This bulletin lists upcoming events plus recent announcements, news and journal articles, calls for proposals and other items related to learning and developmental disabilities and environmental health. They are archived and searchable on our website: http://www.iceh.org/LDDIbulletins.html The publisher offers this information as a service but does not endorse any of the events, articles or announcements.
If you would like to join the Collaborative on Health and the Environment (CHE) and the LDDI Working Group, please complete the application on the CHE website: http://www.healthandenvironment.org/application Joining CHE means receiving up to four email messages a month from the CHE National listserv. CHE costs nothing to join and the benefit is shared information and opportunities for further engagement, if you choose. Be sure to mark that you want to join the Learning and Developmental Disabilities Initiative Working Group at the bottom of the application.
Companion bulletins are available for different audiences:
While there is overlap with this bulletin, there are some events and announcements unique to those bulletins.
1) The next LDDI Working Group call: LDDI's next call is scheduled for Thursday April 30th at 2:00 p.m. Eastern. The focus of this call will be enhancing LDDI-related communications, messaging, website and related materials. Staff from the Raben Group, which is being hired to work with LDDI this year on communications and outreach, will participate on the call. Also, the American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities' (AAIDD's) report from their conference in December 2008, including recommendations for communications and advocacy, will be available by the time of the call for review and discussion. Information for the call will be circulated on the LDDI listserv closer to the time. Contact Elise Miller: elise@healthandenvironment.org
2) New LDDI Co-Coordinator: Laura Abulafia will start serving as LDDI's national co-coordinator half-time starting April 20th while continuing to serve as director of AAIDD's Environmental Health Initiative half-time. Elise Miller will still be very active in LDDI, but Laura's leadership will be essential in effectively accomplishing LDDI's goals for this year and beyond. Laura and Elise are still in the process of refining how they will divide up responsibilities and roles.
3) Mental Health and Environment Working Group: This new working group, a subcommittee of LDDI, will hold its next call on Friday April 17th at 1:00 p.m. Eastern time. The group is chaired by the National Association for the Dually Diagnosed (NADD). The working groups goals include a) educating and engaging the mental-health community regarding environmental exposures that may impact mental health and result in psychiatric symptoms, b) developing materials for health professionals and patients regarding how to reduce environmental exposures that may contribute to neurological or behavioral problems, and c) encouraging the mental-health community to support chemical policy reform and other efforts to improve environmental health. Contact Ed Seliger: eseliger@thenadd.org
4) Environmental Health Perspectives article: LDDI member Barbara McElgunn, with LDA-Canada, makes the case for the precautionary principle in policymaking in an insightful and very timely article in the current issue, "Understanding the Role of Science in Regulation." http://www.ehponline.org/docs/2009/117-3/focus-abs.html
5) LDDI biomonitoring project: The planning group for the LDDI biomonitoring project has starting to move forward with confirmed participants on testing for specified chemicals. For more information, please contact Sharyle Patton: spatton@igc.org
6) 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
1) ASTHO Green Chemistry 101 Webinar
Thursday April 9, 2009
1:00 p.m. Eastern time
Sponsor: Association of State and Territorial Health Officials
ASTHO will be hosting a Green Chemistry 101 webinar next week to help outline the principles of green chemistry, discuss the health effects of industrial chemicals, and address policy barriers to green chemistry. The guest speakers, Drs. Michael Wilson and Megan Schwarzman, are from the UC Berkeley Center for Occupational and Environmental Health and contributing authors to the document "Green Chemistry: Cornerstone to a Sustainable California."
Price: free
Contact: Kerry Williams, 202-371-9090
2) From Silent Spring to Silent Night: How Chemicals Affect Reproductive Health
Wednesday April 15, 2009
9:00 a.m. Alaska time/10:00 a.m. Pacific time
Sponsor: Collaborative on Health and the Environment -- Alaska
This call features a conversation with Tyrone Hayes, PhD, professor of Integrative Biology at the University of California, Berkeley.
Price: free
Contact: Alaska Community Action on Toxics, 907-222-7714 or colleen@akaction.org
3) 2009 Disability Policy Seminar
Monday through Wednesday, April 27 - 29, 2009
Washington, DC
at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, 400 New Jersey Avenue, Northwest
Sponsor: The Arc of the United States, United Cerebral Palsy, AAIDD, AUCD and the National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities
More information will be available at the website below.
