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1) The next CHE-WA quarterly meeting is scheduled for 2:00 - 4:00 p.m. May 16, 2007, at Antioch University Seattle. The meeting will feature several presentations on pesticide research and advocacy as well as updates on the new CHE-WA Climate Change and Health Working Group. More information will be available closer to the time of the meeting.
2) These weekly bulletins are now archived and searchable on the CHE-Washington website: http://washington.chenw.org/bulletins.html. You can search past issues for a name, term or phrase.
May 5, 2007
10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Seattle, Washington
at Antioch University, 2326 6th Avenue (and Bell Street)
Strong Voices is a dynamic national community of breast cancer survivors -- and others touched by the disease -- who speak and act with conviction in support of the Breast Cancer Fund's mission to identify -- and advocate for elimination of -- the environmental and other preventable causes of the disease. We will spend the morning learning about each other, our stories and the work of the Breast Cancer Fund in Washington State and across the country. We'll then explore how we can all use our Strong Voices to advocate for breast cancer prevention. No cost for the event and lunch and snacks will be provided. Wear comfortable, casual clothing.
Contact: Pam Tazioli, 206-524-4405, or Brynn Taylor, 415-346-8223 x16
May 7, 2007
11:00 a.m. Pacific time, 2:00 p.m. Eastern time
Pete Myers, PhD, is founder, CEO, and chief scientist of Environmental Health Sciences, which produces the daily environmental health news source Above the Fold. He is also co-author of Our Stolen Future (1996), which explores the threats posed by man-made chemical contaminants to fetal development and human health, and he is senior advisor to the United Nations Foundation (Washington, DC). From 1990-2002 Myers was director of the W. Alton Jones Foundation, a private foundation supporting efforts to protect the global environment and to prevent nuclear war. He received his doctorate in zoology from the University of California, Berkeley. This call will be moderated by Michael Lerner, PhD, president of Commonweal.
Contact: Michelle Moore, thenewschool@commonweal.org
May 8, 2007
7:30 p.m.
Seattle, Washington
at Meany Hall, the Burke Museum, University of Washington campus
Climate Change and the Future of Life on Earth is a two-hour multimedia presentation with world-renowned paleoanthropologist, conservationist and environmental activist, Dr. Richard Leakey. Dr. Leakey has made international headlines for more than 30 years for his work as one of the most controversial, influential and inspirational figures in African politics and world conservation. Dr. Leakey is the author of numerous scientific articles and books, including The Origins of Humankind, Origins Reconsidered and The Sixth Extinction. Smithsonian Magazine has recognized Dr. Leakey as one of the thirty-five innovators of our time. Don't miss this rare opportunity to hear one of the true heroes of the modern environmental movement. The presentation will begin with a visual introduction to the natural wonders of Africa by author, photographer and veteran of over 60 African Safaris, David Anderson, chairman of Focus on Planet Earth.
Website: http://www.washington.edu/burkemuseum/events/leakey/
Contact: Carl Sander, 206-616-6473
May 10, 2007
7:00 - 8:00 p.m.
Seattle, Washington
at Kane Hall Room 120, University of Washington
Most of our exposure to pollutants occurs from sources that are close to us and within our control, such as consumer products that we use within our homes, workplaces, schools and other indoor environments. For instance, fragrances in products emit toxic volatile organic compounds that have been linked to a range of adverse health effects such as headaches, seizures and breathing difficulties. Paradoxically, these and many other toxic chemicals in products are not tested, regulated or listed on product labels, as they are under "trade secrets" protection. Why are these products allowed to be sold, and why do consumers lack information on the risks? Anne C. Steinemann, PhD, will explore this problem, revealing gaps among science, regulatory policy, public awareness and health. Her recent research has identified numerous toxic yet unlisted chemicals in everyday consumer products such as air fresheners, dryer sheets, baby shampoo and hand sanitizers. She will conclude with solutions, such as simple and cost-effective actions that can reduce risks from pollutants to both human and environmental health.
Website: http://www.washington.edu/alumni/activities/lectures/2007ocean_0510.html
Contact: 206-543-0540 or 1-800-AUW-ALUM
May 16, 2007
9:00 a.m. Pacific time, noon Eastern time
On this call, Michael Lerner, president of Commonweal and founding partner of CHE will talk with Heather Logan, director of cancer control policy for the Canadian Cancer Society, about CCS' policy position on cancer and the environment, its origins, and its reception from Canadian and other constituencies to date. The Canadian Cancer Society recently adopted the most comprehensive policy position on cancer and the environment of any national cancer society of which we are aware. While President Jacques Chirac of France has advocated an equally comprehensive approach to the environment and cancer for the French National Cancer Plan, the Canadian Cancer Society statement stands out as what many CHE Partners consider a model statement for voluntary cancer organizations.
Website: http://www.healthandenvironment.org/?module=articles&type=admin&func=new&ptid=57&callid=1084
May 17, 2007
7:00 - 8:00 p.m.
