To join the Collaborative on Health and the Environment (CHE) and the LDDI Working Group, please complete the form at http://www.healthandenvironment.org/roles/register?&phase=registerform. Be sure to mark that you want to join the Learning and Developmental Disabilities Initiative Working Group at the bottom of the application.
For more information about these events or to access additional events, please visit our searchable calendar of events at http://www.iceh.org/cgi-bin/searchevents.cgi.
May 2 - 5, 2007
Minneapolis, Minnesota
at Double Tree Park Place Hotel, 1500 Park Place Boulevard
The Annual State Conference features three full days plus two special evenings of nationally recognized speakers and local workshop leaders sharing their expertise on a range of topics important to the autism community. Keynote speakers will include Patrick Schwarz speaking on inclusive education, Marge LeBlanc speaking on echolalia and other speech difficulties, Martha Herbert speaking on environmental issues and autism, Nick Dubin speaking on employment concerns, and Linda Howard, Shanika Taylor and Denise Crammer-Turner speaking on spousal support.
Website: http://www.ausm.org/educationServices/stateConference.asp
Contact: 651-647-1083 or info@ausm.org
May 4, 2007
12:00 to 1:30
Berkeley, California
at 150 University Hall, UC Berkeley Campus, at the corner of University and Addison
The European Union (EU) recently enacted a sweeping new chemicals policy initiative known as REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals). It goes into force June 1st and will require chemical manufacturers or importers of chemicals in the European Union to obtain chemical, toxicity and exposure information on chemicals produced in volumes of one ton or more per year, and to use this information to assess the health and environmental risks associated with their chemicals. The data requirements increase with the volume of chemical produced. The REACH data requirements represent a major effort to obtain data about the potential hazards for industrial chemicals and are far more comprehensive than similar US requirements. This presentation will describe the REACH legislation, its background and scope as well as its data and testing requirements. The strengths and limitations of the European approach to identify chemicals that pose environmental or health hazards will also be discussed.
Contact: Amy D. Kyle, PhD, MPH, 510-642-8847 or adkyle@berkeley.edu
May 7, 2007
11:00 a.m. Pacific time, 2:00 p.m. Eastern time
Pete Myers, PhD, is founder, CEO, and chief scientist of Environmental Health Sciences, which produces the daily environmental health news source Above the Fold. He is also co-author of Our Stolen Future (1996), which explores the threats posed by man-made chemical contaminants to fetal development and human health, and he is senior advisor to the United Nations Foundation (Washington, DC). From 1990-2002 Myers was director of the W. Alton Jones Foundation, a private foundation supporting efforts to protect the global environment and to prevent nuclear war. He received his doctorate in zoology from the University of California, Berkeley. This call will be moderated by Michael Lerner, PhD, president of Commonweal.
Contact: Michelle Moore, thenewschool@commonweal.org
May 16, 2007
9:00 a.m. Pacific time, noon Eastern time
On this call, Michael Lerner, president of Commonweal and founding partner of CHE will talk with Heather Logan, director of cancer control policy for the Canadian Cancer Society, about CCS' policy position on cancer and the environment, its origins, and its reception from Canadian and other constituencies to date. The Canadian Cancer Society recently adopted the most comprehensive policy position on cancer and the environment of any national cancer society of which we are aware. While President Jacques Chirac of France has advocated an equally comprehensive approach to the environment and cancer for the French National Cancer Plan, the Canadian Cancer Society statement stands out as what many CHE Partners consider a model statement for voluntary cancer organizations.
Website: http://www.healthandenvironment.org/?module=articles&type=admin&func=new&ptid=57&callid=1084
May 20-24, 2006
Torshavn, Faroe Islands
at the Nordic Culture Center
The conference will focus on fetal and early postnatal development as the most vulnerable stages of human life, in regard to adverse effects of environmental hazards. Recent research has revealed that subtle effects during early development can lead to functional deficits and increased disease risks later in life. This "fetal programming" hypothesis has gathered much support from both experimental and epidemiological studies. Substantial evidence now suggests that the prenatal and early postnatal environment is of crucial importance for gene expression, thereby affecting normal development and disease risks through adult life.
