These bulletins are now archived and searchable on the CHE-WA website: http://washington.chenw.org/bulletins.html If you would like to join the Collaborative on Health and the Environment (CHE) and the CHE-Washington regional 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 Washington State Regional Group at the bottom of the application.
Tonight, February 13, 2008
6:30 p.m.
Seattle, Washington
at Town Hall Seattle, 1119 Eighth Avenue (at Seneca Street)
Sponsor: The Seattle Biotech Legacy Foundation
Cosponsors: Antioch University Seattle Center for Creative Change and The Russell Family Foundation
Organizer: The Institute for Children's Environmental Health
What does an application of ecological economics mean to the Puget Sound region? The region currently serves as a major case study for a whole-system-based analysis by the Gund Institute. The effort is headed locally by Earth Economics, where Mr. David Batker is the founder and director. He will give an overview of the critical concepts of ecological economics with specific application to the Puget Sound watershed and present ideas and solutions for our region. Using the cost of diseases due to environmental factors as an example, Dr. Katherine Davies, director and faculty member of the Center for Creative Change at Antioch University in Seattle, will expand our understanding of the ecological economics framework and highlight the connection between our health, environment and economy. Together, Mr. Batker and Dr. Davies will touch upon many of the elements necessary to sustain human well-being, including the vital importance of health and the environment, and present ideas for transforming the economy to support a healthy future in the Puget Sound region
Note: A lecture by Michael Pollan, In Defense of Food, scheduled for Town Hall at 7:30 the same evening, is sold out. For those who already have tickets to the Pollan event and who would like to also attend the environmental health lecture which begins one hour earlier, we will create a time and space for you to exit and go upstairs to join the Pollan lecture.
This is the second of a four-lecture series. A $10 fee applies to the each of the remaining two lectures if paid in advance. Admission at the door is $15 for each lecture. Dates and topics of the last two lectures:
Details are on the CHE-WA website: http://washington.chenw.org/lectures.html
1) The next CHE-WA quarterly meeting is scheduled for Wednesday March 5, 2008, 2:00 - 4:00 p.m. at Antioch. The meeting will focus on children's environmental health, with special guest speakers Dr. Elaine Faustman and Dr. Steve Gilbert (and Dr. Margaret Shield of the Toxic Free Legacy Coalition will likely have interesting related news to report from the state legislative session).
2) Notes from the CHE-WA December quarterly meeting are now posted with meeting handouts on the website: http://washington.chenw.org/meetings.html
Wednesday February 13, 2008
6:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Mount Vernon, Washington
at the Skagit Valley Food Co-op Room 309, 202 South First Street
Sponsor: Skagit Valley Food Co-op
Learn about resources that have been developed to help retailers and customers learn about and avoid some of the most toxic ingredients used in the manufacturing of toys, and learn about legislation being proposed to provide some regulations here in Washington State. Bring a toy to be tested.
Price: free
Website: http://www.skagitfoodcoop.com/workshops.htm
Contact: 360-336-9777 or svcoop@skagitfoodcoop.com
Thursday through Saturday, February 14 - 16, 2008
times and locations vary by day
Seattle, Washington
Sponsor: City of Seattle, Catholic Community Services, United Indians of All Tribes Foundation, IWASIL Boys & Girls Club, World Kulturz, Community Coalition for Environmental Justice, Seattle University
With a theme of Indigenous Healing Solutions, this series features Elder Healers from various tribal traditions bringing teachings and ceremony together to create Mother Earth healing circles.
Price: free
Website: http://www.elcentrodelaraza.com/Northwest%20Climate%20Change%20Summit.pdf
Contact: Kim Camara, 206-683-9804 or worldkulturz@yahoo.com
Tuesday February 26, 2008
10:00 a.m. Pacific time, 1:00 p.m. Eastern time
Sponsor: Collaborative on Health and the Environment
As the research that recently emerged from Johns Hopkins University on lead exposure and later-life cognitive function demonstrates, environmental contaminants can play a major role in the way our brains age. Featured presenters will include Dr. Peter Whitehouse, one of the world's foremost authorities on Alzheimer's disease and author of the recent book, "The Myth of Alzheimer's," and Dr. Ted Schettler, Science Director of the Science and Environmental Health Network.
Price: free
Website: http://healthandenvironment.org/articles/partnership_calls/3011
Contact: Shelby Gonzalez, or Shelby@HealthandEnvironment.org
Thursday February 28, 2008
7:00 p.m.
