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.
Wednesday March 12, 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 and The Russell Family Foundation
Organizer: The Institute for Children's Environmental Health
How useful is ecological economics in the real world? Dr. Cutler Cleveland, director of the Center for Energy and Environmental Studies at Boston University, will illustrate the key concepts of ecological economics as applied to energy economics. A particularly timely issue since energy is one of the most pressing issues in our society, energy economics is expected to grow more important every year due to increasing scarcity of fossil fuels and the connection to global warming. Dr. Cleveland will elucidate many of the transdisciplinary aspects of energy and energy's central role in society. Within the framework of ecological economics, he will talk broadly about the relationship between the environment and society, including energy sources, distribution and taxation.
This is the third of a four-lecture series. A $10 fee applies to the each of the remaining lectures if paid in advance. Admission at the door is $15 for each lecture. The last lecture will be Wednesday April 30, 2008: The Future of a New Economy, with Dr. Joshua Farley and Dr. David Korten.
Details are on the CHE-WA website: http://washington.chenw.org/lectures.html
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. Dr. Margaret Shield of the Toxic Free Legacy Coalition will have interesting related news to report from the state legislative session regarding the Children's Safe Products Act, which unanimously passed the State House of Representatives and is now on its way to the Senate. We will also have information on new work in Washington State to reduce children's lead exposure, and a report from our new CHE-WA working group on children's environmental health. This will be a timely and exciting meeting for all who are engaged in protecting children's health. We will now also be offering conference call capacity for those wanting to participate by phone. Please contact Aimee Boulanger for details: aboulanger@iceh.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
Friday February 29, 2008
2:00 - 3:30 p.m. Eastern time, 11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Pacific time
Sponsor: North Carolina Institute for Public Health
Nancy Krieger, MS, PhD, will give the keynote lecture, "The Science and Epidemiology of Racism and Health in the United States: an Ecosocial Perspective." The lecture will be broadcast by satellite and Internet. Krieger's work focuses on social inequalities in health. She is a social epidemiologist, with a background in biochemistry, philosophy of science, history of public health, and involvement as an activist in issues involving social justice, science, and health. Her work involves a) etiologic studies of social inequalities of health, b) methods for improving monitoring of social inequalities of health and c) development of theoretical frameworks to guide work on understanding and addressing social determinants of health.
Price: free
Website: http://www.minority.unc.edu/sph/minconf/2008/
Contact: Janelle Armstrong, oce@unc.edu
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
Saturday and Sunday, March 15 and 16, 2008
Seattle, Washington
at the Seattle Pacific University parking lot
Sponsor: Recycle, Engage, Neutralize, Electronic, Waste (RENEW) and the ECA Company
RENEW will be collecting electronic waste (computers, monitors, televisions, cell phones, printers and pagers) over the weekend and will send the waste to the ECA Company where they will sort and reuse electronic equipment. The refurbished equipment will be offered to people for a fraction of the cost of equipment purchased new. What cannot be reused will be disposed of 100 percent environmentally friendly. People who bring in electronic waste will receive a tax deduction for their "donation."
Price: free
Contact: Jason Purcell, 206-240-9041 or jpmartialsports@hotmail.com
Thursday and Friday, March 20 - 21, 2008
8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Spokane, Washington
1101 West College Avenue
Sponsor: National Healthy Homes Training Center and Network
Everyone from a public health nurse visiting a client to an environmental health professional doing a rodent inspection will gain insight into how housing and health are related and actions they can take to improve the health of their clients. The training complements hazard-specific training in lead-based paint, radon, mold, pests and asbestos.
Price: $40
Website: http://www.nwcphp.org/essentials-for-healthy-homes-practitioner-course-2008-3/
Contact: Trudy San Jose White, 206-685-2931 or sanjose@u.washington.edu
Saturday, March 22, 2008
10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Mount Vernon, Washington
at the Skagit Valley Food Co-op Room 309, 202 South First Street
Sponsor: Skagit Valley Food Co-op
The second in a three-part series, this workshop will lead you through ten easy steps to detoxify your home: inside and outside, your pets and yourself.
