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.
Sign the Consensus Statement on Cancer and the Environment. Members of the Collaborative on Health and the Environment (CHE, of which CHE-WA is a regional group) are invited to voice support for a stronger, science-based cancer prevention agenda by signing the Consensus Statement on Cancer and the Environment. The statement is being presented on January 27, 2009, to the President's Cancer Panel, which reports directly to the President of the United States on the development and execution of the activities of the National Cancer Program.
http://www.healthandenvironment.org/cancersignon
Thursday November 20, 2008
1:00 p.m. Eastern time, 10:00 a.m. Pacific time
Sponsor: Collaborative on Health and the Environment
This call initiates the new CHE Café -- informal conversations on environmental health. This call will feature a free-ranging conversation with the authors of two powerful new books: 1) Nancy A. Nichols, author of Lake Effect: Two Sisters and a Town's Toxic Legacy, described as "provocative" by the Pittsburgh City Paper; and 2) Alice and Philip Shabecoff, authors of Poisoned Profits: The Toxic Assault on Our Children, which Science News called a "powerful investigative work." There's no need to RSVP for a CHE Café call -- you can drop in any time. Questions can be submitted either to the email address below or to the call blog, available on the website.
Price: free
Website: http://www.healthandenvironment.org/articles /che-events/4697
Contact: shelby@healthandenvironment.org
Thursday November 20, 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
Join Linda Nash, PhD, associate professor at the Department of History in Environmental, American West, and United States Twentieth Century history for this lecture on environmental and cultural history. Continuing education credits are available.
Price: unknown
Website: http://depts.washington.edu/envh580/
Contact: Sarah Fischer, fischs@u.washington.edu
Thursday November 20, 2008
7:00 - 9:00 p.m.
Seattle, Washington
at Antioch University Seattle, Room 100
Sponsor: Antioch University Seattle Center for Creative Change
Water 1st's mission is to serve families in the poorest communities in the world as they implement community-managed projects that integrate water supply, sanitation and health education. The lack of access to safe drinking water and sanitary latrines is the top public-health problem in the world and the number-one killer of children in the world. Lack of access to clean water has a devastating effect on women and girls who are traditionally responsible for water collection. Marla Smith-Nilsen, executive director of Water 1st International and co-founder of Water Partners International, will speak.
Price: free
Website: http://www.antiochseattle.edu/events/index.html
Thursday and Friday, November 20 - 21, 2008
9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Seattle, Washington
at the Entrix Inc. Conference Room, 200 First Avenue W, Suite 500
Sponsor: The Northwest Environmental Training Center
There is a growing trend of governmental agencies and nonprofit organizations issuing triple bottom line reports. Accountability for environmental, social and economic impacts of a company is increasingly becoming a part of every manager or governmental official's job. However, there is much uncertainty and inconsistency in the field. Triple bottom line reporting is emerging as an important and necessary part of an organization's disclosure. Two main issues addressed are 1) what a triple bottom line report is and 2) the areas addressed in a triple bottom line report. The first issue involves establishing an understanding of the triple bottom line and a structure for accountability. The second issue deals with identifying boundaries, a methodology for reporting and development of an understanding of the issues around subject areas in reporting. Continuing education credits are available.
Price: $320 business rate, $275 government rate, $220 for Native American tribes, students and employees of nonprofits
Website: http://www.nwetc.org/sust-404_11-08_seattle.htm
Contact: Northwest Environmental Training Center, 206-762-1976 or info@nwetc.org
Emissions
Wednesday December 3, 2008
7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Portland, Oregon
at the Doubletree Lloyd Center, 1000 NE Multnomah
Sponsor: Oregon Environmental Council and others listed on the website
The workshop will cover a wide range of current and upcoming issues pertinent those who work in the transportation field, including pending climate change and transportation legislation in Salem, Olympia and Washington, DC, and how these changes could impact the work of transportation professionals. The workshop will also discuss what tools can be used to measure or estimate greenhouse-gas emissions from transportation projects and which strategies can make the most cost-effective dent in these emissions. American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) Certification Maintenance credits will be available. Lunch will be provided. Please RSVP before November 19th.
