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  Health issues: Dec. 2001-Feb. 2002  

See also other materials on "Health issues"

Dec. 2001-Feb. 2002:

ENVIRONMENT: World Bank Unit Keeps Peruvian Case at Arm's Length - The International Finance Corporation (IFC) has refused to investigate allegations of corruption involving a gold mine it co-owns in Peru...The IFC owns five percent of the Minera Yanacocha mine, the largest gold mine in Latin America, which is co-owned by Newmont and Buenaventura, a Peruvian company...Farmers living near the mine had long accused the company of contaminating the region's water supply. (Danielle Knight, Inter Press Service, 28 Feb. 2002)

Disease toll among world's poorest keeps pressure on drug companies: Infectious diseases are wreaking havoc in the world's poorest regions, but the high cost of medicine and increasing drug resistance is making the tide of death harder to turn, reports the South China Morning Post. Health authorities blame profit-driven pharmaceutical companies based in developed countries, and NGOs in recent months have become increasingly vocal about bringing prices down. The campaign is starting to have some effect, but health workers warn more needs to be done. (Press review, World Bank website, 28 Feb. 2002)

EPA [U.S. Environmental Protection Agency] to add asbestos-tainted Montana town to Superfund list:...W.R. Grace & Co. operated the mine, which is being blamed for nearly 200 deaths and the health problems of hundreds of other area residents. (Christopher Thorne, Associated Press, 28 Feb. 2002)

Lead levels in Herculaneum children's blood "urgent public health hazard" [USA]:...The findings are the most comprehensive yet to gauge the extent of lead exposure in the home of the 110-year-old Doe Run Co. smelter in Herculaneum, about 30 miles south of St. Louis on the Mississippi River (Joe Stange, Associated Press, 28 Feb. 2002)

SA employers urged to help manage Aids: South African employers should actively manage HIV-Aids in the workplace to reduce the effect of the pandemic on business and society, Old Mutual's deputy managing director Peter Moyo said yesterday. (South African Press Association, in Dispatch [South Africa], 27 Feb. 2002)

Tackling risky chemicals on the high street [UK]: Ikea, the Body Shop, Co-op, Marks & Spencer and B&Q are top of the table when it comes to tackling risky chemicals in their products [worst scores: Hamleys, Focus, BHS, Somerfield; companies that did not reply: ASDA, Kwick Save, Morrisons, Toys 'R' Us, Toymaster] (Friends of the Earth, 26 Feb. 2002)

Construction Industry Moves to Reduce Use of Arsenic-Treated Wood Source [USA]: U.S. EPA administrator Christie Whitman announced this month a voluntary decision by the construction industry to reduce use of arsenic-treated lumber products in homes -- in favor of new, alternative wood preservatives. (GreenBiz.com, 26 Feb. 2002)

Incinerator Protesters Prepare for a Struggle in the Sky [UK]: A high-altitude confrontation around the chimney peak of a London waste-burning plant [owned by French company Onyx] was expected late Tuesday as a "specialist team" from the capital's Metropolitan Police Service prepared to climb the tower...to displace Greenpeace demonstrators...Greenpeace claims that the plant releases dangerous amounts of man-made chemicals, known as dioxins (Carol Nahra, OneWorld UK, 26 Feb. 2002)

Judge urges settlement in Alabama PCB cases [USA]: Fresh off a jury's verdict that a chemical company poisoned an Alabama town with PCBs for decades, a judge pushed hard for an agreement Monday to resolve thousands of remaining claims. Circuit Judge Joel Laird ordered nine top executives of Monsanto Co., its spinoff Solutia Inc., and Pharmacia Corp. to attend a meeting with lawyers Saturday to discuss settling the cases and avoid more lengthy trials. (Jay Reeves, Associated Press, 26 Feb. 2002)

Food from Malaysia's ex-mining land toxic - report: A study of foodstuff from a legendary tin mining area in Malaysia has revealed high levels of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) that could cause cancer, a newspaper said. (Reuters, 26 Feb. 2002)

TOXIC WASTE: "Recycled" U.S. Electronics Pose Risks In Asia, Groups Say - A coalition of environmental groups said in a report today that 50 percent to 80 percent of electronics waste collected for recycling in the United States is sent to developing countries in Asia to be reused, often in dangerous conditions. (UN Wire, 25 Feb. 2002)

Jury decides against Monsanto, Solutia in PCB case [USA]: An Alabama jury last week ruled against Monsanto Co. and Solutia Inc. in a case seeking to repay property damages resulting from production of dangerous chemicals several decades ago (Philip Klein, Reuters, 25 Feb. 2002)

Jury finds Monsanto liable for releasing tons of PCB [USA] - Firm covered up pollution for more than 40 years: An Alabama jury has found that Monsanto Co. engaged in "outrageous" behavior by releasing tons of polychlorinated biphenyl into the city of Anniston and covering up its actions for decades, handing 3,500 local residents a huge victory in a landmark environmental lawsuit. (Michael Grunwald, Washington Post, 23 Feb. 2002)

U.S. Regulation of Transgenic Plants Called Inadequate: Regulations now in place to protect the public and the environment from potential harmful effects of genetically engineered crops are inadequate, concludes a new review by the National Research Council. (Cat Lazaroff, Environment News Service, 22 Feb. 2002)

Jospin calls for public-private partnership on global development: Prime Minister Lionel Jospin called for a partnership between governments and private businesses on global development to ensure people have access to the four "fundamental rights" of a safe environment, water, health and education...He also urged the establishment of rules on transparency and a clear definition of companies' "social and environmental responsibilities".  (AFX, 22 Feb. 2002)

EU proposes curbs on toxic chemicals by 2003: The European Commission approved plans this week to restrict by 2003 the public use of 43 chemicals which are believed to cause cancer, damage reproduction or pose a danger to human genes. The substances in question are used in special paints, printing inks, varnishes and adhesives, the EU's executive Commission said in a statement. (Reuters, 22 Feb. 2002)

International Agreements, Treaties, and Conventions on Environment and Human Health: A Summary Note by Chris Calamita (Chris Calamita, Science and Human Rights Program of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, 21 Feb. 2002)

Groups Urge 'No' to Cyanide Use in Mining: Environmental and human rights groups in the United States and Europe called on the European Union (EU) and the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) Thursday not to sanction cyanide leach mining, citing numerous environmental and public health disasters worldwide. (Danielle Knight, Inter Press Service, 21 Feb. 2002)

Water Board Ignoring Pesticide Discharges from Agriculture in California (Earthjustice, 21 Feb. 2002)

