These bulletins are archived and searchable on our website: http://www.iceh.org/LDDIbulletins.html If you would like to join the Collaborative on Health and the Environment (CHE) and the LDDI Working Group, please complete the application on the CHE website: http://www.healthandenvironment.org/application Joining CHE means receiving up to four email messages a month from the CHE National listserv. CHE costs nothing to join and the benefit is shared information and opportunities for further engagement, if you choose. Be sure to mark that you want to join the Learning and Developmental Disabilities Initiative Working Group at the bottom of the application.
Companion bulletins are available for different audiences:
While there is overlap with this bulletin, there are some events and announcements unique to those bulletins.
1) Teleconference -- Environmental Impacts on Neurodevelopment: A Case Study from Ecuador
Tuesday February 10, 2009
2:00 - 3:00 p.m. Eastern time
Sponsor: AAIDD's Environmental Health Initiative
The World Health Organization reports that the global use of pesticides has doubled every decade since 1945, and this trend is expected to continue. About half of the increase in pesticide use in developing countries has occurred through use in large-scale agricultural industry. Industrial agriculture is taking on an increasingly important role in the economies of developing countries, with a large percentage of the products being imported into the United States. Young women of reproductive age have become an integral part of the labor force of these industries. As a result, the impact of job stress, poor working conditions, and occupational pesticide exposure on the health of women and their children is a pressing global public-health concern. This seminar will describe the adverse impacts of pesticide exposure on neurodevelopment and will present the results of Dr. Handal's preliminary research on the complex relationships between maternal occupation in the Ecuadorian cut-flower industry, potential pesticide exposure and child development.
Price: free
Website: http://www.ehinitiative.org/Projects/tele_con.htm
Contact: Laura Abulafia, Laura@aaidd.org
2) LDA 46th Annual International Conference
Wednesday through Sunday, February 25 - 28, 2009
Salt Lake City, Utah
at the Grand American Hotel, 555 Main Street
Sponsor: Learning Disabilities Association of America (LDA)
This is the largest meeting on learning disabilities in the world, featuring over 300 workshops and exhibits. Discover the latest in LD research; learn effective teaching techniques and strategies; hear from leading experts in the LD field; network with colleagues and make new friends; learn about critical policy issues; earn graduate and/or continuing education credits (CEUs) and much more. A presentation on Wednesday will look at research, intervention and prevention, exploring the connections between toxic chemicals, low-level lead exposure and the incidences of ADHD and learning disabilities, the impact of food additives and other environmental factors on children with ADHD and learning disabilities.
Price: see the pdf download on the website below
Website: http://www.ldaamerica.org/conference/index.asp
Contact: Learning Disabilities Association, 412-341-1515 or info@LDAamerica.org
1) Teleconference -- CHE Café
Monday January 26, 2009
10:00 a.m. Pacific time/1:00 p.m. Eastern time
Sponsor: Collaborative on Health and the Environment
This call will feature a discussion with Nena Baker, author of The Body Toxic, and Andrew Szasz, author of Shopping Our Way to Safety. The moderator will be Steve Heilig, Director of Public Health and Education at the San Francisco Medical Society and CHE.
Price: free, but long-distance charges will apply for the call
Website: http://www.healthandenvironment.org/articles/doc/4901
Contact: Julia Varshavsky, info@healthandenvironment.org
2) TOXNET and Beyond
Tuesday February 10, 2009
9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Atlanta, Georgia
at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Tom Harkin Global Communications Center, Building 19 Rm 131, 1600 Clifton Road Northeast, MS C-04
Sponsor: TOXNET
This class is designed to convey the basics of searching the National Library of Medicine's TOXNET©, a web-based system of databases in the areas of toxicology, environmental health, and related subjects. Students learn the content and structure of files covering toxicology data, toxicology literature, toxic releases, and chemical searching and nomenclature. Continuing education credits are available.
Price: free
Website: http://nnlm.gov/ntcc/classes/class_details.html?class_id=5
Contact: Maureen Czujak, 800-338-7657 or mczujak@nyam.org
3) CHE Partnership Call -- Critical Windows of Development: A Conversation with Dr. Theo Colborn
Tuesday February 10, 2009
1:00 p.m. Eastern time, 10:00 a.m. Pacific time
Sponsor: sponsor
This call featuring Dr. Theo Colborn, with Drs. Linda Giudice and Pete Myers, will highlight a new tool developed by Dr. Colborn that demonstrates the importance of environmental impacts to critical windows of development. The product serves as an educational model, illustrating normal development and what can happen when environmental contaminants are introduced during crucial developmental periods. The moderator of this call will be Steve Heilig.