Price: $75
Website: http://www.oeconline.org/our-work/climate/transportation/cutting-carbs-a-workshop-for-transportation
Contact: Oregon Environmental Council, 503-222-1963 or info@oeconline.org
Wednesday and Thursday, December 3 - 4, 2008
8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Seattle, Washington
at NWETC Headquarters, 650 South Orcas Street, Suite 220
Sponsor: Northwest Environmental Training Center
This course provides an overview of the vapor intrusion exposure pathway including its scientific foundation, regulatory framework, and the technical aspects of investigating and remediating contaminated vapor sites. The class will cover topics such as: screening sites for potential vapor intrusion concerns, conducting field investigations, sampling techniques, data analyses, exposure point calculations, the Johnson and Ettinger predictive model, vapor intrusion risk assessment, vapor intrusion mitigation, and remediation. Participants will work through practical problems and typical site scenarios based on case studies of established vapor intrusion sites. This course provides a comprehensive introduction for those new to the field, and will also provide insights, data analysis techniques, and the latest research for more advanced participants.
Price: $495 or $395 for Native American tribes; government employees; nonprofits; students; and NAEP, NEBC, NWAEP members
Website: http://nwetc.org/vaqm-401_12-08_seattle.htm
Contact: 206-762-1976 info@nwetc.org
Tuesday December 9, 2008
1:00 p.m. Eastern time, 10:00 a.m. Pacific time
Sponsor: Collaborative on Health and the Environment
Do the people who grow and harvest America's food -- and the many others exposed to harmful substances used in agriculture -- face a special risk of cancer? Overall cancer incidence and mortality rates are low among farmers relative to the general population, but studies of farming populations routinely reveal elevated risk for several specific types of cancer. Some farm workers face disproportionate exposure levels to various chemicals. While a variety of substances either created by or used in agriculture may increase cancer risk -- including solvents, fuels, nitrates in fertilizers, and engine exhaust -- the bulk of research to date has focused on pesticides. Farmers and farm workers are not the only ones exposed to these substances. Join us for a call featuring speakers from the recent President's Cancer Panel hearing on agriculture and cancer: Dr. Tyrone Hayes, Heather Logan and Dr. Marion Moses.
Price: free
Website: http://www.healthandenvironment.org/partnership_calls/4715
Tuesday December 9, 2008
2:00 - 3:00 p.m. Eastern time
Sponsor: The Environmental Health Initiative of the American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, the John Merck Fund
There are 12 pediatric environmental health specialty units (PEHSUs) in the US, Canada and Mexico. In the US, there is one unit in each of the 10 regions of the country designated by the US EPA. The goals of the units are to disseminate information about children's health and the environment and to consult with those who have questions about known or suspected environmental impacts on the health of individual children or a group of children. This teleconference will describe the PEHSUs in detail and will focus on case presentations involving concerns about 1) neurotoxicants, 2) specific cases involving individuals with intellectual or other developmental disabilities, and 3) community-level partnerships.
Price: free
Website: http://www.ehinitiative.org/Projects/tele_con.htm
Contact: Laura Abulafia, Laura@aaidd.org
Thursday December 11, 2008
2:00 - 5:00 p.m.
Seattle, Washington
at the University of Washington, Hogness Auditorium
Sponsor: Harborview Injury Prevention and Research Center, the University of Washington Department of Global Health
After three years of international research and collaboration, the World Health Organization and UNICEF will release the World Report on Child Injury Prevention in December 2008. This landmark report, edited by an international group of experts, including Dr. Fred Rivara of the University of Washington, focuses on preventing child injuries and deaths caused by burns, drowning, road traffic crashes, falls and poisoning in low-and middle-income countries. Worldwide, injury is a leading cause of death for children. This forum will provide an overview of children's injuries worldwide, and discuss new strategies for action. Featured speakers will include international injury experts from Bangladesh, Ghana, Mexico and the US, joined by representatives from the World Health Organization, and UNICEF.
