Breast cancer charity backs off plan to cut funding to Planned Parenthood. Susan G. Komen for the Cure announced the move after four days of controversy that divided women’s health campaigners and supporters. The organization apologized “to the American public for recent decisions that cast doubt upon our commitment to our mission of saving women’s lives.” The statement announcing Komen’s reversal referred to a congressional investigation as the impetus for the decision to stop funding Planned Parenthood, but didn’t clarify other questions about its original decision. The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post

Bird populations dwindle near Japanese nuclear plant. The finding came in the first major study of the impact of last year’s Fukushima Daiichi disaster, the world’s worst nuclear crisis in 25 years. Researchers from Japan, the U.S. and Denmark said their analysis of 14 bird species   common to Fukushima and Chernobyl, the Ukrainian city struck by a meltdown in 1986, showed the effect was worse in the Japanese disaster zone. Separately, Ukrainian nuclear experts said people evacuated from around the stricken Fukushima plant eventually should be able to return to their homes, unlike the Chernobyl site. The Independent, The Associated Press 

Hundreds of tubes carrying radioactive water show unusual wear at San Onofre nuclear plant. The discovery raises questions about the integrity of equipment installed in a multimillion-dollar makeover in 2009 at the plant, 45 miles north of San Diego. It also follows this week’s tube leak at San Onofre’s other reactor. Officials say a tiny amount of radiation could have escaped in that leak, but workers and the public were not endangered. Still, some environmentalists say the episode demonstrates the need to move away from nuclear power. The Associated Press, Los Angeles Times

Maker of Lap-Band cuts off sales to controversial Southern California chain of weight loss surgery clinics. Allergan Inc. took the action against clinics in the 1-800-GET-THIN network amid state and federal investigations of the chain. Records show that five Southern California patients have died since 2009 after undergoing Lap-Band surgeries at the clinics. Los Angeles Times

Sierra Club confirms accepting $26 million in donations from the natural gas industry. The environmental organization took the money between 2007 and 2010 while also promoting gas as clean energy alternative to coal. Sierra Club’s executive director, Michael Brune, said he learned of the funding, and moved to end it, shortly after beginning his job in 2010. Time, Politico, The Hill

Regulators detect low levels of illegal fungicide in U.S. orange juice samples. The Food and Drug Administration said the fungicide, carbendazim, is far below dangerous levels and that U.S. orange juice won’t be recalled. The tested juice apparently was mixed with product from Brazil, where the fungicide is legal. The government will continue to block orange juice imports with the chemical to try to filter it out of the U.S. food supply. The government started testing for the chemical in orange juice after being alerted about the issue by Atlanta-based Coca-Cola late last year. The Associated Press, Bloomberg

Despite pleas to hurry, workplace safety regulators are in no rush to adopt new combustible dust rules. The Chemical Safety Board — which investigated three dust-related fires last year that took five lives at a Hoeganaes Corp. plant near Nashville, Tenn. — urged workplace safety regulators to take quick action. But the Occupational Safety and Health Administration instead has put the issue on its long-term agenda. A 2006 study by the Chemical Safety Board tallied at least 281 dust explosions and fires from 1980 to 2005. They killed 119 workers and injured 718. The Associated Press, The Tennessean

Recalls: gas furnaces for manufactured homes, hard-cooked eggs (in 34 states), Toyota RAV4, Maserati GranTurismo, Honda Accord and Crosstour, Bumbleride strollers, Carter’s infant bodysuits, Zhang Zhou tremella, Rely sardine anchovies and dried yellow croaker

Compiled by Stuart Silverstein

California nuclear reactor remains shut after possible “barely measurable” radiation release into the atmosphere. The Unit 3 reactor at the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station on the northern San Diego County coast was taken offline Tuesday after radioactive water was detected escaping through a crack. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission said if any radiation escaped into the atmosphere, it would have been a “very, very low level.” Separately, the commission rejected some of the fire safety procedures at the Indian Point nuclear plant in New York’s Westchester County. CBS, The New York Times

