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Coordinated nationally by the Institute for Children's Environmental Health |
To join the Partnership for Children's Health and the Environment (PCHE) and receive this bulletin, please complete the form at http://www.partnersforchildren.org/members.html#member.
For more information about these events or to access additional events, please visit our searchable calendar of events at http://www.partnersforchildren.org/conferences.html.
June 7, 2007
8:00 a.m. - noon
Salt Lake City, Utah
at the Utah Department of Health, 288 N. 1460 West, Room #125
This workshop is for nurses, pharmacists, respiratory therapists, industrial hygienists, health educators, students and other health professionals. Presentations include 1) Genomics, hype or hope? 2) Pharmacogenomics and asthma, 3) Family health history and asthma and 4) Ethical, legal and social case scenarios (Newborn screening and Employment). Call-in and video-conferencing is available in some areas. Call 801-538-6141 to check availability.
Website: http://health.utah.gov/asthma/genomicsworkshop.html
Contact: Libbey Chuy, 801-538-6441 or lchuy@utah.gov
June 7 - 9, 2007
Ann Arbor, Michigan
at the University of Michigan's School of Natural Resources and Environment
The issues of diversity and environmental justice are very salient in today's society. This two-part conference that will explore research related to 1) diversity in academia (particularly environmental programs) as well as other kinds of environmental institutions and 2) domestic and international environmental justice research. While environmental justice researchers present their findings at numerous venues in any given year, a gathering of this sort is unique in that it offers an opportunity for researchers in the field to gather in one place to assess the past, present and future of the research; map out strategies; initiate collaborative efforts; network; and identify and nurture the future generation of scholars.
Website: http://sitemaker.umich.edu/diversityejresearchsymposium/conference_announcement
Contact: Latonia Payne, paynel@umich.edu
June 10 - 12, 2007
Vienna, Austria
at the Medical University of Vienna, Schwarzspanierstrasse 17
This cross-sectional conference is intended for health professionals, scientists (clinical, environmental epidemiological and community-oriented) and policy makers who have a special interest in children's environmental health, as well as leaders from the private sector, nongovernmental organizations and community organizations, and all levels of government. Topic include air pollution, nanotechnology, training health care providers, cancer, indoor air, children's environmental health indicators, fetal and embryological origin of diseases, pesticides, neurodevelopmental disorders, climate change and children, toxic metals, lead, children and physical hazards, and others. The official language of the conference is English.
Website: http://www.inchesnetwork.net/conference.html
June 10-15, 2007
Vancouver, British Columbia Canada
at the Vancouver Convention and Exhibition Centre
The conference title is "Health Promotion Comes of Age: Research, Policy & Practice for the 21st Century." The overall mission of the conference is to review and critically reassess health promotion's progress since the Ottawa Charter and to help set the course for navigating through the new challenges facing health promotion in an increasingly globalized world. By linking policy, practice and research, Canada 2007 will enhance partnerships and intersectoral collaborations for health promotion. Canada 2007 will be an international venture that will take into account the needs and concerns of health promotion at a global level and encourage members to come from all corners of the world to celebrate the renewal of the Ottawa Charter. Conference themes are reducing health inequities, assets for health and development, enabling system transformations, and assessing the effectiveness of health promotion. The conference is approved for 24 prescribed American Association for Family Physicians credits / 1.5 elective credits and Category I continuing education contact hours in health education.
Website: http://iuhpeconference.org/en/index.htm
Contact: Valarie Bodnarchuck, 250-472-5385 or canada2007@iuhpeconference.org
June 12, 2007
2:00 - 3:00 p.m. EDT
Chemicals in commerce include pharmaceuticals, pesticides and a large number of industrial chemicals used in consumer products and for other purposes. Each of these large categories of chemicals is regulated by a governmental agency under the authority granted by specific pieces of legislation. Most nonpesticidal industrial chemicals are regulated by the US EPA under the authority as outlined in the 1976 Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). Unfortunately, as interpreted and implemented, TSCA has not been adequate to protect public health and the environment, especially for chemicals that have long been in use and that were grandfathered in when TSCA was adopted. The good news is that state and local governments are stepping up to the challenge presented by a system that is not effectively protecting our children's health and development. Several state-based coalitions composed of health, environmental, business and labor leaders are moving forward with practical policy solutions. These solutions are focused around reducing threats, promoting safer alternatives and creating new economic development opportunities. There are also personal and clinical resources to help individuals make informed decisions in their own lives. Speakers will be Ted Schettler MD, MPH, and Sarah Doll.
Website: http://www.ehinitiative.org/Projects/tele_con.htm
Contact: Laura Abulafia, Laura@aaidd.org
June 19, 2007
10:00 a.m. PDT / 1:00 p.m. EDT
On this call we will discuss the recent scientific reviews of emerging research on environmental links to breast cancer, published in Cancer, a journal of the American Cancer Society. The reviews cover human studies related to environmental pollutants and other factors such as diet and physical activity. The project also compiled information about chemicals shown to cause mammary gland tumors in animal studies. The three review articles and two commentaries are supported by two publicly accessible online databases that include bibliographic information, key methods and findings, and critical assessments of the strength of the evidence. The databases contain reviews of approximately 450 articles reporting on human breast cancer studies and information on 216 chemicals identified as mammary carcinogens in animal studies. The databases and individual articles are available at http://sciencereview.silentspring.org/index.cfm. This work was conducted by Silent Spring Institute with researchers from Harvard University, Roswell Park Cancer Institute and the University of Southern California. It was supported by Susan G. Komen for the Cure. Joining us to discuss the published articles and the databases will be two of authors of the reviews -- Julia Brody, PhD, executive director of the Silent Spring Institute; and Ruthann Rudel, MS, senior scientist at Silent Spring. Michael Lerner, president of Commonweal and co-founding CHE Partner, will be moderating this hour-long call.