Website: http://www.pptox.dk/Home/tabid/36/Default.aspx
Contact: pptox@health.sdu.dk
The Learning and Developmental Disabilities Initiative welcomes these new members:
Organizational member:
Individual members:
For a full list of LDDI members, please visit http://www.iceh.org/LDDImembers.html.
by Jonathan Shaw, Harvard Magazine
May/June 2007
http://www.harvardmagazine.com/2007/05/modern-milk.html
Article Summary: Even as the scientific community has become interested in the effects of the bioactive substances found in pesticides, not much attention has been paid to the naturally occurring estrogens found in food, which are both far more abundant and more biologically available than environmental estrogens, says Ganmaa Davaasambuu, a Mongolian physician who is a fellow this year at the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study. She is concerned that the high levels of hormones found in commercially produced milk may be harmful to human health. Estrogens and other growth factors have been implicated in the development of hormone-dependent cancers: those affecting the prostate, testes, ovaries, breasts, and uterus. In a 2002 study of cancer and diet in 42 countries, Ganmaa and colleagues found that countries with the highest consumption of dairy products suffered the highest rates of prostatic and testicular cancer. A similar study in 2005 showed much the same results for breast, ovarian, and uterine cancers.
Modern milk production techniques keep cows pregnant and lactating 300 days a year, meaning that cows are milked well into each new pregnancy. Traditional practices took milk from cows only during the first three months of a pregnancy, when hormone levels are low. Commercial milk often contains much higher levels of biologically active hormones. Based on what she has found so far, Ganmaa believes that cows in late pregnancy should not be milked -- or, at least, that such milk should be labeled to indicate that it comes from a pregnant cow. It is also reassuring to know that skim milk from the United States has low levels of hormones, since hormones are carried in the milk fat.
by Roxanne Khamsi, New Scientist
May 1, 2007
http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn11760-brain-shrink-linked-to-gulf-war-syndrome.html
People suffering "Gulf War syndrome" have a 5% reduction in brain size, a small study suggests. The anatomical differences between veterans of the first Gulf War in 1991 who report multiple health problems -- such as fatigue, skin rash and nausea -- and other healthier colleagues, were revealed during brain scans. Those with symptoms of the controversially named Gulf War syndrome (GWS) have 5% less cortical brain matter than healthier counterparts. The researchers say that the finding provides hard biological evidence to support claims that some veterans of the war suffered real neurological damage, perhaps as a result of nerve gas or other toxins.
Article Summary: The scans revealed that the overall brain cortex of the veterans with GWS was about 5% smaller on average than that of the healthier veterans. The cortex includes the outermost and top layer of the brain, including the grey matter, and controls complex functions such as language. It also includes a specific part of the brain thought to be involved in memory processing and learning, known as the rostral anterior cingulate gyrus, which was about 6% smaller in the ill veterans, on average. Combining these findings with others, such as worse performance on cognitive tests, the greater incidence of brain tumors and movement disorders such as ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) among those deployed in the war, "it's pretty clear that something has happened to central nervous system function and structure of Gulf War veterans and that we're just getting to the point where were finally seeing what these effects were," said Roberta White of the Boston University School of Public Health in Massachusetts. White's team hopes to review information from the study participants and the government to estimate the level of exposure the subjects might have had to the nerve gas sarin and other toxins. A cocktail of toxins could perhaps have produced GWS, though some experts still debate whether this is a unique illness.
by Anthony DePalma, New York Times
May 1, 2007
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/01/nyregion/01river.html?_r=1&oref=slogin
PITTSFIELD, Mass. -- More than 30 years have passed since Congress banned a broad range of synthetic compounds called PCBs. Yet 2.65 million cubic yards of mud on the bottom of the Hudson River remain contaminated with the chemicals, which are considered neurotoxins and probable human carcinogens. Since 2002, General Electric has been under federal order to clean approximately 40 miles of the Hudson where its factories discharged PCBs. Preliminary site clearing for the huge project began last week, but actual dredging will not start until 2009 at the earliest.
Article Summary: In Pittsfield, on another PCB-contaminated river about 60 miles to the southeast in Massachusetts, GE has made more progress, albeit haltingly. Working with the federal government, the company completed the cleanup of a two-mile stretch of the Housatonic River late last year, scooping out the heaviest concentrations of the industrial chemicals. While much remains to be done along the remaining 100 miles or more of the Housatonic, its most heavily contaminated section is now cleaner than it has been in a long time. Still, the Housatonic cleanup dragged on for more than six years, twice the expected time. Based on their experience on the Housatonic, scientists, GE officials, government authorities and people who live in the local communities affected by PCBs all agree that work on the Hudson, whenever it starts, is likely to take far longer than expected and will run into more technological obstacles than anyone anticipates.
by Tom Wilber, Greater Binghamton [New York] Press & Sun-Bulletin
April 30, 2007
http://www.pressconnects.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070430/NEWS01/704300355/1006
JOHNSON CITY -- Expectant mothers and their babies in Endicott and elsewhere are especially vulnerable to toxic chemicals, and more steps need to be taken to protect them, according to Sandra Steingraber, an author, advocate and biologist who will speak today in Johnson City. Steingraber, author of "Living Downstream," will look at evidence implicating chemical exposure in childhood disabilities and illnesses such as asthma, autism and birth defects. Her talk will include a summary of scientific literature -- including recent assessments by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the National Academy of Sciences -- regarding illnesses and exposure. It will also describe current research that examines the link between trichloroethylene exposure during pregnancy and the risk of heart defects in the developing offspring.
