These bulletins are 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.
Companion bulletins are available for different audiences:
While there is overlap with this bulletin, there are some events and announcements unique to those bulletins.
Spokane River Environmental Health Event. Today June 18th, CHE-WA, coordinated by the Institute for Children's Environmental Health, will co-host a workshop with nonprofit organization The Lands Council on the toxics in the Spokane River of concern to human health. The workshop will be from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m., with a reception prior from 5:00 to 6:00 p.m., at the Community Building Lobby on 25 West Main in Spokane. The public is welcome and the event is free. This is a chance to meet with scientists and local leaders to discuss what is currently known about toxics in river sediment and potential implications for human health, as well as possible ways to protect and improve the river's health for our collective benefit. Supporting partner organizations include the Spokane River Forum and Center for Justice. For more information visit the CHE-WA website: http://washington.chenw.org/ To RSVP, please contact Kat Hall, khall@landscouncil.org or 509-209-2403.
Joint science-based conference call: On May 28th, CHE-WA members joined CHE-Alaska in a collaborative CHE-NW science presentation conference call. This call was coordinated by the Alaska Community Action on Toxics, which coordinates CHE-AK and was on the topic of global transport of pesticides to the Arctic. For more information about the presenters and to download the recording of this call, please contact Alaska Community Action on Toxics: info@akaction.net
The CHE-WA working group on children's environmental health is busy this spring, meeting every two weeks to lay the groundwork for a conference on children's environmental health to be held in Seattle in 2009. Tentative plans for the conference involve both a day of sessions looking at the latest science linking environmental factors with children's disease and disability, and also a day of sessions specifically for parents and caregivers.
Thursday June 19, 2008
6:00 - 8:00 p.m.
Portland, Oregon
at the Doubletree Hotel-Lloyd Center, 1000 NE Multnomah
Sponsor: Oregon Environmental Council
Have you ever wondered what happens to those pharmaceuticals that you flush down the toilet? What about the hospitals and nursing homes that do the same, or the effect of the effluent that streams from the plants that manufacture them? Ilene Ruhoy, MD, will discuss how prescription drugs enter the environment, the potential consequences of their presence in the environment, and how these pollutants affect us as well as fish and other species.
Price: $35, $25 for members and nonprofit or governmental agency employees
Website: http://www.oeconline.org/events
Contact: Oregon Environmental Council, 503-222-1963 or info@oeconline.org
Thursday and Friday, June 19 - 20, 2008
8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Bellingham, Washington
Emerald Bay at the Bellingham Yacht Club, 2625 South Harbor Loop Drive
Sponsor: Northwest Environmental Training Center
This introductory course provides participants with an understanding of the foundations of aquatic toxicology and how these concepts are applied to managing pollutants in aquatic environments. The course covers terminology, common test designs and endpoints such as lethality, cancer and endocrine disruption. Important legacy and emerging pollutants of concern such as heavy metals, organic pesticides, PAHs, PCBs, PBDEs, pharmaceuticals and personal care products will also be presented. Continuing education units are available.
Price: $495, $395 reduced tuition is available to those who qualify.
Website: http://www.nwetc.org/etox-410_06-08_bellingham.htm
Contact: Northwest Environmental Training Center, 206-762-1976
Tuesday June 24, 2008
9:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Portland, Oregon
at JR Howard Hall Room 102, Lewis & Clark College, 0615 SW Palatine Hill Road
Sponsor: Northwest Environmental Training Center
The program is designed for those who may have little background in toxicology yet must deal with chemicals in the home, at work or at school. Anyone interested in better understanding chemicals and their health effects, or a refresher course on toxicology, is encouraged to attend. The course identifies potential health hazards of toxic chemicals and methods for preventing exposure. Chemicals we encounter in everyday life are used as examples to evaluate the hazards and risk of exposure and put them into perspective. Learn the basic principles of toxicology, tools for assessing the toxicology of chemicals, effects of chemicals on the body, and why some people are more sensitive to chemicals than others.