Seattle, Washington
at Antioch University, 2326 6th Avenue
Sponsor: Northwest Environmental Education Council and Antioch University
Fast food is so ubiquitous that it now seems as American and harmless as apple pie. But the industry's drive for consolidation, homogenization and speed has radically transformed America's diet, landscape, economy, and workforce -- often in insidiously destructive ways.
Price: free
Website: http://www.nweec.org/ea.htm
Contact: Shannon Luoma, 206-923-1980 or sluoma@nweec.org
Thursday and Friday, March 6 - 7, 2008
8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Lacey, Washington
at the Lacey Community Center, 6729 Pacific Avenue Southeast
Sponsor: Northwest Environmental Training Center
This course provides an overview of the vapor intrusion exposure pathway including its scientific foundation, regulatory framework and the technical aspects of investigating and remediating contaminated vapor sites. The class will cover topics such as screening sites for potential vapor intrusion concerns, conducting field investigations, sampling techniques, data analyses, exposure point calculations, the Johnson and Ettinger predictive model, vapor intrusion risk assessment, vapor intrusion mitigation and remediation. Continuing education credits are available.
Price: $495, $395 reduced tuition is available for those who qualify
Website: http://www.nwetc.org/vaqm-401_03-08_lacey.htm
Contact: Northwest Environmental Training Center, 206-762-1976
Tuesday March 11, 2008
2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. Eastern time
Sponsor: American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
A description of the event will be posted at the website below.
Price: free
Website: http://www.ehinitiative.org/Projects/tele_con.htm
Contact: Laura Abulafia, 800-424-3688 or laura@aaidd.org
Online Calendar. Upcoming events extending more than one month in the future are listed in a searchable calendar: http://www.chenw.org/cgi-bin/searchevents.cgi
Most of the articles below come from Environmental Health News, http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/
New Members. CHE-Washington welcomes these new members:
For a searchable database of organizations with which CHE-WA members are affiliated, please visit the CHE-WA website: http://washington.chenw.org/members.html
Job opening: Cowlitz County, Washington. Cowlitz County is accepting applications for the position of Environmental Health Specialist in the Cowlitz County Building & Planning Department. This position performs site inspections and enforces the environmental health permitting system applying local, state and federal environmental health standards and regulations for water quality, well construction, campground and recreation facilities, solid waste and on-site sewage systems. This position also process permit applications, maintains records of inspections, complaint investigations, and enforcement activities.
http://www.co.cowlitz.wa.us/personnel/PDF-Files/Environmental%20Health%20Specialist%20I-IIt.pdf
Job opening: Seattle, Washington. The Northwest Toxic Communities Coalition (NWTCC) is a network of nongovernmental and community organizations in Alaska, Idaho, Oregon and Washington state working to clean up toxic sites. We work to increase oversight, involvement and leadership among affected people in order to serve the public interest and environmental justice. We are seeking an individual to strengthen the coalition and lead it in its efforts to educate the public and elected officials on the need and benefit of hazardous waste clean-ups, assist the public in making the connection between human health impacts and health care costs, support Superfund reauthorization and the Superfund Ombudsman position, and communicate our message to the public. Please see the complete job posting on Craig's List.
http://seattle.craigslist.org/see/npo/548895194.html
Community Action for a Renewed Environment (CARE) grants. The 2008 US Environmental Protection Agency CARE Cooperative Agreement Request for Proposals (RFP) is now available. Approximately $3 million will be available in 2008 to support community-based partnerships to reduce pollution at the local level through the CARE program. Eligible applicants include county and local governments, tribes, nonprofit organizations and universities. The deadline to apply is March 17, 2008.
http://www.epa.gov/CARE/agreements.htm
Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) for conferences, workshops, and/or meetings. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is soliciting applications from eligible applicants for the planning, arranging, administering and/or conducting of conferences, workshops, and/or meetings that focus on research to protect human health and safeguard the environment. Specifically, EPA is interested in supporting scientific and technical research conferences that address the following research program areas: (1) human health; (2) ecosystems; water and security; (3) economics and sustainability; (4) air and global climate change; and (5) technology. Applications must be received by June 5, 2008, or December 9, 2008, depending upon the cycle.
http://es.epa.gov/ncer/rfa/2008/2008_baa.html
Additional NCS centers. The National Children's Study plans to fund 10 to 15 additional study centers to manage Study operations in communities across the country with funds appropriated by Congress for fiscal year 2008. The Request for Proposals (RFP) is expected soon and the due date for proposals in response to this solicitation is anticipated to be about April 1, 2008.
