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email: info@safer-world.org web: www.safer-world.org
SAFER WORLD is a private independent international internet-network for a safer
environment.
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CHEMICALS - BODY BURDEN REPORT
March 5, 2003: Francisco: Body Burden The New Frontier In
Environmental Health is Chemicals In Our Bodies
San Francisco, CA -- In late January, Michael Lerner and his wife, Sharyle Patton, stood
before a battery of television cameras at the San Francisco Medical Society office and did
what most Americans would find unthinkable: They revealed some of their most intimate
health problems. They also wondered if chemicals in the environment were partly to blame.
"My family considers itself a healthy family," said Michael Lerner, the founder
of Commonweal, a non-profit that works with families with cancer and disabilities.
"But I wonder how many other American families are experiencing learning
disabilities, cancer, asthma, Parkinson's disease, autism, immune disorders, birth defects
and so forth?
"Of the 167 chemicals we found, 76 cause cancers in humans or animals..."
"Every disease that I've mentioned there is either data that demonstrates or
data that suggests that environmental factors may be contributing to the increase, and
chemical exposures may be part of that picture," he said. "There
is an epidemic of breast cancer and there is an epidemic of many chronic diseases in this
country and the question is, what is the contribution of this body burden that we are all
bearing?"
Click on the link http://www.ewg.org/reports/bodyburden/
to read more about the Body Burden report. You can read the CDC's report by clicking on
the link http://www.cdc.gov/exposurereport/.
You can also read Dr. John Peterson Myers' article "From Silent Spring to Scientific
Revolution" at Our Stolen Future. http://www.ourstolenfuture.org/Commentary/JPM/2002-1115scirevolution.htm
=================================================
CHEMICALS - EU - POLITIC
03. Apr 2003: Europe's new chemicals plans requires market authorzation
BRUSSELS, Belgium, April 1, 2003 (ENS) - European Commission proposals for the
central feature of a revised EU chemicals policy - a strict market
authorization procedure for chemicals of very high concern - will include persistent and
bioaccumulative substances, Environment Commissioner Margot
Wallstrom said Monday.
For full text and graphics visit: http://ens-news.com/ens/apr2003/2003-04-01-03.asp
=================================================
CHEMICALS - ACRYLAMIDE - POLITIC
From BfR (Germany): 2003-04-16
Acrylamide in foods: Initial successes but no breakthrough
After one year BfR takes stock from the angle of risk assessment
Initial successes have been achieved but the all clear cannot yet be given - this is how
the BfR risk assessors see the acrylamide situation one year after the Swedish National
Food Administration (NFA) drew attention to what were, in some cases, high levels of
acrylamide in foods. The question of analysis has largely been settled; the Federal
Institute for Risk Assessment is currently making its experiences available on the
European level. In some areas acrylamide levels could be reduced. All the same,
significant, lasting trends cannot yet be identified from the data made available by the
Federal Office for Consumer Protection and Food Safety. It became clear very early on that
major efforts would be necessary by industry, scientific circles and public authorities
but also by consumers in order to minimize the consumer risk from acrylamide in foods
given the complex nature and scale of the problem. Nevertheless, from the angle of risk
assessment, a greater degree of success would have been desirable. The call for a further
major reduction in acrylamide levels in foods is, therefore, fully upheld.
The Federal Institute for Risk Assessment continues to classify the occurrence of
acrylamide in foods as a serious health risk for man. It can be assumed that the substance
can also trigger cancer in man and damage the genotype. The message of a new study from
Sweden published at the beginning of the year in the British Journal of Cancer, which was
unable to detect any link between the uptake of acrylamide and an increase in specific
tumour rates, is not sufficient in the opinion of BfR to sound the all clear. Given the
"toxicity" of the substance, its occurrence in many foods and, by extension, the
exposure to it, leads to a comparatively high health risk for consumers. The fact that
human beings may have taken up large amounts of acrylamide from foods for a very long time
does not reduce the importance of the problem but, in the opinion of the Institute, rather
underpins the need for a rapid solution. The Institute, therefore, repeats its call for
the levels of acrylamide in foods to be reduced as far and as quickly as possible.