CHEMICALS: Panel Targets Three Pesticides, Asbestos For Trade Control The Interim Chemical Review Committee, a panel of government-appointed experts, recommended today that three widely used pesticides and all forms of asbestos should be placed on an international list of chemicals subject to trade controls (UN Wire, 21 Feb. 2002)

New Study Exposes Bush Administration’s Roll Back of Clean Air Protections as National Disaster for Public Health: Oil giants could increase pollution by two to 140 times current emissions without triggering pollution control requirements (Earthjustice, 20 Feb. 2002)

Pesticide leak causing environmental problem in Djibouti: Shipping containers packed with a toxic chemical are leaking in the port of Djibouti, and the pollution could spread, a U.N. food agency said Tuesday. (Associated Press, Environmental News Network website, 20 Feb. 2002)

TOBACCO: WHO [World Health Organization] Chief Calls For Tighter Controls In Europe - Smoking reduction efforts have met significant political and economic barriers, "but most important of all, there are obstacles put up by the tobacco companies," Danzon [WHO's European director, Marc Danzon] said. (UN Wire, 19 Feb. 2002)

Three Volvo models pose electromagnetic risk - study: Three models made by Volvo Car Corp, known for its safety-conscious luxury sedans, have electromagnetic fields up to 80 times higher than levels considered safe, a study published last week said. (Anna Peltola, Reuters, 18 Feb. 2002) 

Thorny Issue: Flower Firms Accused of Exploiting Workers [Kenya] - Participants at a human-rights conference in Nairobi last week heard harrowing descriptions of how employers in Kenya's booming flower industry neglect and abuse their workers as they seek to maximise profits [including reports of "starvation wages", arbitrary dismissal for such offences as leaving the greenhouses even when it becomes unbearably hot, sexual harassment of women workers, inability to form or join unions, failure to provide proper safety equipment to protect against chemicals (resulting in illnesses)] (Cathy Majtenyi, East African [Nairobi], 18 Feb. 2002)

Home Depot, Lowe's to stop selling arsenic-treated wood: Home-improvement retailers said this week they would stop selling wood treated with an arsenic-based pesticide that is widely used for home decks and fences (Karen Jacobs, Reuters, 15 Feb. 2002)

{···español} Miles de indígenas afectados: El cáncer del petróleo [Ecuador] - Una alta incidencia de cáncer se manifiesta entre las comunidades asentadas en áreas petroleras de la Amazonia de Ecuador, y el riesgo de contraer esa enfermedad es allí tres veces superior a otras partes del país, asegura una investigación médica. (La Hora [Ecuador], 14 febrero 2002)

Valentines a thorny issue for Kenya flower workers:...The Kenya Human Rights Commission, a non-governmental organisation, paints a decidedly unromantic picture, accusing farmers of paying a pittance, exposing their workers to toxins and damaging the environment in their hunger for profit...Farm owners deny the allegations (Matthew Green, Reuters, 14 Feb. 2002)

World environment summit seeks controls on hazardous chemicals: The United Nations has called for tougher safeguards on the production and storage of hazardous chemicals in developing countries to prevent industrial accidents. (Ricardo Maldonado, Associated Press, Environmental News Network website, 14 Feb. 2002)

Companies 'face rising risks over human rights': Multinational companies face a growing risk of being associated with human rights violations, according to research published in London yesterday by Amnesty International and the Prince of Wales International Business Leaders Forum. The research examines the operations of 129 leading companies in 34 countries where human rights abuses including torture, forced child labour and denial of freedom of expression occur. (Alison Maitland, Financial Times, 13 Feb. 2002)

INDIA: Environmentalists, Residents Call For Ban On Pesticide Endosulfan - Environmentalists say a pesticide used by a major cashew nut plantation in southern India is responsible for the acute mental and physical ailments suffered by hundreds of children and adults in the region (UN Wire, 13 Feb. 2002)

French factory blast prompts new laws: Four months after a deadly explosion at a chemicals factory in Toulouse, the French cabinet is examining a package of new laws aimed at reducing the risk of industrial accidents. (BBC News, 13 Feb. 2002)

Private Firms and Nonprofits Link Up to Help Bridge "Digital Divide": The Global Digital Opportunity Initiative...aims to close the "digital divide" by providing pro-bono expertise and tools to help developing countries meet healthcare and education needs, and reduce poverty...Private companies, including AOL Time Warner, Cisco Systems, Grameen Bank, Hewlett-Packard, n-Logue Communication, PicoPeta Simputers, and Sun Microsystems, will offer their services together with nonprofit and international organizations...So far three countries--Bolivia, Tanzania, and Mozambique--have applied to take part in the program. (Beth Bolitho, OneWorld, 11 Feb. 2002) 

HIV/AIDS: Salvadoran Law Legalizes Testing For Job Applicants A new law in El Salvador permits HIV testing of job applicants by prospective employers, sparking controversy among health and labor advocates, Knight Ridder reported yesterday. Experts say the law is unprecedented and stands in opposition to international labor standards. (UN Wire, 11 Feb. 2002)

U.S. group says "toys made in misery in China": A labour rights group has accused major U.S. companies of selling toys made in China by badly paid workers who it says are exposed to dangerous toxins, but an industry association denied the charge. About 100 people organised by the National Labor Committee for Human Rights demonstrated outside the annual Toy Industry Association convention in New York, accusing Hasbro, Mattel/Fisher-Price, Toys 'R' Us and Wal-Mart of violating China's labour laws and international standards. (Grant McCool, Reuters, 11 Feb. 2002)

Trading in Disaster: World Trade Center Scrap Lands in India -...more than 30,000 tons of steel scrap -- possibly contaminated with asbestos, PCBs, cadmium, mercury and dioxins -- has been exported to India and other parts of Asia (Nityanand Jayaraman and Kenny Bruno, CorpWatch, 6 Feb. 2002)

New Consumer Campaign Targeting Kraft Foods Launched in 170 Cities Today: Group Calls for safety testing and labeling of all genetically engineered foods, Asks Kraft Foods to remove GE ingredients from its products - Today consumer activists in over 170 cities around the United States, Canada, and Australia launched a new campaign that calls on Kraft Foods to remove untested, unlabeled genetically engineered ingredients from its products (Genetically Engineered Food Alert, 6 Feb. 2002)

Unhealthy influence: There is a danger that WHO's [World Health Organisation's] new partnership with drug companies will skew its health policies (Sarah Boseley, Guardian [UK], 6 Feb. 2002)

Blast rips through Polish coal mine: At least 10 miners have been killed in an accident at a coal mine in Poland. (BBC News, 6 Feb. 2002)

High-risk toxic factories to be inspected [Thailand]: The National Civil Defence Committee will inspect 506 factories in Bangkok and six surrounding provinces for dangerous chemicals. (Apiradee Treerutkuarkul, Bangkok Post, 5 Feb. 2002)

