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.
The Learning and Developmental Disabilities Initiative (LDDI), a national working group of the Collaborative on Health and the Environment, invites you to sign our newly-drafted policy consensus statement on environmental agents associated with neurodevelopmental disorders. This policy statement is based on the scientific consensus statement that LDDI published earlier this year and details specific policy initiatives to be taken to protect children from exposures that may contribute to learning and developmental disabilities and autism.
Everyone is encouraged to sign the statement no later than Monday, September 1st. We will need your name, credentials and affiliation (note that we will not take those without a stated affiliation). The policy statement, the scientific statement, and the signature form for the policy statement are all available on the LDDI website: http://www.iceh.org/LDDI.html
If you have any questions regarding the statement, please contact primary author Steve Gilbert, PhD, DABT, at sgilbert@innd.org or Nancy Snow, MS, at nsnow@iceh.org. Thank you for considering signing.
Tuesday August 5, 2008
2:00 - 3:00 p.m. Eastern time
Sponsor: American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Environmental Health Initiative
We are seeing increases in incidence of adverse birth outcomes, particularly preterm delivery and low birthweight. Existing and emerging data show that prenatal exposure to chemicals in our environment are likely to explain some portion of adverse birth outcomes. In addition, adverse birth outcomes can presage further adverse effects during child or adulthood. This talk will present findings from the epidemiologic literature on prenatal exposures to environmental contaminants and their implications for short-and long-term consequences. The speaker will be Tracey Woodruff, associate professor in the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences and Pediatrics at the University of California, San Francisco and the director of the Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment.
Price: free
Website: http://www.ehinitiative.org/Projects/tele_con.htm
Contact: Laura Abulafia, Laura@aaidd.org
Wednesday through Thursday, September 3 - 4, 2008
Columbus, Ohio
at the Crowne Plaza North Hotel
Sponsor: The National Association for the Dually Diagnosed (NADD) and others; for the full list see the website below.
At the completion of this conference, participants will be able to identify specific areas of pharmacologic management in which to use caution in a person with a dual diagnosis, describe the relationship between aggression and psychiatric illness in people with ASD and IDs, and much more. Continuing education credits are available.
Price: see http://www.thenadd.org/pages/conferences/090308/register.shtml
Website: http://www.thenadd.org/pages/conferences/090308/index.shtml
Contact: Lisa Christie, lchristie@thenadd.org
Thursday August 7, 2008
11:30 a.m.
Bend, Oregon
at St. Charles Center for Health and Learning, 2500 NE Neff Road
Sponsor: Oregon Environmental Council
Last fall, the Oregon Environmental Council released "Pollution in People," a first-of-its kind study examining the levels of toxic pollutants in Oregonians. The diverse group of 10 women and men who volunteered for the study came from all over the state. Unfortunately, they all had one thing in common with each other -- and probably all Oregonians -- the presence of hazardous chemicals in their bodies. Renee Hackenmiller-Paradis, MPH, PhD, will be discussing the results of the study and its implications for Oregon. As program director of the Oregon Environmental Council, she will also provide in-depth background on the nature of prevention, potential healthy impacts of toxins and how we can now begin to track our exposure to these chemicals.
Price: $13.00 for City Club members and $25.00 for nonmembers. Tickets can be purchased on the City Club website. Preregistration is required by August 4th.
Website: http://www.cityclubofcentraloregon.com/
Thursday August 7, 2008
2:30 - 4:00 p.m.
Bend, Oregon
at St. Charles Center for Health and Learning, 2500 NE Neff Road, Conference Room A
Sponsor: Health Care Without Harm, Oregon Environmental Council and Oregon Center for Environmental Health
Join us to learn about what pollution is doing in the bodies of Oregonians and the associated health costs, and the role of health care in reducing exposures and protecting the health of their communities. Speakers will be Renee Hackenmiller-Paradis, Environmental Health Program director of the Oregon Environmental Council; Emma Sirois, Health Care Without Harm Program director with the Oregon Center for Environmental Health; and Mark Petersen, director of hospitality and liaison to Hospital Green Team at St. Charles Medical Center. Space is limited, so please RSVP by August 1, 2008.