Website: http://www.healthandenvironment.org/articles/partnership_calls/1396
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 http://www.partnersforchildren.org/members.html.
Chemical Watch is a news organization with a mission to help businesses tackle their responsibilities under chemicals legislation. It is an independent service that will cover a broad agenda related to chemicals in products and supply chains, including REACH implementation, emerging science, corporate responses, NGO campaigns etc. They keep abreast of policy and legislation across the 27 EU member states, corporate initiatives such as product stewardship and supply chain management, and the implications of NGO campaigns. ChemicalWatch publishes news releases on their website at http://chemicalwatch.com/index.html, plus they send email alerts to those who sign up for the service. They will be publishing a Guide to Chemicals Management After REACH.
by Shawn Charniga, Troy [New York] Record
June 5, 2007
http://www.troyrecord.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=18426143&BRD=1170&PAG=461&dept_id=7021&rfi=6
Article Summary: During the last four years as a plan took shape to dredge the Hudson River and remove PCB-laden sediment on the river bottom, local officials say they were adamant on one point -- GE and the government must provide an alternative source of drinking water for the communities that get their drinking water from the river during the project set to start in 2009. These communities draw their water from the river, and the water is filtered and treated before it's pumped into the pipes that bring it to homes, businesses and schools. However, filtering river water is no guarantee PCBs will be removed and water will be rendered safe to drink, officials say. Last month, the government decided the river towns would just have to rely on their filtration plants, and GE won't pay to build a new line to bring more water in from Troy, local officials said. The state Department of Environmental Conservation admitted last month it won't be possible to predict how much PCBs will be in the water once sediment contaminated with the chemical is disturbed, the supervisor said, and even the best filtration techniques will only remove about 80 percent of the chemical. General Electric dumped the PCBs in the river decades ago and is subject to a court order to clean them up.
by Karen Dorn Steele, Spokane Spokesman-Review
June 5, 2007
http://www.spokesmanreview.com/local/story.asp?ID=193203
A high-stakes legal battle over a century of smelter contamination dumped into the Columbia River by a Canadian mining and smelting giant may be decided by the U.S. Supreme Court. The court issued an order Monday inviting U.S. Solicitor General Paul Clement -- the lead lawyer for the Bush administration -- to file an amicus brief on behalf of one or more of the parties in the complex case.
Article Summary: Teck Cominco's large lead and zinc smelter is 10 miles north of the border in Trail, BC. The smelter has contaminated the Columbia with heavy metals and black smelter slag, which covers some beaches near Northport. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency considers the smelter a major source of historic river pollution. Teck Cominco stopped discharging slag to the river in 1994 after a series of Canadian studies showed it was toxic to fish and aquatic life and British Columbia regulators ordered a halt to the dumping. This week's Supreme Court order doesn't necessarily mean the justices have agreed to accept the case, said Mary Sue Wilson, a senior Washington state assistant attorney general in Olympia. Washington state is opposing Supreme Court review because a lower court has already ruled the company is responsible for the cleanup under strict U.S. Superfund laws. The litigation against Teck Cominco was brought by Colville tribal members Joe Pakootas and D.R. Michel under the "citizen suit" provisions of federal Superfund law. The suit was an effort to force the company to pay for a major environmental cleanup of Lake Roosevelt, the 150-mile impoundment of the Columbia behind Grand Coulee Dam. Lawyers for Vancouver, B.C.-based Teck Cominco claim in court documents that the company is not subject to Superfund, the U.S. law governing toxic waste cleanups, because it is based in another country and never "arranged" for the waste to end up in the United States.
by Tyrone S. Reid, Jamaica Observer
June 4, 2007
http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/html/20070603T190000-0500_123870_OBS_DON_T_POISON_THEIR_MINDS_OR_BODIES_.asp
CHILDREN'S Advocate Mary Clarke has appealed to Jamaicans to properly store and dispose of chemicals and other harmful substances so as to keep the nation's children safe from the risk of poisoning.
Article Summary: "It is very important to ensure that our environment is safe for our children at all times. We have to ensure that things such as insecticides, other household chemicals, medicines and other pharmaceuticals are properly locked away," Clarke said. In addition to public education, the children's advocate said, "we have to encourage those who produce pharmaceuticals and medication to ensure that these items are properly labeled because accidents happen in the household and you can't be too careful." She also emphasized the importance of labeling plants in the home, noting that many popular plants found in Jamaica contained harmful poisons. Clarke also called on mechanics and garage operators to bear the children in mind when they dispose of used batteries, noting that incidents of lead poisoning in children was not uncommon in present-day Jamaica.
