The United States and India on Monday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to work cooperatively on environmental issues to protect human health.

The MoU signed by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Chief Stephen Johnson and Minister of Environment and Forests, A Raja, will focus on air quality, water quality, toxic chemicals and waste and the management of environment agencies

Toronto, ON (AHN ) - Albacore tuna packaged in tins could be a health risk from excess mercury according to a warning by Health Canada on Monday.

Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency collected random samples of tuna cans over a number of years and found that while many were below dangerous levels of mercury, some tins exceeded the agencies' guidelines

A British study has revealed that pre-menopausal women with high intake of dietary fiber could cut down their breast cancer risk to almost half.

Researchers at the University of Leeds tracked the eating habits of 35,000 women and concluded those who ate 30g of fiber per day, particularly wholemeal bread and wholegrain cereal - had half the risk of those who ate less than 20g

A new study by engineering researchers from the University of Florida has shown microwaving kitchen sponges and plastic scrubbers for just two minutes can sterilize them effectively. Household sponges are known to be packed with thousands of bacteria and viruses that can cause several food-borne illnesses, but the study seems to have provided a rapid and effective solution to the everyday problem.

"People often put their sponges and scrubbers in the dishwasher, but if they really want to decontaminate them and not just clean them, they should use the microwave," Gabriel Bitton, an expert on wastewater microbiology at UF who co-authored the study, said in a statement

One of the most effective ways to avoid becoming sick is also the easiest and cheapest. Washing your hands is the simplest way to avoid infection, researchers at the Mayo Clinic say.

Among the diseases people can avoid becoming infected with by washing their hands are colds and flu, which can lead to death from pneumonia, and food borne illnesses such as salmonella and E. coli infection, which kill about 5,000 people a year, according to the Centers for Disease Control