Price: $245 or reduced tuition of $175 is available to Native American tribes, nonprofits, government agencies and students
Website: https://nwetc.websitesource.net/reg_etox-510_06-08_portland/registration.htm
Contact: Northwest Environmental Training Center, 206-762-1976
Thursday June 26, 2008
2:00 p.m. Eastern time
Sponsor: US Environmental Protection Agency
Participate in this web call to learn about the Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools (IAQ TfS) Awards Program, how to write an award-winning application, and how to effectively communicate your IAQ management program's story. Past IAQ TfS award winners and communications experts will share tips for success.
Price: unknown
Website: https://www1.gotomeeting.com:443/register/357074786
Saturday through Tuesday, July 12 - 15, 2008
Vancouver, British Columbia Canada
at the Sheraton Wall Centre Hotel, 1088 Burrard Street
Sponsor: Sponsor information will be available at the website below.
This is an interdisciplinary conference devoted to improving children's lives by making cutting-edge research in neuroscience, child psychology and medicine understandable and applicable to those who work with children on a daily basis. Continuing education units are available.
Website: http://www.interprofessional.ubc.ca/bdl.html
Contact: 877-328-7744 or devcogneuro@gmail.com
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/
Job opening: Missoula, Montana. Women's Voices for the Earth, a growing, progressive national organization that engages women to advocate for the right to live in a healthy environment, seeks a dynamic executive director to work with our high-energy, committed staff and board. The ED will continue our progress in expanding WVE's capabilities and building our national influence at the nexus of the environmental health, women's movement, and reproductive justice fields. Our ideal candidate is a skilled, energetic visionary with significant fundraising, program, communications and management experience who can take on the multiple tasks required to lead a small nonprofit organization that is expanding its national impact. The application period closes on July 15, 2008.
http://www.womenandenvironment.org/newsreports/ExecDir
Job opening: Portland, Oregon. The Oregon Center for Environmental Health is interested in addressing chemicals policy reform at the state and national levels through comprehensive reform and is seeking a full-time toxics program director. Strategies will include leadership within a coalition of health and conservation groups, working with elected officials to promote legislation, working with public agencies, community organizing and public education and outreach. Find out more about OCEH at http://www.oregon-health.org/. The ideal candidate would have strong experience in organizing, public education and outreach within an environmental or public health agency, plus a demonstrated knowledge of toxics and their impact on human health and the environment, with the ability to be an aggressive advocate for the issue is required. Qualified candidates should submit a resume and cover letter by June 20, 2008, to Jane@oregon-health.org or Jane Harris, Executive Director, Oregon Center for Environmental Health, 4819 NE Fremont Street, Portland, Oregon 97213. No phone calls please.
Job opening: Eugene, Oregon. The Northwest Coalition for Alternatives to Pesticides is hiring a full-time environmental program coordinator. This position involves leadership for planning, implementation and evaluation in two of NCAP’s program areas: pesticide-free parks and organic food in schools.
http://pesticide.org/NCAP%20job%20announcement.pdf
Anti-vaccine activists march on, armed with little evidence. At least 16 well-designed scientific studies have found no connection between immunizations or thimerosal and autism. Indianapolis Star, Indiana, 17 June 2008.
http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080617/OPINION12/806170325/1002/OPINION
Diet can shut off cancer genes. The benefits of eating right and staying active may extend well beyond your physique, all the way down to your genes, Bay Area scientists have found. Contra Costa Times, California, 17 June 2008.
http://www.contracostatimes.com/bayandstate/ci_9604752?nclick_check=1
Sun protection for kids gets more intense. If your kids get sunburned, they're not toast, you are. Or so a new wave of sun-protection-product marketers are convincing many, particularly older and affluent, parents. USA Today, 16 June 2008.
http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/retail/2008-06-15-sun-phobia_N.htm
Kitchen health: fact vs. fiction. Could the stuff you use to cook your meals be harming your family's health? Chicago Daily Herald, Illinois, 16 June 2008.