Price: unknown
Website: http://www.thearc.org/NetCommunity/Page.aspx?&pid=1642&srcid=183
Contact: Maria Alfaro, 800-424-3688 or maria@aaidd.org
4) Approaches to Managing Mold in Buildings
Monday through Wednesday, April 27 - 29, 2009
Orlando, Florida
at the Hilton Hotel Walt Disney Resort
Sponsor: University of Tulsa Indoor Air Program and Continuing Engineering & Science Education, with others listed on the flyer
This conference will present the latest research and applied outcomes to use in field practice from key national and international experts.
Price: see the website
Website: http://www.utulsa.edu/iaqprogram/
Contact: University of Tulsa Continuing Engineering & Science Education, 918-631-3088 richard-shaughnessy@utulsa.edu
5) National Lead Poisoning Prevention and Healthy Homes Conference
Tuesday through Friday, April 28 - May 1, 2009
Orlando, Florida
at the Doubletree Hotel at the Entrance to Universal Studios
Sponsor: Lead and Environmental Hazards Association
This conference will provide an opportunity to examine new program directions and best practices; ways to stretch limited resources and build and sustain lead-poisoning prevention, lead hazard control and healthy housing programs; how to pursue funding opportunities; how to best undertake inspection, risk assessment, project remediation and clearance; and how to utilize federal regulations to advance program objectives.
Price: $365; discounts are available for additional participants from the same organization; see the website for details
Website: http://leadmoldconferences.com/events2/
Contact: weilcm2@comcast.net
6) Health Effects Institute 2009 Annual Conference
Sunday through Tuesday, May 3 - 5, 2009
Portland, Oregon
at the Hilton Portland & Executive Tower
Sponsor: Health Effects Institute
Presentations will related to health effects of traffic-related air pollution, emissions from new fuels and technologies, ultrafine particles, and effects of actions to improve air quality.
Price: $425 full conference or $125 for a single day
Website: http://www.healtheffects.org/annual.htm
Contact: HEI, 617-488-2300
7) Environmental Toxins and Children's Neurodevelopment
Wednesday May 6, 2009
1:00 - 3:00 p.m. Eastern time
Sponsor: American Speech-Language-Hearing Association
Neuro-developmental disabilities result from complex interactions among genetic, environmental and social factors acting on children during vulnerable periods of development. Research demonstrates that pervasive toxic substances, such as mercury, lead, PCBs, dioxins, pesticides and others, can contribute to neurobehavioral and cognitive disorders. This seminar looks at what is known about early-life susceptibility to these preventable causes of harm, and at research concerning "safe" thresholds of exposure. Special attention is paid to the effects of common neurotoxicants on auditory processing.
Price: members $79, nonmembers $99; group rates are available
8) Healthy Buildings, Active Learners: Improving Indoor Environments for Oregon Schools
Thursday May 7, 2009
Cottage Grove, Oregon
at the Village Green Resort, 725 Row River Road
Sponsor: Oregon Schools Indoor Air Quality Partnership
This one-day conference will address air-quality issues for K-12 schools across Oregon. We encourage anyone interested in healthy buildings to attend this informative and hands-on event, including school administrators, facilities managers, custodians, teachers, nurses, PTA/PTO members, parents, and community leaders.
Price: $25 includes lunch
Website: http://www.mrsnv.com/evt/home.jsp?id=2455
Contact: Beverly Stewart, 503-718-6146 or beverly@lungoregon.org
9) PubMed®
Thursday May 7, 2009
8:30 a.m.
Tempe, Arizona
at the Arizona State University Noble Science and Engineering Library, 601 East Tyler, Noble Instruction Room, 1st floor
Sponsor: National Library of Medicine
This full-day class is designed to teach students how to use PubMed® which includes MEDLINE citations. The class also includes an overview of the Medical Subject Headings (MeSH®) and its importance as a tool to both searchers and indexers. PubMed® is awarded 7.5 MLA continuing education credits.
Price: free
Website: http://nnlm.gov/ntcc/classes/schedule.html
10) PubMed Clinics of North America: A Problem-based Approach to PubMed Searching
Friday May 8, 2009
1:00 p.m.