One positive factor is that in the last twelve months the main mechanisms have been
identified which contribute to the formation of acrylamide. This offers ways of bringing
about a reduction in exposure, e.g. through technological changes. For instance,
minimisation successes have been reported from Baden-Württemberg when making chips in
restaurants. With the help of a colour chart made available to them, the restaurants can
influence the degree of browning and thus reduce the acrylamide levels. Individual
producers also report on successful minimization measures.
One constraint on success is that the potatoes themselves are "suppliers" of
acrylamide. Choice of potato variety and changes in storage conditions can influence the
contents in the final product but not avoid them all together.
Another problem area is the private household. A random survey by the Federal Institute
for Risk Assessment involving more than 1,000 average 16-year-olds in Berlin revealed that
more than 20 % of the average daily uptake of acrylamide came from fried potatoes (7 %)
and toast (15 %). The flyer "Acrylamide - How to protect yourself and your
family" contains tips on how to reduce the formation of acrylamide in the home. It is
published jointly by the Ministry for Consumer Affairs and the aid infodienst, Bonn. It is
very difficult to assess the extent to which information and awareness campaigns about the
problem really reach consumers and encourage them to change their habits. Both in industry
and in private homes, further considerable efforts will be required in order to minimize
the risk to consumers from foods.
=================================================
CHEMICAL - ARSENIC
Apr 10, 2003: Arsenic Link to Cancer Explained
(HealthScoutNews) -- Small amounts of arsenic in drinking water may be enough to
cause genetic damage that might be linked to cancer. That's the claim of a Dartmouth
Medical School study in the April issue of the International Journal of Cancer.
The researchers found exposure to small quantities of arsenic in drinking water may
inhibit expression of genes that let cells repair damaged DNA. This DNA repair is a major
biological defense the body uses to fight cancer.
This is the first study to find reduced expression of DNA repair genes in cells taken from
people exposed to arsenic through their surroundings.
The study included people exposed to arsenic through their well water. People in many
areas of the world consume small amounts of arsenic every day in their drinking water.
This exposure to arsenic has been linked to several forms of cancer.
The researchers found an association between arsenic exposure and the expression of
certain DNA repair genes. People exposed to higher levels of arsenic had several
significant DNA repair genes that were expressed at lower levels than in people not
exposed to arsenic.
The genes affected in the people exposed to arsenic are genes involved in nucleotide
excision repair. These genes normally code for proteins that unwind DNA, cut out damaged
DNA parts, seal the repaired DNA back together, and help determine which cells can't be
repaired and must die. ... http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&cid=97&ncid=751&e=6&u=/hsn/20030410/hl_hsn/arsenic_link_to_cancer_explained
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CHEMICALS - BIOCIDE - POLITIC - GERMANY
2003-04-04: Environmental and consumer protection cannot wait until the
Biocide Act becomes effective for wood preservatives
UBA and BfR call for transitional regulations for wood preservatives
Joint press release of the Federal Environmental Agency and the Federal Institute
for Risk Assessment
The Biocide Act came into force in Germany just over a year ago. Since then, wood
preservatives containing new active substances, must go through a marketing authorisation
procedure. This involves their being examined for user safety, efficacy and environmental
compatibility. However, most wood preservatives were already on the market before the Act
came into force. They had not been subject to any uniform marketing authorisation
procedure and may, therefore, constitute a potential risk to consumers and the
environment. The active substances in these "existing products" are currently
going through a so-called "review programme" in the European Union in which
their safety for users, consumers and the environment is being studied. Given the large
number of products the programme for wood preservatives will probably be completed at the
earliest in four to five years time, perhaps even much later. Representatives of the
Federal Environmental Agency (UBA) and the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) are
of the opinion that consumer and environmental protection cannot wait that long. They are
calling for transitional regulations which envisage a notification obligation for these
products and thus offer precautionary protection from risks.
