These bulletins are now 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.
1) Medical Approaches in Autism: Clinical Implications of Environmental Toxicology for Children's Neurodevelopment in Autism. To be held Friday February 8, 2008, from 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. at the UCSF Laurel Heights Conference Center, 3333 California Street, San Francisco, California. This symposium will be a source of current information for physicians, clinicians and other healthcare professionals who work with children with or at risk for neurodevelopment disorders. Educated parents and members of the general public who have an interest in learning more about the latest information on environmental implications in the diagnosis and treatment of autism will also benefit from scientific and clinical information provided at the symposium. Speakers include Martha Herbert, MD, PhD; Mark Noble, PhD; Judy Van de Water, PhD; Issac Pessah, PhD; Robert Hendren, DO; Derrick MacFabe, MD; Kenneth Bock, MD; and Bryan Jepson, MD. Sponsors are New Paradigms in Autism Research and Treatment, Collaborative on Health and the Environment, Commonweal, San Francisco Medical Society and UC Davis MIND Institute. The price is $50, with a limited number of scholarships available. For more information, contact NPART Symposium Coordinator, aut_sym@mac.com or see https://www.eventville.com/catalog/eventregistration1.asp?eventid=1002917
2) LDDI partner American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities will present a teleconference -- Indoor Air Quality and Health on Tuesday February 12, 2008, from 2:00 - 3:00 p.m. Eastern time. The quality of our indoor environments affects our well-being and productivity. In addition, the risk of disease is increased by factors such as indoor air pollutants, toxins and microbes on surfaces, and human contact. The seminar starts with a brief summary of our current understanding of ambient air pollution health concerns. Contrasting outdoor air to indoor air as a public good, it is seen that the policy debate about regulating indoor environments is still quite confused. A pollutant-specific framework rather than a comprehensive framework has characterized public and private responses to indoor air quality to date. Examples include formaldehyde, asbestos, radon and now molds. Contemporary topics of molds and synthetic organic compounds illustrate the continuing concerns about the health of indoor environments. John D. Spengler, PhD, professor of Environmental Health and Human Habitation at Harvard University's School of Public Health, will speak. Contact Laura Abulafia, Laura@aaidd.org for details. Information about this free teleconference is on the AAIDD Environmental Health Initiative website: http://www.ehinitiative.org/Projects/tele_con.htm
Wednesday January 30, 2008
8:30 a.m. - 4:15 p.m.
New York, New York
at the Fordham University Lincoln Center, 113 West 60th Street
Sponsor: Fordham University Graduate School of Social Service, National Association for the Dually Diagnosed
For a description of the schedule, see http://www.thenadd.org/pages/conferences/013008/schedule.shtml
Price: see http://www.thenadd.org/pages/conferences/013008/register.shtml
Website: http://www.thenadd.org/pages/conferences/013008/index.shtml
Thursday through Sunday, February 14 - 17, 2008
Orlando, Florida
at the Caribe Royale, 8101 World Center Drive
Sponsor: Autism Today and US Autism and Asperger Association
The conference theme is "Autism Through the Lifespan." Twenty-two autism experts will speak on topics covering the full range of topics about autism spectrum disorders across the lifespan.
Price: $250, with discounts for additional guests
Website: http://www.autismorlando.com/index.html
Contact: Karen Simmons, 780-482-1555 or congress@autismtoday.com
Wednesday through Saturday, February 27 -- March 1, 2008
Chicago, Illinois
Sponsor: Learning Disabilities Association of America
Discover the latest in learning disability research, learn effective teaching techniques and strategies, hear from leading experts in the learning disability field, network with colleagues and make new friends, learn about critical policy issues, earn graduate and/or continuing education credits and much more.
Price: unknown
Website: http://www.ldaamerica.org/conferencereg/index.asp
Contact: Learning Disabilities Association of America, 412-341-1515 ext. 203 or aturkheimer@ldaamerica.org
Online Calendar. Upcoming events extending more than one month in the future are listed in a searchable calendar: http://www.iceh.org/cgi-bin/searchevents.cgi
Most of the articles below come from Environmental Health News, http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/
Job opening: Seattle Washington. Washington Toxics Coalition seeks a dynamic, resourceful, proven leader to guide this Seattle-based nonprofit organization. The executive director must be a highly strategic thinker with a strong capacity to guide staff in managing and implementing programs, while building upon the entrepreneurial, bold and fast-paced nature of the organization's work. Consideration of resumes will begin Monday, February 11th. WTC highly values diversity in the workplace and is an equal opportunity employer.
http://www.watoxics.org/about/employment/executive-director-job-announcement
Campaign for Safe Cosmetic Action Alert. Email Wal-Mart or bring a letter to your local store manager asking that the retailer add triclosan to the list of hazardous chemicals addressed under its new Business Sustainability Plan.
