These bulletins are archived and searchable on our website: http://www.iceh.org/LDDIbulletins.html If you would like to join the Collaborative on Health and the Environment (CHE) and the LDDI Working Group, please complete the application on the CHE website: http://www.healthandenvironment.org/application Joining CHE means receiving up to four email messages a month from the CHE National listserv. CHE costs nothing to join and the benefit is shared information and opportunities for further engagement, if you choose. Be sure to mark that you want to join the Learning and Developmental Disabilities Initiative Working Group at the bottom of the application.
Companion bulletins are available for different audiences:
While there is overlap with this bulletin, there are some events and announcements unique to those bulletins.
Tuesday July 22, 2008
9:00 - 11:00 a.m.
Washington, DC
at EPA headquarters
Sponsor: US Environmental Protection Agency
The purpose of the meeting is to discuss certain modifications of the Voluntary Children's Chemical Evaluation Program (VCCEP). EPA will present the modifications it is considering for VCCEP due to the comments received from stakeholders and the public on VCCEP's performance and implementation. Requests to participate in the meeting must be submitted to by July 17, 2008. Please identify the modification(s) you wish to discuss.
Price: free
Website: http://www.epa.gov/oppt/vccep/index.htm
Contact: roman.catherine@epa.gov
Wednesday July 23, 2008
9:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Boulder, Colorado
at the University of Colorado Humanities Building, 1775 Central Campus Mall
Sponsor: Northwest Environmental Training Center
Do you want to learn more about the health effects of chemical exposures? Join Steven G. Gilbert, award-winning author, director and founder of the Institute of Neurotoxicology and Neurological Disorders, for this course. The course identifies potential health hazards of toxic chemicals and methods for preventing exposure. Chemicals we encounter in everyday life are used as examples to evaluate the hazards and risk of exposure and put them into perspective. Learn the basic principles of toxicology, tools for assessing the toxicology of chemicals, effects of chemicals on the body, and why some people are more sensitive to chemicals than others. Continuing education credits are available.
Price: $150, $95 reduced tuition is available for those who qualify.
Website: http://nwetc.org:80/etox-510_07-08_boulder.htm
Contact: Northwest Environmental Training Center, 206-762-1976
Tuesday July 29, 2008
9:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Seattle, Washington
at the Northwest Environmental Training Center, 650 South Orcas Street, Suite 220
Sponsor: Northwest Environmental Training Center
Do you want to learn more about the health effects of chemical exposures? Join Steven G. Gilbert, award-winning author, director and founder of the Institute of Neurotoxicology and Neurological Disorders, for this course. The course identifies potential health hazards of toxic chemicals and methods for preventing exposure. Chemicals we encounter in everyday life are used as examples to evaluate the hazards and risk of exposure and put them into perspective. Learn the basic principles of toxicology, tools for assessing the toxicology of chemicals, effects of chemicals on the body, and why some people are more sensitive to chemicals than others. Continuing education credits are available.
Price: $150 until July 5th, $245 after, $175 reduced tuition is available for those who qualify.
Website: http://nwetc.org/etox-510_07-08_seattle.htm
Contact: Northwest Environmental Training Center, 206-762-1976
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: New York, New York. WE ACT for Environmental Justice (West Harlem Environmental Action, Inc.) is looking for two persons committed to environmental justice to work on development: a development associate and an individual giving manager.
http://www.weact.org:80/GetACTive/EmploymentatWEACT/tabid/263/Default.aspx
Indoor Air Quality Scientific Findings Resource Bank. This website serves as a resource for public health professionals, building professionals and others who seek scientific information about the effects of IAQ on people's health or work performance. The IAQ-SFRB provides information summarizing the state of scientific knowledge about the relationships between people's health and productivity and the IAQ conditions or associated building characteristics in which the people work or reside.
http://eetd.lbl.gov/ied/sfrb/
Children, coal don't mix, China study shows. Children born after the closure of a coal-burning plant in China had 60 percent fewer developmental problems, a study released Monday suggests, giving ammunition to those who argue the country should embrace cleaner sources of energy. Associated Press, 15 July 2008.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25677038/
Chemical companies, health groups spar on consumer safety. Chemical companies and health groups are battling over a provision in a consumer safety bill that would ban the use of plastic-softening chemicals found in many everyday products such as clothing, shoes and furniture. Washington Hill, District of Columbia, 15 July 2008.
