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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
various dates in March, April and May 2008
various times
at six locations throughout Multnomah County, Oregon
Sponsor: Multnomah County Health Department
Join Multnomah County in learning how your health is more than health care or personal choice. Each episode of the PBS documentary Unnatural Causes: Is Inequality Making Us Sick? will sound the alarm about America's glaring socio-economic and racial inequities in health, and search for root causes. The county is asking the community, especially those who have historically been left out of decision-making, to help them understand what actions they should take to address these challenges.
Price: free and open to the public
Website: http://www.mchealth.org:80/healthequity/calendar.shtml
Contact: Health Equity Initiative, 503-988-3030 ext. 22068 or health.equity@co.multnomah.or.us
Thursday May 22, 2008
9:00 - 11:00 a.m.
Washington, DC
at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars Fifth Floor Conference Room, 1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Sponsor: Woodrow Wilson Center China Environment Forum and Global Health Initiative
The speakers of this meeting will introduce the coal component of the USAID-supported China Environmental Health Project (CEHP), which aims to obtain accurate data on coal-fired pollution emissions in Huainan city in Anhui Province. Key to the success of this data collection is the strong collaborative partnership Western Kentucky University (WKU) has formed with the Anhui University of Science and Technology (AUST) and the provincial and municipal government agencies. This project also includes health studies conducted in the communities where coal is being monitored. The collection of emission and health data not only help to promote transparency on pollution emissions in China -- supporting new laws on environmental information dissemination -- but also potentially help to generate awareness among policymakers on the health dangers of coal. Derek Vollmer will make comments based on his participation in a National Academy of Sciences study of energy and air pollution in Huainan and Dalian in China and in Pittsburgh and Los Angeles in the United States. Please RSVP to cef@wilsoncenter.org with your name and affiliation. This session will also be available as a live webcast.
Price: free
Thursday May 22, 2008
6:00 - 8:00 p.m.
Portland, Oregon
at the Doubletree Hotel-Lloyd Center, 1000 NE Multnomah
Sponsor: Oregon Environmental Council
Girls have their first periods today, on average, a few months earlier than girls did 40 years ago, but their breasts begin to develop one to two years earlier. Over the course of a few decades, the childhoods of United States girls have been significantly shortened. What does this mean for girls today and their health in the future?
Price: $35, $25 for members and nonprofit or governmental agency employees
Website: http://www.oeconline.org/events
Contact: Oregon Environmental Council, 503-222-1963 or info@oeconline.org
Wednesday May 28, 2008
9:00 a.m. Alaska time
Sponsor: Alaska Collaborative on Health and the Environment
The North has become a hemispheric sink for pesticides and other industrial chemicals that are transported via atmospheric and oceanic currents. These persistent chemicals accumulate in the bodies of wildlife and people of the North. Current research explores the presence of industrial chemicals in northern latitudes, sources and persistence in the fragile environments of the North/Arctic. Currently used and banned pesticides are subject to long-range transport to the North, although they are not produced in the region. The effects of global warming enhance the mobilization and transport of contaminants from both local and distant sources. Join our speakers to discuss research concerning the global transport of pesticides in the Arctic region. We will also discuss policy actions such as the Stockholm Convention on persistent organic pollutants (POPs), an international treaty to eliminate sources of some of the world's most persistent, toxic chemicals. Presenters include Pamela Miller, executive director of Alaska Community Action on Toxics; Don Waite, PhD, a research biologist with Environment Canada in Regina, Saskatchewan; Hayley Hung, PhD, manager of the air sampling program under the Canadian Northern Contaminants Program; and Shawna Larson, Environmental Justice Program director with Alaska Community Action on Toxics.
Price: free
Contact: Alaska Community Action on Toxics, 907-222-7714 or info@akaction.net
Thursday and Friday, May 29 - 30, 2008
8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Seattle, Washington
at the Northwest Environmental Training Center Headquarters, 650 South Orcas Street Suite 220
Sponsor: Northwest Environmental Training Center (NWETC)
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 educational credits are available.
Price: $495, $395 reduced tuition is available to those who qualify
Website: http://www.nwetc.org/vaqm-401_05-08_seattle.htm
Contact: Northwest Environmental Training Center, 206-762-1976
Friday May 30, 2008
9:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Seattle, Washington
at REI Downtown, 222 Yale Avenue North, Second Floor, South Room, Room B
Sponsor: Northwest Environmental Training Center (NWETC)
The course identifies potential health hazards of toxic chemicals and methods for preventing exposure. Chemicals we encounter in everyday life are used as examples to evaluate the hazards and risk of exposure and put them into perspective. Learn the basic principles of toxicology, tools for assessing the toxicology of chemicals, effects of chemicals on the body and why some people are more sensitive to chemicals than others. Continuing education credits are available.
