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☆ Toxic chemical ‘Hall of Shame’ calls out retailers in time for holiday shopping
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-14 | by ( Sandee Lamotte | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

“This is a critical time of year, the time when most retailers make a lot of their money,” Schade said. Only four companies in the top 50 retailers earned an A or A- — Apple, Sephora, Target and Walmart. Three companies — Ulta Beauty, IKEA and Whole Foods Market — received a B grade, while 26 companies were equally split between C and D grades. “We also grade companies on whether the changes requested from their suppliers are actually implemented, if they have truly ‘banned the bad,’ so to speak,” Peele said. Correction: A previous version of this story incorrectly stated the number of retailers who earned an A or A-.

Persons: —, “ It’s, ”, Mike Schade, ” Schade, “, Dunkin ’, Jimmy John’s, Joe’s, Ahold, Hannaford, Tard, Sherwin, Williams, Sally Beauty, Jodi Caro, Alimentation, Cheri Peele, ” Peele, Peele, Homer Swei, Swei, Schade, Perfluoroalkyl, Julianna Bragg Organizations: CNN, Toxic, Black, Brands, KFC, Taco Bell, Inspire Brands, Baskin, Robbins, Buffalo Wild Wings, Canadian, Lion, Nordstrom, Walmart, National Retail Foundation, Companies, “ Retailers, Environmental, National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, US, “ Locations: United States, Canada, Chipotle, Target, Nordstrom

☆ Chemicals linked to breast cancer leach into our foods, study says
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-24 | by ( Sandee Lamotte | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

CNN —Nearly 200 chemicals connected to breast cancer are used in the making of food packaging and plastic tableware, and dozens of those carcinogens can migrate into the human body, a new study found. Of the recently detected chemicals in food packaging, 40 are already classified as hazardous by regulatory agencies around the world, according to the study. Rates of early-onset breast cancer in women under 50 are increasing, and experts said the trend cannot be explained by genetics alone. A January 2024 update to that list found 921 possibly carcinogenic chemicals, including 642 that may stimulate estrogen or progesterone production, another known risk factor for breast cancer. FCChumon, created by the Food Packaging Forum, is a list of food contact chemicals that have been detected in human breast milk, blood, urine and tissues.

Persons: ”, Jane Muncke, ” Muncke, Jenny Kay, Len Lichtenfeld, ” Lichtenfeld, Sarah Gallo, ” Gallo, Kay, ” Kay, “ That’s, PFAS Organizations: CNN, Food Packaging, Silent Spring Institute, American Cancer Society, Consumer Brands Association, Food, FDA, Environmental, Toxicology, Contact Chemicals, “, National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, Medicine Locations: Zurich, Switzerland

☆ Chemical toxins from food processing migrate into our bodies, study says
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-16 | by ( Sandee Lamotte | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

“The study also shows that food contact materials can contain mutagenic chemicals that harm our DNA, such as heavy metals,” Wagner said. Another chemical group in food packaging that has migrated into people is phthalates, the research revealed. “We’ve got, say, 60 years of research into the migration of chemicals into food from food processing and packaging equipment. “Given that there are (tens) of thousands of food contact chemicals, biomonitoring programs do not have the capacity to test for all chemicals we are potentially exposed to,” Wagner said. “However, there are also important gaps that need to be addressed as we undertake the work to strengthen our food chemical safety activities,” he said.

Persons: ”, Martin Wagner, Wagner, Jane Muncke, ” Muncke, Muncke, “, ” Wagner, “ We’ve, It’s, there’s, Melanie Benesh, you’re, ” Benesh, GRAS, Jim Jones, Benesh Organizations: CNN, Norwegian University of Science, Technology, Food Packaging, Getty, American Chemistry Council, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, Medicine, US National Health, Canadian, Korean National Environmental Health Survey, National Health, Environmental, Food and Drug Administration, FDA, US, Committee, Energy Locations: Trondheim, Zurich, Switzerland, phthalates, PFAS, Europe, Biomonitoring California, United States