Seattle, Washington
at Kane Hall Room 120, University of Washington
Secondhand smoke (SHS) is a known cause of cancer, heart disease, respiratory disease, and other ailments. However, these diseases have a multiplicity of causes. Defendants claim SHS exposures are "low" and other sources created the illness. Plaintiffs claim "high" exposures to SHS caused their disease. In the world of toxic torts litigation involving allegations of injury from secondhand smoke, how does the expert witness use multidisciplinary science and technology in the investigation and establishment of facts and evidence in a court of law? What are the implications of the Supreme Court's Daubert Ruling for the expert witness? Cases have been brought on behalf of railroad conductors, casino dealers, flight attendants, laborers, nurses, barbers, bartenders, prisoners, office workers, and even condo owners. How have they fared in high stakes litigation, and what does it take to prove a case? James L. Repace, MSc, will speak.
Website: http://www.washington.edu/alumni/activities/lectures/2007ocean_0517.html
Contact: 206-543-0540 or 1-800-AUW-ALUM
May 18 - 22, 2008
Stevenson, Washington
at the Dolce Skamania Lodge
River Network's National River Rally 2007 will help grassroots groups harness the power of citizen involvement to protect rivers and build healthier communities and watersheds. The River Rally will bring together hundreds of friends of rivers, water keepers, monitors, watchdogs, stewards, guardians and others involved in watershed protection and restoration. Together, we will celebrate rivers, teach and learn from each other, and explore the power of citizen action. The River Rally is the most widely anticipated training opportunity for river conservation organizations and watershed partnerships in the nation. Participants include volunteers, board members, staff members, experienced leaders and new watershed protection enthusiasts. We will all go home re-energized with new watershed protection information, new skills in fundraising and new contacts. The River Rally is primarily attended by dues-paying Partners of River Network. Anyone can join just by including the dues with the registration fees. Let's share our expertise and ideas. We will inspire each other, teach each other and celebrate our different paths in the struggle for healthier, sustainable communities and cleaner waters. All this amid the scenic panoramas of the Columbia River Gorge.
Website: http://www2.rivernetwork.org/rally/index.cfm
Contact: 503-241-3506 or riverrally@rivernetwork.org
May 23, 2007
9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Portland, Oregon
at the Oregon Health and Science University
This program will introduce participants to the Pediatric Environmental Health Toolkit, a new clinical resource for practitioners. The training focuses on the relationship between environmental exposures and children's health and the clinical use of the provider and patient materials from the toolkit. Sessions will include information on identifying routes of exposure to common toxic chemicals, anticipatory guidance for well-child visits, and patient communications on environmental health issues. A training package will be included for attendees to use to educate peers. In addition, attendees will be provided with reference materials and "Rx for Prevention" patient education materials. Free materials will be provided to each attendee for over 500 patients. (Registrants must commit to using the materials in practice for 3 months.) This toolkit is supported by a grant from the US Environmental Protection Agency and endorsed by the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Website: http://www.oregonpsr.org/programs/ToolkitTraining.htm
Contact: Sara Wright at 503-274-2720 or sarawright@oregonpsr.org
May 24, 2007
8:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Seattle, Washington
at the University of Washington Arboretum, Graham Visitors Center, Large Meeting Room
This half-day training program will introduce participants to a new clinical resource for practitioners, the Pediatric Environmental Health Toolkit. Attendees will receive a complete toolkit to test in your own practices. This contains handy reference and guidance cards, and attractive "Rx for Prevention" patient materials. The training focuses on the relationship between environmental exposures and children's health and the clinical use of the toolkit provider and patient materials. Sessions presented by physician experts in environmental health will include 1) routes of exposure to common toxic chemicals/substances including metals (mercury, lead, arsenic), solvents, pesticides, PCBs.; 2) health effects linkages; 3) anticipatory guidance keyed to well-child visits; 4) patient communications on environmental health issues; and 5) key concepts on the unique vulnerabilities of children, susceptible populations, the "built" and "food" environments and other important issues. Attendees will commit to training several colleagues and using the toolkit in their practices for three months. Physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners and nurses in pediatric and family practices are encouraged to register. This toolkit is supported by a grant from the US Environmental Protection Agency and endorsed by the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Website: http://www.wpsr.org/calendar/default.htm
Contact: Nancy Dickeman, 206-354-2170 or nancyd@wpsr.org
CHE-Washington welcomes this new member:
For a searchable database of organizations with which CHE-WA members are affiliated, please visit http://washington.chenw.org/members.html.
Washington Physicians for Social Responsibility (WPSR) is seeking a new executive director (ED) who will report to the Board of Directors and be responsible for administering all aspects of the organization and operations: education and outreach programs, external relations and fundraising. The executive director, working in collaboration with the Board of Directors is responsible for the development of WPSR's vision and strategic plan. The ED must have had experience that demonstrates leadership in the management of complex and dynamic organizations in the process of change and growth. ED candidates must have had experience that demonstrates leadership in the management of complex and dynamic organizations in the process of change and growth.