Christian Aid calls for global regulation of tobacco industry: Brazilian tobacco farmer sues BAT subsidiary. New report from Christian Aid raises concerns over the safety of growing tobacco. A tobacco farmer who claims he has been made permanently ill as a result of growing tobacco is taking Souza Cruz, the Brazilian subsidiary of British American Tobacco (BAT), to court. (Christian Aid, 4 Feb. 2002)

Platform collapses killing seven, injuring many: An unauthorised concrete structure at an electronics factory [Delta Electronics, a Thai-Taiwanese joint venture] in Thailand falls on a production line. (IMF-International Metalworkers' Federation, 4 Feb. 2002)

Chemical leak contained at Chevron S.F. refinery: A release at the ChevronTexaco Corp. refinery in Richmond, California sent chemicals spewing into the air last week, spurring county health officials to warn residents to remain indoors. (Reuters, 4 Feb. 2002) 

Wood industry may drop the use of arsenic: Wooden decks, playground equipment and picnic tables treated with a preservative containing arsenic could be taken off the market soon. (Associated Press, in St. Louis Post - Dispatch, 3 Feb. 2002)

Unlikely Note Is Struck on World Finance Stage - Forum: Bill Gates and Bono challenge the Treasury chief and the U.S. to boost foreign aid...The new focus on health and on environmental problems in poor countries by Gates and other wealthy philanthropists--Ted Turner and the Hewlett and Packard families, among others--has been cited by some U.S. opponents of government assistance as a more efficient and focused form of foreign aid. But Gates argued vigorously here for greatly increased aid from the United States and other official donors. (William Orme, Los Angeles Times, 3 Feb. 2002)

New WHO model to fight infectious diseases: Health strategies that up to now have focused mainly on disease prevention must incorporate treatment with drugs, according to a new report released by the World Health Organization....Heymann said the new strategy represented "an important shift in thinking" among the international health community, and added that greater access to medicine can prevent deaths, improve health and help pull people out of poverty...The study will be distributed... at the World Economic Forum (Gustavo Capdevila, Dawn [Pakistan], 3 Feb. 2002)

W.E.F's [World Economic Forum's] Global Health Initiative: Business as usual while workers die of aids - Activists demand corporations provide AIDS drugs for their workers in poor countries (Health GAP Coalition, 2 Feb. 2002)

World Economic Forum: CEOs Call for Greater Corporate Engagement Against HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria Leading CEOs from the World Economic Forum’s Global Health Initiative issued an Executive Statement today as a rallying cry to the business community to fight HIV/AIDS, TB and malaria. (World Economic Forum, 2 Feb. 2002)

Chiron Corporation and Global Alliance for TB Drug Development Agree on License of PA-824 Compound for New Tuberculosis Therapeutics (Global Alliance for TB Drug Development, 1 Feb. 2002)

The Global Business Council on HIV/AIDS and the Confederation of Indian Industry announce a partnership to increase business action in India - Memorandum of Understanding (The Global Business Council on HIV/AIDS and the Confederation of Indian Industry, 31 Jan. 2002)

LIMPFROG -...The exploding number of two and three-wheelers on Asia’s streets promise to flood the continent with pollution. (Down to Earth, Centre for Science and Environment [India], 31 Jan. 2002)

China To Allow Foreign Firms Entry In Work Safety Consultation: China has recently allowed foreign consulting companies to provide legal services related to occupational health and safety for domestic enterprises (Oana-Xinhua, 31 Jan. 2002)

Flame Retardant Chemical Found in Fish, Humans (Pat Hemminger, Environment News Service, 31 Jan. 2002)

Public-Private Partnership Leads Fight Against HIV/Aids [in Botswana]:...The Gates Foundation, partnerships with Merck, Bristol-Myers Squibb and the Harvard AIDS Institute all form "very strong" U.S. components of the southern African nation's Aids fight. (allAfrica.com, 31 Jan. 2002)

LEPROSY: Alliance Meets In Brazil, Aims To Eliminate Disease By 2005 -...Alliance partners Novartis AG, which provides free multi-drug therapy to leprosy patients, and the Nippon Foundation are also participating in the conference (UN Wire, 31 Jan. 2002)

FOOD SAFETY: U.N. Meeting Ends; Experts Call For More Consumer Protection -..."Food-borne diseases pose a considerable threat to human health for the economy of individuals, families and nations," the WHO said, adding that "their control requires a concentrated effort on the part of three principal partners: governments, the food industry and consumers." (UN Wire, 31 Jan. 2002)

High number of work-related deaths for first part of year [New Zealand]: Occupational Safety and Health says it's concerned about the rising number of work-related deaths toll (New Zealand Herald, 31 Jan. 2002)

TUC and CCA launch campaign to crack down on deaths at work [UK]: The TUC is joining with the Campaign for Corporate Accountability (CCA) to launch a new campaign to improve workplace safety standards by getting tougher on law enforcement and corporate accountability (TUC, 30 Jan. 2002)

Belgian PCB contamination spreads to pigs: Belgium said yesterday it had found the same cancer-causing chemicals in pig feed that it discovered in chicken feed made by a local compounder (Reuters, 30 Jan. 2002) 

Asbestos victim sues Everite [South Africa]: A 52-year-old cancer victim and his wife have instigated a legal claim for R7 million against Everite, a company that manufactures asbestos products (South African Press Association, 28 Jan. 2002)

Two explosions in Chinese coal mine: At least 27 miners have been killed in two explosions at a coal mine in northern China...Official figures show that more than 5,000 miners died last year, but independent analysts say around 10,000 miners die each year in Chinese coal mines. (BBC News, 28 Jan. 2002)

Company Fined $12,000 After Worker's Toes Amputated [New Zealand]: A Balclutha company was fined $12,000 after being prosecuted by the Occupational Safety and Health Service (OSH) today. Van Zanten New Zealand Ltd, a bulb growing company, were fined after a worker had his foot crushed and two toes amputated. (New Zealand Occupational Safety & Health Service, 28 Jan. 2002)

To improve health and boost economic development, countries strive for better food safety: Lessons Learned Shared at Global Forum - The first ever Global Forum of Food Safety Regulators opened today, seeking ways to improve the safety of food worldwide at every step of the food production chain — from farmers, through processors and retailers, to consumers. (World Health Organization, 28 Jan. 2002)

UK asbestos victims could miss payouts: A US company which owes millions to people dying of asbestos poisoning in the UK is likely to scale down compensation payouts. Federal Mogul, which bought out one of the UK's biggest asbestos producers, T&N, has itself gone into administration under the weight of claims from former employees and those who lived close by asbestos factories. (BBC News, 28 Jan. 2002)