Price: free, but advance registration is required
Contact: Hyun Rae, 206-744-9430 or hiprc2@u.washington.edu
Wednesday December 17, 2008
8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Lacey, Washington
at the Lacey Community Center, 6729 Pacific Avenue SE
Sponsor: Northwest Environmental Training Center
The objective of this one-day workshop is to introduce environmental consultants; federal, state and local government staff; and members of the general public to Washington's Model Toxics Control Act (WAC 173-340). This workshop will provide an overview of the MTCA administrative requirements and the associated cleanup standards. Participants will also learn the MTCA remedy-selection process and public involvement requirements. Both instructors have a deep and thorough understanding of MTCA and will set aside time to answer questions at the end of each topic.
Price: $250, $195 for Native American tribes; nonprofits; government; students; teachers; and NAEP, NWAEP, and NEBC members
Website: http://www.nwetc.org/wapol-401_12-08_lacey.htm
Contact: info@nwetc.org
Online Calendar. Upcoming events extending more than one month in the future are listed in a searchable calendar: http://www.chenw.org/cgi-bin/searchevents.cgi
Most of the articles below come from Environmental Health News, http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/
Special journal issue on children's health and the environment. This special issue of the International Journal of Environmental Health is devoted to children's environmental health. Fifteen articles discuss a range of health issues including particulate pollution, smoking, dioxin and mercury, plus collaborations and intervention programs.
http://www.inderscience.com/browse/index.php?journalID=142&year=2008&vol=2&issue=3/4
Children's Environmental Health 2008 Highlights. This report from the US Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Children's Health Protection and Environmental Education highlights the Agency's recent work on protecting the health of children by addressing the environments where they live, learn and play.
https://ncsl.org/programs/environ/envHealth/EPAehreport2008.htm
EU, China and US in toy safety accord. Officials from China, the US and the European Union on Monday agreed to work towards synchronising safety standards for children's toys in the first trilateral summit on product safety. London Financial Times, United Kingdom, 18 November 2008.
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/23979da0-b4d7-11dd-b780-0000779fd18c.html?nclick_check=1
[Editor's note: Read a related article about revisions to an EU toy safety directive: http://www.neurope.eu/articles/90496.php ]
Future hazy for cleaner school buses. The nation's aging fleet of half a million school buses spews out tons of soot and carcinogens. But while pollution-fighting technologies are available, school budgets are plummeting, so fledgling efforts to clean the buses up may stall. Environmental Health News, 18 November 2008.
http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/ehs/news/future-hazy-for-cleaner-school-buses
Smoking, drinking linked to throat, stomach cancer. Drinking alcohol and smoking cigarettes appear to increase the risk of certain common throat and stomach cancers, Dutch researchers reported on Monday. Reuters Health, 18 November 2008.
http://www.reutershealth.com/archive/2008/11/17/eline/links/20081117elin011.html
Living near heavy traffic increases chances of miscarriage and newborn death. Women living in areas with heavy traffic flow are 1.5 times more likely to lose their babies during late gestation or have their newborns die compared to those who live in areas with less traffic, according to a Brazilian study. Environmental Health News, 18 November 2008.
http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/ehs/newscience/living-near-heavy-traffic-increases-the-chance-of-miscarriage-and-newborn-death/
Panel finds widespread Gulf War illness. At least one in four U.S. veterans of the 1991 Gulf War suffers from a multisymptom illness caused by exposure to toxic chemicals during the conflict, a congressionally mandated report being released Monday found. Cox News Service, 17 November 2008.
http://news.mywebpal.com/partners/680/public/news936004.html
Study bolsters link between Parkinson's disease, pesticide. For years, researchers have suspected commercial pesticides put people at risk for Parkinson's disease. Now evidence in the San Joaquin Valley suggests it's true. Fresno Bee, California, 17 November 2008.
http://www.fresnobee.com/local/story/1016795.html
The ongoing debate over fluoridation. Controversy has dogged fluoridation ever since scientists determined in the 1930s that tiny amounts of the naturally occurring mineral added to water can guard against tooth decay. Wall Street Journal, 17 November 2008.