by Serena Gordon, Canadian Press, CBC News
June 4, 2007
http://www.cbc.ca/cp/HealthScout/070604/6060417AU.html
Article Summary: A new European study has found that infants who were regularly exposed to the chlorinated air of indoor swimming pools were more at risk for developing asthma than were infants who didn't swim indoors. The researchers found that children who went swimming indoors as infants were 50 percent more likely to report wheezing, almost four times as likely to experience chest tightness, and had more than double the risk of experiencing shortness of breath, compared to the children who hadn't been regular swimmers as infants. The study also found that exposure to passive smoke alone didn't seem to increase a child's risk of asthma, but when coupled with indoor swimming, the risk of developing lung problems was even higher. The study authors suggest that the risk might be higher because exposure to chemicals, such as chlorine, may alter the lining of the lungs, predisposing youngsters to airway disease. Alfred Bernard, the research director of the National Fund for Scientific Research in Belgium, said that parents and pool managers should be aware that chlorine-based disinfectants can be used safely only if their levels are maintained in an optimal range which allows the chlorine to minimize infections without increasing the risk of toxicity. He added, "Another cautious attitude for babies is not to leave them too much time in the water." He also recommended that kids should swim no more than 20 minutes and that parents should discourage infants and young children from drinking pool water.
from Reuters, Brisbane Times
June 4, 2007
http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/news/health/smoking-might-kill-your-little-buddies/2007/06/04/1180809390780.html
Here's one more reason not to smoke -- smoking may damage sperm, passing along genetic damage to a man's children, Canadian researchers report. A study in mice shows that cigarette smoke caused changes in the DNA of sperm cells, the researchers said in this week's issue of the journal Cancer Research. Such mutations, know as germline mutations, are known to be permanent.
Article Summary: Researchers studied the stem cells that produce sperm in mice exposed to cigarette smoke for either six or 12 weeks. All male mammals continuously produce sperm. They found 1.7 times as many DNA mutations in the cells of the smoke-exposed mice as in those of the unexposed mice after 12 weeks, and 1.4 times as many mutations after six weeks.
from the Associated Press, CBS13
June 4, 2007
http://cbs13.com/health/health_story_156005820.html
Science has spoken when it comes to the theory that some childhood vaccines can cause autism. They don't, the Institute of Medicine concluded three years ago. Soon, it will be the courts turn to speak. More than 4,800 claims have been filed against the federal government during the past six years alleging that a child contracted autism as a result of a vaccine. The first test case from among those claims will be the subject of a hearing that was to begin next Monday in a little-known "People's Court" -- the U.S. Court of Federal Claims. A special master appointed by the court will hear the case.
Article Summary: The test case addresses the theory that the cause of autism is the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine in combination with other vaccines containing the preservative thimerosal. That preservative, which contains a form of mercury, is no longer in routine childhood vaccines. However, it is used in influenza vaccines. In July 1999, the U.S. government asked vaccine manufacturers to eliminate or reduce, as expeditiously as possible, the mercury content of their vaccines to avoid any possibility of infants who receive vaccines being exposed to more mercury than is recommended by federal guidelines. One of the parents who has filed a claim against the federal government and has great interest in the case is Scott Bono of Durham, N.C. He said that parents of children with autism have been marginalized, but they see specific outcomes in their children that are consistent with exposure to mercury. And those outcomes did not present themselves until after they received their vaccinations. Autism is characterized by impaired social interaction. Those affected often have trouble communicating, and they exhibit unusual or severely limited activities and interests. Meanwhile, classic symptoms of mercury poisoning include anxiety, fatigue and abnormal irritation, as well as cognitive and motor dysfunction.
Dr. Paul Offit is chief of the division of infectious diseases at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. He said epidemiological studies pick up minute, almost invisible differences in the populations that have received a vaccine versus those that have not. For example, a swine flu vaccine in the 1970s caused the sometimes paralyzing Guillain-Barre syndrome in 1 out of 100,000 cases, he said. But no such correlations have been found for autism, which affects about 1 out of 150 children, he said. Offit said mercury is part of the natural environment. There's no escaping it and, in fact, children will get more mercury from breast milk than they get from a vaccine. The report from the Institute of Medicine pointed to five large studies, here and abroad, that tracked thousands of children since 2001 and found no association between autism and vaccines containing the preservative thimerosal.
by Will van Sant, St. Petersburg [Florida] Times
June 4, 2007
http://www.sptimes.com/2007/06/04/Tampabay/Fluoride__a_longtime_.shtml
Article Summary: Few noticed in November when the American Dental Association alerted its members via e-mail of a possible problem with giving babies fluoridated water. The ADA, long among fluoride's biggest advocates, wrote that parents of infants younger than a year old "should consider using water that has no or low levels of fluoride" when mixing baby formula." The issue for the ADA and for babies is fluorosis, a condition caused by too much fluoride that damages the enamel of teeth. In its milder forms, fluorosis causes white specks or streaks to appear. More severe cases involve dark staining and pitting of tooth enamel, which can increase the likelihood of decay and infection. Both sides in the fluoride debate agree severe cases are rarely seen in those whose water is fluoridated at recommended levels. Mild fluorosis is more common and fluoride backers have argued for years that such cases are cosmetic and not harmful. Yet some scientists warn even mild to moderate cases may lead to more significant problems. The Environmental Protection Agency has established federal safety limits for fluoride that naturally occurs in drinking water -- 4 parts per million. The EPA asked the National Research Council to evaluate that limit, and in a report released in March 2006 the council found that the EPA limit is too high and associated with harmful dental effects and an increased risk of bone fractures. The report did not address the safety of treated water supplies, which have much lower concentrations. The report also concluded that additional research was warranted because of previous work that had suggested links between fluoride and lowered IQs in children and bone cancer. Studies done overseas have associated mild to moderate fluorosis with lower IQs, endocrine system problems and skeletal damage. The National Research Council also raised questions about the connection between baby formula reconstituted with fluoridated water and fluorosis. The major portion of the fluorosilic acid added to the nation's water supply comes as a byproduct of Florida's phosphate fertilizer industry.
