A Virginia developer has been replacing Chinese drywall used to build 70 homes in the Hampshire of Greenbrier subdivision of Chesapeake, as well as others located in the Cromwell section of Virginia Beach. According to report on WAVY.com, The Dragas Companies of Norfolk has already finished repairs on some homes, and residents have been allowed to return.

Consumers in 24 states have filed a total of 1,174 Chinese drywall complaints with the Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC). Gases emitted from the drywall are being blamed for significant property damage, including damage to HVAC systems, smoke detectors, electrical wiring, metal plumbing components, and other household appliances. These gases also produce a sulfurous odor that permeates homes, and cause metals, including air conditioning coils and even jewelry, to corrode. (more…)

Ocean Mist Farms just announced a voluntary recall of about 1,746 cases of Iceless Green Onions over concerns surrounding Salmonella contamination. Federal regulators confirmed a positive test for the pathogen on Iceless Green Onions supplied by Circle Produce to several shippers, including Ocean Mist Farms, it said. No Ocean Mist Farms green onions have been identified as contaminated.

The Salmonella pathogen can cause serious, sometimes fatal Salmonellosis infections in young children; weak or elderly people; and those with weakened immune systems, such as patients undergoing chemotherapy or who have been diagnosed with HIV/AIDS and other immune system compromising diseases. (more…)

Issues surrounding the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) oversight of Bernard Madoff—now spending 150 years in prison for orchestrating an historic Ponzi scam—have raised serious questions for months now. According to FOX Business, the SEC’s inspector general, H. David Kotz, will be delivering a scathing report to the agency discussing its part in failing to notice or prevent Madoff’s Ponzi scheme estimated to have cost duped investors an incomprehensible $65 billion.

In December, following the now-famous arrest of the disgraced financier, Kotz initiated an investigation into how the SEC handled its dealings with Madoff, said FOX Business. Christopher Cox, former SEC chairman, requested the investigation, asking, for example, why the agency believed allegations made through the years about Madoff to be “not credible,” reported FOX Business. The SEC has come under fire for apparently missing warnings that something was amiss with Madoff’s investment advisory business. (more…)

Quesos Mi Pueblito, LLC of New Jersey is recalling more cheese products because of potential Listeria contamination. All of the cheeses involved in this recall bear a “Sell by Date” from February 2, 2009 to present.

Products involved in this recall include:
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Readers of this column are all-to-familiar with last year’s historic fly ash spill that dumped a mind-boggling 5.4 million cubic yards—over one billion gallons—of toxic coal sludge into Tennessee’s Emory and Clinch rivers and the 300 acres surrounding the Tennessee Valley Authority’s (TVA) Kingston plant.

We have long expressed concern over the hazards to people and the environment left in the wake of the catastrophic spill that involved a layer of unstable ash sludge—“slimes”—that went undetected, the “construction of retaining walls on top of the ash,” “saturation of the stored ash,” and “pressure exerted by rising stacks,” according to a prior KnoxNews report, citing a consultant’s findings. It took months, but the TVA finally increased the “hazard potential” for some of its ash sites under a self-assessment given to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Associated Press (AP) reported recently. (more…)

The federal government is investigating a fire risk that may be associated with Jeep Wranglers, according to the Associated Press. According to the report, the possible Jeep Wrangler defect under investigation could affect as many as 220,000 vehicles.

According to The Toledo Blade, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) opened the Jeep Wrangler probe on August 12. It was prompted by complaints filed by three vehicle owners. The complaints allege that the vehicles’ transmission overheated. One reported smoke that occurred when transmission fluid leaked onto the catalytic converter. Another claimed a fire occurred. No injuries have been reported. (more…)

People living in one Florida community may be experiencing elevated levels of cancer, the state health department says. According to The Palm Beach Post, the findings of a recent study of cancer in The Acreage have prompted the Florida health department to launch a second phase of its investigation.

As we’ve reported previously, residents of The Acreage have been concerned about a cancer cluster since several children living in close proximity to each other were diagnosed with brain tumors. People in the area have speculated that a nearby Pratt & Whitney jet engine plant and/or citrus groves in the area, which used potentially dangerous pesticides for decades, may have tainted well water in the area. There were also concerns about soil contamination. (more…)

Melon Acres just announced the recall of cantaloupes that were distributed through Farm-Wey Produce of Lakeland, Florida due to potential health concerns related to contamination with the Salmonella pathogen. The recall was issued following a testing on Tuesday, August 11, 2009 by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that revealed one of a sample of twenty cantaloupes taken by the FDA tested positive for Salmonella.

The FDA said it reported the positive test to Melon Acres on Friday, August 21, 2009. The cantaloupes were shipped August 13th and 14th and were identified as 41 MG 10, Bin Numbers 4753-4980. These bins were distributed to Aldi’s in Greenwood, Indiana and Meijer in Lansing, Michigan; Newport, Michigan; and Tipp City, Ohio. (more…)

Denture creams, like Poligrip and Fixodent, have been associated with a variety of neurologic health problems. According to recent research, the zinc used in these denture creams appears to be behind many such ailments.

A small amount of zinc is necessary for a balanced diet. However, exposure to too much zinc can lead to copper depletion. When this is severe, neurological problems can result. In August 2008, the peer reviewed journal, “Neurology” reported on four patients suffering from neuropathy and other neurological symptoms typical of zinc poisoning and copper depletion. It was determined that excess use of denture cream could have been responsible for their symptoms. (more…)

About 200,000 Frigidaire and Kenmore Elite Smoothtop Electric Ranges are being recalled, announced the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). The appliances, which are manufactured by Frigidaire, a division of Electrolux Home Products Inc., of Augusta, Georgia have been recalled due to fire hazard. Depending on the model, the surface heating elements can:

1. Turn on spontaneously without being switched on,
2. Fail to turn off after being switched off, or
3. Heat to different temperatures than selected.
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