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.
1) LDDI Policy Consensus Statement released. On September 16th, LDDI published its new Policy Implications Based on the Scientific Consensus Statement on Environmental Agents Associated with Neurodevelopmental Disorders. This statement, signed by almost 100 scientists, health professionals and advocates nationally and internationally, provides policy recommendations based on the latest science regarding environmental contaminants associated with neurodevelopmental disorders, such as learning disabilities, autism spectrum disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), intellectual disabilities and developmental delays. Additional signatories are welcome. To read the full press release, the policy statement or the scientific consensus statement on which the policy was based, or to sign on to the policy statement, please visit the LDDI website: http://www.iceh.org/LDDI.html
2) The American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Environmental Health Initiative (AAIDD), an LDDI member, presented a teleconference, Environmental Contaminants and ADHD, on Tuesday October 7, 2008. Sponsored by The John Merck Fund, this free teleconference featured Daniel A. Axelrad leading the discussion. To download the powerpoint for and an audio-recording of this teleconference or previous teleconferences organized by AAIDD, please see http://www.ehinitiative.org/Projects/tele_con.htm, or contact Laura Abulafia, 800-424-3688 or Laura@aaidd.org
3) The Institute for Children's Environmental Health (ICEH), an LDDI member, is one of the sponsors of a free book signing, discussion and call to action in Pasadena, California. In Poisoned Profits: the Toxic Assault on Our Children, journalists Alice Shabecoff and Philip Shabecoff directly and definitively link industrial toxins to the current rise in childhood disease and death. The book was researched and written under the sponsorship of Physician's for Social Responsibility-LA's sister chapter, Greater Boston Physicians for Social Responsibility (GBPSR). Discussion of the evening will include how climate change will impact children's environmental health, the corporatization of scientific/environmental health research, and how to move the market and hold government accountable. Policy advocacy opportunities regarding climate change, chemical policy reform and pesticides will also be presented. The event will be held at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday October 14, 2008, at All Saint's Church, 132 North Euclid Avenue, Pasadena, California. Please see the website: http://www.psrla.org/calendar.htm or contact Ana, 213-689-9170 or amascarenas@psrla.org
4) The Learning Disabilities Association of America's Healthy Children Project (HCP) is gearing up for a new year of "mini-grants" to LDA state and local affiliates interested in getting involved with children's environmental health issues related to learning disabilities. The deadline for applying is November 14th. Funding is earmarked each year as part of the John Merck Fund's grant to the HCP. Please contact Maureen Swanson at mswanson@ldaamerica.org for more information.
5) The National Association for the Dually Diagnosed (NADD), AAIDD, LDA and ICEH are working together to update the LDDI fact sheet on environmental contributors to mental health issues based on peer-reviewed literature. We intend to publish this new version by early November 2008.
6) NADD is holding its 25th annual conference entitled: "A Quarter Center of Awareness: Assessment, Treatment and Policy Advances" on November 12 - 14, 2008, at the Sheraton Fallsview Hotel, Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada. LDDI members -- AAIDD, LDA and ICEH -- will have representatives presenting on environmental health at the conference. For more information, please see http://www.thenadd.org/pages/conferences/25th/index.shtml or contact Robert Fletcher at rfletcher@thenadd.org
7) AAIDD, LDA and ASA members in Minnesota are co-sponsoring a forum on environmental contributors to disabilities on Saturday November 15th in Minneapolis. For more information, please contact Maureen Swanson at mswanson@ldaamerica.org or Laura Abulafia at Laura@aaidd.org
8) New Members. The Learning and Developmental Disabilities Initiative welcomes these new members:
For a full list of LDDI members, please visit the LDDI website: http://www.iceh.org/LDDImembers.html
Online Calendar. With a large number of events listed in the coming month, you may prefer to use our online calendar to search by location, by type of event and by other criteria: http://www.iceh.org/cgi-bin/searchevents.cgi Upcoming events extending more than one month in the future are also listed.
