Latest Pollution Headlines

U.S. Needs More Study on Risks of Nanotechnology: Research Council

Dec 12 2008 // The U.S. government needs a more comprehensive plan for studying the risks of nanotechnology, the National Research Council said. While the committee that prepared the report did not evaluate the safety of nanomaterials,...

Maine Mercury Cleanup at Issue in Federal Ruling

Dec 10 2008 // A federal judge has refused to block Maine environmental regulators from enforcing a mercury cleanup order at a former chemical plant’s Orrington landfills. Mallinckrodt LLC of St. Louis, a subsidiary of U.S....

Irish Pork Recalled in Dioxin Scare

Dec 8 2008 // Britain and Ireland warned consumers Sunday not to eat any Irish pork products after tests revealed they may be contaminated with toxic dioxins. The Irish government has ordered a recall of all domestic pork products from...

Fireman’s Fund Wins Environmental Award

Dec 2 2008 // Novato, Calif.-based Fireman’s Fund Insurance Co. has been honored by the California Environmental Protection Agency with the Governor’s Environmental and Economic Leadership Award (GEELA) in the category of...

Environmental Liability: What’s Good Today, Could Be Bad Tomorrow

Nov 30 2008 // Environmental Insurance Delivers the Best Shield of Defense Against Emerging Pollutants The changing character of environmental regulation fits any definition of a moving target. Since the Environmental Protection Agency...

Hudson Insurance Environmental Products Unit Opens Dec. 1

Nov 25 2008 // Stamford, Conn.-based Hudson Insurance Group, the U.S. Insurance division of Odyssey Re Holdings Corp., reports that its Environmental Products unit will begin operations on Dec. 1, 2008. Hudson Environmental Products is...

People

Nov 16 2008 // New York-based Navigators Group hired Paul Hennessy as president of Navigators Holdings (UK) Ltd. He will be responsible for Navigators’ operations in Europe, the Middle East and Asia, and will report to President...

Green Building: New Benefits for Society and New Challenges for Risk Management

Nov 16 2008 // As society becomes more environmentally conscious, as energy prices continue to soar, and as government laws and regulations mandate it, green building promises to become the rule, rather than the exception, in the...

Environmentalists Praise By-the-Mile Auto Insurance Option in Texas

Nov 13 2008 // Environmental Defense Fund is praising MileMeter for recently launching a pay-as-you-drive (PAYD) insurance program in Texas that will reward low-mileage drivers with lower premiums than traditional, flat-rate...

EPA: Company Failed to Warn about Lead Paint in 4 New England States

Nov 11 2008 // A federal agency is accusing a real estate company of failing to notify prospective homeowners about lead paint problems at properties. The Environmental Protection Agency said Thursday the corporate owners of Coldwell...

Fireman’s Fund Insurance Named Energy Star Partner

Nov 3 2008 // Novato, Calif.-based Fireman’s Fund Insurance Co. has become an Energy Star partner. The partnership, the first for an insurance company, recognizes the company’s leadership in promoting environmental...

People

Nov 2 2008 // Tonya I. Sylvester has been named a sales executive at Rogers & Gray Insurance Agency Inc. of Massachusetts. Sylvester will specialize in personal lines sales, and work out of the agency’s Canton and Plymouth...

Nov 2 2008 // Aon Consulting announced that Mark Arian has joined the firm as executive vice president and leader of the Aon Consulting Corporate Transactions group, focusing on mergers and acquisitions. Arian and his team will be...

Pennsylvania Insurance Dept to Hold Climate Change Conference

Oct 30 2008 // Insurance leaders, policymakers, financial and scientific experts will meet in Harrisburg next week to discuss how climate change will impact many segments of business and industry, Pennsylvania Insurance Commissioner Joel...

California State Compensation Insurance Fund Opens Green Campus

Oct 29 2008 // California’s State Compensation Insurance Fund has opened a new green campus in Vacaville, Calif. The group said in a demonstration of its ongoing commitment to ensuring the health of California’s communities...

FEMA Trailers in Iowa Exceed Formaldehyde Levels Considered Safe

Oct 23 2008 // A local television station has found high levels of formaldehyde in trailers issued to flood victims by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The agency responded Tuesday by questioning the survey’s...

AIG Environmental Enhances Pollution Legal Liability Coverage

Oct 20 2008 // AIG Environmental, a unit of AIG Commercial Insurance, enhanced and expanded its Pollution Legal Liability (PLL) insurance coverage to cover risks related to indoor air quality, non-owned disposal sites, emergency response...

Assessment of Ike’s Environmental Damage Begins

Oct 20 2008 // Hurricane Ike’s winds and massive waves destroyed oil platforms, tossed storage tanks and punctured pipelines. The environmental damage is now becoming apparent: At least a half million gallons of crude oil spilled...

McGovern, Duggan Join National E&S Insurance Brokers

Oct 16 2008 // John McGovern and Paul Duggan have joined National E&S Insurance Brokers Inc., a specialty wholesale environmental insurance broker based in Palmdale, Calif. Both McGovern and Duggan have extensive experience in...

Investigation: Ike’s Toll on Environment a Heavy One

Oct 7 2008 // Hurricane Ike’s winds and massive waves destroyed oil platforms, tossed storage tanks and punctured pipelines. The environmental damage only now is becoming apparent: At least a half million gallons of crude oil...