Tempe, Arizona
at the Arizona State University Noble Science and Engineering Library, 601 East Tyler, Noble Instruction Room, 1st floor
Sponsor: National Library of Medicine
The three-hour workshop will focus on a problem-based approach in learning to search the PubMed database. Through case studies, group exercises and hands-on practice, participants will become more efficient PubMed searchers. The class is geared for intermediate and advanced PubMed searchers. Three continuing education credits are available.
Price: unknown
Website: http://nnlm.gov/ntcc/classes/schedule.html
Online Calendar. All upcoming events are listed in a searchable calendar: http://www.iceh.org/cgi-bin/searchevents.cgi
Most of the articles below come from Environmental Health News, http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/
Job opening: SAFER Federal Policy Director. The State Alliance for Federal Reform of Chemicals Policy (SAFER) is hiring a federal policy director to be responsible for directing the daily Washington, DC, activities of a sustained federal campaign to achieve comprehensive progressive safer chemical policy reform. Review of applications began January 5, 2009, with the position open until filled.
http://www.saferstates.com/2009/01/now-hiring-safe.html
Call for Nominations: US EPA 2009 National Achievements in Environmental Justice Awards Program. EPA Environmental Justice Achievement Awards will recognize outstanding Multi-Stakeholder Partnerships that have implemented effective collaborative approaches addressing environmental justice issues in affected communities which have resulted in positive impacts to the community. Nominations are due May 13th.
http://www.epa.gov/compliance/resources/publications/ej/awards/2009-ej-awards-flyer.pdf
Public Comment Period: Healthy People 2020. In preparation for the process of creating draft objectives for Healthy People 2020, the US Department of Health and Human Services is seeking preliminary comments on existing Healthy People 2010 objectives. Comments received by April 24th will be considered as HHS creates the draft objectives for Healthy People 2020.
http://www.healthypeople.gov:80/hp2020/Comments/default.asp
Spotlight on cell phone recycling April 6-12. Americans are urged to recycle unused cell phones that have been piling up in junk drawers as part of EPA's Plug-in to eCycling campaign. US Environmental Protection Agency.
http://yosemite.epa.gov/opa/admpress.nsf/0/A93813F61A3604C18525758C00684AA6
Mold remediation gives you a tax deduction. Did you know that if you are a landlord or a homeowner and you have to have mold removed from your home, it is tax deductible? The IEQ Review.
http://www.imakenews.com/pureaircontrols/e_article000884091.cfm?x=bb5r2vc,b1Rls4FC#a884091
Oregon Environmental Public Health Tracking web portal. This portal includes data and information about childhood blood lead, air and water quality, asthma and heart attack hospitalization, and vital statistics.
http://www.oregon.gov/DHS/ph/epht/portal.shtml
EPA seeks comment on CAFO permit. The EPA Region 6 is proposing a general permit regulating concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) located on state lands in Oklahoma. US Environmental Protection Agency.
http://yosemite.epa.gov/opa/admpress.nsf/0/A73105AD55062DAE85257584006A6532
Call for Proposals: Public Health Law Research. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation seeks to build the evidence for and strengthen the use of regulatory, legal and policy solutions to improve public health. The effective application of law -- which includes statutes, regulations, case law and policies -- is essential to the protection and promotion of the public's health. Informational Web conference calls are scheduled for April 8 and April 29, 2009, with brief proposals due May 19th.
http://www.rwjf.org/files/applications/cfp/cfp_PHLR2009.pdf
Call for Proposals: Bisphenol A: Research to Impact Human Health. Under this initiative, two-year animal or human studies that focus on either developmental exposure (in utero or neonatal ) or adult chronic exposures to low environmentally relevant doses of BPA will be supported. National Institutes of Health.
http://www.niehs.nih.gov/recovery/bpa.cfm
Call for Proposals: Environmental Health and Toxicology Educational Research Program. The purpose of this FOA is to educate students, public health professionals, and community outreach groups in the area of environmental health. Letters of intent are due April 17, 2009, to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
http://www07.grants.gov/search/search.do?oppId=46121&mode=VIEW
Research links poor kids' stress, brain impairment. Chronic stress from growing up poor appears to have a direct impact on the brain, leaving children with impairment in at least one key area -- working memory. Washington Post.
