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) LDDI Scientific Consensus Statement. LDDI has created a scientific consensus statement on environmental agents associated with neurodevelopmental disorders. Reviewing a vast amount of literature regarding the status of knowledge about neurotoxicants, this statement will be used to create specific policy recommendations in the coming weeks. The document and a signature form for scientists, researchers and health professionals are posted on the LDDI website: http://www.iceh.org/LDDI.html Please circulate this information to appropriate colleagues. The deadline has been extended to Monday December 31, 2007.
2) Updated Practice Prevention column on lead. Because lead poisoning has been in the news frequently in recent months, LDDI updated and reformatted our Practice Prevention column on lead. Intended for parents and others who care for children, this column summarizes lead's health effects, routes of exposure and ways to avoid exposure. See http://www.iceh.org/LDDIpublications.html for the updated column. If you post this column on your website or distribute hard copies, please replace the previous version with the update.
3) Two LDDI partners, the Learning Disabilities Association of America (LDA) and AAIDD, have helped spearhead a letter writing campaign as part of a national initiative urging retailers and manufacturers to stop producing and carrying baby bottles containing Bisphenol A. Bisphenol A has been linked to cancers, developmental disorders, early onset of puberty and reproductive problems, among other serious health impacts. The first letter is to Wal-Mart, the second letter is to other major retailers of baby bottles and the third letter is to baby bottle manufacturers. For more information, contact Maureen Swanson: mswanson@ldaamerica.org
4) 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
Most of the articles below come from Environmental Health News, http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/
Lawmakers spar on product safety. Efforts to overhaul the federal agency charged with protecting consumers from harmful products have hit a roadblock, even after this year's recalls of toys and other merchandise. Wall Street Journal, 18 December 2007.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB119794157439335459.html
Schools are graduating to 'green.' Some Lake County districts are already moving toward the use of more environmentally-friendly cleaning solutions in schools, an effort that will be mandated next year by a new state law. Elgin Courier News, Illinois, 18 December 2007.
http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/newssun/news/701575,5_1_WA18_GREENSCHOOLS_S1.article
Maine working on chemical regulations. Gov. John Baldacci said Monday he will incorporate into his 2008 legislative package some of the recommendations of a task force on reducing toxic chemicals in consumer products. Associated Press, 18 December 2007.
http://www.hemscott.com/news/latest-news/item.do?newsId=56416543327241
County to ban smoking in public housing units. Following a national trend, the housing authority's board voted Monday for a pilot program that bans smoking entirely in three apartment buildings, 222 units in all. Seattle Times, Washington, 18 December 2007.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2004079576_smoking18m.html
Marijuana smoke contains higher levels of certain toxins than tobacco smoke. Researchers in Canada report that marijuana smoke contains significantly higher levels of several toxic compounds -- including ammonia and hydrogen cyanide -- than tobacco smoke and may pose similar health risks. Science News, 18 December 2007.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071217110328.htm
Anti-smoking push kicks off. When Fairmont obstetrician Dr. Patrick Bonasso has a pregnant patient who smokes, he tries to convince her to quit. Fairmont Times West Virginian, West Virginia, 17 December 2007.
http://www.timeswv.com/intodayspaper/local_story_350223546.html
Cotton-picking women exposed to pesticide poisoning. Pakistan's cotton-picking women are exposed to chronic pesticide poisoning with symptoms ranging from mild headache and skin allergies to cancer of internal organs, a study shows. Karachi Herald, Pakistan, 17 December 2007.
http://www.dawn.com/2007/12/17/top16.htm
Water may hide harmful chemical cocktail. A report by the UK's Royal Society of Chemistry says chemicals from consumer products and drugs could be breaking down and recombining into a harmful brew in water supplies. New Scientist, England, 17 December 2007.
http://environment.newscientist.com/article/mg19626343.300-water-may-hide-harmful-chemical-cocktail.html
N.J. parents fret about flu shots. A new mandate on flu shots is putting new focus on thimerosal and the effort by pediatricians, parents and vaccine makers to increase the supply of thimerosal-free flu vaccine as debate continues over the link between autism, vaccines and mercury. Newark Star-Ledger, New Jersey, 16 December 2007.
