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Coordinated nationally by the Institute for Children's Environmental Health |
These bulletins are archived and searchable on the Partnership's website: http://www.partnersforchildren.org/bulletins.html To join the Partnership for Children's Health and the Environment (PCHE) and receive this bulletin, please complete the form on our website: http://www.partnersforchildren.org/members.html#member
LDDI Scientific Consensus Statement. The Learning and Developmental Disabilities Initiative has created a scientific consensus statement on environmental agents associated with neurodevelopmental disorders. Reviewing a vast amount of literature regarding the status of knowledge about neurotoxicants, this statement will be used to create specific policy recommendations in the coming weeks. The document and a signature form for scientists, researchers and health professionals are posted on the LDDI website: http://www.iceh.org/LDDI.html Signatures are requested by Monday December 31, 2007.
Most of the articles below come from Environmental Health News, http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/
Lawmakers spar on product safety. Efforts to overhaul the federal agency charged with protecting consumers from harmful products have hit a roadblock, even after this year's recalls of toys and other merchandise. Wall Street Journal, 18 December 2007.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB119794157439335459.html
All about: water and health. According to the World Bank, 88 percent of all diseases are caused by unsafe drinking water, inadequate sanitation and poor hygiene. CNN, 18 December 2007.
http://edition.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/asiapcf/12/17/eco.about.water/
Schools are graduating to 'green.' Some Lake County districts are already moving toward the use of more environmentally-friendly cleaning solutions in schools, an effort that will be mandated next year by a new state law. Elgin Courier News, Illinois, 18 December 2007.
http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/newssun/news/701575,5_1_WA18_GREENSCHOOLS_S1.article
The quest for cleaner, greener buses. A state agency is trying to get school transportation departments involved in cleaning up the air for the students on board school buses. Longview News-Journal, Texas, 18 December 2007.
http://www.news-journal.com/news/content/news/stories/2007/12/18/12182007_cleaner_buses.html
Maine working on chemical regulations. Gov. John Baldacci said Monday he will incorporate into his 2008 legislative package some of the recommendations of a task force on reducing toxic chemicals in consumer products. Associated Press, 18 December 2007.
http://www.hemscott.com/news/latest-news/item.do?newsId=56416543327241
County to ban smoking in public housing units. Following a national trend, the housing authority's board voted Monday for a pilot program that bans smoking entirely in three apartment buildings, 222 units in all. Seattle Times, Washington, 18 December 2007.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2004079576_smoking18m.html
Marijuana smoke contains higher levels of certain toxins than tobacco smoke. Researchers in Canada report that marijuana smoke contains significantly higher levels of several toxic compounds -- including ammonia and hydrogen cyanide -- than tobacco smoke and may pose similar health risks. Science News, 18 December 2007.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071217110328.htm
Anti-smoking push kicks off. When Fairmont obstetrician Dr. Patrick Bonasso has a pregnant patient who smokes, he tries to convince her to quit. Fairmont Times West Virginian, West Virginia, 17 December 2007.
http://www.timeswv.com/intodayspaper/local_story_350223546.html
Cotton-picking women exposed to pesticide poisoning. Pakistan's cotton-picking women are exposed to chronic pesticide poisoning with symptoms ranging from mild headache and skin allergies to cancer of internal organs, a study shows. Karachi Herald, Pakistan, 17 December 2007.
http://www.dawn.com/2007/12/17/top16.htm
Water may hide harmful chemical cocktail. A report by the UK's Royal Society of Chemistry says chemicals from consumer products and drugs could be breaking down and recombining into a harmful brew in water supplies. New Scientist, England, 17 December 2007.
http://environment.newscientist.com/article/mg19626343.300-water-may-hide-harmful-chemical-cocktail.html
As temperatures rise, health could decline. Depending on where you are, this is going to be a hotter, wetter, drier, windier, calmer, dirtier, buggier or hungrier century than mankind has seen in a while. In some places, it may be deadlier, too. Washington Post, 17 December 2007.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/16/AR2007121601723.html
Fleeing Fresno's unhealthy air. Some of the Valley's most valuable employees, fed up with waiting for better air, are leaving. Among them are doctors, dentists, nurses and other educated workers who are already in short supply. Smog also discourages skilled workers from taking jobs here. Fresno Bee, California, 16 December 2007.
