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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
The Learning and Developmental Disabilities Initiative (LDDI), a national working group of the Collaborative on Health and the Environment, invites you to sign our newly-drafted policy consensus statement on environmental agents associated with neurodevelopmental disorders. This policy statement is based on the scientific consensus statement that LDDI published earlier this year and details specific policy initiatives to be taken to protect children from exposures that may contribute to learning and developmental disabilities and autism.
To sign the statement, you need to provide your name, credentials and affiliation (please note that we request signers who have a stated organizational affiliation). The policy statement, the scientific statement, and the signature form for the policy statement are all available on the LDDI website: http://www.iceh.org/LDDI.html Signatures are requested by Monday September 1st.
If you have any questions regarding the statement, please contact primary author Steve Gilbert, PhD, DABT, at sgilbert@innd.org or Nancy Snow, MS, at nsnow@iceh.org. Thank you for considering signing.
Thursday September 4, 2008
10:00 a.m. Pacific time
Sponsor: Collaborative on Health and the Environment
As the President's Cancer Panel begins its series of four hearings on different aspects of cancer and the environment, the Collaborative on Health and the Environment (CHE), in collaboration with organizational partners like the Breast Cancer Fund and the Lowell Center for Sustainable Production, is taking action to make sure the panel gets the message: Preventing cancer requires more than encouraging people to quit smoking.
Price: free
Website: http://www.healthandenvironment.org/articles/che-events/4220
Thursday and Friday, September 4 and 5, 2008
8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Billings, Montana
at RiverStone Health, 123 South 27th Street
Sponsor: Northwest Center for Public Health Practice
The training will help you understand the connection between health and housing and how to take a holistic approach to identify and resolve problems which threaten the health and wellbeing of residents. The training complements hazard-specific training in lead-based paint, radon, mold, pests and asbestos. It identifies root causes of health problems in a home and links them to seven principles of healthy housing: keep it dry; keep it clean; keep it pest-free; keep it ventilated; keep it safe, avoid contaminants; and maintain the house.
Price: $40
Website: http://www.nwcphp.org/essentials-for-healthy-homes-practitioner-course-2008-9
Contact: Trudy San Jose White, 206-685-2931or sanjose@u.washington.edu
Monday September 8, 2008
7:30 p.m.
Portland, Oregon
at Powell's downtown bookstore
Sponsor: Powell's Books
Join author Nena Baker for this book reading. In The Body Toxic, investigative journalist Nena Baker explores the many factors that have given rise to the dizzying array of chemical contaminants we are exposed to -- from manufacturing breakthroughs to policy decisions to political pressure to the demands of popular culture. While chemical advances have helped raise our standard of living, making our lives easier and safer in many ways, there are costs to these conveniences that chemical companies would rather consumers never knew about. Baker draws back the curtain on this untold impact and assesses where we go from here.
Price: free
Website: http://www.thebodytoxic.com/events.html
Tuesday September 9, 2008
2:00 - 3:00 p.m. Eastern time
Sponsor: The John Merck Fund through the American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Environmental Health Initiative
Dr. Elizabeth A. Guillette will review pesticides and their action and suggested impacts on adults. She will then focus on the impacts on the neuromuscular and neuromental deficits found in the Yaqui Valley children and the meaning of these impacts to society.
Price: free
Website: http://www.ehinitiative.org/Projects/tele_con.htm
Contact: Laura Abulafia, Laura@aaidd.org
Wednesday September 10, 2008
8:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Arlington, Virginia
The Ritz-Carlton, Pentagon City, 1250 South Hayes Street
Sponsor: McKenna Long & Aldridge LLP (MLA), TSGE and Chemical Watch
The sponsors will present a day-long program designed for US companies confronting the complex regulatory requirements and business impacts of REACH. This timely, first-of-its-kind program will address the most critical implementation issues, including those that have emerged since the Pre-registration window opened in June 2008, and will examine how REACH may be causing market-access and supply-chain disruptions and, in turn, erecting significant barriers to trade. We will also focus on emerging TSCA legislative reform measures that, if enacted, would create a REACH-style system of chemicals management in the United States.
Price: $400
Website: http://www.reach-usa.com/
Contact: Bob Matthews, rmatthews@mckennalong.com
Thursday September 11, 2008
7:00 p.m.