Four Tuesdays from September 16 through October 14, 2008
1:00 - 2:00 p.m. Eastern time
Sponsor: National Collaborative Work Group on Green Cleaning and Chemical Policy Reform in Schools; for a list of all sponsors, please see the web address below
The four presentations are targeted at different audiences: all audiences, parents and communities, schools, and workers.
Price: free
Website: http://www.cleaningforhealthyschools.org/documents/training_schedule.pdf
Sunday through Thursday, October 12 - 16, 2008
Pasadena, California
at the Pasadena Convention Center, 300 East Green Street
Sponsor: International Society for Environmental Epidemiology and International Society of Exposure Analysis; for the complete list see http://secure.awma.org/events/isee-isea/sponsor.htm
Join with participants from around the world to exchange ideas about exposure, health and epidemiology in our global environment. Topics include global transport of pollution; epidemiological studies of population health disparities; differential impacts of environmental hazards and risks in developing and industrial societies; changing patterns of exposures and diseases; and much more.
Price: unknown
Website: http://secure.awma.org/events/isee-isea/index.htm
Sunday through Thursday, October 12 - 16, 2008
Rochester, New York
at the Hyatt Regency & URMC
Sponsor: The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and others; see the complete list at http://www.neurotoxicology.com/conf2008/Sponsorship.pdf
The conference theme is "Environmental Etiologies of Neurological Disorders: Scientific, Translational and Policy Implications."
Price: see http://www.neurotoxicology.com/conf2008/registration.pdf
Website: http://www.neurotoxicology.com/conf2008/conference.htm
Contact: Dr. Joan Cranmer, Conference Chair, CranmerJoanM@uams.edu
Tuesday October 14, 2008
6:30 p.m.
Pasadena, California
at All Saint's Church, 132 North Euclid Avenue
Sponsor: Physicians for Social Responsibility Los Angeles, All Saints Church, Californians for a Healthy and Green Economy, Healthy Homes Collaborative, Black Women for Wellness, Strategic Concepts in Organizing and Policy Education, Maternal and Child Health Access, LA Best Babies Network, and the Institute for Children's Environmental Health
In Poisoned Profits: the Toxic Assault on Our Children, journalists Alice Shabecoff and Philip Shabecoff directly and definitively link industrial toxins to the current rise in childhood disease and death. The book was researched and written under the sponsorship of PSR-LA's sister chapter, Greater Boston Physicians for Social Responsibility (GBPSR). Discussion of the evening will include how climate change will impact children's environmental health, the corporatization of scientific/environmental health research, and how to move the market and hold government accountable. Policy advocacy opportunities regarding climate change, chemical policy reform and pesticides will also be presented. Please RSVP.
Price: free
Website: http://www.psrla.org/calendar.htm
Contact: Ana, 213-689-9170 or amascarenas@psrla.org
Wednesday and Thursday, October 15 - 16, 2008
Deira, Dubai United Arab Emirates
at the Al Nahdha Center for Consultation and Training
Sponsor: Ishara
The conference is intended to produce a blueprint of action to help governments and educational institutions design curricula, evolve interventional methods and build up training resources to address the problems of underachievers. We offer opportunities to the delegates to interact with specialists, initiate dialogue and network in order to harness the current knowledge and practices in this field.
Price: US $700
Website: http://www.isharaonline.com/ld/index.htm
Contact: Ishara, 971-4-295-5581 or info@isharaonline.com
Saturday October 18, 2008
8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Mahwah, New Jersey
at the Sheraton Crossroads
Sponsor: Holistic Moms Network
This promises to be a day to become informed and empowered, to renew your passion for holistic health and green living, and to celebrate the fifth anniversary of the founding of the Holistic Moms Network community. Featured speakers are Barbara Loe Fisher, founder of the National Vaccine Information Center presenting "Vaccines & Chronic Illness: Staying Well in the New Epidemic" and Annie B. Bond, author and environmentalist, presenting "Ease Your Mind: Easy Tips for a Green and Healthy Home."
