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with "unsubscribe newsletter/English" in the subject-line. ACTIVE From P A N U P S Pesticide Action Network Updates Service Action Alert: December 11, 2003 Workers Poisoned in Colombia On November 25, 2003, approximately 200 Colombian flower workers were poisoned at Flores Aposentos north of Bogotá. The workers, primarily women, were taken by ambulance from the worksite in Sopó to five surrounding hospitals, all with symptoms consistent with pesticide poisoning. Untraflores, a Colombian labor organization, reports that some workers were ill for days, and has called on people to contact Colombian officials asking for more information on the causes of the poisoning, and improved worker protections. The affected workers experienced symptoms such as strong headaches, nausea, swelling, rashes, diarrhea, and sores inside and around the mouth shortly after arriving to work. Untraflores reported that the company did not seek medical help for the workers until later in the morning, when dozens of workers began fainting. Twenty ambulances carried workers to a hospital in Sopó, as well as hospitals in three surrounding towns and a clinic in Bogotá. A childcare facility near the Flores Aposentos facility was also evacuated. Approximately sixty children were waiting to be picked up by their parents in front of the center as the Flores Aposentos workers were carried away in ambulances. The pesticide involved in the poisoning has not been disclosed. Colombian news sources speculated on the causes of the accident, which remain unexplained. Untraflores reported a large pesticide application had taken place the evening before and speculated that the morning sun may have caused chemicals to volatilize. Workers say the company called workers back to work later in the day on November 25, despite a strong chemical smell in the greenhouses. Within days of the poisoning, Colombian health officials announced an investigation. Untraflores has asked people to contact Colombian officials, asking for public information on the chemicals involved and the long-term consequences to the workers. PANNA has joined the International Labor Rights Fund to circulate the Untraflores appeal. Workers are especially vulnerable to pesticide poisoning in enclosed greenhouses where multiple exposures through inhalation, skin and eyes are more likely to occur. Flower production, within and outside of greenhouses is done intensively, with relatively large amounts of pesticides at different stages of production and in preparation for shipment. One study of Costa Rican fern and flower farms reported over 50% of respondents experiencing at least one symptom of pesticide exposure--headache, dizziness, nausea, diarrhea, skin eruptions, or fainting. Floriculture uses many insecticides, including organophosphate insecticides designed to interfere with nerve function. Studies have reported elevated risks of Parkinson's among horticultural workers, one study of greenhouse workers reported nearly 60% manifesting nervous system symptoms, including headaches, dizziness, hand trembling and blurred vision. Reproductive problems have also been noted, including a study in Colombia reporting female floriculture workers with reduced ability to become pregnant, and sperm concentrations 40% lower in males working more than ten years in floriculture. The company involved in the Colombian poisoning has also been criticized by labor groups for underpaying workers. Flores Aposentos uses a system known as the "little school" in which they pay new workers a reduced salary for the first month (less than 100,000 pesos, or US $37) with the explanation that workers are gaining skills. At month's end, the company selects only a few workers to continue, taking advantage of thousands of workers each year. To contact Colombian health officials via fax: Health Minister: Ministerio de la Protección Social, Cra. 13 #32-76 Bogotá D.C., Colombia Fax: 011 571 336 0182 Please also send a copy to Untraflores via email (untraflorescol@hotmail.com ) or via general mail to: Cra. 2 Nº 6 A 25, Barrio Cartagenita, Facatativa, Colombia. A sample letter and more information are available on the International Labor Rights Fund website: http://www.laborrights.org/ Note: PANNA recently launched an Online Diagnostic Tool to assist health care providers in the diagnosis and identification of pesticide related illness. We believe it can be a valuable part of a first response to pesticide poisoning incidents. Visit our database site at http://www.pesticideinfo.org to see the Online Diagnostic Tool. Sources: Ultraflores, Dec. 3, 2003, Demand an