New violations by American Red Cross reflect years of problems with its blood services. The fines of nearly $10 million imposed last month by the Food and Drug Administration are only the latest penalties against the organization for flawed practices. Since 2003, the FDA has imposed $46 million in fines. The violations outlined by the FDA in a recent letter reflect many longstanding problems — understaffing, ineffective screening of donors, failure to recall infected blood. ProPublica

French report on breast implant scandal faults company and regulators. The government assessment said authorities were alerted as far back as 1996 about anomalies, such as ruptures, involving implants made by the company, Poly Implant Prothèses, or PIP. Still, France’s health minister blamed the company for “massive deception.” More than 400,000 women around the world are thought to have received implants made by PIP, which shut in 2010 after it was found to have used substandard, industrial-grade silicone gel. The Telegraph, The Wall Street Journal, Reuters

Proposed settlement would pay $19.5 million into a trust for Montanans sickened by asbestos exposure. The plan, included in the W.R. Grace and Co. bankruptcy case, is intended to ensure that the company doesn’t terminate a medical program launched in Libby, Mont., in 2000. Widespread disease and an estimated 400 deaths have been blamed on Grace’s operation of a now-closed vermiculite mine that was laced with asbestos. Reaction to the deal was mixed among area residents and victims. The Associated Press, Missoulian

Three states will require insurers to disclose how they are preparing for climate change risks. California, New York and Washington are focusing on possible effects of climate change such as severe storms, wildfires and rising sea levels. “We are asking insurers to share their views of the risk of climate change so that we can be sure that the industry and regulators are appropriately prepared,” said a New York regulator. The New York Times

Authors of controversial op-ed downplaying global warming have energy industry ties. In all, half of the 16 scientists who wrote the recent controversial opinion piece in The Wall Street Journal  have been associated with the oil and gas industry or groups dedicated to debunking climate science. The authors contended there is “no need to panic” about global warming. DailyClimate.org

New coastal pollution regulations would leave beachgoers exposed. The Natural Resources Defense Council, which has waged a legal battle for tougher rules, says the proposal released in December by the Environmental Protection Agency would continue to let 1 in 28 beachgoers get sick after swimming. The EPA acknowledges the numbers, but is not toughening its recommendations for beach closures and informational postings. Los Angeles Times

Tanning salons deceive to bring in customers, report finds.That assessment by Democratic Congressional investigators was based on an examination of 300 salons. When investigators posing as fair-skinned 16-year-old girls contacted the businesses, 90 percent of the salon operators said indoor tanning posed no health dangers. Seventy-eight percent claimed indoor tanning would actually improve health, preventing diseases ranging from arthritis to lupus. And 51 percent denied that indoor tanning increases the risk of skin cancer. CBS, Medical News Today

Recalls: Honda Ridgeline pickups, Fold-Out Sleeper Ottomans, Konica Minolta Printers, Overarching Floor Lamps, hard-cooked eggs and potato salads,  Christmas Tree Shops candle warmers, Hurricane Style Light

Compiled by Stuart Silverstein

Texas rule requires drillers to disclose fracking chemicals. The requirement, which takes effect today, is intended to address concern about the potential environmental harm from fracking, which involves pumping water, sand and chemicals into rocky formations at high pressure to release oil and gas. Energy companies also are required to indicate how much water they use.  Separately, legal experts say they expect mounting numbers of lawsuits claiming that fracking is tainting water supplies. Houston Chronicle, Bloomberg

Food and Drug Administration secretly monitored personal email of a group of its own scientists and doctors. The FDA took the action, government documents show, after the six scientists and doctors warned Congress that the agency was approving medical devices that they believed posed unacceptable risks to patients. The six have filed a whistleblower lawsuit against the agency, alleging that they were subjected to retaliatory dismissals or harassment. The Washington Post

Salami maker settles federal charges over two leaks of poisonous gas. Columbus Manufacturing will pay a $685,446 penalty and spend about $6 million on a new refrigeration unit as a result of two anhydrous ammonia leaks in 2009 at its South San Francisco meat plant. One of the leaks prompted an evacuation of the company and neighboring businesses, and left 17 people hospitalized. San Mateo County Times, Environmental Protection Agency