More information about WPSR can be found on their website: http://www.wpsr.org. To apply for the position, please submit a resume or CV with cover letter by May 10, 2007, to WPSR-ExDir@comcast.net. Applications can also be mailed to Search Committee, WPSR, 4554 12th Ave NE, Seattle, WA 98105. Please submit questions by email to the address above.
by Jonathan Shaw, Harvard Magazine
May/June 2007
http://www.harvardmagazine.com/2007/05/modern-milk.html
Article Summary: Even as the scientific community has become interested in the effects of the bioactive substances found in pesticides, not much attention has been paid to the naturally occurring estrogens found in food, which are both far more abundant and more biologically available than environmental estrogens, says Ganmaa Davaasambuu, a Mongolian physician who is a fellow this year at the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study. She is concerned that the high levels of hormones found in commercially produced milk may be harmful to human health. Estrogens and other growth factors have been implicated in the development of hormone-dependent cancers: those affecting the prostate, testes, ovaries, breasts, and uterus. In a 2002 study of cancer and diet in 42 countries, Ganmaa and colleagues found that countries with the highest consumption of dairy products suffered the highest rates of prostatic and testicular cancer. A similar study in 2005 showed much the same results for breast, ovarian, and uterine cancers.
Modern milk production techniques keep cows pregnant and lactating 300 days a year, meaning that cows are milked well into each new pregnancy. Traditional practices took milk from cows only during the first three months of a pregnancy, when hormone levels are low. Commercial milk often contains much higher levels of biologically active hormones. Based on what she has found so far, Ganmaa believes that cows in late pregnancy should not be milked -- or, at least, that such milk should be labeled to indicate that it comes from a pregnant cow. It is also reassuring to know that skim milk from the United States has low levels of hormones, since hormones are carried in the milk fat.
by Roxanne Khamsi, New Scientist
May 1, 2007
http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn11760-brain-shrink-linked-to-gulf-war-syndrome.html
People suffering "Gulf War syndrome" have a 5% reduction in brain size, a small study suggests. The anatomical differences between veterans of the first Gulf War in 1991 who report multiple health problems -- such as fatigue, skin rash and nausea -- and other healthier colleagues, were revealed during brain scans. Those with symptoms of the controversially named Gulf War syndrome (GWS) have 5% less cortical brain matter than healthier counterparts. The researchers say that the finding provides hard biological evidence to support claims that some veterans of the war suffered real neurological damage, perhaps as a result of nerve gas or other toxins.
Article Summary: The scans revealed that the overall brain cortex of the veterans with GWS was about 5% smaller on average than that of the healthier veterans. The cortex includes the outermost and top layer of the brain, including the grey matter, and controls complex functions such as language. It also includes a specific part of the brain thought to be involved in memory processing and learning, known as the rostral anterior cingulate gyrus, which was about 6% smaller in the ill veterans, on average. Combining these findings with others, such as worse performance on cognitive tests, the greater incidence of brain tumors and movement disorders such as ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) among those deployed in the war, "it's pretty clear that something has happened to central nervous system function and structure of Gulf War veterans and that we're just getting to the point where were finally seeing what these effects were," said Roberta White of the Boston University School of Public Health in Massachusetts. White's team hopes to review information from the study participants and the government to estimate the level of exposure the subjects might have had to the nerve gas sarin and other toxins. A cocktail of toxins could perhaps have produced GWS, though some experts still debate whether this is a unique illness.
by Barbara Lantin, London Times
April 30, 2007
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/health/healthy_eating/article1717392.ece
Nobody disputes that what a woman eats in pregnancy can affect her baby. But research shows that mothers who want to give their offspring the best chance in life need to start preparing long before the bump appears. There is growing evidence that how young women eat and behave can affect the health of any children they go on to have -- and possibly the health of future generations, too.
Article Summary: The nutritional status of a woman when she conceives is as important as her diet in pregnancy, so it is worrying to learn that many adolescent girls are deficient in essential nutrients including potassium, magnesium, calcium, zinc and iron. A diet low in dairy and fresh produce but higher in carbonated drinks and other sweets could be detrimental not just to this generation but to their children and grandchildren, too. The National Diet and Nutrition Survey of young people, published in 2000, found a significant proportion of young people have very low levels of some minerals, with half of all girls aged 15 to 18 deficient in iron and 19 per cent deficient in calcium. One youngster in five aged 11 to 18 has poor riboflavin (vitamin B2) status and one in eight low vitamin D status. Mothers-to-be who are anemic risk having a low birth weight baby with inadequate iron stores of its own. Pregnant women who are deficient in calcium and vitamin D may compromise the bone development of their babies. Medical wisdom has long held that taking folic acid supplements in pregnancy reduces the risk of neural tube defects, including spina bifida. But the message emerging from research is that women who wait until pregnancy to improve their diet may be leaving it too late. The embryo is most vulnerable to the effects of poor maternal diet during the first few weeks of development, often before pregnancy has been confirmed. Cell differentiation is most rapid at this time and any abnormalities in cell division cannot be corrected at a later stage. The weight of the mother is also crucial, with either under- or overweight mothers at greater risk of complications for the pregnancy or the infant.