Price: free
Website: http://www.skagitfoodcoop.com/workshops.htm
Contact: 360-336-9777 svcoop@skagitfoodcoop.com
Wednesday through Friday, March 26 - 28, 2008
Seattle, Washington
Sponsor: Public Health -- Seattle & King County
2008's conference will build on the success of the 2006 conference by expanding the topic areas covered. The topics for Access 2008 are disrupting access to tobacco, creating access to smoke-free living, and assuring access to cessation. The agenda will emphasize innovative and promising strategies toward a tobacco-free future as well as practices proven to be successful. The conference is open to all tobacco professionals, educators, law enforcement, researchers, policy-makers, students and others who work or learn in a tobacco-related field. Application for CHES Category I continuing education contact hours (CECH) has been made to the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing, Inc. (NCHEC).
Price: unknown
Website: http://www.accessconference.org/
Contact: Access 08, 206-296-7613 or info@accessconference.org
Thursday March 27, 2008
7:00 p.m.
Seattle, Washington
at Camp Long Environmental Learning Center's Main Building, 5200 35th Ave. SW
Sponsor: Northwest Environmental Education Council and Antioch University
Watch 2007 Bioneers Plenary Speakers, Van Jones, founder of the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights, and Majora Carter, founder of Sustainable South Bronx in their addresses to attendees of the 2007 Bioneers conference.
Price: free
Website: http://www.nweec.org/ea.htm
Contact: Shannon Luoma, 206-923-1980 or sluoma@nweec.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/
Encourage state senators to reduce pesticide use at schools. Washington Toxics Coalition provides an online form to send an email message to state senators urging them to support the Healthy Schools Bill (4SHB 1806).
http://org2.democracyinaction.org/o/5121/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=142
Reports on toxic substances policy. The Lowell Center for Sustainable Production has released two reports on limitations of federal toxic substances policy and options for state level reform: Options for State Chemicals Policy Reform: A Resource Guide and Presumption of Safety: Limits of Federal Policies on Toxic Substances in Consumer Products. The first report outlines a range of options to help reshape and reorient chemicals management policy at the state level. The second report identifies four reasons why the regulatory system for protecting the public from toxic substances in toys and other products is inadequate, allowing potentially harmful products to end up on store shelves. Both reports can be accessed on the Chemicals Policy Initiative website: http://www.chemicalspolicy.org/publications.shtml
Mercury leaks found as new bulbs break. Compact fluorescent lamps can pose a small risk of mercury poisoning to infants, young children, and pregnant women if they break, two new reports conclude. But they say their energy-saving benefits outweigh the risks. Boston Globe, Massachusetts, 26 February 2008.
http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2008/02/26/mercury_leaks_found_as_new_bulbs_break/
No risk in school 'trailers,' FEMA says. The recent disclosure of elevated formaldehyde levels in FEMA residential trailers has no health implications for what often are referred to as "classroom trailers," according to an agency official. New Orleans Times-Picayune, Louisiana, 26 February 2008.
http://www.nola.com/news/t-p/frontpage/index.ssf?/base/news-27/1203920423101540.xml&coll=1
Heavy metals in your mascara? It's something you probably never thought about, but many cosmetic products do contain small amounts of chemicals that, over time, could cause health problems. Dallas KTVT TV, Texas, 26 February 2008.
http://cbs11tv.com/local/mercury.in.mascara.2.662499.html
Low-level carbon monoxide dangers. Research indicates that an estimated 11,000 cases of carbon monoxide poisoning could be going undetected every year in the United States. US News & World Report, 26 February 2008.
http://health.usnews.com/articles/health/living-well-usn/2008/02/25/low-level-carbon-monoxide-dangers.html
China may cut export rebates for polluting chemicals. China's environmental watchdog proposed halting export-tax rebates for polluting chemicals to deter manufacturers from industries that damage the environment. Bloomberg News, 26 February 2008.
