Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment

California bans PFAS in firefighting gear to protect heroes' health Governor Newsom's new law aims to protect firefighters by banning PFAS substances in gear, with statewide changes set for 2028.

Good news: California leading the way to protect firefighters from toxic PFAS in their gear.

www.cbs8.com/article/news...

California farmworkers face dual threats from extreme heat, pesticide exposure | Opinion “It is estimated that farmworkers have 35 times the risk of dying from extreme heat compared with other worker populations.”

Great work by @UCSF_EaRTH REACH fellows for raising awareness about the threats extreme heat poses to farmworkers. Congratulations on the op-ed placement!

www.sacbee.com/opinion/op-e...

Trump administration acts on majority of industry wish list US manufacturers who late last year asked the incoming Trump administration for a “regulatory reset” have seen roughly 80% of their specific regulatory requests acted on in just the first eight months...

Polluting industries are getting about 80% of what they are asking for. That's a disaster for people's health.

www.thenewlede.org/2025/10/trum...

EPA’s proposed revisions to TSCA Risk Evaluation Framework Rule will put more people in harm's way The UCSF Program on Reproductive Health issued the following statement today. Instead of strengthening health protections and using best available science under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA)...

Zeldin's EPA is stripping away requirements that ensure TSCA risk evaluations reflect real-world chemical exposures and risks. #FrameworkRule

prheucsf.blog/2025/10/09/e...

YouTube video by UCSF Program on Reproductive Health & Environment Polluters vs. Science: Clean Air

When EPA's Lee Zeldin testifies before Congress, what's he really saying? @traceywoodruff.bsky.social explains.

#PollutersvsScience
www.youtube.com/watch?v=lyeK...

EPA aims to loosen chemical regulations via controversial standards The agency proposes to undo several aspects of a major US chemical law, including the definition of ‘weight of scientific evidence’

EPA is trying to narrow the "scientific evidence" for chemical risk evaluations, essentially doing an end-run around the goal of the updated TSCA law.

cen.acs.org/policy/chemi...

"[the MAHA policy report] dodged accountability, downplayed industry responsibility, and quietly walked back any meaningful plan to confront the dangerous chemicals polluting our homes, schools, food and bodies."

thehill.com/opinion/ener...

EPA aims to loosen chemical regulations via controversial standards The agency proposes to undo several aspects of a major US chemical law, including the definition of ‘weight of scientific evidence’

They want to speed up risk evaluations of new chemicals. This is exactly what the chemical industry wants. And, no, it won't make America healthy.

cen.acs.org/policy/chemi...

Scientists unite on how to protect children from toxic contributors to autism The following is a guest blog from Project TENDR. Autism is a complex neurological disorder with multiple causes. There is ample evidence that many toxic chemicals, including air pollution, pesticides...

"If the current administration wants to address neurological disorders including autism, reducing exposure to air pollutants, pesticides, and plastics would be a good place to start." - Project TENDR

prheucsf.blog/2025/09/23/s...

Toxins, tech and tumors: Is modern life fueling the rise of cancer in millennials? Studies suggest modern life may be fueling the rise of cancer in younger adults, with factors like ultra-processed foods and chemicals under scrutiny.

PRHE's research is helping to uncover one reason behind rising cancer rates in younger adults. #microplastics

@nickchartres.bsky.social @c2ech.bsky.social

www.washingtonpost.com/health/inter...

New report shows where cancer-causing chemicals are polluting water for over 200 million Americans More than 200 million people are at risk of drinking tap water contaminated with chemicals that cause cancer, liver damage, birth defects and other

Important work from #EWG that demonstrates we need to do more to ensure our drinking water supply is safe.
@thenewlede.bsky.social @careygillam.bsky.social

www.thenewlede.org/2025/09/new-...

Fossil fuels harm health from 'cradle to grave': Report The extraction, transportation and burning of planet-heating fossil fuels have a huge impact on people's health that starts before they are born and lasts until they die, a report warned Tuesday.

"Just as governments once curbed tobacco industry influence, they must now ban fossil fuel lobbying and disinformation," Miller said.

phys.org/news/2025-09...

EPA Effort to Roll Back PFAS Limits Decried as Assault on Health People living in neighborhoods contaminated by PFAS say they feel betrayed by the Trump administration’s attempt to eliminate Biden-era drinking water limits for four types of the “forever chemicals.”

“It feels like nothing short of a further assault on our communities,” said Loreen Hackett, who lives in Hoosick Falls, N.Y., where PFAS and other chemicals released by a plastics plant created a Superfund site.

news.bloomberglaw.com/health-law-a...

MAHA plan fails to recommend real solutions to rising chronic disease The new MAHA action plan provides evidence that industry stepped in and said, ‘not while we are in charge.’ What’s telling is not only what’s in the report, but what has been removed from the report, ...

The most important take away from the new #MAHA report? All talk and no action. #softonpesticides #softontoxics

prheucsf.blog/2025/09/09/m...

6 Takeaways From Kennedy’s Childhood Health Report

“It’s almost like a slap in the face of the people from the #MAHA movement who legitimately care about pesticide exposures and how that impacts their kids,” said Tracey Woodruff

www.nytimes.com/2025/09/09/w...

