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's scientific consensus statement on environmental agents associated with neurodevelopmental disorders was released to public media last week. Articles have been published around the world, such as on King 5 News ( http://www.king5.com/health/stories/NW_022008ENB_environmental_agents_KS.114aee16.html ) and in Health Sentinel ( http://www.healthsentinel.com/org_news.php?event=org_news_print_list_item&id=128 ).
2) As the official publication of The National Association for the Dually Diagnosed (NADD), the new Journal of Mental Health Research in Intellectual Disabilities is an interdisciplinary research journal that reports original scientific and scholarly contributions to advance knowledge about mental health issues among persons with intellectual disabilities and related developmental disabilities, especially autism spectrum disorders and genetic phenotypes. Please send manuscripts and inquiries to the editor-in-chief, Johannes Rojahn, PhD: jrojahn@gmu.edu
3) The American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AAIDD), an LDDI partner, will present a teleconference, "Environmental Injustice: Focus on Pediatric Neurodevelopmental Disorders" 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. Eastern time on Tuesday March 11, 2008. Contact Laura Abulafia, 800-424-3688 or laura@aaidd.org, or check the AAIDD website for details: http://www.ehinitiative.org/Projects/tele_con.htm
4) Learning Disabilities Association of Maine will hold its Annual Conference on Friday April 11, 2008, in Waterville, Maine. The conference theme is "Learning Disabilities & Coexisting Emotional Problems." This intense mental-health professional program includes the "co-morbidity" disorders often found with individuals with learning disabilities including anxiety, depression, obsessive compulsive disorder, anger control/bipolar disorder, and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Dr. Larry Silver will focus on the clinical description, diagnosis and treatment of these disorders ending the day with a group discussion and response to your questions. For more information, please contact LDA of Maine, 207-465-7700 or info@ldame.org or see the website: http://www.ldame.org/index.html
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: see http://www.ldaamerica.org/pdf/LDAChicago.pdf (page 92)
Website: http://www.ldaamerica.org/conference/index.asp
Contact: Learning Disabilities Association of America, 412-341-1515 ext. 203 or aturkheimer@ldaamerica.org
Friday February 29, 2008
Chapel Hill, North Carolina
at the William and Ida Friday Continuing Education Center, 100 Friday Center Drive
Sponsor: North Carolina Institute for Public Health
Since its inception, the Minority Health Conference at UNC has provided the region with a forum for scholarly exchange of ideas related to the health of minority populations. This primarily student-produced and student-executed conference provides an opportunity to highlight health issues of concern to people of color and attract students interested in minority health to the School. The conference will feature speakers and presenters who are devoted to understanding and addressing continuing disparities in the burden of illness and death experienced by minority populations.
Price: $25-$75, see https://oce.sph.unc.edu/forms/mhc/
Website: http://www.minority.unc.edu/sph/minconf/2008/
Contact: Janelle Armstrong, oce@unc.edu
Friday February 29, 2008
8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Arlington, Virginia
at the Hyatt Arlington at Washington's Key Bridge, 1325 Wilson Boulevard
Sponsor: United States Fish and Wildlife Service
The goal of this meeting is to continue outreach to health and healthcare professionals regarding the health and conservation benefits of regular outdoor play in a natural environment. Information from this meeting will be used to develop a "Let's Go Outside for Health" toolkit for health professionals.
Price: unknown
Website: http://www.fws.gov/children/letsgohoutsideforhealth.html
Contact: Robin Bunch, 703-358-2536 or Robin_Bunch@fws.gov
Friday February 29, 2008
2:00 - 3:30 p.m. Eastern time, 11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Pacific time
Sponsor: North Carolina Institute for Public Health
Nancy Krieger, MS, PhD, will give the keynote lecture, "The Science and Epidemiology of Racism and Health in the United States: an Ecosocial Perspective." The lecture will be broadcast by satellite and Internet. Krieger's work focuses on social inequalities in health. She is a social epidemiologist, with a background in biochemistry, philosophy of science, history of public health, and involvement as an activist in issues involving social justice, science, and health. Her work involves a) etiologic studies of social inequalities of health, b) methods for improving monitoring of social inequalities of health and c) development of theoretical frameworks to guide work on understanding and addressing social determinants of health.