Various types of product, including wood preservatives and pesticides, come under the
Biocide Act which is based on the European Biocide Directive dating back to 1998. The term
"biocide" comes from the Greek word "bios - life" and the Latin
"caedere - to kill". If they did not contain toxic substances, biocides would
have no effect. Since they contain toxins, they can - at high doses or when used
incorrectly - constitute a danger for living organisms and, by extension, for users, too.
In Germany, health impairments and environmental damage have repeatedly been reported
after the use of wood preservatives. Already the predecessor institutions to the BfR, the
Federal Health Office (BGA) and the Federal Institute for Health Protection of Consumers
and Veterinary Medicine (BgVV) had indicated their support for statutory provisions for
all biocide products.
Today, the German wood preservative market offers a confusing array of products for
consumers, which may differ dramatically when it comes to user safety. They include:
1. Wood preservatives,
which have gone through a marketing authorisation procedure at the German Institute for
Constructional Engineering (DlBt) and are envisaged for use in the sector which comes
under building inspection;
which carry the RAL quality seal and labelling or
which are registered with UBA as so-called "blue-stain preservatives".
These wood preservatives have been tested. They can be deemed to be efficacious and safe
when used properly in line with the instructions according to the current level of
knowledge. However, they have not been approved pursuant to the Biocide Act.
2. Wood preservatives which have no UBA registration number and do not carry a DlBt or RAL
label. These products have not been tested. They may contain active substances which
inflict permanent damage on the health of consumers or the environment.
As yet, there are no wood preservatives containing new active substances, which have gone
through a marketing authorisation procedure pursuant to the Biocide Act, on the market.
Products of that kind would have been officially "tested" and "safe"
when used properly in line with the instructions.
A voluntary undertaking by industry from 1997 aiming to improve consumer and environmental
protection for the last-mentioned product category, must be deemed to have failed when it
comes to products intended for consumers. The retail trade and, more particularly, DIY
markets had not joined this undertaking despite repeatedly being called on to so do.
This means that when consumers buy a wood preservative they cannot rely on the product for
sale (even when used correctly) being safe. Random samples collected by the Federal
Institute for Risk Assessment have shown that cheap wood preservatives on sale in DIY
markets may carry a major risk potential for users. The fact that they bear no special
labelling is unacceptable from the angle of consumer protection. This is all the more the
case as the "lack of labelling" could (wrongly) suggest the opposite: i.e. that
they no longer require labelling because they are safe.
Representatives of ministries, federal and regional authorities, associations, industry,
organisations concerned came together at UBA on 31 March 2003 in order to discuss how this
worrying gap could be effectively closed until such time as all wood preservatives meet
the requirements of the Biocide Act.
The experts agreed that it is not promising to rely once again on a voluntary undertaking
by industry since the retail trade is not likely to participate in future either. The
overall consensus was that those present agreed with the two public authorities (UBA and
BfR), which had extended the invitation to the meeting, that a compulsory notification
procedure would make sense because this was the only way of ensuring environmental and
consumer protection. Detailed proposals on the format and implementation of a procedure of
this kind will be submitted by the Federal Environmental Agency and the Federal Institute
for Risk Assessment to the competent ministries for the environment and consumer
protection. Other proposals made by the participants in the expert discussions will be
examined.
There was agreement that a notification procedure should not replace marketing
authorisation under the Biocide Act and, hence, should not constitute an attempt to
pre-empt the Biocide Directive.
Further information on the subject of wood preservatives can be accessed on the Internet
under the addresses www.bfr.bund.de (Menu "Biocides") and www.umweltbundesamt.de (also in English)
=================================================
CHEMICALS - CONTACT ALLERGIES
2003-03-07 Data collection "Chemicals and Contact Allergies" now online
Joint Press Release of the German Institute of Medical Documentation and Information and
the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment
Many synthetically produced chemicals and ingredients in natural products can cause
allergic contact eczema when they come into contact with the skin. In order to prevent or
treat a contact allergy, knowledge is needed about the sensitising effect of the
substances and preparations and the type of contact involved. The database "Chemicals
and Contact Allergies" provides comprehensive information on this subject: 244
chemical substances were evaluated in respect of their potential to trigger contact
allergies. The database is now freely accessible on the homepage of the Federal Institute
for Risk Assessment (BfR) and through the German Institute of Medical Documentation and
Information (DIMDI). It is intended as a work tool for general practitioners, for science,
public authorities and industry. It aims to help to prevent contact allergies or to reduce
their magnitude.