Breast cancer patients undergoing unnecessary second operations. A new study found that nearly half of the women who get lumpectomies, the most common operation for breast cancer, later have second surgeries that they may not need. The problem is that doctors have failed to come up with guidelines for what should be done when pathology reports indicate that the first operation may have left behind some cancer cells. The New York Times, The Journal of the American Medical Association

U.S. regulators will require 96 nuclear plants to conduct seismic studies. Nuclear Regulatory Commission officials are concerned that plants in central and eastern states face previously unrecognized threats from potentially big earthquakes. The new assessments are being spurred by the 9.0-magnitude earthquake and tsunami that devastated northeastern Japan last March and led to the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster. The Wall Street Journal, Reuters

Safety officials will step up scrutiny of surface mines. The head of the U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration, Joe Main, unveiled plans to emphasize 14 safety standards to reduce deaths and injuries, including 11 that would focus on surface mining for metals and other minerals. Last year 23 workers died in surface mines, versus 14 in underground mines. Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, MSHA

More than 1 million condoms recalled in South Africa. The condoms were given away at this month’s 100th anniversary celebrations for the African National Congress. But complaints emerged of the items having leaks or breaking during intercourse. An AIDS activist said some of the reports came from people infected with the AIDS virus who were worried about the potential health threats to their sexual partners. In South Africa, more than 5.6 million people live with AIDS, more than any other country. The Guardian

Pfizer recalls 1 million packets of birth control pills. The company said it discovered packaging errors that could leave women with  inadequate doses and raise the risk that they will get pregnant accidentally. The problem affects 14 lots of Lo/Ovral-28 tablets and 14 lots of generic Norgestrel and Ethinyl Estradiol tablets. The Associated Press

More recalls: Container Store power strips, Bin-Bin rice crackers, Renastart powerdered food, peanut butter candy

Compiled by Stuart Silverstein

Federal authorities withhold name of restaurant chain linked to salmonella Enteritidis outbreak. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in its final report on the episode, indicated only that the source of the problem that sickened 68 people in 10 states since mid-October was a Mexican-style fast-food chain. Agency officials say they identify companies only when people can use the information to take specific action to protect their health, but safety advocates say the policy too often leaves consumers in the dark. msnbc.com, CDC

Frito-Lay sued over “all natural ingredients” claim. A New York man filed a proposed class-action lawsuit in federal court accusing the company of misleading consumers about its Tostitos and SunChips products. The suit contends that the items contain ingredients, including corn and vegetable oils, made from genetically modified plants.  A Frito-Lay spokeswoman said the company was confident the labeling on its packaging “complies with all regulatory requirements.” A similar lawsuit was filed in California federal court last December. Reuters

Consumer advocates warn of risks from chemicals in cosmetics. Shampoos, deodorants, moisturizers and soaps also may contain potentially harmful ingredients. Industry officials contend that the risks are insignificant or nonexistent. The Food and Drug Administration  evaluates some ingredients but few large-scale studies are conducted to evaluate the effects of such chemicals. The Washington Post

Nuclear contamination worries hinder clean-up of more than 22 million tons of rubbish from Japan’s earthquake and tsunami. The giant piles of debris are more than the northeastern region of Japan struck by the disaster last March can handle. But municipalities in other parts of the country have balked at taking the debris and incinerating it in their communities. Agence France-Presse

Japan’s cabinet approves nuclear safety bills. Included was a measure that, if it gains final parliamentary approval, would cap the operational life of nuclear reactors at 40 years. One of the reactors involved in last March’s Fukushima Daiichi disaster had been in use 40 years when it was struck by an earthquake and tsunami, leading to a meltdown. Separately, International Atomic Energy Agency experts generally endorsed “stress test” results at two idled reactors in western Japan, bolstering Japan’s efforts to restart operations. The Associated Press