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=250693&src=120
Manufacturing uncertainty. With names like the Center for Consumer Freedom, Foundation for Clean Air Progress, International Society for Regulatory Toxicology & Pharmacology, and Council on Water Quality, you might think these groups are out to protect public health and the environment. Think again. Chemical & Engineering News, 17 November 2008.
http://pubs.acs.org/cen/books/86/8646books.html
BPA leaches from 'safe' products. Products marketed for infants or billed as "microwave safe" release toxic doses of the chemical bisphenol A when heated, an analysis by the Journal Sentinel has found. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Wisconsin, 16 November 2008.
http://www.jsonline.com/watchdog/watchdogreports/34532034.html
[Editor's note: A companion article describes how the tests were conducted: http://www.jsonline.com/watchdog/watchdogreports/34532039.html , a related article discusses BPA's effects on reproduction: http://www.forbes.com/forbeslife/health/feeds/hscout/2008/11/13/hscout621313.html , and an article discusses responses from state and federal lawmakers: http://www.jsonline.com/watchdog/watchdogreports/34623239.html ]
Diabetes link to germ-free environment. Work funded by the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation in the US backs the theory that the Western world's germ-free environment is leading to increased rates of some diseases. Sydney Morning Herald, Australia, 16 November 2008.
http://www.smh.com.au/news/lifeandstyle/health/diabetes-link-to-germfree-environment/2008/11/15/1226318995787.html
No proof of cancer link, but don't talk too long. It is not scientifically proven that radiation from the use of cellular phones can lead to the growth of brain tumors. However, there is one piece of advice -- don't talk too long on the phone. Daily Express, Malaysia, 16 November 2008.
http://www.dailyexpress.com.my/news.cfm?NewsID=60916
Portland's low-income neighborhoods are city's 'food deserts.' Where we live determines where we buy food, which influences what we eat, factors into whether we're fat and can seal whether, someday, we get diabetes or have a heart attack. Portland Oregonian, Oregon, 16 November 2008.
http://www.oregonlive.com/health/index.ssf/2008/11/living_in_a_food_desert.html
Practical prevention: moderate your dietary intake of acrylamide. The baking, grilling or frying of starchy foods can create a harmful substance called acrylamide. Kitsap Sun, Washington, 16 November 2008.
http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2008/nov/16/practical-prevention-moderate-your-dietary-of/
Traffic pollution hurts kids with asthma. Traffic pollution, especially in cities, adversely affects respiratory health in children with asthma, a team of researchers in Mexico said. United Press International, 15 November 2008.
http://www.upi.com/Health_News/2008/11/14/Traffic_pollution_hurts_kids_with_asthma/UPI-30901226717239/
[Editor's note: Read a related article about the effects of seasonal haze on health: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Delhi/Haze_could_lead_to_asthma_attacks_allergic_reactions/articleshow/3714788.cms ]
Bring kids for lead tests, health officials urge. Seven of the first 41 kids tested by the public health department have enough lead in their blood to cause permanent developmental damage. Hamilton Spectator, Ontario, Canada, 15 November 2008.
http://www.thespec.com/News/Local/article/466935
Seminar searches for cancer links. It's one of those thorny issues that keeps cropping up among scientists, health-advocacy groups and the public: do the myriad pesticides that farmers use to grow our food cause cancer? Canadian Press, 15 November 2008.
http://timestranscript.canadaeast.com/lifetimes/article/480669
Buried secrets: Is natural gas drilling endangering US water supplies? Over the last few years, a series of contamination incidents have ignited a debate over whether the chemicals used in hydraulic fracturing may threaten the nation's increasingly precious drinking water supply. ProPublica, 14 November 2008.