Belgium finds PCB traces in chicken feed: Belgian health authorities said on Friday they had found traces of chemicals linked to cancer in feed given to chickens. (Reuters, 28 Jan. 2002)

Hearing loss an issue for Kiwi workers: About 25 percent of New Zealand workers are affected by dangerous noise levels, according to the Occupational Safety and Health Service. (Dominion [New Zealand], 28 Jan. 2002)

PCB Pollution Suits Have Day in Court in Alabama [USA: lawsuits against Monsanto and Solutia filed by a total of 25,000 plaintiffs] - In the first two weeks of testimony, the plaintiffs' lawyers have established through Monsanto memorandums that the company was aware of the level of its discharges and that it at least partly understood the risks as early as the mid-1960's, if not earlier. But it did not begin improving pollution controls until 1970 (Kevin Sack, New York Times, 27 Jan. 2002)

V.P Njie Saidy Launches Shell African Aids Initiative (Daily Observer [Gambia], 25 Jan. 2002)

Lobbyist Who Blasted WHO Initiative Failed To Divulge Interests: An official with the World Health Organization criticized a British columnist Wednesday for attacking the WHO's proposed tobacco control convention without revealing his ties to a Japanese cigarette maker. (UN Wire, 25 Jan. 2002)

Fears grow over landfill defect link: Worries over a link between living near landfill sites and birth defects have been fuelled by further scientific evidence...Environmental campaigners Friends of the Earth are calling for government [UK Government] action to reduce the use of hazardous landfill sites, in the light of the Lancet research. (BBC News, 25 Jan. 2002)

CHILD LABOR: UNICEF Cites Unsafe Conditions In Latin America - More than 14 percent of Latin American children work in agriculture under dangerous and life-threatening conditions, UNICEF said Wednesday, adding that child labor in the cane, fruit, coca and cotton industries is a dangerous and persistent regional tradition. (UN Wire, 25 Jan. 2002)

ITALY: WHO Study Shows Smog Is Killing 14 People Per Day -...In a 2000 WHO study commissioned by Italy's Environment Ministry, air pollution was blamed for 3,500 annual deaths, including 4.7 percent of deaths among Italians over the age of 30 (UN Wire, 24 Jan. 2001)

FAO [UN Food and Agriculture Organization] urges countries to discontinue the use of chloramphenicol in animal production (U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization, 24 Jan. 2002)

Union seeks an audit of mine safety [South Africa]: The MWU-Solidarity union called on Minerals and Energy Minister Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka yesterday to conduct a national audit of mining safety...He [MWU-Solidarity spokesman Dirk Hermann] said that currently, an average of one mineworker died in the industry every day, and about 16 were injured in mine- related accidents. (South African Press Association, in Business Day [South Africa], 24 Jan. 2002)

Drug Store Chain to Pull Mercury Thermometers: Responding to a shareholder request, pharmacy chain Eckerd announced it would stop selling mercury fever thermometers early this year...The largest remaining retailer to sell mercury thermometers is Kroger...Other large retailers that continue to sell mercury thermometers include Cardinal Health's Medicine Shoppe franchise, Publix and Fred's Pharmacies. (GreenBiz.com, 23 Jan. 2002)

World Economic Forum Global Health Initiative Rallies Private Sector to Fight Against HIV, TB and Malaria (World Economic Forum, 23 Jan. 2002)

Plastic Waste Disposal Guidelines Adopted: Experts from some 100 governments meeting here [Geneva] have adopted a set of technical guidelines for protecting human health and the environment from the improper management and disposal of plastic wastes. (Environment News Service, 23 Jan. 2002)

Tragic Tally Of Workplace Deaths [New Zealand] (New Zealand Council of Trade Unions, 23 Jan. 2002)

EU passes laws to set up new food safety body: European Union farm ministers this week officially passed laws setting up a new European Food Safety Authority, designed to boost public confidence in the wake of alerts such as mad cow disease and dioxin poisoning. (Reuters, 23 Jan. 2002) 

HIV/AIDS: Mining Executive Expected To Be Named To Global Fund Board - The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, launched by U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan last year, is set to name Anglo American Deputy Chairman Goran Lindahl as its 18th and last board member, the Wall Street Journal reported yesterday...Top fund organizers said last year that drug makers should be centrally involved in the fund's work, but...fund officials worried that having a drug executive on the board would lead to "conflict-of-interest issues." (UN Wire, 22 Jan. 2002)

Activists to oppose govt Aids ruling appeal [South Africa]: Aids activists are planning a series of new lawsuits aimed at widening access to treatment for HIV and Aids patients...The TAC also plans to support a bid by Indian drug company Cipla to secure a licence enabling it to sell in South Africa copies of patented drugs made by international pharmaceutical companies Boehringer Ingelheim and GlaxoSmithKlein. (SAPA/AP, in Dispatch [South Africa], 21 Jan. 2002)

Worker's deaths [deaths of migrant workers in South Korea] meet official indifference [South Korea] (KOILAF [Korea International Labour Foundation] Labor News, 21 Jan. 2002)

China, identified by a Dutch company as the source of shrimps:...more than 200 tonnes of Chinese frozen peeled shrimps had been shipped back from Europe last year after they were found to be laced with chloramphenicol, a potent antibiotic that can disrupt blood cell production in humans. (Reuters, 21 Jan. 2002)

Asthma 'costing UK business millions': Employers could save themselves billions of pounds by removing substances from the workplace that cause asthma, the TUC has said. It says those who expose staff to substances such as glue, resin, and wood dust risk losing money through lower productivity, high staff turnover, and compensation claims. (BBC News, 19 Jan. 2002)

BP fined £1m for safety breaches [UK] - BP has been fined £1 million for safety breaches at its Grangemouth plant. (Ananova, 18 Jan. 2002)

'Conflict of Interest' Charge for Gates-Backed Health Fund: Directors of the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI) will be told by the authors of a new health report that they are in danger of putting the sale of costly new vaccines ahead of their aim of halting millions of preventable child deaths..."we must ensure that this initiative does not become a marketing vehicle for the pharmaceutical companies by increasing demand for expensive new vaccines," she [Annie Heaton, private-sector research analyst at Save the Children] said. (Daniel Nelson, OneWorld UK, 18 Jan. 2002) 

Environmental, Labor Groups Expose Johnson Controls, Inc.’s Cleanup Failures in Fowlerville, Michigan [USA]:...The contaminants flowing from the JCI site include chemicals such as trichloroethlyene (TCE), a neurotoxin that can damage the heart, liver, kidneys, and central nervous system, and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), a known carcinogen. (Michigan Environmental Council, on UAW website, 18 Jan. 2002)