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601080&sid=aXCZ.M4AYd_0&refer=asia
Autism study lacks funding. A second look at a possible autism cluster at St. Anthony's School is in peril after the Borough Council said it will not subsidize a $50,000 study to investigate the high rate of autism among children of employees at the school. Bergen County Record, New Jersey, 25 February 2008.
http://www.northjersey.com/news/health/New_autism_study_lacks_funding.html
Fertility study builds buzz around cell phones. Are men speed-dialing infertility by talking for hours a day on their cell phones? Although the data is "quite preliminary," a new study suggests that might be the case. USA Today, 25 February 2008.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2008-02-24-cellphones-fertility_N.htm
Pollution fears are misplaced while toxins thrive indoors. A Danish study of non-smokers aged between 60 and 75 found that the use of an air filter in the home for only 48 hours improved vascular function in the participants as much as stopping smoking would do in a smoker. Glasgow Herald, Scotland, 25 February 2008.
http://www.theherald.co.uk/features/features/display.var.2069153.0.Pollution_fears_are_misplaced_while_toxins_thrive_indoors.php
The silent killer that will claim hundreds of lives in a decade. One person will die every week over the next 10 years as the ticking time bomb of asbestos explodes. Portsmouth Herald, New Hampshire, 25 February 2008.
http://www.portsmouth.co.uk/news/The-silent-killer-thatwill-claim.3809646.jp
Fire retardants linked with health problems. There's a heated debate raging in Sacramento over the state's strict flammability standards for furniture. At issue, whether the chemicals used to save lives are actually making people and pets sick. San Francisco KPIX TV, California, 24 February 2008.
http://cbs5.com/local/consumer.watch.flame.2.661700.html
Viagra could harm sperm and reduce fertility. Men who take Viagra could put their fertility at risk, experts warned yesterday. Daily Mail, United Kingdom, 24 February 2008.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/health/healthmain.html?in_article_id=518092&in_page_id=1774
Radioactive remains: The forgotten story of the Northwest's only uranium mines. One of the world's largest mining companies is trying to wash its hands of responsibility for a costly cleanup of the Northwest's only uranium mines. Seattle Times, Washington, 24 February 2008.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/pacificnw/2004191779_pacificpuranium24.html
Underwater explosives put environment at risk. Canada could be on the brink of an "ecological nightmare" as chemicals and explosives from submerged military boneyards seep into the water, says a retired U.S. navy bomb disposal expert. Canadian Press, 24 February 2008.
http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Canada/2008/02/24/4872761-cp.html
It's all in the diet. Much international research has been done linking such protein disorders to cases of autism and schizophrenia, and a growing number of studies also hint that some cases of ADHD are connected with the digestive problem. Agence France-Presse, 24 February 2008.
http://www.int.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=117&art_id=nw20080224092424476C121112
UNI profs probe link between mercury and autism. A research article published by a pair of University of Northern Iowa professors concludes the link between mercury and autism can't be ruled out and needs further study. Waterloo Cedar Falls Courier, Iowa, 24 February 2008.
http://www.wcfcourier.com/articles/2008/02/24/news/top_story/doc47c03669cc06a508014273.txt
How a cuppa could cut the risk of Parkinson's. Just one cup of tea a day could reduce the risk of Parkinson's disease by almost three-quarters, say researchers. Daily Mail, United Kingdom, 24 February 2008.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/health/healthmain.html?in_article_id=517643&in_page_id=1774&ct=5
Organic food 'is no healthier.' Consumers who pay extra for organic produce and so-called 'superfoods' are being misled by claims that they are healthier than ordinary foods, according to leading scientists. London Daily Telegraph, England, 24 February 2008.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/main.jhtml?view=DETAILS&grid=&xml=/earth/2008/02/24/scifair524.xml
EPA begins Mt. Dioxin cleanup. Escambia Treating Co. treated utility poles and other lumber with creosote and pentachlorophenol for about 40 years then dumped the chemicals into unlined holding ponds, causing the toxins to leach into the soil and groundwater. Pensacola News Journal, Florida, 23 February 2008.