http://www.fresnobee.com/868/story/263223.html
A growing problem in our houses: mold. Mold in buildings has gotten more attention over the last several years as it was linked to allergies, breathing problems and other health issues. Bergen County Record, New Jersey, 16 December 2007.
http://www.northjersey.com/page.php?qstr=eXJpcnk3ZjczN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXk3NDAmZmdiZWw3Zjd2cWVlRUV5eTcyMzM0NDUmeXJpcnk3ZjcxN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXkyMQ
N.J. parents fret about flu shots. A new mandate on flu shots is putting new focus on thimerosal and the effort by pediatricians, parents and vaccine makers to increase the supply of thimerosal-free flu vaccine as debate continues over the link between autism, vaccines and mercury. Newark Star-Ledger, New Jersey, 16 December 2007.
http://www.nj.com/news/ledger/index.ssf?/base/news-12/1197791418124280.xml&coll=1
Biomonitoring: Has pollution spread to body? Adopting a style of research that has proved controversial in other states, Minnesota health officials are poised to test for arsenic in 100 children and for chemicals formerly made by 3M in 200 adults. Minneapolis Star Tribune, Minnesota, 16 December 2007.
http://www.startribune.com/lifestyle/health/12534756.html
Breathe in those diesel fumes, kids. Breathing is about to get a lot more difficult for Glenn Hoffmann's 15-year-old son. Salt Lake Tribune, Utah, 16 December, 2007.
http://www.sltrib.com/news/ci_7734934
Mobile phones 'cancer link': mouth tumors 50% more likely after heavy use. The results raise concerns that mobiles could be interfering with the body in ways that scientists simply do not understand. Previous studies into the links between phones and cancer have generated conflicting results. Daily Mail, United Kingdom, 15 December 2007.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/health/healthmain.html?in_article_id=502409&in_page_id=1774
ADEM wants safer water. An Alabama state environmental panel voted Friday to reduce the amount of cancer-causing carcinogens released into waterways, a move that could strengthen Alabama's standards to match those in surrounding states. Everything Alabama, 15 December 2007.
http://blog.al.com/live/2007/12/adem_wants_safer_water.html
Region's clean-air plan is flawed, engineer reports. The Dallas-Fort Worth area will never meet federal clean-air standards unless the state targets ozone-forming pollution from cement plants, natural gas compressor engines and other sources that affect Tarrant and Denton counties. Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Texas, 15 December 2007.
http://www.star-telegram.com/metro_news/story/361691.html
Benzene study in Anchorage targets attached garages. Because of our gasoline and our climate, Alaskans who live in homes with attached garages are at higher risk of exposure to harmful chemicals in the air. A few scientists are trying to find out the size of that risk. Dutch Harbor Fisherman, Alaska, 15 December 2007.
http://www.star-telegram.com/metro_news/story/361691.html
Traffic pollution hurts asthmatic kids' lungs. Children with asthma who are exposed to traffic pollution are at increased risk for respiratory problems and reduced lung volumes, says a study that looked at children in the Mexican border town of Ciudad Juarez, a crossing point into the United States. Health Day News, 15 December 2007.
http://www.cbc.ca/cp/HealthScout/071214/6121415AU.html
Mercury in mascara? The quest for thicker lashes and defined eyes should get safer on Jan. 1, when Minnesota bans mercury from mascara, eye liners and skin-lightening creams. Associated Press, 14 December 2007.
http://www.bemidjipioneer.com/ap/index.cfm?page=view&id=D8TGQAKG0
State to expand lead jewelry probe. California toxics regulators Thursday said secret shoppers would be expanding their search in 2008 for lead contamination in children's and adult jewelry as well as metal studs used in body piercing. Los Angeles Times, California, 14 December 2007.
http://www.latimes.com/business/printedition/la-fi-lead14dec14,1,4861439.story?ctrack=4&cset=true
US to do health tests on Katrina victims' trailers. Federal health experts will begin testing for formaldehyde in trailers provided to people displaced by Hurricane Katrina after complaints of health problems, U.S. officials said on Thursday. Reuters, 14 December 2007.
