Fw: OPPT-Newsbreak Thursday, 24 June 1999

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>OPPT NEWSBREAK Thursday 24 June 1999

>

>

> Today's " Toxic News for the Net "

> Brought to you by the OPPTS Chemical Library

> http://www.epa.gov/opptintr/oppt_nb.txt

>

> NEWS

>

>

> " High Court Voids Deal on Asbestos: Possible Conflict of Interest

> Class-Action Rules Clarified " . New York Times, 24 June 99, A1,

>A23. " High Court Overturns Asbestos Settlement: Ruling Limits

>Firms' Options in Class Actions " . Washington Post, 24 June 99,

>A1, A17.

> The Supreme Court overturned the $1.5 billion asbestos

> settlement that was reached with the Fibreboard Corporation

> (which was sold to Owens Corning two years ago). " The 7-to-

> 2 decision clarified the standards for class-action lawsuits

> and raised the barriers for corporations seeking to resolve

> large and complex product-liability cases involving tobacco,

> breast implants and handguns. "

>

> " FDA Is Expanding Import Restrictions On Some Belgian Foods. "

>Wall Street Journal, 24 June 99, B18.

> As a precautionary measure, the FDA has added milk and milk-

> containing products to the list of foods that cannot be

> imported from Belgium. Shipments already sent will be

> tested for dioxin.

>

> " Coke Wins Approval From Authorities In Belgium to Resume Sales

>of Products. " Wall Street Journal, 24 June 99, A2. " Belgium

>Lightens Coca-Cola's Problems, but Questions Persist. " New York

>Times, 24 June 99, C1, C25. " A Bitter Aftertaste. Coke Tries to

>Wash Down a European PR Nightmare. " Washington Post, 24 June 99,

>E1, E18.

> Belgium has lifted its ban on the sale of Coke products,

> satisfied with Coke's pledge that it will use better

> quality-control measures. In France, rat poison used in

> some bottling plants was reportedly detected on some Coke

> packaging, but the poison is not suspected of having ever

> come into contact with any products.

>

> " Studies: Smoking Diseases Resist Inhaled Steroids [Findings]. "

>Washington Post, 24 June 99, A13.

> Two studies found that steroids offer little help for people

> with lung disease from smoking. Doctors had hypothesized

> that inhaled steroids that enable asthma patients to breathe

> easier might help people with chronic obstructive pulmonary

> disease caused by smoking. The studies appear in today's

> issue of the _New England Journal of Medicine_ [which the

> OPPTS Chemical Library does not receive].

>

> " Mexico: Pollution Accord [World Briefing]. " New York Times, 24

>June 99, A8.

> Senior environmental officials of South America's largest

> cities signed a statement acknowledging that residents face

> health risks from air pollution and have asked both the

> people and the governments to assume responsibility for

> improving air quality.

>

>

> ACROSS THE USA, FROM USA TODAY

>

> " Little Rock, Arkansas [Across the USA]. " USA Today, 23 June 99,

>8A.

> The Arkansas Health Department began monitoring the Quinn

> water district near El Dorado and the Red Hill water

> district near Alma after tests showed levels of vinyl

> chloride, a carcinogen, in the water in amounts above the

> federal EPA limits.

>

> " Tallahassee, Florida [Across the USA]. " USA Today, 23 June 99,

>8A.

> In an effort to remove casino ships that berth in state

> waters, Gov. Bush and four members of the Cabinet directed

> the Department of Environmental Protection to draft new

> language for future leases of docks on state-owned water.

>

> " Hilo, Hawaii [Across the USA]. " USA Today, 23 June 99, 8A.

> Environmental officials and Big Island residents want Hawaii

> County to close off the beach to tour buses, which they say

> are encroaching on the nesting grounds of the rare hawksbill

> turtle.

>

> " Idaho Falls, Idaho [Across the USA]. " USA Today, 23 June 99,

>8A.

> As a result of a federal audit, the Idaho National

> Engineering and Environmental Laboratory temporarily lost

> its certification to ship waste to a New Mexico dump. The

> lab must solve its waste handling and record keeping

> problems.

>

> " Sioux Falls, South Dakota [Across the USA]. " USA Today, 23 June

>99, 8A.