☆ Microplastics found in nose tissue at base of brain, study says
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-16 | by ( Sandee Lamotte | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

CNN —Tiny plastic shards and fibers were found in the nose tissue of human cadavers, according to a small new study. The threads and microplastic pieces were discovered in the olfactory bulb, the part of the nose responsible for detecting odors that sits at the base of the brain. Microplastics are polymer fragments that can range from less than 0.2 inch (5 millimeters) down to 1/25,000th of an inch (1 micrometer). However, an April 2023 study found that microplastics made of polypropylene appeared to exacerbate the advance of breast cancer. The nose is one of many ways through which microplastics can enter the body, experts say.

Persons: ”, Luís Fernando Amato, Lourenço, Amato, Lourenço, Phoebe Stapleton, “ I’m, ” Stapleton, “, Betsy Bowers, ” Bowers, ” Sherri “ Sam ” Mason, ” Amato, microplastics, Julian Ward, Leonardo Trasande, don’t, Trasande Organizations: CNN, Free University of Berlin, Rutgers University, Industry Alliance, Penn State, JAMA, US Environmental Protection Agency, Getty, American Academy of Pediatrics, NYU Langone Health, Natural Resources Defense Council, Invest Locations: Piscataway , New Jersey, Erie , Pennsylvania

☆ PFAS: Chemicals that are everywhere and could affect your health
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-09 | by ( Madeline Holcombe | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

CNN: What exactly are PFAS chemicals? They are in nonstick surfaces; they’re used in firefighting foams, protecting packages from grease, and waterproofing of carpets and your clothing. Because of the structure of these chemicals, they’re able to have these (nonstick, water-repellent and temperature-regulating) properties. Water is a common route of exposure — drinking water from your municipal water sources in your home are contaminated with PFAS chemicals. There are new ones being created all the time, so we don’t even know all the potential PFAS chemicals that are out there.

Persons: Carmen Marsit, Marsit, Rollins, Here’s, they’re, —, They’ve, Syd White, They’re, It’s, we’re Organizations: CNN, Research, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, National Health, Getty, Environmental Protection Agency, Food, Drug Administration Locations: United States, PFAS

☆ Toxic ‘forever chemicals’ found in pesticides used on food, in homes and on pets, study finds
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-24 | by ( Sandee Lamotte | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

“These pesticides are applied to tens of millions of farm fields across the United States in quite high quantities, and they are contributing to PFAS contamination,” Andrews said. “The study provides empirical evidence of the extent of PFAS in pesticides,” said DeWitt, who was not involved in the research. PFAS helps pesticides last longerThe study authors submitted Freedom of Information requests to various state and federal government agencies in the US, including the EPA. The analysis found eight EPA-approved inert ingredients were PFAS, including the nonstick chemical Teflon. In February, the EPA proposed the removal of Teflon in pesticide products.

Persons: ”, Alexis Temkin, David Andrews, ” Andrews, Jamie DeWitt, DeWitt, Stephanie Eick, “, Tom Flanagin, Andrews, Rainer Lohmann, Temkin, Sirisak, ” DeWitt Organizations: CNN, National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, US Environmental Protection Agency, Environmental, EWG, Center for Biological Diversity, Public Employees, Oregon State University’s Pacific Northwest Center, Health Research, Emory University, Agency, EPA, American Chemistry Council, ACC, ”, University of Rhode Island’s, School of Oceanography Locations: Washington , DC, United States, Tucson , Arizona, Spring , Maryland, Atlanta

☆ These 2 stocks and an ETF will gain whoever wins the U.S. election, says fund manager
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-23 | by ( Ganesh Rao | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

As the United States presidential election nears, there's one key theme that's expected to continue regardless of who wins: the reshoring of American manufacturing . Tema ETFs runs the actively managed American Reshoring ETF (ticker RSHO), designed to take advantage of this trend. "The American reshoring fund is built on the foundation that the world's not getting any safer. However, the fund manager cautioned that there could be challenges in hiring skilled labor due to the decline in the United States semiconductor manufacturing industry over the years. TSM 5Y line While TSMC is less than 1% of the American Reshoring ETF, Clean Harbors is a top 10 holding with 4.71% allocated.