Opinion | The Clue to Unlocking Parkinson’s May Be All Around Us

"Researchers and regulators dispute the degree to which pesticides bear responsibility, and the Environmental Protection Agency continues to allow paraquat to be used in the United States — even as dozens of other countries have banned it."

www.nytimes.com/2025/09/08/o...

An Industry Insider’s Changes at the E.P.A. Could Cost Taxpayers Billions

“If they overturn this, it would leave the public responsible for cleaning up, not the companies that knowingly polluted the land.” @traceywoodruff.bsky.social

Science Associate Emily Lasher, MSPH will be presenting for International Society of Exposure Science on some of her terrific work with PRHE. We hope you will join us for the webinar on September 17th at 11am ET!

Register at: lnkd.in/g2S-5m7E

EPA delay threatens fenceline communities near steel and coke plants, report warns By Brian Bienkowski Steel and coke plants in the US are regularly releasing illegal amounts of air pollutants and the Trump administration’s delay on stricter rules at these plants leaves fenceline ...

The report found "that most of the plants — 17 out of 20 — have failed to comply with provisions of the Clean Air Act for at least one quarter in the past three years. And half of the plants were out of compliance for all three years."

Opinion | President Trump Wants to Undo EPA's Ability to Protect Our Climate and Air Speak up to protect the endangerment finding

"Healthcare professionals should be alarmed by this reckless proposal to place financial considerations above the interests of our patients, communities, and future generations." #EPA #EndangermentFinding

From Landfills and Recycling Programs to Desks in Offices, Toxic Chemicals in Plastics Poison Workers - Inside Climate News The plastics contaminating every corner of the Earth contain thousands of unregulated toxic chemicals. As global plastic talks end without a treaty, health experts say negotiators must consider their ...

The plastics and fossil fuel industries succeeded in stopping a global plastics treaty to protect people from the avalanche of plastic and the toxic chemicals that make it. Do they think they are safe from plastic-related health harms?

insideclimatenews.org/news/1608202...

How to improve the monitoring of chemical contaminants in the human body We are exposed to countless chemicals every day, some of which can harm our health. Measuring the effects of this pollution is a major challenge.

Scientists are creating new and better methods to identify toxic chemicals in people and figure out how they are impacting our health.

theconversation.com/how-to-impro...

PRHE at ISEE 2025: The newest science on how toxic chemicals impact pregnancy and child health A team of PRHE scientists will share their latest research on how plastic-related chemicals, pesticides, and chemicals in antimicrobials and clothing are affecting pregnancy and child development. Wha...

Want to learn about the latest science on how toxic chemicals including pesticides, chemicals in plastics, clothing, and ones you've never heard of impact pregnancy and children's health? Check out our latest blog and join PRHE at ISEE.

prheucsf.blog/2025/08/13/p...

New study highlights ‘grave, growing’ danger of plastic pollution to world’s health In Geneva, negotiators from 175 nations are trying to hammer out the first-ever legally binding treaty on plastic pollution. The urgency of the talks was underscored this week by a new study published...

Dr. Tracey Woodruff speaks to the rising health harms from plastic and microplastics. It's urgent that health be prioritized over the plastic and fossil fuel industries in the new global plastic treaty.

www.pbs.org/newshour/sho...

Rising waters and rising risks in Richmond Main takeaways: Sea level rise is raising risks of harmful chemical exposures in shoreline communities like Richmond, CA These risks are falling disproportionately on communities already hard hit by c...

Rising sea levels are raising risks of spreading hazardous chemicals in residential neighborhoods. And that puts people's health in jeopardy. Learn what we can be done to prevent these crises.

prheucsf.blog/2025/08/07/r...

Chemical pollution is a rampant threat to humanity, science group warns More than 100 million “novel entity” compounds are in circulation, with unknown health impacts.

"The report also highlights critical shortcomings in current toxicity assessment, research and testing methods, exposing the ways in which existing checks and balances are failing to protect human and planetary health."

www.motherjones.com/environment/...

EPA research cuts stoke fears over scientific independence “This is a very baffling moment in time,” said one researcher. “I never would have thought we had to advocate for science.”

EPA science has helped to protect people from asbestos, PFAS, and TCE. EPA scientists work to clean up chemical spills, hurricane disasters, and even anthrax terror attacks. The only ones who benefit from dismantling EPA's science are polluters.

www.eenews.net/articles/epa...

These Companies Avoided Clean-Air Rules. It Took a Single Email.

"Under an obscure section of the Clean Air Act, the president can temporarily exempt industrial facilities from new rules if their continued operation is in the interest of national security..."

How does a microplastics researcher avoid microplastics? Important tips from Dr. Tracey Woodruff.

www.msn.com/en-us/health...

This EPA research office safeguarded Americans' health. Trump just eliminated it. The Office of Research and Development produced the science underpinning regulations on everything from pesticides to lead.

This move is very bad for people and health. Polluters must be thrilled.

grist.org/politics/thi...