by Janet Elliott, Houston Chronicle
June 4, 2007
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/headline/metro/4858484.html
Article Summary: While putting the onus on consumers to improve their state's environment, it has been business as usual for the industries that spew toxics into the air. Texas lawmakers significantly increased funding for programs to reduce vehicle emissions in urban areas that fail to meet federal air quality standards, but they declined to put a moratorium on new coal plants or require regulation of cancer-causing chemicals released into the air. Rep. Dwayne Bohac, R-Houston, said he was disappointed that the legislature didn't give state and local officials more power to regulate air quality. Other failed bills or amendments included those that would have required state regulators to hold public meetings to inform affected communities about areas on the agency's toxic watch list, that would interfere with successful statewide efforts to reduce air emissions and that would require the environmental agency to set standards for five toxic pollutants. On the other hand, a coalition of business and environmental groups was key to progress on energy efficiency and renewable energy. That bill would raise energy efficiency goals for electric utilities, and require municipally owned utilities like San Antonio's to participate in energy efficiency programs.
by Ken Kolker, Grand Rapids Press
June 3, 2007
http://www.mlive.com/news/grpress/index.ssf?/base/news-36/118085288536190.xml&coll=6&thispage=2
Article Summary: The Grand Rapids Lead Hazard Control program, also known as "Get the Lead Out," expects early this month to repair its 500th home -- less than three years after the program began. Through grants and loans, it is now on a pace to eliminate lead danger in 240 homes a year, program director Bill Butts said. Health officials say the program has helped reduce by two-thirds the number of children diagnosed with lead poisoning in Grand Rapids. The city, working with the Healthy Homes Coalition, the Kent County Health Department and other agencies, has spent more than $6 million on the program, including $4.2 million through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. More than 30,000 homes in Grand Rapids carry potential lead danger.
Lead paint was banned nearly 30 years ago, but homeowners and contractors can create an invisible hazard for children when they renovate homes. Nationally, about 310,000 children between the ages of 1 and 5 have blood lead levels greater than the amount recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Lead is especially dangerous for children under age 6 whose bodies are developing, said Kent County Health Department spokeswoman Amy Morris. It can lead to learning disabilities and behavior problems. At very high levels, it can cause seizures, coma or death.
by Jennifer Torres, Stockton [California] Record
June 3, 2007
http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070603/A_NEWS/706030323
Article Summary: The lead that recently poisoned a San Joaquin County girl did not come from her house's paint, public health nurse Gale Heinrich said. It came from her tea parties. The glaze in terra cotta pottery contained lead, which leached into the child's drinks. Now the small cup is part of an educational display in Heinrich's north Stockton office. It sits among candies, home remedies, mineral supplements, cosmetics, vinyl mini blinds -- all lead-tainted. Lead poisoning, especially among children, harms mental development. It takes a blood test to detect lead poisoning, and many children show no symptoms. In some cases, a poisoned toddler will have delayed speech, Heinrich said. A school-age child might seem aggressive or have trouble paying attention. Lead poisoning can be treated, but the harm it does to a child's brain can't be reversed.
by Douglas Fischer, Oakland Tribune
June 3, 2007
http://www.insidebayarea.com/oaklandtribune/localnews/ci_6051904
Article Summary: Flame retardants can be found everywhere: the dust under your couch, the foam in your couch, in your television, your blood, even breast milk. Some evidence suggests children are more contaminated than their parents. More than 56,000 tons were infused into consumer goods worldwide last year, chiefly TV sets. They represent an amazing spectrum of chemistry -- more than 300 compounds, with at least 70 available commercially. One of the most widely used is generating the most heat, with attempts to ban it in various stages of development in California, Illinois, Maine, Washington and Europe. Known as "Deca," it is a close cousin to PCBs and the only one of the flame retardants known as PBDEs, or polybrominated diphenyl ethers, still on the market. Two other PBDEs, "Octa" and "Penta", have been banned in Europe and several states after scientists concluded both compounds were bioaccumulative and toxic. Deca was once thought to be environmentally stable and not readily absorbed but now appears to be both quick to degrade and readily available. There's a lot of evidence that Deca quickly breaks down in the body and the environment to smaller, more toxic compounds -- such as Octa, said Heather Stapleton, an assistant professor at Duke University's Nicholas School of the Environment and Earth Sciences.
Industry groups note that the chemical is astoundingly effective at stopping a very real risk -- fire -- in plastics. Manufacturers don't need much Deca to protect products; plastics with Deca can be readily recycled, unlike those with other additives; the amounts contaminating humans remains, so far, fairly minuscule; and much less is known about alternative flame retardants. The industry maintains that the chemical is largely inert.
by Aimee Cunningham, Science News
June 2, 2007
http://www.sciencenews.org/articles/20070602/fob5.asp
Article Summary: Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) shows up widely in people's blood, although the primary route by which PFOA gets into people has been unknown. PFOA, used to manufacture nonstick cookware and rain gear, turns up in blood samples worldwide, reaching concentrations of 30 nanograms per milliliter or more. The chemical doesn't degrade, and people excrete it slowly. Environmental chemists Scott A. Mabury and Jessica C. D'eon of the University of Toronto tested a pathway that begins with related chemicals called polyfluoroalkyl phosphate surfactants (PAPS), substances used to coat oil- and water-repellent food wrappers. Mabury and D'eon have shown that, in rats, not only can the body absorb PAPS, but the chemicals degrade into PFOA, a potentially toxic compound. If PFOA is in people's blood because they make it inside their bodies, says Mabury, then the behavior of the intermediate chemicals in this exposure pathway becomes important as well. Some of these intermediates "have the potential to be far more toxic than PFOA," he says.
