New accounts from workers contrast sharply with what chemical giants have said on the record about worker safety at their facilities.

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The Big Story
Wed. Dec 7, 2022

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Workers Across America Break Their Silence on Decades of Asbestos Exposure <[link removed]> New accounts from workers contrast sharply with what chemical giants have said on the record about worker safety at their facilities. At an Olin plant outside of McIntosh, Alabama, workers recall decades of asbestos exposure. by Kathleen McGrory and Neil Bedi, photography by Rich-Joseph Facun

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Lawmakers and Public Health Advocates Call for Congress to Finally Ban Asbestos <[link removed]> A law blocking the use of asbestos, a potent carcinogen, would be harder to overturn than a similar ban being considered by the EPA, advocates say. by Neil Bedi and Kathleen McGrory <[link removed]>

Lawsuits: A Factory Blew Asbestos Into a Neighborhood; Decades Later, Residents Are Getting Sick and Dying <[link removed]> Residents of a New York neighborhood recall asbestos raining from the sky. It fell on windowsills, on a Little League field and atop fresh snow. They are suing OxyChem, saying its poor pollution control at a plastics plant caused illness and death. by Kathleen McGrory and Neil Bedi <[link removed]>

The U.S. Never Banned Asbestos. These Workers Are Paying the Price. <[link removed]> As other countries outlawed asbestos, workers in a New York plant were “swimming” in it. Now, in a fight against the chemical industry, the United States may finally ban the potent carcinogen. But help may come too late. by Kathleen McGrory and Neil Bedi, photography by Rich-Joseph Facun, graphics by Haisam Hussein <[link removed]>

Do You Work With These Hazardous Chemicals? Tell Us About It. <[link removed]> Asbestos and other dangerous materials can cause serious health effects — and the U.S. hasn’t banned some substances like other countries have. Your input can help us report on the extent of this problem for American workers. by Maya Miller, Neil Bedi and Kathleen McGrory <[link removed]>

More From Our Newsroom

How to Research Your Hospice (and Avoid Hospice Fraud) <[link removed]> A guide for readers, patients and caregivers. by Ava Kofman <[link removed]>

They Trusted Their Prenatal Test. They Didn’t Know the Industry Is an Unregulated “Wild West.” <[link removed]> As regulators stay on the sideline, a growing industry expands its reach but leaves some pregnant patients feeling misled and heartbroken. by Anna Clark, Adriana Gallardo, Jenny Deam and Mariam Elba <[link removed]>

How Title Lending Works <[link removed]> Title lenders in the U.S. often use predatory practices to trap customers in high-interest loans, ProPublica recently reported. This guide will help you understand how title lending works and what your options are if you’re stuck in a contract. by Margaret Coker, The Current, and Mollie Simon and Joel Jacobs, ProPublica <[link removed]>

His Overdose Death in a Halfway House Bathroom Illustrates a System Lacking Accountability <[link removed]> Halfway house operators in Colorado have long been cited for failing to comply with standards, lapses that can lead to dangerous consequences. Yet regulators rarely force facilities to improve. by Moe Clark, photography by Eli Imadali <[link removed]>

“Kids Seem to Be a Paycheck”: How a Billion-Dollar Corporation Exploits Washington’s Special Education System <[link removed]> Universal Health Services collected more than $38 million in tax dollars for special education services that families and former teachers say it largely didn’t provide by Lulu Ramadan, Mike Reicher and Taylor Blatchford, The Seattle Times <[link removed]>

Agents of Influence: How Russia Deploys an Army of Shadow Diplomats <[link removed]> Under Vladimir Putin, Russia has appointed dozens of honorary consuls. Many have spread pro-Kremlin sentiment around the world. by Debbie Cenziper, ProPublica; Will Fitzgibbon, International Consortium of Investigative Journalists; and Eva Herscowitz, Hannah Feuer and Michael Korsh, Medill Investigative Lab <[link removed]>

The Cold War Legacy Lurking in U.S. Groundwater <[link removed]> For the first time, ProPublica has cataloged cleanup efforts at the 50-plus sites where uranium was processed to fuel the nation’s nuclear arsenal. Even after regulators say cleanup is complete, polluted water and sickness are often left behind. by Mark Olalde, Mollie Simon and Alex Mierjeski, video by Gerardo del Valle, Liz Moughon and Mauricio Rodríguez Pons <[link removed]>

DOJ Tried to Hide Report Warning That Private Border Wall in Texas Could Collapse <[link removed]> The report confirms a ProPublica and Texas Tribune investigation that found the privately built fencing could collapse during major flooding. The federal government resisted making the findings public for more than a year. by Perla Trevizo and Jeremy Schwartz <[link removed]>

Fintechs Made “Massive Profits” on PPP Loans and Sometimes Engaged in Fraud, House Committee Report Finds <[link removed]> An investigation that began after reporting by ProPublica finds lax anti-fraud standards, executives who cashed in for themselves and contempt for small loan applications that would generate minimal fees. “Delete them,” one executive wrote. by Ken Schwencke <[link removed]>

St. Louis Can Banish People From Entire Neighborhoods. Police Can Arrest Them if They Come Back. <[link removed]> A St. Louis ordinance lets courts banish people from huge swaths of the city as a punishment for petty crimes. These neighborhood orders of protection often prevent people from accessing the services they need and raise constitutional questions. by Jeremy Kohler <[link removed]>

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