http://www.fbo.gov/spg/HHS/NIH/NICHD/Reference-Number-NIH-NICHD-NCS-08-21/listing.html
National Public Health Week: Climate Change and the Nation's Health. There is a direct connection between climate change and the health of our nation today. Yet few Americans are aware of the very real consequences of climate change on the health of our communities, our families and our children. Tools and events related to the April 7-13 National Public Health Week are now available.
http://www.nphw.org/
Protests spur stores to seek substitute for vinyl in toys. After recalling millions of toys to protect consumers from lead paint, toy makers face growing pressure over another material, PVC, a plastic found in myriad playthings, fromballs to dolls. Wall Street Journal, 12 February 2008.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120277954938660931.html
Balancing energy needs and safety. There are growing complaints that gas drilling, particularly in the Rocky Mountain region, is contaminating water supplies with chemicals and endangering human health. Chemical & Engineering News, 12 February 2008.
http://pubs.acs.org/cen/email/html/cen_86_i06_8606gov1.html
High lead levels are found in vinyl plastic baby products. High levels of lead were found in a handful of well-known baby products made of vinyl plastic by an environmental group based in California that spread the word about lead on vinyl baby bibs and lunch boxes. New York Times, 11 February 2008.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/11/business/11toy.html or http://biz.yahoo.com/nytimes/080211/1194745977735.html?.v=2
5 ways to say I love you without (toxic) roses. For all their beauty, the truth is that some roses -- actually most roses -- have dangers that extend far beyond their thorns. The Daily Green, 11 February 2008.
http://www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/latest/valentines-day-roses-47021104
Global trade comes home. While stories about melamine in pet food and lead in toys have grabbed headlines, less attention has focused on another impact of globalization: air pollution and other potential health threats to communities near ports and along truck lines. Environmental Health Perspectives, 11 February 2008.
http://www.ehponline.org/members/2008/116-2/spheres.html
FDA to review tattoo chemicals. Prompted by reports of skin problems, including rashes, swelling and blistering, the federal government has begun studying materials tattoo artists have injected into the skin of some 45 million Americans. Newhouse News Service, 11 February 2008.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-tattoo_11feb11,1,2488336.story?ctrack=1&cset=true
Anxiety for two. New research finds stressful pregnancies may have long-term effects on children. Newsweek, 9 February 2008.
http://www.newsweek.com/id/107893
Is your job giving you cancer? Scientists believe exposure to potentially toxic chemicals, dyes, pesticides and viruses are causing spikes in job-related diseases. Melbourne Herald Sun, Australia, 10 February 2008.
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,23189871-662,00.html
EPA must rewrite utility mercury rule: U.S. court. In a victory for environmentalists and a setback for big U.S. coal-burning utilities, a federal court ruled on Friday that the Environmental Protection Agency must fundamentally rework its mercury rules for utilities. Reuters, 9 February 2008.
http://www.reuters.com/article/environmentNews/idUSN0847678520080209
Federal grant will assist in TCE testing. The state of Pennsylvania will receive more than a quarter-million dollars from the federal government to expand and continue its testing for an airborne carcinogen known as TCE. Norriston Times Herald, Pennsylvania, 9 February 2008.
http://www.timesherald.com/WebApp/appmanager/JRC/Daily;jsessionid=8XknHt5VJwS68NZncj2hsd7xKKGzh0pnFJLHJn6yn1HBzMzgxlt6!-366222789?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=pg_article&r21.pgpath=%2FNTH%2FNews&r21.content=%2FNTH%2FNews%2FTopStoryList_Story_1555886
Smoking will kill 1 billion people. One billion people will die from tobacco-related causes by the end of the century if current consumption trends continue, according to a global report released Thursday by the World Health Organization. Time Magazine, 9 February 2008.
http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1711154,00.html
Indoor pollution just as damaging. Many people are unaware that indoor pollution can be just as bad as, or even worse than, the outdoor kind. Associated Press, 8 February 2008.