Price: $85 for members, $100 for nonmembers
Website: http://annualconference.holisticmoms.org:80/
Contact: Holistic Moms Network, 877-HOL-MOMS
Thursday October 23, 2008
8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Springfield, Illinois
at Prairie Heart Institute, St. John's Hospital, 619 East Mason Street
Sponsor: Illinois Lead Program and St. John's Hospital Foundation
The objective of this conference is to empower attendees to examine ways to utilize legislators, health advocates, community health educators and lead industry contractors to reduce incidents of environmentally-related illnesses through public education, community outreach and safe work practices. Conference sessions will explore the correlation between the home environment and children's health issues, focusing primarily on exposure to lead poisoning and home toxicants and the short- and long-term outcomes of children's health as a result of these exposures. Continuing education credits are available.
Price: unknown
Website: http://guest.cvent.com/EVENTS/Info/Summary.aspx?e=82d9269b-b34e-4dda-ba16-d1bf620ae2fe
Contact: Vicky Ritz, vicky.ritz@illinois.gov
Friday October 24, 2008
9:00 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Warwick, Rhode Island
at the Radisson Airport Hotel, 2081 Post Road
Sponsor: Childhood Lead Action Project
The conference, which coincides with National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week, will bring together all sectors of the community to share strategies for eliminating lead poisoning through collaboration, education and public policy change. Parents, lead inspectors, contractors, lawyers, social workers, public health officials, health providers, advocates and elected officials will engage in workshops and panel discussions on best practices for lead poisoning prevention.
Price: $90 all day, $50 half day. Scholarships are available.
Contact: Sojaili Gomez, 401-785-1310 or Sojaili@leadsafekids.org
Saturday October 25, 2008
8:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Tacoma, Washington
at the University of Washington -- Tacoma Room GWP 320 (Tacoma Room), 1900 Commerce Street
Sponsor: Washington Physicians for Social Responsibility in collaboration with Oregon Physicians for Social Responsibility
"Preventing Chemical Threats" examines the latest science on toxic chemical exposures and children's development and health. The training focuses on science and health impacts related to exposures to lead, PVC/DEHP, polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), bisphenol A (BPA) and mercury. The program addresses potential trends in rising incidence of disease linked to environmental factors, ramifications of developmental disabilities, health effects linked to toxic exposures, and the latest scientific research. Clinical tips for diagnosis and prevention will also be discussed, as well as discussions on chemical policy reform, energy conservation and sustainable foods in healthcare. Training includes selected provider and patient materials in English and Spanish from the Pediatric Environmental Health Toolkit, endorsed by the American Academy of Pediatrics. This training is relevant to physicians, nurse practitioners, midwives, students, other health-care professionals and child-health advocates. It is also relevant as an educational tool for media, policymakers, and laypersons concerned with public health and links between toxic exposures, child development and health. Four hours of Category II CME (continuing education) credits will be offered through Children's Hospital and Regional Medical Center, Seattle. The training includes a continental breakfast and light lunch.
Price: $15
Website: http://www.wpsr.org/
Contact: Cherie Eichholz, 206-547-2630 or cherie@wpsr.org
Saturday through Wednesday, October 25 - 29, 2008
San Diego, California
at the San Diego Convention Center, 111 West Harbor Drive
Sponsor: American Public Health Association
This is the oldest and largest gathering of public health professionals in the world, attracting more than 13,000 national and international physicians, administrators, nurses, educators, researchers, epidemiologists and related health specialists. American Public Health Association's meeting program addresses current and emerging health science, policy and practice issues in an effort to prevent disease and promote health.
Price: see http://www.apha.org/meetings/registration/reg_fees.htm
Website: http://www.apha.org/meetings/
Contact: American Public Health Association, 202-777-2478
Thursday and Friday, October 30 - 31, 2008
Austin, Texas
at Barr Mansion
Sponsor: National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences; Southwest Center for Pediatric Environmental Health; Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas; Habitat Suites; Healthy Child Healthy World; Austin Children in Nature Community; and Physicians for Social Responsibility, Austin
The conference theme is "Blueprint for Children's Health and the Built Environment." Presented by the Children's Environmental Health Institute, the purpose is to address how environmental influences in the built environment are contributing to health risks for children and compromising the health of future generations. The symposium will provide the latest evidence-based information needed to understand, recognize and prevent children's exposure to environmental toxicants and other health hazards where they live, learn and play.