Price: $150 early bird special until May 5, $245 thereafter, $175 reduced tuition is available to those who qualify
Website: http://nwetc.org/etox-510_05-08_seattle.htm
Contact: Northwest Environmental Training Center, 206-762-1976
Monday through Friday, June 2 - 6, 2008
Atlanta, Georgia
at the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, 4770 Buford Highway, 106 Chamblee in Room 1B
Sponsor: Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
This course focuses on the process of assessing public-health implications of exposures to contaminants being released from hazardous waste sites and identifying public-health actions. This assessment process applies to all the different products (public-health assessments, health consultations, health advisories, etc.) that we produce.
Price: see http://app2.erg.com/registration/form.cgi
Website: http://app2.erg.com/registration/course_detail.cgi?212
Contact: Bob Kay, 770-488-0663 or BKay@cdc.gov
Tuesday June 3, 2008
3:30 to 5:00 p.m.
Seattle, Washington
at the University of Washington, Mary Gates Hall 389
Sponsor: University of Washington Center for Ecogenetics and Environmental Health
This event is part of the quarterly discussion series, "Uncorking Ethics." Nanoscience has many promising applications, yet regulatory gaps and lack of research in human toxicology, and environmental health impacts raise concerns about the risks created by this new technology. How should these new materials be evaluated and controlled? Join us for a thought-provoking series of short presentations and a lively discussion. Any researchers, staff or students working with or interested in nanoscience are welcome to attend. A reception will follow. Please RSVP at https://catalysttools.washington.edu/webq/survey/jsharpe/54514
Price: free
Contact: Jon Sharpe, 206-685-5333 or jsharpe@u.washington.edu
Tuesday and Wednesday, June 3 - 4, 2008
Sidney, British Columbia Canada
at the Institute of Ocean Sciences, Department of Fisheries and Oceans, 9860 West Saanich Road
Sponsor: Institute of Ocean Sciences, Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Canada
The synergistic occurrence of BFRs with other persistent organic pollutants such as PCBs, dioxins and DDT in the environment and humans raise questions regarding their combined impacts. These emerging issues, together with approaches taken to further understand the toxicology, fate and distribution of BFRs in the environment, are going to be the focus of this workshop.
Price: free
Website: http://www.bfr2008.com/#Top
Contact: Christine Brownlie, 250-655-5800 (from outside Canada dial 011-1-250-655-5800) or info@BFR2008.com
Tuesday through Friday, June 3- 6, 2008
Vancouver, British Columbia Canada
at the University of British Columbia
Sponsor: Environmental Studies Association of Canada
The conference is being held as part of the as part of the annual Congress of the Humanities and Social Sciences. The theme of the congress is "Thinking beyond Borders -- Global Ideas: Global Values."
Price: unknown
Website: http://www.esac.ca/events/
Contact: Chris Ling, chris.ling@royalroads.ca
Thursday June 5, 2008
12:30 - 1:20 p.m.
Seattle, Washington
at the University of Washington Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, Room T-435
Sponsor: University of Washington Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences
Speaker Sheela Sathyanarayana, MD, MPH, is the acting assistant professor of the Division of General Pediatrics.
Price: unknown
Website: http://depts.washington.edu/envh580/
Contact: Sarah Fischer, fischs@u.washington.edu
Sunday through Thursday, June 8 - 12, 2008
Denver, Colorado
Sponsor: Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists
The conference theme is "Public Health Epidemiologists: Adapting to a Changing World." The conference will include public health epidemiologists who self-identify as infectious disease, chronic disease, maternal and child health, environmental, occupational, injury and general epidemiologists.
Price: see http://www.cste.org/annualconference/reg/registration.asp
Website: http://www.cste.org/annualconference/
Contact: Shundra Clinton, 770-458-3811 or sclinton@cste.org
Monday June 9, 2008
9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Troutdale, Oregon
at McMenamins Edgefield, 2126 SW Halsey Street
Sponsor: North American Hazardous Materials Managers Association, NW Chapter
State and local governments, green business representatives, regional chemical policy and management experts, toxics reduction advocates and interested citizens will come together in a day of presentation and discussion. Mark Schapiro, editorial director for the Center for Investigative Reporting and author of the recent book "Exposed", will keynote. The Chemical Policy Forum is part of the North American Hazardous Materials Managers Association, NW Chapter, Conference June 9 to 12, 2008. Register at the NAHMMA website as listed below for the forum or for the full conference that includes the forum. Forum registration without lunch is available on the day of the event.