Price: free
Website: http://www.healthandenvironment.org/partnership_calls/5082
Online Calendar. All upcoming events are listed in a searchable calendar: http://www.iceh.org/cgi-bin/searchevents.cgi
Most of the articles below come from Environmental Health News, http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/
Job opening: Boulder, Colorado. The position of director of programs offers a unique opportunity for the ideal candidate who wishes to commit their skills, intelligence and heart to the mission of addressing environmental and social justice issues in the global south. Global Greengrants Fund.
http://www.greengrants.org/about.employ.html
Job opening: Seattle, Washington. Washington Toxics Coalition seeks a dynamic, proven leader to guide this successful nonprofit environmental health organization. The executive director must be a highly strategic thinker and coalition-builder with a strong capacity to direct, manage and implement programs, while building upon the bold, entrepreneurial nature of the organization's work. Consideration of resumes will begin February 16th.
http://www.watoxics.org/about/about/executive-director
Job opening: Baltimore, Maryland. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) seeks a health scientist administrator for the National Children's Study (NCS) within the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD). The application process is open until Friday, January 30, 2009.
http://jobsearch.usajobs.gov/getjob.asp?JobID=78135880
Job opening: Portland, Oregon. Oregon Environmental Council is hiring a director of research & technology to ground their public policy proposals in solid research, sound science and the availability of viable technology.
http://www.oeconline.org/about-us/jobsfolder/Director%20of%20Research%20-%20Technology%20JA%2008.pdf
Job opening: Washington, DC. The Children's Environmental Health Network (CEHN) seeks a program associate to help develop programs and other activities of a national nonprofit organization. The focus is on education and training of key stakeholders, leadership in child-health advocacy, and support of pediatric environmental health research opportunities. Resume review begins in early January.
http://www.cehn.org/cehn/Jobs.html
EPA looks for environmental champions. Do you know an individual or organization that deserves recognition for their environmental achievements? Nominate them for a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Environmental Quality Award.
Monday, January 12, 2009.
http://yosemite.epa.gov/opa/admpress.nsf/0/43DEC41571AE009B8525753C0055B2E8
Request for Applications: Community Exposures Information Collection and Environmental Public Health Action. The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) and National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) have released a new Request for Applications (RFA) to solicit applications designed to collect information on community exposures to environmental or occupational agents or exposure-related diseases and use this new information to support environmental public health action. Applications are due by April 1, 2009, with letters of intent due March 1st.
http://grants.nih.gov:80/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-ES-09-001.html
Deadline for National CARE Grant applications is March 16. The US Environmental Protection Agency is accepting applications for grants from the national Community Action for a Renewed Environment (CARE) program to support community-based partnerships to reduce pollution at the local level.
http://yosemite.epa.gov/opa/admpress.nsf/0/6FEAA43A871B6FAB85257524000ABA0D
Chemical levels decline among those who eat Great Lakes fish. People living in the Great Lakes region have lower levels of DDT, PCBs and other pollutants than they did a decade ago. Even those who continue to eat sport fish saw a decline in blood levels. Environmental Health News.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009.
http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/ehs/newscience/toxic-levels-decline-great-lakes-fish-eaters/
Want aluminum with that? The recent report "Environmental Threats to Healthy Aging" details how high levels of aluminum -- sometimes found in pancake and waffle products -- may be linked to the risk of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. USA Today.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009.
http://blogs.usatoday.com/betterlife/2009/01/want-aluminum-w.html
Lead doesn't just damage children's brains. Study shows adults exposed to lead are prone to memory loss and learning problems after age 55. The Daily Green.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009.
http://www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/latest/lead-poisoning-brain-470112021
Poor will be hit hardest by climate change. A new coalition of leading UK environmental and social justice groups have warned poor housing, health, lack of home insurance and less money to adapt will mean the deprived are worst hit by climate change. London Daily Telegraph, England.
Monday, January 12, 2009.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/earthnews/4217669/Poor-will-be-hit-hardest-by-climate-change.html
Report faults FDA screening for financial conflicts. Missing data, loopholes and weak oversight hamper efforts to uncover financial conflicts by researchers who test experimental drugs before companies seek government approval, an internal watchdog finds. Associated Press.
Monday, January 12, 2009.
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/headline/nation/6206086.html
[Editor's note: See a related article about problems with FDA's oversight: http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/wire/sns-ap-fda-dissidents,0,3135924.story ]
It may market organic alternatives, but is your cleaner really greener? In New York and around the country, dry-cleaning stores have increasingly sprouted signs reading "organic" or "green," but sometimes the cleaning methods are anything but. New York Times.
