Fighting Fire in a Toxic World - with Silverio Caggiano

Our chemical world has made the job of fighting fires even more dangerous than it was.....

This week on Green Street, Patti and Doug talk about plastic in fertilizer ending up in our food supply, how the FDA allows 950 food additives that are prohibited in Europe, and how firefighters face a higher risk of brain cancer because of certain chemicals they are exposed to on the job. Then nationally-recognized hazmat expert and firefighter Silverio Caggiano talks about the new challenges facing firefighters today and his experience with the East Palestine rail disaster. More information and links can be found on our show website, GreenStreetNews.org. 

Fighting Fire in a Toxic Word - Silverio Caggiano

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Links from the Interview

Buckeye Environmental Network (where Silverio Caggiano is a board member) https://benohio.org/

Links from the News

Microplastics in fertilizers: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/mar/11/fertilizers-microplastics-us-cropland

How the food industry escapes scrutiny from the FDA: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/fda-chemicals-food-supply/ Firefighters face a higher risk of brain cancer from chemical: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-03-firefighters-higher-brain-cancer-gene.html

The Loneliness of MCS

Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS) can mean a lifetime of discomfort, exclusion and loneliness.

This week on Green Street, Patti and Doug discuss the health hazards of tatoos (the inks can be toxic) and the plight of minority communities in the area of Texas called "Cancer Alley." Then Dr. Ann McCampbell and Susie Molloy discuss their battles with Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS),and how they have learned to live with this often debilitating condition.

Green Street - Loneliness of MCS

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Links from the interview:

• Summary of MCS:https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/multiple-chemical-sensitivity

• Dr. Ann McCampbell:https://annmccampbellmd.com/

• Effects of chemical sensitivities (study) :https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211335518300457

Links from the news:

• Tattoos linked to lymphoma risks:https://www.forbes.com/sites/brucelee/2024/06/06/tattoos-linked-to-21-higher-risk-of-malignant-lymphoma-new-study-says/

• "Cancer Alley" residents are facing more than a lifetime exposure limit of carcinogens:https://www.ehn.org/cancer-alley-ethylene-oxide-2668508581.html

Making Polluters Pay for Climate Change - with Anne Rabe

A new law in New York will make greenhouse gas producers pay $75 billion to help offset the costs of dealing with climate change.

This week on Green Street, Patti and Doug talk about popular foods that are contaminated with plastic particles, the secret network of pipelines carrying toxic radioactive waste from fracking operations, and the proposal to bury millions of tons of carbon under the Gulf of Mexico. Then Anne Rabe, Environmental Policy Director at NYPIRG, talks about New York’s groundbreaking Climate Change Superfund Act, which requires greenhouse gas polluters to pay $75 billion to help defray the costs of dealing with powerful storms and other impacts of climate change.

Making Polluters Pay for Climate Change -with Anne Rabe

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Links from the Interview

NYPIRG's page on climate change and the New York State law: https://www.nypirg.org/climatechange/

Links from the News:

Plastic is contaminating popular food items: https://www.cnn.com/2024/04/22/health/plastics-food-wellness-scn/index.html

Secret pipelines are carrying toxic radioactive waste, with no regulations: https://www.desmog.com/2024/12/23/josh-shapiro-seneca-resources-whistleblower-demands-pennsylvania-gov-fix-completely-unregulated-fracking-wastewater-network/

Storing carbon dioxide under the Gulf of Mexico: https://www.desmog.com/2024/12/30/developers-eye-louisiana-texas-coasts-for-offshore-carbon-storage/