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Water

PFAS Chemicals

Getting ‘forever chemicals’ out of drinking water: EWG’s guide to PFAS water filters

Taking ‘forever chemicals’ out of drinking water: EWG’s guide to PFAS water filters. Discover the most effective water filters for reducing PFAS contamination in your water. EWG's extensive tests...

July 11, 2023

EWG investigation: Dangerous agricultural chemical chlormequat found in popular oat-based products

A new EWG investigation finds for the first time troubling concentrations of the toxic agricultural chemical chlormequat in oat-based products sold in the U.S., including everyday brands marketed to...

January 31, 2023

Federal & State Energy Policy

Power and profit: How PG&E fails California ratepayers and what to do about it

EWG’s utility business model would create a more balanced policy and regulatory regime for PG&E customers. It is designed to hold the company responsible for its investment patterns and shift...

June 16, 2022

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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22

The Wonderful Company among California’s top users of toxic weedkiller paraquat

April 18, 2024

LEER EN ESPAÑOL

The Wonderful Company, based in California, touts its “iconic, healthy” popular pomegranate juice and other products. But it’s also the state’s second-largest user of paraquat – a...

Food & Farm Workers

Paraquat

California

Paraquat disproportionately threatens California’s low-income Latino communities

March 27, 2024

Latinos in some of California’s lowest-income communities are exposed to far higher amounts of paraquat – a toxic weedkiller linked to an increased risk of developing Parkinson’s disease – than other...

Federal & State Energy Policy

Fossil & Nuclear

California

Outrageous costs, deadly dangers: The real risks of keeping Diablo Canyon open

July 25, 2023

If something costs tens of billions to keep, without any clear financial benefits to ratepayers but with the risk of nuclear catastrophe, prolonging it would be folly. But that’s what supporters of...

Farm Subsidies

California

EWG: In the intensifying climate crisis, a hotter Southwest spurs rising heat-related crop insurance costs

June 21, 2023

A new Environmental Working Group analysis shows a clear connection between rising temperatures linked to climate change in the Southwest and the region’s growing crop insurance costs for heat-related...

Pesticides

California

The health risks of pesticides in Stanislaus County

January 31, 2023

The residents of Stanislaus County are at potential risk of health harms associated with the spraying of pesticides on agricultural fields in the region. Stanislaus County is one of 10 counties in...

Federal & State Energy Policy

Power and profit: How PG&E fails California ratepayers and what to do about it

June 16, 2022

EWG’s utility business model would create a more balanced policy and regulatory regime for PG&E customers. It is designed to hold the company responsible for its investment patterns and shift...

Report: 32 million pounds of toxic pesticides sprayed on Ventura County fields from 2015 to 2020

February 3, 2022

Today, from Oxnard to Ojai, people in Ventura County live, work and go to school next to farm fields sprayed with some of the most toxic pesticides used in agriculture.

PFAS Chemicals

Water

California

Toxic ‘Forever Chemicals’ Detected in Drinking Water Supplies Across California

September 25, 2019

Drinking water sources for 74 community water systems serving 7.5 million Californians are contaminated with the highly toxic fluorinated chemicals called PFAS, according to an Environmental Working...

Children’s Health

Lead

California

One-Third of California’s High-Risk Kids Not Tested for Lead Poisoning

September 19, 2017

Despite federal and state laws requiring blood tests for all young children most at risk for lead poisoning, year after year California falls far short of its responsibility.

Water

California

Cancer-Causing Pesticide ‘Garbage’ Taints Tap Water for Millions in California

April 11, 2017

TCP is just one example of the widespread contamination of drinking water from agriculture chemicals.

California

Federal & State Energy Policy

Toxic Chemicals May Contaminate Oil Field Wastewater Used to Grow Calif. Crops

October 26, 2016

In the last three years, farmers have irrigated 95,000 acres of food crops with billions of gallons of oil field wastewater possibly tainted with toxic chemicals.

California

Federal & State Energy Policy

California’s Fracking Fluids

August 12, 2015

The fluids used in hydraulic fracturing of oil wells in California contain dozens of chemicals that are hazardous to human health, including substances linked to cancer, reproductive harm and hormone...

California

Federal & State Energy Policy

Toxic Stew

March 10, 2015

Wastewater from hydraulic fracturing of oil and gas wells in California is heavily contaminated with a toxic stew of chemicals known to cause cancer or reproductive harm, an analysis by Environmental...

California

Federal & State Energy Policy

Vitter Pressures EPA Inspector General

August 6, 2014

For Sen. David L. Vitter (R-La.), there's no more appealing target than the Environmental Protection Agency.

California

Federal & State Energy Policy

Cuomo Aide’s Oil/Gas Investments Questioned in N.Y. Fracking Debate

September 11, 2012

As New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo nears a decision on whether to lift the state's moratorium on shale gas development, filings with the state ethics commission reveal that one of his top advisors may be...

California

Inside Track

June 21, 2012

New York regulators gave natural gas drilling industry representatives exclusive access to draft regulations for shale gas drilling as early as six weeks before they were made public, according to...