Price: free
Contact: Emma Sirois, 503-233-1510 or emma@oregon-health.org
Friday through Monday, August 8 - 11, 2008
Bellevue, Washington
at the Fairfield Inn by Marriott, 14595 NE 29th Place
Sponsor: American Academy of Neural Therapy
The increase in new cases of children on the autistic spectrum is increasing at a staggering rate. Dietrich Klinghardt MD, PhD, has pioneered and developed many methods in the treatment of ASD which have found acceptance worldwide: the focus on heavy metal and chemical toxicity, simple and effective solutions to the vaccine issue, the dramatic improvements often observed after a single session of systematic family work and others. The seminar is highly structured and consists of lectures and panel/learning circle discussions. Each discussion (with related short presentations) is hosted and guided by Dr. Klinghardt and loaded with practical and solid treatment suggestions and protocols. Due to time constraints, the focus in this workshop is on the biomedical and biophysics approach and not on ABA and other behavior-oriented techniques.
Price: $600
Website: http://www.neuraltherapy.com/workshopsSched2008.asp
Contact: American Academy of Neural Therapy, 425-637-9339
Monday through Wednesday, September 15 - 17, 2008
8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Baltimore, Maryland
at the Baltimore Hilton and Conference Center, 401 West Pratt Street
Sponsor: US Department of Housing and Urban Development
The conference will gather a broad community of experts to discuss regulatory, policy, research and outreach needs and their implications in the development of comprehensive, integrated approaches linking health and housing to ensure safe, healthy and efficient housing. The conference will examine the lessons learned from our national lead-poisoning-prevention strategy and the current state of the art as we begin building the framework needed to develop a national healthy housing agenda.
Price: free
Website: http://www.hud.gov/offices/lead/2008NHHC.cfm
Contact: US Department of Housing and Urban Development, 202-708-1112
Friday through Sunday, September 24 - 26, 2008
Mystic, Connecticut
at the Hilton Mystic, 20 Coogan Boulevard
Sponsor: Connecticut Environmental Health Association (CEHA)
The Yankee Conference is a gathering of environmental health professionals from throughout the Northeast. Its purpose is to provide the latest information on topics such as environmental leadership, food protection, preparedness, recreational health, onsite sewage disposal, water and air quality and other current environmental health issues. In addition to offering attendees networking opportunities unavailable anywhere else in the area, every year the Yankee Conference offers a variety of educational sessions for both newer and experienced environmental health professionals. The theme of this year's conference is "Inspiring Excellence in Environmental Health."
Price: see the website below
Website: http://www.cteha.org/
Contact: Rob Guerrera, 203-256-3020 or rguerrer@town.fairfield.ct.us
Friday and Saturday, September 26 - 27, 2008
Los Angeles, California
at the Skirball Cultural Center, 2701 North Sepulveda Boulevard
Sponsor: The Help Group
An in-depth and thought-provoking one-and-a-half-day conference for professionals and parents. This conference features leading researchers, educators and clinicians in Autism Spectrum Disorders, Asperger's Disorder, Learning Disabilities and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
Price: unknown
Website: http://www.thehelpgroup.org/conf.htm
Contact: The Help Group, 877-943-5747
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, Eugene, Oregon. The Northwest Coalition for Alternatives to Pesticides (NCAP) seeks a dynamic leader to work with our energetic and committed staff and board to continue and expand our efforts to protect the health of people and the environment in the Pacific Northwest by advancing alternatives to pesticides. Our ideal candidate is a skilled communicator and visionary with significant fundraising and nonprofit experience who can take on the multiple tasks required to lead an established nonprofit organization. The executive director is a full-time, professional staff person whose primary responsibility is to manage the operation and growth of the organization. Contact Karen Murphy, kmurphy@pesticide.org. Application period closes on September 24, 2008, for a position to start in January 2009.
http://www.pesticide.org/jobs.html
America's Children and the Environment website updated. This website from the US Environmental Protection Agency has recently been updated with the most current data available (from 2006) for measures of contaminants, body burdens and illnesses important for children's environmental health. Data relates to air-quality standards, concentrations of cotinine, asthma, AD/HD, and other measures of children's environmental health.
http://www.epa.gov/envirohealth/children/index.htm
New executive director at the Washington Toxics Coalition. Les Welsh, who is joining the WTC staff as executive director, has been professionally engaged in environmental and social change work for the last 28 years. His past campaign- and nonprofit-management experience includes working or consulting for such groups as Greenpeace, the American Indian Movement, Pacific Whale Foundation, LightHawk and other organizations. Contact lwelsh@watoxics.org or call 206-632-1545.