Price: $15 includes lunch
Website: http://www.nahmma.org
Contact: Lisa Heigh, 503-797-1611 or lisa.heigh@oregonmetro.gov
Monday through Wednesday, June 9 - 11, 2008
San Jose, Costa Rica
at the Ramada Plaza Herradura
Sponsor: The Central American Institute for Studies on Toxic Substances, Universidad Nacional (IRET-UNA) and International Commission of Occupational Health (ICOH)
The conference theme is "Multiple Exposures, Multiple Effects" and will include presentations on cancer, musculoskeletal disorders, reproductive disorders, respiratory disorders, cardiovascular diseases, skin diseases and more.
Price: see http://www.epicoh-neureoh2008.com/index.php?module=Pagesetter&func=viewpub&tid=3&pid=4
Website: http://www.epicoh-neureoh2008.com/index.php
Contact: Jennifer Crowe, 506-853-5957 or info@epicoh-neureoh2008.com
Monday through Thursday, June 9 - 12, 2008
Troutdale, Oregon
at McMenamins Edgefield, 2126 Southwest Halsey Street
Sponsor: Northwest Chapter of the North American Hazardous Materials Management Association
Learn about the latest developments in product stewardship, chemical policy and safer products. The conference will provide training, such as the hazwoper eight-hour refresher, technical sessions and facility tours. Topics include toxic chemicals in products and people; case studies on implementing chemical policy and much more.
Price: members $145, nonmembers $195
Website: http://www.nahmma.org/cde.cfm?event=210842
Contact: North American Hazardous Materials Management Association, 877-292-1403 or nahmma@imigroup.org
Tuesday June 10, 2008
1:00 p.m. Eastern time
Sponsor: Clinical Directors Network (CDN)
More details will be available for this webinar event through the website listed below.
Price: unknown
Website: http://web.memberclicks.com/mc/community/eventdetails.do?eventId=145140&orgId=cne
Contact: eLearning, 212-382-0699 x231 or eLearning@cdnetwork.org
Wednesday through Friday, June 11 - 13, 2008
San Jose, Costa Rica
at the Ramada Plaza Herradura
Sponsor: The Central American Institute for Studies on Toxic Substances, Universidad Nacional (IRET-UNA) and International Commission of Occupational Health (ICOH)
The conference theme is "Multiple Exposures, Multiple Effects" and will include presentations on neurotoxic disorders in children, fetal origins, neurotoxic disorders in adults, neurobehavioral changes by different neurotoxic agents and more.
Price: see http://www.epicoh-neureoh2008.com/index.php?module=Pagesetter&func=viewpub&tid=3&pid=4
Website: http://www.epicoh-neureoh2008.com/index.php
Contact: Jennifer Crowe, 506-853-5957 or info@epicoh-neureoh2008.com
Tuesday and Wednesday, June 17 - 18, 2008
8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Sacramento, California
at California State University Sacramento, 6000 J Street, Solano Hall, Room 2001
Sponsor: Northwest Environmental Training Center (NWETC)
This course is the first part of a two-part series and is designed for participants who wish to gain beginning to intermediate skills in designing, implementing and testing Microsoft Access relational database applications. This comprehensive class using Access 2003 covers in depth the table, query, form, report, page and macro objects and how to use them through extensive hands-on exercises. These database subjects are taught using real-world examples with actual field data. Continuing education credits are available.
Price: $495, $395 reduced tuition is available to those who qualify
Website: http://www.nwetc.org/comp-401_06-08_sacramento.htm
Contact: Northwest Environmental Training Center, 206-762-1976
Tuesday through Thursday, June 17 - 19, 2008
8:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.
Las Vegas, Nevada
at the Palace Station Hotel and Conference Center, 2411 West Sahara Avenue
Sponsor: Northwest Environmental Training Center (NWETC)
This course provides an overview that will cover the basic terms, concepts and logic that underlie modern scientific sampling. Much of the class will be devoted to the understanding of how to apply the basic concepts of probability to sampling problems and how to use probability to measure the effectiveness of the sampling process. We will discuss the difference between purposive and random sampling and discuss why random sampling (and its many variations) is so frequently used in manufacturing, science and government. Continuing education credits are available.