http://www.nj.com/news/ledger/index.ssf?/base/news-12/1197791418124280.xml&coll=1
Biomonitoring: Has pollution spread to body? Adopting a style of research that has proved controversial in other states, Minnesota health officials are poised to test for arsenic in 100 children and for chemicals formerly made by 3M in 200 adults. Minneapolis Star Tribune, Minnesota, 16 December 2007.
http://www.startribune.com/lifestyle/health/12534756.html
Several factors explain explosive growth in the diagnosis of autism. A few decades ago, people probably would have said kids like Ryan Massey and Eddie Scheuplein were just odd. Or difficult. Nashua Telegraph, New Hampshire, 16 December 2007.
http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071216/HEALTH/312160003
Autism -- a world into oneself. Jake Hayes was born seemingly brilliant and with a passion for prehistoric and mystical animals Shreveport Times, Louisiana, 16 December 2007.
http://www.shreveporttimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071216/NEWS01/712160320/1060/NEWS01
Researchers: New understanding of autism is near. Once considered rare, autism now affects one in every 150 children in the United States. Advocacy groups call it an epidemic with an end nowhere in sight. New York Newsday, New York, 15 December 2007.
http://www.newsday.com/news/health/ny-hsauti125331613aug14,0,1913106.story
Benzene study in Anchorage targets attached garages. Because of our gasoline and our climate, Alaskans who live in homes with attached garages are at higher risk of exposure to harmful chemicals in the air. A few scientists are trying to find out the size of that risk. Dutch Harbor Fisherman, Alaska, 15 December 2007.
http://www.star-telegram.com/metro_news/story/361691.html
Mercury in mascara? The quest for thicker lashes and defined eyes should get safer on Jan. 1, when Minnesota bans mercury from mascara, eye liners and skin-lightening creams. Associated Press, 14 December 2007.
http://www.bemidjipioneer.com/ap/index.cfm?page=view&id=D8TGQAKG0
State to expand lead jewelry probe. California toxics regulators Thursday said secret shoppers would be expanding their search in 2008 for lead contamination in children's and adult jewelry as well as metal studs used in body piercing. Los Angeles Times, California, 14 December 2007.
http://www.latimes.com/business/printedition/la-fi-lead14dec14,1,4861439.story?ctrack=4&cset=true
US to do health tests on Katrina victims' trailers. Federal health experts will begin testing for formaldehyde in trailers provided to people displaced by Hurricane Katrina after complaints of health problems, U.S. officials said on Thursday. Reuters, 14 December 2007.
http://www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUSN13238585
Indoor air important, too. The world worries about air pollution, with most of the concern focused on outdoor smog and emissions. What many people don't know or think about is indoor air pollution, which the World Health Organization says kills 1.6 million people around the globe yearly, or one every 20 seconds. Nevada City Union, California, 14 December 2007.
http://www.theunion.com/article/20071214/NEWS/112140157
Health effects of synthetic turf are studied. Most of the fields are made springy with rubber pellets from recycled tires that can stick to skin or find their way into children's mouths. Brooklyn Daily Eagle, New York, 14 December 2007.
http://www.brooklyneagle.com/categories/category.php?category_id=27&id=17261
N.S. bans smoking in cars with kids under 19. Nova Scotia became the first Canadian province Thursday to ban smoking in vehicles with children under the age of 19. The new legislation follows a similar, history-making law the Nova Scotia community of Wolfville passed in November. CanWest News, Canada, 14 December 2007.
http://www.nationalpost.com/news/story.html?id=166541
Sears aims to reduce and phase out use of polyvinyl chloride. Sears Holdings Corp. said Wednesday it will move to phase out the use of the plastic PVC in packaging and merchandise at its Sears and Kmart stores, joining other retailers in targeting the plastic because of health and environmental concerns. Associated Press, 13 December 2007.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-ap-il-sears-pvc,0,2321498.story
State poised to broaden mercury warnings. Underscoring a growing concern about mercury poisoning, Massachusetts is preparing new fish consumption advisories, a sign that mercury contamination in bodies of water may be worsening across the state. Boston Globe, Massachusetts, 13 December 2007.
