The 25th Anniversary of the nuclear reactor accident in Chernobyl on the Belarus-Ukraine border serves to remind us of the dangers to public health posed by nuclear power. The importance of reacquainting ourselves with the ongoing difficulties at the Chernobyl disaster site and surrounding lands are underscored by the March 2011 disaster at the Daiichi nuclear power plant complex near Fukushima Japan. Read more »

Air pollution is one of the most important environmental health threats of our time, contributing to four of the five leading causes of mortality in the United States: heart disease, cancer, stroke, and chronic lower respiratory diseases. Air pollution such as particulate matter, nitrous oxides, sulfur dioxide, ozone, heavy metals, and other air toxics damage our airways, lungs, heart, and circulatory systems. Read more »

It is now believed that at least 60% of cancer deaths could be prevent through modification of personal behaviors, such as smoking cessation, dietary changes, and reducing sun exposure. Another significant cause of cancer is exposure to carcinogens in the environment--exposures that could be prevent by society, but over which the individual often has little control. Read more »

Millions of children in America today are exposed to unhealthy air at home, at school, or at their playground. Scores of new studies each year demonstrate that children are more susceptible to air pollution than adults. April 2002. Read more »

An op-ed by Sarah Lovinger, MA MD, Executive Director of Chicago PSR, on the health threat of toxic chemicals in Illinois and across the nation. March 30, 2011. Read more »

Presentation by PSR's Dr. Cathey Eisner Falvo on pediatric health impacts of environmental toxins. Read more »

This presentation from the 2011 Student PSR conference was led by Dr. David Richardson and PSR board member Dr. Andy Kanter and dealt with the Fukushima nuclear crisis and covered radiation and health and the consequences of such an event in the US. Read more »

Newly released report on a new carcinogen identified in coal ash: hexavalent chromium. By PSR with Earthjustice and Environmental Integrity Project. Read more »

Earlier this week the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty Organization modeled how the dispersion of radioactive plumes from the Daiichi reactors would reach the west coast of North America. Read more »

As we all know, Japan is suffering through a horrific disaster caused by the 9.0 earthquake, tsunami, and probable meltdowns at the Fukushima nuclear power plants. Unfortunately, this crisis will not end any time soon. I have already heard a variety of fears that young clients have expressed as they grapple with this tragedy. Children and teens who have, themselves, experienced traumas and/or losses will be more susceptible to what has happened in Japan. The amount of news that is watched on television may also increase the anxiety level of children and teens. Read more »