U.N. defends action on chemicals that alarmed NY
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U.N. officials on Thursday  defended elaborate precautions they took in a Manhattan office  last week after finding possible toxic chemicals, which tests  now indicate was a commercial solvent.
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A chemical industry group has lashed out against Greenpeace, condemning the environmental lobby group for making unfair&#160;criticism of Apple&#39;s iPhone&#39;s green credentials.Greenpeace last week released an analysis of the iPhone, in which it claims the product contains a range of potentially dangerous chemicals.The Bromine Science and Environmental Forum BSEF), the international organization of the bromine chemical industry, points out that none of the substances Greenpeace is criticizing Apple for deploying in the device are banned under existing environmental law.&quot;All the substances reported by Greenpeace are approved for use, and provide critical performance and safety functions in a wide range of electronic products,&quot; the organization countered.The bromine chemical industry trade body points out that the brominated flame retardants used in the iPhone are commonly used in electronics products from all manufacturers, as they provide a high level of fire safety -- essential in an age in which computer batteries randomly catch fire.Greenpeace&#39;s biggest sin, according to the chemical industry organization, is to have sensationalized its findings.&quot;The Greenpeace report does not say which brominated flame retardants are present in the iPhone because it does not know,&quot; the organization says. &quot;Therefore, the report speculates about what substances might be present, and raises an alarm without any basis for doing so.&quot;The rebuttal continues to explain that -- even according to Greenpeace&#39;s own study -- the iPhone complies with all existing EU regulatory requirements.It adds: &quot;The brominated flame retardant most likely used in the iPhone is actually a reactive -- it reacts with other substances to form a plastic and, once reacted, it is also no longer available to the environment. The Greenpeace report is incorrect in its assertions about the potential for releases to the environment.&quot;The rebuttal also slams Greenpeace because its iPhone criticism ignored the requirement under recent EU law for manufacturers to take responsibility for the disposal of printed circuit boards, and railroads the environmental group for failing to offer a constructive alternative to brominated flame retardants for electronic devices.Naturally, the chemical company trade body is protecting its own vested interests, but claims that its remit is &quot;to ensure that the best available scientific information is used when addressing&quot; issues concerning bromine.BSEF members include Albemarle, ICL Industrial Products, Chemtura, and Tosoh.Macworld.co.uk is an InfoWorld affiliate.
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The U.N. drug control watchdog is hindering efforts to fight the global AIDS pandemic and the agency should be independently reviewed, human rights groups and a former U.N. AIDS envoy said on Tuesday.
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HARTFORD, Conn. -- Connecticut pharmacists are adding their voices to those warning about the risks of importing prescription drugs.
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The U.S. delegation to a global conference on disasters wants to purge a U.N. action plan of its references to climate change as a potential cause of future natural calamities.
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The US Food and Drug Administration, facing a barrage of criticism from both within and outside the agency, announced plans Friday to improve the safety of drugs after they have been approved.
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The US Food and Drug Administration is supposed to be a vigilant industry watchdog that prevents harmful products from reaching America&#39;s kitchen tables and medicine chests.
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A substance removed from the United Nations office last week is not a toxic chemical agent, police and a U.N. official told CNN on Thursday.
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Workers who helped clean up after the 9/11 attacks allege they were not protected against toxins.
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UNITED NATIONS - UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said yesterday that a 15-year international effort to stem global warming has not halted the buildup of greenhouse gas emissions and that governments must take "unprecedented action" to reverse the trend.
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Description: A Bush administration task force has raised serious doubts about whether drugs imported from abroad can be made safe.
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GEORGETOWN, Guyana  - American and Guyanese authorities said they were investigating on Saturday a threatened chemical attack against U.S. airlines flying out of the tiny Caribbean country.
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The United Nations on Monday added 14 pesticides and chemicals, including lead additive for petrol, to a growing list of toxic substances in which trade is restricted.
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A substance that prompted the evacuation of a U.N. weapons inspection office last month appears to be a nontoxic solvent and not a chemical warfare agent as first suspected, police and U.N. officials said Thursday.
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The Food and Drug Administration is responding to the widespread criticism of the government's handling of drug safety problems.
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WASHINGTON -- A Food and Drug Administration official is defending the agency&#39;s action with regards to Vioxx. The drug was taken off the market Sept.
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Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on  Friday summoned to New York top U.N. officials from a meeting  abroad to find out how a potentially lethal chemical warfare  agent was stored in U.N. offices in Manhattan.