Monday, January 12, 2009.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/12/nyregion/12clean.html?_r=1
[Editor's note: See a related article about the legacy of dry-cleaning chemicals at an army base: http://www.jacksonville.com/lifestyles/health_and_fitness/2009-01-11/an_invisible_epidemic ]
Study predicts BPA in babies 11 times higher than adults. Using a mathematical model based on enzymatic differences between newborns and adults, scientists estimate that the amount of bisphenol A (BPA) circulating in the blood of babies is more than 11 times higher than the amount in adult blood, given the same exposure. Environmental Health News.
Monday, January 12, 2009.
http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/ehs/newscience/BPA-11-times-higher-in-babies/
[Editor's note: See a related article about BPA levels in premature babies: http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/ehs/newscience/high-bpa-in-premature-infants/ ]
Disorder linked to high levels of testosterone in womb. A prenatal screening test for autism comes closer today as new research is published that links high levels of the male hormone testosterone in the womb of pregnant women to autistic traits in their children. London Guardian, England.
Monday, January 12, 2009.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2009/jan/12/autism-prenatal-testosterone-womb
[Editor's note: See another article about a possible connection between a mother's health and her child's risk for ADHD: http://www.freshnews.in/maternal-health-may-help-predict-child%E2%80%99s-adhd-risk-107344 ]
China's soaring birth defects linked to pollution. China's horrific pollution has been firmly linked to a staggering increase in birth defects according to a major scientific survey. London Daily Telegraph, England.
Sunday, January 11, 2009.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/china/4209057/Chinas-soaring-birth-defects-linked-to-pollution.html
[Editor's note: See a journal article about risks from hazardous air pollutants: http://www.ehponline.org/docs/2009/11861/abstract.html ]
Exposing the myth of clean coal power. Even putting aside climate change-accelerating carbon dioxide, coal remains a highly polluting source of electricity that has serious impacts on human health, especially among those who live near major plants. Time.
Saturday, January 10, 2009.
http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1870599,00.html
[Editor's note: See a related article about a Bush-administration plan to reduce pollution from coal-fired power plants: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/24/washington/24air.html?ref=earth and another about a lawsuit to force the federal government to comply with a six-year-old mandate to reduce toxic chemical emissions from coal-fired power plants: http://wvgazette.com/News/200812190252 ]
Common pool cleaners 'a risk to kids.' Pool cleaners containing the herbicide simazine, a chemical banned internationally due to fears it can cause cancer and serious health problems, in children are in daily use across Australia. WA Today, Australia.
Saturday, January 10, 2009.
http://www.watoday.com.au/national/common-pool-cleaners-a-risk-to-kids-20090110-7e1v.html
Tracking household dangers in utero. Canadian scientists are recruiting hundreds of pregnant women for a landmark, $6-million study designed to track whether the household chemicals that expectant mothers encounter can trigger health problems in their children -- or even alter the babies' genetic makeup. Toronto National Post, Canada.
Saturday, January 10, 2009.
http://www.nationalpost.com/news/story.html?id=1161453
Baltimore taking steps to close health gaps. Blacks in Baltimore are far more likely to die from heart disease, stroke and diabetes than white residents, reflecting the nationwide racial gap in health access and outcome. Baltimore Examiner, Maryland.
Friday, January 09, 2009.
http://www.baltimoreexaminer.com/local/010909laveistside.html
[Editor's note: See a related article about a Kaiser health disparities report on race, ethnicity and health: http://www.kaisernetwork.org/daily_reports/rep_index.cfm?DR_ID=56356 ]
EPA still may limit rocket fuel in drinking water. The Environmental Protection Agency is taking a second look at its decision not to limit the amount of a toxic rocket fuel ingredient [perchlorate] allowed in drinking water. Seattle Post Intelligencer.
Friday, January 09, 2009.
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/1155ap_epa_rocket_fuel.html
[Editor's note: See a related article about California's decision to reconsider its perchlorate standard: http://www.watertechonline.com/news.asp?N_ID=71175 ]
Plan announced to improve pest control in schools by 2015. Pest- and pesticide-related risks to children will be reduced in all U.S. public schools by 2015 as envisioned in a new plan released by the Environmental Protection Agency and others. US Environmental Protection Agency.
