health risks Archives | Galiher DeRobertis & Waxman LLP

Documentary Reveals Highly Toxic Roundup Herbicide ‘Everywhere’

Posted on October 9, 2024November 20, 2024 by Galiher DeRobertis & Waxman

When award-winning filmmaker Brian Lilla moved to Napa Valley, California, he quickly learned about the health hazards lurking in wine country. In his new documentary, “Children of the Vine,” Lilla shows how the use of Monsanto’s Roundup herbicide and its active ingredient, glyphosate, has affected those who work in and live nearby.

“I didn’t want to run away from the problem,” Lilla said in an interview with the nonprofit publication Capital & Main. “No matter where I go, there’s going to be glyphosate in the food. Yes, it blew my mind to find out how much it’s being used in the vineyards. But I want to make it clear that the vineyards are not the villains, nor are farms.”

Pesticides Expose Hawaiʻi Families to Higher Birth Defect Risk

Posted on June 26, 2024November 20, 2024 by Galiher DeRobertis & Waxman

Families in Hawaiʻi are experiencing dramatic increases in certain serious birth defects, including a rare and serious condition that is being diagnosed at a rate 10 times higher than on the mainland.

Mothers living near farms where pesticides are used are at particular risk, physicians say. The Hawaiʻi Center for Food Safety found that chemical companies have sprayed restricted-use pesticides at a rate 17 times greater than the mainland average.

5 Most Common Ways People Are Exposed to Asbestos

Posted on April 2, 2024November 20, 2024 by Galiher DeRobertis & Waxman

Until about four decades ago, most structures in Hawaii were built with material containing asbestos, including the state’s military bases, state buildings, homes and even schools.

While the health risks from these materials are well-known today, the use of asbestos – while highly regulated in Hawaii – is still allowed in certain products, creating serious risk for anyone who comes in contact with them.

Asbestos is composed of six minerals that occur naturally in the environment as bundles of fibers that can be separated into extremely fine threads for commercial and industrial uses. The fibers are resistant to heat, fire and chemicals and do not conduct electricity.