EPA to move residents away from Missouri smelter [USA]: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will offer temporary relocation to about 100 households in Herculaneum, Missouri, while crews cleanse contamination emanating from the town's century-old lead smelter [owned by Doe Run Lead Co.] (Zach Howard, Reuters, 18 Jan. 2002)

Hazardous Waste: Experts At Geneva Meeting Adopt New Guidelines - Experts from 100 countries meeting in Geneva this week have adopted new technical guidelines under the auspices of the Basel Convention on the Control of the Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal in an effort to better protect health and the environment from improper disposal of plastic wastes. (UN Wire, 18 Jan. 2002)

EU clamps down on ozone pollution: The European Union is to clamp down on ozone pollution - the main component of smog which can be lethal to severe asthma sufferers - under new rules passed by the European Parliament yesterday. (Reuters, 18 Jan. 2002)

Congo's Coltan Mines Blight Local Communities, Says Report: Fresh concerns over the impact of coltan mining in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo were raised this week by a local pressure group following a marked decline in the livelihoods of communities close to the sites where the rare mineral is extracted [includes reference to health concerns] (Penny Dale, OneWorld Africa, 17 Jan. 2002)

Proposed smoking bans come under fire [Australia]: Under proposed laws, an estimated 5,000 hotels, clubs, bingo halls and nightclubs across Victoria would have to set aside smoke-free areas by September 1...Quit Victoria, the Australian Medical Association Victoria and the state's hospitality union said the proposed laws were a step forward but did not go far enough. (Susan Murdoch, AAP, in f2network, 16 Jan. 2002)

Freudenberg Renews Global Labour Agreement With ICEM: Leading nonwoven and allied products multinational Freudenberg has renewed its global agreement with the 20-million-strong International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers' Unions (ICEM). First signed in July 2000, the agreement covers trade union rights, workplace equality, protection of health, safety and the environment and a ban on child labour and forced labour. (ICEM - International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers' Unions, 15 Jan. 2002)

Aerial Herbicide Spraying Violates Human Rights of Peasants and Indigenous Communities in Colombia and Ecuador: Earthjustice Urges the UN Commission on Human Rights to Act - The statement claims that the aerial spraying and drift of an herbicide mixture over vast areas of the Colombian and Ecuadorian countryside by private U.S. defense contractors with military protection is harming peasants and indigenous communities and depriving them of “their rights to a clean and healthy environment, health, life, sustenance, property, inviolability of the home and family, and access to information.” (Earthjustice, 15 Jan. 2002)

Settlement Reached on Air Pollution Lawsuit in California's San Joaquin Valley: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency agrees to end its years of neglect -...EPA’s lengthy period of neglect of air quality planning has particularly grave consequences in San Joaquin Valley, whose residents suffer from high rates of respiratory diseases, while big agricultural interests and the oil industry have repeatedly stymied the local Air District from making progress. (Earthjustice, 15 Jan. 2002)

British Workers Shocked By Water Access in Nelspruit [South Africa]: British trade unionists expressed shock and dismay yesterday at the misery suffered by thousands of South Africans through grossly insufficient access to water in Nelspruit where international corporation Bi-Water took control of services two years ago. (Congress of South African Trade Unions, 15 Jan. 2002)

Asbestosis victims take Gefco to court in quest for justice [South Africa] (Ronnie Morris, Business Report [South Africa], 15 Jan. 2002)

OSHA Fines Motiva Enterprises, LLC More Than $250,000 After Fatal July Accident [USA]: Lack of Tank Inspections Cited - The death of one worker and the injuries suffered by six others in a July 2001 tank explosion at Motiva Enterprises, LLC oil refinery, has led to proposed penalties of $259,000 (OSHA - Occupational Safety & Health Administration, U.S. Department of Labor, 14 Jan. 2002)

Trade and Trade-offs on Tobacco: When it came to AIDS drugs, the Bush administration saw that intellectual property rules needed to be modified. In the case of tobacco, it has a few more weeks to see the light. In March the World Health Organization will convene its next tobacco-control negotiations. (Sebastian Mallaby, Washington Post, 14 Jan. 2002)

Women and work: The thorn in the rose - Working women worldwide are increasingly endangering their health by doing demanding jobs in which they have too little control (Judy Siegel-Itzkovich, Jerusalem Post, 13 Jan. 2002)

UK payout for asbestosis victims: British-based multinational Cape plc is expected to pay a first tranche of £21-million (about R336-million) in June to a trust set up to aid sufferers from asbestos-related diseases in South Africa. (Brendan Seery, Independent [South Africa], 12 Jan. 2002)

Occupational Deafness Real Problem For New Zealand Workers: It is estimated that 25 per cent of New Zealand's workers are exposed to noise levels which are harmful to their hearing said the Occupational Safety and Health Service (OSH) today. (Occupational Safety and Health Service [New Zealand], 11 Jan. 2002)

Money factory staff want health inquiry [New Zealand]: Former staff at the Whangarei money factory, which closed 11 years ago, want a full-scale inquiry into the extent of health problems associated with working at the factory. (New Zealand Press Association, 11 Jan. 2002)

Californian court to hear chromium lawsuits [claims of chromium poisoning] against PG&E (Reuters, 10 Jan. 2002)

Phase-out of Mercury Thermometers Continues to Rise: In response to shareowner action campaign, most large pharmacy chains are voluntarily phasing out mercury thermometers. The campaign is now turning to the health care industry. (William Baue, SocialFunds.com, 10 Jan. 2002) 

Indonesia: Showdown at the Factory...Companies will also need to address the workers' demands for healthy working conditions and to be permitted to exercise their right to association. (Dini Djalal, Far Eastern Economic Review, 10 Jan. 2002)

China Faces Problems With Trade; Experts Say It Needs Greener Product Design: China, now part of the World Trade Organization, has had many of its exported products returned...because of the so-called “green barrier” - a series of international trade standards designed to protect the environment and health safety of countries importing goods (Business for Social Responsibility, 9 Jan. 2002)

High Court Limits Who Is Disabled Ruling [USA]: Justices put federal anti-bias law further out of reach for injured workers - The Supreme Court made it harder Tuesday for millions of workers with painful wrist injuries, bad backs or similar impairments to qualify for protection as disabled people under the federal anti-discrimination law. (David G. Savage, Los Angeles Times, 9 Jan. 2002)

South African Asbestos Victims Settle With Cape: British-based multinational to pay €33.8m/$30.2m (ICEM - International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers' Unions, 8 Jan. 2002)

USDA [U.S. Department of Agriculture], soybean groups study new China GMO [genetically modified organisms] rules (Reuters, 8 Jan. 2002)