Thursday, January 08, 2009.
http://yosemite.epa.gov/opa/admpress.nsf/0/9C91590B71A9EAB8852575370066AFED
California's autism increase not due to better counting, diagnosis. Results from the study also suggest that research should shift from genetics to the host of chemicals and infectious microbes in the environment that are likely at the root of changes in the neurodevelopment of California's children. Science Daily.
Thursday, January 08, 2009.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/01/090108095429.htm
Diabetes linked to cognitive decline. Diabetes can take a toll on the body, taxing the heart, circulation, the kidneys and even the eyes. Now it's becoming clear that the disease may affect the brain as well, contributing to a decline in mental functioning. Time Magazine.
Thursday, January 08, 2009.
http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1869815,00.html?xid=rss-health
[Editor's note: See a related article about a study of the environmental determinants of diabetes: http://chronicle.augusta.com/stories/2008/12/28/met_505648.shtml ]
Toxic materials hitchhike into cells on nanoparticles. Catching a ride on nanoparticles is a newly discovered way for harmful substances to get inside living cells. Environmental Health News.
Wednesday, January 07, 2009.
http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/ehs/newscience/toxic-nanoparticles-get-into-cells/
[Editor's note: See an article about Canada's plans to create a new nanotech research center: http://www.chroniclejournal.com/stories_national.php?id=156984 and another about nanoparticles in sunscreens:
http://www.theage.com.au/national/holidaying-feds-leave-bathers-waiting-for-suspect-sunscreen-list-20081227-75x6.html?page=-1 ]
What's new (or improved) in health sites. Among a new crop of improved online health tools, the federal HazMap database has added 180 new chemical profiles, and now covers more than 2,000 chemical agents and 225 occupational diseases. Wall Street Journal.
Wednesday, January 07, 2009.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123128697040459161.html?mod=googlenews_wsj
Australia refuses to join ban on pesticide. An internationally recognised highly toxic insecticide[endosulfan] will continue to be used widely by Australian horticultural industries. Sydney Morning Herald, Australia.
Wednesday, January 07, 2009.
http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/australia-refuses-to-join-ban-on-pesticide/2009/01/07/1231004105849.html
[Editor's note: See a story about a proposal to ban pesticide sprays in the Philippines: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/nation/view/20090113-183069/Solon-seeks-full-ban-vs-pesticide-sprays , one about a proposed ban on endosulfan in New Zealand: http://en.epochtimes.com/n2/new-zealand/endosulfan-poison-banned-new-zealand-8676.html , and another about pesticide regulation in the European Union: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/7791363.stm ]
State requires all children under 3 to be tested for lead. A new state law that took effect Jan. 1 will double the number of young children tested for lead poisoning each year. New London Day, Connecticut.
Wednesday, January 07, 2009.
http://www.theday.com/re.aspx?re=dbf5dbe2-9c02-4bbb-bff9-a71c197261ac
[Editor's note: See a related article about DC's tougher lead poisoning bill: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/dec/18/dc-legislation-on-lead-poisoning-hailed-as-tough/ , one about Illinois's law regarding lead in toys and other children's products: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-lead_toysdec24,0,6297283.story and another about risks of lead poisoning from home repairs following floods: http://galvestondailynews.com/story.lasso?ewcd=183f5ea9dcff27c9 ]
Smoking in pregnancy, aggressive children linked. Mothers-to-be who smoke are at a higher risk of delivering physically aggressive children, a new study shows, adding to the expansive list of harmful effects of lighting up. Toronto Globe and Mail, Canada.
Wednesday, January 07, 2009.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090107.wsmoking07/BNStory/specialScienceandHealth/home
Scientists probe dangers of flame retardant. Flame retardants are everywhere. They are used in furniture and electronics to keep flames from spreading in the event of a fire. In that sense, they work well.
But one class of these drugs, called polybrominated diphenyl ethers, or PBDEs, is raising eyebrows among environmental health professionals. WBZ TV, Boston.
Tuesday, January 06, 2009.
http://wbztv.com/local/flame.retardants.Professor.2.901665.html
[Editor's note: See a journal article about penta- and octa-BDEs concentrations in fetal liver and placentae: http://www.ehponline.org/docs/2008/0800205/abstract.html ]
Pesticide use in California declined in 2007. Pesticide use declined statewide in California and in San Joaquin County in 2007, and, while weather, economics and farming activities are factors, state and local regulators pointed to a downward trend in the application of many of the most toxic materials. Stockton Record, California.
Tuesday, January 06, 2009.
http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090106/A_BIZ/901060310
Brockton power plant opponents want "environmental justice" served. State officials must ensure -- for the first time in a power plant case -- that "environmental justice" is served and will not overburden low-income and other disadvantaged groups with a polluting industry. Brockton Enterprise, Massachusetts.