Anchorage, Alaska
at the Wendy Williamson Auditorium, UAA
Sponsor: Alaska Community Action on Toxics, University of Alaska Anchorage, The Complex Systems Group University of Alaska Anchorage
Devra Lee Davis, MD, MPH, is an internationally-renowned environmental health expert. She is the director of the Center for Environmental Oncology at the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute and professor in the Department of Epidemiology, Graduate School of Public Health. In addition to her academic appointments, Dr. Davis has held multiple advisory roles in national and international agencies, including the World Health Organization. She was a global environmental advisor for Newsweek and founding director of the Board on Environmental Studies and Toxicology of the National Academy of Sciences/National Research Council. Her previous book, When Smoke Ran Like Water, was a finalist for the National Book Award in Nonfiction.
Price: free
Thursday and Friday, September 11 - 12, 2008
Sacramento, California
at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, 1209 L Street
Sponsor: The Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS) and many others. For a complete list see http://www.chps.net/greentools/sponsor.htm
This is a training event for professionals interested in creating healthy, environmentally-responsible schools. This year, the conference will focus on climate change, high-performance-school policy and existing schools. We call these The Big Three: the three largest challenges to the goal of creating healthy schools on a healthy planet. Continuing education credits are available.
Price: see http://www.chps.net/greentools/register.htm
Website: http://www.chps.net/greentools/index.htm
Contact: The Collaborative for High Performance Schools, 415-957-9888
Thursday through Tuesday, September 11 - 16, 2008
Toronto, Ontario Canada
at the Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel, 123 Queen Street West
Sponsor: American Academy of Clinical Toxicology and American Association of Poison Control Centers
The annual conference provides an opportunity for physicians, nurses, pharmacists and scientists from around the world to participate in the sharing of knowledge on a wide variety of issues in clinical toxicology. In addition, there will be multiple original research papers presented and a number of symposia, as well as other traditional and novel continuing-education sessions. General objectives and symposia include identifying the risks and treatments of occupational and environmental hazards to humans, ethical dilemmas in toxicology, case studies in maternal-fetal toxicology, and more.
Price: see http://www.clintox.org/Documents/08_NACCT_Brochure.pdf
Website: http://www.clintox.org/
Contact: Contemporary Forums Conference Management, 800-377-7707
Friday September 12, 2008
8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Portland, Oregon
at the World Trade Center
Sponsor: Environmental Law Education Center
Topics include 1) federal & state policies & laws addressing toxics, 2) proposed legislation for the 2009 legislative session, 3) municipalities' responses, 4) water quality standards & fish consumption, 5) comprehensive chemical reform, 6) pesticides & pharmaceuticals, 7) recent research on toxics & public health, and 8) what approach should we take in addressing toxics?
Price: $450 early registration through August 29th, $495 after, with discounts for government and nonprofits
Website: http://www.elecenter.com/agenda_2008-09-12.htm
Friday September 12, 2008
12:00 - 1:00 p.m.
Anchorage, Alaska
at the Media Center, Second Floor, Providence Cancer Center, 3851 Piper Street
Sponsor: Alaska Community Action on Toxics, University of Alaska Anchorage, The Complex Systems Group University of Alaska Anchorage
Devra Lee Davis, MD, MPH, is an internationally-renowned environmental health expert. She is the director of the Center for Environmental Oncology at the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute and professor in the Department of Epidemiology, Graduate School of Public Health. In addition to her academic appointments, Dr. Davis has held multiple advisory roles in national and international agencies, including the World Health Organization. She was a global environmental advisor for Newsweek and founding director of the Board on Environmental Studies and Toxicology of the National Academy of Sciences/National Research Council. Her previous book, When Smoke Ran Like Water, was a finalist for the National Book Award in Nonfiction.
Price: free
Sunday through Tuesday, September 14 - 16, 2008
Long Beach, California
at the Long Beach Convention Center, 300 East Ocean Boulevard
Sponsor: California Air Pollution Control Officers Association (CAPCOA) and others; for the complete list see http://www.capcoagreen.com/sponsors/
This conference will showcase clean-air and low-carbon energy and transportation technologies and the environmental and economic benefits they bring to our community and planet. The conference will provide attendees with information about how they can integrate new and emerging "green" technologies that address air pollution, global warming and petroleum dependency into their lives.