Price: $595, $495 reduced tuition is available to those who qualify
Website: http://www.nwetc.org/stat-403_06-08_las_vegas.htm
Contact: Northwest Environmental Training Center, 206-762-1976
Thursday June 19, 2008
6:00 - 8:00 p.m.
Portland, Oregon
at the Doubletree Hotel-Lloyd Center, 1000 NE Multnomah
Sponsor: Oregon Environmental Council
Have you ever wondered what happens to those pharmaceuticals that you flush down the toilet? What about the hospitals and nursing homes that do the same, or the effect of the effluent that streams from the plants that manufacture them? Ilene Ruhoy, MD, will discuss how prescription drugs enter the environment, the potential consequences of their presence in the environment, and how these pollutants affect us as well as fish and other species.
Price: $35, $25 for members and nonprofit or governmental agency employees
Website: http://www.oeconline.org/events
Contact: Oregon Environmental Council, 503-222-1963 or info@oeconline.org
Thursday, June 19, 2008
8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Sacramento, California
at California State University Sacramento, 6000 J Street, Solano Hall, Room 2001
Sponsor: Northwest Environmental Training Center (NWETC)
This is the second part of the Managing Data with Microsoft Access for Professionals training class. In the introductory class, the students learned the basic elements of database design and implementation. Now they build on and deepen those skills while being introduced to more advanced Access topics such as PivotCharts, PivotTables, Data Access Pages and SQL. This second class is highly recommended to complete the comprehensive Access training series. Continuing education credits are available.
Price: $250, $195 reduced tuition is available to those who qualify
Website: http://www.nwetc.org/comp-402_06-08_sacramento.htm
Contact: Northwest Environmental Training Center, 206-762-1976
Saturday June 21, 2008
Tucson, Arizona
at the Hilton Tucson El Conquistador Golf & Tennis Resort, 10000 North Oracle Road
Sponsor: National Center for Environmental Health, Environmental Health Services Branch and National Environmental Health Association
This is a one-day interactive workshop combining presentations and small-group exercises to provide attendees with knowledge and tools to explore, respond to, intervene upon and communicate about mold and moisture.
Price: free
Website: http://www.neha.org/training/index.html
Contact: National Environmental Health Association, 303-756-9090 or staff@neha.org
Saturday June 21, 2008
8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Tucson, Arizona
at the Hilton Tucson El Conquistador Golf & Tennis Resort, 10000 North Oracle Road
Sponsor: National Center for Environmental Health, Environmental Health Services Branch and National Environmental Health Association
Environmental health managers from state, tribal and local environmental health programs are invited to participate in this workshop. By the end of the one-day, interactive workshop, participants will have developed an action plan to improve the capacity of their programs to perform the essential services of environmental public health as measured by the Environmental Public Health Performance Standards (EnvPHPS).
Price: free
Website: http://www.neha.org/pdf/AEC/2008/EnvPHPS_Information_Form.pdf
Contact: Kristen Kuhar, 303-756-9090 x 341 or kkuhar@neha.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
Most of the articles below come from Environmental Health News, http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/
Job opening: Augusta, Maine. Environmental Health Strategy Center (EHSC) seeks applicants for a Director of the Sustainable Bioplastics Program to lead the economic development strategy and participation of EHSC in an innovative collaboration with industry, agriculture, academia, government and nongovernmental organizations to research, develop, demonstrate and commercialize production of environmentally friendly bioplastics from Maine potatoes. The director will coordinate partner activities, lead project teams and help formalize the partnership through a new Maine Sustainable Bioplastics Council.
http://www.preventharm.org/downloads/Sustainable%20Bioplastics%20Program%20Director.rtf
Job opening: Seattle, Washington. Washington Toxics Coalition is seeking a dynamic, resourceful, proven leader to guide this highly effective nonprofit towards achieving its ambitious mission to protect public health and the environment by eliminating toxic pollution. The Executive Director must be a highly strategic thinker with a strong capacity to guide staff in managing and implementing programs. The ideal candidate will also have substantial leadership experience and a familiarity with nonprofit organizations and governance.
http://www.watoxics.org/about/employment/executive-director-job-announcement
Job opening: Boston, Massachusetts. Environment Massachusetts is seeking an experienced organization builder to coordinate program development, advocacy, field organizing and communications to for one of the state's leading environmental groups. Our mission is to strengthen protections for Massachusetts' air, water and open space, and to make our state a leader in environmental protection.
