benzene

A UK plastic manufacturer, Huntsman Polyurethanes, may face legal action from the Environment Agency over emissions of benzene, a carcinogenic chemical with no safe level. The agency is considering prosecuting the company for a potential breach of its licence in Teesside, northern England.

A crude oil spill in East Los Angeles caused by directional drilling for a fiber-optic line will require months of soil testing and excavation, with cleanup expected to continue into early 2027. Plains All American, the pipeline owner, must submit a report by August 31 to determine the scope of the cleanup, which will include soil and air quality monitoring.

Residents in a New Jersey community are demanding expanded toxic chemical testing near an old landfill site after reporting over 400 cancer cases, including dozens on one street. The state's Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) acknowledges contamination but claims no evidence of chemical exposure to residents, prompting local calls for independent testing.

A federal class action accuses L’Oréal of fraud, claiming its CeraVe baby ointments are identical to adult versions but sold at a 20-30% higher price. The lawsuit alleges misleading marketing by labeling products as 'baby' without formulation differences, while the company faces six other lawsuits over benzene in some products.

Caltech researchers discovered a chemical reaction involving benzene and hydrogen cyanide that could explain the formation of DNA and RNA nucleobases on early Earth and potentially Mars. The study suggests sunlight and asteroid impacts may have driven this pathway, offering a simpler explanation than previous theories.