Price: see http://www.capcoagreen.com/registration/
Website: http://www.capcoagreen.com/
Contact: California Air Pollution Control Officers Association, 800-993-0302 or info@capcoagreen.com
Monday through Wednesday, September 15 - 17, 2008
8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Baltimore, Maryland
at the Baltimore Hilton and Conference Center, 401 West Pratt Street
Sponsor: US Department of Housing and Urban Development
The conference will gather a broad community of experts to discuss regulatory, policy, research and outreach needs and their implications in the development of comprehensive, integrated approaches linking health and housing to ensure safe, healthy and efficient housing. The conference will examine the lessons learned from our national lead-poisoning-prevention strategy and the current state of the art as we begin building the framework needed to develop a national healthy housing agenda.
Price: free
Website: http://www.hud.gov/offices/lead/2008NHHC.cfm
Contact: US Department of Housing and Urban Development, 202-708-1112
Tuesday September 16, 2008
New Brunswick, New Jersey
Sponsor: United States National Cancer Institute
The US National Cancer Institute will hold four public meetings of the President's Cancer Panel. This year the panel's focus is "Cancer and the Environment" and the first meeting's topic is titled "Industrial and Manufacturing Exposures." These meetings offer a unique opportunity for interested individuals to tell the panel and the American people what we have learned about the environmental causes of cancer. Each meeting will explore a different set of environmental contributors to cancer causation. The agenda for each meeting includes official testimony by 12 invited experts and 15 to 20 minutes of open public comment.
Price: unknown
Contact: Shelby Gonzalez, shelby@healthandenvironment.org
Tuesday through Thursday, September 16 - 18, 2008
8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Sacramento, California
at the Tsakopoulos Library Galleria, Sacramento Public Library, 828 I Street, East Meeting Room
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_09-08_sacramento.htm
Contact: Northwest Environmental Training Center, 206-762-1976
Thursday and Friday, September 18 - 19, 2008
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
at the University of Pennsylvania's Perelman Quad
Sponsor: The Mid-Atlantic Center for Children's Health and the Environment (MACCHE), Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry RIII (ATSDR), Children's National Medical Center (CNMC) Drexel University (DU), The George Washington University (GWU), Pennsylvania Department of Health (PADOH), University of Pennsylvania Center for Public Health Initiatives (CPHI), US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), US Environmental Protection Agency RIII (EPA)
The first day of the conference will include an optional Walk in the Park -- a guided tour of the John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge at Tinicum. The second day will be full of engaging discussions that will explore the intersection between the environment and children's health issues and will be centered on the following tracks: climate change, healthy homes, children in nature, exposure to toxicants and outcomes in children, and emerging issues in children's environmental health. Continuing education credits are available.
Price: unknown
Website: http://www.gwu.edu/%7Emacche/philadelphiaconference08/
Contact: The Mid-Atlantic Center for Children's Health and the Environment, 866-622-2431 or pehsu@gwu.edu
Monday and Tuesday, September 22 - 23, 2008
7:30 a.m.
Seattle, Washington
at the University of Washington, Health Sciences Building T-435
Sponsor: University of Washington School of Public Health and Community Medicine (SPHCM)
What do leach residue from Arizona mines, brass mill waste from Illinois, and tire ash from New England have in common? They are all banned from air and water release, and they can all be found in significant amounts in the fertilizer that is spread on crops from Washington State to Bangladesh. Do these toxins show up in our food? Do they pose a hazard to health? Are health-care providers equipped to recognize these hazards? Incoming SPHCM students will meet to discuss these and other issues in an integrated public health case study based on the book Fateful Harvest by Duff Wilson. Through the case study, students will explore how the pieces of public health puzzles fit together and how their own specialized role contributes to the interdisciplinary public health whole.