Tuesday, January 06, 2009.
http://www.wickedlocal.com/brockton/homepage/x1621234940/Brockton-power-plant-opponents-want-environmental-justice-served
Crops absorb livestock antibiotics, new science shows. Vegetables such as corn, potatoes and lettuce absorb antibiotics when grown in soil fertilized with livestock manure, according to tests conducted at the University of Minnesota. Environmental Health News
Tuesday, January 06, 2009.
http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/ehs/news/antibiotics-in-crops
Pregnant women who reduce smoking have fewer preterm deliveries. Pregnant women who reduce smoking to less than half a pack a day can significantly lower their risk of delivering premature babies, according to a new Charleston Area Medical Center/West Virginia University study. Charleston Gazette, West Virginia.
Tuesday, January 06, 2009.
http://wvgazette.com/News/200901040469
[Editor's note: See an article about prematurity's possible effect on the child's sensory powers: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7795127.stm ]
Lift kids out of poverty, protect their brains. Growing up in poverty can physically harm a child's brain development, suggests a new study co-conducted by a University of British Columbia researcher. The Tyee, Vancouver, British Columbia.
Tuesday, January 06, 2009.
http://thetyee.ca/News/2009/01/06/ChildPoverty/
Mercury-laden whale meat may foster heart disease. The risk of heart disease increases in men who eat mercury contaminated seafood -- in this case whale meat. The results support previous findings with other human populations that show higher exposures to methylmercury can promote heart disease. Environmental Health News.
Monday, January 05, 2009.
http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/ehs/newscience/mercury-in-whale-fosters-heart-disease/
UW researcher finds link between age, birth order and autism. In the largest study of its kind, researchers have shown that the risk of autism increases for firstborn children and children of older parents. The findings suggest avenues of research to explore, including the role of environmental toxins. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Wisconsin.
Monday, January 05, 2009.
http://www.jsonline.com/features/health/37050669.html
Health matters: No amount of alcohol is 'safe' during pregnancy. Although there are documents dating as far back as the 1700s suggesting that alcohol may have an adverse effect on the development of babies, it wasn't until 1973 that the term “fetal alcohol syndrome” was formally used. Bowling Green Daily News, Kentucky.
Saturday, January 03, 2009.
http://bgdailynews.com/articles/2009/01/03/features/feat2.txt
Get plastic-aware when it comes to toys and food containers. It seems like hardly a day goes by without some new report about the health hazards of plastics -- baby bottles, sports bottles, or old Tupperware. Trying to tell the polycarbonates from the polyvinyl chlorides is enough to make your head spin. Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Texas.
Saturday, January 03, 2009.
http://www.star-telegram.com/home/story/1118921.html
School modernization could jump-start student achievement. A clean and well lighted classroom, free of health hazards, can enhance the learning environment. Upgrades can also make kids healthier; measures to prevent mold can decrease asthma, which is the No. 1 chronic illness making kids miss school. Inland Valley Daily Bulletin, California.
Saturday, January 03, 2009.
http://www.dailybulletin.com/ci_11357966
State to study artificial turf. The State Department of Environmental Protection will begin a year-long study on the safety of artificial turf, drawing in the expertise of scientists from several different state agencies. Greater Danbury News Times, Connecticut.
Saturday, January 03, 2009.
http://www.newstimes.com/ci_11357162
Lead and violent crime. New research reveals that, even at low levels, lead exposure in early development shrinks key areas of the brain, and is linked with violent crime. Living On Earth.
Saturday, January 03, 2009.
http://www.loe.org/shows/segments.htm?programID=09-P13-00001&segmentID=4
Folic acid supplements may have adverse epigenetic effects. A team of U.S. and Norwegian researchers report evidence of a possible downside to the practice of maternal folic acid supplementation in the first trimester of pregnancy to reduce the risk of neural tube defects and other congenital malformations. Environmental Factor.
Friday, January 02, 2009.
http://www.niehs.nih.gov/news/newsletter/2009/january/folic-acid-supplements.cfm
Atrazine in the water. The fact that such a dangerous chemical can go unregulated in America has a lot to do with the way pesticide battles are fought in Washington. Mother Jones.
Thursday, January 01, 2009.
http://www.motherjones.com/news/featurex/2006/03/atrazine.html
Indoor pollution: Are we slowly killing ourselves? According to Sue Koger, professor of Biopsychology and Environmental Psychology at Willamette University, two main sources of household toxins are plastics and pesticides. Salem Monthly, Oregon.