http://www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUSN13238585
Indoor air important, too. The world worries about air pollution, with most of the concern focused on outdoor smog and emissions. What many people don't know or think about is indoor air pollution, which the World Health Organization says kills 1.6 million people around the globe yearly, or one every 20 seconds. Nevada City Union, California, 14 December 2007.
http://www.theunion.com/article/20071214/NEWS/112140157
Health effects of synthetic turf are studied. Most of the fields are made springy with rubber pellets from recycled tires that can stick to skin or find their way into children's mouths. Brooklyn Daily Eagle, New York, 14 December 2007.
http://www.brooklyneagle.com/categories/category.php?category_id=27&id=17261
N.S. bans smoking in cars with kids under 19. Nova Scotia became the first Canadian province Thursday to ban smoking in vehicles with children under the age of 19. The new legislation follows a similar, history-making law the Nova Scotia community of Wolfville passed in November. CanWest News, Canada, 14 December 2007.
http://www.nationalpost.com/news/story.html?id=166541
Lingering toxins continue to cause cancer. In the largest study of its kind ever done, researchers report that banned pesticides and other toxic chemicals lingering in the environment put people at an increased risk of developing non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Vancouver Sun, Canada, 13 December 2007.
http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/story.html?id=90e51e11-d69c-44c0-a45f-a1569cb261d4&k=81453
Sears aims to reduce and phase out use of polyvinyl chloride. Sears Holdings Corp. said Wednesday it will move to phase out the use of the plastic PVC in packaging and merchandise at its Sears and Kmart stores, joining other retailers in targeting the plastic because of health and environmental concerns. Associated Press, 13 December 2007.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-ap-il-sears-pvc,0,2321498.story
State poised to broaden mercury warnings. Underscoring a growing concern about mercury poisoning, Massachusetts is preparing new fish consumption advisories, a sign that mercury contamination in bodies of water may be worsening across the state. Boston Globe, Massachusetts, 13 December 2007.
http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2007/12/13/state_beefs_up_mercury_warnings/
Chemical in infant formula cans sparks concern. The FDA has suggested that bisphenol A is safe at low levels. Some public health experts disagree. ABC News, 13 December 2007.
http://abcnews.go.com/print?id=3968851
No 'One-size-fits-all' arsenic remedy. Recent work by University of Wisconsin-Madison researchers on arsenic-tainted wells has found that appropriate treatment varies depending on the source of the contamination. Waste and Wastewater News, 13 December 2007.
http://wwn-online.com/articles/56638/
Lead paint law upheld. A law that dictates how landlords must alleviate potential lead hazards in their rental units has been upheld by the state Supreme Court after a group of landlords challenged its constitutionality. Providence Journal, Rhode Island, 12 December 2007.
http://www.projo.com/news/content/Lead_Ruling_12-12-07_9687JRR_v23.2701211.html
UNICEF: Without action, children in poor countries will be very hard hit by climate change. Climate change is expected to exacerbate three of the biggest health issues that kill children worldwide: malaria, diarrhea and malnutrition. Associated Press, 12 December 2007.
http://iht.com/articles/ap/2007/12/12/asia/AS-MED-Bali-Child-Health.php
Statewide ban on smoking in cars with kids takes effect Jan. 1, 2008. California will become the third state in the nation to ban smoking in cars with minors, thanks to a cancer-prevention measure carried by Sen. Jenny Oropeza, D-Long Beach. Beverly Hills California Chronicle, California, 12 December 2007.
http://www.californiachronicle.com/articles/viewArticle.asp?articleID=45581
State DEP regulators propose new dry-cleaning rules. Citing possibly unacceptable public health risks, the state wants to phase out by 2021 the use of a toxic chemical [perchloroethylene] widely used by dry cleaners. Asbury Park Press, New Jersey, 12 December 2007.
http://www.app.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071212/NEWS03/712120328/1007/NEWS03
Dirty secret: How healthy is your office? Office workers spend eight hours a day marinating in carcinogens and chemical substances. Photocopiers emit ozone. Printers spew ultrafine particulates. Furniture and computers stew in brominated flame-retardants. CanWest News, Canada, 11 December 2007.