Price: free
Website: http://www.minority.unc.edu/sph/minconf/2008/
Contact: Janelle Armstrong, oce@unc.edu
Sunday through Tuesday, March 2 - 4, 2008
Washington, DC
at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, 400 New Jersey Avenue NW
Sponsor: The Arc of the United States, United Cerebral Palsy (UCP), the Association of University Centers on Disability (AUCD), American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AAIDD) and National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities (NACDD)
This seminar will offer a pragmatic view on the unique challenges and opportunities facing the Congress and White House as the 2008 political campaign proceeds and will look to our extensive grassroots networks to advocate in a bipartisan manner for national public policies promoting the full inclusion of people with disabilities in our society.
Price: $280 before February 7, 2008, $335 thereafter, with a $205 discounted rate for those who qualify.
Website: http://www.aamr.org/Events/gas.shtml
Contact: Evelyn Powell, 202-783-2229 or powell@thedpc.org
Friday March 14, 2008
8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Portland, Maine
Sponsor: Learning Disabilities Association of Maine, Environmental Health Strategy Center, American Lung Association of Maine, Maine Council of Churches, Toxics Action Center, University of Southern Maine Department of Environmental Science, and Physicians for Social Responsibility/Maine Chapter
Since its inception in 2003, the Making the Connection conferences have become a means of translating environmental health research into effective action. The conference will connect the work of organizations and individuals concerned about the impact of toxics on Maine children's health including the important connection between exposure to toxic chemicals and learning and developmental disabilities. Philip J. Landrigan, MD, MSc, author of the report on pesticides and children's health that was instrumental in securing passage of the major pesticide law in the United States, will keynote.
Price: $45 general, $75 medical professionals, $20 students
Website: http://www.ldame.org/events.html
Contact: Physicians for Social Responsibility, psr_maine@yahoo.com
Monday March 17, 2008
9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Albany, New York
at the New York State Education Department (NYSED), Conference Room 129, 625 Broadway
Sponsor: Children's Environmental Health Partnership of New York
Please join us for the Second New York State Children's Environmental Health Symposium, where experts in research, practice and policy will meet to learn of emerging issues in children's environmental health. Preregistration is required by March 13th.
Price: free, but there are fees for parking
Contact: Stephen Boese, 518-462-0632 or sboese@healthyschools.org
Wednesday through Friday, March 26 - 28, 2008
Seattle, Washington
Sponsor: Public Health -- Seattle & King County
2008's conference will build on the success of the 2006 conference by expanding the topic areas covered. The topics for Access 2008 are disrupting access to tobacco, creating access to smoke-free living, and assuring access to cessation. The agenda will emphasize innovative and promising strategies toward a tobacco-free future as well as practices proven to be successful. The conference is open to all tobacco professionals, educators, law enforcement, researchers, policy-makers, students and others who work or learn in a tobacco-related field. Application for CHES Category I continuing education contact hours (CECH) has been made to the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing, Inc. (NCHEC).
Price: unknown
Website: http://www.accessconference.org/
Contact: Access 08, 206-296-7613 or info@accessconference.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: San Francisco, California. Californians for Pesticide Reform (CPR) is seeking a full-time state field coordinator to build and mobilize our membership, developing CPR field capacity necessary to engage successfully in policy education and training projects at the local, regional and state levels. CPR is a statewide coalition of over 185 organizations committed to eliminating hazardous pesticides, reducing all pesticide use, promoting least toxic pest control and defending and expanding the public's right to know about pesticide use and health impacts. For more information about CPR, please see our website: http://www.PesticideReform.org To apply, please send an email message with "Field Job" in the subject line, an attached letter of interest, a resume with salary history, and short writing sample to dchatfield@igc.org. First selections of candidates for interview will occur in February.
Reports on toxic substances policy. The Lowell Center for Sustainable Production has released two reports on limitations of federal toxic substances policy and options for state level reform: Options for State Chemicals Policy Reform: A Resource Guide and Presumption of Safety: Limits of Federal Policies on Toxic Substances in Consumer Products. The first report outlines a range of options to help reshape and reorient chemicals management policy at the state level. The second report identifies four reasons why the regulatory system for protecting the public from toxic substances in toys and other products is inadequate, allowing potentially harmful products to end up on store shelves. Both reports can be accessed on the Chemicals Policy Initiative website: http://www.chemicalspolicy.org/publications.shtml
Mercury leaks found as new bulbs break. Compact fluorescent lamps can pose a small risk of mercury poisoning to infants, young children, and pregnant women if they break, two new reports conclude. But they say their energy-saving benefits outweigh the risks. Boston Globe, Massachusetts, 26 February 2008.