http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/chemical-companies-health-groups-spar-on-consumer-safety-2008-07-14.html
Autism study panned by critics. The leading US government funder of autism research is drawing fire over its proposal to run a randomized clinical trial of a treatment widely viewed by experts to be useless and potentially harmful, but that is broadly used for autism. Nature, 15 July 2008.
http://www.nature.com/news/2008/080714/full/454259a.html
Television could be hazardous to babies' growth: Study. A television chattering away in the background distracts children as young as 12 months -- even if the TV is playing adult programs -- and could represent "a significant environmental hazard" to their development, according to a study released Monday. CanWest News, Canada, 15 July 2008.
http://www.canada.com/topics/news/national/story.html?id=15d91e5d-72a5-4750-98a0-a1f8ae7bbe49
Pesticide reforms modest, thrifty. Farmworker advocates hoped huge reforms were on the horizon in January, when Gov. Mike Easley appointed a task force on preventing pesticide exposure. Raleigh News &Observer, North Carolina, 15 July 2008.
http://www.newsobserver.com/news/story/1141793.html
Fumigant 'Midas' wins conditional approval. A soil fumigant used to fight weeds, pests, and soil-borne disease in crop production was recently approved for commercial use in Florida. Bradenton Herald, Florida, 15 July 2008.
http://www.bradenton.com/local/story/739555.html
U.S. lax on chemicals. News about dangerous chemicals in toys, cosmetics and cleaning products has a lot of Americans spending extra money. People want to make sure they're choosing things that are safe for their families. Great Lakes Radio Consortium, Michigan, 14 July 2008.
http://www.environmentreport.org/story.php3?story_id=4086
Nicotine drug 'may slow dementia.' Nicotine has toxic effects, and carries a strong risk of addiction, but scientists have shown it can also boost learning, memory and attention. BBC, UK, 14 July 2008.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7497037.stm
129 things EPA wants to test your water for. While reports mailed to residents this month assure them that drinking water is safe, there are at least 129 potentially harmful chemicals and microbes not mentioned -- or even tested for yet. Melbourne Florida Today, Florida, 14 July 2008.
http://www.floridatoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080713/NEWS01/807130333/1006/news01
California's Green Chemistry Initiative. A state effort to create a database of toxic chemicals should not be put on the back burner. Los Angeles Times, California, 14 July 2008.
http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/asection/la-ed-chemistry14-2008jul14,0,2723983.story
Eco-friendly paints vary in odor despite VOC levels. Eco-friendly interior latex paints are those described as low- or no-VOC (volatile organic compounds). VOCs are chemicals that help cause the sharp smell of fresh paint. Mostly solvents, they can include formaldehyde, benzene and other compounds linked to ozone depletion. Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Georgia, 13 July 2008.
http://www.ajc.com/green/content/living/homeandgarden/stories/2008/07/11/EcoPaint_Comparison_0710.html
Hazardous flame retardant found in household objects. A flame retardant that was taken out of children's pajamas more than 30 years ago after it was found to cause cancer is being used with increasing regularity in furniture, paint and even baby carriers, and EPA's safety assessment is biased toward industry, again. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Wisconsin, 13 July 2008.
http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=771917
Erie County seeks grant to help remove lead paint from old houses. The Erie Regional Planning Commission is seeking a $3 million grant of federal Housing and Urban Development funds to remove lead paint from county homes and to test more children for lead paint poisoning. Sandusky Register, Ohio, 13 July 2008.
http://www.sanduskyregister.com/articles/2008/07/13/front/doc487981fd6a1ea495948022.txt
With mosquito season in full force, learn to bite back. The standard repellent has long been the chemical popularly known as DEET. Though DEET doesn't harm mosquitoes, some worry that it can harm people who use it. Los Angeles Times, California, 12 July 2008.
http://www.latimes.com/features/printedition/image/la-ig-beauty13-2008jul13,0,7597750.story
Dial back cellphone use, city officials tell parents. In what is believed to be the first policy of its kind in Canada, Toronto Public Health is advising children and teens to limit the time they spend on cellphones until more is known about potential health effects. Toronto Star, Ontario, 12 July 2008.
