Archives for bisphenol-A

RadioActive 8/30/12

Producer/Host: Meredith DeFrancesco

Issue: Environmental and Social Justice

Program Topic: EPA fuel efficiencies increase; Maine looks at regulating Bisphenol-A (BPA in toddler and baby food packaging; Texans engage in direct action blockade of Keystone XL tar sands pipeline construction

Key Discussion Points:

a) We looks towards next week’s public hearing on a Maine rule that would phase the chemical additive Bispenol-A out of baby and toddler food packaging.

b) We examine the EPA’s new rules to improve the fuel economy in cars and light trucks and reduce green house gas emissions

c) Activists blockade the construction of the southern stretch of Keystone XL Pipeline Tar Sands pipeline in Texas. Four hand lock down on trailer truck. Seven total are arrested in the direct action. This action marks the begins a campaign of direct action.

Guests:

A) Roland Hwang, Natural Resources Defense Council, Director, Transportation Program, Energy and Transportation Program www.nrdc.org

B) Emma Halas- O’Conner, Environmental Health Strategy Center, grassroots organizer www.preventharm.org

C)Ron Seifert, Tar Sands Blockade, Texas tarsandsblockade.org

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RadioActive 5/17/12

Producer/Host: Meredith DeFrancesco

Issue: Environmental and Social Justice

Program Topic: Reform of national toxics protections

Key Discussion Points:
a) While Maine residents and law makers try to pass stronger measures to protect public health against toxic chemicals, like Bisphenol-A, they also look towards reform at the federal level.
b) There are reportedly 84,000 chemicals used in commerce. Since the Toxic Substances Control Act was passed in 1976, only 200 have been tested, and only 5 restricted. The requirement is that the government prove that chemicals are harmful, not that the manufactures, like Dow and Dupont, prove that they’re safe,
c) Numerous health, medical and other organizations in Maine are pushing for the passage of the federal Safe Chemicals Act. In April, Maine’s legislature passed a unanimous resolution to call on the US Congress to reform the Toxic Substances Control Act. On May 22nd, a Maine delegation will join the stroller brigade in Washington DC to call on Congress to pass the Safe Chemicals Act.

Guest: Mike Belliveau, exc. director of the Environmental Health Strategy Center, www.preventharm.org, founding organizational member of Alliance for a Clean and Healthy Maine, www.cleanandhealthyme.org

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RadioActive 3/31/11

Producer/Host: Meredith DeFrancesco

Segment 1: We talk with labor historian Charles Scontras, in the wake of the labor history mural removal from the Me. Dept of Labor, on Caesar Chavez Day.

In Maine, Governor Paul LePage’s active purging of labor history observations from the Maine Dept of labor building, includes not only taking down the mural depicting scenes from Maine’s labor history, but also orders the renaming of the rooms of the rooms in the Department of labor, one of which is named after Caesar Chavez. Another is named after Frances Perkins, the first woman to serve in a US Cabinet post and the longest serving of any member. Among the many scenes of labor history depicted on the mural painted by the artist Judy Taylor is a panel of Frances Perkins.

Dr. Charles Scontras, the labor historian that worked with Judy Taylor on what history to represent in the mural. Scontras is a retired professor from the University of Maine at Orono’s department of political science, history and modern society. He now works as a historical and research associate with the Bureau of Labor Education. Maine is currently embroiled in another such “right to work” effort, which would undermine the capacity of unions.

For more information on the Bureau of Labor education’s publications, you can go to their website dll.umaine.edu/ble or call 581-4123.

A rally and press conference to demand the return of the Maine labor history mural to the Maine Dept of Labor has been rescheduled due to expected weather. It will take place Monday, April 4th at the hall of Flags at the Augusta State House at noon.

Segment 2: We spoke earlier with Mike Belliveau, the executive director of the statewide public health organization, the Environmental Health Strategy Center.

He spoke with us about the recent unanimous vote by the Energy and Natural Resources Committee to support a ban on Bisphenol-A in products used by children in Maine, LD 412. he also discusses a proposed bill, whose intention is to essentially gut the Kids Safe Products Act.

For more information:
The Environmental and Health Strategy Center : www.preventharm.org
Alliance for a Clean and Healthy Maine : www.cleanandhealthyme.org.

You can listen to testimony by Rep. Jim Hamper, in support of his bill to weaken the Kids Safe Products Act, LD 1129 , in WERU’s archives from the Tuesday, March 29th WERU News Report. In his testimony he admits industry wrote his bill.

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