by Corinne Purtill, Arizona Republic
June 2, 2007
http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/news/articles/0602indoor-air0602.html
Article Summary: The air inside your home can be two to five times as polluted as the air outside, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. And since people spend as much as 90 percent of their time indoors, the quality of the air can make a big difference in quality of life. Chemicals leached off painted walls and furniture, fumes from cleaning products, mold and noxious gases seeping in from the outdoors are some of the air contaminants that can find their way into your home. Pollutants don't disperse and dilute in a sealed home as they would outdoors. Poor indoor air quality can have a variety of health effects. Asthma, allergies, respiratory problems and heart conditions can be aggravated. Chemicals can irritate eyes and throats. Extreme cases of radon or carbon monoxide contamination can lead to lung cancers and premature death. Indoor air pollution affects the same people affected by outdoor pollution: children, the elderly and people with existing respiratory problems. Severe cases can trouble even healthy adults. Because people spend so much time indoors, and because there's less space for pollutants to dilute, the risk of inhaling some contaminants can be up to 1,000 times higher indoors than outside, according to a 2005 report from the California Air Resources Board on indoor air quality. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has standards for indoor air quality in workplaces. The state Department of Health Services works with EPA to improve indoor air quality in schools. But regulating household air quality is the responsibility of the homeowner.
by David A. Fahrenthold, Washington Post
June 2, 2007
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/06/01/AR2007060102332.html
Smoggy, sooty, unhealthy air returned to settle over the Washington area this week, setting off Code Orange pollution alerts and signaling that -- even after decades of cleanup efforts -- summertime here can still mean irritants in every breath.
Article Summary: The region's air is far cleaner than it was in the 1980s and 1990s. But -- as this stifling week showed -- the pollution can still be so serious it violates federal standards and threatens those in poor health. The Code Orange designation means that children, people in poor health and those with respiratory problems should limit their time outside. A Code Red designation indicates the air is considered a health risk to the general public. Ozone-laden smog and fine particles are among the worrisome contaminants in polluted air. Smog does not come directly from tailpipes and smokestacks but forms when compounds in those emissions are transformed by heat and sunlight. Even in small concentrations, ozone has been found to cause inflammation in the lungs and worsen such conditions as asthma. "Fine particles" -- bits of pollution often come from cars or power plants running on fossil fuels -- are often soot: little, unconsumed pieces of something that was burned. The particles are so small they can bypass natural barriers in the nose and lungs. Once there, scientists say, the particles might aggravate breathing problems or heart conditions.
Officials say they have made major progress in cleaning the region's air. In the past decade, they said, new government policies have decreased the amount of sulfur, a major contributor to smog, in gasoline. They have required cleaner-running engines in cars and trucks and cleaner emissions from power plants in the eastern United States. Locally, city and county governments have promised to buy more of their power from wind and retrofit buses to run cleaner. Officials say that to reduce pollution further, residents will also have to change their habits.
by Paula Tracy, New Hampshire Union Leader
June 1, 2007
http://www.unionleader.com/article.aspx?headline=Parents+urged+to+%27Leave+No+Child+Inside%27&articleId=cdedecb6-e500-4d58-a95b-e237cb1a1fef
MANCHESTER -- The state is raising a generation of sedentary, overweight children who need to get close to nature in order to reverse the trend, state leaders were warned yesterday. More than 100 educators, environmental leaders, the medical community, insurers and landscapers were challenged yesterday to come up with an effective strategy to "Leave No Child Inside."
Article Summary: New Hampshire's first lady Dr. Susan Lynch said Kids are less active than the previous generation and are choosing video games and instant messaging over building forts and catching bugs in a jar. Meanwhile, parents are too busy working to get outside with their kids. Lynch challenged the group to help come up with ideas to encourage outdoor use to promote more healthy lifestyles and connect to nature. Participants said part of the problem is that media portrays woods as dangerous, schools are reducing recess and keeping children inside on cold days, and neighborhoods are being built with small backyards and little access to fields, forests and ponds. National statistics show bike riding is down 31 percent since 1995 and in a typical week, only 6 percent of children aged 9 to 13 play outside on their own. Dr. Cheryl Charles, president of the national Children and Nature Network, said while she would not write off any particular age group, the target is for engaging children in nature is aged 4 to 12. This will help reduce lifelong health problems, increase creativity and help stress reduction.
by Janet Wilson, Los Angeles Times
June 1, 2007
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-fireplace1jun01,0,4747412.story
Article Summary: As part of air pollution plans designed to meet federal deadlines, South Coast Air Quality Management District officials have proposed a ban on wood-burning fireplaces in all new homes in Los Angeles, Orange and portions of Riverside and San Bernardino counties. In addition, on winter days when pollution spikes, wood-fueled blazes in all fireplaces would be banned in highly affected areas. That could amount to about 20 days a year, district officials said. Regulators say that with an estimated 5,400 premature deaths attributable to soot each year in the region, no source is too small to target. Numerous studies have shown that the fine particulate matter in soot sinks deep into the lungs, causing serious health problems. Air district staffers say a daily reduction of 192 tons of nitrogen oxides, an ingredient in harmful particulate pollution, is needed across the region to meet the Clean Air Act requirements, and that 7 tons of that could come from restrictions on fireplaces. Air pollution regulations on fireplaces have been adopted in an estimated 50 counties, air districts or cities across the West, particularly in colder areas, said John Crouch of the Hearth, Patio and Barbecue Association. But critics, including homebuilders and real estate agents, say the regulations could hurt sales by robbing homes of one of their most enjoyable features. Environmentalist Tim Carmichael, who heads the Coalition for Clean Air, said that while it was important to take every step possible to clean the region's air -- still the most polluted in the nation -- it would be difficult if not impossible to enforce any sort of ban on wintertime fires. The fireplace rules are one piece of a plan also designed to reduce soot from diesel engines and ozone smog. Reducing paint thinner emissions and gas station and refinery leaks is also part of the host of proposed measures.