http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2008/02/26/mercury_leaks_found_as_new_bulbs_break/
Heavy metals in your mascara? It's something you probably never thought about, but many cosmetic products do contain small amounts of chemicals that, over time, could cause health problems. Dallas KTVT TV, Texas, 26 February 2008.
http://cbs11tv.com/local/mercury.in.mascara.2.662499.html
Low-level carbon monoxide dangers. Research indicates that an estimated 11,000 cases of carbon monoxide poisoning could be going undetected every year in the United States. US News & World Report, 26 February 2008.
http://health.usnews.com/articles/health/living-well-usn/2008/02/25/low-level-carbon-monoxide-dangers.html
China may cut export rebates for polluting chemicals. China's environmental watchdog proposed halting export-tax rebates for polluting chemicals to deter manufacturers from industries that damage the environment. Bloomberg News, 26 February 2008.
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601080&sid=aXCZ.M4AYd_0&refer=asia
Autism study lacks funding. A second look at a possible autism cluster at St. Anthony's School is in peril after the Borough Council said it will not subsidize a $50,000 study to investigate the high rate of autism among children of employees at the school. Bergen County Record, New Jersey, 25 February 2008.
http://www.northjersey.com/news/health/New_autism_study_lacks_funding.html
Pollution fears are misplaced while toxins thrive indoors. A Danish study of non-smokers aged between 60 and 75 found that the use of an air filter in the home for only 48 hours improved vascular function in the participants as much as stopping smoking would do in a smoker. Glasgow Herald, Scotland, 25 February 2008.
http://www.theherald.co.uk/features/features/display.var.2069153.0.Pollution_fears_are_misplaced_while_toxins_thrive_indoors.php
Fire retardants linked with health problems. There's a heated debate raging in Sacramento over the state's strict flammability standards for furniture. At issue, whether the chemicals used to save lives are actually making people and pets sick. San Francisco KPIX TV, California, 24 February 2008.
http://cbs5.com/local/consumer.watch.flame.2.661700.html
Underwater explosives put environment at risk. Canada could be on the brink of an "ecological nightmare" as chemicals and explosives from submerged military boneyards seep into the water, says a retired U.S. Navy bomb disposal expert. Canadian Press, 24 February 2008.
http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Canada/2008/02/24/4872761-cp.html
It's all in the diet. Much international research has been done linking such protein disorders to cases of autism and schizophrenia, and a growing number of studies also hint that some cases of ADHD are connected with the digestive problem. Agence France-Presse, 24 February 2008.
http://www.int.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=117&art_id=nw20080224092424476C121112
UNI profs probe link between mercury and autism. A research article published by a pair of University of Northern Iowa professors concludes the link between mercury and autism can't be ruled out and needs further study. Waterloo Cedar Falls Courier, Iowa, 24 February 2008.
http://www.wcfcourier.com/articles/2008/02/24/news/top_story/doc47c03669cc06a508014273.txt
How a cuppa could cut the risk of Parkinson's. Just one cup of tea a day could reduce the risk of Parkinson's disease by almost three-quarters, say researchers. Daily Mail, United Kingdom, 24 February 2008.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/health/healthmain.html?in_article_id=517643&in_page_id=1774&ct=5
Organic food 'is no healthier.' Consumers who pay extra for organic produce and so-called 'superfoods' are being misled by claims that they are healthier than ordinary foods, according to leading scientists. London Daily Telegraph, England, 24 February 2008.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/main.jhtml?view=DETAILS&grid=&xml=/earth/2008/02/24/scifair524.xml
EPA begins Mt. Dioxin cleanup. Escambia Treating Co. treated utility poles and other lumber with creosote and pentachlorophenol for about 40 years then dumped the chemicals into unlined holding ponds, causing the toxins to leach into the soil and groundwater. Pensacola News Journal, Florida, 23 February 2008.
http://www.pensacolanewsjournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080223/NEWS01/802230321/1006
New MTBE spills found to threaten drinking water. A study of Long Island groundwater pollution caused by the fuel additive MTBE uncovered 32 petroleum spills that had not been previously detected. New York Newsday, New York, 23 February 2008.
http://www.newsday.com/news/local/nassau/ny-limtbe0223,0,5218758.story
Enter at own risk: Home's air quality should be improved -- then, breathe big sigh of relief. There's plenty of concern -- with good reason -- about air pollution. Associated Press, 23 February 2008.
