Banning The 12 Most Deadly Chemicals

Twelve chemicals, known as the "Dirty Dozen" present a grave threat to the environment. The Bush administration is supports an international effort to ban these chemicals.

1 minute read

May 24, 2001, 9:00 AM PDT

By Abhijeet Chavan @http://twitter.com/legalaidtech


"The dozen chemicals, known officially as persistent organic pollutants (POPs), are highly toxic and cause disease, birth defects and possibly tens of thousands of deaths every year...Nor do the dozen chemicals respect borders. Once in the environment, POPs can circulate around the world. Through a process called bioaccumulation they are then absorbed into the tissue of animals, where they can reach damaging, even lethal, concentrations as they work their way up the food chain to humans... Mr Bush has already said that the United States will ratify the treaty because the chemicals 'can harm Americans even when released abroad.' Cynics suggest his enthusiasm for the POPs treaty is mostly to help boost his tattered environmental credentials. T"

Thanks to Abhijeet Chavan

Wednesday, May 23, 2001 in The Economist

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Wastewater pouring out from a pipe.

Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage

Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”

April 13, 2025 - Inside Climate News

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

April 16, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Black and white photos of camp made up of small 'earthquake shacks' in Dolores Park in 1906 after the San Francisco earthquake.

The 120 Year Old Tiny Home Villages That Sheltered San Francisco’s Earthquake Refugees

More than a century ago, San Francisco mobilized to house thousands of residents displaced by the 1906 earthquake. Could their strategy offer a model for the present?

April 15, 2025 - Charles F. Bloszies

Entrance to subterranean Hollywood/Vine Metro station in Los Angeles, California surrounded by tall apartment buildings.

Opinion: California’s SB 79 Would Improve Housing Affordability and Transit Access

A proposed bill would legalize transit-oriented development statewide.

April 21 - San Gabriel Valley Tribune

Yellow roadside sign with extreme heat warning: "Danger - Extreme Conditions! - STOP - Do not hike Jun-Sep - HEAT KILLS"

Record Temperatures Prompt Push for Environmental Justice Bills

Nevada legislators are proposing laws that would mandate heat mitigation measures to protect residents from the impacts of extreme heat.

April 21 - Nevada Current

View of downtown Pittsburgh, PA with river and bridge in foreground at dusk.

Downtown Pittsburgh Set to Gain 1,300 New Housing Units

Pittsburgh’s office buildings, many of which date back to the early 20th century, are prime candidates for conversion to housing.

April 21 - Axios