Catnip Times: KidneyChek Early Detection of Kidney Disease In Cats Product Review https://www.thecatniptimes.com/cat-health/kidneychek-early-detection-of-kidney-disease-in-cats-review/ #Cats #CatNip #CatNipTimes #chronickidneydisease #CatProductReview #kidneydisease #productreview #CatScience #kidneychek #CatHealth #affiliate #review

Hope we establish safe working conditions stat.

Chronic #KidneyDisease Is Poised to Become the Black Lung of #ClimateChange
https://time.com/6303020/chronic-kidney-disease-climate-change/

"As temperatures increase around the globe, CKDnt cases are on the rise, contributing to what is arguably the world’s first occupational disease caused by climate change, one that, like a coal-miner’s black lung, can be prevented with the addition of #workplace safety standards."

#WorkersRights #FoodWorkers #FarmWorkers

#Chemical companies’ #PFAS payouts are huge – but the problem is even bigger

#3M, #DuPont, #Chemours and #Corteva have agreed settlement in the billions for #polluting drinking #water with ‘forever chemicals’

by Tom Perkins, Aug 3, 2023

"“When the chemical giant 3M agreed in early June to pay up to $12.5bn to settle a lawsuit over PFAS contamination in water systems across the nation, it was hailed by attorneys as 'the largest drinking water settlement in American history', and viewed as a significant win for the public in the battle against toxic 'forever chemicals'.

“A second June settlement with the PFAS manufacturers DuPont, Chemours and Corteva tallied a hefty $1.1bn. But while the sums are impressive on their face, they represent just a fraction of the estimated $400bn some estimate will be needed to clean and protect the nation’s drinking water. Orange county, California, alone put the cost of cleaning its system at $1bn.

“‘While over a billion dollars is real money, it is a virtual drop in the bucket of potential utility costs to monitor, remove and dispose of these contaminants in accordance with anticipated federal regulations,' the American Municipal Water Association trade group said in a statement.

“Moreover, the two settlements include just over 6,000 water systems nationwide. Utilities that were not part of the suits but have PFAS in their systems can claim some of the settlement money, or they can sue the chemical manufacturers on their own.

“That means the settlements only represent the first wave of utility lawsuits to hit #ChemicalManufacturers, legal observers say. Because PFAS are so widely used and the scale of their harm is so great, chemical makers will get hit from a range of legal angles, and some suspect the industry’s final bill could exceed the $200bn paid by #BigTobacco in the 1990s.

“The number will be 'very large', said Kevin McKie, an attorney with the Environmental Litigation Group who represented a water management company in the 3M case. Though the 3M settlement does not cover all the nation’s costs, it is a strong start, he added.

“‘A good settlement is one where both sides walk away a bit frustrated’ is the old saying,' McKie said. 'Of course I would have liked a bit more money but I do believe they got as much as they could at this time, and there’s a lot more to go.'

“PFAS are a class of about 15,000 compounds used to make products across dozens of industries resistant to water, stains and heat. They are called 'forever chemicals' because they do not naturally break down, and are linked to #cancer, #KidneyDisease, #liver conditions, #immune disorders, #BirthDefects and other health problems.

“The chemicals are thought to be contaminating drinking water for over 200 million Americans. Tens of thousands of contaminated #PrivateWells are not included in the settlement. The chemicals are also widely used in thousands of consumer products from #DentalFloss to #cookware to #clothing, and have been found to #contaminate #food, #soil and #air.

“PFAS constantly cycle and accumulate throughout the environment, and removing them from water is costly. The highly mobile chemicals can slip through most utilities’ filtration systems. Granular activated carbon and reverse osmosis are considered the best options.

“Leaders in Stuart, Florida, which was the bellwether case in the 3M settlement, chose to take what they could get without further litigation. Bellwethers are cases that represent all the other plaintiffs in a multi-district lawsuit. Stuart estimated damages at up to $120m, and the city acknowledged the settlement would fall short.

“‘I don’t think we’ll ever get close to that much net to the city, so I think there is no making us whole,' Stuart’s city manager told the New York Times.

“Among those utilities going at it alone is the Cape Fear Public Utility Authority (CFPUA) near Wilmington, North Carolina, which sits on the #CapeFear River about 75 miles downstream from a Chemours PFAS manufacturing plant. It cost the utility about $46m to develop a granular activated carbon system to remove PFAS, and officials estimate an additional $5m in annual operational costs.

“The utility declined to comment, citing ongoing litigation, but in a late June op-ed, the CFPUA director Kenneth Waldrop explained the motivation for not joining the settlements: 'The information currently available suggests that the proposed settlement, when divided among thousands of other utilities with similar needs, would be insufficient to meet the needs of our community.'

“The utility has a 'strong case' against Chemours which has the reserves to cover the full cost, Waldrop added. There is generally support for that approach among Wilmington-area residents, said Emily Donovan, a public health advocate who lives in the region.

“‘This is not our fault, but it has been made our problem, and the community mostly understands what’s going on,' she said.