Tuesday, April 07, 2009.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/05/AR2009040501719.html
The government says it's good, so Nevadans say no to fluoride. The Nevada hearing room for testimony on Senate Bill 311, which would require the fluoridation of water in Washoe County, filled up quickly Monday. Las Vegas Sun, Nevada.
Tuesday, April 07, 2009.
http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2009/apr/07/government-says-its-good-so-nevadans-say-no-fluori/
Fears lead parents to eco-proof their nurseries. A green baby industry has sprung up in the last decade to cater to like-minded parents looking for products that are safe for kids and gentle on the Earth. Associated Press.
Tuesday, April 07, 2009.
http://www.deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,705295607,00.html
[See a related article: http://www.wral.com/news/local/story/4895670/ ]
Concerns grow about safety of BPA use in canned goods. Whether BPA poses a danger to humans is now hotly debated, but environmental advocates point to a growing body of evidence that suggests possible health risks even at exposure levels deemed safe by the U.S. FDA. New York Newsday, New York.
Monday, April 06, 2009.
http://www.newsday.com/news/health/ny-libpa3012591644apr05,0,1107078.story
[See a related article about an Illinois legislative failure to ban BPA: http://www.stltoday.com/blogzone/political-fix/political-fix/2009/04/ill-house-rejecting-ban-on-toxic-baby-bottle-chemical/ ]
Searching for answers: Life under a microscope. Parents who sign up for the National Children's Study will join an effort to solve a new mystery in children's health: How do kids' genes interact with the water they drink, the air they breathe, the soil they play in and the products they use -- to make them sick? Salt Lake Tribune, Utah.
Monday, April 06, 2009.
http://www.sltrib.com/ci_12071764?source=most_viewed
Genes take a back seat. Epigenetics researchers are dethroning the gene as biology's center of the universe. Epigenetics is helping to explain what underlies the similarities and differences among individuals and why different people respond differently to environmental exposures. Chemical & Engineering News.
Monday, April 06, 2009.
http://pubs.acs.org/cen/science/87/8714sci1.html
Do you know where your meat is from? Since March 16, retailers have been required under country of origin labeling rules to post information for all beef, lamb, pork, chicken, goats and other perishable agricultural commodities. The rule has been in effect for fish and shellfish for two years. Corvallis Gazette-Times, Oregon.
Sunday, April 05, 2009.
http://www.gazettetimes.com/articles/2009/04/05/news/top_story/1aaa01_meat.txt
Mercury mystery in state's waters. While mercury's sources are known, what exactly is happening in Colorado reservoirs and lakes is still something of a mystery: Like elsewhere in the US, some Colorado lakes have mercury while others don't. Denver Post, Colorado.
Sunday, April 05, 2009.
http://www.denverpost.com/technology/ci_12074611
Students exposed to toxic bus exhaust fumes. Most Georgia children ride school buses that lack important filters or other devices to keep diesel fumes out of the passenger cabin, according to state data. Diesel exhaust contains more than 40 cancer-causing substances. Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Georgia.
Sunday, April 05, 2009.
http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/stories/2009/04/05/spotlight_school_bus_exhaust_fumes.html
Are some chemicals more dangerous at low doses? New research suggests that some chemicals may be more dangerous than previously believed at low levels when acting in concert with other chemicals. Scientific American.
Saturday, April 04, 2009.
http://www.sciam.com/blog/60-second-science/post.cfm?id=are-some-chemicals-more-dangerous-a-2009-04-03
Poor kids exposed to more secondhand smoke. Poor children are exposed to more secondhand smoke than their wealthier counterparts, a new study has found. US News & World Report.
Saturday, April 04, 2009.
http://health.usnews.com/articles/health/healthday/2009/04/03/poor-kids-exposed-to-more-secondhand-smoke.html
[See a related article about a link between smoking and sudden infant death syndrome: http://www.livenews.com.au/livewire-list/study-backs-link-between-smoking-and-sids/2009/4/1/201521 and another about a mother's smoking cessation benefits the baby: http://www.reutershealth.com/archive/2009/03/27/eline/links/20090327elin023.html ]
Association of blood lead concentrations with mortality in older women: a prospective cohort study. Women with blood lead concentrations of [greater than or equal to] 8ug/dL (0.384 umol/L), experienced increased mortality, in particular from CHD as compared to those with lower blood lead concentrations. Environmental Health.
