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.
New CHE-WA events planned. The CHE-WA Steering Committee recently met to reflect on CHE-WA's successes and challenges since its inception in March 2003 as well as possible new opportunities, structures and events that might better serve CHE-WA's current membership. The Committee affirmed three major goals for CHE-WA: 1) providing the latest scientific information on environmental links to human health, 2) convening a diverse environmental health network, and 3) coordinating ways that CHE-WA members interested in a common issue can work together.
One new initiative that emerged from the Committee's discussion will be to host scientific presentations on environmental health via conference call so that more people can participate over a broader geography at lower cost and lower carbon footprint. CHE-WA will be coordinating these with our partner organizations, CHE-Alaska and CHE-Oregon. The first such call was held on May 28th on the global transport of persistent pesticides to the Arctic, with guest speakers Don Waite, PhD and Hayley Hung, PhD, both Canadian researchers following this issue. CHE-AK hosted this call; for more information on this topic you may contact them at info@akaction.net. We plan to host a second joint call in June; please watch your email and future bulletins for more information.
Spokane River Environmental Health Event. On Wednesday, June 18th, CHE-WA 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 -9:00 p.m., with a reception prior from 5:00 - 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 and to RSVP please contact khall@landscouncil.org or call 509-209-2403.
Watch upcoming bulletins for the date, time, speaker, topic and call-in information for our future science conference calls, as well as information about other new events. Please note that having these calls will likely mean we will reduce the number of in-person meetings to a couple times a year and not have our next formal CHE-WA meeting until the Fall 2008. This meeting will emphasize the opportunity for CHE-WA members to network with one another and learn the latest about participants' current work. For more information, or to suggest topics for future calls or meetings, please contact CHE-WA Coordinator Aimee Boulanger: aboulanger@iceh.org
Thursday June 5, 2008
8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Seattle, Washington
at the Washington State Convention & Trade Center, on the corner of 7th Street and Pike Street
Sponsor: Environmental Law Education Center
The Sixth Annual Advanced Sediment Conference is focused on policy, regulatory, legal and technical developments. Topics include PCBs, dioxin and background -- DMMP deliberations; managing residuals during dredging; Northwest contaminated sediment cleanup projects; and more.
Price: see http://www.elecenter.com/online-reg/2008-Advanced-Sediment.htm
Website: http://www.elecenter.com/agenda_2008-06-05.htm
Contact: Environmental Law Education Center, 503-282-5220 or hduncan@elecenter.com
Thursday June 5, 2008
12:30 - 1:20 p.m.
Seattle, Washington
at the University of Washington Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, Room T-435
Sponsor: University of Washington Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences
Speaker Sheela Sathyanarayana, MD, MPH, is the acting assistant professor of the Division of General Pediatrics.
Price: unknown
Website: http://depts.washington.edu/envh580/
Contact: Sarah Fischer, fischs@u.washington.edu
Monday June 9, 2008
9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Troutdale, Oregon
at McMenamins Edgefield, 2126 SW Halsey Street
Sponsor: North American Hazardous Materials Managers Association, NW Chapter
State and local governments, green business representatives, regional chemical policy and management experts, toxics reduction advocates and interested citizens will come together in a day of presentation and discussion. Mark Schapiro, editorial director for the Center for Investigative Reporting and author of the recent book Exposed, will keynote. The Chemical Policy Forum is part of the North American Hazardous Materials Managers Association, NW Chapter, Conference June 9 to 12, 2008. Register at the NAHMMA website as listed below for the forum or for the full conference that includes the forum. Forum registration without lunch is available on the day of the event.
Price: $15 includes lunch
Website: http://www.nahmma.org
Contact: Lisa Heigh, 503-797-1611 or lisa.heigh@oregonmetro.gov
Monday through Thursday, June 9 - 12, 2008
Troutdale, Oregon
at McMenamins Edgefield, 2126 Southwest Halsey Street
Sponsor: Northwest Chapter of the North American Hazardous Materials Management Association
Learn about the latest developments in product stewardship, chemical policy and safer products. The conference will provide training, such as the hazwoper eight-hour refresher, technical sessions and facility tours. Topics include toxic chemicals in products and people; case studies on implementing chemical policy and much more.
Price: members $145, nonmembers $195
Website: http://www.nahmma.org/cde.cfm?event=210842
Contact: North American Hazardous Materials Management Association, 877-292-1403 or nahmma@imigroup.org
Tuesday June 10, 2008
1:00 p.m. Eastern time
Sponsor: Clinical Directors Network, Inc.
The presenter will be Mike Rowland, MD, of the Maine Migrant Health Program.