Lawmakers agree to ban toxins in children's items. House and Senate lawmakers agreed to permanently ban three types of phthalates from children's toys and to outlaw three others pending a study of their health effects. Washington Post, 29 July 2008.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/07/28/AR2008072802586.html
How independent are vaccine defenders? For years some parents and scientists have raised concerns about vaccine safety, including a possible link to autism. Many independent experts have sided with government officials who say there's no possible connection. But how "independent" are they? CBS News, 29 July 2008.
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/07/25/cbsnews_investigates/main4296175.shtml
Cut children's fluoride exposure, report urges. An expert panel says the government should cut the recommended amount of fluoride in drinking water, encourage children to use low-fluoride toothpaste and have makers of infant formula reduce levels in their products. Toronto Globe and Mail, Ontario, 29 July 2008.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080729.wfluoride29/BNStory/specialScienceandHealth/home?cid=al_gam_mostview
Developing countries cannot tackle toxic waste: Minister. Developing countries lack the required expertise, technology and finance to manage the increasing stream of toxic waste, the Minister of Environment, Housing and Urban Development, has said. Abuja Daily Trust, Nigeria, 29 July 2008.
http://www.dailytrust.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=15223&Itemid=53
Creating a Healthy Home Environment: Mold and Mildew Free. Some 10% of the U.S. population is sensitive to mold, and invisible mold spores cause countless allergic reactions, asthma attacks, and sinus infections. Biloxi Sun Herald, Mississippi, 29 July 2008.
http://www.sunherald.com/prnewswire/story/711234.html
State's new plywood rule poses new challenge for lumber firms. A new state law limiting a cancer-causing chemical [formaldehyde] from plywood and particle board has lumber wholesalers worried that they will get stuck with millions of dollars' worth of products that can't be sold in California. Riverside Press-Enterprise, California, 29 July 2008.
http://www.pe.com/localnews/inland/stories/PE_News_Local_S_plywood29.43b15ef.html
These nipples are dangerous. The Consumer Education and Research Society tested a range of pacifiers, teethers and nipples for the presence of migrated heavy metals lead, cadmium and chromium. The findings are alarming. Calcutta Telegraph, India, 28 July 2008.
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1080728/jsp/atleisure/story_9610775.jsp
Researchers want to expand PCB study. Midway through the first phase of a multiyear study of PCBs in the bodies of city children, researchers want to expand the project. While PCBs were banned in the US in 1977, contamination of Lake Michigan continues as PCBs fall from Chicago area air. Munster Times, Indiana, 28 July 2008.
http://www.nwi.com/articles/2008/07/27/news/top_news/docad83425570643afb86257493000c21dc.txt
Mobile emissions sniffer finds pollution hot spots. A Ministry of the Environment truck carrying an array of measuring instruments is part of an innovative mobile monitoring research project that's attracting international interest. Hamilton Spectator, Ontario, 28 July 2008.
http://www.thespec.com/News/Local/article/410243
New frontiers in autism research. Some advocates believe the federal government's willingness to study the benefits of chelation treatments may signal a turning point in the fight against autism. Foster's Daily Democrat, New Hampshire, 27 July 2008.
http://www.fosters.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080727/GJCOMMUNITY_01/460263527
Local anglers eating too much fish. Advocacy group, Madison Environmental Justice Organization, says its newly released research found that many local shoreline anglers, especially minorities, eat tainted fish in excess of recommended safety limits. Madison Capital Times, Wisconsin, 27 July 2008.
http://www.madison.com/tct/news/298008
Autism rates soaring for Somalis in U.S. There is a growing number of Somalians with autism in Minnesota, and most troubling is that all of the Somali children the Minneapolis Schools have identified with autism were born here in Minneapolis. CBS News, 26 July 2008.
http://cbs13.com/health/somali.community.autism.2.780617.html
New state law requires lead screening for all children. Paint of the lead-based variety may be 50 years old or older, but it is still affecting children today. Marshalltown Times-Republican, Iowa, 26 July 2008.
http://www.timesrepublican.com/page/content.detail/id/508675.html?nav=5005
Is your makeup killing you? U.S. lax on banning ingredients that could be harmful to human health. Palm Springs Desert Sun, California, 26 July 2008.
http://www.mydesert.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080726/LIFESTYLES03/807260306/1059/lifestyles03
Kilns contribute to mercury emissions. Eighteen years after the federal Clean Air Act mandated regulation of industrial mercury emissions, the nation's 150 cement kilns still emit nearly 23,000 pounds of mercury per year. Frederick News-Post, Maryland, 26 July 2008.