http://www.pensacolanewsjournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080223/NEWS01/802230321/1006
New MTBE spills found to threaten drinking water. A study of Long Island groundwater pollution caused by the fuel additive MTBE uncovered 32 petroleum spills that had not been previously detected. New York Newsday, New York, 23 February 2008.
http://www.newsday.com/news/local/nassau/ny-limtbe0223,0,5218758.story
Enter at own risk: Home's air quality should be improved -- then, breathe big sigh of relief. There's plenty of concern -- with good reason -- about air pollution. Associated Press, 23 February 2008.
http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080223/GPG0404/802230303/1250/GPGlife
Pesticide spray sparks debate. Aerial spraying is scheduled to begin in the East Bay this summer to combat the light brown apple moth, but already residents and city leaders are protesting the potentially harmful move because of concerns about health effects. Oakland Tribune, California, 23 February 2008.
http://www.insidebayarea.com/oaklandtribune/ci_8344918
Does our lack of sun put your health in danger? A growing body of evidence suggests it can raise your risk of cancer, increase susceptibility to heart attack, diabetes and other disorders, and at least partly account for the region's sky-high rates of multiple sclerosis. Seattle Times, Washington, 22 February 2008.
http://archives.seattletimes.nwsource.com/cgi-bin/texis.cgi/web/vortex/display?slug=vitamind13m&date=20080213&query=lack+of+sun
Is cabin air making us sick? More and more pilots are reporting that air polluted by engine fumes is making them ill and even incapable of handling their aircraft. So why are passengers not being told? London Daily Telegraph, England, 22 February 2008.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/759562/Is-cabin-air-making-us-sick.html
Shedding light on a cause of breast cancer. In study after recent study, exposure to artificial light has been linked to certain kinds of tumors, especially those in the breast. US News & World Report, 22 February 2008.
http://www.usnews.com/blogs/thinking-harder/2008/02/21/shedding-light-on-a-cause-of-breast-cancer.html
Danger zone UK as animal infections threaten the population. Animal diseases, like bird flu and Sars, are the biggest threat to human health in the future and Britain is a hot spot for new infections, leading scientists said yesterday. Edinburgh Scotsman, Scotland, 21 February 2008.
http://news.scotsman.com/health/Danger-zone-UK-as-animal.3799698.jp
Smoking's effects on genes may play a role in lung cancer development and survival. Smoking plays a role in lung cancer development, and now scientists have shown that smoking also affects the way genes are expressed, leading to alterations in cell division and regulation of immune response. News-Medical.net, 21 February 2008.
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=35470
Lead exposure may lead to adult-onset obesity in men. Scientists know exposure to low levels of lead can result in learning disabilities, hearing loss, language impairments and vision loss, but a newly discovered side effect may be adult-onset obesity in men, according to a University of Houston professor. News-Medical.net, 21 February 2008.
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=35483
Caffeine in pregnancy tied to testes woes in sons. In a recent study, sons born to women who drank the equivalent of three cups of coffee a day during pregnancy were more likely to have undescended testes at age 2 years. Reuters Health, 21 February 2008.
http://www.reutershealth.com/archive/2008/02/21/eline/links/20080221elin029.html
Experts warn of environmental contaminants. A prestigious group of children's health experts says its time to quit debating the effects of certain environmental agents and do something about it. Seattle King 5 TV, Washington, 20 February 2008.
http://www.king5.com/health/stories/NW_022008ENB_environmental_agents_KS.114aee16.html
Closer scrutiny for Duke's coal ash. Coal ash is loaded with metals that can contaminate groundwater and lakes like Mountain Island, the chief water supply for more than 850,000 people. Charlotte Observer, North Carolina, 20 February 2008.