Persons: Yuri Khodjamirian, CNBC's, PFAS —, Khodjamirian Organizations: United, Republicans, Democrats, Tema, American, Harbors, Clean Harbors, Taiwan Semiconductor, ETF Locations: United States, Tema, North America, Arizona

☆ Tampons contain lead, arsenic and potentially toxic chemicals, studies say. Here’s what to know
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-11 | by ( Sandee Lamotte | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

CNN —The average menstruating person will spend about five years of their total reproductive lifespan using an estimated 11,000 tampons, sanitary pads, panty liners and other menstrual products, experts say. What if some of those menstrual aids contain heavy metals or potentially toxic chemicals linked to chronic diseases and reproductive and developmental problems? “I do not want people to panic, but to be aware that heavy metals have been found in these menstrual products,” Schilling said. “However, there is no reason for people to be afraid to use menstrual products at this time,” she added. The team ran tests for 16 heavy metals: arsenic, barium, calcium, cadmium, cobalt, chromium, copper, iron, manganese, mercury, nickel, lead, selenium, strontium, vanadium and zinc.

Persons: Kathrin Schilling, ” Schilling, Amanda Hils, ” Hils, Anna Pollack, ”, Pollack, “, tampons Schilling, nonorganic tampons, hasn’t, Nancy King Reame, Reame Organizations: CNN, US Environmental Protection Agency, Columbia University’s Mailman, of Public Health, US Food and Drug Administration, George Mason University, US Geological Survey . Chemicals, Environmental Health, Institute for Green Science, Carnegie Mellon University, American Chemistry Council, “, for Disease Control, Prevention, FDA, School of Nursing, Columbia University Medical Center Locations: New York City, “, Fairfax , Virginia, United States, United Kingdom, Greece, tampons, Pittsburgh

☆ The most common type of EV battery is a growing source of 'forever chemical' pollution, scientists say
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-08 | by ( Catherine Boudreau | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Scientists have uncovered a new source of hazardous "forever chemical" pollution: the rechargeable lithium-ion batteries found in most electric vehicles. Some lithium-ion battery technologies use a class of PFAS chemicals, or per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances, that helps make batteries less flammable and conduct electricity. Scientists tested more than a dozen lithium-ion batteries used in EVs and consumer electronics like laptops, and found bis-FASIs at various concentrations. They can also leach into the environment from landfills, where the majority of lithium-ion batteries end up. AdvertisementThe study said only about 5% of lithium-ion batteries are recycled, and by 2040, there could be some 8 million tons of lithium-ion battery waste.

Persons: They've, Jennifer Guelfo, PFAS, Lee Ferguson, Guelfo, PFOA, hasn't, Corteva Organizations: Service, Nature Communications, Business, Texas Tech University, Duke University, Environmental Protection Agency, Solvay, Chemours, DuPont Locations: US, Belgium, France, Minnesota , Kentucky, Antwerp, Salindres

☆ Chemical toxin exposure in the womb linked to greater health risks for children ages 6 to 11
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-23 | by ( Sandee Lamotte | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

CNN —Chemical toxins are everywhere — in our water, food, air and soil. Children born to European mothers exposed to four families of chemicals that disrupt the body’s endocrine (hormone) system had elevated levels of metabolic syndrome at ages 6 to 11. Metabolic syndrome can include obesity, elevated blood pressure, and abnormally high cholesterol and insulin resistance, which is a precursor to type 2 diabetes. Metabolic syndrome is typically associated with adult cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and stroke, but the growing epidemic of childhood obesity has seen symptoms appearing in kids at younger and younger ages. Having metabolic syndrome as a child is highly predictive of chronic disease as an adult, experts say.

