The Examination

We are seeking individuals who are passionate about our mission to add their skills, resources and connections to our Advisory Council. If you share our vision for fearless journalism that is exposing the root causes of our world’s most pressing health challenges and sparking solutions to improve and save lives, we hope you will consider this opportunity to work alongside us as a member of our Advisory Council. Learn more here: https://bit.ly/3PDKNnT

While much has been made of the risks of mining lithium and other precious metals for EV batteries, less attention has been paid to the production of batteries’ chemical ingredients. The Examination teamed up with Columbia Journalism Investigations, South Carolina’s largest newspaper The Post and Courier and Belgian public broadcaster RTBF to explore the public health and environmental impacts of the surging electric vehicle market. We found that some of the major chemical suppliers behind lithium-ion batteries have a toxic history. They stand accused of misleading regulators, hiding information and contaminating communities while making similar, related products. Chemical giants Arkema and Solvay previously agreed to pay millions in settlements for contaminating drinking water with PFAS, also known as "forever chemicals," without admitting fault. And now, the companies (and in some cases their spin-off companies), have won government contracts and are getting hefty taxpayer support to ramp up production of PVDF – the choice binder for lithium-ion batteries. Read more: https://lnkd.in/eP8P_fkJ

The U.K. could have become the first country in the world to create a “smoke free generation” until British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s legacy ambition was shelved last month after he announced a surprise July general election. The proposal to eventually ban the sale of tobacco products to customers born after 2008 was praised by public health experts and popular with voters. But the tobacco industry engaged in a months-long campaign to undermine the legislation, The Examination can reveal in a new investigation co-published with the Guardian. Documents show how the biggest cigarette sellers in the U.K. worked against the landmark legislation. The  revelations come after proposals for similar bans were scrapped in Malaysia and New Zealand, with accusations that the industry influenced these decisions. Read more: https://lnkd.in/eZHkSZge

The tobacco industry has threatened legal action and wined and dined politicians in an apparent attempt to derail landmark U.K. legislation that would ban smoking for future generations, The Examination can reveal. Three countries have now attempted to introduce de facto bans on smoking for the next generation of adults, but all attempts have failed so far. The U.K. bill was viewed as Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s political legacy but was shelved when he called a snap general election. Imperial Brands, the country’s biggest cigarette seller, is threatening a judicial review that could hinder an attempt by the new government to resurrect the legislation. A company spokesman said its legal challenge was to ensure the government gives “lawful consideration” and was “not challenging” the bill itself, but government lawyers have warned it could “derail” legislation. Read our report on how the tobacco industry has worked to undermine the legislation, which the U.K. government believes could save tens of thousands of lives: https://lnkd.in/eUCHKBNm

A new kind of legal weed, made from hemp, is filling vape shops and gas station shelves in dozens of states – especially in places where marijuana remains illegal. Our latest story looks at how lawmakers are scrambling to rein in the $28 billion industry, as concerns grow about overdoses and quality. The hemp industry has said it favors more regulation of delta-8 and other intoxicating products, but is fighting wholesale bans. Read more: https://lnkd.in/e2BDj5K9

See you this week at #IRE24 Investigations editor Raquel Rutledge will be co-hosting a session on merging investigative and narrative writing at the Investigative Reporters and Editors conference later this month in Anaheim, California. Data editor Mago Torres will be on a panel about “the final fact check.” Session audio will be recorded. More details below: A case study in merging investigative and narrative with investigations editor Raquel Rutledge and co-host Ken Armstrong Time: Thursday, June 20, 5 – 6 p.m. (1h) Location: Platinum Salon 6, lobby level https://lnkd.in/eZhB9_3X The final fact check with data editor Mago Torres Time: Saturday, June 22, 9 – 10 a.m. (1h) Location: Grand Ballroom Salon F, lobby level https://lnkd.in/eWC7js9C

My first story with The Examination: https://lnkd.in/dhq99WWf A poisonous gas called hydrogen sulfide swirls through residential neighborhoods, near schools, in Texas oil-field communities. Residents report headaches, nausea and other health problems, but struggle to get help from state officials. Oil companies repeatedly leaking the gas from their facilities face few or no consequences. The state environmental agency downplays the risk – even as its own employees get sick.   We teamed up with the Houston Chronicle and mapped the H2S hot spots for the first time, showing that tens of thousands of Texans risk potential exposure. We showed our findings to an air pollution researcher, who said, “My lord, do people have to die before this changes?”    So great working with our amazing Examination team and the Chronicle. Special thanks to Tom Brown for prompting us to investigate H2S in Texas. For more, sign up for our newsletter! https://lnkd.in/d7NTqsH5

Across Texas, oil companies are belching hydrogen sulfide gas into communities, near families and schools, with few or no repercussions, an investigation by The Examination and the Houston Chronicle has found. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/gnw5_-DA 

NEW: An invisible and poisonous gas called hydrogen sulfide sometimes kills oilfield workers exposed to high concentrations of it on the job. The foul-smelling gas comes up with the oil that’s pumped in certain regions of the world, including broad swaths of Texas. Less well known is the impact that H2S has on people living nearby, who breathe in lower levels of the gas day after day. We set out to learn how residents of oil-field communities are affected by this gas, how many are at risk and what oil companies and regulators are doing – and not doing – about it. Read our investigation with the Houston Chronicle for more information on H2S. https://lnkd.in/e5NmD5PP

It’s journalism conference season and The Examination’s senior reporter  María Pérez will give a lightning talk at the Association of Health Care Journalists conference in New York. Join María at 4:30 p.m. ET tomorrow, June 8 for “Smoke and Mirrors: Investigating Big Tobacco globally” Her remarks will be followed with a Q&A. María has done extensive research and reporting on vaping, its rise globally and the effects on the human body. Read more about her work following the battle over e-cigarettes in Latin America.  https://lnkd.in/epyeCdfU