Price: unknown
Website: http://www.cdnetwork.org/NewCDN/LibrarySearch.aspx?more=upcoming
Contact: eLearning, 212-382-0699 x231 or eLearning@cdnetwork.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
Online Calendar. Upcoming events extending more than one month in the future are listed in a searchable calendar: http://www.chenw.org/cgi-bin/searchevents.cgi
Most of the articles below come from Environmental Health News, http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/
New Members. CHE-Washington welcomes these new members:
For a searchable database of organizations with which CHE-WA members are affiliated, please visit the CHE-WA website: http://washington.chenw.org/members.html
Job opening: Seattle, Washington. Washington Toxics Coalition is seeking a full-time field organizer. The position's primary responsibilities include mobilizing and developing the grassroots base, expanding the online organizing program, and developing and implementing the year-round organizing strategy. The application deadline is June 10, 2008.
http://www.watoxics.org/about/employment/field-organizer/
Measurement study funding opportunity. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is seeking applications proposing an observational exposure measurement study to identify and characterize the determinants of exposure for early life stages (i.e., very young children less than three years of age) to chemicals in their environment. Applications are due July 15, 2008.
http://www.epa.gov/nerl/opportunities/announcement.html
Special journal on human health and mercury. The Journal of Environmental Research (Vol. 107, No. 1, May 2008) has published a special issue on human health and exposure to mercury, containing selected papers from the Eighth International Conference on Mercury as a Global Pollutant.
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/00139351
Experts revive debate over cellphones. Researchers who have raised concerns about the link between cellphones and cancer say that just because science can't explain the mechanism doesn't mean one doesn't exist. New York Times, 3 June 2008.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/03/health/03well.html?_r=1&oref=slogin
Chlorine 'may cause birth defects.' Tap water treated with chlorine can double the risk of serious heart and brain abnormalities in unborn babies, say scientists. Newcastle Journal, England, 3 June 2008.
http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-east-news/uk-news-world/2008/06/02/chlorine-may-cause-birth-defects-84229-21012530/
Cancer study hopes to increase prevention. To better understand how to prevent cancers, the American Cancer Society is recruiting 500,000 adults for a new study. Researchers will look at the lifestyle, environmental and genetic factors that cause or prevent cancer. Lafayette Journal and Courier, Indiana, 3 June 2008.
http://www.jconline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080603/LIFE03/806030305
Vitamin D for babies may prevent type 1 diabetes. A new analysis of current research provides "the strongest evidence to date" that giving small children supplemental vitamin D will help prevent them from developing type 1 diabetes later on. Reuters Health, 2 June 2008.
http://www.reutershealth.com/archive/2008/05/30/eline/links/20080530elin021.html
Conference sheds light on autism. Stanford's autism conference offered researchers' data about genetic factors connected to the disorder and possible environmental elements that may play a role. Palo Alto Daily News, California, 2 June 2008.
http://www.paloaltodailynews.com/article/2008-6-2-autism
Low-birth weight may increase autism risk, especially in girls. Autism strikes low birthweight baby girls at a higher rate than similar-sized boys when the infants are compared with larger children, according to a study that suggests risk factors for the disorder vary by sex. Bloomberg News, 2 June 2008.
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601124&sid=aTFctNRzXIYg&refer=home
Study finds breastfed girls protected from chest illness. Breastfeeding protects baby girls from serious chest infections, but does little to prevent respiratory illnesses in boys, researchers have found. London Guardian, England, 2 June 2008.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2008/jun/02/medicalresearch.health
Breast cancer fall mirrors HRT decline. The first fall in the number of new breast cancer cases in more than 20 years has been linked with a sharp decline in the use of hormone replacement therapy. Sydney Australian, Australia, 2 June 2008.
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,23794693-23289,00.html
'Forget climate change, we should spend on nutrition.' Malnutrition should be the world's major priority for aid and development, a panel of eight leading economists, including five Nobel laureates, declared yesterday. London Times, England, 31 May 2008.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/environment/article4033272.ece
Pilots group warns of health risks posed by toxic fumes in cabin air. An international pilots' group said Friday that airlines should monitor the level of potentially toxic fumes from the engines in their cabins. Associated Press, 31 May 2008.
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/05/30/europe/EU-GEN-Aviation-Cabin-Fumes.php
Sniffing out the dangers in fragrance. Listings of scent ingredients are unregulated, and only have to be labeled on the package as "fragrance." Meanwhile, some research suggests the chemicals may act as hormone disrupters, carcinogens, and cause neural damage. Toronto CP24 TV, Ontario, 30 May 2008.
http://www.citynews.ca/news/news_23221.aspx
EPA restricts rat poisons to protect children. The government imposed new restrictions Thursday on some of the biggest-selling rat poisons, citing the danger they pose to children, pets and wildlife. Associated Press, 30 May 2008.