Price: see https://payments.auctionpay.com/ver3/?id=w012494
Website: http://www.cehi.org/
Contact: janie.fields@cehi.org
Thursday November 6, 2008
New York, New York
at Columbia University, Lerner Hall, 2920 Broadway
Sponsor: Birch Family Services
The theme for this year's conference is "Getting the Social Stuff Right." The conference is geared toward professionals, parents and other family members working with individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Presenters will address triumphs and challenges with helping individuals with ASD understand and maneuver social interaction with others. Information will be presented regarding working with children, adolescents and adults with ASD.
Price: $145, $160 after September 17th
Website: http://www.birchfamilyservices.org/conference/index.html
Contact: Birch Family Services, 212-616-1800
Most of the articles below come from Environmental Health News, http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/
Job opening, Seattle, Washington. Sightline Institute, the Northwest's sustainability think tank, has an opportunity for a full-time news editor to manage our online Northwest news service, Sightline Daily. The ideal candidate will have 3-5 years of professional editing and reporting experience, solid news judgment, a thorough knowledge of Pacific Northwest issues, and a talent for turning policy issues into compelling prose. Ideally, she or he would also have experience working in an online news environment and be tech-savvy. The position is open until filled.
http://www.sightline.org:80/get_involved/jobs-internships/news-editor
Job opening, Falls Church, Virginia. The Center for Health, Environment and Justice is seeking a full-time dynamic communicator who works well in a team, can maintain multiple responsibilities and can stay on top of information and tasks in a quick-paced national organization committed to social change. The communicator will work with program staff in developing comprehensive communications strategies for each program and will coordinate the development of organizational and campaign messages and materials, including print and web-based publications, posters, fact sheets, etc. He or she will be responsible for the cultivation and maintenance of relationships with reporters in the national media. For more information, please contact Sharon Franklin, sfranklin@chej.org
Job opening, Seattle, Washington. The Duwamish River Cleanup Coalition (DRCC) is seeking an experienced and creative leader to fill the position of Coordinator (equivalent to Executive Director). The candidate must have at least five years of nonprofit or similar experience, strong leadership skills, knowledge of technical aspects of contamination, commitment to environmental justice, demonstrated fundraising skills, a strong grasp of fiscal management, and excellent writing and speaking skills. Applications are due by October 31, 2008.
http://www.duwamishcleanup.org/uploads/coordinator.pdf
Job opening, Arlington, Virginia. The Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) has an opening for a senior analyst for state health policy, government relations and legal affairs. The senior analyst will work with the chief and other ASTHO staff on the organization's state public health policy agenda which may include state legislative, statutory, regulatory and executive orders activities. At least three years prior related experience is required.
http://www.astho.org/index.php?template=jobs.php&job_id=1417
Call to action: Restore pesticide data collection. The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) is terminating the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), which collects data on the use of agricultural chemicals, including pesticides, and discloses this information to the public. The Union of Concerned Scientists has an online form for visitors to send a message to USDA Secretary Ed Schafer requesting that he immediately restore the NASS program and make information available to the public at no cost.
http://ucsaction.org/campaign/08_27_08_pesticide_data
[Editor's note: See a related article from September 27th below.]