Friday, April 03, 2009.
http://www.ehjournal.net/content/8/1/15
House OKs FDA regulation of tobacco products. In a historic move, the House of Representatives voted Thursday to give the Food and Drug Administration broad new powers to regulate tobacco, the nation's number one cause of preventable death. USA Today.
Friday, April 03, 2009.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2009-04-02-fda-tobacco_N.htm
Stain-resistant chemicals increase brain protein levels in mice. Scientists identify changes in brain chemistry caused by perfluorinated chemicals that may be the cause of 'deranged spontaneous behavior' observed when young mice are exposed to PFCs. Environmental Health News.
Friday, April 03, 2009.
http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/ehs/newscience/pfcs-affect-proteins-needed-for-brain-growth/view
CDC: Rocket fuel chemical found in baby formula. Traces of a chemical used in rocket fuel were found in samples of powdered baby formula, and could exceed what's considered a safe dose for adults if mixed with water also contaminated with the ingredient, a government study has found. Associated Press.
Friday, April 03, 2009.
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/B/BABY_FORMULA_PERCHLORATE?SITE=WABEJ&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2009-04-03-07-37-58
A sobering look at gas drilling. Poisoned water wells, crumbling roads, toxic streams and rivers, 24 hour construction, miles of gas pipelines, polluted air and higher cancer rates are just some of what residents might expect if drillers take over in Upper Bucks. Bucks County Courier Times, Pennsylvania.
Thursday, April 02, 2009.
http://www.phillyburbs.com/news/local/courier_times/courier_times_news_details/article/28/2009/april/02/a-sobering-look-at-gas-drilling.html
The five ages of the brain. Throughout life our brains undergo more changes than any other part of the body. These can be broadly divided into five stages, each profoundly affecting our abilities and behaviour. New Scientist, England.
Thursday, April 02, 2009.
http://www.newscientist.com/special/five-ages-of-the-brain?DCMP=OTC-rss&nsref=online-news
Household products start to come clean on ingredients. You can read a label to find out what's in your food. And a quick look inside a collar or hem tells you what your clothes are made of. Now, the same is happening with the stuff you use to clean your kitchen and bathroom. Wall Street Journal.
Thursday, April 02, 2009.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123863016746180639.html
[See a journal article about assessment of occupational exposures to cleaning products: http://www.ehjournal.net/content/8/1/11 ]
Childhood lead poisoning: Conservative estimates of the social and economic benefits of lead hazard control. Given the high societal costs of inaction, lead hazard control appears to be well worth the price. Environmental Health Perspectives.
Wednesday, April 01, 2009.
http://www.ehponline.org/docs/2009/0800408/abstract.html
McDonald's to take steps to cut potato pesticides. McDonald's has agreed to survey its U.S. potato suppliers, compile a list of best practices in pesticide use reduction and recommend those best practices to global suppliers. Reuters.
Wednesday, April 01, 2009.
http://www.reuters.com/article/rbssConsumerGoodsAndRetailNews/idUSN3144258220090331
Oil sands development: A health risk worth taking? Canada's vast oil sands deposits are lauded as a secure source of imported oil for the United States. At the same time, however, oil sands present troubling questions in terms of the environmental health effects associated with their development. Environmental Health Perspectives.
Wednesday, April 01, 2009.
http://www.ehponline.org/members/2009/117-4/focus.html
Public concern, not science, prompts plastics ban. A new federal ban on chemical compounds [phthalates] used in rubber duckies and other toys isn't necessary, say the government scientists who studied the problem. Morning Edition, NPR.
Wednesday, April 01, 2009.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=102567295
Concerns raised about coastal levels of flame-retardant chemicals. Flame-retardant chemicals that have been linked to reproductive and neurological problems in animals have seeped into coastal environments even in remote regions and have been found in high concentration off populated areas such as Chicago and Southern California. Los Angeles Times, California.
Wednesday, April 01, 2009.