http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080223/GPG0404/802230303/1250/GPGlife
Pesticide spray sparks debate. Aerial spraying is scheduled to begin in the East Bay this summer to combat the light brown apple moth, but already residents and city leaders are protesting the potentially harmful move because of concerns about health effects. Oakland Tribune, California, 23 February 2008.
http://www.insidebayarea.com/oaklandtribune/ci_8344918
Experts warn of environmental contaminants. A prestigious group of children's health experts says its time to quit debating the effects of certain environmental agents and do something about it. Seattle King 5 TV, Washington, 20 February 2008.
http://www.king5.com/health/stories/NW_022008ENB_environmental_agents_KS.114aee16.html
Closer scrutiny for Duke's coal ash. Coal ash is loaded with metals that can contaminate groundwater and lakes like Mountain Island, the chief water supply for more than 850,000 people. Charlotte Observer, North Carolina, 20 February 2008.
http://www.charlotte.com/breaking_news/story/497420.html
Plastic (not) fantastic: Food containers leach a potentially harmful chemical. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control found traces of Bisphenol A in nearly all of the urine samples it collected in 2004 as part of an effort to gauge the prevalence of various chemicals in the human body. Scientific American, 20 February 2008.
http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=plastic-not-fantastic-with-bisphenol-a
Poverty mars formation of infant brains. Poverty in early childhood poisons the brain, the American Association for the Advancement of Science meeting in Boston heard on Friday. That effect is on top of any damage caused by inadequate nutrition and exposure to environmental toxins. Financial Times, England, 20 February 2008.
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/62c45126-dc1f-11dc-bc82-0000779fd2ac.html?nclick_check=1
Impaired fetal growth linked with epilepsy risk. Infants with impaired growth in the womb, indicated by low birth weight or birth before full term, appear to have an increased risk of epilepsy in early childhood, according to a new study. Reuters Health, 19 February 2008.
http://www.reutershealth.com/archive/2008/02/19/eline/links/20080219elin027.html
Toymakers eye possible new toxin. Growing concern surrounding the effect of phthalates, a chemical used in many toys, has caused some toymakers and stores to say "Better safe than sorry." CBS Evening News, 19 February 2008.
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/02/18/eveningnews/main3842856.shtml
Development begins at former Tacoma superfund site. It's responsible for spewing high levels of arsenic, lead and other pollutants, making it one of the most polluted sites in the nation. Seattle King 5 TV, Washington, 19 February 2008.
http://www.king5.com/business/stories/NW_021808WAB_asarco_development_LJ.4db5276.html
Toys 'R' Us, Mattel phase out cadmium batteries. Two of the largest US toy companies said they will phase out nickel-cadmium batteries, a technology associated with widespread health problems in China. Wall Street Journal, 19 February 2008.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120333908683174921.html
Genesee County folks weigh in on whether green can mean clean. Are you cleaning your home with hazardous waste? Even local green crusaders admit they sometimes buy products hyped for fighting grime rather than keeping the environment clean. Flint Journal, Michigan, 18 February 2008.
http://www.mlive.com/flintjournal/index.ssf/2008/02/genesee_county_folks_weigh_in.html
Views aired on proposed idling time limits for diesel vehicles. A proposed state regulation that would limit the idling of diesel-powered long-haul trucks, buses and delivery vehicles to five minutes an hour was endorsed by three local environmental groups and 846 people who signed a petition submitted at a public hearing in Pittsburgh on Friday. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Pennsylvania, 18 February 2008.
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08049/858344-147.stm
Older commercial chemicals causing new concerns for environmental scientists. Old chemicals used by businesses for decades are causing new problems in the environment as scientists turn their attention toward compounds that are accumulating in rivers, lakes and oceans. Canadian Press, 17 February 2008.
http://canadianpress.google.com/article/ALeqM5gV1NNKr7mrEv0SkJvgCVcJG9M4aw
Antibodies linked to development of autism. Abnormal antibodies in maternal blood that bind to fetal brain cells may contribute to the development of autism, according to two studies from the UC Davis MIND Institute. Los Angeles Times, California, 17 February 2008.
http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/asection/la-sci-autism16feb16,1,4570624.story?ctrack=2&cset=true
Air pollutants also have effect on area's water quality. Everything from cars motoring along Interstate 5 to coal plants in China contributes to air pollution that settles into Puget Sound. Olympia Olympian, Washington, 17 February 2008.