by Sarah Jimenez, Fresno Bee
June 1, 2007
http://www.fresnobee.com/local/sv/story/51096.html
TULARE -- In an effort to prevent pesticide drift incidents, state regulators are proposing new permit conditions on two fumigants known to cause eye and respiratory irritation. But farmers, farmworkers and pesticide reform activists said those recommendations aren't the answer during a Wednesday night workshop in Tulare.
Article Summary: The measures would add further controls on the use of metam-sodium and metam-potassium, used on tomatoes and a variety of vegetable crops, including carrots, potatoes and peppers. The pesticides -- used before crops are planted -- break down into a volatile gas that can cause eye and respiratory irritation, according to the state Department of Pesticide Regulation. Farmers said they comply with current standards and are doing their best to prevent drifts, claiming the proposed conditions would make treating their crops difficult. Farmworkers and activists questioned how the permit conditions would be enforced because they don't believe current standards are followed. Some called for a ban on fumigants. Public comments on the measures will be taken until June 30th.
by Bob Weinhold, Environmental Health Perspectives
June 2007
http://www.ehponline.org/members/2007/115-6/focus.html
Article Summary: Amid publicity about mold and its links to severe illness, the issue of mold contamination has drawn the national and international attention. As recently as 25 years ago, inhaled mold was considered primarily a nuisance, not a serious health threat. But the growing scientific and medical evidence suggests the threat is widespread and, for some people, quite serious. In the 9 June 2006 report Mold Prevention Strategies and Possible Health Effects in the Aftermath of Hurricanes and Major Floods, the CDC concluded that "excessive exposure to mold-contaminated materials can cause adverse health effects in susceptible persons regardless of the type of mold or the extent of contamination." But many of the puzzle pieces -- exactly who is vulnerable, to what extent, and under what conditions -- are still missing. The vast information gaps that remain continue to feed significant controversy in the legal, insurance, political, scientific, medical, public health, and building design, construction, management, and maintenance arenas. Molds must have some source of water and food to grow. Problems with mold can surface anywhere in the world after just one or two days of moisture exposure. The same conditions that give rise to mold growth also support many bacteria, and many components and emissions from these fungi and bacteria are known or suspected to harm human health. Mycotoxins have often been the main point of contention in recent insurance claims and lawsuits over suspected harm from moldy buildings. Mycotoxins can elicit responses in almost anyone they come in contact with. The health effects are worrisome, and infants, at least, should be removed from suspect settings.
After reviewing the evidence available by 2004, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) concluded there are moderately strong or at least limited links between damp indoor spaces and a handful of health problems, such as asthma, cough, wheeze, hypersensitivity pneumonitis, and a range of other upper and lower respiratory problems. Other health problems under suspicion include headache, memory loss, nausea, diarrhea, diabetes, fatigue, and fever, although rigorous studies have not been conducted to show the connections. A June 2007 assessment determined that 21% of current U.S. asthma cases may be attributable to dampness and mold in homes, with schools, offices, and institutional buildings playing a similar unhealthy role. In 2006 the American Institute of Architects (AIA) emphasized that design details are critical in preventing mold problems. Another critical area requiring attention is the very limited repertoire of effective medical treatments to prevent illness or treat people experiencing certain ill effects such as allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis and acute idiopathic pulmonary hemorrhage, says Lynnette Mazur, a professor of pediatrics at the University of Texas Medical School at Houston.
by Lucy Ward, London Guardian
May 31, 2007
http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/story/0,,2091839,00.html
Stress experienced by a woman during pregnancy may affect her unborn baby as early as 17 weeks after conception, with potentially harmful effects on brain and development, according to new research. The study is the first to show that unborn babies are exposed to their mother's stress hormones at such an early stage in pregnancy. The findings, published in the journal Clinical Endocrinology, come after separate research on animals showed that high levels of stress in a mother during pregnancy could affect brain function and behaviour in her offspring, and other evidence suggesting that maternal stress in humans can affect the developing child, including lowering its IQ. However, the way this happens and the implications for the unborn child, both before and after birth, are still not fully understood and further research is needed, the latest study's authors said.
Article Summary: The research shows that the fetus is exposed to cortisol in the maternal blood, and that at and above 17 weeks, the stress hormone cortisol in amniotic fluid had a strong positive relationship with cortisol in maternal blood. The study authors did not wish to "unduly worry pregnant women", but highlighted the need to lead a "healthy, balanced lifestyle" to avoid general stress. An earlier study, published in January and led by Prof Glover, measured the intelligence of more than 100 babies and toddlers whose mothers had suffered unusually high stress in pregnancy. It found their IQ was generally about 10 points below average, and that many had higher than average levels of anxiety and attention deficit problems. Relationship problems with a partner were the most frequent cause of stress for pregnant women, the research revealed. The findings, the latest to focus on the impact of the environment in the womb on later development, come days after the government changed its advice to pregnant women and those trying to conceive, warning them to abstain from drinking alcohol. Previous guidelines had said they could drink up to two small glasses of wine a week.