Thursday, January 01, 2009.
http://willamettelive.com/story/Indoor_pollution_Are_we_slowly_killing_ourselves139.html
[Editor's note: See related articles: http://www.baltimoresun.com/business/realestate/bal-re.indoorair11jan11,0,4311890.story and
http://money.cnn.com/2009/01/05/real_estate/home_toxins.moneymag/?postversion=2009010606 and a journal article about women's responses to learning personal exposure data: http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/asoca/jhsb/2008/00000049/00000004/art00004 ]
5 chemicals that could contaminate baby formula. With the melamine in Chinese baby formula scandal (hopefully) behind us, I've been wondering what else might be in baby formula that could pop up as a scary scandal -- or at least given a closer look -- in 2009. The Daily Green.
Wednesday, December 31, 2008.
http://www.thedailygreen.com/living-green/blogs/organic-parenting/baby-formula-safety-55123101
State makes environmental progress. An advocacy group said Alabama made significant strides in protecting the environment in 2008, with greater use of alternative energy and tougher standards aimed at more than 50 cancer-causing pollutants. Associated Press.
Tuesday, December 30, 2008.
http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/article/20081230/NEWS02/812300340
Looking to private records for public health goals. About 1,000 physicians nationwide are using a computerized database to collect and monitor their patients' health information for public-health goals like monitoring disease frequency, cancer screening and substance abuse. New York Times.
Tuesday, December 30, 2008.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/30/nyregion/30records.html
At plant in coal ash spill, toxic deposits by the ton. In a single year, an electric plant deposited more than 2.2 million pounds of toxic materials in a holding pond that failed last week, flooding 300 acres in Tennessee. New York Times.
Tuesday, December 30, 2008.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/30/us/30sludge.html?_r=1
[Editor's note: See related articles about the effects of the spill on water quality: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/12/30/officials-urge-coal-ashaf_n_154150.html , on air quality: http://www.wbir.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=73064&catid=2 , on the lack of regulation of coal ash: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/07/us/07sludge.html?_r=1&hp , on lawmakers' calls for more regulation: http://www.mcclatchydc.com/260/story/59321.html , and on potential threats from similar spills to Lake Michigan: http://www.mlive.com/news/index.ssf/2009/01/ash_dumps_threaten.html ]
Veterans are kept in the dark. The Defense Department owns 133 EPA Superfund sites, the most of any entity. However, it does not notify veterans of military Superfund sites of contaminants and the health effects of exposure to them. Salem News, Oregon
Tuesday, December 30, 2008.
http://www.salem-news.com/articles/december292008/el_toro_ro_12-29-08.php
Third-hand smoke' may harm children. Even if an adult smokes inside a home only when a child is absent, the tobacco smoke contamination lingers, U.S. researchers said. United Press International.
Tuesday, December 30, 2008.
http://www.timesoftheinternet.com/32774.html
[Editor's note: See a related article about the high incidence of children exposed to second-hand smoke: http://www.healthday.com/Article.asp?AID=622386 ]
Possible air hazards rarely considered in plans for schools. The battle over whether to build Bayyari Elementary School and the subdivision that surrounds it here was fought for the usual reasons, but no one considered whether high levels of toxic chemicals might be in the air. USA Today.
Tuesday, December 30, 2008.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/environment/2008-12-29-newschools_N.htm
Walking in the countryside is good for the brain as well as the body. Scientists have shown that "interacting with nature", even in the middle of winter, boosts memory and concentration levels. London Daily Telegraph, United Kingdom.
Saturday, December 27, 2008.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/3948948/Walking-in-the-countryside-is-good-for-the-brain-as-well-as-the-body.html
Manganese mines harm children's mental development. The Mexican mining company Autlán maintains that there is no evidence that manganese causes any harm to human health. But in the central state of Hidalgo, where the metal is mined, recent medical tests prove differently. Inter Press Service.
Saturday, December 27, 2008.
http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=45226
Climate change may boost contact with pollutants. Global climate change may lead to a rise in health problems due to increased exposure to harmful air pollutants, suggest researchers who reviewed studies projecting the impact of climate change on air quality. Washington Post.
Friday, December 26, 2008.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/26/AR2008122601247.html
Seven toys in Canada recalled in 2008 due to potentially toxic barium. Despite assurances from Ottawa of fewer toy recalls, the number of children's products pulled from shelves increased, with a potentially toxic and previously undetected threat -- barium -- tainting seven of those toys. Canadian Press.