http://environmentmassachusetts.org/jobs/career-positions/environment-massachusetts-director
Kids Safe Chemical Act reintroduced in Congress. Today, Senator Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ) and Representatives Hilda L. Solis (D- CA) and Henry Waxman (D-CA) introduced major legislation to protect Americans, especially children, from toxic chemicals in everyday consumer products. The bill would ensure for the first time that all the chemicals used in baby bottles, children's toys and other products are proven to be safe before they are put on the market. Press Release of Senator Lautenberg, 20 May 2008.
http://lautenberg.senate.gov/newsroom/record.cfm?id=298072
Chemicals [including BPA] in plastic feeding bottles could lead to obesity in babies, say scientists. Pregnant women who eat food that has been wrapped in plastic could make their unborn baby obese in later life, according to new research. Daily Mail, United Kingdom, 20 May 2008.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1019619/Chemicals-plastic-feeding-bottles-lead-obesity-babies-say-scientists.html
Primate model for autism. A primate model for autism using the U.S. children's immunization schedule was unveiled at the International Meeting For Autism Research (IMFAR) this weekend. News-Medical.net, 20 May 2008.
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=38479
Bugged by pesticides. Some parents who eschew pesticide use in their home are concerned that their children are still being exposed at school playing fields. Albany Times Union, New York, 20 May 2008.
http://www.timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=689922&category=REGION&newsdate=5/20/2008
Study links childhood ear infections to passive smoking. Researchers at the Perths Telethon Institute for Child Health Research have discovered a strong link between childhood ear infections and exposure to tobacco smoke. Asian News International, South Asia, 20 May 2008.
http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/south-asia/study-links-childhood-ear-infections-to-passive-smoking_10050626.html
Is fire retardant a harmful toxin? For decades, Americans have depended on special chemicals [PBDEs] to protect them from fire. But now, there are serious questions about the safety of those chemicals. Two states have already banned them, and six more are considering it. CBS Evening News, 20 May 2008.
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/05/19/eveningnews/main4109418.shtml
HRT 'does not raise risk of breast cancer.' Women should not be put off hormone replacement therapy by over-hyped fears about its health risks, a panel of international experts has concluded. London Independent, England, 20 May 2008.
http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-wellbeing/health-news/hrt-does-not-raise-risk-of-breast-cancer-831108.html
Cancer registry mandatory in state. Faced with spiraling incidents of cancer due to groundwater turning into a dangerous cocktail of pesticides and chemicals, the Punjab government has decided to make cancer registry mandatory in the state. New Delhi Times of India, India, 20 May 2008.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Chandigarh/Cancer_registry_mandatory_in_state/articleshow/3055085.cms
Feds punish 3 companies for chemical-tainted water supply. Motorola and two other companies will pay a half-million-dollar penalty for two recent incidents in which a groundwater contaminant [TCE] was released into the drinking supply. Phoenix Arizona Republic, Arizona, 20 May 2008.
http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2008/05/20/20080520epa0520.html
[Editor's note: see a related article about TCE's effects at http://www.pressconnects.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080516/NEWS01/805160370/1001 ]
Asthma link to pregnancy stress. Researchers found higher levels of a chemical linked to allergy in the blood of children of stressed mothers. BBC, UK, 19 May 2008.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7404391.stm
DNA damage 'caused by pesticides.' New research in India suggests exposure to pesticides could have damaged the DNA of people in farming communities, leading to higher rates of cancer. BBC, UK, 19 May 2008.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7407707.stm
Radon can be a problem anytime, anywhere; experts urge testing. Radon, a radioactive, cancer-causing gas, may not be the first thing on homeowners' minds, but experts urge testing for and being wary of it — particularly in New Hampshire and Maine. Foster's Daily Democrat, New Hampshire, 18 May 2008.
http://www.citizen.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080518/GJNEWS_01/241265233/-1/CITNEWS
Local study looks at nutritional, social, environmental and other factors that can affect young children's early years. Investigators expect this new project will leave them with a better grasp of why some Mid-South babies born to healthy mothers thrive while others die early or quickly fall behind peers. Memphis Commercial Appeal, Tennessee, 18 May 2008.
http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2008/may/18/good-intentions/
Epic genetics. A new field linking genes and environment may chart the way for solving some of the mysteries shrouding mental illness. Science News, 17 May 2008.
