EPA entering Chinese drywall fray

Everybody is getting into the action:

“The Consumer Product Safety Commission is taking the lead on federal efforts, Jackson said, working with a group of federal and state agencies including the EPA, the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, and the Florida Department of Health. The CPSC has been working on the drywall issue since last December by conducting meetings with wallboard manufacturers, tracking the drywall import stream and consulting with the U.S. Geological Survey on gypsum geology in China. The CPSC also is working with the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health on deconstruction safety and the development of further study plans.

The EPA’s environmental response team in Edison, N.J., is now analyzing samples of defective drywall found in Florida homes and comparing it to product samples of domestically manufactured drywall, Jackson said. Results of those studies should be available within the next couple weeks.”

Article:

EPA called upon to release info on toxic wastes

I know everyone will be shocked to learn that under the Bush administration, industry was given a pass on providing information on its release of toxic materials into the environment in 2006.  Now, national, state and local organizations along with more than a thousand individuals are calling on EPA administrator, Lisa Jackson to reverse this rule.

News release

Glossary of environmental terms

Glossary courtesy of the EPA:

New mobile EPA: Ironic?

The Environmental Protection Agency just launch its new “EPA Mobile” in these last days of the Bush adminstration.   This should allow reporters to quickly report on the stripping away of more environmental health and safety protections.  Yippee!

US & North Carolina Sue Plantation Pipeline for Jet Fuel Spill

Here is the complaint from Western District Court of North Carolina.

Good source for background on a company’s history with environmental issues is to search the EPA.