Health Hazards

Oysterman Jim Aguiar had never had to deal with the bacterium \o7Vibrio parahaemolyticus\f7 in his 25 years working the frigid waters of Prince William Sound. The dangerous microbe infected seafood in warmer waters, like the Gulf of Mexico. Alaska was way too cold. But the sound was gradually warming. By summer 2004, the temperature had risen just enough to poke above the crucial 59-degree mark.

The Food and Drug Administration should be able to limit nicotine levels in cigarettes and require stronger warnings on packages and in advertising, health experts said Tuesday before lawmakers considering a bill to allow the agency to regulate tobacco products. "FDA regulation will help us to combat the vicious marketing practices of a deceptive industry that has preyed upon our children, minorities and existing smokers who are desperately trying to kick their habit," Dr.

Employing a large mechanical hoe, workers Thursday began digging up radioactive soil along a stretch of Ormond Beach wetlands in Oxnard. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is overseeing the weeklong effort to remove 5,000 cubic yards of soil tainted with the metal thorium, generated by a shuttered metal recycling plant nearby. Prolonged exposure to the metal or inhalation of thorium dust can increase the risk of bone, lung or pancreatic cancer.

In the beginning, Los Angeles' first modern skyscraper won acclaim. Then, the Sunset-Vine Tower somehow turned into the city's most cursed landmark. Some of its problems were real. An electrical explosion in 2001 burned out its entire power system. There was a surprise lockout of its tenants by city officials. Squatters took over the 20-story building and turned it into what some called "the world's biggest crack house." Others were imaginary.

Residents who live in the shadow of Southern California's booming rail yards face cancer risks from soot as much as 140% greater than in the rest of the region, according to new studies by state air regulators. In addition, clouds of diesel exhaust blown by the wind from the rail yards blanket wide swaths of Greater Los Angeles, upping annual cancer risks slightly for millions more residents.

BARBECUE definitely gives apple pie a run for its money in the competition for all-American food. More than 17 million barbecues were sold in 2006, according to the Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Assn. And 81% of Americans own a barbecue, more than half grill year-round, and 47% barbecue at least twice weekly in the summer months. The truth is, pretty much anything tastes better hot off the grill.

SOUTHERN California beaches offer a little slice of heaven for true water hounds -- regular sets of big, muscular waves for surfers, cool ocean breezes for kite boarders and windsurfers and long stretches of shallow water for flopping around on rafts and belly boards. But nearly everyone who's ever swallowed a big mouthful of ocean water has wondered the same thing: What exactly is lurking in there -- and what are the chances of getting sick from it?

Ready! Set! Swim? Not yet. After slicing and dicing the relative risk from pathogens lurking in the surf, there's one last possible source of germs to consider: beach sand. Although most research on beach pathogens has focused on microorganisms in the water, researchers are beginning to track bacteria in beach sand as well.

Twenty days without garbage pickup has taught Walter Smith an odiferous lesson about modern culture: Today's throwaway society produces a heck of a lot of trash. "That's three weeks right there," he says, pointing to a reeking line of six trash containers and an overflow of plastic bags in front of his home. "Pretty soon the rats will be here. We're thinking about getting a cat." Waste Management Inc.

Federal health officials warned consumers last week to throw away certain cans of hot dog chili sauce after the product was linked to botulism that sent four people to the hospital. The warning applies to 10-ounce cans of Castleberry's, Austex and Kroger brands of hot dog chili sauce with expiration dates between April 30 and May 22, 2009, the Food and Drug Administration said.