The data collection is available as a loose-leaf collection entitled "Chemicals and
Contact Allergies - An Evaluative List" in bookstores. It was prepared with the
support of the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Reactor
Safety in cooperation with universities, senior scientific bodies and the chemical
industry in the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (up to 31 October 2002 the Federal
Institute for Health Protection of Consumers and Veterinary Medicine). The 244 chemicals
contained in the database were classified according to the strength of their contact
allergenic potential. 98 substances were classified in category A "major contact
allergens", 77 substances in category B "reasonable suspicion of contact
allergenic effect". Category C encompasses 69 "less important contact
allergens" or those with a "questionable contact allergenic effect".
The database is a factual database in German. It can be accessed free of charge from the
BfR homepage www.bfr.bund.de (menu item
Databases) or through DIMDI www.dimdi.de (Database
Search - Search Access - Free Access). Anyone who prefers the paper form, can obtain the
loose-leaf collection "Chemicals and Contact Allergies - An Evaluative List",
editors Kayser, D. and E. Schlede (2001), from Urban & Vogel publishing house, ISBN
3-86094-163-1, at a cost of € 74.96.
=================================================
CHEMICALS - LEAD
16 April, 2003 'Safe'
lead levels affect IQ
This new research found most of
the damage to intellectual functioning occurred at concentrations below the 10 mcg level.
The IQ scores of children with blood-lead levels of 10 mcg/dl were around 7 points lower
than for children with lead levels of 1 mcg/dl. An increase in blood lead from 10 to 30
mcg/dl was linked to relatively small falls in IQ of 2 to 3 points. ... The research is published in the New England
Journal of Medicine. More at: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/2952421.stm
=================================================
CHEMICALS - PFOA IN TEFLON
31. Mar 2003 PFOA in Teflon Dangerously High in Blood
Government Scientists Find Blood of U.S. Population Is Contaminated At Levels That Could
Cause Harm EWG Concludes That Health Risks Are Even Higher Than Agency Believes
Summary
A draft risk assessment from the U.S. EPA has concluded that PFOA, a critical component of
Teflon production, and a chemical found in scores of consumer products from clothes to
stain repellents, food packaging and cosmetics, presents unacceptably high developmental
and reproductive risks to humans. Based on powerful results from animal reproduction
studies, and a comparison of blood levels in the affected animals with blood levels in
people, EPA scientists conclude that children with the highest measured blood levels of
PFOA have less than one tenth the protection, or less than one tenth the margin of safety,
than the level the agency considers to be safe. In EPA parlance, the “margin of
exposure” for these children is just 7, when it should normally be 100 (EPA pg
51). ...
http://www.ewg.org/policymemo/20021113/20030328.php>http://www.ewg.org/policymemo/20021113/20030328.php
=================================================
CHEMICALS - PERMITHRIN - PARKINSON' DISEASE
25. Mar 2003 Data link insecticide and Parkinson's
NEW ORLEANS, March 24 (UPI) -- Researchers reported Monday the discovery
of a possible link between a common insecticide and the development of Parkinson's
disease.
"We have found fairly low-dose effects of permethrin, an insecticide used by
the military and on food crops" on a brain protein and dopamine uptake levels,
reported Jeffrey Bloomquist, a professor of toxicology and pharmacology at Virginia
Polytechnic Institute in Blacksburg. "These
changes could lead to Parkinson's disease," he told United Press International. ....