Thursday, December 25, 2008.
http://www.westmountexaminer.com/article-cp47946027-Seven-toys-in-Canada-recalled-in-2008-due-to-potentially-toxic-barium.html
Waste, major cause for diseases in city. India is turning into an e-waste dump, with Delhi, Bangalore and Hyderabad being the largest contributors, according to Chikmagalur-based NGO Clean World. New Delhi Times of India, India.
Thursday, December 25, 2008.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Bangalore/Waste_major_causes_for_diseases_in_city/articleshow/3888052.cms
The start of something big. The EU's long-debated chemicals legislation is finally under way. The European Chemicals Agency has published a candidate list of 15 "substances of very high concern" -- to flag chemicals most dangerous to consumers and to spur development of safer replacements. Environmental Science & Technology.
Thursday, December 25, 2008.
http://pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10.1021/es803484p
Second-hand stores to be exempt from new lead testing law on children's products. Federal regulators have shifted gears and will effectively exempt thrift stores from a new law requiring children's products to be tested for lead. Los Angeles Times, California.
Friday, January 09, 2009.
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-thrift9-2009jan09,0,7588285.story
[Editor's note: See related articles about a possible exemption for handcrafted toys: http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2008/12/25/toymakers_find_they_might_be_exempt_from_tough_new_rules/ and another on the law's potential impact on libraries:
http://thephoenix.com/Boston/News/74940-Congress-bans-kids-from-libraries/ ]
NYC monitors air quality throughout city. Air pollution monitors have been mounted on 150 light posts throughout New York City to measure major air pollutants that harm health, a health official said. United Press International.
Tuesday, December 23, 2008.
http://www.upi.com/Health_News/2008/12/22/NYC_monitors_air_quality_throughout_city/UPI-79331230005701/
Alabama's largest cities plagued by toxic air. Air in Alabama's four largest cities contains enough dangerous chemicals to potentially endanger the health of thousands of people, according to a study released Monday by environmentalists. Associated Press.
Tuesday, December 23, 2008.
http://www.annistonstar.com/breaking/2008/as-wireupdate-1222-0-8l22r0109.htm
EPA gives Utah clear warning about its polluted counties. Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. was notified Monday that several counties in Utah don't meet federal air-quality limits for fine particulate matter. Salt Lake Deseret Morning News, Utah.
Tuesday, December 23, 2008.
http://deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,705272471,00.html
Effects of chemicals on children's health targeted in major gov't survey. The Ministry of the Environment will launch a major epidemiologic survey in fiscal 2010 to probe the connection between chemical substances and the rising number of children who suffer from conditions such as asthma and skin rashes. Mainichi Daily News, Japan.
Tuesday, December 23, 2008.
http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/news/20081222p2a00m0na010000c.html
The University of Michigan Dioxin Exposure Study: Methods for an environmental exposure study of polychlorinated dioxins, furans and biphenyls. This paper describes the study design and methods for a large population-based
study of dioxin contamination and its relationship to blood dioxin levels. Environmental Health Perspectives.
Tuesday, December 23, 2008.
http://www.ehponline.org/docs/2008/11777/abstract.html
The toxicity data landscape for environmental chemicals. The main objective of this analysis is to define a list of environmental chemicals that are candidates for the US EPA screening and prioritization process, and to catalog the available toxicology information. Environmental Health Perspectives.
Tuesday, December 23, 2008.
http://www.ehponline.org/docs/2008/0800168/abstract.html
Young students often most vulnerable to toxic air. Proximity to industries -- and the exposures to toxic chemicals that often go with it -- can portend unique dangers for young children. Their bodies still are developing, and they breathe more air per pound than adults. USA Today.
Monday, December 22, 2008.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/environment/2008-12-21-youngkids_N.htm
Study finds pesticides in fruit drinks. University researchers tested a total of 102 drinks bought in, among other countries, the United States, Russia, Italy, Germany, France, Switzerland and Britain, The Sunday Times of London reported. United Press International.
Monday, December 22, 2008.
http://www.upi.com/Health_News/2008/12/21/Study_finds_pesticides_in_fruit_drinks/UPI-24471229885140/
Canada sets new limits on children's' cold medicine. Canadian health officials urged parents on Thursday not to give over-the-counter cold medicines to children under the age of six, citing concern over misuse and overdoses. Reuters Health.
Monday, December 22, 2008.
http://www.reutershealth.com/archive/2008/12/19/eline/links/20081219elin022.html
Second-hand smoke tied to fertility problems. In the new study, of more than 4,800 women, researchers found those who'd grown up with a parent who smoked were more likely to report they'd had difficulty becoming pregnant. Reuters Health.