http://www.sanluisobispo.com/news/politics/story/373295.html
Eye on safety as formaldehyde use increases. Formaldehyde isn't just for embalming anymore. It's used in hundreds of household products. But as its use has increased, so has concern about its safety. All Things Considered, NPR, 30 May 2008.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=90957184
The hidden chemical in cans. Tests conducted for The Globe and Mail and CTV have found high levels of bisphenol A in canned food sold in Canada. Is it time to consider cutting back on canned goods? Toronto Globe and Mail, Ontario, 29 May 2008.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080528.wcans29/BNStory/Front/
[Editor's note: see a related article in the New York Times at http://topics.nytimes.com:80/top/reference/timestopics/subjects/b/bisphenol_a/index.html ]
Rising lead, crime linked. A new study from the University of Cincinnati suggests that there's a connection between young children with high levels of lead in their blood and whether they commit crimes as adults. Cincinnati Enquirer, Ohio, 28 May 2008.
http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080528/NEWS01/805280382/1077/COL02
Prenatal fish intake benefits kids' brains. Three-year-olds whose mothers ate more fish while pregnant with them score better on several tests of cognitive function than their peers whose mothers avoided seafood, a new study shows. Reuters, 28 May 2008.
http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSCOL75877420080527
Chemicals polluting kids. A nonprofit, consumer advocacy group is pushing to pass the "Kids Safe Chemical Act." Tampa Bay WTSP TV, Florida, 28 May 2008.
http://www.tampabays10.com/news/local/article.aspx?storyid=81316
TCE study of IBM workers hits snag. An attempt to study cancer rates among IBM workers hit a snag after a federal health agency said it didn't have funding to continue the project this year, despite congressional action urging it to do so. Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin, New York, 28 May 2008.
http://www.pressconnects.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080527/NEWS01/805270357
State sues EPA on smog regulations. More than a dozen states, including Connecticut, filed a lawsuit Tuesday against the Environmental Protection Agency, claiming that new regulations don't go far enough to protect public health from smog. Greater Danbury News Times, Connecticut, 28 May 2008.
http://www.newstimes.com/ci_9400632
Drinking organic milk 'may cut risk of heart disease and cancer.' A comparison of conventional and organic dairy farms found the organic variety contained significantly higher levels of health-boosting fatty acids, antioxidants and vitamins. Daily Mail, United Kingdom, 28 May 2008.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1022266/Drinking-organic-milk-cut-risk-heart-disease-cancer.html
Secondhand smoke leaves kids prone to severe infections. In addition to developing asthma and respiratory infections, children in households where someone smokes are more likely to catch a whole range of severe infections, including meningococcal disease. Many even have to be hospitalized, a new study found. Health Day News, 28 May 2008.
http://www.healthday.com/Article.asp?AID=615884
Exposé: Chemicals in food. If not for the work of a muckraking journalist a century ago, the FDA might never have existed. Now, with information from investigative journalists, the Senate is challenging the FDA to back up legislation on bisphenol A. Bill Moyers' Journal, PBS, 28 May 2008.
http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/05232008/watch2.html
Discovery of lead in turf raises concerns. Two federal agencies, spurred by findings of lead in a few synthetic athletic fields on the East Coast, are examining whether synthetic turf poses risks for the people who play on it. Portland Oregonian, Oregon, 27 May 2008.
http://www.oregonlive.com/prepfootball/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/sports/121185511199650.xml&coll=7
Do dust mites make allergies worse? Most people with allergies or asthma know well the hazards of dust mites, the microscopic household critters long said to be one of the most common triggers of allergic symptoms. New York Times, 27 May 2008.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/27/health/27real.html?_r=1&oref=slogin
Cosmetics firms heed calls for organics. Interest in natural and organic products can be attributed in part to social responsibility -- but concerns about carcinogens, endocrine disrupters, and neurotoxins have consumers searching for more than the season's newest colors. Boston Globe, Massachusetts, 26 May 2008.
http://www.boston.com/business/technology/articles/2008/05/26/cosmetics_firms_heed_calls_for_organics/
Coca-Cola to phase out use of controversial additive after DNA damage claim. Coca-Cola, the world's biggest soft drinks company, is phasing out a controversial additive [sodium benzoate] that may cause hyperactivity and DNA damage. London Independent, England, 25 May 2008.
http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/food-and-drink/news/cocacola-to-phase-out-use-of-controversial-additive-after-dna-damage-claim-834021.html
Push to ban plastic toy chemicals linked to health issues in baby boys. Boutique sex toy retailers are warning customers that some of their products contain plastic-softening chemicals [phthalates] being subject to bans in Europe and some US states. Melbourne Age, Australia, 25 May 2008.
http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/push-to-ban-plastic-toy-chemicals-linked-to-health-issues-in-babyboys/2008/05/24/1211183189561.html
Candies' potential hazards emphasized. Kids usually don't care what's in candy, as long as it tastes good. So keeping them from eating Mexican candies that contain lead can be a challenge. Omaha World-Herald, Nebraska, 25 May 2008.
