Highlights
Next Meeting
Our next meeting will be 2:00 - 4:00 p.m. March 5, 2007, at Antioch University Seattle. Please see our Meetings page for full details.
2008 Lecture Series in Seattle
The fifth annual environmental health lecture series is themed "Seeking Solutions: Connecting Economics with Health and Environment." The series, sponsored by the Seattle Biotech Legacy Foundation and organized by the Institute for Children's Environmental Health, includes one lecture each month January through April. National speakers will lecture on principles of ecological economics, the future of the Puget Sound region, the future of energy and economics for the 21st century. Please see our Lectures page for details.
Environmental Justice Directory
With many thanks to Millie Piazza, PhD, for her work gathering and compiling information, CHE-WA is pleased to offer our members a directory of environmental justice contacts in Washington State (PDF file, 49 KB).
Toxic Toys Database
Michigan-based Ecology Center has just released new research on over 1,500 toys in collaboration with the Washington Toxics Coalition and other leading environmental health groups across the country. Parents will be able to easily check how products rank from highest to lowest in terms of lead, cadmium and other chemicals that are associated with reproductive problems, developmental and learning disabilities, hormone problems and cancer. Toys made with PVC, or polyvinyl chloride, were also tested. See www.healthytoys.org.
New CHE-WA Coordinator
Aimee Boulanger, program director at the Institute for Children's Environmental Health, is now coordinating CHE-WA. Elise Miller will continue to participate closely in CHE-WA and serve as founding coordinator.
Climate Change and Health Fact Sheet
The Climate Change and Health Working Group has published a fact sheet: Climate Change and Public Health in Washington (PDF file, 45 KB, 7 pages). Or read the executive summary (PDF file, 29 KB, 2 pages).
Free Home Health Assessment
The American Lung Association of Washington assists residents with home assessments to identify contaminants such as household chemicals, lead, pesticides, dust mites and other allergens that could be making children or families sick. After the assessment, they suggest an action plan filled with low- and no-cost solutions to make a home a healthy place. Either a trained volunteer can come to a home, or residents can follow the Do It Yourself HEAL form posted on ALAW's website.
Searchable Bulletins
Our biweekly email bulletins are now archived and searchable on our Bulletins page. Each week, we compile news stories, announcements, and upcoming events related to environmental health in Washington and the Pacific Northwest.
Unwanted Medications Return
Washington Citizens for Resource Conservation (WCRC), a Seattle-based Earth Share organization, has developed a pilot program to make unwanted pharmaceuticals easy to return. A document instructing consumers in how to return medications is available at Keeping Medicine Out of Our Water (PDF document, 86 KB).
Fact Sheets Published
The Research & Information Working Group has published printable Fact Sheets corresponding to the topics in the clearinghouse on health and environmental quality in Washington State that they created earlier this year. This work was completed with support from the Institute for Children's Environmental Health and Antioch University Seattle and was sponsored by the Seattle Biotech Legacy
Foundation. For links to the fact sheets, please visit the Enter Clearinghouse web page.
Article Published
Dr. Kate Davies, chair of CHE-WA's Research & Information Working Group, published an article in the Journal of Environmental Health: Strategies for Eliminating and Reducing Persistent Bioaccumulative Toxic Substances: Common Approaches, Emerging Trends, and Level of Success. Read the article abstract.
Joint Conference Adopts Resolutions
from Steven G. Gilbert, PhD, DABT
At the 13th Annual Washington State Joint Conference on Health, the Washington State Public Health Association (WSPHA at www.wspha.org) unanimously adopted two important resolutions that address human health and the environment. The first resolution was entitled "Endorsing the Precautionary Principle as a Public Health Tool for Preventing Harm from Persistent Bioaccumulative Toxic Chemicals (PBTs)." The highlight was that a number of people spoke in favor of the resolution and its importance for preventing disease and promoting health.
While focused on PBTs, the second resolve stated that "The WSPHA endorses the precautionary principle as a vital component of our preventive approach to public health in Washington State, advancing the goal that all people have an opportunity to reach and maintain their full potential." This is a powerful statement in support of human and environmental health. The second resolution was entitled "Supporting Safer Chemicals Policies to Benefit Human and Environmental Health." This resolution addressed the need to 1) reduce exposure to PBTs; 2) encourage development and use of safer, cost-effective, alternative products, materials and processes; 3) develop 'green chemistry'; and 4) provide full information on the health effects of all chemicals placed into the marketplace. These two resolutions provide a tremendous support for human and environmental health in Washington State.
Precaution Academy and Briefing
Materials from our June Precaution Academy and Briefing are now listed on our Precautionary Principle Working Group page.
Pollution in People
The Toxic-Free Legacy Coalition has launched a "Pollution in People" website to follow up and expand on their recent report about the chemicals found in the blood, urine and hair samples of ten Washingtonians.
 Go to the website
Research & Information Group Unveils Website
A new clearinghouse website has been created under the direction of Dr.
Kate Davies, chair of the Collaborative's Research and Information Working
Group and Core Faculty in Environment & Community at Antioch University
Seattle. The new site summarizes information on chronic diseases and
disabilities and environmental quality in Washington State and contains
links and references to about 500 data sources. It deals with diverse topics
such as asthma, urban sprawl & health, climate change, pesticides, adult and
childhood cancer, contaminants in air, water and soil, and learning &
developmental disabilities.
"This is the first website of its type in the country to offer such a
comprehensive picture of health and environmental quality at a state level,"
said Dr. Davies. "It takes complex scientific information and makes it
understandable by the lay-person." A study released by Dr. Davies in 2005
showed that environmental diseases and disabilities cost Washington State
more than $2 billion a year in healthcare and related costs.
Read the complete media advisory about the new site.
Communities Count 2005
A mixed report card for local quality of life
Friday, December 9, 2005
KING COUNTY, WASHINGTON – Today, private, public and nonprofit partners and funders released Communities Count 2005, which shows mixed results in the health status and well-being of families and communities in King County.
"By giving us a broad and thorough perspective on the state of our health and well-being, Communities Count serves as a call to action," said King County Executive Ron Sims. "We need to recognize our progress, while confirming our commitment to addressing areas of concern."
To read the complete article, please visit the Metro King County website. For the full report, an executive summary or highlights, please visit the Communities Count website.
Report Reveals the High Health Care Costs Stemming from Toxics in Washington's Environment
More than $2 billion a year in health care costs can be tied to diseases and disabilities linked to environmental contaminants, according to a study released recently by Dr. Kate Davies, faculty at Antioch University Seattle. View these documents:
|