Authorities investigate cause of power failure that shut down nuclear reactor in northern Illinois. Monday’s shutdown of one of the two reactors at Exelon Nuclear’s Byron Generating Station, about 95 miles northwest of Chicago, may have stemmed from faulty equipment at a switchyard delivering power to the plant. The plant vented steam containing trace amounts of tritium, a radioactive form of hydrogen, but officials said the release represented no health threat. The Associated Press, The Christian Science Monitor

Maker of Brazilian Blowout hair-straightening treatments agrees to alert consumers and hair stylists about two products that emit formaldehyde gas. The company, GIB, also agreed to pay $600,000 in civil penalties and other costs to settle charges brought by the California attorney general’s office. GIB was accused of deceptive advertising and failing to warn consumers about the presence of a carcinogen in its products.  California Attorney General, The Associated Press

Super Bowl commercial will spotlight player safety. It marks the first time that the NFL, the target of more than a dozen lawsuits accusing it of concealing information about the effects of repeated hits to the head, will use a minute of its own commercial time during its signature event to address safety concerns. A lawyer for former players suing the football league accused the NFL of “obscuring the reality” of its longtime indifference to safety problems. The New York Times

Wyoming safety regulators issue 19 citations for an explosion and fire that killed three workers last August. The accident occurred while the workers were installing pipe and a device used to separate oil from water near an oil well. Authorities, citing state policy, said they would not release the names of the cited companies or the fines until the businesses are able to review the charges. Wyoming consistently records some of the nation’s worst workplace fatality rates. The Associated Press

Workplace safety authorities accuse rubber manufacturing plant in Ohio of four violations. The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration cited the Polymerics plant in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, with a willful violation, its most severe charge, after finding that it failed to keep a a rubber-cutting shear in good working order. The investigation stemmed from a July accident in which a worker’s hand was amputated. OSHA has proposed up to $74,900 in fines against Polymerics. OSHA

Recalls: Walgreen chocolate-covered raisins, Arctic Cat snowmobiles, Specialized Bicycle Components bikes

Compiled by Stuart Silverstein

Two U.S. senators express concerns about possible delays in a rail safety upgrade. California Democrats Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer, in a letter  to the Federal Railroad Administration, called for a progress report on the installation of Positive Train Control, which is designed to prevent train wrecks by overcoming human error. Following a report by FairWarning, the senators said they were “deeply concerned” about possible delays in the system beyond the 2015 deadline. Congress, spurred by a deadly train wreck in Chatsworth, Calif., passed a law in 2008 mandating PTC on rail lines carrying passengers or extremely hazardous materials.

Industry and government investing millions to find “perfect wash” for bagged salads to curb food contamination. Food companies in the Salinas Valley, the nation’s salad bowl, have intensified efforts to improve cleaning techniques in response to crises such as the 2006 E. coli outbreak resulting from tainted spinach. It killed five people and sent 100 more to the hospital in the worst food poisoning outbreak linked to leafy greens in U.S. history. California HealthCare Foundation Center for Health Reporting

Microscopic plastic debris from washing clothes could be entering the food chain, researchers say. An international group of scientists identified the potential hazards of “microplastics” in synthetic clothing, which releases up to 1,900 tiny fibers every time a garment is washed. The research team took samples from 18 beaches around the world and found microplastics at every site. The substances, researchers say, are being eaten by animals, bringing the debris into the food chain. BBC, Australian Broadcasting Corp., Environmental Science & Technology

Scientists warn of the impact of water and air pollution from nitrogen fertilizers. The fertilizers have been crucial in boosting food production around the world for decades. But scientists who studied the issue for the European Union have calculated that it suffers economic damage of somewhere from $90 billion to $400 billion per year from the resulting pollution. That is more than double the value that nitrogen fertilizers add to European farm income. Public Radio International

California regulators move to put more pollution-free cars on the road. The ground-breaking action by the state’s Air Resources Board requires auto manufacturers to offer more zero-emission or very low emission cars — such as battery electric, hydrogen fuel cell and plug-in hybrid vehicles — starting with model year 2018. The board also strengthened future emission standards for all new cars. The goals are, by 2025, to slash smog-forming pollutants from new vehicles by 75 percent and reduce emissions that contribute to global warming by one-third. Los Angeles Times

