Whistleblower’s disclosure about freighter illegally dumping oil waste and garbage leads to $1.85 million in federal fines. The Danish owners and Greek operators of the M/V Aquarosa also were ordered to pay $550,000 to a foundation to help restore the Chesapeake Bay. It was the latest in a string of pollution cases reported by whistleblowers to Coast Guard investigators in Baltimore. The Baltimore Sun
More women delivering babies at home. Federal figures show that home births increased 29 percent from 2004 to 2009. Some experts say it may be partly a reaction to the sharp increase in cesarean section deliveries in recent years. Still, home births remain rare, amounting to 29,650, or less than three-quarters of 1 percent of all U.S. births, in 2009. NPR
Chinese plants manufacturing Apple products often expose workers to serious safety problems and other harsh conditions. In one case two years ago, 137 workers at an Apple supplier were injured after they were ordered to clean iPhone screens with a poisonous chemical. Last year two explosions occurred within seven months at iPad factories, killing four people and injuring 77. Current and former Apple executives say the company has made significant strides in improving factories in recent years. The New York Times
Lawmaker calls for independent health study of X-ray body scanners used to screen airline passengers. Sen. Susan Collins, top Republican on the homeland security committee, plans to introduce within days a bill seeking the analysis of radiation emitted by the machines. U.S. officials have downplayed cancer risks, but the European Union is banning the X-ray scanners at airports. ProPublica
Former BP employee files whistleblower lawsuit claiming he was fired for airing concerns about the cleanup of Mississippi’s shoreline. August Walter, who was the state planning lead for Mississippi in the Gulf of Mexico oil spill cleanup, claims that one of his BP bosses manipulated data and misled the Coast Guard about work that needed to be done. Separately, an email released by Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility traced back to the White House efforts to downplay the spill size in the initial weeks after the 2010 well blowout. The Associated Press, Mother Jones
French police arrest founder of the PIP breast implant company. The arrest of Jean-Claude Mas was in connection with a manslaughter investigation by prosecutors in the southern port city of Marseille. PIP, which was shut in 2010, sparked a global health scare with the disclosure that it used a substandard industrial silicone gel in its implants and assertions that its products had abnormally high rupture rates. Another former PIP executive also was arrested. Agence France-Presse
New rules for school meals aim to combat childhood obesity. The guidelines from the Agriculture Department call for twice as many fruits and vegetables, more whole grains and less sodium and fat. But school meals will continue to include pizza and french fries because Congress, after heavy lobbying from the food industry, curtailed part of the Obama administration’s plan. The Washington Post
Authorities “pulled no punches” in investigating battery fires in Chevrolet Volt, auto regulator says. During a U.S. House of Representatives hearing, Republicans questioned whether the government’s part-ownership of General Motors created a conflict of interest for the Obama administration in the probe of GM’s prized electric car. But David Strickland, head of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, insisted that the car is safe and said the White House did not try to influence the investigation. The Hill, The Associated Press
More research needed on health and environmental effects of tiny particles produced through nanotechnology, expert panel finds. The experts, brought together by the National Research Council, said in a report that “the future of safe and sustainable nanotechnology-based materials, products, and processes is uncertain.” The market for nanomaterials — already used in products as varied as cosmetics, clothing and paint — is expected to boom over the next decade. Reuters, The New York Times
Connecticut construction company faces up to $169,000 in workplace safety fines. U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration investigators said Penney Construction of Hartford provided no protection against a possible cave-in to workers repairing a sewer line in a 10-foot trench. Penney, accused of continuing to send workers into the trench even after being alerted to the hazard, was cited for two willful violations and five serious violations. It also was placed in OSHA’s Severe Violator Enforcement Program, which mandates follow-up inspections. OSHA
Online marketers agree to stop using fake news websites to promote weight loss products. The six firms, under a settlement with the Federal Trade Commission, will permanently halt the allegedly deceptive practice. The proposed settlement requires the defendants to make clear when commercial messages are advertisements as opposed to journalism, and bars them from deceptive claims about products such as acai berry weight-loss supplements and colon cleansers. Consumer Reports
Recalls: BJ’s Wholesale Club LED flashlight and battery sets, KYMCO utility vehicles
Compiled by Stuart Silverstein