http://www.sciencenews.org/view/feature/id/31949/title/Epic_Genetics
Effective chemicals may be lost. Scientists say they are worried about new EU proposals which could drastically restrict the number of pesticides available to farmers. BBC, UK, 17 May 2008.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7405606.stm
Living green in the living room. The road to green living runs directly through your living room. Seattle Times, Washington, 17 May 2008.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/ecoconsumer/2004419961_ecoconsumer17.html
Illinois: schools make switch to 'green' cleaners. There was a time when custodians at Lockport Township High School pushed cleaning cars packed with an array of spray bottles, spritzers and aerosol cans. Today, they use just four spray bottles, filled with cleaners low on irritating chemicals and safer for students, staff and the environment. Associated Press, 17 May 2008.
http://www.thonline.com/article.cfm?id=201940
Ottawa prepared to slap toxic label on widely used chemicals. The federal government announced Friday it intends to slap a toxic label on a bunch of chemicals used in everyday products from chewing gum to cosmetics as well as in silicone breast implants. CanWest News, Canada, 17 May 2008.
http://www.canada.com/topics/news/national/story.html?id=b0eeb176-6b3d-4a3e-bb18-29033eb044cc
Strong smells push action for nail care workers. Oregon government workers and nonprofit advocates have been trying to figure out what to do about nail salon air quality and hazardous waste -- and how to protect workers. Portland Oregonian, Oregon, 16 May 2008.
http://www.oregonlive.com/business/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/business/1210908317325480.xml&coll=7
Goodbye, girls. A relentless erosion of girlhood across the more affluent nations of the world — marked by earlier onset of puberty — is tripping alarm bells for researchers, environmentalists and parents. Portland Tribune, Oregon, 16 May 2008.
http://www.portlandtribune.com/sustainable/story.php?story_id=121078392475499700
Secondhand smoke causes structural changes to lungs. The researchers found almost one-third of the nonsmokers with high exposure to secondhand smoke had structural changes in their lungs similar to those found in smokers. Ivanhoe Broadcast News, 16 May 2008.
http://www.news8austin.com/content/headlines/?ArID=208822&SecID=2
Vitamin D deficiency linked to breast cancer, study finds. Patients with deficient levels at the time of diagnosis are more likely to have their cancer metastasize and turn deadly, researchers say. But experts caution against treating cancer with supplements. Los Angeles Times, California, 16 May 2008.
http://www.latimes.com/features/health/la-sci-breast16-2008may16,0,5708641.story
Insecticides in pet shampoo may trigger autism. Could insecticides in pet shampoos trigger autism spectrum disorders? That's the suggestion of one of the first large-scale population-based studies to look at how gene-environmental factor interactions contribute to the condition. New Scientist, England, 15 May 2008.
http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn13905-insecticides-in-pet-shampoo-may-trigger-autism.html?DCMP=ILC-hmts&nsref=news1_head_dn13905
Alarm at weed-kill chemical in water. Australian regulators have allowed a widely used weed killer to be present in drinking water at levels twice those now shown to cause damaging genetic changes in human cells. Sydney Australian, Australia, 15 May 2008.
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,23700909-30417,00.html
Study finds no evidence of risk in synthetic turf. A draft report conducted on behalf of the Bloomberg administration says that there is no scientific evidence that synthetic turf fields in New York pose major health hazards for people playing on them. New York Times, 15 May 2008.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/15/nyregion/15turf.html?_r=1&ref=nyregion&oref=slogin
Arthritis may be triggered by environmental factors. A number of environmental exposures, including trauma, are associated with the onset of inflammatory arthritis in patients with psoriasis, findings published in the Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases indicate. Reuters, 15 May 2008.
http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSCOL46810220080514
Premier issue of Environmental Justice published. Environmental Justice, a new quarterly peer-reviewed journal is the central forum for the research, debate and discussion of the equitable treatment and involvement of all people, especially minority and low-income populations, with respect to the development, implementation and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations and policies. The premier issue is available free online. Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., 14 May 2008.
http://www.liebertpub.com/env
The environmental results of the California Gold Rush. Some say the greatest legacy of California's rush for gold was in the toxins and environmental damage left in its wake -- a legacy that still hasn't been fully examined to this day. San Francisco KGO-TV, California, 14 May 2008.