Documentary exposing how NAFTA's Chapter 11 has become private justice for foreign companies - Bill Moyers Reports: Trading Democracy Reveals How An Obscure Provision Hidden In NAFTA Can Cost Taxpayers Millions Of Dollars When Multinational Corporations Sue The Government Over Environmental And Health Laws That Threaten Their Profits (Global Exchange, 7 Jan. 2002)

Walden Asset Management Announces Shareholder Advocacy Actions for 2002 [includes shareholder resolutions on the following issues & companies: Climate Change - Exxon Mobil, ChevronTexaco and Occidental Petroleum; Mercury Pollution - J.C. Penney and HCA; Indigenous Peoples' Rights - Lehman Brothers; Sweatshop/Vendor Standards - TJX, Kohl's, Delphi Automotive, Hasbro, Sears and Lowes; Health Risk Caused by Cigarette Filters - Eastman Chemical; Drug Accessibility - Abbott, Bristol-Myers Squibb; impact of drilling in environmentally sensitive areas - BP Amoco] (Walden Asset Management, 4 Jan. 2002)

EGYPT: Officials Say Progress Made On Reducing Annual Smog Cloud -...Egypt's Agriculture Ministry provided Nile Delta rice farmers with 400 compacting and bundling machines this summer so they could cut back on burning rice straw (UN Wire, 4 Jan. 2002)

Explosion at plastics factory injures 19 [Thailand] (Nuchanart Tangpatimakul, The Nation [Thailand], 4 Jan. 2002)

Texas companies settle safety and health violations: Will pay more than $2.1 million in penalties, hire safety and health consultants - Phillips Petroleum Company has agreed to pay over $2 million in penalties for safety and health violations at its complex in Pasadena, Texas...Chevron Phillips Chemical Company, which now owns and operates the facility, will hire dedicated safety and health consultants to ensure compliance with OSHA's process safety management standards. (OSHA - Occupational Safety & Health Administration, U.S. Department of Labor, 3 Jan. 2002)

The 21st Century Needs Corporate-Driven Globalization  (Michael Garrett [senior manager at Nestlé] and Jean-Pierre Lehmann [Professor of International Political Economy at the International Institute for Management Development] in International Herald Tribune, 3 Jan. 2002)

U.S. Research Links Birth Defects To Ozone, Carbon Monoxide - Women living in areas with high levels of pollutants may be up to three times more likely to give birth to a baby with heart defects (UN Wire, 3 Jan. 2002)

New York Times Endorses WHO Report [World Health Organization-commissioned report calling for dramatically increasing health spending in developing countries] (UN Wire, 3 Jan. 2002)

FISHING: UNEP Says Developing Countries' Fish Stocks Need Safeguards - Based on new research [conducted in Senegal & Argentina], the U.N. Environment Program warned last week that developing countries that allow foreign fishing fleets to fish in their territorial waters could stand to lose a great deal more than they might gain...."Many local people rely on fish for their livelihoods and as a key source [of] protein needed for health and well-being" (UN Wire, 2 Jan. 2002)

Monsanto Hid Decades Of Pollution [USA]: PCBs Drenched Ala. [Alabama] Town, But No One Was Ever Told -...for nearly 40 years, while producing the now-banned industrial coolants known as PCBs at a local factory, Monsanto Co. routinely discharged toxic waste into a west Anniston creek and dumped millions of pounds of PCBs into oozing open-pit landfills. And thousands of pages of Monsanto documents -- many emblazoned with warnings such as "CONFIDENTIAL: Read and Destroy" -- show that for decades, the corporate giant concealed what it did and what it knew. (Michael Grunwald, Washington Post, 1 Jan. 2002)

Pollution linked with birth defects in U.S. study: Women exposed to air pollution during pregnancy are more likely to give birth to children with heart defects, researchers reported on Saturday. (Maggie Fox, Reuters, 1 Jan. 2002)

Access to essential medicines (ING Sustainable Growth Fund, Jan. 2002)

Death in Small Doses: A report documenting Cambodia's pesticide problems and solutions (Environmental Justice Foundation, Jan. 2002)

Toys Of Misery: A Report On the Toy Industry in China [reports on abusive working conditions, and calls on Wal-Mart, Toys R Us, Disney, Mattel, Hasbro & McDonald's to work with their Chinese contractors to clean up the factories, guarantee that labour laws are adhered to, protect workers from unsafe handling of toxic chemicals used in toy making, disclose location of the factories they use] (National Labor Committee, Jan. 2002)

In this submission the ACTU [Australian Council of Trade Unions] recommends that employers be prohibited from requiring, requesting, collecting or disclosing information derived from genetic testing of current or potential employees: Protection of Human Genetic Information: ACTU Submission to the Australian Law Reform Commission and Australian Health Ethics Commission Inquiry (Australian Council of Trade Unions, Jan. 2002)

Progress and possibilities: David Anderson assesses what has been achieved in controlling chemicals that endanger human health and the environment and sets out priorities for further action [includes section: "The hazards of poverty": We know that people living in poverty can also be disproportionately affected by exposure to chemical hazards.] (David Anderson, Canada’s Minister of the Environment & President of UNEP Governing Council, in Our Planet, published by U.N. Environment Programme, 2002)

Wake-up call: Sheila Watt-Cloutier describes the Inuit fight against chemical pollution that threatens their health and culture (Sheila Watt-Cloutier, President of the Inuit Circumpolar Conference Canada, in Our Planet, published by U.N. Environment Programme, 2002)

Eighteen killed in China mine blast: An explosion triggered by a gas build-up tore through a coal mine in China's eastern Jiangxi province at the weekend, killing 18 miners in the latest in a series of deadly accidents...The coal mine explosion was the second disaster to strike Jiangxi province on Sunday, following a string of blasts at a fireworks factory in the morning that killed nine and injured 60. (Reuters, 31 Dec. 2001)

ChevronTexaco operations in Kazakstan model destructive potential of oil exploitation: Production at Kazakhstan’s biggest oil field run by a ChevronTexaco led consortium has created a 35-foot-tall (11 meter) slab of yellow sulfur next to the field's pipelines and storage tanks impacting the health of workers and people living near the operation. (Project Underground, Drillbits & Tailings, 30 Dec. 2001)

Pfizer donates drugs to help fight trachoma...the world's leading cause of blindness [Morocco]:...the International Trachoma Initiative (ITI)...relies on co-operation between Pfizer, the Moroccan government, organisations including Unicef, the Helen Keller Foundation and the World Health Organisation (Celeste Biever, Financial Times, 28 Dec. 2001)