Price: unknown
Website: http://apps.sphcm.washington.edu/envhlth/cal/cal.asp?mo=9&dd=All+Days&yr=2008&calendar=envhlth
Contact: University of Washington School of Public Health, 206-543-1144 or sphcm@u.washington.edu
Tuesday September 23, 2008
8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Missoula, Montana
at the Courtyard by Marriott, 4559 North Reserve Street, Bitterroot Room
Sponsor: Northwest Environmental Training Center (NWETC)
This course provides participants with an overview of key chemistry concepts associated with environmental contamination and provides a foundation for understanding contaminant transport and fate. This material is intended for environmental professionals who are not chemists but who require a fundamental understanding of chemistry principles for their work. This course is recommended for all environmental professionals working with contaminated soil and water with minimal formal training in the subject. It is also recommended for project managers seeking a review of the subject. Continuing education credits are available.
Price: $250, $195 reduced tuition is available to those who qualify.
Website: http://www.nwetc.org/chem-403a_09-08_missoula.htm
Contact: Northwest Environmental Training Center, 206-762-1976
Wednesday and Thursday, September 24 - 25, 2008
8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Sacramento, California
at the Tsakopoulos Library Galleria Sacramento Public Library's East Meeting Room, 828 I Street
Sponsor: The Northwest Environmental Training Center
This course provides an overview of the vapor intrusion exposure pathway including its scientific foundation, regulatory framework, and the technical aspects of investigating and remediating contaminated vapor sites. The class will cover topics such as screening sites for potential vapor intrusion concerns, conducting field investigations, sampling techniques, data analyses, exposure point calculations, the Johnson and Ettinger predictive model, vapor intrusion risk assessment, vapor intrusion mitigation, and remediation. Continuing education credits are available.
Price: $495, $395 reduced tuition is available for those who qualify
Website: http://www.nwetc.org/training.htm
Contact: Northwest Environmental Training Center, 206-762-1976 or info@nwetc.org
Friday through Sunday, September 24 - 26, 2008
Mystic, Connecticut
at the Hilton Mystic, 20 Coogan Boulevard
Sponsor: Connecticut Environmental Health Association (CEHA)
The Yankee Conference is a gathering of environmental health professionals from throughout the Northeast. Its purpose is to provide the latest information on topics such as environmental leadership, food protection, preparedness, recreational health, onsite sewage disposal, water and air quality and other current environmental health issues. In addition to offering attendees networking opportunities unavailable anywhere else in the area, every year the Yankee Conference offers a variety of educational sessions for both newer and experienced environmental health professionals. The theme of this year's conference is "Inspiring Excellence in Environmental Health."
Price: see the website below
Website: http://www.cteha.org/
Contact: Rob Guerrera, 203-256-3020 or rguerrer@town.fairfield.ct.us
Thursday September 25, 2008
9:00 a.m. Pacific time
Sponsor: Collaborative on Health and the Environment
In late July, lawmakers in the United States passed the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act, which includes provisions banning three types of phthalates (plastics softeners) and temporarily banning three other types from certain children's products. The ban is based on limited data suggesting that phthalates act as endocrine disruptors. The CPSI Act, as well as the 2007 European REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals) legislation, are landmark examples of a precautionary, rather than reactionary, approach to public health. How do REACH and the phthalates ban fit into a larger movement toward the precautionary approach? What constitutes "proof of harm" in light of emerging knowledge about the complexity of disease causation? Just how does new science become new policy? This a special CHE Policy Education Call will explore these important and timely questions.
Price: free
Website: http://www.healthandenvironment.org/partnership_calls/4236
Thursday September 25, 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: Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences
Dr. Heather Stapleton, assistant professor at Duke University, will lead this lecture. Continuing educational credits are available.
Price: unknown
Website: http://depts.washington.edu/envh580/
Contact: Sarah Fischer, fisch@u.washington.edu
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/
Nail salon chemicals worry Oregon health officials. Oregon health officials say toxic chemicals in nail care products could put Oregon's 14,500 nail salon workers at higher risk of breast cancer or birth defects from inhaling or absorbing the chemicals through the skin. Associated Press, 26 August 2008.
http://www.ktvb.com/news/regional/stories/ktvbn-aug2508-nail_salon_chemicals_.fee20ee.html
Refinery settlement reached. A $6.5 million settlement involving seven chemical plants along the Gulf Coast comes nearly two years after the Texas Attorney sued for thousands of violations of state and federal laws meant to protect air quality. Houston Chronicle, Texas, 26 August 2008.