http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news/assignment_7&id=6140594
Early C8 results suggest liver, immune impacts. Researchers credit C8 [also known as PFOA] for changes in liver and immune function, as well as higher cholesterol levels in children, according to a landmark health study. Charleston Gazette-Mail, West Virginia, 14 May 2008.
http://sundaygazettemail.com/News/200805080134
Wal-Mart raises bar on toy-safety standards. Wal-Mart has ordered its suppliers to meet a new set of children's-product safety requirements that include strict limits for lead and other chemicals linked to various medical and developmental problems in children. Wall Street Journal, 14 May 2008.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121072388800090155.html
Health findings renew push for fluoride in water. Tooth decay and oral diseases are so pervasive in Sonoma County, California children that supervisors want a renewed attempt to put fluoride in drinking water. Santa Rosa Press Democrat, California, 14 May 2008.
http://www1.pressdemocrat.com/article/20080514/NEWS/805140341
US court hears claim linking vaccines to autism. The parents of two 10-year-old boys who believe vaccines caused their sons to develop autism brought their case to U.S. federal court on Monday, arguing a mercury preservative in the shots caused a rare reaction. Reuters Health, 13 May 2008.
http://www.reutershealth.com/archive/2008/05/12/eline/links/20080512elin009.html
Concern grows over chemical in some food containers. Democrats in the U.S. Senate are proposing a ban of this controversial chemical from all products made for infants and children up to age 7. Springfield KY3 TV, Missouri, 13 May 2008.
http://www.ky3.com/news/local/18874154.html
Nanoparticles scrutinized for health effects. Some scientists are concerned that these seemingly magical materials are hitting the market before their effects on human health and the environment have been sufficiently studied. San Francisco Chronicle, California, 12 May 2008.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/05/11/BU4P10BB88.DTL
Being breast-fed may lower breast cancer risk. Adult women who were breast-fed as infants may have a lower risk of developing breast cancer than those who were not breast-fed, unless they were first-born, study findings suggest. Reuters Health, 12 May 2008.
http://www.reutershealth.com/archive/2008/05/09/eline/links/20080509elin001.html
Ugandan organic exporters in DDT scare. Barely three weeks since spraying of the controversial insecticide DDT to control malaria started in Uganda, the dispute between the government and exporters of organic products is re-emerging, this time over "irregularities" in the exercise. Nairobi East African, Kenya, 12 May 2008.
http://allafrica.com/stories/200805120093.html
Seeking sustainability. To read all the marketing hype, it would seem that the personal care products industry is rushing to label as natural, organic, or sustainable just about every new product coming onto the market. Chemical & Engineering News, 12 May 2008.
http://pubs.acs.org/cen/coverstory/86/8619cover.html
Lead's legacy. Thirty years have passed since the federal government banned the use of lead-based paint, but it continues to sicken children nationwide, particularly those who are poor and live in older cities. Columbus Dispatch, 11 May 2008.
http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2008/05/11/LEADED.ART_ART_05-11-08_A1_STA5K8A.html
A perfect storm. After 11 years studying bisphenol A and sounding the alarm about its potential health risks, University of Missouri Professor Frederick vom Saal's warnings are attracting national attention. Columbia Tribune, Missouri, 11 May 2008.
http://www.columbiatribune.com/2008/May/20080510Busi002.asp
Energy drinks make caffeine the drug of choice among California youth. In the past 12 months, the California Poison Control System has handled 26 calls about dangerous reactions to energy drinks in kids, most of them ages 14 and 15. Sacramento Bee, California, 11 May 2008.
http://www.sacbee.com/health/story/929044.html
Ship pollution dirties New England air. The air quality near ocean waters isn't nearly as healthy as New Englanders might think. In fact, it can be downright harmful, which raises concerns about ship pollution. Boston WBZ TV, Massachusetts, 10 May 2008.
http://wbztv.com/local/project.mass.ship.2.720615.html
DEP upgrades clean air standards. Stricter national standards for what is considered an "unhealthy air day" may send more state residents inside this summer. Bridgeport Connecticut Post, Connecticut, 10 May 2008.
http://www.connpost.com/localnews/ci_9213395
Legislators revisit ban on dry cleaners' solvent. Lawmakers are wading into a dispute between environmental regulators and dry cleaners over a proposed ban of a commonly used cleaning chemical [perchloroethylene]. Bergen County Record, New Jersey, 10 May 2008.
http://www.northjersey.com/environment/environmentnews/NJ_revisits_ban_on_cleaning_solvent.html
World's native peoples take on climate change. Indigenous peoples, who often live at the bottom of the economic ladder, are also those most at risk from climate change. Now they're making their voices heard at the United Nations. Living On Earth, 10 May 2008.