Persons: Nuria Güil, ”, Oumrait, Vicente Mustieles, Mariana Fernández, Carmen Messerlian, Messerlian, phthalates, “, Jane Houlihan, ” Houlihan, Houlihan, PFAS, EWG Organizations: CNN, Icahn School of Medicine, JAMA, Biomedical Research, University of Granada, Harvard, of Public Health, International Council for Chemical Associations, American Chemistry Council, EPA, Food, Food and Drug Administration, FDA, NSF, National Sanitation Foundation Locations: Mount Sinai, New York City, Spain, Messerlian, Chan, Boston, United States

☆ Opinion | We Regulate a Tiny Fraction of the 12,000 ‘Forever Chemicals.’ There’s a Better Way.
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-21 | by ( Kathleen Blackburn | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Nothing about his predicament made sense to our family at the time. He was 38, a nonsmoker and nondrinker, with no history of cancer in his family. My parents were conservative evangelicals deeply skeptical of the medical industry, and his diagnosis kicked their beliefs into high gear. Traveling evangelists and local preachers claimed that the cancer was, in fact, a satanic attack. This gave us a way out: We simply had to muster enough faith to believe a miracle was possible and God would heal him.

Persons: who’d Organizations: Air Force, New York City Marathon Locations: West Texas

☆ E.P.A. Says ‘Forever Chemicals’ Must Be Removed From Tap Water
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-10 | by ( Lisa Friedman | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

For the first time, the Biden administration is requiring municipal water systems to remove six synthetic chemicals linked to cancer and other health problems that are present in the tap water of hundreds of millions of Americans. The extraordinary move from the Environmental Protection Agency mandates that water providers reduce perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, known collectively as PFAS, to near-zero levels. The compounds, found in everything from dental floss to firefighting foams to children’s toys, are called “forever chemicals” because they never fully degrade and can accumulate in the body and the environment. The chemicals are so ubiquitous that they can be found in the blood of almost every person in the United States. A 2023 government study of private wells and public water systems detected PFAS chemicals in nearly half the tap water in the country.

Persons: Biden Organizations: Environmental, Agency Locations: United States

☆ How to limit PFAS in your drinking water and food, according to experts
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-10 | by ( Sandee Lamotte | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

“It would be about 25 years before all the PFAS leave your body.”Testing your waterWhat can consumers do right now to limit the levels of PFAS in their drinking water? Filtering your waterIf PFAS levels are concerning, consumers can purchase an under-the-counter water filter for their tap. “The water filters that are most effective for PFAS are reverse osmosis filters, which are more expensive, about in the $200 range,” Andrews said. Reverse osmosis filters can remove a wide range of contaminants, including dissolved solids, by forcing water through various filters. PFAS in food and your homeDrinking water is not the only way PFAS enters the bloodstream.

Persons: Melanie Benesh, “, ” Jane Hoppin, ”, Andrews, PFAS, ” Andrews Organizations: CNN, Environmental Protection Agency, Geological Survey, Environmental, ”, National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, Medicine, Center for Human Health, Environment, North Carolina State University, NSF, National Sanitation Foundation, EWG, US Food and Drug Administration, FDA, Research, Education, Community Health, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences Locations: United States, polluters, Raleigh, Texas

☆ Toxic ‘forever’ chemicals found in excessive levels in global groundwater, study says
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-08 | by ( Sandee Lamotte | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

CNN —Potentially toxic chemicals called PFAS (perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are found in surface and groundwaters around the world at levels much higher than many international regulators allow, a new study found. Groundwater can be contaminated by PFAS from food and consumer products added to landfills as well as from manufacturing facilities. Public concern led to a commitment by manufacturers in 2008 to phase out use of PFOA and PFOS, two of the most widely used chemicals. Generally PFAS concentrations are higher in urban areas or areas that used PFAS products extensively, O’Connell said, but it is also leached into the environment in ways that may not be obvious. “Another example is that PFAS used to be used in ski wax, so pristine environments, where people ski, have PFAS in their waters and soils,” he said.

