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www.iceh.org

Coordinated nationally by the Institute for Children's Environmental Health

Biweekly Bulletin
February 13, 2008

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

EVENTS

1) Second International Conference on Health & Biodiversity

Monday through Thursday, February 25 - 28, 2008
Galway, Ireland
at the Radisson SAS Hotel

Sponsor: National Parks and Wildlife Service of the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government

The conference will aim to advance dialogue and collaboration across sectors on issues linking biodiversity with human health and well-being and highlight practical cross-sectorial and holistic approaches to addressing the issues. Workshops will focus on three key areas: 1) disaster prevention, relief and recovery; 2) emerging infectious diseases; and 3) food resources, diet and nutrition.

Price: see http://www.cohabnet.org/cohab2008/documents/Cohab_A4_DL_final3.pdf

Website: http://www.cohabnet.org/cohab2008/index.htm

Contact: COHAB Initiative, +353 (0) 93 52329 or conference@cohabnet.org

2) Collaborative on Health and the Environment Partnership Call, "Alzheimer's: An Ecological Health Disease?"

Tuesday February 26, 2008
10:00 a.m. Pacific time, 1:00 p.m. Eastern time

Sponsor: Collaborative on Health and the Environment

As the research that recently emerged from Johns Hopkins University on lead exposure and later-life cognitive function demonstrates, environmental contaminants can play a major role in the way our brains age. Featured presenters will include Dr. Peter Whitehouse, one of the world's foremost authorities on Alzheimer's disease and author of the recent book, "The Myth of Alzheimer's," and Dr. Ted Schettler, Science Director of the Science and Environmental Health Network.

Price: free

Website: http://healthandenvironment.org/articles/partnership_calls/3011

Contact: Shelby Gonzalez, or Shelby@HealthandEnvironment.org

3) Let's Go Outside for Health -- Health Professionals' Roundup Meeting

Friday February 29, 2008
8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Arlington, Virginia
at the Hyatt Arlington at Washington's Key Bridge, 1325 Wilson Boulevard

Sponsor: United States Fish and Wildlife Service

The goal of this meeting is to continue outreach to health and healthcare professionals regarding the health and conservation benefits of regular outdoor play in a natural environment. Information from this meeting will be used to develop a "Let's Go Outside for Health" toolkit for health professionals.

Price: unknown

Website: http://www.fws.gov/children/letsgohoutsideforhealth.html

Contact: Robin Bunch, 703-358-2536 or Robin_Bunch@fws.gov

4) Contaminant Vapor Migration and Intrusion

Thursday and Friday, March 6 - 7, 2008
8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Lacey, Washington
at the Lacey Community Center, 6729 Pacific Avenue Southeast

Sponsor: Northwest Environmental Training Center

This course provides an overview of the vapor intrusion exposure pathway including its scientific foundation, regulatory framework and the technical aspects of investigating and remediating contaminated vapor sites. The class will cover topics such as screening sites for potential vapor intrusion concerns, conducting field investigations, sampling techniques, data analyses, exposure point calculations, the Johnson and Ettinger predictive model, vapor intrusion risk assessment, vapor intrusion mitigation and remediation. Continuing education credits are available.

Price: $495, $395 reduced tuition is available for those who qualify

Website: http://www.nwetc.org/vaqm-401_03-08_lacey.htm

Contact: Northwest Environmental Training Center, 206-762-1976

5) American College of Medical Toxicology 2008 Spring Conference

Friday and Saturday, March 7 - 8, 2008
San Diego, California
at the Hotel del Coronado, 1500 Orange Avenue

Sponsor: American College of Medical Toxicology (ACMT)

This year's course is designed to offer state-of-the-art insight on current issues in medical toxicology including updates on toxic mechanisms, clinical controversies, professional development for the medical toxicologist and advanced topics in occupational and environmental medicine. The intended audience is professional toxicologists, specialists in poison information, health care providers, and public health officials and scientists who deal with poisoned patients or environmental health.

Price: from $345 to $625

Website: http://acmt.net/cgi/page.cgi?event_id=2&_id=23&action=viewdetail

Contact: 847-885-0674 or info@acmt.net

6) Teleconference -- Environmental Injustice: Focus on Pediatric Neurodevelopmental Disorders

Tuesday March 11, 2008
2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. Eastern time

Sponsor: American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

A description of the event will be posted at the website below.