> Next spring's snow goose hunting season will likely be

> canceled due to a lawsuit filed by the U.S. Humane Society.

> State officials say that an environmental impact statement

> demanded by the group cannot be completed before the next

> season.

>

> AROUND THE BELTWAY: DC/MD/VA REGIONAL NEWS

>

> " Missing Muck, Water Worries. " Washington Post, 24 June 99, B1,

>B6.

> This update on the ruptured sewage pipe in sville,

> Md., reports that a hydro-geologist plans to inject a non-

> toxic dye into the ground where the 900,000 gallons of raw

> sewage disappeared to try to find out where it went. Tests

> conducted at the town's treatment plant show no unusual rise

> in bacteria levels, but residents are still being advised to

> boil tap water. Sidebar: map.

>

> TOXICS IN THE NEWS: SILICONE BREAST IMPLANTS

>

> " The Law Disfigured [Review & Outlook]. " Wall Street Journal, 24

>June 99, A22.

> Very long editorial recounts the history of the silicone

> breast implant litigation in light of the recent Institute

> of Medicine report. Having started the column noting how

> " The day doesn't pass that some representative of the United

> States isn't lecturing a foreign official somewhere " about

> establishing a " rule of law " , they conclude: " We now know,

> because we were informed repeatedly by science the past

> eight years, that the plaintiff lawyers' breast-implant

> injury claims were based on nothing. If the American

> judiciary continues to allow these charlatans to perform in

> their courts, the day may soon arrive when foreign officials

> visit to instruct the U.S. on the need to join the civilized

> world by creating a rule of law. "

>

>

> PHARMACEUTICALS IN THE NEWS

>

> " New Drug From Pharmacia May Fight Resistant AIDS Strains. " Wall

>Street Journal, 24 June 99, B2.

> Of the many strains of the AIDS virus that have developed

> resistance to existing drugs, only three of them tested

> fully resistant to tripranavir, an experimental protease

> inhibitor developed by Pharmacia & Upjohn. Mutant strains

> of the virus are no longer vulnerable to the four protease-

> inhibitor medications currently on the market. Several

> years of human tests may be necessary to determine the

> drug's safety and effectiveness.

>

> LIVING IN THE INFORMATION AGE

>

> " Internet Offers New Freedom to the Disabled. " Wall Street

>Journal, 24 June 99, B11.

> Enabling equal footing for people with or without

> disabilities, the Internet has provided the opportunity for

> many to think and act without encumbrance. Links to

> disability-related resources about employment,

> entrepreneurship, travel, toll-free consulting services, and

> discussion groups are given in the article.

>

> " FTC to Curb Medical Sales Pitches on Web. " Wall Street Journal,

>24 June 99, A2, A6.

> Federal Trade Commission investigators have identified 800

> Web sites that are making deceptive health claims and will

> now take legal issue with companies that do so online, like

> the four (not named) with whom the FTC will announce

> settlements with today. To help consumers locate legitimate

> medical help online the agency is planning an education

> campaign.

>

> INTER ALIA

>

> " Tidal Basin Beavers Chomp Into Good Life At New Home. "

>Washington Times, 24 June 99, C5. " Three Relocated Beavers

>Chomping Away [Metro in Brief: The Region]. " Washington Post, 24

>June 99, B3.

> National Park Service biologists reported yesterday that the

> family of " cherry tree beavers " that were relocated from the

> Tidal Basin in April are doing well. Park officials have

> made preventing their migration back to the Tidal Basin,

> where they downed several cherry trees, a priority. How

> they got into the Tidal Basin in the first place is still a

> mystery.

>

>* All items, unless indicated otherwise, are available at the

>U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

>Office of Prevention, Pesticides, and Toxics Substances (OPPTS)

>Chemical Library

>Northeast Mall, Room B606 (Mailcode 7407)

>Washington, D.C. 20460

>(202) 260-3944; FAX x4659;

>E-mail for comments: library-tsca@....

>(Due to copyright restrictions, the library cannot provide

>photocopies of articles.)

>

>*Viewpoints expressed in the above articles do not necessarily

>reflect EPA policy. Mention of products does not indicate

>endorsement.*

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