“The settlements also drew unlikely opponents in 22 state attorneys general who urged the judge to reject the 3M settlement because it 'does not adequately account for the pernicious damage that 3M has done in so many of our communities', said the California attorney general, Rob Bonta.

“Beyond water utility settlements, chemical makers face personal injury suits. Most US states will also probably sue over #contamination of #lakes, #rivers and other #NaturalResources #Minnesota alone found eliminating PFAS contamination from its wastewater could run to $28bn.

“Local water systems that are not made whole will need help from the federal government, which 'basically abandoned public water infrastructure a long time ago', said Oday Salim, director of the Environmental Law and Sustainability Clinic at the University of Michigan.

“‘Any amount of money that gets shifted to the victims is helpful,' he added.
“The government could implement an excise tax on PFAS to help cover costs, McKie said, and he noted the chemical manufacturers are taking a significant hit. By some estimates, 3M’s PFAS liabilities may soar to as much as $30bn as claims roll in.
“‘That’s a pretty big chunk of the total size of their corporation,' McKie said."

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/aug/03/chemical-companies-pfas-payouts-forever-chemicals

#EPA #EPAFail #PFOS #WaterIsLife #ToxicWaste #ChemicalIndustries #ForeverChemicals

2022: #Maine bans use of sewage sludge on #farms to reduce risk of #PFAS poisoning

Sludge used as crop #fertilizer has #contaminated #soil, #water, #crops and #cattle, forcing #farmers to quit

by Tom Perkins, Thu 12 May 2022 11.00 EDT

"Maine last month became the first state to ban the practice of spreading PFAS-contaminated sewage sludge as fertilizer.

"But it’s largely on its own in the US, despite a recent report estimating about 20m acres of cropland across the country may be contaminated.

"Most states are only beginning to look at the problem and some are increasing the amount of sludge they spread on farm fields despite the substance being universally contaminated with PFAS and destroying livelihoods in Maine.

"'Maine is at the forefront of this because we’ve seen first-hand the damage that sludge causes to farms,' said Patrick MacRoy, deputy director of the non-profit Defend Our Health Maine. The new law also prohibits sludge from being composted with other organic material.

"PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are a class of chemicals used across dozens of industries to make products resistant to water, stains and heat. Though the compounds are highly effective, they are also linked to #cancer, #KidneyDisease, #BirthDefects, decreased #immunity, #liver problems and a range of other serious diseases.

"Sewage sludge is a semi-solid mix of human excrement and industrial #waste that water treatment plants pull from the nation’s sewer system. It’s expensive to dispose of, and about 60% of it is now lightly treated and sold or given away as 'biosolid' fertilizer because it is high in plant nutrients.

"Maine and #Michigan are the only two states that are routinely checking sludge and farms for PFAS, and both are finding contamination on farms to be widespread.

"Maine’s legislature banned the practice of spreading sludge as fertilizer in April [2022] after environmental officials discovered astronomical levels of PFAS in water, crops, cattle and soil on farms where sludge had been spread, and high PFAS levels have been detected in farmers’ blood.

"#Contamination from PFAS-tainted sludge has already poisoned well water on around a dozen farms, and has forced several Maine farms to shutter. The state is investigating about 700 more fields where PFAS-contaminated sludge was spread in recent years. Farmers have told the Guardian that many of their peers with contaminated land won’t alert the state because they fear financial ruin.

"Maine also approved the creation of a $60m fund that will be used to help farmers cover medical monitoring, for buyouts and for other forms of financial assistance.

"'Folks have been left out to dry without any real help so we’re grateful to see that,' MacRoy said. The sludge legislation comes after Maine last year enacted the nation’s first ban on non-essential uses of PFAS in products. It goes into effect in 2030.

"In Michigan, environmental officials have downplayed the detection of PFAS in sludge and on farms, and although the state prohibits highly contaminated sludge from being spread, it allows higher levels of the chemicals in sludge than Maine. State regulators have also identified PFAS polluters and required them to stop discharging the chemicals into the sewers.

"Questions remain about whether that’s enough to keep PFAS out of Michigan’s food supply. Instead of implementing a wide-scale program to test livestock, crops and dairy, the state identified 13 farms it considered most at risk and has claimed contamination on other farms isn’t a risk.

"Michigan is ahead of most other states. In #Virginia, environmental regulators are considering permitting an additional 6,000 acres worth of sludge to be spread and have so far resisted public health advocates’ calls to test for PFAS and reject new sludge permits.

"In #Alabama, the state’s department of environmental management said in 2019 that 'the best use of biosolids is as a [fertilizer].'

"Even as the crisis unfolds in Maine, officials in Alabama are increasing the amount of out-of-state sludge that’s imported and spread on fields or landfilled, and the state in 2020 updated its biosolids rule to 'encourage' the use of #biosolids as fertilizer. Alabama does not test sludge for PFAS."

