Concord, Mass., gets green light to impose ground-breaking ban on water bottles. A decision by Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley clears the way for the town to bar sales of single-serving plastic water bottles, effective Jan. 1. The measure, approved by residents in April, applies to non-sparkling and unflavored drinking water in plastic bottles of 1 liter or less. Concord appears to be the first U.S. community to enact such a ban to reduce the burden on landfills, though several colleges and universities have taken similar steps. Coakley’s office ruled that the ban does not violate state or federal laws, but it could still be challenged in court, and a national trade group said it is considering legal action. Boston Herald, The Boston Globe
Republicans, Democrats offer sharply contrasting approaches to worker safety in party platforms. Calling the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s goals “overreaching,” the GOP document calls for reining in the agency’s plans. OSHA currently is considering new regulations for such issues as airborne contaminants, silica, infectious diseases, bloodborne pathogens, record-keeping and fall protection systems. Democrats, by contrast, vowed to “continue to adopt and enforce comprehensive safety standards” and to pursue employers that fraudulently misclassify full-time workers as independent contractors to evade legal obligations. Still, Democrats acknowledged a need to simplify regulations. Occupational Safety & Health Reporter
Coalition of state highway safety officials calls for outlawing drivers’ use of hand-held cellphones. The recommendation by the Governors Highway Safety Association could prod some state legislatures that have been reluctant to tackle cellphone safety issues to consider restrictions. It also could help enforce existing bans on texting while driving, given that offenders in some states can claim they were just dialing their phones, which is legal. Still, some safety experts say a real traffic safety solution would be to ban any cellphone use in moving vehicles. Several studies have shown that requiring drivers to use hands-free devices to talk on their cellphones does little to minimize distractions. The Washington Post, Los Angeles Times
Navy accused of exposing workers to “extremely toxic materials.” The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration said its inspections at the maintenance center for F/A-18 warplanes, at North Island Naval Air Station in Coronado, Calif., found lead, cadmium and beryllium contamination. OSHA gave the Navy until Sept. 26 to fix the problems or face an order to shut down the center. Exposure to such metals “can result in serious illness and even fatal respiratory disease,” an OSHA official said. The Navy said no illnesses have been reported related to the exposures but it is acting to meet OSHA standards. OSHA found four violations, including two willful violations, the agency’s most serious offense. Los Angeles Times, OSHA
Concerns mount about radioactive waste at San Francisco’s Treasure Island. The Navy closed its base on the island in 1997, and ever since it has gradually opened for business and the public. It also is home to about 2,000 people, including many referred through the Treasure Island Homeless Development Initiative’s member organizations, including ex-convicts, recovering drug addicts and people who are HIV positive. Yet newly disclosed excerpts from emails and memos between the Navy and government agencies suggest that the danger of radioactive waste on Treasure Island has been poorly assessed. Some residents, terrified about their children’s long-term health, have started confronting authorities. East Bay Express
Recalls: Organic Pastures raw whole milk, raw skim (non-fat) milk and raw cream, Eco Health Prebiotic Formula
Compiled by Stuart Silverstein