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/5965712.html
Is your drinking water giving you diabetes? Trace amounts of naturally occurring arsenic in the Earth's crust seem to be endangering some Americans without their knowledge, experts say. The ancient poison is even linked to type 2 diabetes. US News & World Report, 26 August 2008.
http://health.usnews.com/articles/health/diabetes/2008/08/19/is-your-drinking-water-giving-you-diabetes.html
Burning incense linked to respiratory cancers. Burning incense may create a sweet scent, but regularly inhaling the smoke could put people at risk of cancers of the respiratory tract, researchers reported Monday. Reuters Health, 26 August 2008.
http://www.reutershealth.com/archive/2008/08/25/eline/links/20080825elin002.html
EPA fails to collect chemical safety data. The failure of the EPA's High Production Volume Challenge to make good on its promises is the latest example of how the agency's lax policies favor chemical makers over public demand for information. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Wisconsin, 24 August 2008.
http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=786626
Christians see climate change as moral issue. Morality should be a spur for stronger action to fight climate change, which threatens food and water supplies for the poorest in Africa, a group of Christian activists said on Saturday during U.N. climate talks. Reuters, 24 August 2008.
http://in.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idINIndia-35148020080823
Kids' cold medicines face FDA scrutiny. Federal regulators are planning to launch a broad new review of whether over-the-counter cold medicines are safe and effective for children under 12. Baltimore Sun, Maryland, 23 August 2008.
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/health/bal-te.fda23aug23,0,5373868.story
Chronic lead poisoning from urban soils. Chronic lead poisoning -- from playing in contaminated dirt -- affects more U.S. children than acute lead poisoning from imported toys, researchers said. UPI, 23 August 2008.
http://www.upi.com/Health_News/2008/08/22/Chronic_lead_poisoning_from_urban_soils/UPI-13261219462696/
Cleaning House. An inspection uncovers an array of chemical toxins in every room — but you can get rid of them. Buffalo News, New York, 23 August 2008.
http://www.buffalonews.com/185/story/421327.html
Dry cleaner safety. Dry Cleaners are regulated by Georgia's Environmental Protection Division. High on the EPD's safety checklist is the proper use of a chemical called Perchloroethylene, or Perc. Savannah WSAV TV, Georgia, 23 August 2008.
http://www.wsav.com/midatlantic/sav/news.apx.-content-articles-SAV-2008-08-22-0053.html
Mercury pollution investigation shuts down Nevada gold mine near Idaho border. A Nevada mine that had been sending thousands of pounds of mercury into Idaho has suddenly shutdown leaving hundreds of workers without jobs and an uncertain future. Boise Idaho Statesman, Idaho, 23 August 2008.
http://www.idahostatesman.com/235/story/479209.html
FEMA's formaldehyde woes may change particleboard business. How strict legislation and new technology promise to reduce formaldehyde emissions and keep harmful materials out of American houses. Popular Mechanics, 23 August 2008.
http://www.popularmechanics.com/home_journal/home_improvement/4279057.html
Fearful Chip residents stay out of the water. An independent study found levels of arsenic, mercury and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, known carcinogens, are not only dangerously high north of oil sands sites, but are quickly rising. Fort McMurray Today, Alberta, 23 August 2008.
http://www.fortmcmurraytoday.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1168957
Study shows asthma, air pollution link. A new California study shows a strong link between asthma and air pollution, with cities that are situated near the ports and the airport at highest risk for the respiratory condition. Long Beach Press-Telegram, California, 23 August 2008.
http://www.presstelegram.com/news/ci_10280535
Officials push for cleaner rivers, less risk to those who eat fish. To gauge the risk from toxic chemicals in the fish we eat, water quality standards in Oregon and most of the nation assume our diet includes about a crackerful of fish a day. Portland Oregonian, Oregon, 22 August 2008.
