Your Friday reminder that there are easy ways to reduce your PFAS exposure, including something you may already be doing: washing your hands before eating.

Despite the snow storm our Hill briefing is still ON. Join us on Capitol Hill Wed, Feb 25 at 11:30 am ET.

A resident of the Golden Triangle of Texas on ethylene oxide exposure: “You live here, you’re gonna get cancer.”

Please join us in welcoming Dr. Amy Padula as PRHE’s new interim director! Discover more about her background and vision for PRHE's future in our newest blog post. https://prheucsf.blog/2026/02/12/announcing-new-prhe-interim-director-amy-padula/

Today, the EPA chose to abandon its key duty by repealing the #EndangermentFinding. This decision will make people sicker and leave families to pay the cost, all while shielding polluters from accountability. Our statement: medsocietiesforclimatehealth.org/statements/c... @lisapatel.bsky.social

Firefighters face elevated cancer risks compared to the general population, yet the health impacts on wildland firefighters remain less understood than those who respond to structural fires. #PFAS is likely one of the culprits.

"Black women already have the highest death rates due to asthma, a condition caused and exacerbated by air pollution. ... Black children are also 8x more likely to die from an asthma attack than White children." https://19thnews.org/2026/02/epa-air-pollution-black-women-health/

The chemical lobby is trying to weaken America's main chemical safety law. If they succeed, people will be exposed to a lot more toxic chemicals and chronic disease. https://sharylattkisson.com/2026/02/industry-lobbies-congress-to-weaken-protections-against-toxic-chemicals/

“These are chemical weapons that are harmful to the human body and harmful to particularly vulnerable folks, like children,” says Asha Hassan, an epidemiologist at the University of Minnesota https://www.sciencenews.org/article/tear-gas-pepper-spray-health-effects

Want to learn how "how industry actors manipulate science, lobby policymakers, and undermine democratic decision-making to maintain profits at the expense of human and environmental health"? Check out CIEL's new report. https://www.ciel.org/reports/science-denial-toxic-chemical-regulation/

Firefighters are some of the most highly exposed to #PFAS chemicals. Now they are also on the frontlines of science to uncover what those toxic chemicals are doing to our health. https://www.npr.org/2026/02/02/nx-s1-5683233/science-firefighters-pfas-forever-chemical-blood

"[The Trump administration's] response—unsurprisingly—is to cook the books so that the benefits of reducing fine particulate matter and ozone emissions magically disappear." https://progressivereform.org/cpr-blog/trump-making-it-a-lot-easier-for-polluters-to-pollute/

"The math has consistently shown that protecting human health is one of the best investments a society can make. For every dollar spent reducing [air] pollution, we get back as much as $77 in health benefits." https://www.statnews.com/2026/02/02/epa-value-statistical-life-public-health-betrayal/

"The opening of the clinic comes months after the Health Dept blasted the Navy for failing to report findings of airborne plutonium at the shipyard at twice the recommended “action level"... https://missionlocal.org/2026/01/sf-bayview-environmental-health-clinic/

"People with the highest concentrations of PFOS and PCBs had approximately twice as high odds of being diagnosed with MS, compared with those with the lowest concentrations." https://www.sciencealert.com/forever-chemicals-linked-to-multiple-sclerosis-in-concerning-new-study

“If we fail to factor in the health and societal costs ... costs of keeping pollution to a minimum will be seen as burdensome ... and we will reverse decades of environmental and public health progress." https://nonprofitquarterly.org/the-polluters-down-the-street-epa-changes-put-lives-at-risk/

"The most effective way to reduce plastic-related health damage, the authors said, is to produce less new plastic." https://www.dw.com/en/plastic-emissions-could-double-health-damage-by-2040/a-75677138

“It appears the EPA is putting more importance upon the cost to industry than the cost to the public. I’m worried this will mean more air pollution will be emitted as a result.” https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jan/28/trump-epa-environmental-rollbacks

"The question is no longer whether action is possible, but how much longer we can afford the consequences of delay." https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/society-equity/toxic-chemicals-permeate-food-we-eat-heres-how-design-them-out--ecmii-2026-01-28/

BIG NEWS from PRHE. We wish Dr. Tracey Woodruff all the best in her new venture and congratulate Dr. Amy Padula on taking the reins at PRHE. https://prheucsf.blog/2026/01/27/leadership-change-announced-at-prhe/

See this messaging about new chemical reviews being too slow? That is industry messaging. As Dr. Woodruff testified, the majority of delays are because industry hasn't provided data or signed paperwork. https://cen.acs.org/policy/legislation-/tsca-update-epa-new-chemical-reviews/104/web/2026/01

“Nothing surprises me about how many places plastic is in anymore, but it is sad and surprising that things in our food…could be releasing microplastics.” https://goodmenproject.com/featured-content/chewing-gum-releases-1000s-of-microplastics-into-bloodstream/#google_vignette

EPA policies under the current administration are sacrificing people's health in favor of big polluters. We must do better. #TakeDownToxics https://www.dailytarheel.com/article/opinion-column-trump-epa-decision-20260125

"Health experts foresee [EPA's] new practice resulting in higher asthma rates, more heart attacks and more dementia — as well as more premature deaths." https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/26/opinion/epa-air-pollution-asthma-deaths.html

"These changes [to TSCA] are a wholesale destruction of the law."