by Susanne Rust, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
May 31, 2007
http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=613388
Copenhagen, Denmark -- Are a group of modern chemicals present in everyday household products behind increasing rates of breast and testicular cancer, male infertility, diabetes and even obesity? As new regulations on the chemicals, known as endocrine disrupters, go into effect in the European Union today, select scientists from around the globe met to share their research and growing concerns. Some of the chemicals -- found in plastic containers, dental sealants, soda and soup can linings, carpets, paints and pesticides -- remain virtually unregulated in the United States. Europe's new rules require that industries that manufacture or import more than about 2,200 pounds per year of any given chemical will have to provide a risk assessment of that substance. In 2006, the European Union adopted a chemical regulation program called REACH -- Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals. The program puts the burden of risk management onto industry, and away from regulators. All chemicals will be registered in a central database, overseen by the EU's Chemical Agency. Over a period of 11 years, more than 30,000 chemical substances will be registered.
Article Summary: Of the 30,000 chemicals required for registration, more than 90 percent of them have no data, according to Andreas Kortenkamp, a researcher at the School of Pharmacy at the University of London. Mike Walls, managing director at the Virginia-based American Chemistry Council, called REACH "a very complex and complicated system," and one that is untested. Walls said the U.S. already has the Toxic Substances Control Act enforced by the Environmental Protection Agency, and added, "we think that's working very well." Frederick vom Saal, an endocrinologist at the University of Missouri, expressed concern about REACH for another reason: its reliance on corporations and industry. In a study published in 2005, vom Saal showed that 100% of studies conducted by industry on the safety of bisphenol A, which is an additive in polycarbonate plastics, showed that the chemical was safe, while not one independent government or academic study has come to the conclusion that the chemical is safe, according to vom Saal. This week's workshop in Denmark brought together more than 150 top researchers in the field and focused on new research exploring these chemicals.
[Editor's note: See a related article at http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/06/01/europe/EU-GEN-EU-Chemicals.php.]
by Margie Mason, Associated Press, Newsday
May 31, 2007
http://www.newsday.com/news/health/ats-ap_health11may30,0,3040038.story?coll=ny-leadhealthnews-headlines
SINGAPORE -- Asia is bracing for a dramatic surge in cancer rates over the next decade as people in the developing world live longer and adopt bad Western habits that greatly increase the risk of the disease. Smoking, drinking and eating unhealthy foods -- all linked to various cancers -- will combine with larger populations and fewer deaths from infectious diseases to drive Asian cancer rates up 60 percent by 2020, some experts predict. But unlike in wealthy countries where the world's top medical care is found, there will likely be no prevention or treatment for many living in poor countries.
Article Summary: An estimated 40 percent of cancers worldwide can be prevented by exercise, eating healthy foods and not using tobacco, according to the World Health Organization. But more people in Asia are moving into cities and becoming overweight and obese from inactivity. They are replacing fruits and vegetables with fatty meals full of meat and salt, which is leading to increases in stomach and colon cancers. Meanwhile, traditional diseases like malaria are killing fewer people -- building an aging population that's a prime target for cancer. Smoking is on the rise in Asia, where it's common to see people lighting up in airports, restaurants and even hospitals. Lung cancer makes up the bulk of all cases regionwide, followed by stomach and liver cancers. Lung cancer also remains the biggest cancer killer worldwide. Smokeless tobacco is also a big problem in Asia's other giant, India, where many men and women chew some form of tobacco. Mouth cancer makes up half of all new cases in parts of the country. Another obstacle for Asia is a lack of vaccines that prevent cancer-causing viruses, including Hepatitis B that can lead to liver cancer and human papillomavirus (HPV), the main cause of cervical cancer. Heart disease remains the top killer in China, but cancer is a close second. Regular screening, such as Pap smears and mammograms, is too costly for many poor countries. Treatment with radiation or chemotherapy is unfathomable for most. And in Asia, many patients seek help from hospitals in the late stages of disease after traditional medicine has failed to cure them.
Cancer deaths are slowly dropping in the United States, with slight declines recorded in 2003 and 2004. A decrease in smoking, coupled with early detection and better treatment of tumors is credited with the positive results -- the first U.S. decline in cancer deaths since 1930.
by Lois M. Collins, Salt Lake Deseret Morning News
May 31, 2007
http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,660225468,00.html
Where you live may play a role in whether your child has asthma. The Utah Department of Health released a survey Wednesday that found great disparity from neighborhood to neighborhood and city to city when it comes to asthma rates. Now they're wondering how genetics and environment interact in development of the breath-stealing condition.
Article Summary: Health officials believe genomics -- the interaction of genes with the environment -- is at play. Most people who have asthma recognize an environmental influence in the things that trigger asthma attacks, from smoke to dust mites to perfumes to air pollution. But very little is actually known about how it all comes together. And it's made murkier by the fact that families tend to share environments, not just genes. The Department of Health plans further analysis to determine whether the differences are statistically significant or if there are other factors that might account for it.