CR issues consensus statement on the control of pesticides in the EU: a call to action to protect human health. The brief position paper, which urges the EU to adopt strong legislation to protect public health and the environment against adverse effects of pesticides, has been sent to Members of the European Parliament and government representatives currently debating a proposed Regulation on the placing of plant protection products on the market.
http://www.collegiumramazzini.org/download/13_ThirteenthCRStatement(2008).pdf
submitted to this bulletin by Génon K. Jensen
Request for proposals. The US Environmental Protection Agency plans to award in early 2009 a total of $200,000, $100,000 each for two grants that 1) train older adults to be environmental leaders and 2) demonstrate how greenways and sustainable streets can improve the environment, human health and the quality of life. Letters of intent are encouraged by October 24, 2008, and proposals must be submitted by November 21, 2008.
http://epa.gov/aging/grants/grant-list/2008_11_21_rfp-epa-ao-ochp-08-01-fnl-rev-9-24.htm
submitted to this bulletin by Marnie Boardman
Environmental Public Health Leadership Institute accepting applications. Through October 31, 2008, CDC's Environmental Public Health Leadership Institute (EPHLI) will accept applications for the class of 2009–2010. EPHLI strengthens the country's environmental public health system by enhancing the leadership capabilities of state, local and tribal environmental public health professionals.
http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/ehs/EPHLI/application.htm
Public health conference support program. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are requesting applications for their Public Health Conference Support Program with the purpose to provide partial support for specific non-federal conferences in the areas of health promotion and disease prevention, educational programs and applied research.
https://www.employeeexpress.gov/DefaultLogin.aspx
EPA highlights 2008 efforts to protect children. EPA released its annual report outlining national efforts to protect children from environmental risks. EPA's Children's Environmental Health: 2008 Highlights is the eighth in a series of reports describing work done by EPA to protect children where they live learn and play.
http://yosemite.epa.gov/ochp/ochpweb.nsf/content/2008_highlights.htm//OCHP_2008_Highlights_508.pdf
Depressed by pesticides. A study of farmers finds that high pesticide use over a lifetime is associated with clinical depression. Environmental Health News, 8 October 2008.
http://fellows.environmentalhealthnews.org/newscience/depressed-about-pesticides/
Tracking toxic textiles. To the litany of tainted products from overseas -- milk powder, toothpaste, dog food and toys -- now add textiles. Philadelphia Inquirer, Pennsylvania, 6 October 2008.
http://www.philly.com/inquirer/magazine/20081006_Tracking_toxic_textiles.html
Study: Waterproof, greaseproof, non-stick chemical not linked to developmental problems. PFOAs are not associated with delayed early development in babies, finds a Danish study funded by 3M and published in the October issue of the journal Environmental Health Perspectives. USA Today, 6 October 2008.
http://blogs.usatoday.com/betterlife/2008/10/study-waterproo.html
New PCB chemical found in the air. A potentially toxic chemical called PCB-11 has been found all over the air in Chicago. That's surprising, because people thought the chemical hadn't been used in years. Great Lakes Radio Consortium, Michigan, 6 October 2008.
http://www.environmentreport.org/story.php3?story_id=4190
Dietary responses for ADD/ADHD. Although attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has been studied for a number of years, there are still many questions as to what causes it and what the best approaches to treating it might be. Exeter Hampton Union, New Hampshire, 5 October 2008.
http://www.seacoastonline.com/articles/20081005-LIFE-810050304
Tests find toxic toys in stores across GTA. Young children in the Greater Toronto Area are being sold toys, knick-knacks and glittering jewelry laced with dangerously high levels of lead. Toronto Star, Ontario, 4 October 2008.
http://www.parentcentral.ca/parent/article/511758
U.S. to start $3.2 bln child health study in January. A study that will cost $3.2 billion and last more than two decades to track the health of 100,000 U.S. children from before birth to age 21 will be launched in January, U.S. health officials said on Friday. Reuters, 4 October 2008.
http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSTRE4926V120081003?sp=true
Nine ways to avoid household toxins. To help cautious consumers navigate all the confusing warnings and advisories, Nena Baker -- author of "The Body Toxic" -- offers her tips for reducing your exposure to everyday toxins. Newsweek, 4 October 2008.
http://www.newsweek.com/id/161841
Even tiny lead levels endanger kids. Children with any amount of lead in their blood may suffer irreversible health effects, a fact that underscores the need to keep kids from coming in contact with the toxic metal, according to an expert on the subject. Muskegon Chronicle, Michigan, 4 October 2008.