New work with animals is shedding fresh light on the trans-generational nature of disease. While it was once thought that our health depended only on a combination of genetic inheritance and environment, scientists are realizing that there is a third sphere of influence: the way our ancestors behaved. This fast-growing field, known as epigenetics, focuses on the ways in which environmental effects can change the expression of a specific gene without altering the gene itself.
from Reuters, ABC News
Apr 30, 2007
http://www.abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory?id=3100739
WASHINGTON -- The Supreme Court on Monday refused to hear a Bush administration appeal defending its rule that would allow older factories, refineries and coal-burning power plants to upgrade their facilities without installing the most modern pollution controls. The justices declined to review a U.S. appeals court ruling in March 2006 that struck down the Environmental Protection Agency's rule for violating the federal Clean Air Act. According to the rule that was adopted in 2003 but has never taken effect, modern antipollution controls would have to be installed only if plant upgrades cost more than 20 percent of the replacement cost of the plant. At issue is the ability of U.S. electric companies to overhaul and expand their aging fleet of about 500 coal-fired power plants to keep them running. Utilities want to modify their aging power plants, some decades old, without triggering Clean Air Act rules that require them to spend billions of dollars on emission-reduction equipment. Oil refineries and other industrial factories are also subject to those rules.
Article Summary: Environmental groups and 14 states sued in challenging the rule. They argued it would allow plants to expand production without cutting pollution emissions and would undermine the Clean Air Act's new source review enforcement provisions. The appeals court agreed. It said the rule was "contrary to the plain language" of the Clean Air Act. The Bush administration appealed to the Supreme Court and said the appeals court had erred in invalidating the rule. The Supreme Court rejected both appeals without any comment or recorded dissent.
by John Diedrich and Tom Held, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
April 30, 2007
http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=598716
Four lawsuits by children against paint companies were filed in federal court in the past month, part of efforts on several levels in Wisconsin to lay blame for lead poisoning on manufacturers. The four suits, first filed in state court, moved to federal court because there were no local defendants, said Peter Earle, attorney for the children. Earle has another 31 cases pending in state court, including one that led to a key state Supreme Court ruling and is set for trial this fall. A separate case brought by the City of Milwaukee against a lead paint company is set to go to trial this month. Getting that close to a trial is nearly unprecedented in the legal battle over lead-based paint. Paint companies and manufacturers of lead pigment used in paint during the first half of the century have been successful in getting similar lawsuits dismissed before trial. The lone exception, outside the two Wisconsin cases, is a lawsuit brought by the State of Rhode Island. In that case, a jury found that NL Industries, Sherwin Williams and Millennium Holdings had contributed to a public nuisance and should be ordered to abate that nuisance.
Article Summary: The four recent federal cases involve four children who claim that while living in homes in Milwaukee, they were exposed to and sickened by lead paint. The defendant companies knew that lead paint was dangerous, one as far back as 100 years ago, the lawsuits contend. Both the city and Earle, in arguing what's known as the Steven Thomas case, have won favorable rulings at the appeals and state Supreme Court level. In the Thomas case, the Supreme Court ruled in 2005 that lead-poisoned children could sue paint manufacturers, even if the plaintiffs can't prove which company made and sold the specific paint that poisoned them. Lead can affect the brains of children even at relatively low blood levels, according to studies. Lead poisoning of Milwaukee children is six times the national average, according to city officials, who attribute the high rate to the city's older houses. The government banned lead-based paint in homes in 1978.
by Leslie Earnest, Los Angeles Times
April 30, 2007
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-bottles30apr30,1,173636.story?track=rss
Replaced long ago in most U.S. households by unbreakable plastic, glass bottles are making a comeback prompted by worries about a chemical used in making the plastic.
Article Summary: A report called "Toxic Baby Bottles" released in February by a Los Angeles environmental advocacy group helped fuel new interest. Afterward, business soared at websites selling glass bottles and prices jumped. At issue is bisphenol A, or BPA. It is used in making hard polycarbonate plastic, which is clear and shatterproof. The chemical is used to make plastic baby bottles, microwave cookware, food packaging and many other products. BPA can leach from polycarbonate plastic, but whether that poses any harm to humans is hotly debated. BPA mimics the sex hormone estrogen, and in tests on animal fetuses and animal newborns, low doses caused reproductive harm, including damage that can lead to prostate disease, breast cancer and birth defects. Many scientists suspect that the chemical can have similar effects on humans, though this has not been proved.
The use of bisphenol A in children's products has become fiercely contentious. Federal regulators have taken no action to restrict use of BPA, which is found in most people's blood, and the plastics industry says it is safe. San Francisco last year banned the chemical in products for children younger than 3 but recently decided to hold off as the state considered the matter. A state legislative committee considered a bill to restrict BPA's use but decided this month to wait for more study results. A lawsuit filed recently in Los Angeles against a group of grocery stores and bottle makers on behalf of a 5-year-old from the San Francisco Bay Area is aimed at forcing companies to disclose on packaging and bottles that the plastic contains the chemical and that it can leach into the liquid. The February report by Environment California Research and Policy Center in Los Angeles said that lab tests showed that the bottles leached bisphenol A "at dangerous levels found to cause harm in numerous animal studies." But a representative for the American Chemistry Council in Arlington, Va., said many studies had upheld the safety of products made with BPA.
by Cindy Skrzycki, Seattle Post-Intelligencer
April 28, 2007
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/opinion/313451_toxicsites29.html
Federal regulations have an impact on the development of technologies, the finances of companies, the competitive playing field, and how many lawyers are on staff to interpret the rules. These are the practical, known effects of regulations on business. The rules also have an effect on communities when it comes to important decisions about where to locate a hazardous-waste facility, an industrial plant or a refinery, especially if race is involved. A recent report by the United Church of Christ in Cleveland suggests that decisions made by federal, state and local governments, as well as by companies, have penalized minority groups. The evidence: There are a disproportionate number of hazardous-waste facilities near where they live.