Groups file pollution suit against Alcoa in Texas: Environmental and public interest groups filed suit yesterday against Alcoa Inc. , the world's biggest aluminum producer, alleging violations of the Clean Air Act by the company's smelter in Rockdale, Texas (Reuters, 27 Dec. 2001)

Shift work link to heart disease: A study in Antarctica has supported theories that night shift workers are at increased risk of developing heart disease. (BBC News, 27 Dec. 2001)

Brazil's Successful Anti-AIDS Efforts Set to Expand: The Brazilian government plans to push for a more concerted international effort to come up with an HIV/AIDS vaccine, after the triumphs it has scored in its efforts to manufacture or attain cheap anti-retroviral drugs and make them available to low-income patients free of charge. (Mario Osava, Inter Press Service, 26 Dec. 2001)

STUC [Scottish Trades Union Congress] accuses bosses over stress: Union chiefs have accused employers of exploiting weaknesses in the law to avoid introducing measures to combat stress in the workplace. (BBC News, 26 Dec. 2001)

Cape to compensate South Africa asbestos miners: Building materials firm Cape Plc reached a conditional deal last week to pay 21 million pounds ($30 million) to South African miners who blame it for asbestos-related diseases they contracted in the 1970s. (Rex Merrifield, Reuters, 24 Dec. 2001)

Experts Advocate More Health Spending To Save Lives - A $66 billion increase in annual development aid for health care in poor countries would not only save some 8 million lives per year but also generate at least $360 billion annually by 2015, a World Health Organization-commissioned panel said yesterday in a new report. (UN Wire, 21 Dec. 2001)

Conoco to spend up to $110 mln at oil refineries [agreement with U.S. Justice Department to spend between $95 million and $110 million on pollution control equipment]:...Conoco will also pay a $1.5 million penalty under the Clean Air Act and spend about $5 million on environmental projects in communities around the company's refineries. (Reuters, 21 Dec. 2001)

Summer Of Carnage on Building Sites [Australia]: Six major accidents -including two fatalities, have occurred on Sydney construction sites so far this summer. (Anita Ceravolo, Workers Online [Australia], 21 Dec. 2001)

US senator seeks to stop leaky underground tanks: A new Senate bill would help prevent underground tanks storing gasoline and fuel additives like MTBE from leaking into drinking water supplies (Reuters, 21 Dec. 2001)

"E-Waste Not," Calvert Says to Computer Companies: The Calvert Group has filed shareowner resolutions with the major U.S. computer producers, urging them to investigate ways to counteract electronic waste. (William Baue, SocialFunds.com, 20 Dec. 2001)

Teck Cominco settles Alaska air-quality charges [USA]: Teck Cominco has agreed to pay $300,000 to the state of Alaska and to spend an additional $278,900 on environmental and public-health improvements to settle charges of air pollution at its Red Dog Mine...One environmental activist said the settlement failed to address some broader issues, including the accumulation of heavy metals contamination over the years. (Yereth Rosen, Reuters, 20 Dec. 2001)

Bosses may be forced to protect workers [Australia]: Employers will be responsible for protecting their staff from violent clients and customers under a draft code released for public comment by WorkSafe Victoria yesterday. (Meaghan Shaw, The Age [Australia], 20 Dec. 2001)

Australian scientists warn of new car illness: Australian scientists have warned that the reassuring smell of a new car actually contains high levels of toxic air emissions which can make drivers ill. (Reuters, 20 Dec. 2001)

Manchester Man Admits Guilty in Lead Poisoning Case [USA]; Plea to Forging Lead Hazard Disclosure Documents is Precedent Setting: A Manchester, N.H. [New Hampshire] man and his company [JTA Real Estate Brokerage and Property Management] pleaded guilty in federal court today in connection with a lead poisoning case involving the death of a two-year-old girl...The case...is the first case in the nation in which a corporation has been criminally prosecuted for failing to provide federal LBP [lead-based paint] disclosure information to residential tenants. (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 19 Dec. 2001)

Electromagnetic fields: Review Links Electrical Lines With Leukemia (UN Wire, 19 Dec. 2001)

Workers Sue Philips Lighting [USA]: Hundreds of former light bulb factory workers who say they were exposed to mercury, arsenic and other toxic chemicals sued Philips Lighting Co. and several other companies Tuesday...The previous owners - Westinghouse Electric Corp., which opened the factory in 1941, and its successor, Viacom Inc. - are named as co-defendants, along with West Virginia chemical suppliers Chem Quick, Par Chem, Blue Ribbon Paint Co. and Charleston Valve and Fitting Co. (Vicki Smith, Associated Press, 18 Dec. 2001)

UN Human Rights Investigator Deems U.S. Export of Banned Pesticides "Immoral": Fact-Finding Mission Documents Export of Pesticides to Developing Nations -...NGOs presented proof that the demand from developing countries stems from promotional campaigns by the U.S. companies that profit from these sales. (Earthjustice, 17 Dec. 2001)

GLOBAL FUND [regarding Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria, spearheaded by U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan]:...The board will include an equal number of donor and developing country representatives -- seven each -- as well as two NGO and two private sector seats...Pharmaceutical companies have been excluded from the board amid worries of conflict of interest...The decision has been a disappointment for the industry (UN Wire, 17 Dec. 2001)

Virodene crew peddles new 'Aids drug': South African scientists struck a secret deal with the makers of the banned Aids "cure" Virodene to use an unregistered herbal tablet on HIV-positive patients in 12 African countries. This revelation comes only three months after Virodene researchers were kicked out of Tanzania for illegally importing and testing their discredited anti-Aids drug on civilians and soldiers there. (Jessica Bezuidenhout, Sunday Times [South Africa], in Business Day [South Africa], 16 Dec. 2001)

Riverblindness Partners Pledge $39 Million To Eliminate Disease In All Of Africa By 2010:...The...partners include representatives from some 30 African countries, pharmaceutical company Merck and other private companies, 12 non-governmental organizations (NGOs), 27 donors, and the sponsoring agencies – the World Bank, World Health Organization (WHO), United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). (World Bank, 14 Dec. 2001)

Wising up to the business implications of HIV/Aids: South African companies are missing out on lucrative returns by failing to see that money spent on HIV/Aids is an investment, rather than a cost, according to a new study into major Southern African companies. (Belinda Beresford, Weekly Mail & Guardian [South Africa], 14 Dec. 2001)

California cattle ranch, owner, foreman plead guilty [to violating Clean Water Act; defendants admitted to discharging cattle waste without proper permits and dumping dead cattle carcasses into Elder and Willow Creeks] (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 13 Dec. 2001)

