Playing with fire*

Part 1: A deceptive campaign by industry brought toxic flame retardants into our homes and into our bodies.

Part 2: How big tobacco and its inside man steered a group of fire officials to push flame retardant furniture.

Part 3: The chemical industry distorts science to promote flame retardants, downplay the health risks.

Part 4: Flame retardants get a pass from regulators with little assessment of potential health risks.

Part 5: Testing for Tribune finds flame retardants linked to cancer in some popular baby mattresses.

Part 6: On the defensive, the chemical industry turns to the questionable conclusions of a friendly scientist.

Impact and reaction

*Pulitzer Prize finalist for Investigative Reporting, 2013

Allergy threat

Part 1: Children with food allergies are suffering life-threatening reactions because manufacturers mislabel their products and mislead consumers.

Part 2: Whole Foods' handling of chocolate bar shows how warnings fail.

Part 3: A Chicago Tribune review of products leads companies to pull items from shelves.

Impact and reaction

Gaming the system

How a white-owned firm dodged city rules and exploited an affirmative-action program to win lucrative contracts.

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Drug rep blows whistle

She was one of AstraZeneca's top sales representatives. Then she began to have her doubts.

Cell phone safety

Chicago Tribune testing finds some devices measure over the legal limit for radiofrequency radiation, prompting the FCC to investigate.

Impact and reaction

Tax breaks & broken promises

Part 1: Toledo invests millions in companies that renege on promises to create new jobs.

Part 2: Ohio's job-creation program mismanaged, lacks oversight.

Part 3: Nationwide, tax breaks often prove to be dangerous deals.

Impact and reaction

The Enron implosion

Even before it became embroiled in the Enron debacle, accounting firm Anderson had been battered by allegations of bogus audits.

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