Article Summary: A recent report from the state Department of Health, documenting high rates of birth defects and certain cancers in an Endicott neighborhood polluted with industrial solvents, has added to concerns about risks from local pollution. Many issues contribute to disabilities in children, Steingraber said. But a growing body of science shows chemical exposure can play a significant role. While awareness about health and safety issues grows, regulations are not keeping up with emerging science documenting the dangers of environmental hazards, Steingraber said. Fetuses, infants and children bear a disproportionately high risk because they are small and developing.
by Barbara Lantin, London Times
April 30, 2007
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/health/healthy_eating/article1717392.ece
Nobody disputes that what a woman eats in pregnancy can affect her baby. But research shows that mothers who want to give their offspring the best chance in life need to start preparing long before the bump appears. There is growing evidence that how young women eat and behave can affect the health of any children they go on to have -- and possibly the health of future generations, too.
Article Summary: The nutritional status of a woman when she conceives is as important as her diet in pregnancy, so it is worrying to learn that many adolescent girls are deficient in essential nutrients including potassium, magnesium, calcium, zinc and iron. A diet low in dairy and fresh produce but higher in carbonated drinks and other sweets could be detrimental not just to this generation but to their children and grandchildren, too. The National Diet and Nutrition Survey of young people, published in 2000, found a significant proportion of young people have very low levels of some minerals, with half of all girls aged 15 to 18 deficient in iron and 19 per cent deficient in calcium. One youngster in five aged 11 to 18 has poor riboflavin (vitamin B2) status and one in eight low vitamin D status. Mothers-to-be who are anemic risk having a low birth weight baby with inadequate iron stores of its own. Pregnant women who are deficient in calcium and vitamin D may compromise the bone development of their babies. Medical wisdom has long held that taking folic acid supplements in pregnancy reduces the risk of neural tube defects, including spina bifida. But the message emerging from research is that women who wait until pregnancy to improve their diet may be leaving it too late. The embryo is most vulnerable to the effects of poor maternal diet during the first few weeks of development, often before pregnancy has been confirmed. Cell differentiation is most rapid at this time and any abnormalities in cell division cannot be corrected at a later stage. The weight of the mother is also crucial, with either under- or overweight mothers at greater risk of complications for the pregnancy or the infant.
New work with animals is shedding fresh light on the trans-generational nature of disease. While it was once thought that our health depended only on a combination of genetic inheritance and environment, scientists are realizing that there is a third sphere of influence: the way our ancestors behaved. This fast-growing field, known as epigenetics, focuses on the ways in which environmental effects can change the expression of a specific gene without altering the gene itself.
from Reuters, ABC News
Apr 30, 2007
http://www.abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory?id=3100739
WASHINGTON -- The Supreme Court on Monday refused to hear a Bush administration appeal defending its rule that would allow older factories, refineries and coal-burning power plants to upgrade their facilities without installing the most modern pollution controls. The justices declined to review a U.S. appeals court ruling in March 2006 that struck down the Environmental Protection Agency's rule for violating the federal Clean Air Act. According to the rule that was adopted in 2003 but has never taken effect, modern antipollution controls would have to be installed only if plant upgrades cost more than 20 percent of the replacement cost of the plant. At issue is the ability of U.S. electric companies to overhaul and expand their aging fleet of about 500 coal-fired power plants to keep them running. Utilities want to modify their aging power plants, some decades old, without triggering Clean Air Act rules that require them to spend billions of dollars on emission-reduction equipment. Oil refineries and other industrial factories are also subject to those rules.
Article Summary: Environmental groups and 14 states sued in challenging the rule. They argued it would allow plants to expand production without cutting pollution emissions and would undermine the Clean Air Act's new source review enforcement provisions. The appeals court agreed. It said the rule was "contrary to the plain language" of the Clean Air Act. The Bush administration appealed to the Supreme Court and said the appeals court had erred in invalidating the rule. The Supreme Court rejected both appeals without any comment or recorded dissent.
by John Diedrich and Tom Held, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
April 30, 2007
http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=598716
Four lawsuits by children against paint companies were filed in federal court in the past month, part of efforts on several levels in Wisconsin to lay blame for lead poisoning on manufacturers. The four suits, first filed in state court, moved to federal court because there were no local defendants, said Peter Earle, attorney for the children. Earle has another 31 cases pending in state court, including one that led to a key state Supreme Court ruling and is set for trial this fall. A separate case brought by the City of Milwaukee against a lead paint company is set to go to trial this month. Getting that close to a trial is nearly unprecedented in the legal battle over lead-based paint. Paint companies and manufacturers of lead pigment used in paint during the first half of the century have been successful in getting similar lawsuits dismissed before trial. The lone exception, outside the two Wisconsin cases, is a lawsuit brought by the State of Rhode Island. In that case, a jury found that NL Industries, Sherwin Williams and Millennium Holdings had contributed to a public nuisance and should be ordered to abate that nuisance.