http://www.nationalpost.com/life/story.html?id=158724
Waterborne carbon increases threat of environmental mercury. Mercury is a potent neurotoxin and a worrisome environmental contaminant, but the severity of its threat appears to depend on what else is in the water. Science Daily, 11 December 2007.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071210162850.htm
Breathing distance. Regional air-pollution officials want cities and counties to stop allowing homes to be built next to busy freeways and roads where harmful pollution from trucks and cars is at its worst. Riverside Press-Enterprise, California, 10 December 2007.
http://www.pe.com/localnews/inland/stories/PE_News_Local_D_air10.30cf633.html
Weight and pregnancy. Numerous studies confirm that obese women are at higher risk of pregnancy-related complications that can threaten the life of both the mother and the fetus. Hartford Courant, Connecticut, 10 December 2007.
http://www.courant.com/news/custom/topnews/hc-obesemoms.artdec10,0,1427321.story?page=1&coll=hc_tab01_layout
Discarded cosmetics 'threat to drinking water.' Drinking water in Britain is under threat from drugs and cosmetics being flushed down the drains in millions of households, chemists have warned. London Daily Telegraph, England, 10 December 2007.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/main.jhtml?xml=/earth/2007/12/10/eawater110.xml
Getting lead out is a dirty job. Once parents have finished vetting toys for the holiday season, they should take at least one more precaution to safeguard their children from exposure to lead: Remove their shoes. Chicago Tribune, Illinois, 9 December 2007.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/features/lifestyle/health/chi-lead_thinkdec09,1,5940121,full.story?ctrack=3&cset=true
Young girls may hold key to breast cancer. We've all heard of changes in diet and lifestyle to prevent cancer in adults. But it looks more and more as if a cancer-free adulthood is determined years earlier -- maybe even before birth. Bergen County Record, New Jersey, 9 December 2007.
http://www.northjersey.com/page.php?qstr=eXJpcnk3ZjcxN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXk1JmZnYmVsN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXk3MjMxNzYz
High weed killer levels found in river checks. Atrazine, the second most widely used weed killer in the country, is showing up in some streams and rivers at levels high enough to potentially harm amphibians, fish and aquatic ecosystems, according to the findings of an extensive EPA database that has not been made public. Washington Post, 9 December 2007.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/08/AR2007120801451.html
A clear pattern of risk emerges from city smog. L.A.'s notorious air pollution is hardest on kids. The closer to a freeway they live, play or attend school, the more likely it is that their developing lungs' capacity will be reduced. Los Angeles Times, California, 8 December 2007.
http://www.latimes.com/features/health/la-he-smog10dec10,1,7144661.story?ctrack=3&cset=true
Contaminant collects in breast milk. Scientists have discovered the mechanism by which a chemical known as perchlorate can collect in breast milk and cause cognitive and motor deficits in newborns. Health Day News, 8 December 2007.
http://www.statesman.com/health/content/shared-auto/healthnews/envm/610559.html
Canadian retail chain pulls plastic water bottles. Canada's largest outdoor-goods chain has pulled water bottles and food containers made of polycarbonate plastic from its shelves over worries about the chemical bisphenol A, which has been linked to cancer and reproductive problems in animals. Reuters, 8 December 2007.
http://ca.today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=domesticNews&storyID=2007-12-07T221129Z_01_N07321187_RTRIDST_0_CANADA-HEALTH-PLASTIC-COL.XML
Air rules adopted for Calif. seaports. Trucks and cargo ships servicing California's seaports will be subject to emission standards for the first time under new rules adopted Friday. Long Beach Press-Telegram, California, 8 December 2007.
http://www.presstelegram.com/ci_7666880
Lead linked to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Even minute levels of lead in the blood -- lower than levels previously believed to cause no harm -- have been linked to ADHD. The Daily Green, 7 December 2007.
http://www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/latest/lead-attention-deficit-47120702
Controversial chemical found in infant formula. New research from a U.S. environmental group reveals the potentially carcinogenic chemical bisphenol A is in the lining of most cans of liquid baby formula and often leaches into the liquid at what they say are dangerous levels for babies. Toronto Star, Ontario, 7 December 2007.
