The Fight Over Toxic Chemicals - with Dr. Philip Landrigan

The nation's leading expert on environmental toxins talks about his work and recent study on glyphosate.

This week on Green Street, Patti and Doug dedicate the entire program to their interview with the nation's leading expert on environmental toxins, Dr. Philip Landrigan. Over a career spanning decades, Dr. Landrigan has been out front on efforts to inform the public about the links between common environmental exposure and human health, including groundbreaking work on lead, asbestos, and pesticides. A pediatrician by training, Dr. Landrigan is currently the Director of the Program for Global Public Health and the Common Good, and Director of the Global Observatory on Planetary Health at the Schiller Institute for Integrated Science and Society at Boston College.

The Fight Over Toxic Chemicals - with Dr. Philip Landrigan

29:00

Links from the interview

Glyphosate study: "Carcinogenic effects of long-term exposure from prenatal life to glyphosate and glyphosate-based herbicides in Sprague-Dawley rats" https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40490737/

Dr. Landrigan's page at Boston College: https://www.bc.edu/bc-web/schools/morrissey/departments/biology/people/faculty-directory/Phil-Landrigan.html

The Ramazzini Institute web page: https://www.collegiumramazzini.org/

Dr. Philip Landrigan

People, Plastic and Climate Change - with Rick Smith

Author, biologist, environmentalist, and political activist Rick Smith talks about the two biggest environmental threats of our generation.

This week on Green Street, Patti and Doug talk about the FDA’s continuing failure to regulate toxic chemicals, how a group of mothers are suing manufacturers of plastic food containers, and how the Trump administration is rolling back drinking water standards for certain PFAS chemicals. Then Rick Smith, author of "Slow Death by Rubber Duck" and President of the Canadian Climate Institute, talks about the dual crises of climate change and plastic pollution as a human health hazard. 

Links from the Interview

The Canadian Climate Institute: https://climateinstitute.ca/ Rick's bio and links to recent blogs: https://climateinstitute.ca/people/rick-smith/

Links from the News

FDA reform — not just narrow ingredient bans — is needed to make America healthier: https://www.ehn.org/fda-gras-loophole-opinion

Two California women sue over safety of Rubbermaid containers: https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2025/05/14/rubbermaid-class-action-lawsuit-microplastics/83618735007/

Trump's EPA plans to roll back PFAS regulations: https://grist.org/regulation/epa-pfas-drinking-water-limits-trump-rollback/

Hormone Disruption with Dr. Laura Vandenberg

A wide range of consumer products contain chemicals that can play havoc with human development.

This week on Green Street, Patti and Doug talk about America’s brain drain of scientists as the administration eliminates grants and guts federal health agencies, and how big agrochemical companies are seeking immunity from all liability for their toxic products. Then UMass professor Dr. Laura Vandenberg provides an overview of endocrine disrupting chemicals, their ubiquity in our culture, and how they can disrupt normal growth during critical periods of human development, including pregnancy.

Hormone Distruption with Dr. Laura Vandenberg

29:00

Links from the Interview

Dr. Vandenberg's page at the UMASS School of Public Health and Health Sciences: https://www.umass.edu/public-health-sciences/about/directory/laura-vandenberg

Links from the News

Bayer and other agro-chemical companies want Congress to give them immunity from lawsuits: https://civileats.com/2025/04/08/bayers-effort-to-block-roundup-lawsuits-kicks-into-high-gear/

France and the European Union are rolling out the welcome mat for scientists fired by DOGE. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/may/04/france-eu-us-based-scientists-come-to-europe-emmanuel-macron-ursula-von-der-leyen