URL not more available
or
Pesticide link to Parkinson's
Exposure to some insecticides may cause a cascade of chemical events in
the´brain that could lead to Parkinson's Disease, researchers have found. A
team from Virginia Polytechnic Institute studied levels of key chemicals in the brain of
mice exposed to various levels of the insecticide permethrin.
They found that the insecticide stimulated a reduction in levels of an important
transmitter chemical called dopamine. Parkinson's symptoms such as the muscle rigidity,
shuffling gait, and a rhythmic tremor have been linked to the loss of dopamine production
in the brain.
The researches also found that exposure to permethrin was linked to increased production
of a protein called alpha-synuclein. This protein is a major component of fibrous tangles
called Lewy bodies, which are found in the brain of patients with Parkinson's. Exposure to
low levels of the insecticide seemed to have a more immediate effect than exposure to
higher doses. ... Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/health/2881431.stm, Published: 2003/03/25
=================================================
CHEMICALS - PESTICIDES
Genetic link may tie together pesticides, ADHD, Gulf War syndrome and other disorders
La Jolla, CA - Research at the Salk Institute has identified a gene that may link certain
pesticides and chemical weaponry to a number of neurological disorders, including the
elusive Gulf War syndrome and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
The finding, published in the March 17 online version of Nature Genetics, is the first to
demonstrate a clear genetic link between neurological disorders and exposure to
organophosphate chemicals; the gene is one that scientists had not studied in previous
efforts to find connections between these chemicals and disease. Organophosphates include
household pesticides as well as deadly nerve gases like sarin. ...The Salk Institute for
Biological Studies, located in La Jolla, CA, is an independent nonprofit organization
dedicated to fundamental discoveries in the life sciences, the improvement of human health
and conditions, and the training of future generations of researchers. The institute was
founded in 1960 by Jonas Salk, MD, with a gift of land from the City of San Diego and the
financial support of the March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation. ... Salk Institute, http://www.salk.edu/ http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2003-03/si-glm031703.php
=================================================
CHEMICALS - PESTICIDES - SAFER SCHOOLS
Landmark Report Documents Safer
Schools That Protect Children From Unnecessary Pesticide Exposure
(Washington, DC -April 17, 2003) In a report released today, schools from across
the country document a growing trend to adopt safer practices that dramatically reduce
pesticides in the schools, providing children with a healthier learning environment,
according to the authors. With descriptions of 27 school districts of all sizes from 19
states, the report, Safer Schools: Achieving a Healthy Learning Environment Through
Integrated Pest Management, describes a growing commitment to adopt practices that
respond to mounting evidence that pesticides pose a public health hazard while non-toxic,
economically feasible pest management options are available. Spearheaded by the School
Pesticide Reform Coalition and Beyond Pesticides and written by a broad group of
individuals representing advocacy groups, state agencies, pest control companies, and
school staff, the groups say the report will help encourage schools, states, and the
federal government to put in place safer pest management programs for schools and
communities nationwide.
Safer Schools is the first report of its kind to document the actual strategies
schools use to decrease pesticide use while implementing more effective pest management
strategies. The case studies highlighted represent a range of program sizes from the three
largest school districts in the continental U.S. (New York City Public Schools, Los
Angeles Unified School District, and Chicago Public Schools), to individual schools like
Lewis Cass Technical High School in Detroit, Michigan. ....
IPM is an approach that has been implemented in various communities, schools, and
government facilities for decades. Although there are no federal laws regarding school
pesticide use and pest management, there is pending federal legislation, the School
Environment Protection Act (SEPA), which has been introduced in Congress and adopted
by the U.S. Senate twice. There are also 13 state laws and 320 local policies, according
to Beyond Pesticides' report, Are School Making the Grade, National PTA and
American Public Health Association resolutions, and numerous government and
non-governmental organization resources that focus on the adoption of school IPM programs,
all of which can be found at www.beyondpesticides.org.
Hard copies of the report are available by contacting Beyond Pesticides at 202-543-5450 or
info@beyondpesticides.org. It can also be
downloaded at www.beyondpesticides.org/schools.