Persons: Mario Tama, ”, David Andrews, Andrews, ” Andrews, “, Denis O’Connell, O’Connell, ” O’Connell Organizations: CNN, US Environmental Protection Agency, Health Canada, EPA, National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, Medicine . Studies, Environmental, Agency, Toxic Substances, Disease, Nature, University of New, Geological Survey, NSF, National Sanitation Foundation Locations: Mount Everest, Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney

The U.S. Department of Defense plans to install two more groundwater treatment systems at a former Michigan military base to control contamination from so-called forever chemicals, U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin's office announced Friday. The base closed in 1993 as part of a base realignment. Pentagon documents show at least 385 military bases nationwide are contaminated with PFAS, mostly from firefighting foam used during training. DOD records released in 2021 showed PFAS had been detected in groundwater around Wurtsmith at levels up to 213,000 parts per trillion. Political Cartoons View All 253 ImagesThe Department of Defense announced in August that it would install two groundwater treatment systems near the base.

Persons: Elissa Slotkin's, PFAS, ” Slotkin, “, Tony Spaniola Organizations: U.S . Department of Defense, . Rep, Wurtsmith Air Force Base, Pentagon, Clarks, Department of Defense, Action Locations: Michigan, Clarks, Oscoda, Lake Huron, Wurtsmith

☆ Common contaminants linked to accelerated weight gain in children
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-19 | by ( Sandee Lamotte | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

The research network aims to examine the lifetime impact of exposure in the womb to chemical contaminants in air, water and food. Both DDT and HCB contamination in people occurs “mainly through bioaccumulation in the food chain via fish, fish products, meat (and) dairy products,” Montazeri said. The July 2022 report also found PFAS exposure was sufficiently associated with decreased infant and fetal growth as well as decreased antibody response to vaccines in both adults and children. Pregnant people can take steps to reduce their exposure to various chemicals in commercial products, food and water. “Phthalates and phenols come from plastics and personal care products,” Montazeri said.

Persons: ”, Parisa Montazeri, “, Montazeri, Leonardo Trasande, HCB, ” Montazeri, Trasande Organizations: CNN, Barcelona Institute, Global Health, BMI, NYU Langone Health, Environmental, US Centers for Disease Control, CDC, US Environmental Protection Agency, National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, Medicine, Getty, NYU’s Grossman School of Medicine, National Sanitation Foundation Locations: Spain, United States, PFAS

☆ AI deals give investment banks a glimmer of hope
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-26 | by ( Nicole Goodkind | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

About a third of all M&A deals in the first half of 2023 were technology deals, and a lot of that was related to AI, said Berlin. The success of these deals mean more M&A is likely on the horizon, said Dan Ives, a tech analyst at Wedbush. Costco members now have access to $29 online health care visitsCostco is known for its giant tubs of mac and cheese, cheap hotdogs and more-for-less warehouse deals. The retailer is offering the new service in partnership with Sesame, a direct-to-consumer health care marketplace that connects medical providers nationwide with consumers. Costco is among several retailers, including Amazon, CVS and Walgreens, who are directly providing health care to customers as the demand booms for urgent care access outside of a traditional hospital setting.

Persons: CNN —, Goldman Sachs, Goldman, ” Goldman, David Solomon, Instacart’s, ”, Mitch Berlin, “ You’re, Dan Ives, ” Ives, Taavon Naja, Ramishah Maruf, Parija Kavilanz, Sesame Organizations: CNN Business, Bell, CNN, Wall, Companies, Renaissance, Nasdaq, Cisco, Wedbush, of Foreign, Control, Costco, Costco Pharmacy’s, Amazon, CVS, Walgreens Locations: Americas, Berlin, Iran, Switzerland, United States, PFAS, New York

☆ 3M agrees to pay almost $10 million to settle apparent Iran sanctions violations
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-25 | by ( Ramishah Maruf | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —3M has agreed to pay almost $10 million to settle apparent violations of Iranian sanctions, the US Office of Foreign Assets Control said last week. The agency said 3M had 54 apparent violations of OFAC sanctions on Iran. One US person employed by 3M Gulf, a subsidiary in Dubai, was “closely involved” in the sale, OFAC said. OFAC notes Iranian law enforcement stands accused of human rights violations both in Iran and Syria. 3M voluntarily self-disclosed the apparent violations after discovering the sale hadn’t been authorized, according to OFAC.