http://www.propublica.org/feature/buried-secrets-is-natural-gas-drilling-endangering-us-water-supplies-1113/#When:13:00:00Z
U.S. undercuts clean-air rule. Last month, the US EPA approved a tough new rule aimed at clearing the nation's air of lead, to help fight childhood lead poisoning. But the Bush administration quietly weakened a key monitoring provision at the last minute, federal documents show. Chicago Tribune, Illinois, 14 November 2008.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/features/lifestyle/health/chi-lead-14nov14,0,4744216.story
Why eating GM food could lower your fertility. A long-term feeding trial commissioned by the Austrian government found mice fed on GM corn or maize had fewer offspring and lower birth rates. The results have triggered Greenpeace to call for a recall of all GM food crops currently on the market worldwide. London Daily Mail, United Kingdom, 13 November 2008.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1085060/Why-eating-GM-food-lower-fertility.html
Red flag raised on vitamin A in cod liver oil. A group of prominent vitamin D researchers has issued a commentary that cautions against consuming large amounts of the supplement because it may lead to excessive exposure to vitamin A. Toronto Globe and Mail, Ontario, Canada, 13 November 2008.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20081113.LCOD13/TPStory/?query=Martin%20Mittelstaedt
What is nanotechnology and do we put the world at risk by adopting it? The Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution has just published a report on novel materials and has looked at the case of nanotechnology, which describes the science of the very small. London Independent, United Kingdom, 13 November 2008.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/the-big-question-what-is-nanotechnology-and-do-we-put-the-world-at-risk-by-adopting-it-1015518.html
[Editor's note: See a related article about nanoparticles in beauty creams: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1083102/The-beauty-creams-nanoparticles-poison-body.html ]
Public, loggers urged to avoid trees treated with pine-beetle pesticide. The B.C. forests ministry has produced a map of thousands of trees that the public and loggers are urged to avoid due to arsenic residue from the application of a pine-beetle pesticide no longer used in Canada. Vancouver Sun, British Columbia, Canada, 13 November 2008.
http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/story.html?id=b9332bbb-1b27-46c1-89a5-026f1378af63
Enviro health scientists, chemists join forces to promote safe chemicals. Leaders in environmental health and green chemistry met at University of California, Irvine, to draft a consensus statement designed to offer advice and overcome obstacles to creating new industrial compounds that won't endanger public health or the environment. Environmental Health News, 12 November 2008.
http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/ehs/news/enviro-scientists-chemists-join-forces-to-promote-safe-chemicals
Poverty may aggravate asthma. Lack of money may literally alter genes related to asthma, according to Canadian researchers. HealthDay News, 12 November 2008.
http://www.healthday.com/Article.asp?AID=621161
Smoking ban tied to a gain in lives. Nearly 600 fewer Massachusetts residents have died from heart attacks each year since legislators banned smoking in virtually all restaurants, bars, and other workplaces four years ago, some of the strongest evidence yet that such laws save lives, a new report finds. Boston Globe, Massachusetts, 12 November 2008.
http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2008/11/12/smoking_ban_tied_to_a_gain_in_lives/
[Editor's note: Read an article showing a correlation between smoking and malnourished children: http://www.healthday.com/Article.asp?AID=620897 ]
Toys, kid stuff may contain banned chemicals. Buyer beware: toys made with plastic chemicals [phthalates] banned this summer by the government will be plentiful this holiday season. Rochester WHAM TV, New York, 11 November 2008.
http://www.13wham.com/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=43e149ae-63e6-4f6f-aee8-e7042e486515
[Editor's note: Read a related article about vendors' efforts to relax restrictions on lead in products: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122696993087535701.html ]
Lead fragments in venison raise health concerns. A new message is going out to venison eaters this year: Fragments from lead bullets have been found in processed venison. Hunters are also being advised to use nonlead ammunition such as copper. Madison Capital Times, Wisconsin, 12 November 2008.
http://www.madison.com/tct/news/stories/313891
[Editor's note: See a related article about North Dakota's safety recommendations: http://www.kfyrtv.com/News_Stories.asp?news=23908 ]
Radon second as cause of lung cancer. In honor of national Lung Cancer Awareness Month, which takes place each November, the Illinois Emergency Management Agency is seeking to bring to light the lung cancer dangers associated with radon gas. Decatur Herald & Review, Illinois, 12 November 2008.