=================================================
CONFERENCES
2003 Chemical Injury Conference October 3th – 5th , 2003
Hilton Garden Inn, Fairfax VA
Early Bird Individual rates — Good Only Until April 30th (date of post mark on
payment/registration)
Confirmed Speakers
Rosalind C. Anderson, Ph.D., and Juilus Anderson, M.D., Ph.D., Anderson Laboratories,
Inc.Indoor Air Quality and MCS
Gordon P. Baker, M.D, Private practice in allergy and immunology, Glutathione
& Hyperbaric Oxygen Treatments
Sal LaDuca, Consultant, Electromagnetic Fields
Pamela Gibson, Ph.D., Department of Psychology, James Madison University, Workplace
Accommodations
Kaye H. Kilburn, M.D., University of Southern California and Editor.in Chief of Archives
of Environmentl Health, Mold, Mytotoxins, and Chemical Sensitivity
William J. Meggs, M.D., Ph.D, Dept. of Emergency Medicine, Div. of Toxicology, East
Carolina University School of Medicine Topic Title Pending
William Morton, M.D., Dr. PH, Professor Emeritus Department of Public Health and
Preventive Medicine, Oregon Health Sciences University, Porphyria and MCS,
Martin L. Pall, Ph.D, Professor of Biochernistry and Basic Medical Sciences, Washington
State University, Mechanism for MCS
Wiiliam Rea, M.D., Author and private practice in environmental medicineTopic Title
Pending.
Janet Sherman, M.D.Author and private practice in toxicology Documenting Chemical Injuries
Grace Ziem, M.D., Dr. P.H., Private practice in occupational & environmental medicine,
Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals
CIIN: E-mail chemicalinjury@ciin.org
Web Site: http://www.ciin.org
---
Toxics in the Age of Globalization - The 21st National Pesticide Forum
University of Texas at Austin - Thompson Conference Center
April 25 - 27, 2003
Updated details and registration at www.beyondpesticides.org/forum
The 21st National Pesticide Forum, Toxics in the Age of Globalization, will focus on
adopting alternatives to pesticides, as well as the challenges the pesticide reform
movement faces in a global business, policy and ecology context, with increasing
multinational corporate influence. For more details, please see the attached program or
download at www.beyondpesticides.org/forum.
We have recently added Tom and Lynn Milam to our line-up of speakers. The Milams made
national news in 2000 when Tom was arrested for the attempted murder of his wife Lynn, who
was in the hospital suffering from arsenic poisoning. Then, it was discovered that Tom had
even higher arsenic levels in his body than Lynn. A savy FBI investigator realized that
the pressure treated wood they were using to build their new house was the real culprit.
Meet the Milams and others fighting to ban the commonly used wood preservatives, CCA,
penta and creosote, at the Forum in Austin.
Other featured speakers include: Baldemar Velasquez, founder and president of the Farm
Labor Organizing Committee (FLOC); Derrick Jensen, author of A Language Older Than Words,
and The Culture of Make Believe; Routt Reigart, MD, Professor of Pediatrics at MUSC and
co-editor of EPA's Recognition and Management of Pesticide Poisonings; Percy Schmeiser,
Canadian farmer sued by Monsanto after his crops were contaminated by "Round-Up
Ready" canola; Rashida Bee, Bhopal gas tragedy survivor and president of a women's
group seeking justice for victims of the explosion; Brent Blackwelder, President of
Friends of the Earth; Mary Bottari, Director of Public Citizen/Global Trade Watch's
Harmonization Project; Angus Wright, author of The Death of Ramon Gonzales; Warren Porter,
professor of Zoology at the University of Wisconsin studying low-dose pesticide health
effects.
Workshop topics will include: Impacts of Globalization on Worker Rights and the
Environment, West Nile Virus, Farmworker Issues, Corporate Control of the Food System,
Pesticides and Children, Genetic Engineering, Wood Preservatives, Chemical Injury,
Least-toxic Pest Management, Health Care, Organic Food, Skills Building, Impacts on
Aquatic Habitat and much more.