California governor fired regulator who balked at relaxing environmental rules for oil extraction. Gov. Jerry Brown pushed late last year for easing standards for underground injection, a method of flushing oil from old wells. Derek Chernow, then head of the Department of Conservation, replied that the move would violate environmental laws. One week later, Chernow and a deputy were fired, and replaced with officials who agreed to speed reviews of injection projects. Los Angeles Times

Environmentalists dispute Obama’s assessment of shale gas. Activists said the president’s portrayal, in last week’s State of the Union address, of natural gas as a clean source of energy is misleading. They charged that the controversial drilling technique known as fracking is tainting drinking water and causing other pollution. Bloomberg

Recalls: hard-cooked eggs, 18th Street Deli julienne salads, Ellison Meat beef sirloin, Aunt Jemima Frozen Pancakes, Mazda Tribute SUVs, Britax child safety seats, Cephalon Treanda cancer drug , Aveeno baby lotion

Compiled by Stuart Silverstein

Brazilian prosecutor plans to file criminal charges against Chevron Corp. The action anticipated against the oil company and some of its managers adds the threat of prison sentences to an $11 billion civil lawsuit already filed by Brazilian authorities over a November offshore oil spill. The leak, estimated by prosecutors at close to 3,000 barrels, occurred in the Frade oil field off Brazil’s southern coast. Separately, a U.S. appeals court threw out an injunction that Chevron had won to block enforcement of an $18 billion judgment against the company in Ecuador for polluting the Amazon jungle. Reuters, Bloomberg

California investigators discover pharmacists routinely allowing unsafe and potentially lethal prescriptions for nursing home patients. The state’s Department of Public Health found that, in 18 of its 32 nursing home investigations conducted during 2010 and 2011, pharmacists failed to red-flag cases in which residents were inappropriately prescribed powerful antipsychotic medications. Pharmacists also missed situations in which medications were prescribed at questionable levels or in unsafe combinations. The Bay Citizen

Federal overseers raise new concerns about Hanford nuclear waste treatment plant. The Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board wants more tests to validate designs for the plant, which is meant to contain 56 million gallons of radioactive waste at the former nuclear weapons production complex in Washington state. The concern is that key plant components could fail, crippling the operation before its 30-year mission is completed. USA Today

Commission urges new approach to choosing nuclear waste sites. The Blue Ribbon Commission on America’s Nuclear Future, set up in response to the failed proposal to create a nuclear waste repository at Yucca Mountain in Nevada, emphasized securing local consent before moving ahead with plans. It also recommended taking the job of managing nuclear wastes out of the hands of the Energy Department and giving it to a special federally chartered corporation. The New York Times

Too few American getting screening for breast, cervical and colorectal cancer, federal researchers say. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said screening rates are particularly low among Asians and Hispanics.  For example, screening for colorectal cancer is recommended for men and women between ages 50 and 75, and the target set by federal authorities was to screen 70.5 percent of that group. The actual overall screening rate, however, was 58.6 percent, and it was just 46.5 percent for Hispanics and 46.9 percent for Asians. WebMD, Forbes

Workplace safety regulators cite two employers for failing to provide protection against possible trench cave-ins. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration cited construction companies in Ashland, N.H., and Memphis, Tenn. The agency seeks fines that together could amount to $106, 635. In addition, an administrative law judge ordered a Newport, Del., construction company to pay $59,000 in fines for trenching violations. The order resolved litigation by the employer contesting violations stemming from a 2010 inspection. OSHA

Airbus blames manufacturing and design flaws for wing cracks on its A380 superjumbo. An executive with the airplane maker, however, said Airbus will resolve the problem with manufacturing changes, and that it eventually will start using a new alloy. “The A380 is safe to fly,” he said. European aviation authorities ordered inspections on about one-third of the A380 fleet due to cracks discovered in components used to fix the outside of the wing to its ribcage. Reuters, Wired

Recalls: Anytime Deli Turkey & Ham Footlong Sandwiches, Columbia ParCar vehicles

Compiled by Stuart Silverstein