http://www.herald-review.com/articles/2008/11/12/life/features/1036951.txt
Greener neighborhoods better for kids' waistlines. Children living in city neighborhoods with higher "greenness" ratings seem to gain less weight over time than their counterparts living in areas with less green space, a new study suggests. Reuters, 11 November 2008.
http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSTRE4AA6DB20081111
Fields safe: parks report. Delta's four artificial turf playing fields may contain some lead but they're still safe, assure municipal officials. Surrey Now, British Columbia, 11 November 2008.
http://www.canada.com/surreynow/news/story.html?id=c9e41fb6-0ee9-4fdc-b46f-4a6613291cbc
South Seattle has 'poor air quality.' A study that seemed buried or lost showed up on the Internet and confirmed what people have thought for a long time -South Seattle had an air pollution problem. West Seattle Herald, Washington, 11 November 2008.
http://www.westseattleherald.com/articles/2008/11/10/news/local_news/news02.txt
Agent Orange exposure linked to doubled risk of prostate cancer. A study of Vietnam War era veterans shows that exposure to Agent Orange is associated with a significantly increased risk of prostate cancer, earlier disease onset, and more aggressive features. Reuters, 10 November 2008.
http://www.asco.org/ASCO/News/Cancer+News?&reuterview=detail_view&reutersid=11800
Study finds increased use of medical imaging, raising costs and health concerns. A dramatic rise in the use of the medical imaging tools like CT scans are increasing health care costs and patients' exposure to radiation, according to a new study. San Jose Mercury News, California. 10 November 2008.
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_10928755
Comparing apples to organic apples. The unfortunate truth is that, from a hard-nosed science point of view, it's still unclear how much better, if at all, organic food is for human health. Boston Globe, Massachusetts, 10 November 2008.
http://www.boston.com/news/science/articles/2008/11/10/comparing_apples_to_organic_apples/?page=full
Prescription drugs can deliver high doses of phthalates. For millions of people, medicines are a little-known, major source of the compounds, which are linked to reproductive abnormalities. Scientists warn "of the potential for high delivered doses of phthalates to vulnerable segments of the population, particularly pregnant women or young children." Environmental Health News, 10 November 2008.
http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/ehs/news/prescription-drugs-can-deliver-high-doses-of-phthalates
The disappearing male. The last few decades have seen steady and dramatic increases in the incidence of boys and young men suffering from genital deformities, low sperm count, sperm abnormalities and testicular cancer. CBC Canada, Canada, 9 November 2008.
http://www.cbc.ca/documentaries/doczone/2008/disappearingmale/
Pregnancy has room for a little wine or beer, new studies show, but caffeine is a growing concern. The largest and most rigorous studies on low levels of alcohol or caffeine to date may once again shift the advice given to pregnant women. Los Angeles Times, California, 9 November 2008.
http://www.latimes.com/features/health/la-he-closer10-2008nov10,0,2157022.story
Breastfeeding beneficial despite presence of pollutants in human milk. Mothers reluctant to breastfeed their infants following the threat of the exposure to chemical agents measured in human milk might be putting their kids at a greater health risk, say researchers. Asian News International, South Asia, 9 November 2008.
http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/lifestyle/breastfeeding-beneficial-despite-presence-of-pollutants-in-human-milk_100116779.html
Pollution can be deadly, panel says. Air pollution is killing people in Utah and elsewhere around the world, according to panelists who spoke Friday at the University of Utah's medical school. Salt Lake Deseret Morning News, Utah, 8 November 2008.
http://deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,705261591,00.html
Nasty formaldehyde. Formaldehyde. The word instantly conjures up the pungent smell of high school biology labs ringed with jars of pickled pig fetuses awaiting dissection. Turns out that formaldehyde does more than just help preserve lab samples. And some of what it does isn't nice. Ottawa Citizen, Ontario, 8 November 2008.
http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/homes/story.html?id=df9f94c3-164d-4938-a8af-42fbd13fec2d
Biosolids battle. Some Virginia farmers use the materials left over after human waste is treated to fertilize fields. Richmond CBS 6 - WTVR, Virginia, 8 November 2008.