Price: free

Website: http://www.ehinitiative.org/Projects/tele_con.htm

Contact: Laura Abulafia, 800-424-3688 or laura@aaidd.org

Online Calendar. Upcoming events extending more than one month in the future are listed in a searchable calendar: http://www.iceh.org/cgi-bin/searchevents.cgi

ANNOUNCEMENTS/ARTICLES

Most of the articles below come from Environmental Health News, http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/

New Members. The Partnership for Children's Health and the Environment welcomes these new members:

For a searchable database with a wealth of information about PCHE members, please visit the PCHE website: http://www.partnersforchildren.org/members.html

Community Action for a Renewed Environment (CARE) grants. The 2008 US Environmental Protection Agency CARE Cooperative Agreement Request for Proposals (RFP) is now available. Approximately $3 million will be available in 2008 to support community-based partnerships to reduce pollution at the local level through the CARE program. Eligible applicants include county and local governments, tribes, nonprofit organizations and universities. The deadline to apply is March 17, 2008.
http://www.epa.gov/CARE/agreements.htm

Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) for conferences, workshops, and/or meetings. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is soliciting applications from eligible applicants for the planning, arranging, administering and/or conducting of conferences, workshops, and/or meetings that focus on research to protect human health and safeguard the environment. Specifically, EPA is interested in supporting scientific and technical research conferences that address the following research program areas: (1) human health; (2) ecosystems; water and security; (3) economics and sustainability; (4) air and global climate change; and (5) technology. Applications must be received by June 5, 2008, or December 9, 2008, depending upon the cycle.
http://es.epa.gov/ncer/rfa/2008/2008_baa.html

Additional NCS centers. The National Children's Study plans to fund 10 to 15 additional study centers to manage Study operations in communities across the country with funds appropriated by Congress for fiscal year 2008. The Request for Proposals (RFP) is expected soon and the due date for proposals in response to this solicitation is anticipated to be about April 1, 2008.
http://www.fbo.gov/spg/HHS/NIH/NICHD/Reference-Number-NIH-NICHD-NCS-08-21/listing.html

National Public Health Week: Climate Change and the Nation's Health. There is a direct connection between climate change and the health of our nation today. Yet few Americans are aware of the very real consequences of climate change on the health of our communities, our families and our children. Tools and events related to the April 7-13 National Public Health Week are now available.
http://www.nphw.org/

Protests spur stores to seek substitute for vinyl in toys. After recalling millions of toys to protect consumers from lead paint, toy makers face growing pressure over another material, PVC, a plastic found in myriad playthings, from balls to dolls. Wall Street Journal, 12 February 2008.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120277954938660931.html

Balancing energy needs and safety. There are growing complaints that gas drilling, particularly in the Rocky Mountain region, is contaminating water supplies with chemicals and endangering human health. Chemical & Engineering News, 12 February 2008.
http://pubs.acs.org/cen/email/html/cen_86_i06_8606gov1.html

High lead levels are found in vinyl plastic baby products. High levels of lead were found in a handful of well-known baby products made of vinyl plastic by an environmental group based in California that spread the word about lead on vinyl baby bibs and lunch boxes. New York Times, 11 February 2008.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/11/business/11toy.html or http://biz.yahoo.com/nytimes/080211/1194745977735.html?.v=2

5 ways to say I love you without (toxic) roses. For all their beauty, the truth is that some roses -- actually most roses -- have dangers that extend far beyond their thorns. The Daily Green, 11 February 2008.
http://www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/latest/valentines-day-roses-47021104

Sampling of drinking water to track emerging chemical. Georgia plans to begin statewide sampling this year at drinking water intakes for perfluorooctanoic acid, a 'likely carcinogen' that is used to make stain-repellents. Chattanooga Times Free Press, Tennessee, 11 February 2008.
http://timesfreepress.com/news/2008/feb/11/sampling-drinking-water-track-emerging-chemical/

Global trade comes home. While stories about melamine in pet food and lead in toys have grabbed headlines, less attention has focused on another impact of globalization: air pollution and other potential health threats to communities near ports and along truck lines. Environmental Health Perspectives, 11 February 2008.
http://www.ehponline.org/members/2008/116-2/spheres.html