http://www.charlotte.com/breaking_news/story/497420.html
Plastic (not) fantastic: Food containers leach a potentially harmful chemical. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control found traces of Bisphenol A in nearly all of the urine samples it collected in 2004 as part of an effort to gauge the prevalence of various chemicals in the human body. Scientific American, 20 February 2008.
http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=plastic-not-fantastic-with-bisphenol-a
Lights at night are linked to breast cancer. The finding adds credence to the hypothesis that exposure to too much light at night can raise the risk of breast cancer by interfering with the brain's production of a tumor-suppressing hormone. Washington Post, 20 February 2008.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/19/AR2008021902398.html
Poverty mars formation of infant brains. Poverty in early childhood poisons the brain, the American Association for the Advancement of Science meeting in Boston heard on Friday. That effect is on top of any damage caused by inadequate nutrition and exposure to environmental toxins. Financial Times, England, 20 February 2008.
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/62c45126-dc1f-11dc-bc82-0000779fd2ac.html?nclick_check=1
State study suggests traffic fumes behind childhood asthma. A new state health study links the high rates of childhood asthma in this area to traffic, but did not find a connection between the respiratory disease and the gases from local trash incinerators -- as previously suspected. North Andover Eagle Tribune, Massachusetts, 20 February 2008.
http://www.eagletribune.com/punews/local_story_051060513.html
Study links water pollution to cancer. An unreleased federal report asserts a link between industrial pollution in the Clinton and St. Clair rivers and high cancer rates among the Macomb County population. Macomb Daily, Michigan, 20 February 2008.
http://www.macombdaily.com/stories/022008/loc_local03.shtml
Impaired fetal growth linked with epilepsy risk. Infants with impaired growth in the womb, indicated by low birth weight or birth before full term, appear to have an increased risk of epilepsy in early childhood, according to a new study. Reuters Health, 19 February 2008.
http://www.reutershealth.com/archive/2008/02/19/eline/links/20080219elin027.html
Toymakers eye possible new toxin. Growing concern surrounding the effect of phthalates, a chemical used in many toys, has caused some toymakers and stores to say "Better safe than sorry." CBS Evening News, 19 February 2008.
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/02/18/eveningnews/main3842856.shtml
Air pollution in British cities is 'as toxic to the heart as an oil spill.' Air pollution in Britain's cities could be as toxic to the heart as an oil slick, scientists have warned. Daily Mail, United Kingdom, 19 February 2008.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/health/healthmain.html?in_article_id=515703&in_page_id=1774
Toxins 'cause defects for future generations.' Researchers said animal studies showed abnormalities caused by environmental toxins were caused by genetic changes that were passed on through generations. London Daily Telegraph, England, 19 February 2008.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/main.jhtml?view=DETAILS&grid=&xml=/earth/2008/02/18/scisperm118.xml
Indoor air pollution and cardiovascular disease risk. A team of scientists from Denmark and Sweden discovered that indoor air polluted with tiny particles that are breathed in and get into the bloodstream affected the performance of blood vessels, and potentially increased the risk of cardiovascular disease, in elderly people. Medical News Today, United Kingdom, 19 February 2008.
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/97744.php
Development begins at former Tacoma superfund site. It's responsible for spewing high levels of arsenic, lead and other pollutants, making it one of the most polluted sites in the nation. Seattle King 5 TV, Washington, 19 February 2008.
http://www.king5.com/business/stories/NW_021808WAB_asarco_development_LJ.4db5276.html
Toys 'R' Us, Mattel phase out cadmium batteries. Two of the largest US toy companies said they will phase out nickel-cadmium batteries, a technology associated with widespread health problems in China. Wall Street Journal, 19 February 2008.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120333908683174921.html
'Cancer link' to heavy mobile use. Heavy mobile phone use may be linked to an increased risk of cancer of the salivary gland, a study suggests. BBC, UK, 18 February 2008.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7250372.stm
Vehicle exhausts 'may damage heart.' An "oil spill" chemical from traffic pollution could be damaging to the hearts of people living in cities, new research suggests. London Channel 4 TV, England, 18 February 2008.
http://www.channel4.com/news/articles/society/health/vehicle+exhausts+may+damage+heart/1588047
Views aired on proposed idling time limits for diesel vehicles. A proposed state regulation that would limit the idling of diesel-powered long-haul trucks, buses and delivery vehicles to five minutes an hour was endorsed by three local environmental groups and 846 people who signed a petition submitted at a public hearing in Pittsburgh on Friday. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Pennsylvania, 18 February 2008.