investigation of the poisoning of hundreds of flower workers in Colombia, http://www.untraflores.netfirms.com; El Tiempo, Nov 22, 2003, PANUPS, Floriculture: Pesticides, Worker Health & Codes of Conduct, June 12, 2002, http://www.panna.org/resources/panups/panup_20020612.dv.html; "The Bloom on the Rose, Looking Into the Floriculture Industry", Focus, Environmental Health Perspectives, Journal of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, May 2002, Vol. 110, #5. Contact: PANNA PANUPS is a weekly email news service providing resource guides and reporting on pesticide issues that don't always get coverage by the mainstream media. It's produced by Pesticide Action Network North America, a non-profit and non-governmental organization working to advance sustainable alternatives to pesticides worldwide. Back issues of PANUPS are available online at: http://www.panna.org/resources/panups.html To subscribe, send a blank email to: PANUPS-subscribe@topica.email-publisher.com Pesticide Action Network North America (PANNA), 49 Powell St., Suite 500, San Francisco, CA 94102 USA, Phone: (415) 981-1771 Fax: (415) 981-1991 Email: panna@panna.org Web: http://www.panna.org ================================================= CHEMICALS WHO's page. http://www.who.int/pcs/training_material/hazardous_chemicals/contents.htm Hazardous chemicals in human and environmental health http://www.who.int/pcs/training_material/hazardous_chemicals/section_1.htm routes of exposure, etc. Adverse effects of chemicals on humans
http://www.who.int/pcs/training_material/hazardous_chemicals/section_3.html ============================================== CHEMICALS Exposures to environmental toxins such as lead, PCBs, alcohol, toluene, and tobacco have been proven to cause permanent developmental disabilities. Other pesticides, solvents, flame retardants, plastics, and heavy metals similarly disrupt brain development in animals. It is likely that the increased numbers of chemicals being introduced every year are influencing the increased numbers of developmental disabilities." "Currently, 12 million U.S. children (17%) have a learning, developmental, or behavioral disability; 120,000-320,000 additional children each year are born with a developmental disability. Mental retardation affects 1.4 million children in the U.S. ; 50% of all mild mental retardation cases are due to unknown causes. … Website of the American Association for Mental Retardation: http://www.aamr.org/ToxinsandMentalRetardation/ ============================================== CHEMICALS – TOXICITY DEFINITIONS Toxicity Definitions Neurotoxicity: Adverse effects on the structure or function of the central and/or peripheral nervous system caused by exposure to a toxic chemical. Symptoms of neurotoxicity include muscle weakness, loss of sensation and motor control, tremors, cognitive alterations and autonomic nervous system dysfunction. Other symptoms include memory loss, extreme fatigue, hearing impairments and/or tinnitus, dizziness, sleep disturbances, depression, pain and/or numbness of the extremeties, lightheadedness, breathing difficulties, loss of interests in hobbies, and confusion. Developmental Toxicity: Adverse effects on the developing child which result from exposure to toxic chemicals or other toxic substances. Adverse effects can include birth defects, low birth weight, and functional or behavioral weaknesses that show up as the child develops. Endocrine Toxicity: Any adverse structural and/or functional changes to the endocrine system (the system that controls hormones in the body) which may result from exposure to chemicals. Endocrine toxicity can harm human and animal reproduction and development. Immunotoxicity: Adverse effects on the normal functioning of the immune system, caused by exposure to a toxic chemical. Changes in immune function could produce higher rates of infectious diseases or cancer, or more severe cases of those diseases. Immunotoxic chemicals can also cause auto-immune disease or allergic reactions. Reproductive Toxicity: Adverse effects on the male and/or female reproductive systems caused by exposure to a toxic chemical. Reproductive toxicity may be expressed as alterations in sexual behavior, decreases in fertility or fetal loss during pregnancy. Some official definitions of reproductive toxicity, for example in California's Proposition 65, include developmental toxicity as part of reproductive toxicity. Musculoskeletal Toxicity: Adverse effects to the structure and/or function of the muscles, bones and joints caused by exposure to a toxic chemical. Exposures to coal dust and cadmium, for example, have been shown to cause adverse