FDA released two documents for its new proactive food chemical safety post-market assessment program. FDA launched reassessments of butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) and azodicarbonamide (ADA), “chemical additives commonly used in a variety of food products” BHT is used to prevent spoilage of fats and oils and can be found in breakfast cereals, frozen pizza, frozen meals, baking mixes, cookies, chewing gum, and meat products. ADA is used as a whitening agent in cereal flour and as a dough conditioner in breadmaking. FDA published requests for information (RFI) for BHT and ADA on May 13,

Hair extensions may pose a risk because they are in constant contact with the skin, present possible hand-to-mouth contact and their volatile components can be potentially inhaled. We live in a complex chemical landscape in which many hazardous chemicals can be identified but risks are notoriously difficult to evaluate.

The Strait of Hormuz is a lifeline for fuel and agricultural inputs across Asia. A significant share of fertilizers and their raw materials transit through or originate from this route. When supply chains falter, the effects cascade quickly: input costs rise, planting cycles are disrupted, and farmer incomes shrink. Smallholder farmers are adopting regenerative agriculture practices that reduce costs, improve yields and strengthen resilience.

Orange County Public Works Department has begun a "pause" of herbicide spraying in flood channels countywide. Residents started a campaign on Instagram to stop the spraying. The Instagram account has nearly 18,000 followers and has generated more than 328,000 likes, comments, saves and shares.

Wood heating is reintroducing lead into the air of local communities and homes, according to a systematic investigation by academics from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Lead was banned as an additive in petrol more than 25 years ago due to its neurotoxic effects. The research involved analysing samples of particle pollution from five towns in the north-east US.

The government reopens a carbon dioxide production plant linked to a method of pig slaughter criticised by the Animal Welfare Committee. Project Slingshot launched a provocative campaign with advertising on the London Underground aimed at exposing the practice of slaughtering pigs in gas chambers. Diane Morgan, Dr Amir Khan, Jen Brister and other celebrities feature in the ads.

The Denver Gazette and ProPublica found signs of hemp in marijuana vapes sold at dispensaries. Some hemp-derived vapes were contaminated with a toxic chemical. Colorado legalized recreational marijuana in 2012. The state's Marijuana Enforcement Division's deputy senior director said the number of illegally sold hemp products is "larger than we can quantify" and it's driving down the price of marijuana in the state.

This is the sixth in a series of blog posts on reforming the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). The first post discussed different paradigms for CEQA, the second discussed the conceptual framework for reform, the third discussed designating a state agency to set binding, clear standards for implementation, and the fourth discussed the creation of an exclusive list of the type of impacts to be considered under the law. In this post, I discuss creating accelerated dispute resolution, including judicial review, for the reform of the law and propose five changes to facilitate it.