http://action.safecosmetics.org/action/index.asp?step=2&item=14374
SHARP Network. Scientists and Engineers for America has just launched the Science Health And Related Policies (SHARP) Network. The SHARP Network is a wiki-based system that will allow the public to track the positions their elected officials have taken on critical science and health issues.
http://sefora.org/2008/01/16/sea-launches-the-sharp-network/
Fish oil: a cure for young offenders? A major trial is to be launched to see whether giving young offenders nutritional supplements reduces anti-social behaviour in prison. Its authors believe this could prove a seminal piece of research with major implications for the criminal justice system. BBC, UK, 29 January 2008.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7213499.stm
AL sets new precedent in toxics tort cases. A precedent-setting Alabama Supreme Court ruling will make it easier for people to seek compensation for medical problems caused by exposure to toxic chemicals at work, lawyers said Monday. Birmingham News, Alabama, 29 January 2008.
http://www.al.com/news/birminghamnews/index.ssf?/base/news/1201598112219820.xml&coll=2
Dust, air, water sources of lead. The dangers of lead in some toys are well-known, but there are plenty of other ways people can be exposed to the metal. Associated Press, 27 January 2008.
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5ga_85zk5c0qGS2Df4qxxiEcFWX0gD8UEBV2O0
The chemicals within. Many common household products contain compounds that could be affecting our health. Newsweek, 27 January 2008.
http://www.newsweek.com/id/105588
Galveston's lead-poisoning rates 10 times the national average. Nearly one in five children in Galveston has enough lead in their blood to cause learning disabilities and behavioral problems -- an alarming statistic that officials have known for years but have done little to improve. Houston Chronicle, Texas, 27 January 2008.
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/health/5488915.html
Biggest and best tuna tend to have the most mercury, experts say. Higher priced foods usually mean healthier options -- but that may not be the case with tuna, new studies suggest. International Herald Tribune, 27 January 2008.
http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/01/25/healthscience/tuna.php
Can beauty be dangerous? Lipstick tainted with lead. Mascara that contains mercury. A hair-straightening treatment that slicks your tresses with protein . . . and formaldehyde? As three recent controversies show, sometimes the world of beauty can be downright ugly. Washington Post, 27 January 2008.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/01/24/AR2008012402135.html
Before autism strikes. Can autism be prevented? It sounds like a very long shot. But that is the focus of innovative research at the University of Washington. Los Angeles Times, California, 26 January 2008.
http://www.latimes.com/features/health/la-he-lab28jan28,1,3373432.story?ctrack=4&cset=true
Life cycle of ADHD. A series of studies following 457 Finnish children from birth to ages 16 to 18 offers a glimpse of how the primary symptoms of ADHD typically evolve. Los Angeles Times, California, 26 January 2008.
http://www.latimes.com/features/health/la-he-adhd28jan28,1,5908673.story
Green groups target toxic toys. Sandra Armington is worried about children who play with rubber duckies, and joined others at the Capitol to back five bills requiring manufacturers to disclose the use of certain chemicals in toys and other children's products. Waterville Morning Sentinel, Maine, 25 January 2008.
http://morningsentinel.mainetoday.com/news/local/4692595.html
Study explores autism link to immune system. In another tantalizing link between the immune system and autism, UC Davis researchers have found 11 genes, all governing "natural killer" immune cells, that are more active in autistic children than in other youngsters. Sacramento Bee, California, 25 January 2008.
http://www.sacbee.com/health/story/661144.html
City jury awards $6 million in lead poisoning case. A Baltimore jury ordered an apartment management company to pay $6 million to an 8-year-old boy after determining that he suffered brain damage at his home as a result of exposure to lead-based paint. Baltimore Sun, Maryland, 24 January 2008.
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/baltimore_city/bal-md.ci.lead24jan24,0,6505583.story
Mercury danger found in fresh tuna. Potentially dangerous mercury levels in fish and sushi were found in a wide range of places -- including randomly selected restaurants and Publix. Miami Herald, Florida, 24 January 2008.
http://www.miamiherald.com/457/story/391294.html
Lead-test mandate isn't met. Blood screening is required for all children who qualify for Medicaid, yet many at-risk kids in Wisconsin are going without. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Wisconsin, 24 January 2008.
http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=710765
Pipe scales release hazardous metals into drinking water. Mobilization of mineral deposits within the distribution system can contaminate treated water [with contaminants including arsenic, cadmium and mercury] before it reaches the tap. Environmental Science & Technology, 24 January 2008.
http://pubs.acs.org/subscribe/journals/esthag-w/2008/jan/science/rr_pipescales.html
Long-ago lead exposure, and possibly other pollutants, may hasten old-age mental decline. Could it be that the "natural" mental decline that afflicts many older people is related to how much lead they absorbed decades before? Associated Press, 24 January 2008.