changes to the musculoskeletal system. Examples of musculoskeletal diseases which can be caused by exposure to toxic chemicals include the bone disorders arthritis, fluorosis, and osteomalacia. Cardiovascular Toxicity: The adverse effects on the heart or blood systems which result from exposure to toxic chemicals. http://www3.sympatico.ca/cnin/toxdef.html ================================================= CHEMICALS – BLOOD TESTS 11/25/2ßß3 Blood tests show chemical toxins Tuesday, 25 November, 2003 BBCOnline A number of toxic man-made chemicals were found in the blood of every person tested during a survey by an environmental pressure group. Environmental pressure group WWF said the ContamiNATIO study discovered traces which ranged from pesticides to the chemicals added to some paints and fire retardants. Eleven Scots - including two MSPs - were among 155 people tested in the UK. Politicians have backed calls for action and Green MSPs want a debate on the issue in the Scottish Parliament. The tests commissioned by WWF looked for the presence of 77 different chemicals. An average of 27 were found in the blood of each person tested across the UK, with readings ranging from nine to 49. Stricter testing WWF said long-banned substances such as DDT, which has been associated with cancers and nervous and immune system disorders, were still being found. The European Parliament is bringing in new regulations to ensure thousands of chemicals are subjected to stricter testing. However, the WWF wants to ensure that hazardous materials are phased out or banned altogether. Labour MSP Sarah Boyack and the Scottish National Party's Christine Grahame, who underwent blood tests, are set to take part in the Scottish launch of the results. Dr Richard Dixon, head of policy for WWF Scotland said, "There is very little information available about the safety and health risks posed by the vast majority of chemicals in use. "We just don't know what might be considered a safe level of exposure to these chemicals, especially when they persist in the body for long periods and react together inside the body in a potentially dangerous cocktail. "WWF's survey shows that our bodies are being used as toxic chemical dumps." He said there was a mixed picture in Scotland, with some volunteers recording low scores. However, one Scot was found to have the second highest level of PCB contamination in the UK. Dr Dixon said some of the chemicals came from everyday materials such as paints, glues, toys, electrical goods, furniture, carpets and clothes. "Our contaminated blood is proof that it's time for the government and chemical companies to phase out the production and use of these chemicals and develop new safe alternatives," he said. Green MSPs have lodged a motion at Holyrood calling for a parliamentary inquiry. Health spokeswoman Eleanor Scott said: "It is important that such a serious issue for Scottish health is debated in the Scottish Parliament. "For the sake of today's children and for future generations it is vital that we make the law as tough as possible to stop this ongoing contamination in everyday life. "What is so alarming is that it is everyday products, things people find it almost impossible to avoid, as well as a legacy from the past that is contaminating people." Article at: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/3235102.stm ================================================= CHEMICAL - ARSENIC Toxicol. Sci. -- Table of Contents Alert December 2003; Vol. 76, No. 2 URL: http://toxsci.oupjournals.org/content/vol76/issue2/index.shtml?etoc Arsenic Stimulates Angiogenesis and Tumorigenesis In Vivo Nicole V. Soucy, Michael A. Ihnat, Chandrashekhar D. Kamat, Linda Hess, Mark J. Post, Linda R. Klei, Callie Clark, and Aaron Barchowsky Toxicol. Sci. 2003 76: 271-279. http://toxsci.oupjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/76/2/271?etoc Arsenic and Benzo[a]pyrene Differentially Alter the Capacity for Differentiation and Growth Properties of Primary Human Epidermal Keratinocytes D. S. Perez, L. Armstrong-Lea, M. H. Fox, R. S. H. Yang, and J. A. Campain Toxicol. Sci. 2003 76: 280-290. http://toxsci.oupjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/76/2/280?etoc Developmental Atrazine Exposure Suppresses Immune Function in Male, but not Female Sprague-Dawley Rats Andrew A. Rooney, Raymond A. Matulka, and Robert W. Luebke Toxicol. Sci. 2003 76: 366-375. http://toxsci.oupjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/76/2/366?etoc Wendy L. Hessler * e.hormone web site consultant * Center for Bioenvironmental Research at Tulane and Xavier Universities * New Orleans, Louisiana * (402) 