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-flame-retardants1-2009apr01,0,5394842.story
[See a related article about effects of flame retardants in dust on men's hormone levels: http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/ehs/newscience/PBDEs-may-alter-hormone-levels-in-men/ ]
Gulf War veterans display abnormal brain response to specific chemicals. A new study by UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers is the first to pinpoint damage inside the brains of veterans suffering from Gulf War syndrome -- a finding that links the illness to chemical exposures and may lead to diagnostic tests and treatments. Science Daily.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009.
http://www.sciencedaily.com:80/releases/2009/03/090323092800.htm
School district program to reduce toxic exposure. The "Look Before You L.E.A.P." Program is a child-friendly educational program that focuses on four specific topics: Lead, Endocrine disruptors, Air pollution and Pesticides (LEAP) and uses games and a friendly frog named "Ribbett" to teach children about ways to reduce exposure to potentially dangerous substances in an informative and reassuring way. Newsday.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009.
http://weblogs.newsday.com/news/local/suffolk/huntington/blog/2009/03/school_district_program_to_red.html
EPA names priority schools for monitoring toxic outdoor air pollution. EPA, state and local agencies will work together to monitor air toxics around 62 schools in 22 states that are located near large industrial facilities or in urban areas. US Environmental Protection Agency.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009.
http://yosemite.epa.gov/opa/admpress.nsf/0/C16A1560F3900CDF8525758A0048787B
EPA to maritime group: Create emissions control area. The top environmental official in the United States announced plans today to reduce harmful air emissions from ships that call on American ports. Bergen County Record, New Jersey.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009.
http://www.northjersey.com/environment/portemissions033009.html
Scientists find 'baffling' link between autism and vinyl flooring. Children who live in homes with vinyl floors, which can emit phthalates, are twice as likely to have autism, according to a new study by Swedish and U.S. researchers. Scientists call the discovery "intriguing and baffling." Experts suspect that genetic and environmental factors combine to cause autism, which has increased dramatically in children over the past 20 years. Environmental Health News.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009.
http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/ehs/news/autism-and-vinyl-flooring
[See a related article about resources for families of autistic individuals: http://www.newschief.com/article/20090405/NEWS/904055014/1053?Title=Resources-available-for-families-dealing-with-puzzle-of-autism ]
Investigation into pedestrian exposure to near-vehicle exhaust emissions. Diesel particulate matter concentrations during drive-by incidents easily reach or exceed the low concentrations that can cause acute health effects for brief periods of time. Children, infants, or people breathing at heights similar to that of a passing vehicle's tailpipe may be exposed to higher concentrations of particulate matter than those breathing at higher locations, such as adults standing up.
Environmental Health.
Monday, March 30, 2009.
http://www.ehjournal.net/content/8/1/13
The economy versus human health: What's the price? A large percentage of health care costs may be attributed to environmental exposures from industry manufacturing and products. Cumulative societal costs of exposure to toxic substances is calculated to be as high as $793 billion dollars annually. American Chronicle.
Monday, March 30, 2009.
http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/view/96390
U.S. Steel confronts benzene leak into lake. For several years, benzene-laden groundwater has been seeping into Lake Michigan from an old tank farm at U.S. Steel Gary Works. The company plans to install a $1.4 million system that would treat the benzene starting in August or September. Merrillville Post-Tribune, Indiana.
Sunday, March 29, 2009.
http://www.post-trib.com/news/1501279,ussbenzene.article
Will NAFTA exterminate Canadian pesticide bans? A battle brewing over cosmetic pesticides between one of North America's biggest chemical companies and Canadian lawmakers may end up re-shaping the future of Canada's environmental policies in the years ahead. Toronto CTV, Canada.
Sunday, March 29, 2009.
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20090327/nafta_pesticide_090329/20090329?hub=Canada
Fear icing on cakes is a risk to health. Supermarket cakes are chock-full of additives linked to hyperactivity in children and many are made with ingredients found to cause cancer and asthma attacks, a report released by consumer group Choice shows. Sydney Morning Herald, Australia.
Sunday, March 29, 2009.
http://www.smh.com.au/national/fear-icing-on-cakes-is-a-risk-to-health-20090328-9erm.html
California schools' risks rise as vaccinations drop. A rising number of California parents are choosing to send their children to kindergarten without routine vaccinations, putting hundreds of elementary schools at risk for outbreaks of childhood diseases eradicated in the U.S. years ago. Los Angeles Times, California.
Sunday, March 29, 2009.
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-immunization29-2009mar29,0,3148179.story
Popular light bulbs have safety issues. How safe are the popular new fluorescent light bulbs and are they really environmentally friendly? Louisville WAVE, Kentucky.