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=207353
Environmental concerns force asthmatics to pay more for life-saving inhalers. To protect the Earth’s thinning ozone layer, millions of asthma patients are being forced to change how they take their medication. Gainesville Times, Georgia, 16 June 2008.
http://www.gainesvilletimes.com/news/article/6432/
UN warns of 650 million deaths by smoking. Of the more than 1.3 billion smokers alive today, about 650 million will eventually be killed by tobacco, warns a new U.N. report. Inter Press Service, 16 June 2008.
http://www.dailynews.lk/2008/06/16/fea03.asp
[Editor's note: See a related article at http://www.smh.com.au/news/health/smoking-cuts-life-span-by-nearly-five-years-study/2008/06/12/1212863817470.html ]
Is lead linked to mental decline? Could it be that the "natural" mental decline that afflicts many older people is related to how much lead they absorbed decades before? Associated Press, 15 June 2008.
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/orl-leadbrain08jun15,0,3574316.story
Mobile safety still in doubt. A suspected link between mobile phones and cancer is refusing to go away. mouth. Sydney Morning Herald, Australia, 15 June 2008.
http://www.smh.com.au/news/opinion/mobile-safety-still-in-doubt/2008/06/15/1213468225461.html
Panel minimizes some concerns over bisphenol A. A scientific advisory board, charged with reviewing a federal report on the risks of a chemical found in baby bottles and aluminum cans, downgraded that report’s level of concern. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Wisconsin, 14 June 2008.
http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=762042
Johns Hopkins raps AP story on lead experiment. In Baltimore, Johns Hopkins is firing back at the Associated Press over a story about the safety of compost made with treated municipal sewage that the school used in an experiment to treat high lead levels in soil. Associated Press, 14 June 2008.
http://www.latimes.com/news/science/wire/sns-ap-sci-sludge-controversy,1,1980421.story
[Editor's note: This article follows up on articles from April 14th that were included in the April 23rd issue of this bulletin.]
It's not just genetics. It's no secret that the U.S. has a crippling weight problem and that our children are hardly exempt. This tsunami, however, is a highly selective one. It discriminates by race. Time Magazine, 14 June 2008.
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1813984,00.html
Traffic pollution can up kids' risk of allergies by 50 per cent. Researchers from Germany have found that traffic-related pollution in metropolitan areas is associated with an increased risk for atopic and respiratory diseases in children. Asian News International, South Asia, 14 June 2008.
http://www.dailyindia.com/show/249724.php/Traffic-pollution-can-up-kids-risk-of-allergies-by-50-per-cent
[Editor's note: See related articles at http://www.ajc.com/health/content/health/stories/2008/06/16/asthma_smog_atlanta_inhale.html and http://www.loe.org/shows/segments.htm?programID=08-P13-00024&segmentID=1 ]
Strictest limits on lead urged. A Bush administration proposal to tighten national air pollution standards for lead might not go far enough to protect the public from the metal's toxic effects, environmental and health experts told a government panel in Baltimore yesterday. Baltimore Sun, Maryland, 14 June 2008.
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/bay_environment/bal-md.lead13jun13,0,502755.story
Europe is getting allergic to climate change. Climate change induced by global warming is provoking health hardships in Europe, especially through new, prolonged allergies, authorities say. Inter Press Service, 14 June 2008.
http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=42791
FDA issues precautionary note on silver fillings. Silver dental fillings contain mercury, and the government for the first time is warning that they may pose a safety concern for pregnant women and young children. Associated Press,13 June 2008.
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/M/MED_DENTAL_MERCURY?SITE=DCUSN&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT
EPA scolded for delay in lead health standards. The Environmental Protection Agency got a scolding Thursday for waiting 30 years to propose a stricter health standard for airborne lead. Associated Press, 13 June 2008.
http://www.news-leader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080613/NEWS01/806130356/1007
That 'new shower curtain smell' gives off toxic chemicals, study finds. Vinyl shower curtains sold at major retailers across the country emit toxic chemicals linked to serious health problems, a new report by a national environmental organization finds. Los Angeles Times, California, 13 June 2008.