http://www.fredericknewspost.com/sections/news/display.htm?StoryID=78027
[Editor's note: See a related article about an agreement with a cement company in Oregon: } http://www.bakercityherald.com/news/story.cfm?story_no=6991 ]
New car smell. There's more than meets the nose when it comes to the scent inside a new car. The ingredients of that new-car smell have been linked with cancer, endocrine disruption and neurologic, immune and reproductive system disorders. Poughkeepsie Journal, New York, 26 July 2008.
http://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080726/LIFE12/80725026/1005/LIFE
U.S. tries to put together system to trace food items from field to fork. When there's an urgent need to trace fruits and vegetables in a crisis like the salmonella outbreak, a lot of the pieces for a rapid-response system already exist, but nobody has quite figured out how to put them together to operate seamlessly in the vast American marketplace. Canadian Press, 25 July 2008.
http://canadianpress.google.com/article/ALeqM5hasR327kGUUYsDDbDSdsaYpM3Sqw
In surprise move, EPA bans carbofuran residue on food. The EPA announced yesterday that it will no longer allow residue of the toxic pesticide carbofuran on domestic or imported food, a decision that would effectively remove the chemical from the U.S. market. Washington Post, 25 July 2008.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/07/24/AR2008072403495.html
Farmers told organic is way to grow. Agricultural experts and officials are urging farmers to stop using chemical pesticides and start growing organic, non-genetically modified produce for export to European markets. Phnom Penh Post, Cambodia, 25 July 2008.
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/index.php/2008072520997/National-news/Farmers-told-organic-is-way-to-grow.html
US state wages fight against toxic chemicals. A new Maine law coincides with mounting concerns in the United States over chemicals found in everyday products, from cars to clothes, and follows similar European Union laws. Reuters, 25 July 2008.
http://www.forbes.com/reuters/feeds/reuters/2008/07/24/2008-07-25T000308Z_01_N17261555_RTRIDST_0_ENVIRONMENT-CHEMICALS-MAINE-GENERAL-FEATURE-PIX.html
California adopts stiff pollution rules for ships. California regulators adopted the world's toughest pollution rules for oceangoing vessels Thursday, vowing to improve the health of coastal residents. Los Angeles Times, California, 25 July 2008.
http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/california/la-me-pollution25-2008jul25,0,7787427.story
Agencies asked to ease safety rules. In its final days in power, the Bush White House is rushing to have federal agencies water down the regulation of hazardous substances, lawmakers and public health experts say. Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Washington, 24 July 2008.
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/371959_asbestos24.html
ADHD increasingly common in older kids, CDC says. More older children are being diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder while the rate is holding steady for children under 12, according to a government report released Wednesday. Associated Press, 24 July 2008.
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/health/5903733.html
EU clears baby bottle chemical despite Canada ban. A chemical commonly found in baby bottles and teethers [bisphenol A] that has been taken off the shelves in Canada is safe for European infants, the EU's food safety monitors have found. EU Observer, Europe, 24 July 2008.
http://euobserver.com/19/26534
[Editor's note: See a related article at } http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1038623/Anger-EU-rejects-calls-ban-baby-bottles-chemical-linked-breast-cancer-fertility.html ]
Fresh scent may hide toxic secret. Common household items such as dryer sheets, fabric softeners, detergents, and solid, spray and plug-in air fresheners are potentially exposing your family and friends to dangerous chemicals [volatile organic compounds, or VOCs], a new study finds. Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Washington, 23 July 2008.
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/371779_toxicfragrance23.html
Health matters: secondhand smoke: what is it? Secondhand smoke, known technically as environmental tobacco smoke, is a mixture of more than 4,000 chemicals generated during the burning of tobacco products. Needham Times, Massachusetts, 22 July 2008.
http://www.wickedlocal.com/needham/news/lifestyle/columnists/x1346889069/Health-Matters-Secondhand-Smoke-What-is-it
2nd annual guide to toxic chemicals in cars and children's car seats. Overall, several auto manufacturers showed improvement over last year's findings, including Mazda, General Motors and Nissan. General Motors, whose average vehicle ranking improved by 27%, showed the most improvement of the domestic automakers. Average child car seat scores improved by 28% overall, proving that toxic chemicals are not required for the manufacturing of child car seats and interior automobile components. Published by Ecology Center of Michigan. 22 July 2008.
http://www.healthycar.org/press.releases.php
Autism in adults finally getting attention. Autism in children has never been more in the news. But few are talking about the adults, experts say, and few therapists are available to treat the illnesses in adults just as more are seeking help. CanWest News Service, 21 July 2008.
http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/story.html?id=098b75fe-c1af-428e-aba6-3a75ba916533
Bottled water stokes fluoride, cavity debate. On the long list of cavity culprits, soda pop and sugary fruit juices rank high. Now public health officials are pointing the finger at bottled water. Houston Chronicle, Texas, 21 July 2008.