Article Summary: Following up on a 1987 examination of the problem, the report found that over the last 20 years minorities have been subjected to excessive levels of toxic pollutants from sites that have negatively affected their health and, often, property values. The report, "Toxic Wastes and Race at Twenty," cites "clear evidence of racism where toxic waste sites are located and the way government responds to toxic contamination emergencies" in minority communities. Many communities also face new threats "because of government cutbacks in enforcement, weakening health protection, and dismantling the environmental justice regulatory apparatus," the study said. The study found that 56 percent of the people who live less than two miles from the nation's 413 hazardous-waste facilities are Hispanics, blacks, Asians, Pacific Islanders or American Indians. The number jumps to 69 percent in areas with multiple facilities.
In 1994, President Bill Clinton addressed the issue of race in the placement of facilities when he ordered 11 federal agencies to identify and address the effects of their policies on minority and low-income populations in the U.S. Since then, there have been legal battles, the flowering of a grassroots advocacy movement, and differences over how to approach the problem, depending upon who is in the White House. Since 2000, the EPA has been chastised by non-profit groups and other government entities such as the agency's inspector general and the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights for not having a plan for implementing environmental justice into daily operations. On the other hand, business groups like the U.S. Chamber of Commerce lobbied to have funds cut off to the EPA in the '90s so it couldn't issue guidance to industry on environmental justice to industry. The chamber VP for environment technology and regulatory affairs said the guidance would have fueled concern over how the agency handled permits, enforcement and cleanups, with many businesses being unable to locate in areas that have a preponderance of waste or industrial facilities. A U.S. Supreme Court case in 2001 put the brakes on litigation filed under civil rights laws because communities now have to prove that companies were intentionally discriminating against them. The earlier standard allowed groups to allege "disparate impact" on their communities.
[Editor's note: See a related article about Port Arthur, Texas, at http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/1110AP_Toxic_Town.html.]
by Martin Mittelstaedt, Toronto Globe and Mail
April 28, 2007
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070428.wxvitamin28/BNStory/specialScienceandHealth/home
Article Summary: For decades, researchers have puzzled over why rich northern countries have cancer rates many times higher than those in developing countries -- and many have laid the blame on dangerous pollutants spewed out by industry. But research into vitamin D is suggesting that cancers and other disorders in rich countries aren't caused mainly by pollutants but by a vitamin deficiency known to be less acute or even nonexistent in poor nations. What's more, researchers are linking low vitamin D status to a host of other serious ailments, including multiple sclerosis, juvenile diabetes, influenza, osteoporosis and bone fractures among the elderly. In the body, vitamin D is converted into a steroid hormone, and genes responding to it play a crucial role in fixing damaged cells and maintaining good cell health.
Not everyone is willing to jump on the vitamin D bandwagon just yet. Smoking and some pollutants, such as benzene and asbestos, irrefutably cause many cancers. A four-year clinical trial involving 1,200 women found those taking the vitamin had about a 60-per-cent reduction in cancer incidence, compared with those who didn't take it, a drop twice as large as the impact on cancer attributed to smoking. One of the researchers who made the discovery, professor of medicine Robert Heaney of Creighton University in Nebraska, says vitamin D deficiency is showing up in so many illnesses besides cancer that nearly all disease figures in Canada and the U.S. will need to be re-evaluated.
Just how much vitamin D is required for optimum health is the subject of intense scientific inquiry. People make vitamin D whenever naked skin is exposed to bright sunshine. Only brief full-body exposures to bright summer sunshine -- of 10 or 15 minutes a day -- are needed to make high amounts of the vitamin. By an unfortunate coincidence, the strong sunshine able to produce vitamin D is the same ultraviolet B light that can also causes sunburns and, eventually, skin cancer. Most authorities, including Health Canada, have urged a total avoidance of strong sunlight or, alternatively, heavy use of sunscreen. Both recommendations will block almost all vitamin D synthesis. The Canadian Cancer Society last year quietly tweaked its recommendation to recognize that limited amounts of sun exposure are essential for vitamin D levels. Government regulations require foods such as milk and margarine to have small amounts of added vitamin D to prevent rickets. Reinhold Vieth, professor at the Department of Nutritional Sciences at the University of Toronto and one of the world's top vitamin D experts, found the average Canadian has Vitamin D level only about one-quarter to one-third of what humans would have in the wild.
