Environment
Releases published in the last 30 days. 
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- Identifying Superbugs in Healthcare Environments across Puerto Rico
- 9/26/2016 12:08:53 PM
- Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) are infections that patients acquire during the course of receiving treatment for other conditions. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that on any given day, about one in 25 hospital patients has at least one healthcare-associated infection. Today, far too often, these infections are due to a growing list …
- Texas Experiencing Another Active Year of Infections Due to Cyclospora
- 9/26/2016 8:55:39 AM
- Last month, the Texas Department of State Health Services announced that 88 cases of cyclosporiasis had been reported to the agency so far in 2016. This included 83 cases that were reported solely in July and August. Texas has experienced several years with high case counts, including 316 cases in 2015 and 351 cases in 2013 - the highest number for any state that …
- EMSL Awarded CDC ELITE Certification for Legionella Testing in Orlando
- 9/26/2016 8:51:09 AM
- EMSL Analytical, Inc. is proud to announce that its Orlando, Florida laboratory received CDC ELITE certification for Legionella testing, making it the first testing laboratory in Orlando with this accreditation. There are now 15 CDC ELITE proficient laboratories in EMSL’s network of laboratories across North America, which is more than any other laboratory in the United …
- Another Macadamia Nut Recall Due to Salmonella Concerns Announced by California Company
- 9/23/2016 9:47:13 AM
- Contaminated macadamia nuts continues to surface in the news. Just last month, a California company with offices in Stockton and San Francisco announced a product recall due to macadamia nuts possibly contaminated with Salmonella . In February of this year, a Berkley company announced that they were recalling macadamia nuts and products containing them because of the …
- Identifying Exposure Risks to Ethylene Oxide in the Workplace
- 9/23/2016 9:43:38 AM
- Ethylene oxide (EtO) is an organic compound produced in large volumes. It is both flammable and highly reactive, and is primarily used as an intermediate in the production of several industrial chemicals, the most notable of which is ethylene glycol. It is also used as a fumigant in certain agricultural products and as a sterilant for medical equipment and supplies. The …
- Preventing Occupational Exposure Risks to Methane
- 9/22/2016 11:43:42 AM
- Last month, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced a total of $13 million that will be awarded to twelve, multi-year research projects intended to develop cost efficient and effective ways to mitigate methane emissions from natural gas pipeline and storage infrastructure. Methane is not only a primary component of natural gas, it is also a major greenhouse gas, which …
- California Residents and Workers Learn about Exposure Risks to Isocyanates
- 9/22/2016 8:24:17 AM
- Chemicals known as isocyanates are powerful irritants to the mucous membranes of the eyes, gastrointestinal tract and respiratory tracts. Workers in a number of industries throughout California can be exposed to isocyanates as they are raw materials in the production of polyurethane products. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) reports that …
- Legionella Bacteria Identified in New York Hospital
- 9/22/2016 8:19:36 AM
- During routine inspections of the water supply systems at a New York City hospital, Legionella was detected. As of August, only one patient has contracted Legionnaires’ disease, an illness associated with the bacteria Legionella . Legionella is a bacteria found naturally in surface water, ground water and soil. It can also be found in manmade environments. …
- Cases of Legionnaires’ Disease Reported at a Washington Hospital
- 9/21/2016 10:52:48 AM
- During the first week of September, two patients were diagnosed with Legionnaires’ disease at a hospital in Washington. One patient was released from the hospital, but the other patient died while being treated at the hospital. Legionnaire’s disease is an illness caused by aerosolized water containing Legionella bacteria is inhaled or aspirated. Cooling towers, along …
- Indoor Environmental Consultants Celebrates 15 Years of Service in Texas and the Gulf Coast
- 9/20/2016 10:26:14 AM
- In 2001, a group of the leading building science, indoor air quality, environmental, and microbiology professionals officially opened the doors at Indoor Environmental Consultants, Inc. (IEC). The environmental consulting firm quickly made a name for themselves in their home state of Texas and across the Gulf Coast. Today, IEC is the area’s premier indoor environmental …