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/may/12/maine-bans-sewage-sludge-fertilizer-farms-pfas-poisoning

#EPA #EPAFail #InformedConsent #PFOS #WaterIsLife #ToxicWaste #FoodProduction

Catnip Times: KidneyChek Early Detection of Kidney Disease In Cats Product Review https://www.thecatniptimes.com/cat-health/kidneychek-early-detection-of-kidney-disease-in-cats-review/ #Cats #CatNip #CatNipTimes #chronickidneydisease #CatProductReview #kidneydisease #productreview #CatScience #kidneychek #CatHealth #affiliate #review

A Northwestern Medicine study has revealed a transcription factor that can prevent #BoneFrailty in mouse models with chronic #KidneyDisease, according to a recent study published in the @jclinicalinvest.

https://t.co/HWaQN8CCXn

Catnip Times: KidneyChek Early Detection of Kidney Disease In Cats Product Review https://www.thecatniptimes.com/cat-health/kidneychek-early-detection-of-kidney-disease-in-cats-review/ #Cats #CatNip #CatNipTimes #chronickidneydisease #CatProductReview #kidneydisease #productreview #CatScience #kidneychek #CatHealth #affiliate #review

Many Americans wrongly assume they understand what normal blood pressure is – and that false confidence can be deadly—Nearly half of Americans ages 20 years and up – or more than 122 million people – have high blood pressure. And even if your numbers are normal right now, they are likely to increase as you age; more than three-quarters of Americans age 65 and older have high blood pressure.
https://bit.ly/3ElhVLD

#hypertension #bloodpressure #prevention #heartdisease #stroke #kidneydisease

Catnip Times: KidneyChek Early Detection of Kidney Disease In Cats Product Review https://www.thecatniptimes.com/cat-health/kidneychek-early-detection-of-kidney-disease-in-cats-review/ #Cats #CatNip #CatNipTimes #chronickidneydisease #CatProductReview #kidneydisease #productreview #CatScience #kidneychek #CatHealth #affiliate #review

RT @reNEW_Global
Big Congrats to Prof Melissa H. Little, CEO of reNEW for her appointment to Companion of the Order of Australia for eminent service, contributions & pioneering work to medical research within stem cells.
Read full story https://renew.science/stories/renew-ceo-appointed-companion-of-the-order-of-australia/
#stemcellresearch #kidneydisease

#Undergrads and #MedStudents: interested in pediatric #kidneydisease #research 🫘🧬Applications for CHOP #Nephrology’s 2023 Summer Scholars Program are open through Jan 30 Apply HERE @ChildrensPhila: https://research.chop.edu/services/pcen-summer-scholars-program

#InsideTheMatch #MedTwitter #PreMed

RT @CHOPNephrology
📣: Calling all undergrad and med students interested in pediatric #kidneydisease #research 🫘🧬Applications for CHOP Nephrology’s 2023 Summer Scholars Program are open through Jan 30. Apply here! https://www.research.chop.edu/services/pcen-summer-scholars-program @ChildrensPhila

I realise I never did an #Introduction when I moved here. I'm a final year #PhD student at the University of #Leicester & I'm interested in #Perfectionism, #SelfCompassion, #QualityOfLife & #IntuitiveEating in the context of #KidneyDisease & #KidneyTransplant.

I'm a #Wheelchair user with #EhlersDanlosSyndrome & have an #AssistanceDog called Reuben. I'm passionately anti-Tory, anti-fascist & have been accused of being a "disgusting #Socialist" which I... didn't mind.

#pharmacology In patients with mild or moderate chronic #kidneydisease, renin–angiotensin system inhibitors have improved outcomes, but less evidence supports their use in advanced CKD @NEJM
📌https://www.nejm.org/do/10.1056/NEJMdo006811/full/
📌https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2210639

4/ this latest episode of extreme #caregiving involved all three of us getting sick. whether it was a cold or covid, i don't know. none of us tested positive, but all of us were headachy & sniffly for a week.

for my dad with #ParkinsonsDisease, #dementia, urinary & fecal #incontinence, & my mother with #CVD, #CHF, #COPD, #MGUS, #dementia, #ThyroidDisease, severe #osteoporosis, #KidneyDisease, #raynauds, etc... having even just a cold makes everything worse.

Well, the Christmas tree is half ready. This year I am taking my time putting it up to preserve energy. Last year I completely exhausted myself wanting to do it all in a day like a normal person. #ChronicDisease #KidneyDisease

Do any of you #longcovid #longhaulers have #kidneydisease now after your #covid infection? If so, can you tell me what you’re doing to help your #kidneys heal that isn’t #dialysis ? Happy to share what I’ve been doing too, if anyone is interested in my personal research. 🙏

So I checked my blood test results for the first time without any anxiety at all because I have been feeling better than usual lately. Fuck’s sake, GFR has dropped to 13, end-stage renal failure. Dialysis is getting uncomfortably close.

This better not ruin my holiday plans later this year. :ablobcatcry:

#ckd #kidneydisease #chronickidneydisease #iganephropathy #kidneyfailure