Helping China's cities reduce severe air pollution: An initiative supported by UNDP to help China reduce air pollution choking its cities recommends steps to reduce acid rain and let citizens breathe easier...The programme tackled acid rain caused by burning coal high in sulfur, and air pollution from industries and motor vehicles...In Benxi, 15 factories used cleaner production techniques to reduce emissions and boost profits by more than 10 per cent. (U.N. Development Programme, 13 Dec. 2001)

Blow to asbestos claimants: Britain's Court of Appeal ruled on Tuesday that people suffering from asbestos-related diseases will not receive compensation if they were exposed to the mineral fibres by more than one employer. But the ruling does not affect the claims by South Africans against Cape PLC. (News24.com [South Africa], 13 Dec. 2001)

Gold Fields, unions in watershed Aids deal [South Africa]: A landmark agreement aimed at curbing the spread of HIV/Aids in the mining industry was signed yesterday by Gold Fields, the country's second-largest gold producer, and three unions (Sherilee Bridge, Business Report [South Africa], 13 Dec. 2001)

Scientists link emerging diseases with environmental destruction (Sacha Shivdasani, Earth Times News Service, 12 Dec. 2001)

Protesters occupy TotalFinaElf head's chateau [France]: French protesters occupied a chateau owned by TotalFinaElf Chairman Thierry Desmarest's family yesterday to press the oil giant to pay compensation to victims of a chemical factory explosion and a 1999 oil spill (Emelia Sithole, Reuters, 12 Dec. 2001)

Firemen hurt in Frankfurt chemical plant blaze: German authorities urged residents of a Frankfurt suburb to keep their windows closed early yesterday after a fire at a plant owned by Swiss speciality chemical company Clariant. (Reuters, 12 Dec. 2001)

Unions call for gov time frame on smoke bans [Australia]: Melbourne's Crown Casino staff will consider industrial action tomorrow if the Victorian government does not guarantee a ban on smoking in all gaming areas by July next year..."They're playing with the health and lives of young workers"..."In no other area have governments, especially the Victorian government, been as lax about workplace health and safety." (AAP, 12 Dec. 2001) 

Airplane Cabin Air May Be Unhealthy (Cat Lazaroff, Environment News Service, 11 Dec. 2001)

EU [European Union] unveils new law to deter industrial accidents: The law includes measures aimed at improving safety measures for so-called "tailings ponds," which are used to store highly polluted water from mining activities. (Reuters, 11 Dec. 2001)

HIV/AIDS: 12th African Conference Hears Demands For Treatment (UN Wire, 10 Dec. 2001)

Steelworkers demand public inquiry into fatal explosion at Hudson Bay Mining and Smelting [Canada]: Following last week’s guilty plea by Hudson Bay Mining and Smelting Co., Limited (HBM&S) to keeping an unsafe workplace, the United Steelworkers is asking Premier Doer to order a public inquiry into the furnace explosion that killed Steve Ewing and injured 13 others workers on Aug. 8, 2000. (United Steelworkers [Canada], 7 Dec. 2001)

Business in Africa should respond to Aids by fighting it at the workplace (International Chamber of Commerce, 6 Dec. 2001)

Twenty National Groups Seek Congressional Investigation of Effort by OMB, Industry Groups to Weaken Regulations [USA]: Environmental, Labor, Others Send Letter to Lieberman Requesting Investigation - A broad coalition of 20 organizations today sent a letter to Senate Governmental Affairs Committee Chairman Joseph Lieberman asking him and his committee to investigate whether high ranking officials at the Office of Management and Budget worked with industry lobbyists to develop a plan to weaken important federal regulations [environmental, public health and safety, and labor rights protections]. (Earthjustice, 6 Dec. 2001)

Bhopal's Legacy:...Survivors' organisations believe that a November 15, 2001, decision of the US Second Circuit Court of Appeals affirms their claims of environmental damages due to Union Carbide's routine pollution in Bhopal. This, they say, is likely to have far-reaching consequences for Dow Chemical, which took over Union Carbide earlier this year. (Sandhya Srinivasan, CorpWatch, 6 Dec. 2001)

Toxic Bhopal water delivered to Dow Chemicals [India]: The coalition called for renewed efforts to rehabilitate survivors of the disaster, clean up of the residual contamination at the abandoned site, Union Carbide and its officials to be held accountable and for international laws to be developed to ensure that corporations are made responsible for chemical accidents and ongoing pollution worldwide. (Greenpeace, 3 Dec. 2001)

Huge challenge for ILO: More than one million people die annually from injuries at work and occupational diseases (Trade Union News from Finland, 3 Dec. 2001)

Alcoa alumina workers return to refinery [following walkout on claims that emissions from Alcoa's production process were causing health problems among workers and in nearby residential areas] [Australia] (Reuters, 3 Dec. 2001)

Chilean 'blaze man' dies: A hospital in Chile has said a man who set himself ablaze in front of the presidential palace in an apparent protest over the misuse of asbestos has died...News organizations said they'd received faxes signed by Mr Mino in which the sender said the protest was calling attention to the cases of hundreds of people who had become ill through contact with asbestos. The letter blamed a Chilean construction company for the illnesses of workers and their families, as well as those of residents who live near one of the company's installations. (BBC News, 1 Dec. 2001)

Litigation Update: A Summary of Recent Developments in U.S. Cases Brought Under the Alien Tort Claims Act and Torture Protection Act [includes update on lawsuit against Pfizer for conduct in Nigeria] (Jennifer Green [staff attorney at Center for Constitutional Rights] and Paul Hoffman [civil rights attorney and editor of ACLU International Civil Liberties Report], in ACLU International Civil Liberties Report 2001 [American Civil Liberties Union], Dec. 2001)

Lord of the Fries [USA]: The rapid rise of irrigated potato farming, with its associated increase in aerial spraying and fertilizer use, has caused widespread concern among Native and farming communities in northwestern Minnesota, where residents say that the chemicals are finding their way into drinking wells and lakes where they may be responsible for a mysterious rise in frog deformities. (Charlie Cray, Multinational Monitor, Dec. 2001)

A Strong Cartel: The European Commission in November fined eight companies [including Hoffmann-La Roche & BASF] a total of $755.1 million for participating in eight distinct secret market-sharing and price-fixing cartels affecting vitamin products..."It is particularly unacceptable that this illegal behavior concerned substances which are vital elements for nutrition and essential for normal growth and maintenance of life” [said Competition Commissioner Mario Monti] (Russell Mokhiber, Multinational Monitor, Dec. 2001)

WHO medicines expert calls for new rules against commercial bias in medical research: The integrity of clinical trials — essential for the development of new drugs — is increasingly under threat from commercial influence, raising an urgent need for rules and guidelines to safeguard the reliability of such trials, according to an editorial in the latest issue of the Bulletin of the World Health Organization. (World Health Organization, Bulletin press release, Dec. 2001)