http://www.latimes.com/features/health/la-me-showercurtain13-2008jun13,0,2784885.story
Chemical law has global impact. Europe this month rolled out new restrictions on makers of chemicals linked to cancer and other health problems, changes that are forcing U.S. industries to find new ways to produce a wide range of everyday products. Washington Post, 12 June 2008.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/06/11/AR2008061103569.html
Trouble beneath the bubbles. Some scientists are questioning the long-term safety of some of the compounds that most of us apply daily to our skin and scalp. Sydney Morning Herald, Australia, 12 June 2008.
http://www.smh.com.au/news/health/trouble-beneath-the-bubbles/2008/06/11/1212863695359.html?page=fullpage#contentSwap2
Wal-Mart, Toys R Us to remove products with BPA. Even while Congress is still considering banning a controversial chemical used in producing baby cups, toys and water bottles, two major retailers are removing products containing such chemicals from their shelves. New York Newsday, New York, 12 June 2008.
http://www.newsday.com/business/ny-bzplas0612,0,4502200.story
Study strengthens evidence of link between smoking, dementia. Middle-aged smokers are more likely to have poorer memories and reasoning abilities than those who've never smoked habitually, according to a study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine. Hartford Courant, Connecticut, 12 June 2008.
http://www.courant.com/news/health/ny-hsmok115722180jun11,0,2079858.story
High levels of formaldehyde found in baby furniture. A number of cribs and changing tables commonly sold at retail outlets contain unhealthy levels of formaldehyde. Baltimore Sun, Maryland, 11 June 2008.
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/nation/bal-te.cribs11jun11,0,1063565.story
Teen obesity tied to death risks in middle-age. Obese teenagers are more likely than their thinner peers to die of heart disease or certain other ills by the time they are middle-aged, a large study suggests. Reuters Health, 11 June 2008.
http://www.reutershealth.com/archive/2008/06/10/eline/links/20080610elin004.html
Clash arises on safety of BPA in plastic items. Government experts and lawmakers clashed at a hearing Tuesday over the safety of a chemical used in plastic baby bottles, as the science indicating health risks seemed not conclusive enough to meet the burden of proof required for a U.S. ban. Wall Street Journal, 11 June 2008.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121314456079362753.html
EPA considering stricter airborne lead regulations. For the first time in 30 years, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency wants to dramatically tighten the regulations on airborne lead pollution. Baltimore Examiner, Maryland, 11 June 2008.
http://www.examiner.com/a-1435239~EPA_considering_stricter_airborne_lead_regulations.html
U.S. expands salmonella warning on fresh tomatoes. The federal government Tuesday expanded its salmonella warning nationwide about three kinds of tomatoes as more retailers and restaurants stopped offering them and growers said sales were plummeting. Los Angeles Times, California, 11 June 2008.
http://www.latimes.com/business/printedition/la-fi-tomatoes11-2008jun11,0,7213749.story
Scientists figure out how rice absorbs arsenic. Scientists have worked out how crops such as rice absorb arsenic, a finding that could help prevent people from eating dangerous levels of the poisonous metal. Reuters, 11 June 2008.
http://www.reuters.com/article/scienceNews/idUSL0952016120080609
Revision looms for U.S. chemical law. The U.S. system for regulating commercial chemicals may be on the verge of a major shake-up. Momentum for such a change is due in part to a lack of information about the toxicity of many chemicals. Chemical & Engineering News, 9 June 2008.
http://pubs.acs.org/isubscribe/journals/cen/86/i23/html/8623gov1.html
Breastfed babies lack vitamin D. There appears to be a downside to the growing resurgence of mothers breastfeeding their infants -- some babies are now suffering from vitamin D deficiency. Toronto Globe and Mail, Ontario, 9 June 2008.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080606.wldoses06/BNStory/specialScienceandHealth/home
[Editor's note: See a related article about benefits of Vitamin D at http://www.latimes.com/news/science/la-sci-vitamin10-2008jun10,0,960107.story ]
FDA adds cancer warnings to J&J foot ulcer cream. The Food and Drug Administration warned patients Friday that using large amounts of a Johnson & Johnson foot ulcer medication could heighten their risk of dying from cancer. Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Georgia, 9 June 2008.
http://www.ajc.com/news/content/shared-gen/ap/Health_Medical/FDA_Warning_JJ_Drug.html
Potentially fatal bacteria found in pigs, farmworkers. Federal food safety and public health agencies are being urged to begin checking meat sold across the country for the presence of MRSA, a potentially fatal bacteria. Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Washington, 9 June 2008.