- Lighting Project at California School District Leads to Lawsuit over Asbestos Contamination
- 9/20/2016 9:22:42 AM
- Last month, the Whittier Daily News published a story a school district filing a multimillion dollar lawsuit against two companies. The companies were hired in 2015 as part of a project to upgrade to energy-efficient lighting in three of the district’s schools. The project reportedly came to a quick end when the school district’s hazardous materials coordinator feared that …
- Legionella Discovered in a Pennsylvania State Building’s Water Supply
- 9/20/2016 9:18:20 AM
- Earlier in September, higher than acceptable levels of the bacteria Legionella were discovered at a state building complex located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Legionella was discovered in the water cooling tower and a building on the complex. The Pennsylvania Department of Health is increasing water testing around the facility to help treat and prevent any further …
- Exosite CTO Mark Benson to Co-Present at the 2016 Minnesota Water Technology Summit
- 9/19/2016 4:28:42 PM
- Minneapolis — Sept. 19, 2016 — Exosite, a leading provider in the Internet of Things (IoT) platform market, today announced that CTO Mark Benson will present at the 2016 Minnesota Water Technology Summit on September 20 at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. The summit will highlight key topics in water technology, including water use in agriculture and food and …
- Identifying and Mitigating Asphalt Fume Exposure Risks in Puerto Rico
- 9/19/2016 11:36:12 AM
- The Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) reports that over 500,000 workers in the United States are exposed to fumes from asphalt. This staggering figure includes many workers in Puerto Rico, not to mention thousands of other workers throughout the Caribbean. Asphalt as it is referred to in the United States or bitumen, as it is called in many other …
- EMLab P&K’s Atlanta Mold Lab Now AIHA-LAP, LLC Accredited for Mold Analysis
- 9/19/2016 11:00:00 AM
- EMLab P&K, a TestAmerica company and the leading commercial indoor air quality (IAQ) laboratory in North America, announced today the accreditation of its Atlanta, Georgia laboratory by the American Industrial Hygiene Association® Laboratory Accreditation Programs (AIHA-LAP, LLC) for mold analysis (EMLAP #221504). Clients can now send spore trap samples for mold …
- California Residents Learn How to Protect the Value and IEQ of Coastal Properties
- 9/19/2016 10:50:27 AM
- The 800+ miles of California’s coast are world renowned and stretch from San Diego County all the way to Del Norte County. Over a dozen counties line the Golden Coast and are home to some of the most desirable and expensive oceanfront property in the world. Tens of thousands of homes are located on or near this exclusive stretch of land and most are valued with …
- Could the Caulking in Your Home, School or Office Contain Asbestos or PCBs?
- 9/19/2016 10:45:28 AM
- Most people are aware that exposure to asbestos or polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) can be hazardous, but far fewer know that some types of caulking used in the past contained asbestos fibers and PCBs. In fact, there are reports that indicate that some caulking compounds used to build and renovate buildings up until the 1970s had considerable concentrations of these …
- Water-energy dependence around Pacific Rim mapped in new Sandia study
- 9/15/2016 9:05:49 AM
- A wide-ranging analysis of water vulnerability across the Pacific — including the U.S., China, Russia and Japan — has identified hundreds of locations where energy production depends upon scarce water supplies. The Sandia National Laboratories study, “ Mapping Water Consumption for Energy Production Around the Pacific Rim ,” was published in Environmental Research Letters. …
- Thinking About a Career in Marine Biology? Start With Ocean First Education Webinar Thursday, Sept. 22
- 9/14/2016 3:13:02 PM
- Ocean First Education will host a free webinar on Thursday, Sept. 22 designed to encourage students to pursue their dream of becoming a marine biologist. The webinar will be presented by Dr. Caine Delacy, director of science and research for Ocean First Education. The event begins at 10 a.m. MST. "Our young and adventurous scientists are being discouraged by …
- EMSL Radiochemistry Laboratory Offers Radon in Water Testing
- 9/14/2016 9:01:44 AM
- EMSL’s Radiological Laboratory Division now provides expanded radon in water analysis. Radon is a radioactive gas that comes from the natural radioactive decay of radium. Radon is a noble gas, meaning it is colorless, odorless and chemically inert; therefore it cannot be detected by human senses. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), radon can …