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=129918
Weaned off plastic. A study to be made public this morning on health risks posed by some of the most popular baby bottles sold in Canada is expected to add another ominous chime to the steady chorus of alarm bells that researchers have sounded recently about bisphenol A. Montreal Gazette, Quebec, 7 February 2008.
http://www.canada.com/montrealgazette/news/story.html?id=e6ed477f-1835-4831-927c-abb5e7e36bdc
[Editor's note: see a related article: http://www.abcnews.go.com/Blotter/story?id=4258352&page=1]
Environmental toxins may be linked to early onset of puberty in girls. A new study conducted by researchers at the University of Pisa in Italy has suggested a link between environmental toxins and early onset of puberty in girls. Asian News International, South Asia, 7 February 2008.
http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/health/environmental-toxins-may-be-linked-to-early-onset-of-puberty-in-girls_10016554.html
Study sees hazards in baby powder and lotion. Parents who want to reduce their infants' exposure to phthalates, chemicals suspected of impairing male reproductive function, should not apply baby lotions or powders -- except for medical reasons. So concludes a study published in the journal Pediatrics. Washington Post, 7 February 2008.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/01/AR2008020103284.html
Panel backs bill to ban the sale of recalled toys. Responding to recent recalls of toys and other products deemed dangerous to children, the Oregon House took the first step Wednesday toward prohibiting retailers from selling toys that have been the subject of a recall or manufacturer's warning. Portland Oregonian, Oregon, 7 February 2008.
http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/news/1202360105222030.xml&coll=7
Fragrances foul for many. Fragrances are the most obvious indoor air pollutants, second only to tobacco smoke. Sault Ste Marie Sault Star, Michigan, 7 February 2008.
http://www.saultstar.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=892177
Study: annual costs of environmental disease in Oregon. "The Price of Pollution: Cost Estimates of Environmentally Related Disease in Oregon," a new study by the Oregon Environmental Council, finds that environmentally attributable diseases from sources such as lead, diesel, and mercury cost the state $1.57 billion annually. The estimate for children alone is $1.10 billion per year. This is the first-ever study of the cost of environmental disease for Oregon. Oregon Environmental Council, 6 February 2008.
http://www.oeconline.org/kidshealth/priceofpollution/index
Avoid second-hand smoke for our kids' sake. About half the world's children (700 million) breathe air polluted by cigarette smoke and this year's World Cancer Day campaign wants to get the message out that second-hand smoke can kill. Pretoria News, South Africa, 6 February 2008.
http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=117&art_id=vn20080204110840150C724745
Mobiles do not increase cancer risk, says study. Short-term, mobile phone users have no greater risk of developing brain tumours than people who have never used them, according to a detailed study of cancer patients. But long-term the picture may be different. London Guardian, England, 6 February 2008.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2008/feb/06/mobilephones.health
Chemicals curbing male reproductive capacity. A half century of herbicides, chemicals and pollution have weakened the reproductive capacity of males -- be they frogs, horses or humans, a Colorado State University researcher says. Denver Rocky Mountain News, Colorado, 6 February 2008.
http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/feb/05/chemicals-curbing-male-reproductive-capacity/
Use of household pesticides during pregnancy increases the risk of childhood leukemia. Pregnant women exposed to household pesticides may increase the risk of their children developing leukemia, according to a recent study conducted in France. Environmental Health News, 5 February 2008.
http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/newscience/2008/2008-0205rudantetal.html
Deirdre Imus helps schools go green. Many schools contain harmful toxins and other chemical contaminants that endanger children's health, says the founder and director of the Deirdre Imus Environmental Center for Pediatric Oncology at the Hackensack University Medical Center. USA Today, 4 February 2008.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2008-02-03-deirdre-imus_N.htm
Nonprofit finds big problems in kids' products. Discovering lead in children's products has sparked a scorching series of investigations that have roiled North America's $24B toy market. But the organization that made the original discovery says there are more problem ingredients than just lead. Oakland Tribune, California, 3 February 2008.
http://www.insidebayarea.com/oaklandtribune/ci_8156820
Report busts the myths on cancer risks. Breast implants, deodorant and coffee are extremely unlikely to cause cancer, says a new risk report designed to allay panic that everything can be carcinogenic. Australian Associated Press, 3 February 2008.
http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/report-busts-the-myths-on-cancer-risks/2008/02/03/1201973740477.html
Common flame retardants could hurt unborn children, researcher warns. Common flame retardants that are supposed to make everyday consumer items safer could adversely affect pregnancies and impede the development of the fetus, according to a Quebec researcher. CanWest News, Canada, 2 February 2008.
http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/story.html?id=8ce30dd7-627e-4084-8250-494bc563e338&k=73097
Get the lead out. The notion of long-delayed effects is familiar; tobacco and asbestos, for example, can lead to cancer. But in recent years, scientists are coming to appreciate that exposure to other pollutants in early life also may promote disease much later on. Sault Ste Marie Sault Star, Michigan, 2 February 2008.
http://www.saultstar.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=885691
With cookware, it's not all pot luck. Proper handling and preparation of food isn't the only safety danger you face in the kitchen. The equipment you use can also be a concern. McClatchy Newspapers, 2 February 2008.