by Christine Haas, KVUE News
April 27, 2007
http://www.kvue.com/news/top/stories/042607kvuedefenders-bkm.103abb48.html
Article Summary: The Food and Drug Administration latest test results revealed an unexpected ingredient surfacing in milk across the country: rocket fuel. According to the federal government, perchlorate is contaminating water sources for more than 11 million people across the country, mainly in areas where the Department of Defense is manufacturing weapons and rocket fuel. One of the theories is dairy cows are drinking that contaminated water, and, as a result, producing milk laced with perchlorate. But milk is not the only concern. Researchers have also found elevated levels of perchlorate in vegetables like lettuce and spinach, even human breast milk. Pediatrician Dr. Ari Brown says perchlorate is particularly concerning for people with underactive thyroid, pregnant women and young children, who rely on milk for their nutrition. Some studies reveal perchlorate could cause thyroid tumors in adults, even mental retardation in infants and toddlers. However, at this point, there's not a clear-cut answer. The Environmental Protection Agency has set no limit on the chemical in our environment. But two states, Massachusetts and California, have set their own safety guidelines for drinking water. Massachusetts' limit is two parts per billion and California advises four parts per billion.
by Mimi Hall, USA TODAY
April 27, 2007
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2007-04-26-chemical-security_N.htm
Article Summary: Although the chemical industry has spent $3.5 billion overall on security since 2001, an untold number of plants and other business that store toxic chemicals have not done what they should to secure substances, says Bob Stephan, infrastructure protection chief at the Homeland Security Department. Such chemicals, if released, could kill and injure tens of thousands of people. In antiterrorism circles, the plants are called "prepositioned targets," essentially sitting ducks for a terrorist with a rifle or rocket, or for a company insider intent on killing people and doing damage to the nation's economy and its psyche. That's why the Homeland Security Department, in its first effort to regulate a private industry, is about to begin enforcing new national security rules at chemical plants, warehouses and other businesses that store dangerous chemicals. The rules will initially affect 7,000 plants and businesses that Homeland Security has identified as presenting the highest risk. They will not force plants to use safer chemicals, a requirement pushed by some members of Congress and environmental groups. If plants don't meet the government's requirements, they will face fines of up to $25,000 a day and could even be ordered by Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff to cease operations.
by Luladey B. Tadesse, Wilmington [Delaware] News Journal
April 26, 2007
http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070426/BUSINESS/704260339/1003
DuPont Co. Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Charles O. Holliday Jr. reaffirmed at the annual shareholders' meeting Wednesday the company's decision to wait until 2015 to cease production of a chemical a federal advisory panel says is a "probable" carcinogen. Holliday said the company will limit its environmental footprint and work toward sustainable goals, but that it will not stop production of perfluorooctanoic acid, also known as PFOA or C8, sooner than planned, despite opposition from some shareholders. The controversial chemical is used in the production of Teflon and nonstick and stain-resistant coatings and products.
Article Summary: DuPont said it cut back PFOA production by 95 percent last year and that it will further reduce it by 97 percent this year. At the meeting, DuPont employees represented by the United Steelworkers, environmental groups and community organizations from around the country expressed frustration with the company's unwillingness to discuss environmental concerns in front of workers. Company officials said they don't want to bargain with employees in such settings. More than 50 shareholders, mostly retirees, union organizers and representatives of environmental groups, gathered outside the DuPont Theatre in Wilmington to voice their dissatisfaction with the company's environmental and labor policies.
by Julie Robotham, Brisbane Times
April 26, 2007
http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/news/national/ivf-link-feared-in-defects/2007/04/25/1177459788215.html
Article Summary: The number of boys born with genital defects in Australia has risen by more than 50 per cent in the past two decades, leading researchers to speculate that in-vitro fertilization drugs, airborne pollution or agricultural chemicals are playing havoc with hormone levels of male fetuses. A rapid rise has been seen in hypospadias, in which the opening of the penis forms on its underside rather than its tip. Sex hormone imbalances during fetal development were also linked to undescended testicles, testicular cancer and low sperm count later in life. Natasha Nassar, a research fellow at the respected Telethon Institute for Child Health Research, collated the figures from West Australian state health records. Her results are the strongest evidence yet of endocrine disruption in humans in Australia. The pattern of deformities suggested imbalances at seven to 14 weeks of pregnancy -- which overload a developing male fetus with estrogen or deprive it of testosterone -- might have damaging effects on development generally rather than just on sex organs. Although the study could not identify causes for the abnormal development, Dr Nassar said air pollution, pesticides and the use of potent drugs in assisted reproduction treatment were possible contributors to the problem. Another theory blamed maternal diets high in soy protein, which promotes estrogen production, though Dr Nassar emphasized there was no direct evidence for this.
by Lizz Thrall, Environmental Science & Technology
April 25, 2007
http://pubs.acs.org/subscribe/journals/esthag-w/2007/apr/science/lt_nano.html
Article Summary A growing body of research has shown that nanoparticles can readily penetrate cells of various types, but it may not be the particles alone that cause trouble inside cells. A new study suggests that toxicity is greatly increased by harmful metals that hitch a ride with nanoparticles. Researchers at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) Zurich and the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Testing exposed human lung epithelial cells to a range of metal-containing nanoparticles and measured levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), chemicals that can be released by cells or generated by foreign materials. An excess of these reactive molecules can lead to oxidative stress and cellular damage, and toxicologists have identified ROS generation as a likely mechanism of nanoparticle toxicity. Cell membranes provide a selective barrier against ions, preventing the dissolved metal salts from entering. Once a metal-containing nanoparticle has penetrated a cell, however, metal ions can leach from the particle and generate ROS in the cell interior, in what Stark calls a "Trojan horse" mechanism. In cells exposed to cobalt oxide and manganese oxide nanoparticles at 30 parts per million, ROS generation was as much as 8 times greater than in control cells exposed to an equivalent amount of cobalt or manganese salts. The researchers made a good case that the specific metals -- and not just the presence of particles in the cell -- are driving the ROS generation.