http://healthzone.ca/health/article/459099
Autism genes that control early learning. A new genetic analysis of large, inbred Middle Eastern families found that genes linked to a heightened risk of autism are crucial to a child's ability to learn. Scientific American, 12 July 2008.
http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=autism-genes-that-control
Governor signs key toxic waste bill. She signed it in a parking lot off of the Barnum Avenue Cutoff, on ground that was once considered one of the most toxic in the nation. Stratford Bard, Connecticut, 12 July 2008.
http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=19846434&BRD=1637&PAG=461&dept_id=9180&rfi=6
Families help autism study. Many of the seemingly disparate genetic mutations recently discovered in autism share common underlying mechanisms, according to the results of a large international study published on Friday. London Financial Times, United Kingdom, 11 July 2008.
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/d64bcb80-4edc-11dd-ba7c-000077b07658.html?nclick_check=1
Mental activity may affect autism-linked genes. New research suggests that some cases of autism arise from defects in genes that can be turned on or off by mental activity, a finding that sheds light on the devastating condition and might eventually lead to strategies to treat it. Washington Post, 11 July 2008.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/07/10/AR2008071002750.html
Increasingly popular caviar raises health concerns. As demand for paddlefish caviar has grown, health officials have become uneasy about a variety of toxins found in the eggs, including mercury, chlordane and cancer-causing polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs. Associated Press, 11 July 2008.
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5g9g5gEPtagV1q2ApVjqu5jcgQU0QD91R56B00
The truth about plastic. The U.S. produced 28 million tons of plastic waste in 2005. Our food and water come wrapped in plastic. It's used in our phones and our computers, the cars we drive and the planes we ride in. But the infinitely adaptable substance has its dark side. Time Magazine, 11 July 2008.
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1821664,00.html
Environmental Protection Agency issues new rules on fumigant pesticides. The EPA issued new rules governing fumigant pesticides, which are used to sterilize soil before the planting of strawberries, tomatoes and other crops. Los Angeles Times, California, 11 July 2008.
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/greenspace/2008/07/the-environment.html
Micro materials could pose major health risks. The Council of Canadian Academies has waved a yellow flag in front of a rapidly expanding number of products containing nanomaterials, cautioning that the tiny substances might be able to penetrate cells and interfere with biological processes. Toronto Globe and Mail, Ontario, 10 July 2008.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080710.wnano0710/BNStory/Science/home
Midwestern floods leave toxins behind. The midwestern floods have left behind death and destruction. But the end of the high waters doesn't mean the end of problems. The Daily Green, 9 July 2008.
http://www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/latest/midwestern-floods-toxic-mold-44070808
Dental industry gets an earful on mercury. The dental industry, asked to testify Tuesday about pollution from mercury in tooth fillings, found itself under attack from lawmakers who blame mercury for everything from autism in children to skin discoloration. Associated Press, 9 July 2008.
http://www.newsday.com/news/health/wire/sns-ap-dentists-mercury,0,812241.story
New ways to diagnose autism earlier. With the number of autistic children growing, researchers are targeting new technologies to help detect the disorder at ever-younger ages in hopes of reversing some of autism's worst symptoms. Wall Street Journal, 8 July 2008.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121545978096433273.html
USDA to define 'natural' personal care products. On May 29, state Attorney General Jerry Brown filed a lawsuit under Proposition 65 against four companies with "natural" personal care product lines containing the chemical 1,4-dioxane, a known carcinogen. Sacramento Bee, California, 7 July 2008.
http://www.sacbee.com/378/story/1064162.html
Mumbai sits on a pile of e-waste. More often than not, electronics are disposed of illegally. The raw material used in these gadgets turns into the biggest environmental hazard for the society. Mumbai Daily News and Analysis, India, 7 July 2008.
http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?newsid=1176144
Lockheed: U.S. must pay for rocket-test cleanup. One of the nation's largest federal defense contractors says the U.S. government should pay the cleanup costs -- likely in the tens of millions of dollars or more -- from pollutants leaked during the production and testing of U.S. military and space rockets. Washington Times, District of Columbia, 7 July 2008.