Article Summary: The four recent federal cases involve four children who claim that while living in homes in Milwaukee, they were exposed to and sickened by lead paint. The defendant companies knew that lead paint was dangerous, one as far back as 100 years ago, the lawsuits contend. Both the city and Earle, in arguing what's known as the Steven Thomas case, have won favorable rulings at the appeals and state Supreme Court level. In the Thomas case, the Supreme Court ruled in 2005 that lead-poisoned children could sue paint manufacturers, even if the plaintiffs can't prove which company made and sold the specific paint that poisoned them. Lead can affect the brains of children even at relatively low blood levels, according to studies. Lead poisoning of Milwaukee children is six times the national average, according to city officials, who attribute the high rate to the city's older houses. The government banned lead-based paint in homes in 1978.
by Leslie Earnest, Los Angeles Times
April 30, 2007
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-bottles30apr30,1,173636.story?track=rss
Replaced long ago in most U.S. households by unbreakable plastic, glass bottles are making a comeback prompted by worries about a chemical used in making the plastic.
Article Summary: A report called "Toxic Baby Bottles" released in February by a Los Angeles environmental advocacy group helped fuel new interest. Afterward, business soared at websites selling glass bottles and prices jumped. At issue is bisphenol A, or BPA. It is used in making hard polycarbonate plastic, which is clear and shatterproof. The chemical is used to make plastic baby bottles, microwave cookware, food packaging and many other products. BPA can leach from polycarbonate plastic, but whether that poses any harm to humans is hotly debated. BPA mimics the sex hormone estrogen, and in tests on animal fetuses and animal newborns, low doses caused reproductive harm, including damage that can lead to prostate disease, breast cancer and birth defects. Many scientists suspect that the chemical can have similar effects on humans, though this has not been proved.
The use of bisphenol A in children's products has become fiercely contentious. Federal regulators have taken no action to restrict use of BPA, which is found in most people's blood, and the plastics industry says it is safe. San Francisco last year banned the chemical in products for children younger than 3 but recently decided to hold off as the state considered the matter. A state legislative committee considered a bill to restrict BPA's use but decided this month to wait for more study results. A lawsuit filed recently in Los Angeles against a group of grocery stores and bottle makers on behalf of a 5-year-old from the San Francisco Bay Area is aimed at forcing companies to disclose on packaging and bottles that the plastic contains the chemical and that it can leach into the liquid. The February report by Environment California Research and Policy Center in Los Angeles said that lab tests showed that the bottles leached bisphenol A "at dangerous levels found to cause harm in numerous animal studies." But a representative for the American Chemistry Council in Arlington, Va., said many studies had upheld the safety of products made with BPA.
by Jeremy P. Meyer, Denver Post
April 29, 2007
http://www.denverpost.com/headlines/ci_5775843
Article Summary: The state childhood lead poisoning prevention program has lost its funding and closed -- worrying health officials that children with the toxic metal in their bodies will go undiagnosed. The program monitored children's blood tests from around the state, investigated reports of elevated lead levels, coordinated intervention, kept a database of cases and provided preventive information. Lead poisoning causes learning disabilities and behavioral problems and, at high levels, seizures, coma and even death, according to the CDC. The major source of lead poisoning is lead-based paint and lead-contaminated dust in deteriorating buildings, the CDC says. Lead-based paints were banned in 1978, but approximately 24 million homes still have deteriorated lead paint. Lead has also been found in toys and candy. The state will notify county health departments of any lead poisoning cases reported by local physicians. About 38 out of every 100,000 children under the age of 6 tested in Colorado in 2003-04 showed elevated levels of lead. Low-income communities and people living in deteriorating homes are most at risk of lead poisoning.
by Jessica Alaimo, Lewiston [Maine] Sun Journal
April 29, 2007
http://www.sunjournal.com/story/209824-3/bsection/So_young_So_toxic/
Article Summary: Most people have in their blood and tissues chemicals that are not supposed to be found in the human body. All pose some kind of threat to health. For instance, arsenic can cause cancer. A flame retardant commonly called "deca" can harm the reproductive system. Mercury can affect the brain. The Natural Resources Council of Maine sponsored chemical tests for 13 people as part of a study to raise awareness of toxic chemicals in our everyday environment. A full analysis of the study's findings will be unveiled later this week. Every person tested in the NRCM project had some level of deca and other flame retardants in their bodies. Deca, along with several other chemicals on the list, can harm women who are pregnant, or planning to be in the near future, and their developing fetuses. Still, nobody is saying people should toss out every mattress and television set in their home just because it may be hazardous, said Andrew Smith, state toxicologist with the Environmental and Occupational Health Program. Most people won't suffer harm from minimal amounts of chemicals. It's important people educate themselves so that they can make more informed decisions when they buy products -- which is one of the goals of the NRCM's project.