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/366301_pigmrsa09.html
Divided by fluoride. Depending on who you listen to, fluoride is either a poison or a tried-and-tested cure for an entirely preventable disease. Hampshire Daily Echo, United Kingdom, 8 June 2008.
http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/latest/display.var.2326411.0.divided_by_fluoride.php
Health risk of long-term mobile phone use to be studied by scientists. Scientists have started work on a massive official study to discover whether the long-term use of mobile phones causes brain cancer, and Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. London Independent, England, 8 June 2008.
http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-wellbeing/health-news/health-risk-of-longterm-mobile-phone-use-to-be-studied-by-scientists-842489.html
Lead safety still begins at home. The greatest risk of lead exposure is actually found at home -- in the lead paint of old homes, especially around window sills, according to Anita Weinberg, chair of Lead Safe Illinois. Grand Forks Herald, North Dakota, 7 June 2008.
http://www.grandforksherald.com/articles/index.cfm?id=78658§ion=Features&freebie_check&CFID=44060758&CFTOKEN=29915057&jsessionid=883050f46f452577676c
China better on toy safety: report. China has taken steps to tackle toy safety concerns after a string of recalls last year, but authorities should tighten supervision of the sector further, an independent report commissioned by the EU has concluded. Reuters, 6 June 2008.
http://www.thewest.com.au/aapstory.aspx?StoryName=488183
Tracking plastic's breakdown products. Many studies have raised concerns about the safety of phthalate plasticizers found in PVC products, cosmetics, and medical devices. Now, scientists are looking at not just the parent compounds but also their metabolites. Environmental Science & Technology, 5 June 2008.
http://pubs.acs.org/subscribe/journals/esthag-w/2008/jun/science/jp_plasticizers.html
Body Wars author answers our questions on autoimmunity. Our immune systems are getting so many hits, nonstop -- not only from over 80,000 synthetic chemicals but from our diets -- that they're overtaxed. Baltimore Sun, Maryland, 5 June 2008.
http://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/custom/today/bal-to.hs.autoimmune05jun05,0,6367767.story
Amid protest, U.S. backs vaccinations. As thousands protested yesterday that childhood vaccines are unsafe, federal health officials emphasized that they're looking for any signs of a link between the shots and autism but that evidence supports the health benefits. Baltimore Sun, Maryland, 5 June 2008.
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/health/bal-te.fda05jun05,0,1437123.story
F.D.A. reviews arthritis drugs for links to cancer. The Food and Drug Administration said Wednesday that it was investigating whether four drugs used to treat rheumatoid arthritis and other immune system diseases might increase the risk of cancer in children. New York Times, 5 June 2008.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/05/business/05drug.html
Ban urged on food dyes linked to behavioural problems. Artificial dyes must be banned from use in food because they are linked to serious behavioural and attention-deficit problems in children, according to a U.S.-based consumer advocacy group that has launched a campaign to eliminate several food additives. Toronto Globe and Mail, Ontario, 5 June 2008.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080604.wlcolour04/BNStory/specialScienceandHealth/home
Lead on playing fields can be absorbed by body. Testing by the New Jersey health department showed that lead in turf fibers and dust from these fields can be dissolved under conditions similar to that of human digestion. Bergen County Record, New Jersey, 4 June 2008.
http://www.northjersey.com/health/Lead_on_playing_fields_can_be_absorbed_by_body.html
Milking it. The makers of BornFree bottles helped create plastiphobia among parents. Now they're cashing in. Forbes, 4 June 2008.
http://www.forbes.com/forbes/2008/0602/081.html
Pesticides, chemicals can cause penile defects, toxicologist warns. The incidence of hypospadias has increased in Israel by 30 percent in recent years due to exposure to pesticides in food and chemicals in the home environment. Jerusalem Post, Israel, 4 June 2008.
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1212041468664&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull