotes Dr. Donald Walsh, president of the Cyanide Poisoning Treatment Coalition, as saying that even small quantities of cyanide can be deadly but the danger posed depends on the method of exposure. Dr. Walsh states that the cyanide powder found in Valley Springs, CA would be more dangerous if it was burned, sending out toxic smoke, than if it was simply dispersed during an explosion. The article notes that the Cyanide Poisoning Treatment Coalition advocates for greater preparedness to confront mass cyanide poisoning and reports that a 2005 survey of hospitals in major U.S. cities found few cities or hospitals with enough antidote kits to handle cyanide poisonings involving 50 or more people.
Nine die as China house collapses in cyanide
A house built on top of an abandoned pool of cyanide collapsed in a gold-mining area of central China, killing nine people and sending seven others to the hospital. The floor of the house, made of a single wooden board over the pond, gave way, and 16 people fell into a two-meter-deep chemical pool that was used to extract gold from ore.
Please note that this story appeared in a number of outlets, including MyFox Web sites for Memphis, St. Louis, Philadelphia, Houston, Dallas, Providence, Orlando and other cities. The story also appeared on ABC Online and in the Melbourne Herald Sun (Australia).
Three San Andreas, CA residents are in jail after a two-week law enforcement operation uncovered a hoard of weapons scattered across three counties in California, including a bomb designed to disperse cyanide powder and several illegal military-style weapons. Calaveras County bomb technicians have rendered the cyanide bomb safe.
NorthJersey.com (9/26/07)
Spontaneous combustion likely led to noxious fumes
Smoldering boxes of hazardous waste were discovered inside a shopping center suite occupied by a pharmaceutical research laboratory. Smoke from the boxes was the product of spontaneous combustion. The area around the boxes remains closed as environmental health specialists continue to sweep the site for other chemicals and noxious fumes.
A cache of more then 300 chemicals has been found in an Oregon home. While the owners of the home say the chemicals were not dangerous, officials say the likelihood of a serious chemical disaster was very high due to the nature of the chemicals found. Fred Scalise, a Ph.D. in molecular biology and biochemistry and senior consultant with an environmental clean-up company OMNICON, said that if a fire had broken out in the home, the surrounding area would have faced a "highly poisonous and likely very irritating, corrosive smoke."
Irish Independent (9/24/07)
Toxic fume concern after fire destroys paint depot
A fire that burned an industrial plant storing paint and chemicals at the Euro-Business Park was one of the biggest fires fought by Cork (Ireland) firefighters. The firefighters were forced to wear breathing apparatus while struggling to bring the fire under control. No one was injured, but officials are concerned with the possibility of lingering toxic fumes released as a result of the fire.
Dow Jones International News (9/21/07)
EU Panel Backs Merck's Cyanokit® for Cyanide Poisoning
A European Union advisory panel said it has issued six positive opinions on marketing applications for new drugs, paving the way for EU marketing approval for those medicines. Included in those approved was Cyanokit® (hydroxocobalamin), from Merck Santé s.a.s., for the treatment of known or suspected cyanide poisoning. Please note that this article was also on the PharmaLive website.
Independent Online, South Africa (9/21/07)
Poison worries mount after port blaze
Chemicals were released into a harbor in Durban, South Africa, causing thousands of fish to die. Port authorities have been accused of trying to hide which chemicals were released into the water, as they have yet to release any information on what is causing the pollution.
The Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District is beginning to dispose of more than 10,000 tons of contaminated sewage sludge fertilizer. They are transporting the fertilizer, reportedly contaminated with varying amounts of toxic chemicals, to landfills in Franklin and in Michigan. The trucks transporting the fertilizer carry roughly 100-120 tons, and are being filled overnight and driven to Michigan to avoid morning rush hour commuter congestion through Chicago.
Inside EPA (9/17/07)
Congress unlikely to back chemical pacts before revising TSCA
This article details that Congress is preoccupied with larger issues around the Toxic Substances Control Act, including how to address how the decade-old law can be used to regulate nanotechnology, genetically modified organisms, and other chemical management questions, and is unlikely to enact legislation to implement three international chemical agreements. The three agreements would ban or strictly regulate certain toxic chemicals and apply to all production, import, export, use and disposal of chemicals (with the exception of chemicals only used for export).
The Detroit News (9/15/07)
Report: Industrial site is contaminated;
an environmental study of the 80-acre facility found lead, arsenic and cyanide
The Village Council in Pinckney, Michigan, received an environmental report stating that a former 80-acre manufacture plant contains lead, arsenic and cyanide. While contaminants should not have an impact on residents, village officials want to find a developer willing to clean up the site.
Platts Commodity News (9/14/07)
Cyanide removed from Bellavista gold mine: CEO
According to President and CEO of Glencairn Gold Corporation, Peter Tagliamonte, all cyanide and other toxic materials have been removed from the Bellavista gold mine in Costa Rica. Operations at the mine were suspended following earth movement and fear of a cyanide spill.
This article discusses that President and CEO of Glencairn Gold Corporation, Peter Tagliamonte, states that the company will not leave the Bellavista mine and that they will "do what is right for the environment" if they have to close the mine following the earth movement. The article mentions the mine's use of cyanide and the risk for cyanide contamination.
The Columbian (9/14/07)
Company fined $30,000 for chemical spill
This article reports that a Sifton-area metal-finishing company has been fined $30,000 for allowing toxic chemicals to discharge into the Burnt Bridge Creek in Washington.
Central Maine Morning Sentinel (9/14/07)
Water quality too important to leave to chance
The Central Maine Morning Sentinel reports that millions of state and federal dollars have been spent over the decades to restore water quality in the Kennebec river area. Authorities, however, have not been able to contain the toxic leaks that come from many now defunct coal-gasification facilities that are home to significant amounts of toxic waste. There is worry that the waste including, cyanide, volatile organic compounds and other pollutants, will seep into ground waters and further pollute local rivers.
Hartford Courant (9/12/07)
Environmentalists To Sue Five Polluters
The Connecticut Fund for the Environment is suing five major companies that have allegedly been illegally dumping toxins into four rivers. The suit follows the release of a Courant special report on the state's major chemical dischargers - the 35 firms with state permits to release toxin-laden wastewater directly into Connecticut waters. The report also noted that 17 of 35 companies who were dumping toxins into the rivers were doing so with expired permits.
NY1 (9/11/07)
EPA: Small Amount Of Toxins Released Following Deutsche Bank Fire
Following last month's fire, officials have ordered the former Deutsche Bank building at the World Trade Center site to be sealed immediately. They say a small amount of toxins were released into the air after the fire.
Environment: Critics Weigh In as IFC Tightens Mining Rules
The International Finance Corporation (IFC) has attempted to draft guidelines for mining in an effort to lessen the damage wrought by large mining projects. Their guidelines, however, are coming under much criticism from NGOs and watchdog groups that say, in a 20-page critique, that there is a failure to "stipulate appropriate protections to prevent contamination of local water sources by toxic chemicals, ensure proper disposal of mine waste or guarantee prior community consultation on the design of mine closure plans."
Meeting this month: Factory's neighbors want more details about the cleanup of contaminated site
Hackettstown, New Jersey will hold a meeting to answer questions about the clean up of a former tool factory. The former Bergen Tool factory site is said to have contaminates still onsite, as the most recent report found continued groundwater contamination, including higher-than-allowed cyanide levels.
Mining Law Reform Being Discussed
The Black Hills Pioneer reports on the pressure to change mining laws that were created in 1872, as these laws do not address the manner in which modern day mining is executed. The 1872 law makes no mention of how to regulate the leaching process that uses cyanide to separate ore from rock. The cyanide used in this process is supposed to be contained, but inevitably has leaked into ground water and streams, contaminating local waters. Outdoorsmen and environmentalists have been testifying on Capitol Hill to press the passage of the Hardrock Mining and Reclamation Act of 2007 that will do away with patents and address environmental concerns, something the 1872 Mining law ignored. Meanwhile, major mining companies are in turn lobbying for their own needs.
Inter Press News Service (9/9/07)
Cleaning up After Bhopal Gas Tragedy - Not Begun
The U.S. multinational, Dow Chemical, has now offered to partially bear the cost of cleaning the site of the plant in Bhopal, central India, that leaked poisonous cyanide gases into the city in December 1984, causing some 4,000 immediate deaths. However, in return, Dow is lobbying to be free from further liability inherited from Union Carbide Corp., which it bought in 2001.
Statesman Journal (9/7/07)
Concern flares over cache of chemicals in Silverton
This article reports that a routine investigation of a new business in Silverton, Oregon, led to the discovery of a large amount of potentially deadly chemicals, including cyanide. Gene Pfeifer, the former property owner, said his brother, who is a geologist, owned and used the chemicals for metalurgical study. He said they have been stored for more than 30 years.
CheshireOnline (9/7/07)
Chemical spill brings M53 to a standstill
This article reports that M53, a roadway in Cheshire (United Kingdom), was closed for six hours on Wednesday, due to toxic chemicals leaking from a 22-ton tanker. Emergency response teams believed that seals on the tanker had broken, causing the mix of hydrochloric acid and nitric acid to leak, "gassing off" through a relief valve.
Daily Home Online (9/6/07)
Proposed settlement in lawsuit against Norfolk Southern gets court approval
A proposed settlement in a class action lawsuit against Norfolk Southern Corporation, on behalf of business owner Deborah J. Brasher and certain people in Lincoln, has been agreed upon in federal district court as of Aug. 27. The lawsuit was filed immediately after two trains — one carrying sodium cyanide and the other attemptingg to pass it on a sidetrack — collided on Jan. 18, 2006. The cyanide threatened a one-mile area around the explosion site in Lincoln with eminent danger if the chemical had mixed with water.
Vancouver Province (9/6/07)
Firefighters pay huge tribute to one of their best
This article reports on the funeral of a fallen Vancouver firefighter, Robert Hall, after a battle with colorectal cancer. Hall was revered in the firefighter community for getting the provincial government to recognize certain cancers as occupational hazards. Hall's friend believes it was the toxins from fires that killed Hall and mentions cyanide.
Reuters Canada (9/5/07)
Canadian gold miner defends cyanide use in Romania
This article reports that Canadian miner, Gabriel Resources, defended its plan to use cyanide to extract gold. The company faces resistance from both the Romanian and Hungarian governments, which cite environmental hazards. Gabriel CEO Alan Hill commented that around 400 gold mines worldwide use cyanide, representing 90 percent of all gold production, and added that the project complies with stricter EU rules on cyanide use.
The News Journal (9/5/07)
DuPont plant reopens after spill
Dupont Co.'s Edge Moor plant reopened, as the company investigates a leak allowing more than 1,000 pounds of acid-forming chemicals to be released into the Delaware River.
Los Angeles Wave (8/30/07)
Still Saving Lives
This article reports on proposed legislation in California (Assembly Bill 706) that would prohibit the use of brominated and chlorinated flame-retardants in furniture construction. The article explains that studies have shown that brominated and chlorinated flame-retardants can have serious health impacts upon exposure, including cancer, reproductive difficulties and neurological problems. The article also explains that when burned, brominated chemicals are converted into dioxins and furans, and fire fighters can be exposed to these chemicals through smoke inhalation and soot contact with the skin. The article notes that the legislation has been named after Crystal Golden-Jefferson, a Los Angeles County fire fighter who died of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, a type of cancer known to be caused by dioxin exposure.
Environmental Policy Alert (08/29/2007)
Skeptics Say EPA May Be Unable to Meet Chemical Management Goals
Legal and environmentalist observers are raising questions about a newly announced partnership between the United States, Mexico and Canada to develop and share chemical risk assessment and management information. The new partnership was formed on Aug. 21 at a North American leadership summit in Quebec, Canada, and commits the three countries to develop assessments for approximately 9,000 chemicals and to share the results. Under the agreement, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will conduct risk characterizations and take action, as needed, on more than 9,000 chemicals produced above 25,000 pounds per year by 2012.
Drug Week (08/28/2007)
Experimental Biology; Reports from University of California highlight recent research in experimental biology
Reporting on recent medical research regarding the use of sodium nitroprusside to treat hypertensive emergencies and acute heart failure, this article reports that treatment with sodium nitroprusside can cause the release of cyanide ions in patients. The article notes that hydroxocobalamin has a high binding affinity for cyanide and has been shown to reduce cyanide levels in nitroprusside-treated patients. This article also appeared in Life Sciences Weekly, Health & Medicine Week, Biotech Week and Science Letter.
The Age (08/28/2007)
Gold prospecting in catchments sparks water fears
This article reports on environmentalists who are opposed to mining for gold in Melbourne's (Australia) protected water catchments. The article states that environmentalists claim that gold mines would most likely use cyanide in their processing and that cyanide should not be used in close proximity to Melbourne's drinking water supply.
Emergency Medical Services (08/28/2007)
Great preparations; Doing the right things before an MCI can make a big difference
This article reports on measures taken by emergency medical services (EMS) systems to prepare for mass-casualty scenarios. The article notes that some common chemical agents that can be used in a terrorist act – inncluding hydrogen cyanide – freeze at fairly warm temperatures, making them iineffective in cold weather.
The Northern Echo (08/27/2007)
Company applies to store tons of toxic substances
A storage company owned by the Potter Group has applied to Harrogate Borough Council (UK) for a hazardous substance permit for its 42-acre site at the Melmerby Industrial Estate. The site has been used for the storage of hazardous chemicals, including cyanide, since 1972.
Northern Miner (08/27/2007)
Editorial: Rotten week for miners
This article, a report on current events in the global mining industry, notes that a Bellavista gold mine (Costa Rica) may never re-open after mining was suspended owing to the operation's heap-leach pads becoming soggy and sliding downhill. Continued movement of the pads could potentially lead to a tearing of the pads' underlying plastic liners, which keep cyanide sprinkled on top of the pads from entering the local groundwater.
Health & Medicine Week (08/27/2007)
Experimental Biology; Reports from University of California
highlight recent research in experimental biology
Reporting on recent medical research regarding the use of sodium nitroprusside to treat hypertensive emergencies and acute heart failure, this article reports that treatment with sodium nitroprusside can cause the release of cyanide ions in patients. The article notes that hydroxocobalamin has a high binding affinity for cyanide and has been shown to reduce cyanide levels in nitroprusside-treated patients. This article also appeared in Biotech Week.
All Africa (08/26/2007)
Mining Company Expresses Regret for Cyanide Spillage
This article reports that the Bogoso Gold Limited mining company (Dumasi Village, Africa) has issued a press release announcing that one of the mine's tailings-delivery pipes developed a leak, releasing about 25 to 40 drums of mill tailings — which contain cyannide — into the environment on June 16, 2006.
Star Ledger (8/23/07)
Group gets action on pollution of river, but company's clean-up plan called inadequate
This article reports that the Edison Wetlands Association, as well as the Environmental Protection Agency, are taking action against Bassell, the world's largest producer of the polymer polypropylene, which they believe has been dumping cyanide and other toxins in a local fishing spot.
BIA (8/21/07)
Cyanide gold mine closed
This article reports that Canadian Eldorado Gold-Tuprag company has been prevented from further extracting gold with cyanide by the governor's office of Usak province, in western Turkey. Two weeks before the opening of the mine in July 2006, 1,800 people in Esme had been poisoned by hydrogen cyanide coming from the mine. The mine was opened by Hilmi Guler, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources.
Turkish Daily News (8/20/07)
Istanbul suffers heavy contamination
This article reports on Istanbul's growing pollution problem. The article states that cyanide remnants were found in the waters of the Kurbagidere Canal in Istanbul. In addition, the article discusses that the Istanbul Municipality Water and Sewage Works discharges waste that it calls "mud," which consists of various chemicals, from its facility without precautionary measures. The facility is located next to the Bayramtepe neighborhood.
Asian News International (8/19/07)
Modern Day "Gold Rush" threatens Grand Canyon, Yellowstone
This article reports that the Environmental Working Group (EWG) cited data from the U.S. Bureau of Land Management to identify 2,900 new mining claims that have been staked within five miles of national parks, such as the Grand Canyon and Yellowstone, since 2003. The article discusses that mining companies have been known to use cyanide to extract metals such as gold from rocks, which has been known to leak into nearby watercourses.
Associated Press (8/17/07)
Nine workers affected by cyanide residue
Nine employees of a hardware manufacturing company, Corbin Russwin Inc., were taken to the hospital Friday after experiencing respiratory problems and burning eyes after being exposed to cyanide power which is used in the manufacturing process. The U.S. Dept. of Environmental Protection was called to the site to clean up the dust that contained cyanide residue. A similar article was published in The Hartford Courant.
NBC30.com (8/17/07)
Nine people taken to hospital after cyanide exposure reported at Berlin manufacturer
This article reports that the Department of Environmental Protection is responding to reports of cyanide exposure at a Berlin, Conn. manufacturing company. Nine workers were reported to be exposed to cyanide and were taken to hospitals for treatment.
The Canadian Press (8/15/2007)
Glencairn shares fall on TSX after company warns mine may stay closed
This article reports that the Bellavista mine may remain closed indefinitely; the mine in Costa Rica was closed after ground movements raised concerns about a cyanide spill risk.
The Star (8/14/2007)
AngloGold's Argentinian mine plans to expand its production
This article reports that AngloGold Ashanti's open-pit mine in southern Argentina planned to build a cyanide heap leach plant that could produce between 25,000 ounces and 30,000 ounces of gold.
Business Wire (8/14/2007)
Brazauro Resources Announces Results from Bulk Flotation and Cyanidation Tests of Tocantinzinho Gold Ore Very Positive
Brazauro Resources Corporation issued a press release regarding positive results from their bulk flotation and cyanidation tests on gold ore from the company's Tocantinzinho Gold Project in Brazil. The tests investigated the cyanide leachability of the final concentrate of bulk flotation. A gold extraction of 98% was obtained on the final bulk concentrate by cyanide leaching. Due to the presence of sulfides in the concentrate, cyanide consumption was high at 5.10 kg/t. However, since only 1% of the head weight is being subjected to the final cyanidation, this is insignificant.
Newsquest Media Group Newspapers (8/14/2007)
New cyanide bag hunt after second break-in
This article reports that thieves stole a fifth bag contaminated with cyanide from the Walton metal treatment facility in London. The bags contain potassium cyanide, along with thousands of pounds worth of silver anodes (instruments used in silver plating). The article states that the cyanide is not believed to be dangerous if it is in a large open area, but can be potentially fatal if it enters the body via touch or mouth. Thieves previously stole four other bags on July 29, 2007.
Business News Americas (8/13/2007)
Small miners discuss certified gold projects
This article reports that the Center for Sustainability Studies at Argentina's Universidad Nacional de San Martin held a conference to present certified gold production projects. The certified gold production process, called "green gold," prohibits the use of cyanide or mercury, prevents deforestation in mining zones, and promotes reforestation.
Journal Gazette (8/12/2007)
DeKalb to give EMS antidotes for cyanide
Last year the FDA approved a new cyanide poisoning antidote, Cyanokit, that is designed for use at fire scenes or hospitals to treat cyanide poisoning. This article reports that the DeKalb EMS (IN) will receive four units of Cyanokit – one for each of three ambulances – plus another to be kept in the emergeency room at Auburn's DeKalb Memorial Hospital, but other local EMS departments are not stocking Cyanokit. The article explains that house fires burn various common materials such as plastic, foam, paper and cotton; when these materials catch fire, they can emit dangerous levels of cyanide — the same poison used in some chemical weapons. The article credits a local firefighter and paramedic, Bob Brownell, for campaigning to have Cyanokit brought to DeKalb County — Brownell is quoted as saying that "It's [Cyanokit] a critical antidote for smoke inhalation…it's only going to take one to make a difference." Additionally, the article explains that Cyanokit costs about $700 and has a recommended shelf life of less than three years. The article notes that this cost may seem expensive for a treatment that might not be used, but that this is not unusual in the field of emergency response, where various types of equipment and treatments are purchased but only used occasionally or rarely.
Birmingham News (8/9/2007)
State sites listed in U.S study of rail crashes
This article reports that a study done by the University of Louisville (KY) identified the top-20 train derailments by various categories in the U.S. from 2001 to 2006. According to the study, one of the top-20 most costly train collisions included an accident near Highway U.S. 78 along the Coosa River (AL) on Jan. 24, 2006. During this collision, approximately 280 pounds of sodium cyanide and 4,000 gallons of diesel fuel were spilled. Additionally, the collision injured three railroad workers.
Detroit Free Press (8/8/2007)
Previous Coverage: Kids played among poisons; Lead in Westland park kept quiet
This article reports that parts of the Westland Central City Park in Detroit, MI are contaminated with high levels of cyanide, lead, arsenic, mercury and other toxic substances. A review of state, county and municipal records by the Detroit Free Press, including analyses of soil samples and cleanup proposals, revealed that since 1999 four rounds of tests have been performed at the county-owned park, finding particularly high levels of toxic chemicals in certain areas. The Detroit Free Press originally published this article on November 7, 2006.
Bangkok Post (8/7/2007)
LOEI/Contamination of creek; NHRC probes cause of cyanide pollution
This article reports that the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has been investigating the cause of cyanide contamination in Mae Huay creek near a gold mine in Loei's Wang Saphung district in Bangkok. Local residents believe the cyanide found in the creek was caused by the gold mining operations of the Tungkum Company. The firm has strongly denied the charge.
Post-Tribune (8/5/2007)
No good excuse for permit backlog
A public meeting was held in Gary, IN to discuss a backlogged environmental permit that allows United States Steel Corporation (U.S. Steel) to discharge about four pounds of cyanide into a river per day regardless of the season. The permit expired approximately seven years ago, but the Indiana Department of Environmental Management has administratively extended the life of the permit. A new permit that is currently up for public comment requires the company to cut cyanide discharges by 20 percent while salmon are present in the river. Environmentalists want the company to cut all cyanide discharge regardless of the season.
Courier Mail (8/3/2007)
Director fined over cyanide
This article provides an update on the court case against a Sunshine Gold Coast mining director, who failed to instruct his staff to comply with the order to treat cyanide in the mine's tailings dam and properly secure the dam's contents and rectify safe run-off sites. The director has been fined $75,000 by the court.
Business News Americas (8/2/2007)
Congress to start mining law in review Aug. 19
The Honduras' national congress is set to start reviewing the country's mining law on August 19. New reforms to the mining law include the prohibition of open-pit mining and the use of chemicals, such as cyanide, mercury and arsenic.
Dominion Post (8/1/2007)
Cyanide sign thefts "may cause a death"
This article reports that police and a professional possum hunter fear that repeated thefts of at least 12 cyanide poison warnings will lead to deaths. The Karori police and the possum hunter fear that people will climb the fence into the area where the cyanide hazard signs were used to warn the public of the green cyanide paste used in the area to attract possums. The possum hunter always carries the cyanide antidote amyl nitrate.
NWITimes.com (8/1/2007)
Business Briefs: Quick hits from the region and beyond
The Indiana Department of Environmental Management will host a public meeting at 6 tonight on a wastewater permit plan that would impose stricter measures for U.S. Steel cyanide discharges into the Grand Calumet River.
Star-Telegram (7/31/2007)
Rail safety legislation could have a major impact on N. Texas
North Texas safety advocates praised the approved Homeland Security bill that requires the U.S. Transportation Department to work with railroads and local leaders nationwide to find the safest routes for hazardous rail cargo, and to reroute it through less-populated areas if possible. In Dallas-Fort Worth, water and wastewater treatment plants, which store large volumes of chlorine for disinfection, could be an inviting target for terrorists. A Star-Telegram review of federal Risk Management Plans in March showed that chlorine, whether stored on site or shipped by rail car or tanker truck, is by far the biggest toxic threat in the region, placing more than 1 million people in Tarrant County at risk each day.
Post-Tribune (7/31/2007)
U.S Steel permit gets close look
Environmentalists will meet Wednesday to discuss U.S. Steel Gary Works' new wastewater permit. The Indiana Department of Environmental Management suggests limiting U.S. Steel's discharge of cyanide to the Grand Calumet River from October through March, when salmon are present. Environmentalists say they are pleased that the proposed new permit imposes stricter limits for discharging cyanide into the Grand Calumet River, but also state that it should restrict the discharge at all times, not just when salmon are present. In the new permit, U.S. Steel must limit its discharge to an average 3.1 pounds of cyanide per day from October through March; 0.8 pounds less per day than the rest of the year.
Reuters News (7/31/2007)
Indonesia says food poisoning behind mystery illness
This article reports that there has been an initial investigation into whether or not cyanide poisoning is linked to the mystery illness that killed 10 people in Indonesia. Tests are being done to look at possible poisoning by cyanide, pesticide, arsenic, and other heavy metal substances found in tissue samples sent to a Jakarta laboratory. Victims of the illness in the Central Java village had eaten a locally made fermented soybean dish commonly sold door-to-door.
BBC News (7/30/2007)
Cyanide bag warning after theft
Police issued a warning regarding four canvas bags soaked in a dangerous cyanide compound which were stolen from a metal treatment plant in Surrey. The white bags are used to hold pieces of metal while they are being submerged in a potassium-cyanide liquid. Police said they believed the thieves were trying to find precious metals in the bags. Officers fear the potentially lethal items could have been discarded. A similar article was published by the Wimbledon Guardian.
Courier Mail (7/30/2007)
Mental illness blamed for mine spill
This article reports that the director of the Sunshine Gold Mining Company was reported in court as being mentally ill when he failed to instruct his staff to comply with the order to treat cyanide in the mine's tailings dam and properly secure the dam's contents and rectify safe run-off sites. The mine had permission to run off the water, which had some cyanide content, into a dam -- but under strict conditions. The court was told that the Environmental Protection Agency served a 13-count breach notice on the mine, at Yandina, on April 16, 2004.
ABC Regional News (7/27/2007)
Anti-cyanide protesters don’t stop train
The Cyanide Watch protestors failed to stop a train last night as it passed through Casino, in northern New South Wales. Ultimately, the train was not carrying cyanide. Cyanide Watch spokesman, Graham Dunn, reported that they had given the freight company plenty of notice, which could be why the freight train decided not to ship the cyanide. The group hopes to end transport of cyanide through Casino.
The Tribune (7/27/2007)
BP dumps mercury in lake
This article reports that the BP refinery in northwest Indiana will be allowed to continue pouring small amounts of toxic metal into Lake Michigan for at least another five years. BP’s refinery is one of only two industrial polluters on the lake that dump acetonitrile, a chemical that metabolizes in the environment to cyanide. BP's controversial new state water permit gives the oil company until 2012 to meet strict federal limits on discharges.
Drug Week (7/27/2007)
Emergency medicine; researchers from University of
California detail findings in emergency medicine
This article reports that researchers at the University of California conducted a study to assess the potential for hydroxocobalamin (OHCob) — which is administered to cyanide poisoning victims who may also have suffered from smoke inhalation — to interfere with measuring hemoglobin concentration (tHb), carboxyhemoglobin (COHb), methemoglobin (MetHb), and oxyhemoglobin (Hb-O-2) levels in victims’ blood. Researchers concluded that OHCob treatment of cyanide poisoning, particularly in smoke inhalation victims with carbon monoxide exposure, may lead to erroneous cooximetry measurements of COHb in the bloodstream. Similar articles were published in Health and Medicine Week, Pharma Business Week, and Biotech Business.
AM Canadian News (7/26/2007)
Glencairn stock slides on Costa Rica mine halt
This article reports that shares of Glencairn Gold Corp. fell by one-third Thursday morning after the company suspended operations at its Bellavista Mine in Costa Rica. The company cited the risk of a cyanide spill as ground movements may compromise containment of cyanide used to dissolve gold from crushed ore.
MSN Money (7/26/2007)
Market report-In play (GLE)
Glencairn Gold Corp. suspended all cyanide application as a precautionary measure over recent ground movement. The company is taking this precautionary measure until a full technical analysis is completed and required remedial action implemented. Similar stories were published in Dow Jones News Service, Reuters News, NoticiasFinancieras, Market News Publishing, the Canadian Press, Canada Stockwatch, ENP Newswire, CCNMatthews, and Market Wire.
SouthCoastToday.com (7/25/2007)
Atlas Tack cleanup nearly finished
This article reports that the Atlas Tack Superfund site cleanup is almost complete. Evidence of heavy metals and cyanide were found in the nearby Boys Creek marsh, prompting the designation of the Superfund site. It is reported that if all goes well, the $21 million cleanup will be almost complete by October, just two years after the Environmental Protection Agency project started.
Staten Island Advance (7/25/2007)
Liquid with traces of cyanide found in container on street
Illegal dumpers left three five-gallon containers of liquids, including one containing traces of cyanide, on a Grasmere street yesterday morning. Sanitation inadvertently picked up all three containers and brought them to the Staten Island Transfer Station in Travis. Two of the containers were determined to hold cooking oil; the third container held an unidentified liquid said to contain traces of cyanide and found to be similar to industrial liquids used in commercial jewelry plating.
ABC News (7/24/2007)
Mine company gold theft under investigation
Police in Kalgoorlie, in southern Western Australia, are investigating whether mine processing chemicals, including cyanide, were also taken during a burglary of more than 80 grams of gold from a mine company's offices.
US Fed News (7/23/2007)
EPA Fines San Marcos dairy $6,178 for nitric acid reporting violation
The EPA fined Hollandia Dairy Inc. of San Marcos, Calif. $6,178 for allegedly failing to submit a required toxic chemical report, in violation of the federal Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act.
The Wichita Eagle (7/22/2007)
Data on area’s toxic chemicals hard to find
This article provides information on a chemical blaze at Occidental Chemical Corp. that forced thousands of people out of their homes in Kansas on Tuesday. An analysis of state records shows that 240 companies in Sedgwick County handle large amounts of hazardous chemicals. If the chemical blaze happened at one of the dozens of other chemical storage facilities scattered throughout Wichita and Sedgwick County, it is suggested that the consequences of toxic chemical pollution would have been more widespread. Officials stated that hazardous chemical storage plants must have safety protocols.
Sun-Sentinel.com (7/20/2007)
St. Mary’s Hospital needs a full-time emergency hyperbaric chamber
This article reports that since St. Mary’s Hospital closed the hyperbaric chamber that treats carbon monoxide and cyanide poisoning and other emergencies, there has been community outrage. In response to the outcry, St. Mary’s hospital agreed to reverse the decision and re-staff the emergency chamber. The article states that the community feels the region needs a full-time hyperbaric chamber immediately.
Associated Press (7/20/2007)
Fight brews over revamp of 1872 mine law
This article provides information about the General Mining Act of 1872, which will be discussed and possibly dismantled by lawmakers this Thursday. Critics say that industry problems, including abandoned mines that leak cyanide and heavy metals, make the timing right for the long-overdue change to the mining law. The act has continued to ignite a long-standing battle between American environmentalist and the mining Industry.
The Sault Star (7/20/2007) Baby steps taken; Giant strides to clean up St. Mary's River Heritage Waterway contaminated with bacteria and chemicals
This article reports that in 1995 the International Joint Commission declared the St. Mary's river linking Superior, Huron and Michigan, an "area of concern" due to sediment contaminated with bacteria and chemicals including cyanide, mercury, lead, zinc, oil/grease and arsenic. The $77 million in sewage infrastructure improvements over the last seven years were capped off in the fall of 2006. In mid-June, the low water of the river was said to have uncovered more than a century's worth of sediment contaminated with bacteria and chemicals.
Emergency Medical Services(7/20/2007)
NAEMSE releases first draft of new national EMS education standards
This article provides information on the first draft of new education standards for emergency medical services. The article discusses a French study from 1994 that appears on the Annals of Emergency Medicine Web site that suggests that Hydroxocobalamin-a natural form of vitamin B12-may be an effective antidote to cyanide poisoning from smoke inhalation.
Periodico (7/19/2007)
Honduras protest against open pit mining
This article reports that on Tuesday demonstrators in Honduras demanded a law that forbids open pit mining, including the use of cyanide, mercury and other toxic substances.
Greenwire (7/18/2007)
Oil Spills; N.Y sues companies for failing to act on cleanup
This article reports that the New York state attorney general's office filed a lawsuit on Tuesday against Exxon Mobil and four other oil companies in federal court for failing to complete the cleanup of a 57-year-old spill that continues to release toxic chemicals into several New York City communities.
Associated Press (7/18/2007)
U.S. Senator demands military notify marines of exposure to toxic water at base
This article reports that Republican Senator Elizabeth Dole wants to force the Secretary of the Navy to locate and notify Marines and civilians who were exposed to toxic chemical contaminated water until the mid-1980s, when the base sealed contaminated wells. Government health officials have estimated that as many as one million people may have been exposed during three decades of water contamination going back to 1957.
Gulf Times (7/18/2007)
20 injured in Ukraine toxic chemicals spill
This article reports that 20 people, including emergency workers and police, were injured after poisonous chemical fumes were released when a train carrying liquefied yellow phosphorus derailed in Ukraine on Tuesday, July 17. Nine of the injured suffered severe inhalation injuries as a result of the accident. An estimated 11,000 rural residents in 14 villages were believed to be downwind of the accident, and potentially in the path of the chemical cloud.
Pakistan Press International News (7/17/2007)
Health: Chemical fumes in laboratories may cause fatal diseases
This article reports that the International Centre for Chemical and Biological Sciences (ICCBS) president delivered a lecture warning about the dangers of not following safety measurers at chemical labs. Several types of hazardous chemicals are used in the laboratories, including cyanide, and it was said that several scientists, technicians and students usually ignore to take some important safety measures before starting work in the laboratories.
NeoSeeker.com (7/16/2007)
Will British Columbia really start recycling old computers?
This article reports that a new e-waste recycling program in British Columbia may not constitute recycling, and may cause a toxic chemicals threat to the environment and people. Many electronic devices contain large amounts of toxic chemicals; when they are burned, cyanide can be created as a byproduct, especially older electronics with plastic material. Starting Aug. 1, the program, being launched by the Electronics Stewardship Association of BC, will have a number of Encorp Pacific Canada's Return-It bottle depots accepting four categories of consumer electronics waste: TV sets, computers, printers and monitors.
SeekingAlpha.com (7/16/2007)
The road to Eldorado's gold is closed
This article reports that a Turkish mine was ordered to shutdown, as there was a reported problem last year with cyanide poisoning of villagers. High levels of cyanide were found in villagers' blood as a result of the sodium cyanide heap leach method used by the mine. The final decision by the court is still pending; the closure will be implemented in about 30 days.
CoPIRG (7/16/2007)
New report links toxic pollution with health hazards as EPA acts to restrict pollution
This article reports that the Colorado Public Interest Research Group (CoPIRG) released a report stating that exposure to dangerous toxic pollution from industrial facilities threatens communities. The second leading facility releasing toxic pollution is CC & V Gold Mine located in Victor, Colorado. The land releases at that facility consisted of cyanide compounds, arsenic compounds, ammonia, etc. The report, Toxic Pollution and Health, uses information from the federal Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) to analyze toxic pollution linked to serious health problems such as cancer, birth defects or neurological damage.
Dow Jones Newswire (7/16/2007)
Lafayette Philippines copper shipments at 1,202 tons-exec
Lafayette Philippines Inc. resumed commercial mining in early February, after halting operations since November 2005, due to two separate incidents of cyanide spills at its mine site on Rapu Rapu Island in the central Philippines.
Sunday Telegraph (715/2007)
Fear over spillage
Two men in Alexandria, New South Wales (NSW), Australia were decontaminated after being exposed to a spill of ethyl cyanide. Hazmat officers from the NSW Fire Brigade were called to the FedEx Building in Alexandria and evacuated approximately 50 people from the premises. The two employees affected by the chemical spill were treated immediately at the site.
Sun-Sentinel.com (7/12/2007)
St. Mary's reverses course on ending "bends" treatment
This article reports that St. Mary's Medical Center in Florida reversed its decision to shut down emergency after hours hyperbaric chambers that treat a range of conditions, from decompression sickness to cyanide poisoning. Hospital officials said Thursday that they are willing to bring back the emergency service temporarily. Three other Palm Beach County hospitals offer the service, but not on an emergency basis.
Business News Americas (7/12/2007)
Mendoza miners hope for new clarity from government
This article reports that a mining plant in Argentina's Mendoza province hopes that a law passed banning the use of cyanide in open pit mining will be reviewed following the national presidential elections in October. The law was approved by the provincial congress in mid-June. Mining director, Alberto Rubio, states that central government has to declare whether it has a state policy for mining and whether it agrees with all of the provincial governors.
The Daily Express (7/11/2007)
Storm over who will clean killer shipyard chemicals
This article reports on an ongoing debate as to who is responsible for the cleanup of a toxic chemical spill at a former shipyard in Charlestown, Fife in Scotland. Charlestown, Fife has been nicknamed "poison island" by locals because of its high concentrations of arsenic, cyanide, cadmium and asbestos after British and foreign military ships were broken up there between 1919 and 1963.
The Daily Sentinel (7/10/2007)
Uranium company battling state over environmental rules
This article reports on a debate over how state environmental regulations, created following the closure of a gold mine in Rio County in the mid-1990's to prevent metal and cyanide rich chemicals from leaching into groundwater, apply to western Colorado uranium mines. Cotter Corp plans to re-open four uranium mines dormant since 2005. The state is requiring that three of the Cotter mines comply with state environmental regulations, which were not necessarily written with uranium mining in mind. Cotter is reportedly appealing the board's decision to comply with these environmental regulations because it would be a burden to the mining operation.
Firehouse.com (7/8/2007)
Cyanide poisoning can mimic other fire fighter health issues
This article reports that the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) is assessing the theory that cyanide poisoning is causing some portion of the cardiac arrests that result in fire ground fatalities. The IAFF previously followed recommendations by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health for implementing wellness initiatives. The recommendation for wellness initiatives is based on statistics that show approximately 50 percent of fire ground fatalities are caused by cardiac arrest secondary to poor fitness. The relation between fatalities and cyanide poisoning is currently being discussed by Chief Bobby Halton, Chief Editor of Fire Engineering.
Yorkshire Post (7/2/2007)
Why new terror has come to the streets of Britain
This article discusses the car bomb devices found in Britain last week. The devices found in London on Friday closely resemble the type of car bombs used on a daily basis in Iraq. It is reported that the failed devices were cyanide bombs comprised of two different chemicals, which are stored in glass bottles and start venting cyanide gas when mixed together.
The National Law Journal (7/2/2007)
Refinery to pay $6M over environmental beaches
This article discusses the lawsuit in Delaware City, DE, where it was decided that Valero Energy Corp. will spend $6 million to settle more than two years of environmental violations. The state alleged that the company broke air and water pollution regulations. Company officials promise to improve their boilers, which release sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, ammonia and hydrogen cyanide.
Courier Press (7/2/2007)
New drug available to stop excessive bleeding
This article provides information on the new drug prothrombin complex concentrate (PCC), used to reverse the effects of coumadin, an anticoagulant drug, at Deaconess and Deaconess Gateway Hospital in Newburgh, Indiana. The article also reports that Deaconess introduced a second drug, hydroxocobalamin, to market. Hydroxocobalamin is used to reverse the effects of cyanide poisoning resulting from smoke inhalation. Dr. Eric Cure, staff emergency physician at Deaconess' main campus Downtown and the performance improvement medical director for trauma services, comments that carbon monoxide poisoning is not the primary cause of smoke-inhalation deaths, as once was thought. The primary cause is cyanide poisoning. Cyanide gas is released when common synthetic materials burn.
Penton Insight (6/29/2007)
Watch for poisonous plants during drought
This article discusses the danger of poisonous plants during the summer heat and drought season. Ohio State University specialist Steve Boyles states that certain plants, like some weeds and ornamentals are toxic, and during times of dry conditions when no other pasture feed is available, livestock may be inclined to consume them. Boyles discusses one concern may be the risk of cyanide poisoning. The article provides tips on how to ID poisonous plants.
Edwardsburg Argus (6/27/07)
75 pounds of cyanide collected during hazardous waste day
This article reports that 75 pounds of cyanide was collected during April's Household Hazardous Waste Day at the Cass County Fairgrounds (MO). The amount frightened Extension Director Dan Rajzer, who reported the collection of the cyanide to the Board of Commissioners at their last meeting. Commissioner Johnie Rodebush, D-Niles, commented that he wondered what the cyanide would be used for, given that it is a potential agent for chemical terrorism.
Sun-Sentinel.com (6/27/07)
West Palm Beach hospital to stop offering emergency hyperbaric oxygen
This article reports that St. Mary's Medical Center will stop offering emergency hyperbaric oxygen services; however, they will continue to provide treatment for carbon monoxide and cyanide poisoning on an outpatient basis, Monday through Friday.
Science Letter (7/3/07)
Dey, L.P. Officials Report on Recent Developments
This article reports that Dey's Cyanokit is now available commercially in the United States. The article details that the product was approved by the FDA in 2006 and is for the emergency treatment of cyanide poisoning, which commonly occurs from smoke inhalation, but might also be a result of a chemical terrorist attack. Christy Taylor, Executive Vice President of Sales, Marketing and Business Development, is quoted in the article.
Scenta.co.uk (UK), (6/29/07)
Computer link to emergency medical data
This article reports on a new product, designed by the University of Warwick (UK), called the Ambulance Crew Electronic Pocket Guide for Personal Digital Assistants. This product will act as a resource for paramedics faced with treating people exposed to chemical toxins and poisons.
Reuters (6/22/07)
China Closes Chemical Plant After 61 Seek Treatment
This article reports on a chemical spill at a plant in China that caused several dozen villagers to seek medical treatment for skin inflammation. According to the article, workers from a private chemical company mistakenly discharged chemicals into the Jindong river, the official Xinhua news agency said. The article reports that test results from the provincial environmental protection agency showed the river had been contaminated by dimethylamine, or DMA, a chemical used in rocket fuel and pesticides. Nine of the 61 people who sought medical treatment had been taken to hospital, and two remained in hospital with serious skin inflammation, it added.
Fire Rescue 1 (6/18/07)
What We Don't Know Is Hurting Us
This column provides continued discussion of the Harvard Medical School study that consisted of a 10-year analysis of firefighter deaths from heart disease. The article highlights several key points of the study results, but states that there are several areas that the authors neglected during their research, including that resuscitation records might reveal problems that medical experts are not aware of. The article states that "perhaps carbon monoxide, cyanide, environmental particulate, or other toxic exposures lead to cardiovascular events or interfere with successful resuscitation. We don't know. The tools to non-invasively measure carbon monoxide with pulse oximetry, safely treat suspected cyanide toxicity, and sample for environmental contaminants are all available - but few departments use them."
PR Newswire (6/18/07)
Success with Safety: Wesseling's Cyanide Plant Turns 50
This press release announces the fiftieth anniversary of CyPlus GmbH's cyanide plant in Wesseling, Germany. According to the release, CyPlus supplies cyanides to customers in the mining, chemical, pharmaceutical, and surface-finishing industries. The most important application of cyanides worldwide is in the recovery of gold from ore. In Wesseling, its largest production site, CyPlus employs 40 persons. The capacity of the plant, which was just a few metric tons at its opening 50 years ago, has been increasing steadily over the years.
Honolulu Star-Bulletin (HI) (6/16/07)
Vitamins Essential To Complete Diet
This article discusses vitamins as an essential part of a healthy diet, but warns that some vitamin terminology, using obsolete names or just creative license, is a common marketing gimmick. According to the article, before vitamins were discovered, scientists thought that the body only required the "macronutrients" protein, carbohydrate, fat and water. But around the beginning of the 20th century, nutrition scientists started to recognize that there are other food chemicals that the body needs in micro amounts. Horrible ailments like pellagra, beriberi, and scurvy turned out to be due to vitamin deficiencies. According to the article, bogus vitamins include "vitamin B-15" and "vitamin B-17." The article states that these are phony vitamins, apparently created for marketing purposes. The so-called vitamin B-17 is a substance that releases hydrogen cyanide (a potent toxin) in the body.
Philadelphia Inquirer (6/13/07)
Year Later, No Spill Report; Merck Said It Was Responsible.
Pa., U.S. Probes Of Wissahickon Spill Go On
One year after a cyanide-compound spill into Wissahickon Creek, Pennsylvania state and federal regulatory agencies have not completed their investigation. According to this article, Merck & Co. Inc., which acknowledged responsibility a week after the incident, has not been fined. The article states that Department of Environmental Protection spokesman Dennis Harney said that the case was a high priority, that discussions among the DEP, the federal Environmental Protection Agency and Merck had been productive, and that "we're pleased with the progress we've made to this point."
Marin Independent Journal (6/11/07)
Firefighters Work In Superheated Air Filled With Toxins
In this weekly column, Dr. Tom Gross, emergency medical services director for the Novato Fire Protection District (CA), discusses the recent study published in the New England Journal of Medicine that reports that firefighters have an increased risk of heart attack when fighting a fire. Gross disputes the authors' conclusion that cardiac events during fire suppression may be increased because many firefighters lack adequate physical fitness, have underlying cardiovascular risk factors and have subclinical or clinical heart disease, and argues that the researchers did not examine the toxicity of fire smoke and how that affects cardiac health. Gross discusses the affects of cyanide and carbon monoxide and challenges the researchers to revisit the data. Gross states, "The study did not discuss the true nature of the fire environment. Structural fires have long been known to release more than 100 types of toxic chemicals… recently, it has been discovered that the diagnosis "smoke inhalation" is really a complex of poisonings that include carbon monoxide and cyanide."
Richmond Review (Canada) (6/8/07)
Cyanide Scare Closed Highway 91 For Eight Hours Friday
This article reports that a highway was shut down for more than eight hours Friday night after a tractor hauling potentially-hazardous hydrogen gas crashed into a water-filled ditch. According to the article, the incident had life-threatening possibilities, as hydrogen gas transforms into highly toxic hydrogen cyanide when exposed to water and inhaling hydrogen cyanide gas can be lethal. The article states that hazardous materials teams responded to the crash and determined that there were no leaks; however, officials were concerned that a rupture might occur as crews attempted to remove the rig, so the highway remained closed.
Tri-Valley Herald (San Francisco) (6/8/07)
Assembly: No Flame Retardants In Beds
This article reports that the California State Assembly passed a measure banning a broad class of flame retardants from furniture and bedding, while a controversial effort to ban one of the most widely used chemical flame retardants from all consumer products fell short Thursday. The article states that, given California's size, either bill would have transformed how everyday products such as TVs and mattresses are made, potentially shifting the industry away from chemical flame retardants and toward design changes such as barriers that accomplish the same goals without the toxic chemistry. According to the article, the bill prohibits the use of either chlorinated or brominated fire retardants in domestic furniture or bedding such as mattresses, pillows and comforters. It also revises strict California fire safety standards that now require that foam inside cushions and mattresses be flame retardant. Instead, under AB706, manufacturers would be allowed to leave the foam untreated if a flame-resistant barrier surrounds it.
Ithaca Journal (6/5/07)
Neighborhood Evacuated After Chlorine Gas Scare
This article reports that pure chlorine gas released from the Binghamton (NY) Water Filtration Plant Monday afternoon caused the temporary evacuation of homes in a South Side neighborhood. According to the article, several streets were closed off and evacuated on Monday afternoon when two water treatment chemicals were improperly combined. City officials said that a truck driver with Rochester-based Thatcher Corp. improperly mixed hydrofluorosilicic acid, a fluoride used in the city's drinking water, into a tank with base chemical sodium hypochlorite, which is bleach used to disinfect drinking water. According to the article, city officials believe that the gas was contained and does not pose a threat to the public at this point.
Associated Press (6/1/07)
Gold Prospect Has Bethel Considering Ban On Cyanide
This article reports that local leaders in Bethel, Alaska, are calling for a ban on industrial amounts of cyanide in their town. According to the article, a major gold mining company says it wants to use the toxic powder for a mining operation 150 miles upriver from Bethel at the Donlin Creek prospect. The article reports that local leaders are concerned about cyanide leaking into the town's creeks and rivers and affecting the community.
Sierra Vista Herald (AZ) (5/29/07)
Bisbee Wastewater Facility Recognized For Quality
This article reports that a new $32 million wastewater treatment plant in Bisbee, Arizona is doing so well that both the plant and the superintendent have received awards from the Arizona Small Utilities Association. The article provides a detailed description of how the facility works and the technology that is used. The article notes that the water plant was not always so efficient, and states that at one point, Bisbee was being threatened by the Environmental Protection Agency with $50,000-a-day fines for discharging water that contained toxic, heavy metals, like mercury, selenium, copper and cyanide.
Casper Star-Tribune (Casper, WY) (5/27/07)
Predator Control For Wildlife Stirs Debate
This article reports predator control and current methods in practice, and highlights the debate over whether the practice is effective. The article quotes the Wyoming state director of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Wildlife Service, who said that there is "no substitute" for quality habitat for the health of wildlife, but that predator control is "one tool in a manager's toolbox" for helping wildlife in targeted circumstances. He said it can help wildlife when other factors are also hurting animal populations, such as weather, drought or man-made causes. According to the article, predator control poisons, including M-44 cyanide, are used fewer than 10 percent of the time now and in remote areas. The other approved poison for predators - 1080 - has not been used in Wyoming since 2000. The article also includes an overview of tools and methods used for predator controls. M-44 devices are included, and the article describes how the device works, stating the M-44 is a mechanical device that dispenses sodium cyanide directly into an animal's mouth when it triggers the device by pulling on it with its teeth. Because cyanide is toxic, use of this tool is generally limited to certified agency personnel. The tube-like device is driven into the ground and baited with fetid meat, a lure or tallow. When an animal is attracted to the bait and tries to pick up the baited holder with its teeth, the cyanide is injected into its mouth.
Associated Press (5/26/07)
Weapons Facility Sent Rainwater For Testing;
Some Question Move's Legality, Safety
This article reports that a chemical weapons storage facility in Kentucky shipped samples of rainwater to a similar facility in Alabama for testing - a move that puzzled an environmental group and sparked allegations by two former employees that the shipment might have violated federal law. According to the article, officials at Blue Grass Army Depot in Richmond insist that air tests verified the safety of the water, which had seeped into the storage igloos housing deadly chemical warfare agents such as VX, sarin and mustard gas. Federal laws prohibit the interstate transport of certain hazardous materials without absolute proof that the materials have been decontaminated. In sending the samples to Anniston Army Depot - a step never before taken - officials said the facility was just employing an extra layer of security beyond what is required by law.
Associated Press (5/25/07)
Brother, Sister Of Cyanide Murder Suspect Indicted In Fraud Probe
This brief article reports that the brother and sister of a doctor suspected of killing his wife with cyanide in 2005 were indicted on charges of stealing more than $2 million from the accounts of their brother and dead sister-in-law. The article notes that their brother, Dr. Yazeed Essa, is fighting extradition from Cyprus. He disappeared after he was indicted on aggravated murder charges in Cleveland in the 2005 death of his 38-year-old wife.
Jerusalem Post (Israel) (5/25/07)
Pesticides, Arsenic And Cyanide Being Dumped In Sea
This article reports on findings by the Zalul marine environment watch group that state thousands of tons of pollutants were discharged into the sea in 2006 in Israel, with the approval of regulators, including 130 tons of pesticides, five tons of arsenic, 15,000 tons of raw sewage, 1,300 tons of ammonia, and more than a ton of cyanide. Zalul's annual report on the country's coastline, released this week, focused on a survey the NGO conducted on the effects of authorized discharge of industrial pollutants and sewage into the rivers by factories and municipalities. Zalul identified seven zones along the coast with a high public health risk: Nahariya, Acre Bay, Haifa Bay, Herzliya, Tel Aviv, Palmahim and Ashdod. These areas are dangerous for bathing, and fish caught there may be toxic.
ABC News (Australia) (5/24/07)
Cyanide Protesters Hope To Stop Train
This article reports on a protest in Australia that is being led by a community group called Cyanide Watch, which plans to stop a freight train tonight to interrogate the driver about how much cyanide he is transporting. According to the Cyanide Watch spokesman, the group believes that increasingly large amounts of the chemical are being sent through the country. The group states that the condition of some of the area's rail infrastructure is so poor that a derailment and toxic spill is a possibility. The article reports that Cyanide Watch says people have a right to know how much of the chemical is being freighted through the region.
Fresno Bee (CA) (5/23/07)
Public Asked To Provide Info In PCP Lab Discovery
Fresno (CA) narcotics investigators are seeking help from the public in locating those responsible for a PCP lab discovered last week in a rural area just southeast of Fresno. Based on the amount of equipment and chemicals found, the lab could have produced more than 30 pounds of PCP, with a street value of approximately $90,000, said deputy Chris Curtice, a spokesman for the Fresno County Sheriff's Department. Among chemicals found at the scene were more than 60 pounds of potassium cyanide and 76 pounds of bromobenzene. Curtice said potassium cyanide, when mixed with other specific chemicals, makes cyanide gas, which is fatal.
Reuters (5/22/07)
Kyrgyz Govt Threatens To Use Force At Mine Protest
This article reports that the Kyrgyzstan government threatened to use force to disperse workers blocking the roads to a Canadian-operated gold mine in protest over illnesses and damage caused by a cyanide spill into a local river. Output at the Kumtor mine, operated by Canadian miner Centerra Gold Inc., accounted for more than four percent of Kyrgyzstan's gross domestic product last year. The protesters at Kumtor are demanding cash compensation for what they say was damage to their health and to the environment caused by a cyanide spill by the Canadian firm into a local river in 1998.
San Antonio Express-News, (5/19/07)
Roddy Stinson: Latest Chromium Study Stirs Up Anxieties For Ex-Kelly Employee
This article reports on study results that were publicized in USA Today, that found hexavalent chromium may cause cancer when ingested. The article discusses what this finding might mean for former employees of the Kelly Air Force Base (AFB), who were exposed to hexavalent chromium on a regular basis in the 1990s. The Express-News published a series of investigative reports several years ago highlighting the contamination at Kelly AFB, and this article notes that for nearly 30 years, Kelly was the site of the Air Force's largest plating facility. Parts were dipped in vats filled with solutions that contained chromium and cadmium. There is evidence that these solutions occasionally leaked out of the plating vats and that workers sometimes dumped the solutions into a 'sludge lagoon,' contaminating soil and groundwater. (In November 1998) Kelly proposed no further cleanup at the sludge-drying bed or the sludge lagoon. Most of the sludge, which contained cyanide and heavy metals, such as chromium, was removed in 1987, according to Air Force records.
KSL-TV 5 (Salt Lake City, UT) (5/17/07)
Hyperbaric Therapy Helps a Range of Medical Conditions
A new type of treatment is available at the Davis Hospital Wound Center. Last month the hospital started offering hyperbarics therapy, which helps treat a range of conditions from carbon monoxide and cyanide poisoning to diabetes. This hyperbarics center is the northern-most hyperbarics facility in Utah. Before last month, patients needing treatment had to drive to Salt Lake City or go out-of-state to Idaho. It's a noninvasive treatment that requires patients to go under pressure for hours at a time. A doctor at the center says that, much like Coca-Cola, which is bottled under pressure so the carbon dioxide gas dissolves into the liquid, hyperbarics works by forcing oxygen into the body and the tissues that need it most.
Fire Engineering (5/07)
Products/Services/Media: Cyanokit® 5G (Hydroxocobalamin) Antidote for Injection
A newsbrief announcing the launch of Cyanokit appears in the new products and services section of the publication. According to the brief, the Cyanokit® 5g (hydroxocobalamin for injection) antidote from Dey LP, the first new cyanide antidote available in the United States in more than 10 years, can be administered by trained emergency medical personnel at the scene of a fire or in the emergency room. In addition to fire smoke, other causes of cyanide poisoning may include accidental or intentional ingestion or exposure during industrial accidents or a terrorist attack.
South Bend Tribune (Indiana) (5/16/07)
A Lifesaver In Smoke Inhalation Cases
Continuing coverage of Dr. Baud's study in the current issue of the Annals of Emergency Medicine, this article reports that a natural form of vitamin B12 appears to work as an antidote for smoke inhalation-induced cyanide poisoning, a major cause of death in fires. A French study, completed in 1994 but recently published online by the Annals of Emergency Medicine, found that 50 of 69 smoke-inhalation victims (including 39 who were comatose) treated with the B12 derivative hydroxocobalamin survived.
Urbana/Champaign News-Gazette (5/15/07)
Day Care In UI's Research Park Getting Info On Neighbor
A new day care center in the University of Illinois Research Park will be located about 250 feet from a chemical storage building. The day care center's operator, who recently learned about this neighboring facility, has requested more information from the research park's developer and the university. Meanwhile, the developer of the research park said he is not concerned about the day care center's proximity to the site. Developer Peter Fox and university officials maintain that the chemical storage facility is safe and well-run. Chesterbrook Academy, a school for children 6 weeks to 5 years old, is scheduled to open this August in the University of Illinois Research Park. The 13,000-square-foot day care center is being built at the southwest corner of Oak Street and Hazelwood Drive, northeast of a building called the Special Materials Storage Facility. The university-owned facility can store chemicals such as nitric acid, chloroform, cyanide and other lab chemicals, pesticides and miscellaneous poisons.
Associated Press (5/11/07)
Ohio Official Tells Cyprus Judge Death Penalty Won't Be Pursued
This article reports that a court in Cyprus accepted new assurances from U.S. prosecutors that a doctor will not face the death penalty if extradited from Cyprus to Ohio to face charges accusing him of killing his wife with cyanide. According to the article, Yazeed Essa disappeared after he was indicted on aggravated murder charges in Cuyahoga County in the Feb. 24, 2005, death of his wife, Rosemarie, 38. She collapsed in her car and died on Feb. 24, 2005, about five miles from their home in Gates Mills, near Cleveland. He was arrested in October in Cyprus as he attempted to clear customs after arriving from Beirut, Lebanon. Essa is fighting extradition, arguing that he may face a death sentence if convicted, as prosecutors in Cleveland could amend the charge to one that carries the death penalty once he is returned. Cyprus will not extradite any individual who faces a possible death sentence.
KSL-TV, Salt Lake City, NBC Affiliate (5/11/07
A New Antidote for Smoke Inhalation
Victims choking from smoke from a fire may now have an antidote that could keep them from dying. It's a natural form of vitamin B-12 and when given to patients has few, if any, side effects. Chairs are comfortable in an office space, but when burning in a fire along with all the other synthetic desks, ceilings and wall decorations, the combustion produces cyanide. In building fires, the cyanide in the smoke kills more people than burns. Dr. Lindell Weaver, from LDS Hospital Hyperbaric Medicine says, "The more time that goes by, the cyanide can get into the cells, where it's going to do its damage. And what it does is interfere with how oxygen is being used." In a French study, the B-12 derivative called hydroxocobalamin was given to 69 smoke inhalation victims, including 39 who were comatose. Out of that 69, 50 survived. A previous study showed even better results. "I think this drug is a safer drug and probably a more rational drug than our prior therapy for cyanide," says Weaver.
KFDM-TV (Beaumont, TX) (5/1/07
Rare Suicide Shuts Down Nederland Neighborhood for Hours
A local Texas man committed suicide by drinking cyanide from a bottle he brought home from his job at a local refinery. According to this article, the man was at home with his common-law wife when he drank the cyanide and died. But thanks to quick thinking by the woman in the home, the rest of the neighborhood was spared exposure to the hazardous chemical. The article states that the wife, who also worked at the refinery with the man, covered the cyanide bottle immediately after the man told her what it was he drank. Police say that prevented any further hazardous gases from escaping the bottle and contaminating the home and neighborhood.
Firehouse.com (4/30/07)
Rhode Island Department Counters Cyanide Effects
Firehouse.com picked up last week's Providence Journal article about Rhode Island's announcement that the state was purchasing Cyanokit® and training all emergency workers in how to administer it.
Anchorage Daily News (4/26/07)
Cyanide Seeps From Fort Knox Mine
This article reports that cyanide was found seeping from a hillside next to the dam that holds back waste from Alaska's largest gold mine, the Fort Knox Mine near Fairbanks this winter and discusses the potential environmental and community hazards of the discovery. Testing ultimately showed that cyanide didn't migrate off the mine site, but the seep's discovery provoked a quiet flurry of construction and water testing at Fort Knox starting in January. According to the article, state environmental regulators and Fort Knox treated it as a full-blown problem, and since Fort Knox reacted appropriately, the state didn't levy a fine. The article also discusses how cyanide is used in the mining industry.
FireFighting News.com (4/25/07)
Rescuers Get An Added Tool To Save Lives
Firefighting News.com picked up this week's Providence Journal article about Rhode Island's announcement that the state was purchasing Cyanokit® and training all emergency workers in how to administer it.
Associated Press (4/23/07)
Man Whose Dog Was Poisoned Seeks $100,000
A Utah man is seeking $100,000 from the federal government after his 2-year-old dog died from exposure to cyanide gas. According to the article, the sodium cyanide trap, called an M-44, is intended to attract livestock predators, such as coyotes. The article states that in 2005, 12,726 animals were killed by sodium cyanide, including 92 dogs and one bald eagle, according to Sinapu, a Colorado-based advocacy group for wolves and other predators. Sinapu is one of the groups asking the EPA to ban the poisons.
Scripps News (4/23/07)
Former Military Sites Remain Environmental Time Bombs
This article reports on the hazard posed by the more than 1,000 confirmed and suspected former military sites that are spread throughout the country. The article states that while many were abandoned decades ago, they may still be contaminated with toxic chemicals, bombs and other munitions or even radioactive waste. According to the article, under current funding, it could take more than 300 years to clean up all the former U.S. military sites and the cleanup could take even longer as the military continues to battle budget problems aggravated by the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Providence Journal (4/24/07)
Rescuers Get An Added Tool To Save Lives
This article reports on the decision by the Rhode Island Emergency Management Agency and the state Department of Health to spend $435,000 of federal homeland security funds to purchase Cyanokit® and train all emergency workers in how to administer the antidote. Highlighting the example of the Providence firefighters who suffered from cyanide poisoning from smoke inhalation, the article provides statistics about the prevalence of cyanide in smoke and includes a detailed description about how cyanide affects the body. The article reports that while the antidote kits are intended for a terrorist attack using cyanide, which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says is a likely agent for chemical terrorism, firefighters say they'll more likely use the kits for victims of structure fires. According to a state official, although the federal money for the training and antidotes comes under the umbrella of fighting terrorism, the antidotes can be used for any victims of cyanide poisoning - such as people suffering from smoke inhalation. The article also states that Providence Deputy Fire Chief J. Curtis Varone believes that the antidotes for cyanide could be used in Providence at least once a month for smoke-inhalation victims. The article also includes information about pricing, distribution and the fast-tracked FDA approval.
ABC 6 News, WLNE-TV CH 6 (ABC)
Providence/New Bedford (4/24/07)
ABC 6 News ran a brief story on Rhode Island's decision to purchase Cyanokit® for the treatment of cyanide poisoning in smoke inhalation victims. The brief segment mentioned the experience of the Providence firefighters and noted that Cyanokit® can also be used during a terror attack with cyanide.
Business Wire (4/19/07)
Advance Nanotech Sets July Launch for
Next-Generation Chemical Detection System
This press release announces that Lonestar, a next-generation chemical detection system from Advance Nanotech to be manufactured by Owlstone Nanotech, Inc, will be launched at the annual International Society for Ion Mobility Spectrometry (ISIMS) conference, in Mikkeli, Finland on July 21, 2007. The press release describes Lonestar as a stand-alone chemical detection system based on the Field Asymmetric Ion Mobility Spectrometer (FAIMS) technology. Lonestar is configured to operate in ambient, or "open air" environments, and is designed to meet a broad range of customer applications in the multi-billion dollar homeland defense and industrial process control markets. The release states that the Homeland Security market has an urgent operational requirement for a miniaturized, low power, low false positive chemical and explosive detector to be used by military personnel and first responders to detect chemical agents and toxic chemicals.
Sunday Business Post (Ireland) (4/15/07)
Stardust Families Will Present Fresh Evidence This Week
This article reports that the families of victims of the Stardust fire in Ireland will present fresh evidence to the government this week, which they say demonstrates that the fire, which claimed the lives of 48 people on St. Valentine's Night 1981, was exacerbated by inadequate safety measures in the dancehall. According to the article, it is understood that the evidence will reveal that the ducting system, which ran the length and breadth of the Stardust Dance Hall, was insulated with expanding polysterine material. When ignited, this material turned to molten liquid and gave off cyanide gases. At the time of the tragedy, a number of eyewitnesses reported that some of the victims were burned to death after large fireballs dropped from the ceiling.
San Luis Obispo Tribune (4/11/07)
Lax Storage Of Waste Will Cost Paso Robles Manufacturing Company
A California company has been ordered to pay a $495,000 settlement to the state for improper disposal of hazardous waste. Joslyn Sunbank Co. LLC makes conduits and thermoplastics for military, aerospace and industrial customers at its facility. According to this article, violations were found during routine inspections of Joslyn Sunbank's Paso Robles plant, done in June and July of 2005 by the state Department of Toxic Substances Control. Joslyn Sunbank produces large amounts of hazardous waste during the manufacturing process, and the violations the company was cited for included: treating cyanide filters improperly and then storing them next to a tank containing sulfuric acid; storing acid and cyanide waste near each other; and not closing or labeling containers holding cyanide waste so that filters emitted hydrogen cyanide gas above allowed exposure limits.
Associated Press (4/8/07)
Federal Figures: Toxic Releases Up In Michigan
According to a recently published federal report, industry released nearly 102 million pounds of toxic chemicals into the Michigan's air, land and water in 2005, up 4 percent from the previous year. That included 52.6 million pounds of chemicals released into the air, up 9 percent from 2004, according to Toxic Release Inventory figures published Sunday by Booth News Service. Numbers for 2005 were released last month. This story was picked up by local outlets, including WZZM-TV, WLUC-TV and WLNS-TV.
United Press International (4/2/07)
Toxic Testing Of Live Fish To Be Ended
European fish biologists are advocating the use of cultured fish cell lines and organs to investigate effects of toxins instead of using live animals. This article specifically highlights a perfusion method in which researchers can dose particular fish organs with various levels of chemicals to identify the role of a particular organ when it is presented with different toxins. The researchers, who presented the information this weekend at the annual meeting of the Society for Experimental Biology, note that they have been able to measure toxins, including cyanide, copper and mercury, using this new method.
Medical News Today (3/31/07)
Dey, L.P. announces availability of Cyanokit® in the U.S.
Dey, L.P., a U.S. Affiliate of Merck KGaA of Darmstadt, Germany, today announced that Cyanokit® 5g (hydroxocobalamin for injection) Antidote is now commercially available in the United States. Cyanokit® was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in December 2006 for the treatment of known or suspected cyanide poisoning.
Agence France-Presse (3/28/07)
Footage Of Poisoned Dogs Angers Activists
This article reports on the angry public reaction to TV footage of the poisoning and burial of stray dogs in Bangalore. According to the article, a government campaign to eliminate some of the 76,000 stray dogs in the country began on Mar. 4 after the killing of two children by dog packs. The article notes that cyanide may be the poison used to kill the dogs. Authorities have denied sanctioning a mass killing of street dogs and stated that the orders are only for the "mercy killing" of rabid and infected strays, which first must be taken to animal shelters, and sterilization of the rest. This article was picked up in news outlets across Australia, including Courier Mail, Daily Telegraph and Adelaide Advertiser.
Wall Street Journal (3/28/07)
Bad Chemistry
This editorial discusses Democrat spending that has been included in the Iraq war spending bill, including the editor's opinion that more attention must be paid to securing U.S. chemical facilities. The editorial notes that the job of securing chemical facilities has been given to the states, and only three have developed security programs. It's noted that a provision in last week's House Iraq war supplemental would block the Department of Homeland Security from approving a chemical facility plan unless it "exceeds" state standards and that New Jersey Senator Frank Lautenberg has included a provision that gives states the right to go beyond the federal government. The editorial also briefly discusses environmental activism and the attempt to ban all toxic chemicals.
Seattle Post-Intelligencer (3/28/07)
PBDEs: They Are Everywhere, They Accumulate And They Spread
Washington lawmakers are considering passing a strong ban on polybrominated diphenyl ethers, or PBDEs. PBDEs are chemical flame retardants commonly found in household goods, including TVs, computers, toasters and sofas. The article details the consequences of high levels of PBDEs in the environment, but also notes that representatives of PBDE manufacturers caution against abandoning chemicals that have helped save hundreds, and perhaps thousands, of lives thanks to their ability to prevent or slow the spread of fires. The article includes a section discussing the impact of PBDE exposure on firefighters, noting that while fire gear protects skin from burning and lungs from searing, firefighters are still exposed to the smoke and toxic chemicals created in a fire when they're on the scene and not wearing masks. According to the article, some firefighters can smell the fire smoke on their clothes for hours or days after a fire. The article also provides a detailed list of where PBDEs are found and how to avoid them.
Reuters (3/26/07)
Chinese Hunger For Reef Fish Emptying Asian Seas;
Cyanide Used To Catch Fish Alive
This article reports on the emerging problem of endangered fish in China due to the high demand from restaurant patrons. The article examines the relationship between the booming Chinese economy and the demand that restaurants are getting for a variety of fresh fish, which are in turn devastating the live reefs where the fish live. The article includes a section on the use of cyanide to catch fish alive, and notes that this is an exceptionally damaging and wasteful way to catch the fish, which hide amongst the coral. This method does not kill the fish, but kills most other marine life in the area, including coral. The article discusses potential ways to regulate and decrease the use of cyanide in fishing. The article also notes that most reefs have been over-fished and depleted, and will require at least five to ten years to rebuild.
Arizona Republic (3/26/07)
Toxic Releases Up 15% In State;
2005 Rise Compares With 3% In U.S., EPA Says
This article highlights the results of the Toxic Release Inventory, a company-reported national database that details where and how toxic chemicals get into the environment, as well as a report released last week by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). According to this article, tens of millions of pounds of toxic chemicals were released into Arizona's air, water and land in 2005, which was a 15 percent jump from the previous year, and toxic releases nationwide went up 3 percent during that time, according to data from the EPA. The EPA report was covered nationally by outlets including Indianapolis Star, Rochester Democrat & Chronicle, and the Fort Wayne News-Sentinel.
Spokesman-Review (Spokane, WA) (3/23/07)
Dump Site Found In North Side Home
More than 50 barrels of toxic chemicals, including cyanide, were disc