http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2008/08/officials_push_for_cleaner_riv.html
Measles cases grow in number, and officials blame parents' fear of autism. Many parents say they believe vaccines cause autism, even though multiple studies have found no reputable evidence to support such a claim. New York Times, 22 August 2008.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/22/health/research/22measles.html?_r=1&oref=slogin
[Editor's note: See a similar article in the Chicago Tribune: http://www.chicagotribune.com/features/lifestyle/health/chi-vaccine-suspicion_26aug26,0,7718636.story ]
New law restricts lead in products. Turf fields were not included in the ban, but the Synthetic Turf Council has volunteered to follow the new standards, which will all but eliminate lead in turf fields made in the United States. Currently about 10 percent of turf fields use pigment that contains lead. Salem Statesman Journal, Oregon, 22 August 2008.
http://www.statesmanjournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080822/NEWS/808220374/1001
Consumers warned not to eat Lucky Country Aussie Style Soft Gourmet Black Licorice. Dr. Mark Horton, director of the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), today warned consumers not to eat the candy after tests by CDPH found elevated levels of lead. Salinas Californian, California, 22 August 2008.
http://thecalifornian.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080821/NEWS01/80821013/1002
MD wants codeine banned at hospital. Canada's obstetricians say a study showing how a popular pain reliever can turn a mother's milk into a toxic brew for newborns has raised warning bells, with one doctor asking the country's busiest maternity hospital to yank the product off its shelves. Toronto Globe and Mail, Ontario, 22 August 2008.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080822.wcodeine22/BNStory/specialScienceandHealth/home
Children with asthma will be using new environmentally friendly inhalers. With the start of a new school year just around the corner, and some schools already in session, the American Lung Association of New England wants parents of children with asthma to be ready for the school year and aware of a new inhaler on the market. Foster's Daily Democrat, New Hampshire, 21 August 2008.
http://www.fosters.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080821/GJNEWS_01/1385/-1/FOSNEWS
Are your dental fillings containing mercury safe? Millions of people have them in their mouths, yet their widespread use in treating cavities is one of the more contentious issues in dentistry. US News & World Report, 21 August 2008.
http://health.usnews.com/articles/health/living-well-usn/2008/08/20/are-your-dental-fillings-containing-mercury-safe.html
Lead wheel weights to be phased out in California by end of 2009. Lead wheel weights, widely used to balance vehicle tires and considered a threat to drinking water, will be phased out in California by the end of next year. Los Angeles Times, California, 21 August 2008.
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-wheels21-2008aug21,1,1502658.story
5 ways to keep your kids safe at home. The new law reforming federal consumer protections has been hailed as the best improvement in child safety laws since the 1970s. But the law's protections don't kick in right away--and there are ways to keep your kids safe right now. US News & World Report, 20 August 2008.
http://health.usnews.com/articles/health/childrens-health/2008/08/18/5-ways-to-keep-your-kids-safe-at-home.html
State advises anglers to limit bass consumption. Idaho health officials have taken the unprecedented step of advising women of childbearing age, women who are pregnant or nursing and children 15 years of age and younger to limit their consumption of bass caught in state waters. Idaho Mountain Express, Idaho, 20 August 2008.
http://www.mtexpress.com/index2.php?ID=2005122217
Study suggests arsenic culprit in Type 2 diabetes. Arsenic, a toxic chemical often found at low levels in U.S. public drinking water, may increase the risk of developing diabetes, researchers said. Bloomberg News, 20 August 2008.
http://www.cleveland.com/news/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/news/12192211594210.xml&coll=2
Smoke from wildfires turns air 'unhealthy' in region. Heavy smoke from wildfires in Idaho, Oregon and as far away as California choked Montana valleys Tuesday, pushing air quality below the healthy mark. Missoula Missoulian, Montana, 20 August 2008.
http://www.missoulian.com/articles/2008/08/20/news/local/news05.txt
Diabetes onset, severity tied to cognitive problems. Earlier onset, longer duration and greater severity of diabetes may increase the risk for mild cognitive impairment, according to Mayo Clinic researchers. HealthDay News, 20 August 2008.
http://www.healthday.com/Article.asp?AID=618298
HRT drug boosts stroke risk in older women. Women 60 and older taking the hormone-replacement therapy drug tibolone to relieve menopausal symptoms are at an increased risk for stroke, a new study finds. HealthDay News, 20 August 2008.
http://www.healthday.com/Article.asp?AID=618419
Antibacterial battle. Classified as a pesticide, triclosan, found in "antibacterial" products, kills good and bad bacteria indiscriminately, causing concern among consumers. Portland Oregonian, Oregon, 20 August 2008.
