Health Effects
Urban encroachment
Sir, I am a Senior Executive working for a firm based in US. I come from one of the slum areas of Dhapa Road, Kolkata, WB. About two yrs ago I went to a Doctor and I have been detected to have exposed to Tuberculosis. Around 1986, the Kolkata Municipal Corporation was filling a big Pond in Dhapa, Kolkata with Garbage. Currently the party workers have made a big bazaar for Vegetable markets. The farmers are bound to pay a royalty to the party workers. I want to see you taking appropriate actions to the respective authorities of Kolkata Municipal Corporation and the Party Workers.
Toxic toys
We generally take toys for granted but this may no longer be the case atleast not if we are concerned about the health of our young children.
A recent laboratory study by the Centre for Science and Environment shows the presence of phthalates, a highly toxic chemical, in toys sold in the Indian market.
Trans fat in oils
Oil is essential for our body to function. But that does not mean that we should take for granted the cooking mediums we use in our food. As the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) laboratory report recently discovered our branded edible oils are full of unhealthy trans fats. The results showed trans fats in seven leading vanaspati brands were five to 12 times the 2 per cent standard set by Denmark. Trans fats are formed during the process of addition of hydrogen atoms to oils, a process industry prefers as it keeps the oil from turning rancid and ensures a longer shelf life.
Mercury: Heavy Toxin
Mercury is a very toxic and dangerous substance. It is poisonous in all forms - inorganic, organic or elemental. Mercury is a proven neurotoxin. Inhaling mercury vapours can severely damage the respiratory tract. Sore throat, coughing, pain or tightness in the chest, headache, muscle weakness, anorexia, gastrointestinal disturbance, fever, bronchitis and pneumonitis are symptoms of mercury toxicity. Health concerns should be reason enough for us to properly manage its imports and disposal. On the contrary, mercury has come to severely contaminate land, water, air and the food chain throughout India.
2010: choose your future today
A new decade. For me, three decades of work in environment. I wonder: have matters improved since the early 1980s, when I began? Or, are things worse off? Where do we go from here?
Toys
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| Press Release | |
| January 15, 2010 The trouble with toys… Latest CSE study finds high levels of toxic phthalates in children’s toys in India Read more... |
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| Lab Report | |
| :: Phthalates in Toys | |
| :: Details of the samples of toys tested by CSE |
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| Fact Sheet | |
| :: Regulations | |
| :: Health Implications | |
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| Presantation | |
| :: Toxic Toys | |
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 DTE Cover story
Hand to mouth |
CSE Lab Report: Phthalates in Toys
Delhi NGO Centre for Science and Environment tested 24 toy samples of major brands for the presence of phthalates. In October 2008, it randomly purchased toy samples from markets in Delhi. Fifteen were soft toys and nine hard toys made in four countries. Tests showed all samples contained one or more phthalates— DEHP, DINP, DBP ( di-n-butyl phthalate) and BBP (benzyl butyl phthalate), all harmful—in varying concentrations.
Toxic toys
We generally take toys for granted but this may no longer be the case atleast not if we are concerned about the health of our young children.
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