http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_page=1219&u_sid=10342923
FDA warns mothers about nipple cream. A brand of cream, promoted to nursing mothers to help soothe dry or cracked nipples, contains ingredients that may cause respiratory distress, vomiting and diarrhea in infants, the agency said. Associated Press, 25 May 2008.
http://www.newsday.com/news/health/wire/sns-ap-fda-nipple-cream,0,2037758.story
"Convincing evidence" that grilling meat can cause cancer. It's hard to imagine a summer weekend without the aroma of meat on the grill, but the American Institute of Cancer Research is urging everyone to rethink this all-American pastime [due to the heterocyclic amines and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons produced during grilling]. Bergen County Record, New Jersey, 24 May 2008.
http://www.northjersey.com/health/Convincing_evidence_that_we_shouldnt_barbecue.html
On cancer's trail. In over six decades of atomic health testing, no one had ever noticed that uranium, at low doses, can act like an estrogen. Now scientists are asking about its role in breast cancer, especially in the Navajo nation. High Country Newsm 24 May 2008.
http://www.hcn.org/servlets/hcn.Article?article_id=17708#
How safe are vaccines? Spurred by claims that vaccinations can be linked to autism, increasing numbers of parents are raising questions about whether vaccines, far from panaceas, are actually harmful to children. Time Magazine, 23 May 2008.
http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1808438,00.html
Disney recalls sleeping bags, magic wands over lead paint. Thousands of sleeping bags and magic wands contaminated by excessive levels of lead paint are being recalled by The Walt Disney Co., federal inspectors said Thursday. Associated Press, 23 May 2008.
http://www.insidebayarea.com/news/ci_9347282
Waukegan firm recalls magnets with lead paint. A Chicago suburban locally-based scientific supply company performed a voluntary recall of 2.3 million magnets for violating federal lead paint standards. Lake County News Sun, Illinois, 23 May 2008.
http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/newssun/news/965994,5_1_WA23_MAGNETS_S1.article
UNH experts say toxins inside gaming devices not a big threat. But experts like Christopher Bauer, professor of chemistry chair of the University of New Hampshire's chemistry department, say such studies often can't be taken at face value. Foster's Daily Democrat, New Hampshire, 23 May 2008.
http://www.fosters.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080523/GJNEWS_01/118714791/-1/FosNEWS
Scientists link PCBs, diabetes. PCBs, toxic chemicals found nearly everywhere on the planet, may be fueling the diabetes epidemic, according to a study by SUNY Upstate Medical University researchers. Syracuse Post-Standard, New York, 23 May 2008.
http://www.syracuse.com/business/index.ssf?/base/business-12/121153305530260.xml&coll=1
Pollution danger higher than earlier estimated. Microscopic air pollutants from trucks, cars, power plants and wood burning may pose greater health problems than previously believed, according to state researchers. San Francisco Chronicle, California, 23 May 2008.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/05/22/BAFB10RFT5.DTL
Nonstick toxicity. By mimicking the action of estrogen, a chemical used to manufacture nonstick coatings can promote cancer development, researchers report. Science News, 22 May 2008.
http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/32405/description/Nonstick_toxicity
USDA axes the sole national survey to chart pesticide use. Consumers lost a key source of information about what's sprayed on their food on Wednesday, the last day the government published a long-standing national survey that tracks the amount of pesticides used on crops. Associated Press, 22 May 2008.
http://www.contracostatimes.com/bayandstate/ci_9336987?nclick_check=1
Study finds toxic chemicals in baby products. Toxic chemicals are put into baby and children products on a regular basis, according to a study released Tuesday by a network of environmental organizations. San Francisco KPIX TV, California, 21 May 2008.
http://cbs5.com/consumer/toxi.baby.products.2.728692.html
Health warning issued. The Pennsylvania Department of Health is warning consumers not to drink two dietary supplements produced by an Atlanta company. Somerset County Daily American, Pennsylvania, 21 May 2008.
http://www.dailyamerican.com/articles/2008/05/21/news/news/news904.txt
Effects of nanotubes may lead to cancer, study says. Microscopic, high-tech "nanotubes" that are being made for use in a wide variety of consumer products cause the same kind of damage in the body as asbestos does, according to a study in mice. Washington Post, 21 May 2008.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/05/20/AR2008052001331.html
[Editor's note: see a related article at http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/05/2
Choke screen. What are the health impacts of waste incineration? Detroit Metro Times, Michigan, 21 May 2008.
http://www.metrotimes.com/editorial/story.asp?id=12902
USDA to tighten cow slaughter rules. The government plans to close a loophole in meat inspection rules that led to the record recall of 143 million pounds of ground beef this year, Agriculture Secretary Edward T. Schafer said Tuesday. Baltimore Sun, Maryland, 21 May 2008.
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-usda21-2008may21,0,3633332.story