http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2007/12/13/state_beefs_up_mercury_warnings/
Chemical in infant formula cans sparks concern. The FDA has suggested that bisphenol A is safe at low levels. Some public health experts disagree. ABC News, 13 December 2007.
http://abcnews.go.com/print?id=3968851
No 'One-size-fits-all' arsenic remedy. Recent work by University of Wisconsin-Madison researchers on arsenic-tainted wells has found that appropriate treatment varies depending on the source of the contamination. Waste and Wastewater News, 13 December 2007.
http://wwn-online.com/articles/56638/
Lead paint law upheld. A law that dictates how landlords must alleviate potential lead hazards in their rental units has been upheld by the state Supreme Court after a group of landlords challenged its constitutionality. Providence Journal, Rhode Island, 12 December 2007.
http://www.projo.com/news/content/Lead_Ruling_12-12-07_9687JRR_v23.2701211.html
Statewide ban on smoking in cars with kids takes effect Jan. 1, 2008. California will become the third state in the nation to ban smoking in cars with minors, thanks to a cancer-prevention measure carried by Sen. Jenny Oropeza, D-Long Beach. Beverly Hills California Chronicle, California, 12 December 2007.
http://www.californiachronicle.com/articles/viewArticle.asp?articleID=45581
State DEP regulators propose new dry-cleaning rules. Citing possibly unacceptable public health risks, the state wants to phase out by 2021 the use of a toxic chemical [perchloroethylene] widely used by dry cleaners. Asbury Park Press, New Jersey, 12 December 2007.
http://www.app.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071212/NEWS03/712120328/1007/NEWS03
Dirty secret: How healthy is your office? Office workers spend eight hours a day marinating in carcinogens and chemical substances. Photocopiers emit ozone. Printers spew ultrafine particulates. Furniture and computers stew in brominated flame-retardants. CanWest News, Canada, 11 December 2007.
http://www.nationalpost.com/life/story.html?id=158724
Waterborne carbon increases threat of environmental mercury. Mercury is a potent neurotoxin and a worrisome environmental contaminant, but the severity of its threat appears to depend on what else is in the water. Science Daily, 11 December 2007.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071210162850.htm
Breathing distance. Regional air-pollution officials want cities and counties to stop allowing homes to be built next to busy freeways and roads where harmful pollution from trucks and cars is at its worst. Riverside Press-Enterprise, California, 10 December 2007.
http://www.pe.com/localnews/inland/stories/PE_News_Local_D_air10.30cf633.html
Weight and pregnancy. Numerous studies confirm that obese women are at higher risk of pregnancy-related complications that can threaten the life of both the mother and the fetus. Hartford Courant, Connecticut, 10 December 2007.
http://www.courant.com/news/custom/topnews/hc-obesemoms.artdec10,0,1427321.story?page=1&coll=hc_tab01_layout
Discarded cosmetics 'threat to drinking water.' Drinking water in Britain is under threat from drugs and cosmetics being flushed down the drains in millions of households, chemists have warned. London Daily Telegraph, England, 10 December 2007.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/main.jhtml?xml=/earth/2007/12/10/eawater110.xml
Getting lead out is a dirty job. Once parents have finished vetting toys for the holiday season, they should take at least one more precaution to safeguard their children from exposure to lead: Remove their shoes. Chicago Tribune, Illinois, 9 December 2007.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/features/lifestyle/health/chi-lead_thinkdec09,1,5940121,full.story?ctrack=3&cset=true
High weed killer levels found in river checks. Atrazine, the second most widely used weed killer in the country, is showing up in some streams and rivers at levels high enough to potentially harm amphibians, fish and aquatic ecosystems, according to the findings of an extensive EPA database that has not been made public. Washington Post, 9 December 2007.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/08/AR2007120801451.html
Contaminant collects in breast milk. Scientists have discovered the mechanism by which a chemical known as perchlorate can collect in breast milk and cause cognitive and motor deficits in newborns. Health Day News, 8 December 2007.
http://www.statesman.com/health/content/shared-auto/healthnews/envm/610559.html
Canadian retail chain pulls plastic water bottles. Canada's largest outdoor-goods chain has pulled water bottles and food containers made of polycarbonate plastic from its shelves over worries about the chemical bisphenol A, which has been linked to cancer and reproductive problems in animals. Reuters, 8 December 2007.