FDA to review tattoo chemicals. Prompted by reports of skin problems, including rashes, swelling and blistering, the federal government has begun studying materials tattoo artists have injected into the skin of some 45 million Americans. Newhouse News Service, 11 February 2008.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-tattoo_11feb11,1,2488336.story?ctrack=1&cset=true

Autism foes want mercury out of flu shots. Anti-autism activists, who successfully pushed Iowa to ban a mercury-based preservative from most childhood vaccines in 2004, now want the state to order the ingredient removed from flu shots. Des Moines Register, Iowa, 10 February 2008.
http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080210/NEWS/802100335/1042/LIFE02

District connects lead with special ed. Galveston Independent School District has too many African-American students in its special education program. And school administrators think it may be due to lead. Galveston County Daily News, Texas, 10 February 2008.
http://www.galvnews.com/story.lasso?ewcd=4120fd8254018abc&-session=TheDailyNews:42F9414D05210006DEGvvp550849

Anxiety for two. New research finds stressful pregnancies may have long-term effects on children. Newsweek, 9 February 2008.
http://www.newsweek.com/id/107893

Is your job giving you cancer? Scientists believe exposure to potentially toxic chemicals, dyes, pesticides and viruses are causing spikes in job-related diseases. Melbourne Herald Sun, Australia, 10 February 2008.
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,23189871-662,00.html

EPA must rewrite utility mercury rule: U.S. court. In a victory for environmentalists and a setback for big U.S. coal-burning utilities, a federal court ruled on Friday that the Environmental Protection Agency must fundamentally rework its mercury rules for utilities. Reuters, 9 February 2008.
http://www.reuters.com/article/environmentNews/idUSN0847678520080209

Federal grant will assist in TCE testing. The state of Pennsylvania will receive more than a quarter-million dollars from the federal government to expand and continue its testing for an airborne carcinogen known as TCE. Norriston Times Herald, Pennsylvania, 9 February 2008.
http://www.timesherald.com/WebApp/appmanager/JRC/Daily;jsessionid=8XknHt5VJwS68NZncj2hsd7xKKGzh0pnFJLHJn6yn1HBzMzgxlt6!-366222789?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=pg_article&r21.pgpath=%2FNTH%2FNews&r21.content=%2FNTH%2FNews%2FTopStoryList_Story_1555886

Smoking will kill 1 billion people. One billion people will die from tobacco-related causes by the end of the century if current consumption trends continue, according to a global report released Thursday by the World Health Organization. Time Magazine, 9 February 2008.
http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1711154,00.html

Indoor pollution just as damaging. Many people are unaware that indoor pollution can be just as bad as, or even worse than, the outdoor kind. Associated Press, 8 February 2008.
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=129918

Make info on toxic sites accessible, Nolan says. State Assemblywoman Catherine Nolan is calling on the state to better inform borough communities about potentially toxic neighborhood sites following the recent discovery of contamination beneath the former Swingline factory in Long Island City. Queens Times Ledger, New York, 8 February 2008.
http://www.timesledger.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=19273135&BRD=2676&PAG=461&dept_id=551069&rfi=6

City ready to take stand on diesel emissions. The capital city is taking several stands on the environment to improve Rhode Island’s air quality, and is hoping the state will follow its lead. Providence Journal, Rhode Island, 8 February 2008.
http://www.projo.com/news/environment/MC_COUNCIL_02-08-08_T38UHSD_v9.38d2260.html

Great Lakes Danger Zones? For more than seven months, the nation’s top public health agency has blocked the publication of an exhaustive federal study of environmental hazards in the eight Great Lakes states. Center for Public Integrity, 8 February 2008.
http://www.publicintegrity.org/GreatLakes/index.htm

Valley's TCE water scares unprecedented in U.S. Two recent drinking water contamination scares that affected Scottsdale and Paradise Valley customers were unprecedented in Arizona, and possibly the nation, federal environmental regulators said Thursday. Scottsdale East Valley Tribune, Arizona, 7 February 2008.
http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/story/108464