by Cindy Skrzycki, Seattle Post-Intelligencer
April 28, 2007
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/opinion/313451_toxicsites29.html
Federal regulations have an impact on the development of technologies, the finances of companies, the competitive playing field, and how many lawyers are on staff to interpret the rules. These are the practical, known effects of regulations on business. The rules also have an effect on communities when it comes to important decisions about where to locate a hazardous-waste facility, an industrial plant or a refinery, especially if race is involved. A recent report by the United Church of Christ in Cleveland suggests that decisions made by federal, state and local governments, as well as by companies, have penalized minority groups. The evidence: There are a disproportionate number of hazardous-waste facilities near where they live.
Article Summary: Following up on a 1987 examination of the problem, the report found that over the last 20 years minorities have been subjected to excessive levels of toxic pollutants from sites that have negatively affected their health and, often, property values. The report, "Toxic Wastes and Race at Twenty," cites "clear evidence of racism where toxic waste sites are located and the way government responds to toxic contamination emergencies" in minority communities. Many communities also face new threats "because of government cutbacks in enforcement, weakening health protection, and dismantling the environmental justice regulatory apparatus," the study said. The study found that 56 percent of the people who live less than two miles from the nation's 413 hazardous-waste facilities are Hispanics, blacks, Asians, Pacific Islanders or American Indians. The number jumps to 69 percent in areas with multiple facilities.
In 1994, President Bill Clinton addressed the issue of race in the placement of facilities when he ordered 11 federal agencies to identify and address the effects of their policies on minority and low-income populations in the U.S. Since then, there have been legal battles, the flowering of a grassroots advocacy movement, and differences over how to approach the problem, depending upon who is in the White House. Since 2000, the EPA has been chastised by non-profit groups and other government entities such as the agency's inspector general and the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights for not having a plan for implementing environmental justice into daily operations. On the other hand, business groups like the U.S. Chamber of Commerce lobbied to have funds cut off to the EPA in the '90s so it couldn't issue guidance to industry on environmental justice to industry. The chamber VP for environment technology and regulatory affairs said the guidance would have fueled concern over how the agency handled permits, enforcement and cleanups, with many businesses being unable to locate in areas that have a preponderance of waste or industrial facilities. A U.S. Supreme Court case in 2001 put the brakes on litigation filed under civil rights laws because communities now have to prove that companies were intentionally discriminating against them. The earlier standard allowed groups to allege "disparate impact" on their communities.
[Editor's note: See a related article about Port Arthur, Texas, at http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/1110AP_Toxic_Town.html.]
by Herbert Lowe, Newsday
April 27, 2007
http://www.newsday.com/news/local/newyork/ny-nyeye275188917apr27,0,7287262.story?coll=ny-nynews-print
New York City health officials warned yesterday that certain imported eye cosmetics contain high levels of lead and should not be used. Store owners have been ordered to stop selling the cosmetics. The cosmetics -- called kohl, kajal and surma -- are imported from Asia, Africa and the Middle East.
Article summary: After investigating five lead poisoning cases among children and pregnant women who used these products in recent months, the department concluded the products are harmful when accidentally ingested. Children are at special risk because they may put their hands in their mouths after touching the cosmetics on their faces, officials said. Lead is a toxic metal that damages the brain, nervous system, kidneys and reproductive system. It is not possible to tell the difference between safe and dangerous brands because lead is not listed as an ingredient on the label, officials said.
by Christine Haas, KVUE News
April 27, 2007
http://www.kvue.com/news/top/stories/042607kvuedefenders-bkm.103abb48.html
Article Summary: The Food and Drug Administration latest test results revealed an unexpected ingredient surfacing in milk across the country: rocket fuel. According to the federal government, perchlorate is contaminating water sources for more than 11 million people across the country, mainly in areas where the Department of Defense is manufacturing weapons and rocket fuel. One of the theories is dairy cows are drinking that contaminated water, and, as a result, producing milk laced with perchlorate. But milk is not the only concern. Researchers have also found elevated levels of perchlorate in vegetables like lettuce and spinach, even human breast milk. Pediatrician Dr. Ari Brown says perchlorate is particularly concerning for people with underactive thyroid, pregnant women and young children, who rely on milk for their nutrition. Some studies reveal perchlorate could cause thyroid tumors in adults, even mental retardation in infants and toddlers. However, at this point, there's not a clear-cut answer. The Environmental Protection Agency has set no limit on the chemical in our environment. But two states, Massachusetts and California, have set their own safety guidelines for drinking water. Massachusetts' limit is two parts per billion and California advises four parts per billion.