http://www.oregonlive.com/living/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/living/121909290381270.xml&coll=7&thispage=1
New test scans beef for mad cow disease. The first test for instantly detecting beef that's been contaminated with tissue from a cow's brain or spinal cord during slaughter has been developed by U.S. researchers. HealthDay News, 20 August 2008.
http://www.healthday.com/Article.asp?AID=618250
California assembly rejects chemical ban in baby items. California lawmakers rejected restrictions on two chemicals--one used in baby bottles and canned formula, and another used to keep food from sticking to packaging--despite consumer safety concerns. Associated Press, 19 August 2008.
http://www.mercurynews.com/breakingnews/ci_10239774?nclick_check=1
Natural beauty. As the popularity of organic personal-care products grows, standards for the industry remain unclear. Indianapolis Star, Indiana, 19 August 2008.
http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080819/LIVING01/808190313/1083/LIVING01
Pollution from ships causing thousands of deaths. Sea air is generally regarded as healthy, but it may be polluted with dangerous chemicals from ships, say scientists. Dirty smoke pouring out of the funnels of ships at sea or in port is having a major impact on the air quality of coastal cities, a study has found. Press Association, 19 August 2008.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/aug/19/pollution.usa
LSU chemist isolates air pollutants. Newly discovered air pollutants could cause health risks similar to smoking a pack of cigarettes a day, new LSU research contends. Baton Rouge Advocate, Louisiana, 18 August 2008.
http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/27081169.html
Natives unite to fight oil sands. Aboriginal leaders vow to go to court to stop what they say is the destruction of their land and the poisoning of their water. Chiefs from three provinces and the Northwest Territories made the joint declaration Sunday at the conclusion of a water conference in Fort Chipewyan. Edmonton Journal, Canada, 18 August 2008.
http://www.canada.com/edmontonjournal/news/story.html?id=7f3d1b99-e6c8-479c-a7ad-bfe7319bbc5f&p=1
South Korea to tighten quarantine inspections on Nebraska beef. South Korea will conduct tightened quarantine inspections of all beef imported from a U.S. slaughterhouse that has been ordered to recall its products, the government said Sunday. Yonhap News Service, Korea, 18 August 2008.
http://asia.news.yahoo.com/080817/4/3nsbr.html
Raytheon's cleanup history is a bit spotty. More than 90 federal lawsuits have sought to stick Raytheon with the cost of removing or cleaning up tainted soil. St. Petersburg Times, Florida, 17 August 2008.
http://www.tampabay.com/news/environment/water/article773579.ece
Food costs 'to soar' after pesticide ban. The EU says it wants to ban a range of up to 50 chemicals for use on crops because of their potential hazard to human health. Farmers' leaders in Scotland predict it will cause rises of up to 50% on some staple items such as cereals, potatoes and fruit. Edinburgh Scotsman, Scotland, 17 August 2008.
http://scotlandonsunday.scotsman.com/uk/Food-costs-39to-soar39-after.4398728.jp
Why you should care about ozone warnings. Good and bad ozone have identical chemical compositions, they are gaseous molecules composed of three oxygen atoms. Depending on where ozone occurs in the atmosphere, ozone can serve as a UV filter or act as a pollutant that damages human health and crops. Poughkeepsie Journal, New York, 17 August 2008.
http://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080817/NEWS04/808170315
Controversial chemical bisphenol A is safe, FDA says. A draft document released Friday by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration declares that a chemical commonly found in baby bottles and aluminum can linings is safe. It was immediately embraced and condemned. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Wisconsin, 16 August 2008.
http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=783953
[Editor's note: See a related article in which the FDA announces a public meeting on BPA next month: http://www.reuters.com/article/marketsNews/idUSN1535737420080815?sp=true ]
Lafarge among worst mercury polluters. According to the latest numbers from the National Pollutant Release Inventory, Canada's legislated inventory of pollutants, the Lafarge Canada cement plant that sits in the midst of prime agricultural land and along the banks of the Fraser River is among the worst mercury polluters in the country. Richmond Review, British Columbia, 16 August 2008.
