Experts are puzzled by deteriorating sperm quality in Israel. Some Israeli scientists are looking into the hormones, particularly estrogen, found in the nation’s milk and suggest that it’s a mark of the country’s aggressive dairy farming methods. The hormones also may be tainting the water supply. Israel reclaims much of its sewage — and contaminants may find their way back into groundwater. Though declining sperm quality is an international phenomenon, one researcher said the change in Israel is occurring at nearly twice the pace as other developed countries. So far, there’s no evidence that declining sperm quality is resulting in fewer babies. The birthrate of Israel’s Jewish population has risen in recent decades. Los Angeles Times
Parents and pediatricians warned about risks from codeine after three children die. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued the warning regarding the prescription painkiller, which is frequently given to children following surgery to remove their tonsils and adenoids. The three children died, and another experienced life-threatening breathing difficulties, after being given codeine following these surgeries. The agency said it is investigating whether there have been other cases of inadvertent codeine overdoses in children. In the cases already reported to the FDA, all of the children had their surgeries to treat obstructive sleep apnea, which causes snoring and sleep disturbances. The Boston Globe, The Associated Press
Investigation launched into whether regulator tried to block safety probe at Michigan nuclear plant. The inspector general of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission is looking into whether one of its Republican-appointed commissioners, William Ostendorff, tried to interfere with an examination of safety problems at the Palisades Power Plant. The safety probe was requested by Gregory Jaczko, former chairman of the NRC, to find out why he initially was not told about a significant leak of potentially radioactive water in the plant’s control room. Sources say Ostendorff later confronted the top agency investigator and called the inquiry a “waste of agency resources,” but the safety examination has continued. The Huffington Post
Chevron’s safety reputation suffering. The company has had a rash of incidents in the last 14 months, including an explosion that killed four men at a Chevron refinery in Wales, and a blow-out and fire at an offshore natural-gas platform near Nigeria that killed two men and kept burning for 46 days. Most recently, on Aug. 6 a hydrocarbon leak at the company’s Richmond, Calif., refinery triggered a fire that a dozen workers narrowly escaped and sent 9,000 area residents to hospitals complaining of breathing difficulties. Separately, the first lawsuit was filed in connection with the Richmond accident. Lawyers for neighbors of the plant accused Chevron of “gross negligence” in maintenance practices and in their fire response. San Francisco Chronicle, Contra Costa Times
Worker’s death leads to proposed fines of $77,400 against Connecticut roofing contractor. The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration accused JC Silva Remodeling Services of 11 violations — including two willful violations, the agency’s most serious offense — at three work sites in Fairfield County, Conn. The sites included a condomiunium complex in Shelton, Conn., where an employee was killed on Feb. 14 after falling 39 feet from a roof where he was working on skylights. OSHA said the job site lacked fall protection, such as guardrails or lifelines, and that workers were not properly trained and were using a damaged ladder to reach the roof. “This death was needless,” an OSHA official said. OSHA, New Haven Register
Recalls: Emerson ceiling fans, Gerber machetes, Hospira Hydromorphone injections
Compiled by Stuart Silverstein