by Ben Goad and David Danelski, Riverside [California] Press-Enterprise
April 25, 2007
http://www.pe.com/localnews/inland/stories/PE_News_Local_D_perch26.3c8b569.html
WASHINGTON -- Without a legal standard limiting the amount of rocket fuel in the nation's drinking water, pregnant women, infants and other people face significant health risks, Rep. Hilda Solis said Wednesday during a hearing on Capitol Hill. Solis, D-El Monte, and other members of the House Subcommittee on Environment and Hazardous Materials grilled officials from the Defense Department, the Environmental Protection Agency and others about the hazards of the rocket-fuel chemical perchlorate in drinking water and foods. Last month, Solis introduced a bill that would force the federal government to set a drinking-water limit for the chemical. In sufficient doses, perchlorate can impair thyroid function, which regulates metabolism and guides brain and nerve development in fetuses and babies, studies show. Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., has introduced similar legislation in the Senate.
Article Summary: Perchlorate is a component of rocket fuel and is used in munitions, flares, fireworks and other explosives. A U.S. Government Accountability Office study made public at Wednesday's hearing found 395 sites nationwide where perchlorate has contaminated drinking water, groundwater, sediment or soil. About half were in California and Texas. In cases where the source could be determined, 65 percent were attributed to the Defense Department and NASA. The amount of perchlorate that causes harm still is debated. California health officials last year proposed a limit of 6 parts per billion of perchlorate in drinking water -- about one-fourth the amount EPA says is safe. However, the state has not acted on the proposal, California Department of Health Services spokeswoman Lea Brooks said. A U.S. Centers for Disease Control study published last fall found that women with lower iodide levels -- roughly a third of the U.S. female population -- can be affected by small amounts of perchlorate consumed in food and water. In Washington, Benjamin Grumbles, EPA assistant water administrator, said more research is needed before a decision can be made about enforcing standards.
by Marc Gunther, Fortune
April 25 2007
http://money.cnn.com/2007/04/24/news/economy/pluggedin_gunther_water.fortune/?postversion=2007042519
Article Summary: Critics are asking: Why drink bottled water? Besides being pricey, packaging and shipping water consume energy and contribute to global warming. Empty bottles add to litter and solid waste. And, as a rule, bottled water is no safer or healthier than the H2O that flows from municipal water systems. What's more, blind taste tests, while wholly unscientific, often show that few people can distinguish between bottled and tap water. Environmentalists, shareholder activists and church groups are targeting the leading sellers of bottled water. For consumers who want to minimize their impact on the environment and their waistlines, there's a good alternative to bottled water -- namely, tap water and a reusable water bottle.
by Stephen Labaton, New York Times
April 25, 2007
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/25/washington/25osha.html?_r=1&adxnnl=1&oref=slogin&adxnnlx=1177704005-ueHRWaBlTUzjH0/aOlT6sg
Article Summary: Under the Bush administration vowed to limit new rules and roll back what it considered cumbersome regulations that imposed unnecessary costs on businesses and consumers. Across Washington, political appointees -- often former officials of the industries they now oversee -- have eased regulations or weakened enforcement of rules on issues like driving hours for truckers, logging in forests and corporate mergers. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has issued the fewest significant standards in its history since George W. Bush became president, public health experts say. It has imposed only one major safety rule. The only significant health standard it issued was ordered by a federal court. The agency has killed dozens of existing and proposed regulations and delayed adopting others. For example, OSHA has repeatedly identified silica dust, which can cause lung cancer, and construction site noise as health hazards that warrant new safeguards for nearly three million workers, but it has yet to require them. An ongoing problem regulating diacetyl, a food-flavoring agent, has left hundreds of workers without protection.
Agency officials defend their performance, saying that workplace deaths and injuries have declined during their tenure. They have been considering new standards and revising outdated ones that were unduly burdensome on businesses, they said, adding that they have moved cautiously on new rules because those require extensive scientific and economic analysis. Instead of regulations, Mr. Foulke and top officials at other agencies favor a "voluntary compliance strategy," reaching agreements with industry associations and companies to police themselves. Administration officials say such programs are less costly, allowing companies to hire more workers and keep consumer prices down. Critics say the voluntary programs tend to have little focus on specific hazards and no enforcement power. Because only companies with strong safety records are eligible, they argue, the programs do not force less-conscientious businesses to improve their workplaces.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration was created under President Richard M. Nixon in 1970 after Congressional hearings exposed dangerous workplace conditions. The agency was to set and enforce safety standards as well as detect health hazards before they could take a toll on workers. Since the agency's creation, deaths and injuries on the job have steadily declined. Regulators have taken credit for much of that trend, though experts also cite pressure from insurers and lawsuits. Until recently, Congress has provided no significant oversight of OSHA. With Democrats now back in control, House and Senate committees are holding hearings this week.