Weaned off plastic. A study to be made public this morning on health risks posed by some of the most popular baby bottles sold in Canada is expected to add another ominous chime to the steady chorus of alarm bells that researchers have sounded recently about bisphenol A. Montreal Gazette, Quebec, 7 February 2008.
http://www.canada.com/montrealgazette/news/story.html?id=e6ed477f-1835-4831-927c-abb5e7e36bdc
[Editor's note: see a related article: http://www.abcnews.go.com/Blotter/story?id=4258352&page=1]

Environmental toxins may be linked to early onset of puberty in girls. A new study conducted by researchers at the University of Pisa in Italy has suggested a link between environmental toxins and early onset of puberty in girls. Asian News International, South Asia, 7 February 2008.
http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/health/environmental-toxins-may-be-linked-to-early-onset-of-puberty-in-girls_10016554.html

Study sees hazards in baby powder and lotion. Parents who want to reduce their infants' exposure to phthalates, chemicals suspected of impairing male reproductive function, should not apply baby lotions or powders -- except for medical reasons. So concludes a study published in the journal Pediatrics. Washington Post, 7 February 2008.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/01/AR2008020103284.html

Panel backs bill to ban the sale of recalled toys. Responding to recent recalls of toys and other products deemed dangerous to children, the Oregon House took the first step Wednesday toward prohibiting retailers from selling toys that have been the subject of a recall or manufacturer's warning. Portland Oregonian, Oregon, 7 February 2008.
http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/news/1202360105222030.xml&coll=7

California issues candy warning. State health officials are warning people not to eat certain candies imported from Mexico after discovering dangerous levels of lead in the products. San Jose Mercury News, California, 7 February 2008.
http://www.mercurynews.com/localnewsheadlines/ci_8193507?nclick_check=1

HUD investigates lead problem in Galveston. Federal housing officials have opened an investigation into whether landlords in Galveston are complying with a federal law designed to prevent childhood lead poisoning. Houston Chronicle, Texas, 7 February 2008.
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/5520682.html

Fragrances foul for many. Fragrances are the most obvious indoor air pollutants, second only to tobacco smoke. Sault Ste Marie Sault Star, Michigan, 7 February 2008.
http://www.saultstar.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=892177

Study: annual costs of environmental disease in Oregon. "The Price of Pollution: Cost Estimates of Environmentally Related Disease in Oregon," a new study by the Oregon Environmental Council, finds that environmentally attributable diseases from sources such as lead, diesel, and mercury cost the state $1.57 billion annually. The estimate for children alone is $1.10 billion per year. This is the first-ever study of the cost of environmental disease for Oregon. Oregon Environmental Council, 6 February 2008.
http://www.oeconline.org/kidshealth/priceofpollution/index

Congress: Science for Sale? Congress is investigating a Washington, D.C.-based firm which critics charge "manufactures uncertainty" on behalf of chemical companies to help keep their products free from government bans or other restrictions. ABC News, 6 February 2008.
http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/story?id=4252096

Avoid second-hand smoke for our kids' sake. About half the world's children (700 million) breathe air polluted by cigarette smoke and this year's World Cancer Day campaign wants to get the message out that second-hand smoke can kill. Pretoria News, South Africa, 6 February 2008.
http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=117&art_id=vn20080204110840150C724745

Mobiles do not increase cancer risk, says study. Short-term, mobile phone users have no greater risk of developing brain tumours than people who have never used them, according to a detailed study of cancer patients. But long-term the picture may be different. London Guardian, England, 6 February 2008.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2008/feb/06/mobilephones.health

Chemicals curbing male reproductive capacity. A half century of herbicides, chemicals and pollution have weakened the reproductive capacity of males -- be they frogs, horses or humans, a Colorado State University researcher says. Denver Rocky Mountain News, Colorado, 6 February 2008.
http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/feb/05/chemicals-curbing-male-reproductive-capacity/

Is toxic perchlorate in Utah's food? For sixty years, rocket testing in the state of Utah has been a point of pride. Now, half a century later, we're learning these tests have come at a price. The ultimate costs, no one quite knows. It's in the form of a chemical called perchlorate. Salt Lake City KTVX TV, Utah, 5 February 2008.
http://www.abc4.com/content/features/story.aspx?content_id=d106e67e-0ec9-4833-b5a6-b97740f6c43f