http://www.star-telegram.com/home/story/446825.html
Bisphenol A safety. A study conducted by researchers at the University of Missouri, Columbia, strikes at the heart of a federal panel's conclusions about the health concerns of bisphenol A. Chemical & Engineering News, 1 February 2008.
http://pubs.acs.org/cen/news/86/i05/8605notw6.html
Consumer group: CPSC delays recalls. After more than two months of waiting, the Consumer Product Safety Commission has done what we asked, tested five toys that we found had high levels of lead. Syracuse WSYR TV, New York, 1 February 2008.
http://www.9wsyr.com/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=3d3d7daf-f2b5-4ab1-86ca-65df320fb7be
Asthma, eczema and allergies: Why are they plaguing kids? In the past 20 years, the number of children afflicted with asthma, eczema and food allergies has doubled. Newburyport Daily News, Massachusetts, 1 February 2008.
http://www.newburyportnews.com/pulife/local_story_031193450.html
A world without men. Gender-bending industrial chemicals are skewing the birth ratio in favor of baby girls. Could a world without men be a few short generations away? Whole Life Times, 1 February 2008.
http://wholelifetimes.com/2008/02/healthyliving0802.html
Emissions concerns rise over ships' fuel. Along with economic benefits of the steady growth in the shipping industry, environmentalists' worries are growing about unregulated pollution from the cheap, sulfur-laden bunker fuel oil that powers most large tankers and cruise ships. Gloucester Times, Massachusetts, 1 February 2008.
http://www.gloucestertimes.com/punews/local_story_031233139.html?keyword=topstory
States may restrict lice treatments. Lawmakers in at least three states are considering restricting the use of treatments for head lice and body mites that contain the insecticide lindane, raising questions about whether states can regulate products approved by the Food and Drug Administration. USA Today, 31 January 2008.
http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/news/20080131/a_lindaneinside31.art.htm
Head-lice drug promotions halted. The sole U.S. maker of an insecticide-based treatment for head lice has stopped promoting the product [that contain the insecticide lindane] after a sharply worded warning from the FDA that its marketing misled consumers by downplaying the rare, but serious, risks of the treatments. USA Today, 31 January 2008.
http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/news/20080131/1a_bottomstrip31_dom.art.htm
Infant study casts doubt on vaccine-autism link. The mercury in a vaccine preservative is pumped out of a baby's body too quickly for it to do any damage, researchers reported on Wednesday in a study they say should further absolve shots of causing autism. Reuters, 31 January 2008.
http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSN3050545420080130
Folic acid may cut premature births by 70%. Folic acid supplements taken for a year before pregnancy can cut the risk of premature births by 70% and save thousands of lives, researchers have found. London Guardian, England, 31 January 2008.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2008/jan/31/health.medicalresearch
Study finds links between prostate cancer, cadmium and zinc. Cadmium exposure is known to cause prostate cancer. A new study has suggested that zinc may offer protection against the risk factor. Asian News International, South Asia, 31 January 2008.
http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/health/study-finds-links-between-prostate-cancer-cadmium-and-zinc_10015332.html
Questions surface over effects of chemical in some ski waxes. A group of man-made chemicals [PFCs] used in some ski waxes, and found in nearly every American's bloodstream, has caused some companies to take a closer look at what goes on the bottom of skis and snowboards. Carson City Nevada Appeal, Nevada, 31 January 2008.
http://www.nevadaappeal.com/article/20080131/NEWS/977781799
Warning over cannabis lung harm. Heavy cannabis users may be at greater risk of chronic lung disease -- including cancer -- compared to tobacco smokers, two studies suggest. BBC, UK, 31 January 2008.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7217601.stm
Heat causes chemical to leach from plastic. A new study released today in Toxicology Letters may provide a clearer picture of how a controversial chemical called bisphenol A leaches out of plastics. USA Today, 30 January 2008.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2008-01-29-plastic-chemical_N.htm
Harmful pesticides found in everyday food products. Government promises to rid the nation's food supply of brain-damaging pesticides aren't doing the job, according to the results of a yearlong study that carefully monitored the diets of a group of local children. Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Washington, 30 January 2008.
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/health/349263_pesticide30.html
Climate change 'a threat to health.' The consequences of climate change could become more of a threat to human health than obesity or alcohol, the president of the Royal College of Physicians has warned. Press Association, 30 January 2008.
http://www.channel4.com/news/articles/society/health/climate+change+a+threat+to+health/1432847