by Mimi Hall, USA TODAY
April 27, 2007
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2007-04-26-chemical-security_N.htm
Article Summary: Although the chemical industry has spent $3.5 billion overall on security since 2001, an untold number of plants and other business that store toxic chemicals have not done what they should to secure substances, says Bob Stephan, infrastructure protection chief at the Homeland Security Department. Such chemicals, if released, could kill and injure tens of thousands of people. In antiterrorism circles, the plants are called "prepositioned targets," essentially sitting ducks for a terrorist with a rifle or rocket, or for a company insider intent on killing people and doing damage to the nation's economy and its psyche. That's why the Homeland Security Department, in its first effort to regulate a private industry, is about to begin enforcing new national security rules at chemical plants, warehouses and other businesses that store dangerous chemicals. The rules will initially affect 7,000 plants and businesses that Homeland Security has identified as presenting the highest risk. They will not force plants to use safer chemicals, a requirement pushed by some members of Congress and environmental groups. If plants don't meet the government's requirements, they will face fines of up to $25,000 a day and could even be ordered by Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff to cease operations.
by Luladey B. Tadesse, Wilmington [Delaware] News Journal
April 26, 2007
http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070426/BUSINESS/704260339/1003
DuPont Co. Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Charles O. Holliday Jr. reaffirmed at the annual shareholders' meeting Wednesday the company's decision to wait until 2015 to cease production of a chemical a federal advisory panel says is a "probable" carcinogen. Holliday said the company will limit its environmental footprint and work toward sustainable goals, but that it will not stop production of perfluorooctanoic acid, also known as PFOA or C8, sooner than planned, despite opposition from some shareholders. The controversial chemical is used in the production of Teflon and nonstick and stain-resistant coatings and products.
Article Summary: DuPont said it cut back PFOA production by 95 percent last year and that it will further reduce it by 97 percent this year. At the meeting, DuPont employees represented by the United Steelworkers, environmental groups and community organizations from around the country expressed frustration with the company's unwillingness to discuss environmental concerns in front of workers. Company officials said they don't want to bargain with employees in such settings. More than 50 shareholders, mostly retirees, union organizers and representatives of environmental groups, gathered outside the DuPont Theatre in Wilmington to voice their dissatisfaction with the company's environmental and labor policies.
by Julie Robotham, Brisbane Times
April 26, 2007
http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/news/national/ivf-link-feared-in-defects/2007/04/25/1177459788215.html
Article Summary: The number of boys born with genital defects in Australia has risen by more than 50 per cent in the past two decades, leading researchers to speculate that in-vitro fertilization drugs, airborne pollution or agricultural chemicals are playing havoc with hormone levels of male fetuses. A rapid rise has been seen in hypospadias, in which the opening of the penis forms on its underside rather than its tip. Sex hormone imbalances during fetal development were also linked to undescended testicles, testicular cancer and low sperm count later in life. Natasha Nassar, a research fellow at the respected Telethon Institute for Child Health Research, collated the figures from West Australian state health records. Her results are the strongest evidence yet of endocrine disruption in humans in Australia. The pattern of deformities suggested imbalances at seven to 14 weeks of pregnancy -- which overload a developing male fetus with estrogen or deprive it of testosterone -- might have damaging effects on development generally rather than just on sex organs. Although the study could not identify causes for the abnormal development, Dr Nassar said air pollution, pesticides and the use of potent drugs in assisted reproduction treatment were possible contributors to the problem. Another theory blamed maternal diets high in soy protein, which promotes estrogen production, though Dr Nassar emphasized there was no direct evidence for this.
by Lizz Thrall, Environmental Science & Technology
April 25, 2007
http://pubs.acs.org/subscribe/journals/esthag-w/2007/apr/science/lt_nano.html
Article Summary A growing body of research has shown that nanoparticles can readily penetrate cells of various types, but it may not be the particles alone that cause trouble inside cells. A new study suggests that toxicity is greatly increased by harmful metals that hitch a ride with nanoparticles. Researchers at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) Zurich and the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Testing exposed human lung epithelial cells to a range of metal-containing nanoparticles and measured levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), chemicals that can be released by cells or generated by foreign materials. An excess of these reactive molecules can lead to oxidative stress and cellular damage, and toxicologists have identified ROS generation as a likely mechanism of nanoparticle toxicity. Cell membranes provide a selective barrier against ions, preventing the dissolved metal salts from entering. Once a metal-containing nanoparticle has penetrated a cell, however, metal ions can leach from the particle and generate ROS in the cell interior, in what Stark calls a "Trojan horse" mechanism. In cells exposed to cobalt oxide and manganese oxide nanoparticles at 30 parts per million, ROS generation was as much as 8 times greater than in control cells exposed to an equivalent amount of cobalt or manganese salts. The researchers made a good case that the specific metals -- and not just the presence of particles in the cell -- are driving the ROS generation.
