The recent crash of an airliner in Nigeria heightened concern about passenger safety in Nigeria and some other developing nations. The head of the Flight Safety Foundation, Bill Voss, says Africa has a higher accident rate than other regions. The continent has just three percent of all airline traffic but a far larger share of […]
Japan May Extend Lifespan of Nuclear Power Plants up to 60 Years
Posted January 18th, 2012 at 3:40 am (UTC-5)
Japan says it may allow certain nuclear reactors to remain in operation for up to 60 years after they were built. The government in Tokyo had been considering tough new standards that would require all nuclear reactors to be shut down after they reach 40 years of operation. But Chief Cabinet Secretary Osamu Fujimura said […]
China’s Long History of Tainted Food Products
Posted November 9th, 2011 at 8:30 am (UTC-5)
Here is a timeline of notable food safety incidents in China: 2008: Six babies are killed and 300,000 others sickened after drinking milk formula is contaminated with an industrial chemical Dumplings are discovered tainted with an insecticide 2010: Food sciences professor exposes recycled cooking oil taken from sewers outside restaurants Green beans are found to […]
China Checks Safety of Offshore Oil Rigs
Posted September 11th, 2011 at 11:00 am (UTC-5)
China says it has begun safety inspections on all offshore oil exploration and production facilities, to eliminate concerns spawned by undersea oil spills in a coastal area near Beijing. The official Xinhua news agency says the inspections, which began Saturday, will continue for three months and will cover fixed and mobile platforms, as well as […]
Chinese Airline Sanctioned Over Emergency Incident
Posted August 30th, 2011 at 5:35 am (UTC-5)
Chinese aviation authorities have penalized a domestic airline after one of its pilots refused to yield to a Qatar Airways jet attempting to make an emergency landing earlier this month. Shanghai-based Juneyao Airlines has been ordered to reduce its flights by 10 percent, and has been temporarily barred from expanding or obtaining aircraft. The Qatar […]
11 Dead in China from Suspected Tainted Vinegar
Posted August 22nd, 2011 at 2:45 am (UTC-5)
China’s state news agency said Monday that 11 people died and at least 120 were sickened after consuming vinegar that had been put in barrels once used to store toxic anti-freeze. The Xinhua news agency said residents of Sangzhu village in China’s northwest Xinjiang region consumed the vinegar during a large Ramadan feast on Saturday, […]
Report: US Nuclear Plants Safe, but Reforms Needed
Posted July 13th, 2011 at 2:12 am (UTC-5)
A safety task force says nuclear power plants in the U.S. do not pose immediate safety risks to the public, but suggests reforms are needed in order to plan for unexpected catastrophes in the wake of the nuclear disaster in Japan. In a report to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the task force recommends that […]
Report: US Nuclear Plants Safe, but Reforms Needed
Posted July 13th, 2011 at 2:05 am (UTC-5)
A safety task force says nuclear power plants in the U.S. do not pose immediate safety risks to the public, but suggests reforms are needed in order to plan for unexpected catastrophes in the wake of the nuclear disaster in Japan. In a report to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the task force recommends that […]
China Bans Eight New Food Additives
Posted June 12th, 2011 at 9:45 pm (UTC-5)
China has banned eight new food additives after they were found to be tainted with an industrial chemical. The state food and drug administration has ordered catering companies to stop using products contaminated with DEHP that may cause hormonal disfunction in children if consumed in large doses. Primarily employed in the manufacture of plastics, DEHP […]