http://www.theolympian.com/news/story/361812.html
Breathing dirty air may lower kids' IQ. Kids who live in neighborhoods with heavy traffic pollution have lower IQs and score worse on other tests of intelligence and memory than children who breathe cleaner air, a new study shows. Reuters, 16 February 2008.
http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSKUA57144920080215?sp=true
Makeup for teens getting a green makeover. Last weekend, Teens for Safe Cosmetics got together in the town of Ross to have a very different kind of conversation about cosmetics: how to make them safer. San Francisco Chronicle, California, 16 February 2008.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/02/17/LV1EURUDJ.DTL
Bisphenol A chemical probe targets PR firm. A House committee investigating the safety of a hormone-disrupting chemical found in many plastics is focusing new attention on a company with a history of defending potentially damaging chemicals. New Scientist, England, 16 February 2008.
http://www.newscientist.com/channel/health/mg19726433.800-genderbender-chemical-probe-targets-pr-firm.html
Lawmakers urge White House to move quickly to limit harmful ship pollutants. The Bush administration is making headway with other nations in setting new global standards to reduce dangerous emissions from giant diesel-burning ships that pollute U.S. ports. Associated Press, 15 February 2008.
http://www.ledger-dispatch.com/news/newsview.asp?c=236404
FEMA trailers toxic, tests show. FEMA said it would accelerate efforts to get victims of hurricanes Katrina and Rita out of government-supplied trailers after tests showed that the temporary residences contain unhealthy levels of toxic formaldehyde. Los Angeles Times, California, 15 February 2008.
http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/asection/la-na-trailers15feb15,1,4228003.story?ctrack=1&cset=true
State plans Bay Area pesticide spraying. The state agriculture department plans to use airplanes at night this summer to spray a farm pesticide over urban San Francisco, Marin County and the East Bay, intending to eradicate a potentially destructive moth. San Francisco Chronicle, California, 15 February 2008.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/02/15/MN99V2PMN.DTL
Smoking in first four months of pregnancy 'does not harm the baby.' Middle-class women who smoke in early pregnancy do almost no harm to their unborn baby, researchers from the London School of Economics claimed. Daily Mail, United Kingdom, 14 February 2008.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/health/womenfamily.html?in_article_id=514330&in_page_id=1799
Perchlorate in food. Food is the primary source of perchlorate for most Americans, and US toddlers on average are being exposed to more than half of the US EPA's safe dose from food alone, according to a new US FDA diet survey. Environmental Science & Technology, 14 February 2008.
http://pubs.acs.org/subscribe/journals/esthag-w/2008/feb/science/rr_perchlorate.html
Silver dental fillings may not harm kids' brains. A new study adds to evidence that mercury-containing dental fillings do not harm children's brain development, as some have feared. Reuters, 14 February 2008.
http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSKUA37481320080213
Superior to stop using TCE. Superior Tube, one of the two largest TCE users in the US, announced plans Wednesday to completely eliminate the carcinogenic chemical from its operations. Pottstown Mercury, Pennsylvania, 14 February 2008.
http://www.pottsmerc.com/WebApp/appmanager/JRC/Daily;jsessionid=KhqVH0BGF1dNvv6mbn2XvbSTYBJk5X3gt2Y9P0JyLT1MbH2hpxHh!-366222789?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=pg_article&r21.pgpath=%2FPTM%2FHome&r21.content=%2FPTM%2FHome%2FTopStoryList_Story_1582180
Gleaming white isn't all it's cracked up to be. Chlorine bleach is a familiar ingredient used in household cleaning products to disinfect and kill germs, and it's got some serious side effects. Reno News and Review, Nevada, 14 February 2008.
http://www.newsreview.com/reno/Content?oid=623448
Power plant opponents air their concerns at Department of Environmental Quality hearing. The jobs and financial boost a proposed $1.8 billion coal-fired power plant would bring Wise County are not worth destroying people's health and the environment, foes of the project told the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality at a Tuesday night public hearing. Bristol Herald Courier, Tennessee, 13 February 2008.
http://www.tricities.com/tristate/tri/news.apx.-content-articles-TRI-2008-02-13-0011.html
Landfill is killing us, community says. They believe that if they were white, things would be different. Residents from the predominantly black community of Lincolnville, Canada have leveled charges of environmental racism at their municipal politicians. Halifax Chronicle Herald, Nova Scotia, 13 February 2008.
http://thechronicleherald.ca/Metro/1037713.html