Saturday, March 28, 2009.
http://www.wave3.com/Global/story.asp?S=10081261
Keeping track of consumer recalls. As more toys are being made in countries with low health and safety standards, recalls are on the rise. Nanaimo Daily News, Ontario.
Saturday, March 28, 2009.
http://www2.canada.com/nanaimodailynews/news/story.html?id=7c0747e7-f5a4-412d-8cac-758722e99f58
A systematic review of us state environmental legislation and regulation with regards to the prevention of neurodevelopmental disabilities and asthma. Relatively few analyses have examined the extent to which states protect children from chemical factors in the environment. Environmental Health.
Friday, March 27, 2009.
http://www.ehjournal.net/content/8/1/9
Food may contain environmental estrogens. A discovery that two commonly used food additives are estrogenic has led scientists to suspect that many ingredients added to the food supply may be capable of altering hormones. Environmental Health News.
Friday, March 27, 2009.
http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/ehs/news/estrogenic-food-additives
C8 exposure tied to birth defects, panel finds. A three-person science committee has found evidence that could connect the toxic chemical C8 to human birth defects and high blood pressure in pregnant women, according to the latest reports made public Thursday. Charleston Gazette-Mail, West Virginia.
Friday, March 27, 2009.
http://sundaygazettemail.com/News/200903260766
Reducing the risk of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. This research is the first to draw together hundreds of studies across diverse fields -- including medicine, public health, nutrition, toxicology, evolutionary biology, environmental health, and ecology -- to provide compelling evidence that environmental factors are key drivers of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases.
Thursday, March 26, 2009.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jill-stein-and-ted-schettler/reducing-the-risk-of-alzh_b_179256.html
Lawsuit targets Lake County polluters. Ron Kurth filed a lawsuit against 11 of Lake County's industries, including U.S. Steel and ArcelorMittal, claiming the air pollution they emit from their smokestacks endangers the long-term health of the region's children. Associated Press.
Thursday, March 26, 2009.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-ap-in-pollution-lawsuit,0,7255246.story
Coal-ash spills highlight ongoing risk to ecosystems. Two recent large-scale spills of coal-combustion waste have thrown a spotlight on an old problem: how to handle the enormous quantity of solid waste produced by coal, our main source of electricity. Environmental Science & Technology.
Thursday, March 26, 2009.
http://pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10.1021/es9006977
County to launch drug disposal program. White drop boxes, which are about the size of a mailbox and bear a county and municipal logo, will be placed in the police stations of participating municipalities within a few weeks. From there, the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency will pick up and incinerate the contents.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009.
http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/napervillesun/news/1493148,DuPage-launch-drug-disposal-NA032409.article
Children's environment, health strategy For UK. The Health Protection Agency today publishes a Strategy to improve the health and well-being of children in the United Kingdom by changing the environment in which they live.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009.
http://www.emaxhealth.com/2/50/30076/children%E2%80%99s-environment-health-strategy-uk.html
Students pitch in to reduce emissions. Law students from around the country are assisting local volunteers with the Louisiana Bucket Brigade in investigating ways to reduce unauthorized discharges of air pollutants by the state's petroleum refineries. New Orleans Times-Picayune, Louisiana.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009.
http://www.nola.com/news/t-p/capital/index.ssf?/base/news-6/1237958529261420.xml&coll=1
The polluting Port of Oakland. In the Port of Oakland, diesel exhaust from old idling trucks has created a serious public health threat. Officials have long talked about addressing the problem, but in the meantime, many residents struggle with respiratory problems on low wages and with no health insurance. San Francisco Bay Guardian, California.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009.
http://www.sfbg.com/entry.php?entry_id=8276&catid=&volume_id=398&issue_id=424&volume_num=43&issue_num=26
Indoor air may be worse than smog. A group of green architects say materials used in older buildings, such as leaded paint and arsenic, can cause cancer or mental retardation. Taipei Times, Taiwan.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009.
http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2009/03/25/2003439333
Attention-deficit disorder linked to obesity. A study suggests that obese people with ADHD cannot respond to the signals in their brains that tell them when they are hungry and when they are full. Toronto Globe and Mail, Ontario.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090324.wLhealthObesity0324/BNStory/specialScienceandHealth/home