http://www.bclocalnews.com/richmond_southdelta/richmondreview/news/Lafarge_among_worst_mercury_polluters.html
High PCB exposure tied to diabetes risk. People who have been exposed to high levels of toxic polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) may face an elevated risk of type 2 diabetes. Reuters Health, 16 August 2008.
http://www.reutershealth.com/archive/2008/08/15/eline/links/20080815elin023.html
Smoking doubles stroke risk in younger women. Younger women who smoke have more than double the risk of stroke compared to nonsmokers, with the heaviest smokers among them having nine times the risk. Reuters, 16 August 2008.
http://www.reutershealth.com/archive/2008/08/15/eline/links/20080815elin014.html
Bush signs consumer bill to cut lead in toys. Legislation aimed at improving US consumer product safety after millions of Chinese-made toys were recalled last summer was signed into law by President Bush yesterday. The bill also boosts CPCS funding and partially bans several phthalates. Reuters, 15 August 2008.
http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2008/08/15/bush_signs_consumer_bill_to_cut_lead_in_toys/
Playworld to stop using vinyl. In an effort to become more environmentally friendly and create safer conditions for employees, Playworld Systems Inc. will soon abandon the use of polyvinyl chloride plastic in its products. Sunbury Daily Item, Pennsylvania, 15 August 2008.
http://www.dailyitem.com/0100_news/local_story_228081357.html?keyword=topstory
Living near highway tied to adverse birth outcomes. Living near a highway in Canada may raise a pregnant woman's risk of premature delivery or having a low birth weight baby and, counterintuitively, affluent moms-to-be seem to be more vulnerable to highway pollution than their less well-off counterparts. Reuters,15 August 2008.
http://in.reuters.com/article/health/idINCOL47064520080814
Moisturisers cause cancer in mice. Research on mice suggests that moisturising creams increase the risk of common skin cancers -- but there's no need to throw away your moisturiser just yet. New Scientist, England, 15 August 2008.
http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn14535-moisturisers-cause-cancer-in-mice--but-dont-panic.html
Updated produce safety guide issued. Continuing its efforts to protect infants and children from exposure to pesticides in their food, a coalition of King County hazardous materials specialists have reissued a shopper's guide to safe produce. Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Washington, 14 August 2008.
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/374842_foodhealth14.html
Pregnant quitters still face higher baby risks. Women who quit smoking during their first pregnancy still have a higher risk of giving birth to small or premature babies, even if their second baby is born three years after they have given up cigarettes, researchers have found. Sydney Morning Herald, Australia 14 August 2008.
http://www.smh.com.au/news/health/pregnant-quitters-still-face-higher-baby-risks/2008/08/13/1218307006714.html
Underground FEMA fuel tanks could leak. The government owns hundreds of underground fuel tanks -- many designed for emergencies back in the Cold War -- that need to be inspected for leaks of hazardous substances that could make local water undrinkable. Associated Press, 13 August 2008.
http://www.contracostatimes.com/nationandworld/ci_10177847?nclick_check=1
Study looks at health of farmworkers. The life of farmworkers is physically demanding and exposes them to dust and other environmental hazards. Their health is key to helping provide a safe and secure domestic food supply, says new research. Fresno Bee, California, 13 August 2008.
http://www.fresnobee.com/263/story/790546.html
Allergists warn global warming will make pollen more abundant, potent. Just in time for ragweed's arrival, allergists are warning that global warming is fueling more abundant and potent pollen and otherwise threatening easy breathing. Columbus Dispatch, Ohio, 13 August 2008.
http://www.columbusdispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2008/08/12/ragweed.html?sid=101
Wood smoke hurt you? Not if you're well. Healthy people worried about wood smoke can breathe a little easier, a New Zealand pollution study has found. Australian Associated Press, 13 August 2008.
http://www.canberratimes.com.au/news/local/news/general/wood-smoke-hurt-you-not-if-youre-well/1242812.aspx
CMA pegs air pollution's annual national toll at 21,000 deaths -- and growing. The Canadian Medical Association has released "staggering" new data which predict that air pollution will claim the lives of 21,000 Canadians this year, including more than 2,500 who will die because of "acute, short-term exposure." Canadian Medical Association, 13 August 2008.
http://www.cma.ca/index.cfm?ci_id=10042903&la_id=1