"The purpose of TSCA is to protect people and the environment from harmful chemicals. The proposed changes to this law are alarming: they remove public health guardrails, undermine EPA’s ability to protect people from harmful chemicals, and will lead to more death and disease."

The hearing on a proposal to gut TSCA has begun. You can watch live at the link. https://energycommerce.house.gov/events/environment-subcommittee-chemicals-in-commerce-legislative-proposal-to-modernize-america-s-chemical-safety-law-strengthen-critical-supply-chains-and-grow-domestic-manufacturing

If the chemical lobby gets its way, people will be exposed to a lot more harmful chemicals and more people will get sick and die. https://prheucsf.blog/2026/01/21/the-chemical-lobby-is-trying-to-weaken-the-law-that-protects-people-from-toxic-chemicals/

The chemical lobby is trying to weaken the main law that protects people from toxic chemicals. Dr. Tracey Woodruff will be testifying at on this issue before Congress tomorrow. You can watch live at the link. #TSCA #TakeDownToxics http://bit.ly/4pLVaVX

As the chemical lobby works to weaken the main law designed to protect people from harmful chemicals, there is a new effort to push back. Check it out! #TakeDownToxics https://takedowntoxics.org/

NEW STUDY: Our scientists have identified a disturbing amount of chemicals from plastics in people. Many of these chemicals are not listed in databases, which means little is known about them. https://prheucsf.blog/2026/01/15/scientists-identify-hundreds-of-chemicals-from-plastics-in-people/

"If the changes hold up in court, experts and former agency officials say they could amount to a backdoor repeal of the EPA itself." grist.org/politics/tru...

We're surrounded by harmful chemicals and chronic diseases like diabetes and Parkinson's are on the rise. Should you be concerned? And what can you do? GREAT video from University of California. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6K9zMXWIzFo

"EPA is taking a major step toward changing its math to favor polluters over people" We're trying to figure out what the heck EPA is thinking... https://www.vox.com/climate/475138/epa-air-pollution-regulation-rollback-ozone-smog-trump

New study from Mount Sinai School of Medicine shows #PFAS exposure increases risk of gestational #diabetes. https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1112545

As Emily Atkin points out, #airpollution kills more Americans than car accidents. And if you don't follow her #Heated newsletter, you should. heated.world/p/air-pollut...

This is in complete contradiction with EPA's mission to protect health and the environment. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/12/climate/trump-epa-air-pollution.html

"It’s hard to see how EPA’s decision protects anyone’s health. It does, however, protect the big chemical corporations that make and use these chemicals." Great article by our friends at @toxicfreefuture.bsky.social.

In all seriousness, why would anyone want to grant immunity to companies that produce harmful products? https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/5673246-maha-pesticide-epa-section-453/

Not so fast. These phthalate assessments ignored health risks that will result in more people getting cancer. https://subscriber.politicopro.com/article/eenews/2026/01/05/epa-to-boost-worker-not-consumer-protections-for-phthalates-00710832

"E. coli was identified 32 times [in water] across the 21 airlines, the group said." https://www.cbsnews.com/news/airline-drinking-water-quality-coffee-tea-study/

Further evidence that chemical companies and polluters appear to be in charge at EPA. If EPA can't regulate carcinogens and toxics, who can? And if more poison is in the air, what do you think that means for people's health? https://www.propublica.org/article/air-pollution-regulations-epa-trump

We’re headed to the North Pole to study microplastics, PFAS and other harmful chemicals that can be found in the farthest reaches on Earth. We’ll report back on January 5th. Wishing you peace and kindness in the new year.

Polls have found that overwhelming majorities of Americans support funding EPA - including Republicans, Democrats, and Independents. https://insideepa.com/daily-news/environmentalists-wary-another-cr-epa-funding-cliff-looms

"Chemical exposure is a major but preventable driver of noncommunicable diseases." Excellent report on what is contaminating our food - and solutions. https://www.systemiq.earth/reports/downloads/Systemiq-Invisible_Ingredients-Tackling_toxic_chemicals_in_the_food_system-EN.pdf

Harmful chemicals are contributing to a rise in chronic disease. We're working for the day when EPA and political leaders prioritize protecting health over chemical company interests. #Parkinsons https://www.wired.com/story/scientists-thought-parkinsons-was-in-our-genes-it-might-be-in-the-water/

It's been a tough year. As it comes to an end, we hope you have some fun with our Year in Review Quiz. How many questions will you get right? Enjoy! #defendscience #protecthealth https://prheucsf.blog/2025/12/16/pop-quiz-2025-test-your-science-and-policy-knowledge/

“What we’ve seen over the course of decades is a systemic failure to protect farmworkers and the agricultural community from pesticides,” said Jonathan Kalmuss-Katz... #paraquat #Parkinsons https://www.mlive.com/news/2025/12/thousands-of-us-farmers-have-parkinsons-they-blame-a-deadly-pesticide.html

"The analysis found that across the four groups of toxic chemicals, “the benefits of action vastly outweigh,” the cost of inaction." https://www.the-independent.com/news/science/toxic-chemicals-pfas-food-health-environment-b2883634.html

You can't make America healthy if you weaken rules designed to protect people from toxic chemicals and pollution. EPA needs to stop working for polluters and start protecting health. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/13/climate/maha-moms-epa-lee-zeldin.html