Persons: Taavon Naja, OFAC, ” OFAC, “ Organizations: CNN, of Foreign, Control, 3M, Law Enforcement Forces, “ Locations: Iran, Switzerland, Dubai, Syria, United States, PFAS

☆ 3M agrees to pay $6 billion after US military said faulty earplugs led to hearing loss
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-29 | by ( Jordan Valinsky | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

New York CNN —3M has agreed to pay $6 billion to resolve roughly 300,000 lawsuits alleging that the manufacturing company supplied faulty combat earplugs to the military that resulted in significant injuries, such as hearing loss. 3M is prepared to continue to defend itself in the litigation if certain agreed terms of the settlement agreement are not fulfilled,” the company said. 3MThe earplugs were used by the US military in training and combat from 2003 to 2015. Veterans accused 3M of selling defective earplugs that caused hearing loss and tinnitus, according to a 2021 Wall Street Journal report. The earplugs were made by Aearo Technologies, a company 3M bought in 2008.

Persons: 3M, Aearo Organizations: New, New York CNN, Veterans, Aearo Technologies, 3M Locations: New York, United States

☆ Opinion: Hitting the gym or going to yoga? Your workout clothes could be doing more harm than you realize
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-16 | by ( Opinion Alden Wicker | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +13 min

BPA is an endocrine disruptor, meaning that it mimics or interferes with the body’s hormones. It governs weight management and your energy levels, not to mention your skin’s appearance and your ability to fend off illness. Others have tried to argue that some of the chemicals in clothing fell within the legal and regulatory limits. The signs that something is very, very wrong with our reproductive health and endocrine systems are myriad. After all, you might be undoing the benefits of hitting the gym every day when your workout clothes could be doing so much damage to your health.

Persons: Alden Wicker, Athleta, Alden Wicker Alden Wicker, There’s, bisphenol, Ashley Eskew, “, Thinx, ” Dr, Laura Vandenberg, Down, ”, Shanna, Dr, Graham Peaslee, PFAS, Swan, lipsticks, ‘, ” Eskew, Eskew Organizations: New York Times, Vox, Wired, CNN, Center for Environmental Health, Nike, IKEA, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, CBC, US Environmental Protection Agency, Industry, University of Massachusetts Amherst, of Environmental Health Sciences, Notre, Twitter Locations: Putnam, California, Patagonia, ” North Carolina, Spain

☆ Nearly half of US drinking water may contain toxic 'forever chemicals'
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-06 | by ( Rachel Nostrant | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

July 6 (Reuters) - Nearly half of U.S. tap water samples contain toxic "forever chemicals," substances used in hundreds of household items from cleaning supplies to pizza boxes to which broad exposure can carry serious health risks, according to a new study. But analyzing tap water allows for a more accurate assessment of what people are drinking, said Kelly Smalling, a USGS hydrologist who led the research. The study samples, which came from public supplies and private wells between 2016 and 2021, were tested for 32 types. Public water supplies are regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency while private wells are not. It would require monitoring of public water systems and disclosure when PFAS levels exceed limits.