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/health/5897757.html
Sludge to be studied for health concerns. It happens. Tons of it, accumulating with every toilet flush. But agreement on wastewater residuals -- what's left of sewage after treated water is discharged back into rivers and streams -- pretty much stops there. Raleigh News & Observer, North Carolina, 21 July 2008.
http://www.newsobserver.com/news/story/1148502.html
Class action over lead in lipstick. Class action against a manufacturer of women's perfumes and makeup has been given the green light to proceed. The legal action is against LVMH and concerns lipstick produced for Dior which has been found to contain unacceptably high levels of lead. News-Medical.net, 21 July 2008.
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=40114
Mother's risks last child's lifetime. Wisconsin leads the nation in reported drinking among women of childbearing age. Appleton Post-Crescent, Wisconsin, 21 July 2008.
http://www.postcrescent.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080720/APC0101/80718110/1979/APC0404
Is China's pollution poisoning its children? Federica Perera, a pioneer of molecular epidemiology, is studying the impact of air pollution on children in China. The lessons should apply in the US, Europe and Japan as well. Scientific American, 20 July 2008.
http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=chinas-children-of-smoke
How your behaviour can change your children's DNA. Can DNA can be modified or imprinted with the experiences of your parents and grandparents? London Times, England, 20 July 2008.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/health/article4364054.ece
Hidden dangers in home could impact child development. Over the past few decades, researchers have begun to focus on environmental exposures as contributing factors to the decline in children's health. Denver ABC7 TV, Colorado, 19 July 2008.
http://www.thedenverchannel.com/health/16925484/detail.html
Disease prevention called a better bet. A report from the Trust for America's Health, a nonprofit health advocacy group, found that programs encouraging physical activity, healthy eating and no smoking were a better investment than those concentrating primarily on treatment. Washington Post, 18 July 2008.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/07/17/AR2008071700990.html
Aloof parents may produce autistic children. It's not just autistic children who view the world differently from the rest of us -- it seems their parents may do so as well. The finding strengthens the link between genetics and autism. New Scientist, England, 18 July 2008.
http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn14349-aloof-parents-may-produce-autistic-children.html
Fluoride still in the news: risks noted for kidney patients, children, seniors. The National Kidney Foundation recently withdrew its longstanding support for fluoridation of public water supplies. Topango Messenger, California, 18 July 2008.
http://www.topangamessenger.com/articles.asp?SectionID=1&ArticleID=3114
First-trimester asthma flares tied to birth defects. Asthma flare-ups early in pregnancy may raise the risk of birth defects, a new study suggests -- highlighting, researchers say, the importance of good asthma control in pregnant women. Reuters Health, 18 July 2008.
http://www.reutershealth.com/archive/2008/07/17/eline/links/20080717elin022.html
Plants promote health. Houseplants look good, smell fresh and, according to some studies, can actually make your home a healthier place to live. Tigard Times, Oregon, 17 July 2008.
http://www.tigardtimes.com/features/story.php?story_id=121622339222764200
Color me concerned. New research indicates that artificial food dyes can disrupt some children's behavior, and activists and consumer groups are asking for bans or limits on the dyes. Baltimore Sun, Maryland, 17 July 2008.
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/health/bal-to.hs.additive17jul17,0,6973489.story
NTP brief on BPA receives mixed peer review. Peer reviewers of a federal agency's draft on bisphenol A agreed with concerns over some human-health impacts, but they suggested lowering levels of concern. And they pointed to missing exposure data for the most vulnerable. Environmental Science & Technology, 17 July 2008.
http://pubs.acs.org/cgi-bin/sample.cgi/esthag/asap/html/es801811y.html
California port fee would fight pollution, congestion. Saying California children shouldn't breathe soot so people across the country can buy cheap televisions, legislators voted to impose a fee on every container moving through the ports of Long Beach, Los Angeles and Oakland. Los Angeles Times, California, 16 July 2008.
http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/california/la-me-ports16-2008jul16,0,4948745.story