California moves to regulate lead in adult jewelry. Get the lead out -- of jewelry? On March 1, a law takes effect tightly regulating levels of lead in adult jewelry sold in California. The new rule follows a law enacted Sept. 1 with even tighter restrictions on lead levels in children's jewelry. San Mateo County Times, California, 5 February 2008.
http://www.insidebayarea.com/sanmateocountynews/localnews/ci_8173080

Use of household pesticides during pregnancy increases the risk of childhood leukemia. Pregnant women exposed to household pesticides may increase the risk of their children developing leukemia, according to a recent study conducted in France. Environmental Health News, 5 February 2008.
http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/newscience/2008/2008-0205rudantetal.html

Deirdre Imus helps schools go green. Many schools contain harmful toxins and other chemical contaminants that endanger children's health, says the founder and director of the Deirdre Imus Environmental Center for Pediatric Oncology at the Hackensack University Medical Center. USA Today, 4 February 2008.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2008-02-03-deirdre-imus_N.htm

Nonprofit finds big problems in kids' products. Discovering lead in children's products has sparked a scorching series of investigations that have roiled North America's $24B toy market. But the organization that made the original discovery says there are more problem ingredients than just lead. Oakland Tribune, California, 3 February 2008.
http://www.insidebayarea.com/oaklandtribune/ci_8156820

Former lead paint manufacturers file appeal. Three former lead paint manufacturers asked Rhode Island's highest court on Thursday to overturn a jury verdict that could force them to pay billions of dollars to clean up contaminated older properties around the state. Associated Press, 3 February 2008.
http://www.boston.com/news/local/rhode_island/articles/2008/01/31/lead_paint_companies_to_file_arguments_in_appeals_case/

Report busts the myths on cancer risks. Breast implants, deodorant and coffee are extremely unlikely to cause cancer, says a new risk report designed to allay panic that everything can be carcinogenic. Australian Associated Press, 3 February 2008.
http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/report-busts-the-myths-on-cancer-risks/2008/02/03/1201973740477.html

Common flame retardants could hurt unborn children, researcher warns. Common flame retardants that are supposed to make everyday consumer items safer could adversely affect pregnancies and impede the development of the fetus, according to a Quebec researcher. CanWest News, Canada, 2 February 2008.
http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/story.html?id=8ce30dd7-627e-4084-8250-494bc563e338&k=73097

Get the lead out. The notion of long-delayed effects is familiar; tobacco and asbestos, for example, can lead to cancer. But in recent years, scientists are coming to appreciate that exposure to other pollutants in early life also may promote disease much later on. Sault Ste Marie Sault Star, Michigan, 2 February 2008.
http://www.saultstar.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=885691

With cookware, it's not all pot luck. Proper handling and preparation of food isn't the only safety danger you face in the kitchen. The equipment you use can also be a concern. McClatchy Newspapers, 2 February 2008.
http://www.star-telegram.com/home/story/446825.html

Bisphenol A safety. A study conducted by researchers at the University of Missouri, Columbia, strikes at the heart of a federal panel's conclusions about the health concerns of bisphenol A. Chemical & Engineering News, 1 February 2008.
http://pubs.acs.org/cen/news/86/i05/8605notw6.html

Consumer group: CPSC delays recalls. After more than two months of waiting, the Consumer Product Safety Commission has done what we asked, tested five toys that we found had high levels of lead. Syracuse WSYR TV, New York, 1 February 2008.
http://www.9wsyr.com/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=3d3d7daf-f2b5-4ab1-86ca-65df320fb7be

Asthma, eczema and allergies: Why are they plaguing kids? In the past 20 years, the number of children afflicted with asthma, eczema and food allergies has doubled. Newburyport Daily News, Massachusetts, 1 February 2008.
http://www.newburyportnews.com/pulife/local_story_031193450.html

Bill seeks to get lead out of toys. State Sen. Don Preister is proposing to ban the sale of toys and child care articles that contain more than a miniscule amount of lead. Omaha World-Herald, Nebraska, 1 February 2008.
http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_page=2798&u_sid=10246936

A world without men. Gender-bending industrial chemicals are skewing the birth ratio in favor of baby girls. Could a world without men be a few short generations away? Whole Life Times, 1 February 2008.
http://wholelifetimes.com/2008/02/healthyliving0802.html