This year's event is convened by Beyond Pesticides, Chemical Connection, Chemically
Injured Association of Central Texas, Clean Water Action Texas, Consumers Union,
Environmental Outreach, Public Citizen Texas, Texans for Alternatives to Pesticides and
University of Texas Campus Greens.
This is a fragrance-free event. We request for the comfort of all the attendees that you
do not wear scented body products, as these cause reactions in some people.
Register now and save! Register online at http://www.beyondpesticides.org/forum or call 202-543-5450.
=================================================
CONFERENCES - SOUTH EASTERN EUROPE
April 10, 2003, E-networking helps Balkan environment and civil society
heal wounds of conflict. Representatives of eight environmental electronic
networks from South Eastern Europe (SEE) met in Kosovo April 4-5, 2003 to foster further
development of such groups in the region. More than 30 participants planned for exchange
of environmental information and mutual assistance.
The Regional Environmental Center for Central and Eastern Europe (REC) and
Milieukontakt Oost-Europa helped organise the meeting and financed it as part of the South
Eastern European NGO electronic networking project. The meeting took place in one of the
few islands of ethnic tolerance - the Serbian enclave of Brezovica, where ethnic Albanians
can enter without difficulty. The organisers chose the location to symbolise the fact that
environmental pollution respects no political boundaries, making cross-border cooperation
and information exchange vital.
During the meeting networks of environmental groups from Albania, Bosnia and
Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, FYR Macedonia, Moldova, Romania, Serbia and Montenegro and
Kosovo discussed common challenges, appraised each others' progress and identified tasks
to be undertaken.
Most the participating networks - including Serbia's Volvox, FYR Macedonia's
Eko.net, Albania's Jehona, Bosnia and Herzegovina's EkoMrezaBiH and the Kosovo hosts
Sharri.Net - were formed in the last two years. These groups are still working on teething
problems (such as marketing, communication, financing and human resources) and issues
related to day-to-day operations. A representative from the Turkish environmental movement
also attended, signalling the REC's forthcoming extension into Turkey.
The meeting gave representatives a chance to work together on the challenges
ahead, said Nina Blagoeva, executive director of BlueLink, a Bulgarian environmental NGO
network. BlueLink and Romania's StrawberryNet were two of the most established networks
present, and as such could offer know-how to the newer groups. The sustainability of the
networks was one of the main concerns addressed at the meeting, whose conclusions will be
published by the end of April.
Conflict in the Balkans has ended but divisions between people are still
evident, said meeting participant Jerome Simpson, head of the REC's Information Programme.
Concerns were often raised over the choice of locations and language, which drove home the
need for continued confidence-building exercises and virtual networking, Simpson said.
The Amsterdam-based Milieukontakt Oost-Europa played a key role in the
workshop's success by sharing their experience working with NGOs in FYR Macedonia, Albania
and Moldova. NGOs have made remarkable progress in establishing their networks and, in
effect, entirely new organisations have sprung up in a very short time. However, continued
assistance is critical to nurture and guide future development. Any withdrawal of
international support could undo the progress to date, said Gabor Heves, the electronic
networking project manager at the REC.
Having recognised this threat, NGOs hosted a donor and media event in Pristina.
The event garnered the attention of several donor and coverage by three TV channels and
major newspapers. The governments of the Netherlands, Norway and Italy have been funding
the REC's efforts to build environmental civil society electronic networking for South
East Europe since 2001. This work is part of the Regional Environmental Reconstruction
Programme for South Eastern Europe of the Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe.
For more information contact: Gabor Heves, Project Manager , Information
Programme, Email: Gheves@rec.org Or visit the
project website for more information about the meeting in Brezovica at: http://www.rec.org/REC/Programs/SEE_Networking/
Comment Scherrmann: I cross my fingers that REC can work successfully to heal
the wounds.
=================================================
DISEASE - MCS - GERMAN MCS-STUDY
Abstract and summary in English: http://safer-world.org/e/disease/MCS/RKI.htm
Comment Scherrmann: I am very disappointed from this study, even I knew that it will run
with such a result.