397-9928 * w.hessler@cox.net * Mailing address: 1009 N. 75 St., Omaha, NE 68114 Web site & Symposium: http://e.hormone.tulane.edu/ ================================================= CHEMICALS – Ca2+ and Na+ 11/26/2003 European Journal of Neuroscience: Volume 18, Issue 10, Nov 2003 Research Reports Dynamics of Ca2+ and Na+ in the dendrites of mouse cerebellar Purkinje cells evoked by parallel fibre stimulation Akinori Kuruma, Takafumi Inoue, Katsuhiko Mikoshiba , European Journal of Neuroscience; Volume 18, Issue 10, Page 2677 http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/links/doi/10.1111/j.1460-9568.2003.02977.x ================================================= CHEMICALS – INSECTIZIDES Toxicol Appl Pharmacol. 2001 May 1;172(3):233-40. Related Articles, Links Role of human GABA(A) receptor beta3 subunit in insecticide toxicity. Ratra GS, Kamita SG, Casida JE. Environmental Chemistry and Toxicology Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley, California, 94720-3112, USA. The gamma-aminobutyric acid type A (GABA(A)) receptor is the target for the major insecticides alpha-endosulfan, lindane, and fipronil and for many analogs. Their action as chloride channel blockers is directly measured by binding studies with [(3)H]ethynylbicycloorthobenzoate ([(3)H]EBOB). This study tests the hypothesis that GABA(A) receptor subunit composition determines the sensitivity and selectivity of insecticide toxicity. Human receptor subtypes were expressed individually (alpha1, alpha6, beta1, beta3, and gamma2) and in combination in insect Sf9 cells. Binding parameters were similar for [(3)H]EBOB in the beta3 homooligomer, alpha1beta3gamma2 heterooligomer, and native brain membranes, but toxicological profiles were very different. Surprisingly, alpha-endosulfan, lindane, and fipronil were all remarkably potent on the recombinant beta3 homooligomeric receptor (IC50 values of 0.5-2.4 nM), whereas they were similar in potency on the alpha1beta3gamma2 subtype (IC50 values of 16-33 nM) and highly selective on the native receptor (IC50 values of 7.3, 306, and 2470 nM, respectively). The selectivity order for 29 insecticides and convulsants as IC50 ratios for native/beta3 or alpha1beta3gamma2/beta3 was as follows: fipronil > lindane > 19 other insecticides including alpha-endosulfan and picrotoxinin > 4 trioxabicyclooctanes and dithianes (almost nonselective) > tetramethylenedisulfotetramine, 4-chlorophenylsilatrane, or alpha-thujone. Specificity between mammals and insects at the target site (fipronil > lindane > alpha-endosulfan) paralleled that for toxicity. Potency at the native receptor is more predictive for inhibition of GABA-stimulated chloride uptake than that at the beta3 or alpha1beta3gamma2 receptors. Therefore, the beta3 subunit contains the insecticide target and other subunits differentially modulate the binding to confer compound-dependent specificity and selective toxicity. Copyright 2001 Academic Press. PMID: 11312652 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=11312652&dopt=Abstract ================================================= CHEMICALS – MERCURY - POLITIC – USA U.S. Proposes Easing Rules on Emissions of Mercury, December 3, 2003 By JENNIFER 8. LEE WASHINGTON, Dec. 2 - The Bush administration is proposing that mercury emissions from coal-burning power plants should not be regulated in the same way as some of the most toxic air pollutants, reversing a stance on air pollution control taken by the Clinton administration in 2000. The change in planned regulations for mercury emissions from power plants is summarized in documents from the Environmental Protection Agency and is the first big policy decision by Michael O. Leavitt, who took over as the agency's administrator last month. … http://www.nytimes.com/2003/12/03/national/03ENVI.html?ex=1071466243&ei=1&en=5d4538d9c3ab05a2 ================================================= CHEMICALS
– ODOUR MIXTURE Patricia Duchamp-Viret, Andre Duchamp, Michel A. Chaput European Journal of Neuroscience; Volume 18, Issue 10, Page 2690 http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/links/doi/10.1111/j.1460-9568.2003.03001.x ================================================= CHEMICALS – OZONE Thursday, 27 November, 2003 Simple test for ozone lung damage - Traffic fumes can generate ozone A simple blood test may soon reveal the damage caused to lungs by the atmospheric pollutant ozone. ''Laboratory tests have also shown that ozone can led to inflammation of the lungs, and injury to the fine layer of epithelial cells that coat the airway surface. These cells secrete CC16 as a way to try to minimise