Persons: Kelly Smalling, ” Smalling, Rachel Nostrant, Nancy Lapid, Howard Goller Organizations: Geological Survey, U.S . Centers for Disease Control, Environmental Protection Agency, Biden administration’s, Infrastructure Law, Thomson Locations: U.S

☆ Central banks to Wall Street: More pain is coming
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-23 | by ( Nicole Goodkind | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

New York CNN —Market euphoria in early June, spurred on by a pause in interest rate hikes by the Federal Reserve, is well behind us now. What’s happening: It’s been just over a week since the Federal Reserve paused its 14-month regimen of interest rate hikes to fight inflation. The Bank of England, meanwhile, surprised investors by raising interest rates in the UK by an outsized half of a percentage point. Central banks had been making smaller interest rate moves as inflation began to ease off of recent highs. Elsewhere in Europe, central banks in Norway and Switzerland also hiked rates to decade-high levels on Thursday.

Persons: We’re, It’s, Jerome Powell, ” Powell, Stocks, Scott Wren, Wells, ”, Samantha Delouya, Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, Musk, Zuckerberg, Hanna Ziady, Alex Heath, “, Paddy Power Organizations: CNN Business, Bell, New York CNN, Federal Reserve, Central Bank, Nasdaq, Senate, Financial Services, The Bank of England, Bank of England, Fed, Commonwealth, 3M, WWE, Tech, Twitter, Meta, “ Locations: New York, Europe, Norway, Switzerland, ” Switzerland, United States, Wells Fargo, Las Vegas

☆ 3M Reaches $10.3 Billion Settlement in ‘Forever Chemicals’ Suits
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-22 | by ( Lisa Friedman | Vivian Giang | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The chemical and manufacturing giant 3M reached a $10.3 billion settlement on Thursday with U.S. cities and towns over their claims that the company contaminated drinking water with so-called forever chemicals used in everything from firefighting foam to nonstick coatings. Under the sweeping settlement, 3M said it would pay out the money over 13 years to any cities, counties and others across the country to test for and clean up perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, known as PFAS, in public water supplies. 3M, which is facing about 4,000 lawsuits by states and municipalities for PFAS contamination, did not admit any liability. The company said the settlement covered remediation to water suppliers that detected the chemical “at any level or may do so in the future.”In a statement, Mike Roman, the chairman and chief executive of 3M, called the agreement “an important step forward for 3M” and said it built on “our announcement that we will exit all PFAS manufacturing by the end of 2025.”

Persons: Mike Roman, ” Organizations: 3M

☆ 3M agrees to pay $10.3 billion to settle 'forever chemicals' lawsuits
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-22 | by ( Samantha Delouya | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —3M announced Thursday that it had reached an agreement to settle lawsuits that claimed that toxic “forever chemicals” had contaminated water supplies in the United States. The company — which produces Post-It notes, Scotch Tape, and n95 masks, among other industrial products — said it would pay up to $10.3 billion over 13 years to fund public water suppliers in the US that have detected these chemicals in drinking water. Polyfluoroalkyl and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), known as “forever chemicals,” have been found in hundreds of household items, including makeup and carpeting, and are used to make coatings that repel water, grease, and oil. The settlement comes after 3M faced thousands of lawsuits for the last two decades over its manufacturing of products containing PFAS. These lawsuits allege that 3M knew PFAS caused cancer, developmental defects and other health problems, and that the chemicals contaminated US drinking water systems.

Persons: 3M’s, ”, Mike Roman Organizations: CNN — 3M, 3M, Chemours, DuPont, US Environmental Protection Agency Locations: United States

Three major chemical companies on Friday said they would pay more than $1 billion to settle the first in a wave of claims that they and other companies contaminated drinking water across the country with so-called forever chemicals that have been linked to cancer and other illnesses. The companies — Chemours, DuPont and Corteva — said they had reached an agreement in principle to set up a $1.19 billion fund to help remove toxic perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, from public drinking water systems. Bloomberg News also reported on Friday that 3M had reached a tentative deal worth “at least $10 billion” with U.S. cities and towns to resolve related PFAS claims. Sean Lynch, a spokesman for 3M, declined to comment on the report, which cited people familiar with the deal without naming them. They have sought billions of dollars in damages to deal with the health impacts and the cost of cleaning up and monitoring polluted sites.

Persons: —, Corteva —, “, Sean Lynch Organizations: DuPont, Bloomberg News, 3M

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