http://www.ledger-dispatch.com/news/newsview.asp?c=234614
Hormones in drinking water. It's no longer the fluoride we have to worry about in a twist on the Dr. Strangelove paradigm, there is growing concern over hormones in the food we eat and the water we drink. Reno News and Review, Nevada, 24 January 2008.
http://www.newsreview.com/reno/Content?oid=615915
City parks officials seek safety review of synthetic surfaces. The New York City Parks Department has asked the city health department to investigate potential health and safety problems associated with the synthetic recreational materials, even as it continued to insist the surfaces were safe. New York Times, 23 January 2008.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/23/nyregion/23turf.html?_r=1&oref=slogin
Port vows to cut air pollution from ships, cargo gear. By 2010 the Port of Seattle, Washington, would cut toxic soot by 70 percent for docked ships and 30 percent for equipment on shore that hauls cargo. The ports of Tacoma and Vancouver, B.C., have agreed to similar goals. Seattle Times, Washington, 23 January 2008.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2004139753_portair23m.html
Some immigrant children fed lead, mercury. An alarming number of Toronto-area children are being given traditional remedies containing lead and other heavy metal toxins, a leading Hospital for Sick Children poison expert said yesterday. Toronto Star, Ontario, 23 January 2008.
http://www.thestar.com/News/GTA/article/296591
[Editor's note: see related articles: http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hgIDiEQReinssqIEJFoOYB6cYt7QD8UAREKG0 and http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/custom/religion/chi-recall_24jan24,1,7911788.story]
Bill aims to increase lead testing for children. As concerns grow that toys and candy from China and Mexico are exposing children to lead, a bill in the Washington Legislature seeks increased testing for lead in children younger than six. Portland Oregonian, Oregon, 23 January 2008.
http://www.oregonlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2008/01/bill_aims_to_increase_lead_tes.html
Studies link other ills to mercury. In the past few years, several studies have concluded that elevated mercury levels may be associated not only with neurological problems but with cardiovascular disease among adults as well. New York Times, 23 January 2008.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/23/dining/23sbox.html
Plastic ingested, study finds. Scientists furious at conclusions reached by a federal panel charged with assessing the safety of a common household chemical, bisphenol A, have retaliated. And they're using science as their weapon. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Wisconsin, 23 January 2008.
http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=710303
Makeup of makeup. On any given day, the average woman uses as many as 25 products, containing hundreds of chemical compounds. Albany Times Union, New York, 22 January 2008.
http://timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=657177&category=LIFE&BCCode=HOME&newsdate=1/22/2008
[Editor's note: see a related article: http://www.wickedlocal.com/belmont/news/lifestyle/columnists/x1295942033]
Chemical Exposures Cost California $2.6 Billion in 2004. Diseases among Californians who are exposed to chemicals and pollution cost the state's insurers, businesses and families an estimated $2.6 billion in direct and indirect costs during 2004. Environmental News Service, 21 January 2008.
http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/jan2008/2008-01-21-01.asp
Tougher lead standards mean more children will be tested, treated. The General Assembly has instituted sweeping changes to the state's lead poisoning prevention program in order to provide better child protection. Waterbury Republican-American, Connecticut, 21 January 2008.
http://www.rep-am.com/articles/2008/01/21/special/312308.txt
Mobiles linked to disturbed sleep. A new study, funded by mobile phone companies, suggests radiation from the handset can cause insomnia, headaches and confusion. BBC, UK, 21 January 2008.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7199659.stm
Warnings for energy drinks? After screening 300 chemicals under CA Prop 65, 11 of those were found to cause cancer, birth defects or harm to animals. Caffeine was one of them. San Bernardino County Sun, California, 20 January 2008.
http://www.sbsun.com/news/ci_8029403
State lawmakers call for stricter toy safety regulations. Millions of toys have been recalled in the past year because they contain lead, but that doesn't mean your child's toy box is safe yet. Tacoma News Tribune, Washington, 20 January 2008.
http://www.theolympian.com/legislature/story/333202.html
Study children and cellphones, US experts advise. Researchers should study more children and pregnant women in trying to figure out if cell phones or other wireless devices could damage health, the U.S. National Research Council advised on Thursday. Reuters, 19 January 2008.
http://www.abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory?id=4151580
Warning issued on lead-laced candies. The California Department of Public Health on Friday warned people not to eat INDY Mini Dedos Spicy and Sour candies imported from Mexico after tests by the department found levels of lead that could cause health problems. Santa Cruz Sentinel, California, 19 January 2008.