by Ben Goad and David Danelski, Riverside [California] Press-Enterprise
April 25, 2007
http://www.pe.com/localnews/inland/stories/PE_News_Local_D_perch26.3c8b569.html
WASHINGTON -- Without a legal standard limiting the amount of rocket fuel in the nation's drinking water, pregnant women, infants and other people face significant health risks, Rep. Hilda Solis said Wednesday during a hearing on Capitol Hill. Solis, D-El Monte, and other members of the House Subcommittee on Environment and Hazardous Materials grilled officials from the Defense Department, the Environmental Protection Agency and others about the hazards of the rocket-fuel chemical perchlorate in drinking water and foods. Last month, Solis introduced a bill that would force the federal government to set a drinking-water limit for the chemical. In sufficient doses, perchlorate can impair thyroid function, which regulates metabolism and guides brain and nerve development in fetuses and babies, studies show. Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., has introduced similar legislation in the Senate.
Article Summary: Perchlorate is a component of rocket fuel and is used in munitions, flares, fireworks and other explosives. A U.S. Government Accountability Office study made public at Wednesday's hearing found 395 sites nationwide where perchlorate has contaminated drinking water, groundwater, sediment or soil. About half were in California and Texas. In cases where the source could be determined, 65 percent were attributed to the Defense Department and NASA. The amount of perchlorate that causes harm still is debated. California health officials last year proposed a limit of 6 parts per billion of perchlorate in drinking water -- about one-fourth the amount EPA says is safe. However, the state has not acted on the proposal, California Department of Health Services spokeswoman Lea Brooks said. A U.S. Centers for Disease Control study published last fall found that women with lower iodide levels -- roughly a third of the U.S. female population -- can be affected by small amounts of perchlorate consumed in food and water. In Washington, Benjamin Grumbles, EPA assistant water administrator, said more research is needed before a decision can be made about enforcing standards.
by Stephen Labaton, New York Times
April 25, 2007
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/25/washington/25osha.html?_r=1&adxnnl=1&oref=slogin&adxnnlx=1177704005-ueHRWaBlTUzjH0/aOlT6sg
Article Summary: Under the Bush administration vowed to limit new rules and roll back what it considered cumbersome regulations that imposed unnecessary costs on businesses and consumers. Across Washington, political appointees -- often former officials of the industries they now oversee -- have eased regulations or weakened enforcement of rules on issues like driving hours for truckers, logging in forests and corporate mergers. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has issued the fewest significant standards in its history since George W. Bush became president, public health experts say. It has imposed only one major safety rule. The only significant health standard it issued was ordered by a federal court. The agency has killed dozens of existing and proposed regulations and delayed adopting others. For example, OSHA has repeatedly identified silica dust, which can cause lung cancer, and construction site noise as health hazards that warrant new safeguards for nearly three million workers, but it has yet to require them. An ongoing problem regulating diacetyl, a food-flavoring agent, has left hundreds of workers without protection.
Agency officials defend their performance, saying that workplace deaths and injuries have declined during their tenure. They have been considering new standards and revising outdated ones that were unduly burdensome on businesses, they said, adding that they have moved cautiously on new rules because those require extensive scientific and economic analysis. Instead of regulations, Mr. Foulke and top officials at other agencies favor a "voluntary compliance strategy," reaching agreements with industry associations and companies to police themselves. Administration officials say such programs are less costly, allowing companies to hire more workers and keep consumer prices down. Critics say the voluntary programs tend to have little focus on specific hazards and no enforcement power. Because only companies with strong safety records are eligible, they argue, the programs do not force less-conscientious businesses to improve their workplaces.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration was created under President Richard M. Nixon in 1970 after Congressional hearings exposed dangerous workplace conditions. The agency was to set and enforce safety standards as well as detect health hazards before they could take a toll on workers. Since the agency's creation, deaths and injuries on the job have steadily declined. Regulators have taken credit for much of that trend, though experts also cite pressure from insurers and lawsuits. Until recently, Congress has provided no significant oversight of OSHA. With Democrats now back in control, House and Senate committees are holding hearings this week.
by Theresa Agovino, Associated Press, Myrtle Beach Online
April 24, 2007
http://www.myrtlebeachonline.com/606/story/48388.html
Article Summary: The environment has become a very hot topic these days, especially among parents who want to protect their children's health and the world they'll be inheriting. Parents are propelling a surge in organic baby food sales, and that has prompted more companies to either join or expand their offerings in the sector. Organic food still accounts for a tiny portion of the overall baby food market, but it is definitely growing. Whole Foods Market Inc. said it has tripled the space allotted to organic baby products in the last five years. Last year, baby food institution Gerber Products Co. rebranded and broadened its organic line, while Abbott Laboratories introduced an organic version of its Similac baby formula. "There is no clinical evidence to say the product is better or healthier," said Scott White, vice president of pediatrics -- U.S. at Abbott Nutrition. "Moms feel better using it. It is a lifestyle choice."