http://blog.mlive.com/chronicle/2008/10/expert_even_tiny_lead_levels_e.html
[Editor's note: see a related article about symptoms of lead poisoning in children: http://www.parentcentral.ca/parent/article/511759 ]
What goes down comes around. Americans flush much more medication down the toilet than previously thought -- a quarter of a billion pounds of drugs and contaminated packaging -- and it's turning up in our drinking water. Living On Earth, 4 October 2008.
http://www.loe.org/shows/segments.htm?programID=08-P13-00040&segmentID=4
[Editor's note: See a related article at http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1064203/Is-water-poisoned-cocktail-drugs.html ]
Boy's mom thinks Singulair sales should be suspended during probe. Doctors are still prescribing a popular drug despite the possibility of adverse side effects that could put patients' lives at risk. Springfield KY3 TV, Missouri, 3 October 2008.
http://www.ky3.com/news/local/30203379.html
FDA will rewrite rules for marketing for children. The Food and Drug Administration will rewrite decades-old federal regulations governing how over-the-counter cold and cough medicines are marketed to children -- amid concerns over whether the products are safe and effective. Wall Street Journal, 3 October 2008.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122295403205798163.html
Contaminants in human milk: Weighing the risks against the benefits of breastfeeding. Given the tendency for contaminants to accumulate in human milk, researchers and parents alike are asking whether the nursling's exposure to these pollutants might reduce or even override the health benefits. Environmental Health Perspectives, 2 October 2008.
http://www.ehponline.org/members/2008/116-10/focus.html
Where you live could affect life and life span. People living at or below the poverty line here are more likely to have diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure, according to Public Health Management Corp.'s community health database. Philadelphia Inquirer, Pennsylvania, 2 October 2008.
http://www.philly.com/inquirer/health_science/daily/20081002_Where_you_live_could_affect_life_and_life_span.html
Improving your indoor air quality. The Environmental Protection Agency says indoor air pollution is among the top five environmental health risks. Fort Myers WZVN TV, Florida, 1 October 2008.
http://www.abc-7.com/articles/readnews.asp?articleid=21926&z=2
The case for 'green' bullets. Recent research has shown lead bullet fragments in big game meat subsequently eaten by hunters, their families and guests. Earlier this year, in North Dakota, ground venison was cleared from the freezers of soup kitchens after the discovery of lead contamination in the majority of the samples tested. Denver Rocky Mountain News, Colorado, 1 October 2008.
http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/oct/01/pauli-and-buskirk-case-green-bullets/
Fish in five spots added to mercury advisory list. Women of childbearing age and kids 14 and under shouldn't eat certain types of fish from a total of 15 areas in Utah. Salt Lake Tribune, Utah, 1 October 2008.
http://www.sltrib.com/news/ci_10604809
California launches broad effort to control hazardous chemicals. California today launched the most comprehensive program of any state to evaluate, label and, in some cases, ban industrial chemicals that are linked to cancer, hormone disruption and other deadly effects on human health. Los Angeles Times, California. 30 September 2008.
http://www.latimes.com/news/science/environment/la-me-chemicals30-2008sep30,0,3514973.story
[Editor's note: see a related article about the effects of Europe's chemical policy on US producers: http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=european-chemical-clampdown-reaches-across-atlantic ]
Country of origin labels coming to the grocery store. Beginning September 30, 2008, a new rule will require fresh meat, seafood and produce to carry a Country of Origin label. The federal law was passed in 2002, but it's taken six years to fully implement. Minnesota Public Radio, Minnesota, 30 September 2008.
http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2008/09/24/cool/
The smart thinking on exercise? It helps kids learn. Data from scientists, teachers and the real-life experience of parents provide growing evidence that physical activity influences the brain. Orange County Register, California, 30 September 2008.
http://www.ocregister.com/articles/exercise-physical-children-2173809-activity-brain
Perchlorate, pregnancy, and politics. Perchlorate is a chemical in rocket fuel that has been found in some drinking water supplies. It's been linked to thyroid problems in pregnant women and babies. Great Lakes Radio Consortium, Michigan, 29 September 2008.