http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/story.php?storySection=Local&sid=65031
Kalamazoo County to enforce lead rules. If doing the right thing isn't incentive enough, landlords who don't take steps to protect children from lead poisoning could now find themselves in jail. Kalamazoo Gazette, Michigan, 19 January 2008.
http://blog.mlive.com/kzgazette/2008/01/kalamazoo_county_to_enforce_le.html
How plastic we've become. Today, the planet is awash in products spawned by the plastics industry. Residues of plastics have become ubiquitous in the environment—and in our bodies. Science News, 19 January 2008.
http://www.sciencenews.org/articles/20080119/food.asp
Baby products under scrutiny. A congressional committee is launching an investigation into the use and safety of a chemical -- bisphenol A -- found in many children's and infant products, including the lining of liquid infant formula cans. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Wisconsin, 18 January 2008.
http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=708628
FBI sued over lead bullet casings in lake. A Northbrook group has filed suit to stop the FBI from using a shooting range in North Chicago and force the FBI to pay $35.2 million for an environmental assessment and cleanup. Elgin Courier News, Illinois, 18 January 2008.
http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/newssun/news/746733,5_1_WA18_LEADWATER_S1.article
China says its seafood is safer. China's Ministry of Agriculture says a recent nationwide crackdown on the use of illegal veterinary drugs has already significantly improved the quality and safety of the country's seafood production. International Herald Tribune, January 18, 2008.
http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/01/18/business/17cndfish.php
Mercury in Alaska fish: Something else to worry about. For the most part, most Alaska fish species have relatively low levels of mercury, but recent studies have cast doubt. Cordova Times, Alaska, 17 January 2008.
http://thecordovatimes.com/news/story/1230
Banned toxin found in wood floor finishes. A wood floor finish popular in the 1950s and 1960s may be a significant, continuing source of the banned, disease-causing pollutants known as PCBs, 50 years after the floors were installed. Reuters, 17 January 2008.
http://www.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idUSN1665067220080117
Wider spread of chemical is feared in New Hampshire. A recent federal finding that drinking water at seven of ten Rockingham County, mobile home parks is contaminated with a gasoline additive called MTBE is surprising scientists and spurring ongoing legal efforts by the state to get oil companies to clean up the mess. Boston Globe, Massachusetts, 17 January 2008.
http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2008/01/17/wider_spread_of_chemical_is_feared/
Is your home making you sick? Studies of human exposure to air pollutants by the Environmental Protection Agency indicate that indoor air levels of many pollutants may be two to five times, and occasionally more than 100 times, higher than outdoor levels. San Mateo Daily Journal, California, 17 January 2008.
http://www.smdailyjournal.com/article_preview.php?id=86076
Study: Less heavy metal in British air. British scientists have determined air quality in the United Kingdom has significantly improved during the past 25 years with the reduction of heavy metals. United Press International, 17 January 2008.
http://www.upi.com/NewsTrack/Science/2008/01/17/study_less_heavy_metal_in_british_air/4457/
Ruling paves way for mercury emissions lawsuit. A legal ruling made Wednesday at an Ontario court has paved the way for Canadian environmentalists to try to prosecute DTE Energy Co. of Detroit over allegations that mercury emissions from two coal fired power plants it operates in the U.S. are causing water pollution in Canada. Lake Ontario Waterkeeper, Ontario, 16 January 2008.
http://www.waterkeeper.ca/content/fish/ruling_paves_way_for_mercury_e.php
Environmentalists push Queen's Park for pesticide ban. A coalition of environmental activists and health professionals called on the Ontario government Tuesday to quickly pass a promised, provincewide ban on the cosmetic use of pesticides. Canadian Press, 16 January 2008.
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/ottawa/story/2008/01/15/enviro-pesticides.html
Organic foods prove more nutritious. A new study has found that food grown organically - -- particularly fruits, vegetables and milk - -- are more nutritious than those produced by conventional methods. Pottstown Mercury, Pennsylvania, 16 January 2008.
http://ptm.jrcinteractive.com/WebApp/appmanager/JRC/Daily;jsessionid=92bTHNhbY762JnqBtFy3qR7J2N68DxfsGwCBKFTW9lGTJQy3n8Rq!2060854463?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=pg_article&r21.pgpath=%2FPTM%2FLife&r21.content=%2FPTM%2FLife%2FHeadlineList_Story_1419911
Iron nanobeads can control immune system. Rat cells' immune response has been switched on and off with a magnetic field -- a technique that could control treatment of allergies and other illnesses more precisely. New Scientist, England, 16 January 2008.
http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg19726385.900-iron-nanobeads-can-control-immune-system.html
Group wants more polluters in court. The All-China Environmental Federation, the only nongovernmental organization active nationwide, said Tues. it will boost efforts to help people defend their rights to clean air, water and land. China Daily, 16 January 2008.
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2008-01/16/content_6396814.htm