The U.S. Department of Agriculture inspects food producers to insure they meet its standards for organic products. They include banning the use of conventional pesticides, fertilizers made with synthetic ingredients or sewage sludge for produce, and antibiotics or growth hormones for animals. Producers said adhering to the USDA regulations makes organic foods cost more but parents are willing to pay the difference. Doctors said parents shouldn't feel guilty if they can't afford the extra expense. The USDA doesn't claim that organic food is safer or more nutritious than conventionally produced food, and the American Academy of Pediatrics has no official stance on subject.
by Douglas Fischer, Oakland Tribune
April 24, 2007
http://www.insidebayarea.com/oaklandtribune/ci_5742771
SAN FRANCISCO -- Teenage girls gathered in the heart of San Francisco's shopping district Tuesday to protest the makeup of their makeup, urging regulators to follow Europe's lead and ban harmful chemicals from cosmetics. The rally of about two dozen girls dressed in prom dresses and combat boots, plus the occasional boyfriend and a number of adults, was part product launch, part political campaign, part health education. It caps months of appearances by Teens for Safe Cosmetics at Bay Area stores, farmer's markets and high schools to alert consumers -- particularly teens -- to potentially carcinogenic ingredients in beauty products and advocate for their banishment.
Article Summary: The European Union has declared 1,100 ingredients unfit for cosmetics, while the United States has banned just nine. At issue are carcinogens in cosmetics like coal tar, banned in Europe since '04 but used here in shampoos to help dissolve scaly skin; solvents such as toluene to improve the gloss and adhesion of nail polish; plasticizers like phthalates to bind fragrances and prevent nail polish from chipping. There's also formaldehyde to disinfect creams and petrolatum to make lipstick shine. Both are banned in Europe. All are used in tiny amounts. But the average American teen uses between 10 and 25 personal care products a day. Every day. And over time, say those fighting for safer cosmetics, that can lead to a significant exposure -- and potentially significant problems. Sen. Carole Migden, D-San Francisco, last year authored California's Safe Cosmetics Act, the toughest cosmetics law in the nation. It doesn't ban a thing, but it forces cosmetics manufacturers to file reports with the state on any carcinogens in their products.
Manufacturers note many of these compounds are used in trace amounts. Data on the health effects are either incomplete or inconclusive, they say. And the chemicals create consistent, affordable products.
The final purpose of Tuesday's Union Square rally was a launch of "i" -- a line of personal care products created by teens, for teens. They've created a perfume solely from essential oils that will soon be available online or at Whole Foods. The whole experience -- lobbying in Sacramento for Migden's bill, creating the perfume, rallying in Union Square -- has changed their lives, many girls said Tuesday.
by David Shaffer and Tom Meersman, Minneapolis-St. Paul Star Tribune
April 24, 2007
http://www.startribune.com/462/story/1142522.html
More than two decades ago, 3M scientists worried that chemicals used in Scotchgard and Teflon might persist and accumulate in soil and water, but suggested that rigorous testing might prove the compounds environmentally sound, according to an internal company report. The report, turned over by 3M in a citizen lawsuit, suggests that 3M officials in 1983 were of two minds about the perfluorochemicals (PFCs) that eventually turned up in water, animals and people around the world. On one hand, the chemicals' structure "and test results give rise to concern for environmental safety," said the report, which was stamped confidential. It said the compounds, also known as fluorochemicals, "are even more resistant to degradation" than chemicals such as PCBs and the pesticide DDT.
Article Summary: Yet the 3M scientists believed the substances posed "very little problem" compared with other related chemicals. 3M continued to manufacture the chemicals until 2000, and phased them out completely in 2002, saying it was concerned about the chemicals' spread in the environment and in human blood. One of the compounds, PFOA, is now suspected as a human carcinogen. The internal report and other company documents surfaced in a Washington County District Court lawsuit against 3M filed three years ago by residents affected by contamination in private wells and public water supplies. It has also been found in the Mississippi River, in Lake Calhoun in south Minneapolis and in aquatic organisms that "are utilized as a human food source."