http://www.thestar.com/article/283101
Give your home a breath of fresh air. There are lots of things you can do to make the atmosphere in your house cleaner and healthier. Toronto Globe and Mail, Ontario, 7 December 2007.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20071207.HOLMES07/TPStory/Environment
State orders massive cleanup of PCB-tainted shoreline. A PCB-tainted stretch of Columbia River shoreline will be cleaned to the highest level that’s technically feasible, state regulators announced Thursday. Clark Columbian, Washington, 7 December 2007.
http://www.columbian.com/news/localNews/2007/12/12062007_State-orders-massive-cleanup-of-PCB-tainted-shoreline.cfm
Missouri central in coal plant debate. The national struggle to halt the construction of coal plants because of the harmful pollutants they release has spread from Kansas to Missouri. Kansas City Star, Missouri, 7 December 2007.
http://www.kansascity.com/news/breaking_news/story/392518.html
Common household chemical could raise breast cancer risk. A chemical [BBP] found in many plastic products used in households caused accelerated breast development and genetic changes in newborn female lab rats, a condition that might predispose the animals to breast cancer later in life, a new study says. Health Day News, 7 December 2007.
http://www.cbc.ca/cp/HealthScout/071206/6120615AU.html
Diesel traffic makes asthma worse. Air pollution from diesel traffic can worsen lung function in people with asthma, a team of international researchers has said. BBC, UK, 6 December 2007.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7129024.stm
The real dangers of air pollution. A growing pile of research suggests that even relatively low levels of air pollution may be more harmful than previously realized, to both heart and lungs. US News & World Report, 6 December 2007.
http://health.usnews.com/articles/health/2007/12/05/the-real-dangers-of-air-pollution.html
Obese kids face higher risk of heart disease in adulthood. Adding fuel to the claim that childhood obesity is becoming a major public-health threat, a large new study shows a strong link between children's weight and their risk of developing coronary heart disease in adulthood. Wall Street Journal, 6 December 2007.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB119689037142114890.html
Environmental groups release guide to toys containing toxins. Tests on more than 1,200 children’s products, most of them still on store shelves, found that 35 percent contain lead, many with levels far above the federal recall standard used for lead paint. Associated Press, 6 December 2007.
http://www.reporterherald.com/Top-Story.asp?ID=13570
Durbin wants more federal regulation of toy safety. Sen. Dick Durbin called Wednesday for tighter federal regulation of toy safety, saying holiday shopping has become like playing "Chinese roulette." St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Missouri, 6 December 2007.
http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/washington/story/7F7311433DCC9B1F862573A9001307B1?OpenDocument
Which is better? Antibacterial scrubbers vs. soap. If cleanliness is next to godliness, modern America is the land of the faithful -- fighting the good fight against today's so-called superbugs with sparkling countertops and well-washed hands. Seattle Times, Washington, 5 December 2007.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/health/2004052358_soap05.html
Greener way to clean. The air is smelling greener for Connecticut cleaning products manufacturers, as new state and municipal regulations create more demand for environmentally friendly cleaners. Hartford Courant, Connecticut, 5 December 2007.
http://www.courant.com/business/hc-greenclean1205.artdec05,0,3259701.story
Study: Diesel particulates leave port truck drivers at higher risk for cancer. A study released Tuesday by the national Natural Resources Defense Council and the Coalition for Clean and Safe Ports, based in Oakland, said truck drivers who serve the Port of Oakland on a daily basis have an increased risk of cancer because of the emissions of diesel fuel. Oakland Tribune, California, 5 December 2007.
http://origin.insidebayarea.com/localnews/ci_7634043
State of Vermont warns of lead in children's jewelry. The Vermont Department of Health issued a warning Tuesday after lab results showed that 12 of 15 children's jewelry and other small metal consumer products tested for lead far exceeded the maximum level recommended by the Consumer Product Safety Commission staff. Barre-Montpelier Times Argus, Vermont, 5 December 2007.
http://www.timesargus.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071205/NEWS02/712050327/1003/NEWS02
Tests on 1,200 toys in U.S. find 35 percent tainted by lead. Tests on more than 1,200 children's products, most of them still on store shelves, found that 35 percent contain lead -- many with levels far above the U.S. federal recall standard used for lead paint. Associated Press, 5 December 2007.
http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/12/05/business/toys.php