by Naomi Lubick, Environmental Science & Technology
May 30, 2007
http://pubs.acs.org/subscribe/journals/esthag-w/2007/may/tech/nl_purify.html
Article Summary: Naturally occurring arsenic is a worldwide phenomenon, and scientists and public-health managers from Bangladesh to Nicaragua to New Hampshire have been working on ways to filter out this toxic metal from drinking water. Many filters use iron because it binds arsenic relatively efficiently. Larger-scale filtration plants in developed parts of the world, which process thousands of gallons of water a day, use bits of iron to filter arsenic. But the iron flakes can foul filtering membranes, and getting rid of them is difficult. If the amount of iron used in large filtration plants can be scaled down while maintaining or even increasing the efficiency of arsenic removal, a solution to their arsenic problem would be provided. Nanomaterials could provide that next-step tool in the arsenal against arsenic. Researchers from Rice University have been tinkering with tiny, magnetic iron nanoparticles for just such a treatment process. They have created a filtering system that uses nanoscale magnetite (Fe3O4) to bind both As(III) and As(V), which can then be removed from water with a magnet. The higher surface-to-volume ratio allows for more efficient capture of arsenic by smaller particles. Preliminary tests have been encouraging, and now the team is working to scale up its filter for use in the US and elsewhere. For an individual household, the team projects that 200–500 milligrams of the magnetite nanoparticles would be necessary to treat a liter of water, at "a fraction of a penny a day and less than a kilogram of waste a year."
from the United Kingdom Daily Mail
May 30, 2007
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=458625&in_page_id=1770
Article Summary Everything purchased in the UK could have "carbon footprint" labels to tell us how green the product is under a government plan unveiled today. Just as food carries warnings on salt, sugar and fat, the new labels would carry a sign or figure to alert shoppers to the CO2 emissions used. The label could be based on a "traffic light" system that would show red for highly wasteful products and green for those with lowest impact on the planet. The scheme, which will be the first in the world, was unveiled by climate change minister Ian Pearson. Retailers will work with green experts and academics to decide how to measure emissions in the "whole life cycle" of a product from its manufacture to packaging, distribution and disposal.
by Jim Sanders, Sacramento Bee
May 30, 2007
http://www.sacbee.com/111/story/198562.html
Legislation to ban a potentially hazardous chemical from children's toys, teethers and other child-care products was rejected Tuesday by the California Assembly. The measure, Assembly Bill 1108, would have prohibited phthalates from teethers, pacifiers, rubber duckies, plastic play books and other products designed for children younger than 3.
Article Summary: Phthalates are a group of chemical compounds often used to convert polyvinyl chloride from a hard plastic into a flexible one. Ma's legislation targeted only child-care products, but phthalates also are found in shower curtains, cosmetic products and other household items. Supporters and opponents disagreed Tuesday over whether research has proved that phthalates in baby and toddler products are hazardous to children's health. Each side cited studies to press its case. Assemblywoman Fiona Ma, a San Francisco Democrat who proposed AB 1108, was granted reconsideration to seek another vote in coming days. AB 1108 was sponsored by Environment California and supported by numerous environmental groups. Opponents included the American Chemistry Council. The European Union, Japan, France, Germany, Greece, Austria and various other countries have banned or placed partial prohibitions on use of phthalates in child-care products.
by Annysa Johnson, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
May 29, 2007
http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=612469
The City of Milwaukee's $85 million lawsuit against the lead paint industry got under way Tuesday in Milwaukee County Circuit Court with each side accusing the other of knowing the dangers of lead paint for decades and promoting its use anyway. Richard Lewis, the lead attorney for the city, told jurors that NL Industries Inc., for years the nation's largest manufacturer of lead pigment in paint, knew as early as the 1930s that it was dangerous to children, even fatal, but promoted it as a "safe and superior product." Defense attorney Donald Scott countered that the dangers were public knowledge -- "there were no secrets," he said -- yet the federal government and City of Milwaukee mandated its use for their projects into the 1970s because of its durability.
Article Summary: Milwaukee's is only the second lead paint case in the nation to go to trial and comes after the State of Rhode Island won a verdict against three manufacturers in February 2006. Both sides conceded Tuesday that lead is harmful, particularly for children. Studies have linked it to conditions including diminished intelligence, mental retardation, behavioral disorders and kidney problems. But they differed on the primary causes of lead poisoning and what must be done nearly 30 years after lead paint was banned in 1978. One of the paint manufacturers stated that what the city needs to do is to go after the real source of exposure, lead in soils, and to aggressively prosecute property owners who refuse to maintain their properties.
from BBC News
May 29, 2007
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/6701269.stm
Exposure to pesticides could lead to an increased risk of contracting Parkinson's disease, a study has found. Researchers discovered that high levels of exposure increased the risk by 39%, while even low levels raised it by 9%. However, the Aberdeen University researchers stressed that the overall risk of developing the disease remained small.
Article Summary: Symptoms of Parkinson's disease often include unsteadiness and tremor in the hands or arms, often alongside difficulties with speech or movement. Other studies have pointed strongly towards exposure to pesticides being involved in some cases, with agricultural workers showing higher rates of the illness. The Aberdeen study, reported in the journal Occupational and Environmental Medicine, involved 959 cases of parkinsonism, a term used to describe people with diagnoses of Parkinson's Disease, and other, similar conditions. Subjects answered questions about their lifetime occupational and recreational exposure to a variety of chemicals, including solvents, pesticides, iron, copper and manganese, plus whether they had ever been knocked unconscious and more general questions about family health history and tobacco use. All the replies were then compared to those from a group of people of similar age and sex who had not been diagnosed with Parkinson's. While having a family history of Parkinson's was the clearest risk factor for developing the disease, exposure to pesticides also gave a clear increase. Dr. Finlay Dick, the lead researcher, said, "This doesn't prove that pesticides cause Parkinson's Disease, but does add to the weight of evidence of an association." A spokesman for the Parkinson's Disease Society echoed this: "The important finding from this study is confirmation that Parkinson's is not caused by any one factor, but instead a combination of genetic susceptibility and environmental factors."