Sunday, December 21, 2008.
http://www.reutershealth.com/archive/2008/12/19/eline/links/20081219elin002.html
EPA veils hazardous substances. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency routinely allows companies to keep new information about their chemicals secret, including compounds that have been shown to cause cancer and respiratory problems, the Journal Sentinel has found. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Wisconsin
Sunday, December 21, 2008.
http://www.jsonline.com/watchdog/watchdogreports/36514449.html
Despite worries over toxins, breast feeding still best for infants. Many mothers who breast-feed have been alarmed and perplexed by reports regarding toxins in breast milk. But a review of data from several studies has found that the benefits of breast-feeding far outweigh these potential risks. New York Times.
Sunday, December 21, 2008.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/20/health/research/20breast.html?_r=1
Formaldehyde found in houses for Mississippi Katrina victims. The Sierra Club has unearthed documents showing that the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency knew for months that cottages it provided to Hurricane Katrina victims contained potentially dangerous levels of formaldehyde but never told residents. ProPublica.
Saturday, December 20, 2008.
http://www.propublica.org/article/formaldehyde-found-in-houses-provided-for-katrina-victims-in-mississippi-12
[Editor's note: See a related article about a federal judge's refusal to grant class-action status to lawsuits claiming that thousands of Gulf Coast hurricane victims were exposed to potentially toxic fumes while living in government-issued trailers: http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/health/6185673.html ]
What is mercury poisoning? Jay Schauben, director of the Florida/U.S. Virgin Islands Poison Information Center-Jacksonville, was asked to explain mercury poisoning. Scientific American
Saturday, December 20, 2008.
http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=jeremy-piven-mercury-poisoning
[Editor's note: See a journal article about events that expose children to elemental mercury: http://www.ehponline.org/docs/2009/0800337/abstract.html ]
Idling buses are pollution's workshop. The old image of buses lined up in school parking lots with their engines running, while students choke on the fumes, is about to become history in Massachusetts. A new law will prohibit buses and cars from unnecessarily idling on school grounds. New Bedford Standard-Times, Massachusetts.
Friday, December 19, 2008.
http://www.southcoasttoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081219/NEWS/812190337
EPA has what it needs to determine phthalate toxicity, NRC says. A National Research Council panel told the Environmental Protection Agency that sufficient data exist to begin assessing the potential health risks posed by phthalates, among the most ubiquitous pollutants on the planet. Science News.
Friday, December 19, 2008.
http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/39447/title/EPA_has_what_it_needs_to_determine_phthalate_toxicity,_NRC_says
[Editor's note: see a related article about California's ban on phthalates: http://www.kqed.org/radio/programs/healthdialogues/multimedia/phthalates.jsp ]
Environmental health is a cure for hospitals, communities. Barbara Sattler directs the Environmental Health Education Center at the University of Maryland School of Nursing, where officials research and advocate for cleaner, greener and healthier health care. Baltimore Examiner, Maryland.
Friday, December 19, 2008.
http://www.baltimoreexaminer.com/local/1219emsQA-Sattler.html
[Editor's note: See a related article about healthy environments within hospitals: http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1867002,00.html?iid=tsmodule ]
Parents' guide to dangerous toys this holiday season. Just as Santa is making his list and checking it twice an important warning goes out to parents. The consumer watchdog organization CALPIRG has issued its 23rd Annual Toy Safety Survey. The report gives safety guidelines for toys bought for small children. MSNBC.
Friday, December 19, 2008.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28271251/
Drinking water contamination mapped. The most comprehensive survey so far has found a slew of drugs, personal care products, pesticides and other contaminants in drinking water being delivered to millions of people across the United States. Nature.
Thursday, December 18, 2008.
http://www.nature.com/news/2008/081217/full/news.2008.1310.html
"Safer" cigarette smoke just as harmful to embryos. Smoke from so-called harm-reduction cigarettes is just as dangerous to developing embryos as smoke from standard cigarettes, and may be even more toxic, new experiments with mouse embryo stem cells show. Reuters Health.
Wednesday, December 17, 2008.
http://www.reutershealth.com/archive/2008/12/16/eline/links/20081216elin006.html
Vision and Strategy for Children's Health and Environment in Canada. This comprehensive call to action draws upon nearly eight years of research, consultations and action on children's environmental health by the CPCHE partners
Wednesday, December 17, 2008.
http://www.healthyenvironmentforkids.ca/english/special_collections/fulltext.shtml?x=4025