http://www.wtvr.com/Global/story.asp?S=9313538
Low-VOC paints help you and yours breathe easier. One of the big moves toward more environmentally friendly products has been in the paint and finishes industry: green paints, varnishes and paint strippers that are excellent, cost-effective and less harmful to human and environmental health. Detroit News, Michigan, 8 November 2008.
http://detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081108/OPINION03/811080305/1038/LIFESTYLE01
Shifting Seas Part 5: The challenge facing consumers. Mislabeling raises issues of public health, consumer fraud, and environmental sustainability. And the increasing globalization of seafood makes it all the more difficult for consumers to know what they're getting. Vancouver Sun, British Columbia, 7 November 2008.
http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/story.html?id=fc7c1f9c-f6a5-4891-9ff1-0a85317c1cad
Life near a city park can be as healthy as out in the country. Access to green spaces has an independently beneficial impact on health and health-related behaviour which counteracts the effects of poverty and inner-city deprivation, the research by scientists found. London Independent, United Kingdom, 7 November 2008.
http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-wellbeing/health-news/life-near-a-city-park-can-be-as-healthy-as-out-in-the-country-998212.html
Society spells out environmental links to cancer in online handbook. The Canadian Cancer Society has launched an online handbook that details the environmental substances known to or suspected of causing cancer and what people can do to limit their exposure. Canadian Press, 7 November 2008.
http://www.wellandtribune.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1286150
In a unique study, researchers show that exposure to PCBs in rats interferes with learning by stopping the brain from forming complex nerve networks essential for memory and intellect. This effect could underpin some of the impacts that PCBs have on children's ability to learn, 7 November 2008.
http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/ehs/newscience/pcb-exposure-may-affect-nerve-development-and-the-ability-to-learn/
EPA targets Columbia's 4 key pollutants. Ridding toxic pollution from the Columbia River will start by targeting four pollutants that permeate the great river of the West [PCBs, the pesticide DDT, mercury, and PBDEs], according to a river-pollution report by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Clark Columbian, Washington, 7 November 2008.
http://www.columbian.com/article/20081106/NEWS02/711079954
Researchers raise alarm after chemical leak found in common plastic. Medical researchers at the University of Alberta say that two chemicals [quaternary ammonium biocides and oleamide] leaking from plastic laboratory equipment were so biologically active they ruined a drug experiment. Toronto Globe and Mail, Ontario, 7 November 2008.
http://www.ewg.org/node/27344
Obama expected to bolster FDA oversight. The Food and Drug Administration, bedeviled by a salmonella outbreak and tainted medicine from China, is likely to monitor imports and fresh produce more closely under an Obama administration. Associated Press, 7 November 2008.
http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/nation/11/07/1107fda.html
New assessment highlights effective mercury-free alternatives. There are alternatives to mercury, according to a just-released preliminary assessment of the uses of elemental mercury in a number of products. The Environmental Protection Agency has concluded that switches, relays, button cell batteries, non-fever thermometers, and measuring devices, such as thermostats, don’t have to contain mercury. US Environmental Protection Agency, 6 November 2008.
http://yosemite.epa.gov/opa/admpress.nsf/0/ADFFF48F0EDEC134852574F900649BE5
Threat from infectious diseases growing. Globalization, increased drug resistance, and climate change are among the factors contributing to the growing threat from infectious diseases, according to a report. HealthDay News, 5 November 2008.
http://www.healthday.com/Article.asp?AID=620740
Epigenetics and the embodiment of race: Developmental origins of US racial disparities in cardiovascular health. The relative contribution of genetic and environmental influences to the US black-white disparity in cardiovascular disease (CVD) is hotly debated within the public health, anthropology, and medical communities. American Journal of Human Biology, 16 October 2008.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18925573
Environmental health and developmental disabilities: A life span approach. Prenatal and childhood environmental exposures are an underrecognized primary cause of intellectual and other developmental disabilities. Family & Community Health, October/December 2008.
http://www.nursingcenter.com/library/JournalArticle.asp?Article_ID=814366