Tag: pesticide
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Federal Court Refuses to Recognize $97 Million Nicaraguan Judgment in Pesticide Exposure Litigation
A federal court in Florida has refused to enforce a $97 million judgment obtained in a Nicaraguan court by 150 banana plantation workers who alleged that exposure to the pesticide DBCP caused their sterility. Osorio v. Dole Food Co., No. 07-22693 (S.D. Fla., decided October 20, 2009). The plaintiffs sought to enforce the award under…
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Steve Stecklow, “Fraud by Trial Lawyers Taints Wave of Pesticide Lawsuits,” The Wall Street Journal, August 20, 2009
“After responding to a radio commercial seeking former banana-plantation workers for a lawsuit against Dole Food Co., Marcos Sergio Medrano thought he might be entitled to some money,” begins this article exploring fraud allegations against lawyers and plaintiffs in banana-pesticide litigation. “He says an American law firm convinced him that a pesticide used on the…
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California Scientists Claim Link Between Pesticides and Parkinson’s
University of California researchers studying rural residents in California’s Central Valley have apparently found that those drinking water from private wells have a 90 percent higher risk of developing Parkinson’s disease if the wells are near fields sprayed with certain pesticides. Nicole Gatto, et al., “Well Water Consumption and Parkinson’s Disease in Rural California,” Environmental…
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Environmental Group Notifies EPA of Intent to Sue over Pesticide Effects on Polar Bears
The Center for Biological Diversity has sent a 60-day notice of intent to sue letter to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) claiming that the agency has failed to take required action under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) to further the polar bear’s conservation when making decisions about the use of pesticides and herbicides under the…
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EPA Ordered to Produce Documents About Pesticide Suspected in Bee Colony Collapse
A federal court in the District of Columbia has ordered the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to produce certain records about the pesticide clothianidin and lists of potentially protected documents to the Natural Resources Defense Council, which sought the information under a Freedom of Information Act Request submitted in July 2008. Natural Resources Defense Council v. EPA,…
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Connecticut AG Seeks Details of “Apparent Campaign” to Fight BPA Regulation
Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal has reportedly launched an investigation into chemical and packaging lobbyists who allegedly sought to thwart regulation banning the use of bisphenol A (BPA) in baby bottles, infant food jars and other products. Blumenthal is seeking details about a series of joint trade association meetings held in April and May 2009,…
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USDA Restores Funds for Pesticide-Use Reporting
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has apparently resurrected a program that tracks pesticide use on food crops. USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) conducts pesticide-use surveys, which reportedly provide the only free, publicly available data on the agricultural chemicals applied to crops. Government agencies, environmental groups and academic scientists use the data to evaluate…
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Minnesota and Chicago Ban BPA in Baby Bottles
Minnesota and Chicago have reportedly become the first state and municipality to prohibit the use of bisphenol A (BPA) in plastic food and beverage containers intended for children ages 3 or younger. Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty (R) recently signed legislation (H.F. 326) that would prohibit the sale of these products in the state as of…