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08049/858344-147.stm
Older commercial chemicals causing new concerns for environmental scientists. Old chemicals used by businesses for decades are causing new problems in the environment as scientists turn their attention toward compounds that are accumulating in rivers, lakes and oceans. Canadian Press, 17 February 2008.
http://canadianpress.google.com/article/ALeqM5gV1NNKr7mrEv0SkJvgCVcJG9M4aw
Air pollutants also have effect on area's water quality. Everything from cars motoring along Interstate 5 to coal plants in China contributes to air pollution that settles into Puget Sound. Olympia Olympian, Washington, 17 February 2008.
http://www.theolympian.com/news/story/361812.html
Breathing dirty air may lower kids' IQ. Kids who live in neighborhoods with heavy traffic pollution have lower IQs and score worse on other tests of intelligence and memory than children who breathe cleaner air, a new study shows. Reuters, 16 February 2008.
http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSKUA57144920080215?sp=true
Lawmakers urge White House to move quickly to limit harmful ship pollutants. The Bush administration is making headway with other nations in setting new global standards to reduce dangerous emissions from giant diesel-burning ships that pollute U.S. ports. Associated Press, 15 February 2008.
http://www.ledger-dispatch.com/news/newsview.asp?c=236404
FEMA trailers toxic, tests show. FEMA said it would accelerate efforts to get victims of hurricanes Katrina and Rita out of government-supplied trailers after tests showed that the temporary residences contain unhealthy levels of toxic formaldehyde. Los Angeles Times, California, 15 February 2008.
http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/asection/la-na-trailers15feb15,1,4228003.story?ctrack=1&cset=true
Officials call for safety probe of school meat supply. A California congressman and other lawmakers today called for an independent investigation into the safety of food supplied to schools across the nation through a federal program. Los Angeles Times, California, 15 February 2008.
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-meat15feb15,0,7963118.story
DDT compound speeds breast cancer growth. A new Canadian study may finally explain how a key compound found in the U.S.-banned insecticide DDT accelerates the growth of breast cancer tumors. Health Day News, 15 February 2008.
http://www.healthday.com/Article.asp?AID=612635
Future generations face rising infertility rates, say scientists. Infertility will become more common in future generations, with more couples needing help to have a baby, experts warned yesterday. Edinburgh Scotsman, Scotland, 15 February 2008.
http://news.scotsman.com/health/Future-generations-face-rising-infertility.3781381.jp
Smoking in first four months of pregnancy 'does not harm the baby.' Middle-class women who smoke in early pregnancy do almost no harm to their unborn baby, researchers from the London School of Economics claimed. Daily Mail, United Kingdom, 14 February 2008.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/health/womenfamily.html?in_article_id=514330&in_page_id=1799
Perchlorate in food. Food is the primary source of perchlorate for most Americans, and US toddlers on average are being exposed to more than half of the US EPA's safe dose from food alone, according to a new US FDA diet survey. Environmental Science & Technology, 14 February 2008.
http://pubs.acs.org/subscribe/journals/esthag-w/2008/feb/science/rr_perchlorate.html
Silver dental fillings may not harm kids' brains. A new study adds to evidence that mercury-containing dental fillings do not harm children's brain development, as some have feared. Reuters, 14 February 2008.
http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSKUA37481320080213
Gleaming white isn't all it's cracked up to be. Chlorine bleach is a familiar ingredient used in household cleaning products to disinfect and kill germs, and it's got some serious side effects. Reno News and Review, Nevada, 14 February 2008.
http://www.newsreview.com/reno/Content?oid=623448