http://www.loe.org/shows/segments.htm?programID=08-P13-00019&segmentID=4
Contamination is linked to dust from TV sets. The dust that coats your television sets may finally answer why virtually every American tested has traces of a chemical flame retardant that may be harmful [PBDEs]. Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Texas, 10 May 2008.
http://www.star-telegram.com/national_news/story/634833.html
More problems with plastics. Human exposure to hormone-disrupting synthetic chemicals [phthalates], which can leach from a slew of consumer products, is continuous and widespread. US News & World Report, 9 May 2008.
http://health.usnews.com/articles/health/2008/05/07/more-problems-with-plastics.html
Firefighters show higher risks of certain cancers. A new study suggests that firefighters face higher-than-average risks of several types of cancer, adding to evidence that the job carries hazards beyond the fires themselves. Reuters Health, 9 May 2008.
http://www.canada.com/windsorstar/story.html?id=48eee572-0b15-4116-852d-28b2a596ad0c
Alcohol a top cause of cancer: Report. NSW Assistant Health Minister Verity Firth stated the alarming links to cancer have been generally ignored in community debate over alcohol consumption. Australian Associated Press, 9 May 2008.
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,23664398-23289,00.html
Additive payments may grow. Major oil companies' multimillion-dollar payment to 153 public water systems to cleanse wells of a potentially carcinogenic gasoline additive [MBTE] could grow if more tainted wells are discovered over the next 30 years. Associated Press, 9 May 2008.
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/headline/biz/5766225.html
Cosmetic chemicals. Have you ever wondered what all cosmetics are made of? The owner of an organic cosmetic company said it is embalming fluid. Fragrance breaks down and metabolizes on skin into formaldehyde. NBC30, Connecticut, 8 May 2008.
http://www.nbc30.com/news/16193529/detail.html
Mexx recalls leaded items. Montreal-based Mexx Canada yesterday recalled children's jewelry and purses because of illegal and dangerous levels of lead. CanWest News, Canada, 8 May 2008.
http://www.canada.com/theprovince/news/story.html?id=d7516afc-dc74-46fa-87f5-65f01aafa51b
Drink tap water, not bottled, city urges. Forget bottled water or Nalgene. City officials and grass-roots activists urged people Wednesday to turn to Seattle's drinking water and safe, reusable containers. Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Washington, 8 May 2008.
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/362153_seattlewater08.html
National Research Council: Ozone kills. A new report by the National Research Council finds that short-term exposure to ozone is linked to premature death, even at ozone levels currently found in many areas. Environmental Science & Technology, 8 May 2008.
http://pubs.acs.org/subscribe/journals/esthag-w/2008/may/science/ee_ozone.html
Judge tells EPA to get moving on carbon monoxide safety. The Bush administration has violated legal deadlines for updating the nation's clean-air standards on carbon monoxide, a federal judge in San Francisco has ruled. San Francisco Chronicle, California, 8 May 2008.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/05/07/BAJR10I1HQ.DTL
Abuse may trigger gene changes found in suicide victims. Early child abuse may forever change the way genes are expressed in the brain, suggests a postmortem study of people who died by suicide. New Scientist, England, 7 May 2008.
http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn13844-abuse-may-trigger-gene-changes-found-in-suicide-victims.html?DCMP=ILC-hmts&nsref=news5_head_dn13844
Legislators look to ban school bus idling on all school grounds. New York has the highest asthma rates in the country according to state health officials and legislators, which is why Assemblyman Peter Rivera (D) co-authored legislation last year to ban the idling of the state's 55,000 school buses while on school property. Albany Capital News 9, New York, 7 May 2008.
http://capitalnews9.com/content/headlines/115561/legislators-look-to-ban-school-bus-idling-on-all-school-grounds/Default.aspx
New health warning issued for baby furniture. There is a new warning for parents that some baby furniture could be toxic because it contains formaldehyde, which can pollute the air in your baby's nursery. San Francisco KGO-TV, California, 7 May 2008.
http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news/health&id=6125510
Giving up smoking has rapid health benefits, says study. People who give up smoking begin to improve their health almost immediately. Within five years the risk of death from all causes fell by 13%, it found. By 20 years, people had no extra risk of death because of their past smoking history. London Guardian, England, 7 May 2008.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2008/may/07/medicalresearch.health