Emissions concerns rise over ships' fuel. Along with economic benefits of the steady growth in the shipping industry, environmentalists' worries are growing about unregulated pollution from the cheap, sulfur-laden bunker fuel oil that powers most large tankers and cruise ships. Gloucester Times, Massachusetts, 1 February 2008.
http://www.gloucestertimes.com/punews/local_story_031233139.html?keyword=topstory

States may restrict lice treatments. Lawmakers in at least three states are considering restricting the use of treatments for head lice and body mites that contain the insecticide lindane, raising questions about whether states can regulate products approved by the Food and Drug Administration. USA Today, 31 January 2008.
http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/news/20080131/a_lindaneinside31.art.htm

Head-lice drug promotions halted. The sole U.S. maker of an insecticide-based treatment for head lice has stopped promoting the product [that contain the insecticide lindane] after a sharply worded warning from the FDA that its marketing misled consumers by downplaying the rare, but serious, risks of the treatments. USA Today, 31 January 2008.
http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/news/20080131/1a_bottomstrip31_dom.art.htm

State urged to act on toy hazards. A coalition of health, environmental and labor groups joined with Attorney General Richard Blumenthal and lawmakers to propose a bill that would make Connecticut among the first to set standards for hazardous substances in children's products. Hartford Courant, Connecticut, 31 January 2008.
http://www.courant.com/news/health/hc-ctbadtoys0131.artjan31,0,5783469.story

Infant study casts doubt on vaccine-autism link. The mercury in a vaccine preservative is pumped out of a baby's body too quickly for it to do any damage, researchers reported on Wednesday in a study they say should further absolve shots of causing autism. Reuters, 31 January 2008.
http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSN3050545420080130

Folic acid may cut premature births by 70%. Folic acid supplements taken for a year before pregnancy can cut the risk of premature births by 70% and save thousands of lives, researchers have found. London Guardian, England, 31 January 2008.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2008/jan/31/health.medicalresearch

State to probe development of 'green' chemicals. In an effort to reduce industry's reliance on toxic compounds, state environmental officials today will lay out a framework for transforming California into a leader in the development and use of "green" chemicals. Biobased News, 31 January 2008.
http://www.biobasednews.com/list2.php?storyid=17051

Study finds links between prostate cancer, cadmium and zinc. Cadmium exposure is known to cause prostate cancer. A new study has suggested that zinc may offer protection against the risk factor. Asian News International, South Asia, 31 January 2008.
http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/health/study-finds-links-between-prostate-cancer-cadmium-and-zinc_10015332.html

Questions surface over effects of chemical in some ski waxes. A group of man-made chemicals [PFCs] used in some ski waxes, and found in nearly every American's bloodstream, has caused some companies to take a closer look at what goes on the bottom of skis and snowboards. Carson City Nevada Appeal, Nevada, 31 January 2008.
http://www.nevadaappeal.com/article/20080131/NEWS/977781799

Warning over cannabis lung harm. Heavy cannabis users may be at greater risk of chronic lung disease -- including cancer -- compared to tobacco smokers, two studies suggest. BBC, UK, 31 January 2008.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7217601.stm

Heat causes chemical to leach from plastic. A new study released today in Toxicology Letters may provide a clearer picture of how a controversial chemical called bisphenol A leaches out of plastics. USA Today, 30 January 2008.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2008-01-29-plastic-chemical_N.htm

Harmful pesticides found in everyday food products. Government promises to rid the nation's food supply of brain-damaging pesticides aren't doing the job, according to the results of a yearlong study that carefully monitored the diets of a group of local children. Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Washington, 30 January 2008.
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/health/349263_pesticide30.html

Pennsylvania changes fish-eating advisories. Eating fish is good for you, all the state fishing, environmental and health agencies agree, just not too much from any Pennsylvania stream, river or lake [because the fish could contain high levels of mercury or PCBs]. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Pennsylvania, 30 January 2008.
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08030/853117-114.stm

Climate change 'a threat to health.' The consequences of climate change could become more of a threat to human health than obesity or alcohol, the president of the Royal College of Physicians has warned. Press Association, 30 January 2008.
http://www.channel4.com/news/articles/society/health/climate+change+a+threat+to+health/1432847


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