http://www.environmentreport.org/story.php3?story_id=4178
Citing cost, USDA kills pesticide-testing program. In a decision that could make it harder to protect consumers, the Bush administration abruptly halted a government program that tests levels of pesticides in fruits, vegetables and field crops--arguing that the $8 million-a-year program is too expensive. Chicago Tribune, Illinois, 27 September 2008.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-pesticidessep28,0,6191823.story
Plastics in our diet: the need for BPA regulation. We do not have to give up plastics. Not all synthetic chemicals are endocrine disruptors. But when we find substances that are, we have to ensure that they are kept out of our food and water. Scientific American, 27 September 2008.
http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=plastics-in-our-diet
Senate approves Great Lakes legislation. The U.S. Senate passed legislation Thursday to reauthorize a federal program to clean up toxic sediments in rivers and harbors before they flow into the Great Lakes. Detroit News, Michigan, 26 September 2008.
http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080925/POLITICS/809250474/1361
Consumer groups fret over chemicals in teen cosmetics. Teenagers may be contaminated with potentially risky chemicals from cosmetics, according to a small study released Wednesday from the Environmental Working Group. USA Today, 25 September 2008.
http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/retail/2008-09-24-cosmetics-chemicals_N.htm
Drinking-water analysis turns up even more toxic compounds. The chronic presence of genotoxic compounds at low levels in U.S. drinking water could present a conflict for water utilities seeking the best technique for disinfecting drinking water. Environmental Science & Technology, 25 September 2008.
http://pubs.acs.org/cgi-bin/sample.cgi/esthag/asap/html/es802584a.html
A new study from China indicates that reducing air pollution from coal-burning power plants may improve children's ability to learn. Children living near a recently closed coal-burning power plant performed better in a neurological development test compared to children living in the area three years prior when the plant was still in operation, 25 September 2008.
http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/ehs/newscience/closure-of-coal-burning-plant-leads-to-improvement-in-local-childrens-brain-development/
State sues over crib, changing table warnings. Some baby furniture manufacturers aren't warning consumers about the dangers of a toxic gas emanating from cribs and changing tables. San Francisco Chronicle, California, 25 September 2008.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/09/25/BAV7134EVH.DTL
Northeastern, West Coast women have high mercury levels. Women in the Northeast are contaminated with the highest concentrations of mercury in the United States, with one of every five exceeding levels considered safe for fetuses, according to a new national study. Environmental Health News, 24 September 2008.
http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/ehs/news/northeastern-pacific-coast-women-have-highest-mercury-levels
The poisoning of China's babies. Tens of thousands of infants are sick after drinking tainted baby milk. But this isn't an ordinary disaster. Authorities colluded with the companies who deliberately contaminated their products and failed to warn the public. London Daily Telegraph, United Kingdom, 24 September 2008.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/china/3070567/The-poisoning-of-Chinas-babies.html
[Editor's note: Read a related article about melamine throughout China's food supply: http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn14791-melamine-widespread-in-chinas-food-chain.html ]
Hyperactivity drug ritalin 'should not be given to children.' Ritalin should not be prescribed to children under five and used for older children only when they have severe ADHD or as a last resort, the guidance says. Sky News, United Kingdom, 24 September 2008.
http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/Health/Hyperactivity-Drug-Ritalin-Should-Not-Be-Given-To-Children-New-Guidelines-From-NICE-say/Article/200809415105539?lpos=Health_Second_UK_News_Article_Teaser_Region_0&lid=ARTICLE_15105539_Hyperactivity_Drug_Ritalin_Should_Not_Be_Given_To_Children%2C_New_Guidelines_From_NICE_say
EPA presents cleanup plan. Kelley Chase, a remedial project manager with the EPA, presented a preliminary proposal Tuesday to utilize soybean oil and microorganisms to purify groundwater heavily contaminated by trichloroethylene and other volatile organic compounds. Lansdale Reporter, Pennsylvania, 24 September 2008.
http://www.thereporteronline.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=20134984&BRD=2275&PAG=461&dept_id=466404&rfi=6