California

Federal & State Energy Policy

USGS: Some Earthquakes “Almost Certainly Manmade”

April 4, 2012

A U.S. Geological Survey research team has linked oil and natural gas drilling operations to a series of recent earthquakes from Alabama to the Northern Rockies.

California

Federal & State Energy Policy

California Regulators

February 29, 2012

The state agency responsible for regulating oil and gas drilling in California has long turned a blind eye to the use of hydraulic fracturing (fracking), insisting as recently as this year that...

California

Federal Scientists Warn NY of Fracking Risks

February 22, 2012

The U.S. Geological Survey has warned New York state regulators that their plan to allow drilling and hydraulic fracturing for natural gas in the Marcellus Shale could endanger private water wells...

California

Drilling Doublespeak: Slideshow

December 12, 2011

As natural gas development has pushed into populated areas, gas drillers have consistently disclosed to shareholders and potential investors daunting lists of possible mishaps, including leaks, spills...

California

Cracks in the Facade

August 3, 2011

An Environmental Working Group investigation by Senior Counsel Dusty Horwitt has uncovered evidence in a long-forgotten federal report and other documents that chemicals from hydraulic fracturing of...

California

Federal & State Energy Policy

Gas Drilling and Fracking

June 30, 2011

Hydraulic fracturing has been around for decades. But now, natural gas producers are deploying a new gas drilling method called high-volume horizontal hydraulic fracturing to release gas locked in...

Expert Spotlight

Chemical companies provide quarterly reports on production and sales figures to shareholders. Why shouldn’t the public and EPA receive similar reports every year about commonly used chemicals, some of which could pose a serious health risk?”

David Andrews, Ph.D.

Deputy Director, Investigations and and Senior Scientist

All Experts

News & Insights

Climate & Agriculture

Conservation

USDA conservation funding ‘guardrails’ vital for reducing agricultural greenhouse gas emissions

April 24, 2024

When Congress provided almost $20 billion in Department of Agriculture funding for climate-smart farming practices, it included legislative “guardrails” to ensure the money goes to practices that...

Cosmetics

Best bang for your buck mascaras

April 22, 2024

It’s prom season, which means millions of teenagers across the U.S. will be getting done up for one of the most high school experiences. It’s a time for “promposals,” dancing and getting enough...

PFAS Chemicals

What they’re saying about the EPA’s ‘hazardous substances’ designation for two PFAS

April 19, 2024

On April 19 the Environmental Protection Agency designated two of the “forever chemicals” known as PFAS as hazardous substances under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and...

Water

PFAS Chemicals

What does the EPA’s new hazardous substances designation for two ‘forever chemicals’ mean?

April 17, 2024

More than 5,000 sites across the U.S. are polluted with the toxic “forever chemicals” known as PFAS, creating an urgent national health and environmental crisis. The Biden administration took a...

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Key Issues

PFAS Chemicals

Research

Getting ‘forever chemicals’ out of drinking water: EWG’s guide to PFAS water filters

EWG investigation: Dangerous agricultural chemical chlormequat found in popular oat-based products

Power and profit: How PG&E fails California ratepayers and what to do about it

Areas of Focus

The Wonderful Company among California’s top users of toxic weedkiller paraquat

Paraquat disproportionately threatens California’s low-income Latino communities

Outrageous costs, deadly dangers: The real risks of keeping Diablo Canyon open

EWG: In the intensifying climate crisis, a hotter Southwest spurs rising heat-related crop insurance costs

The health risks of pesticides in Stanislaus County

Power and profit: How PG&E fails California ratepayers and what to do about it

Report: 32 million pounds of toxic pesticides sprayed on Ventura County fields from 2015 to 2020

Toxic ‘Forever Chemicals’ Detected in Drinking Water Supplies Across California

One-Third of California’s High-Risk Kids Not Tested for Lead Poisoning

Cancer-Causing Pesticide ‘Garbage’ Taints Tap Water for Millions in California

Toxic Chemicals May Contaminate Oil Field Wastewater Used to Grow Calif. Crops

California’s Fracking Fluids

Toxic Stew

Vitter Pressures EPA Inspector General

Cuomo Aide’s Oil/Gas Investments Questioned in N.Y. Fracking Debate

Inside Track

USGS: Some Earthquakes “Almost Certainly Manmade”

California Regulators

Federal Scientists Warn NY of Fracking Risks

Drilling Doublespeak: Slideshow

Cracks in the Facade

Gas Drilling and Fracking

David Andrews, Ph.D.

‘Forever chemicals’: Top 3 ways to lower your exposure

EWG comments on the WHO proposed guidelines for PFOA and PFOS contamination of drinking water

Flawed WHO report on ‘forever chemicals’ fails human health, EWG scientists find

Addressing misinformation on the internet about EWG’s ratings systems

USDA conservation funding ‘guardrails’ vital for reducing agricultural greenhouse gas emissions

Best bang for your buck mascaras

What they’re saying about the EPA’s ‘hazardous substances’ designation for two PFAS

What does the EPA’s new hazardous substances designation for two ‘forever chemicals’ mean?

Key Issues

Research

Areas of Focus

Related Articles

Articles by David Andrews, Ph.D.