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/jul/07/lockheed-tells-us-to-finance-rocket-test-cleanup/
Are contaminants contributing to underweight births in Chattanooga area? Hamilton County newborns have some of the worst odds in the country of getting a healthy start in life, with more than one in nine born below what is considered a healthy weight. Now scientists are asking about pollutants. Chattanooga Times Free Press, Tennessee, 6 July 2008.
http://timesfreepress.com/news/2008/jul/06/utc-scientists-study-whether-toxins-contribute-und/
Scientists reopen debate over GM food. Heading towards the market are potatoes with 33% more protein content, modified tomatoes that could be capable of protecting against cancer and peanuts without the chemicals that cause deadly nut allergies. London Times, England, 6 July 2008.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/science/article4276255.ece
New provisions added to lead law. New provisions in Vermont's existing law to prevent lead poisoning took effect earlier in the week. Brattleboro Reformer, Vermont, 5 July 2008.
http://www.reformer.com/ci_9792939
Home dangers: Harmful to your kids. From plastic water bottles to shower curtains, author Libby McDonald says they're filled with environmental toxins; but her new rule book may be too long for some moms to handle. Jacksonville WJXT TV, Florida, 5 July 2008.
http://www.news4jax.com/news/16788829/detail.html
New home checklist. Eight things you should know about but regular inspection won't find. Raleigh News &Observer, North Carolina, 5 July 2008. http://www.newsobserver.com/105/story/1131194.html
Panel seeks green justice. The poor are more likely to live in neighborhoods grappling with pollution, but less likely to have the political clout to make things better; in NY, the governor's office is trying to do something. Albany Times Union, New York, 5 July 2008.
http://timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=701377
Some towns fight mosquitoes before they bite. To spray or not to spray? As millions of mosquitoes hatch this summer, it's a question cities and towns across Hub Territory face. North Platte Telegraph, Nebraska, 5 July 2008.
http://www.nptelegraph.com/articles/2008/07/05/news/50000311.txt
Along with beauty, fireworks create a beastly mix of pollutants. When their blends of black powder, metals, oxidizers, fuels and other toxic ingredients are ignited, traces wind up in the environment, often spreading long distances and lasting for days, even months. Los Angeles Times, California, 4 July 2008.
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-fireworks4-2008jul04,0,4886525.story
Of sommeliers and stomachs. A group of researchers has discovered that pairing red wines with red meat appears to be more than just a matter of taste. If the two mix in the stomach, compounds in the wine thwart the formation of harmful chemicals that are released when meat is digested. Economist, 4 July 2008.
http://www.economist.com/science/displaystory.cfm?story_id=11662560
The 5 most creative ways to clean up pollution. We bury them underground, drown them in lagoons, or shove them out to sea -- no matter how remote a site, it may be full of the toxic by-products of modern life. Nuclear waste and heavy metals are just some of the noxious residue of our everyday existence. Discover, 3 July 2008.
http://discovermagazine.com/2008/jul/28-the-5-most-creative-ways-to-clean-up-pollution
Folic acid in pregnancy "concern" unfounded. Folic acid supplementation during pregnancy does not boost the frequency of children born with potentially harmful mutations in a gene that metabolizes folate, research shows. Reuters Health, 3 July 2008.
http://www.reutershealth.com/archive/2008/07/02/eline/links/20080702elin032.html
The dark side of dust. Those dust bunnies hiding under your toddler's bed are scarier than you might think. Once viewed as just a sign of unambitious housekeeping, dust has a dark side. Richmond Times-Dispatch, Virginia, 3 July 2008.
http://www.inrich.com/cva/ric/entertainment.apx.-content-articles-RTD-2008-07-03-0004.html
Rhode Island court throws out jury finding in lead case. The highest court in Rhode Island on Tuesday overturned a jury decision that would have forced three paint manufacturers to pay billions of dollars to clean up contaminated homes. New York Times, 2 July 2008.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/02/business/02paint.html?_r=1&adxnnl=1&oref=slogin&adxnnlx=1215487997-TTt6bg9m3VIX3nrJQSEoxQ
Mother's junk food 'harms child.' Eating a poor diet when pregnant or breastfeeding may cause long-lasting health damage to the child, animal studies suggest. BBC, UK, 2 July 2008.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7481026.stm
[Editor's note: See a related article at http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/main.jhtml?view=DETAILS&grid=&xml=/health/2008/07/14/hpregnancy114.xml ]