=================================================
FOOD
From PA N U P S, Pesticide Action Network Updates Service
Resource Pointer #318 (Genetically Engineered Food) April 16, 2003
Agrochemical Sales Flat in 2002 , April 14, 2003
Agrow World Crop Protection News reports that 2002 agrochemical sales were essentially
flat worldwide, at US $27.7 billion. Accounting for inflation and currency shifts, Agrow
estimates agrochemical sales actually fell by 1.5% in 2002. In 2001 the market also shrank
by 4.1%, thus the new figures bring the overall decline to 12% in the last five years.
By region, western European agrochemical sales showed an increase of 7.2% to US $6.3
billion, while the North American market, the world's largest, shrank 1.7% to US $8.365
billion, despite the fact that plantings were up 4%. Latin American agrochemical sales
experienced the largest decline, with sales down by 3.8% to US $3.4 billion total. The
Asia/Pacific market fell by 1.8% in 2002, to US $7.15 billion. ... www.panna.org
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Resource Pointer #313 (Slow Food) March 12, 2003
http://www.panna.org/resources/panups.html
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FOOD - EU - POLITIC
International Food Safety Issues
- Codex Alimentarius : CAC - Codex Alimentarius Commission (updated)
http://europa.eu.int/comm/food/fs/ifsi/eupositions/cac/cac_index_en.html
- Codex Alimentarius : CCFAC - Codex Committee on Food Additives and Contaminants
(updated)
http://europa.eu.int/comm/food/fs/ifsi/eupositions/ccfac/ccfac_index_en.html
- Codex Alimentarius : CCMMP - Codex Committee on Milk and Milk Products (updated)
http://europa.eu.int/comm/food/fs/ifsi/eupositions/ccmmp/ccmmp_index_en.html
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LAW - NORWAY
From Joseph W. Cherner, President, SmokeFree Educational Services, Inc., http://www.smokefree.org,
Norway Moves Closer to Smokefree Workplace Law
The Norway Post, 4/9/03
The Lower House of the Norwegian Parliament has passed a new, tough smokefree workplace
law, banning all smoking at restaurants, bars, pubs and all other public places serving
food or drinks.
The law makers voted 60 to 15 in favor of the new law, which will come into effect in the
early part of 2004.
The main aim of the new legislation is to protect the health of employees at restaurants
and bars.
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SURVEYS
1) CIIN's On-going Treatment Survey
CIIN has decided to make a treatment survey into an on-going project. A new survey
has been prepared and is available in a print version or as a Microsoft word
attachment. Results will be available on CIIN's web site as well as in a paper
version. The survey results will be up-dated with every 100 responses.
If you would like to participate in the survey, send an SASE for a copy of the paper
version. For a copy of the email version, send your request by email. CONTACT:
Chemical Injury chemicalinjury@ciin.org
Please let other MCSers know about the survey. The survey isn't just for CIIN
members.
3) Request for reseach participations Dr. Pam Gibson of James
Madison University is seeking persons with MCS who have worked outside of the home to
contribute to a study of work accommodation and community integration. The results will be
delivered at the 2003 Chemical Injury Conference. It is hoped that the research will
contribute to an understanding of access problems for people with MCS. Participants will
be asked to complete a survey that can be accessed via e-mail or hard copy.
If you are willing to participate, you can request an e-mail copy of the survey (that can
be returned via e-mail or printed and mailed) by e-mailing. gibsonpr@jmu.edu .
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VIDEO
"A Breath of Air: What Pollution is Doing to Our Children"
A new 28-minute documentary video, funded by the California Air Resources Board
& the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
The video describes results of the "Children's Health Study" being conducted by
investigators at the Southern California Environmental Health Sciences Center and the
Children's Environmental Health Center, based at the Keck School of Medicine, University
of Southern California, Los Angeles
Each copy costs $8.00. More at SCEHSC@usc.edu
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end of newslettter /English/15
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