http://ca.today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=domesticNews&storyID=2007-12-07T221129Z_01_N07321187_RTRIDST_0_CANADA-HEALTH-PLASTIC-COL.XML
Lead linked to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Even minute levels of lead in the blood -- lower than levels previously believed to cause no harm -- have been linked to ADHD. The Daily Green, 7 December 2007.
http://www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/latest/lead-attention-deficit-47120702
Controversial chemical found in infant formula. New research from a U.S. environmental group reveals the potentially carcinogenic chemical bisphenol A is in the lining of most cans of liquid baby formula and often leaches into the liquid at what they say are dangerous levels for babies. Toronto Star, Ontario, 7 December 2007.
http://www.thestar.com/article/283101
Give your home a breath of fresh air. There are lots of things you can do to make the atmosphere in your house cleaner and healthier. Toronto Globe and Mail, Ontario, 7 December 2007.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20071207.HOLMES07/TPStory/Environment
State orders massive cleanup of PCB-tainted shoreline. A PCB-tainted stretch of Columbia River shoreline will be cleaned to the highest level that’s technically feasible, state regulators announced Thursday. Clark Columbian, Washington, 7 December 2007.
http://www.columbian.com/news/localNews/2007/12/12062007_State-orders-massive-cleanup-of-PCB-tainted-shoreline.cfm
Missouri central in coal plant debate. The national struggle to halt the construction of coal plants because of the harmful pollutants they release has spread from Kansas to Missouri. Kansas City Star, Missouri, 7 December 2007.
http://www.kansascity.com/news/breaking_news/story/392518.html
Common household chemical could raise breast cancer risk. A chemical [BBP] found in many plastic products used in households caused accelerated breast development and genetic changes in newborn female lab rats, a condition that might predispose the animals to breast cancer later in life, a new study says. Health Day News, 7 December 2007.
http://www.cbc.ca/cp/HealthScout/071206/6120615AU.html
Environmental groups release guide to toys containing toxins. Tests on more than 1,200 children’s products, most of them still on store shelves, found that 35 percent contain lead, many with levels far above the federal recall standard used for lead paint. Associated Press, 6 December 2007.
http://www.reporterherald.com/Top-Story.asp?ID=13570
Durbin wants more federal regulation of toy safety. Sen. Dick Durbin called Wednesday for tighter federal regulation of toy safety, saying holiday shopping has become like playing "Chinese roulette." St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Missouri, 6 December 2007.
http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/washington/story/7F7311433DCC9B1F862573A9001307B1?OpenDocument
Which is better? Antibacterial scrubbers vs. soap. If cleanliness is next to godliness, modern America is the land of the faithful -- fighting the good fight against today's so-called superbugs with sparkling countertops and well-washed hands. Seattle Times, Washington, 5 December 2007.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/health/2004052358_soap05.html
Greener way to clean. The air is smelling greener for Connecticut cleaning products manufacturers, as new state and municipal regulations create more demand for environmentally friendly cleaners. Hartford Courant, Connecticut, 5 December 2007.
http://www.courant.com/business/hc-greenclean1205.artdec05,0,3259701.story
ADHD kids' brains 'can't handle stress.' Brain scans by Australian scientists have revealed that children with the hyperactive disorder have a dysfunction in the part of the brain which controls the ability to develop coping strategies. Sydney Morning Herald, Australia, 5 December 2007.
http://www.smh.com.au/news/National/ADHD-kids-brains-cant-handle-stress/2007/12/05/1196812819949.html
State of Vermont warns of lead in children's jewelry. The Vermont Department of Health issued a warning Tuesday after lab results showed that 12 of 15 children's jewelry and other small metal consumer products tested for lead far exceeded the maximum level recommended by the Consumer Product Safety Commission staff. Barre-Montpelier Times Argus, Vermont, 5 December 2007.
http://www.timesargus.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071205/NEWS02/712050327/1003/NEWS02
Tests on 1,200 toys in U.S. find 35 percent tainted by lead. Tests on more than 1,200 children's products, most of them still on store shelves, found that 35 percent contain lead -- many with levels far above the U.S. federal recall standard used for lead paint. Associated Press, 5 December 2007.
http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/12/05/business/toys.php