by Theresa Agovino, Associated Press, Myrtle Beach Online
April 24, 2007
http://www.myrtlebeachonline.com/606/story/48388.html
Article Summary: The environment has become a very hot topic these days, especially among parents who want to protect their children's health and the world they'll be inheriting. Parents are propelling a surge in organic baby food sales, and that has prompted more companies to either join or expand their offerings in the sector. Organic food still accounts for a tiny portion of the overall baby food market, but it is definitely growing. Whole Foods Market Inc. said it has tripled the space allotted to organic baby products in the last five years. Last year, baby food institution Gerber Products Co. rebranded and broadened its organic line, while Abbott Laboratories introduced an organic version of its Similac baby formula. "There is no clinical evidence to say the product is better or healthier," said Scott White, vice president of pediatrics -- U.S. at Abbott Nutrition. "Moms feel better using it. It is a lifestyle choice."
The U.S. Department of Agriculture inspects food producers to insure they meet its standards for organic products. They include banning the use of conventional pesticides, fertilizers made with synthetic ingredients or sewage sludge for produce, and antibiotics or growth hormones for animals. Producers said adhering to the USDA regulations makes organic foods cost more but parents are willing to pay the difference. Doctors said parents shouldn't feel guilty if they can't afford the extra expense. The USDA doesn't claim that organic food is safer or more nutritious than conventionally produced food, and the American Academy of Pediatrics has no official stance on subject.
by Douglas Fischer, Oakland Tribune
April 24, 2007
http://www.insidebayarea.com/oaklandtribune/ci_5742771
SAN FRANCISCO -- Teenage girls gathered in the heart of San Francisco's shopping district Tuesday to protest the makeup of their makeup, urging regulators to follow Europe's lead and ban harmful chemicals from cosmetics. The rally of about two dozen girls dressed in prom dresses and combat boots, plus the occasional boyfriend and a number of adults, was part product launch, part political campaign, part health education. It caps months of appearances by Teens for Safe Cosmetics at Bay Area stores, farmer's markets and high schools to alert consumers -- particularly teens -- to potentially carcinogenic ingredients in beauty products and advocate for their banishment.
Article Summary: The European Union has declared 1,100 ingredients unfit for cosmetics, while the United States has banned just nine. At issue are carcinogens in cosmetics like coal tar, banned in Europe since '04 but used here in shampoos to help dissolve scaly skin; solvents such as toluene to improve the gloss and adhesion of nail polish; plasticizers like phthalates to bind fragrances and prevent nail polish from chipping. There's also formaldehyde to disinfect creams and petrolatum to make lipstick shine. Both are banned in Europe. All are used in tiny amounts. But the average American teen uses between 10 and 25 personal care products a day. Every day. And over time, say those fighting for safer cosmetics, that can lead to a significant exposure -- and potentially significant problems. Sen. Carole Migden, D-San Francisco, last year authored California's Safe Cosmetics Act, the toughest cosmetics law in the nation. It doesn't ban a thing, but it forces cosmetics manufacturers to file reports with the state on any carcinogens in their products.
Manufacturers note many of these compounds are used in trace amounts. Data on the health effects are either incomplete or inconclusive, they say. And the chemicals create consistent, affordable products.
The final purpose of Tuesday's Union Square rally was a launch of "i" -- a line of personal care products created by teens, for teens. They've created a perfume solely from essential oils that will soon be available online or at Whole Foods. The whole experience -- lobbying in Sacramento for Migden's bill, creating the perfume, rallying in Union Square -- has changed their lives, many girls said Tuesday.
by David Shaffer and Tom Meersman, Minneapolis-St. Paul Star Tribune
April 24, 2007
http://www.startribune.com/462/story/1142522.html
More than two decades ago, 3M scientists worried that chemicals used in Scotchgard and Teflon might persist and accumulate in soil and water, but suggested that rigorous testing might prove the compounds environmentally sound, according to an internal company report. The report, turned over by 3M in a citizen lawsuit, suggests that 3M officials in 1983 were of two minds about the perfluorochemicals (PFCs) that eventually turned up in water, animals and people around the world. On one hand, the chemicals' structure "and test results give rise to concern for environmental safety," said the report, which was stamped confidential. It said the compounds, also known as fluorochemicals, "are even more resistant to degradation" than chemicals such as PCBs and the pesticide DDT.
Article Summary: Yet the 3M scientists believed the substances posed "very little problem" compared with other related chemicals. 3M continued to manufacture the chemicals until 2000, and phased them out completely in 2002, saying it was concerned about the chemicals' spread in the environment and in human blood. One of the compounds, PFOA, is now suspected as a human carcinogen. The internal report and other company documents surfaced in a Washington County District Court lawsuit against 3M filed three years ago by residents affected by contamination in private wells and public water supplies. It has also been found in the Mississippi River, in Lake Calhoun in south Minneapolis and in aquatic organisms that "are utilized as a human food source."