inflammation.'' http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/3239798.stm ================================================= CHEMICALS – PESTICIDES - POLITIC – BEE-DEATHS From CBG (Coalition against Bayer-Dangers) Press Release, November 25th 2003 France: Governmental report claims BAYER-pesticide GAUCHO responsible for bee-deaths Coalition against Bayer-Dangers is calling for a ban The report on bee-deaths, published by the French Comité Scientifique et Technique (CST), shows that the use of the pesticide GAUCHO is jointly responsible for the death of hundreds of thousands colonies of bees. Environmental- and beekeeper unions are calling for a ban on the agricultural toxin. The summary of the report states: „The results of the examination on the risks of the seeds-treatment GAUCHO are alarming. The treatment of seeds by GAUCHO is a significant risk to bees in several stages of life.” The 108-page report was made by order of the agricultural ministry of France by the universities of Caen and Metz as well as by the Institut Pasteur. The use of GAUCHO on sunflowers was forbidden in France four years ago because of the high risk to bees. After this bee-deaths did not decrease noticeably – beekeepers are blaming this on the extensive use of agricultural toxins in maize cultivation. The concluding-report of the CST backs up this theory: ”Concerning the treatment of maize-seeds by GAUCHO, the results are as alarming as with sunflowers. The consumption of contaminated pollen can lead to an increased mortality of care-taking-bees, which can explain the persisting bee-deaths even after the ban of the treatment on sunflowers”. The pesticide GAUCHO (containing the active substance Imidacloprid) is produced by the German BAYER-group. With an annual turnover of more than 500 millions Euros this is the group´s top selling agricultural agent. Critics assume that the high sales figures are the reason why the company is contesting a ban on its use. The thesis, as stated by bee’s institutes, that infestation by Varroa -mites would be responsible of the bee-deaths, appears to be an excuse according to Fridolin Brandt of the Coalition against Bayer-Dangers: “We are concerned with Varroa -mites since 1977, and for decades they haven’t been a danger. It is the extensive use of pesticides and the accompanying weakening of the bees which is leading to the bee-deaths.“ Brandt has been a full-time beekeeper for more than 30 years. Maurice Mary, spokesman of the French beekeepers-union Union National d’Apiculteurs (UNAF): “Since the first application of GAUCHO we have had great losses in the harvest of sunflower -honey. Since the agent is staying in the soil up to three years, even untreated plants can contain a concentration which is lethal for bees.“ The UNAF representing about 50. 000 beekeepers is calling for a total ban of GAUCHO, following the presentation of the CST report. The Deutsche Berufsimkerbund (DBIB) and the Coalition against Bayer-Dangers are also calling for a ban on its use. In Germany, Imidacloprid is used mainly in the production of rape, sugar beet and maize. The situation in German agriculture is comparable to the French: In the past years almost half of the bee-colonies have died, which lead to a loss of output of several thousand tonnes of honey per year. Furthermore, because bees do the most pollination, there are also losses of output on apples, pears and rape. We would be pleased to send to you the 108-page report of the Comité Scientifique et Technique (in French) and a statement by the Coordination des Apiculteurs de France (in English)
Coalition
against BAYER-dangers,
www.CBGnetwork.org,
CBGnetwork@aol.com ================================================= CHEMICALS – PESTICIDES From P A N U P S (Pesticide Action Network Updates Service) December 3, 2003 STOP Paraquat! On the occasion of global "No Pesticides Use Day" this December 3rd, the international Pesticide Action Network (PAN) calls for the global ban and phaseout of the production and use of paraquat, one of the most dangerous and controversial herbicides in the world. The non-selective herbicide paraquat is sold by Syngenta and other producers in more than 100 countries. Gramoxone(TN), manufactured by Syngenta, is the most common trade name for paraquat. Paraquat is extensively used on bananas, cocoa, coffee, cotton, palm oil, pineapple, rubber and sugar cane, both on plantations and by small-scale farmers. Paraquat has been heavily criticized for the adverse impacts on workers since the 1960s. Globally, workers and farmers, who are regularly exposed to paraquat experience serious problems with their health. Paraquat is an extremely hazardous substance: it has been known to damage the lungs, heart, kidneys, adrenal glands, central nervous system, liver, muscles and spleen, causing multi-organ failure. The herbicide causes severe acute and long-term health problems such as severe dermatitis, second degree burns, nosebleeds, rapid heart rate, kidney failure, and respiratory failure. Some chronic effects have also been identified: an association with developmental and reproductive effects, as well as links to skin cancer and there is mounting evidence linking it to Parkinson's disease. The high toxicity and lack of antidote leads to serious ill health, and even death, from exposure. Studies have also indicated that paraquat has lethal effects on hares and birds, and is embryotoxic and teratogenic to frogs. It poses a risk to non-target terrestrial and aquatic plants, and readily binds to soil particles and hence accumulates in soils. Due to these facts the notorious occupational poison paraquat has been on the PAN international list of "Dirty Dozen" pesticides since 1985. Conditions of use and realities in developing countries of the South -- high temperature and humidity, lack of protective clothing, leaking knapsack sprayers, illiteracy, lack of facilities for washing, or medical treatment, and repeated exposure -- compounds the concern that safe use of paraquat is not possible in these countries, in spite of "safety" claims by the industry. Because of its high toxicity, paraquat is already either banned, severely restricted or restricted in fourteen countries, including five EU member states and the United States of America. " Last year Malaysia was the first Asian country to ban and phase out the use of paraquat. To prioritise global protection of human health and the environment, a worldwide ban of the toxic herbicide paraquat has to follow now," asserts Sarojeni V. Rengam, Executive Director of Pesticide Action Network (PAN) Asia and the Pacific. Unfortunately, the EU decided in October 2003 not to ban paraquat. The European Commission is aware of the dangers of paraquat, but nevertheless approved its use, ignoring the growing number of member states who openly rejected an EU-wide approval of paraquat, postponing a vote at the last four committee meetings. PAN has emphasized that this controversial decision was made in the European context, and therefore cannot have any implication for other regions, especially developing countries. On November 24, 2003, PAN Europe, PAN Asia and the Pacific and the Swedish Society for Nature Conservation, sent an official "Open Letter" of protest to the European Commission calling on the Standing Committee to take urgent action following the inclusion of paraquat to the Annex 1 of the Pesticides Authorization Directive 91/414. The Commission's authorization of 3 October 2003 is being used to challenge regulatory decisions taken to protect human health in other countries (particularly in Malaysia), and to demand registration even when local conditions will pose significant risks to pesticide users. Due to the serious health and ecological threats from paraquat use, on the occasion of the global "No Pesticide Use Day" December 3rd, the international Pesticide Action Network (PAN) demands that: Syngenta, the main producer of paraquat, stop the production of paraquat. Syngenta take full responsibility and assume liability for the severe health effects on communities resulting from paraquat use. The authorities in all countries ban the use of paraquat. Paraquat be replaced with safer and more sustainable pest control methods. Note: For the international PAN Position Paper on paraquat, please see the PANNA website. To view the joint Open Letter to the European Commission see: http://www.panap.net. December 3 -- Reminder of the pesticide catastrophe 1984 in Bhopal The international Pesticide Action-Network launched December 3 as the global "No Pesticides Use Day" in commemoration of the world's worst chemical disaster in 1984. That day in Bhopal (India) a pesticide factory exploded, releasing a toxic gas that caused more than 500,000 injuries and 20,000 deaths in the years since. Every year on December 3rd, campaigns are initiated in many countries to remind of the hazardous effects of pesticides on human health and environment. This year the Bhopal Day of Action Against Corporate Crime is also taking place on December 3, 2003, on the 19th anniversary of the Bhopal disaster. For more information, visit http://www.bhopal.net or email globalaction@bhopal.net . For more information, contact: PAN Africa: Abou Thiam, panafrica@pan-africa.sn, tel: 00221-825-49-14; PAN Asia/Pacific (http://www.panap.net): Sarojeni Rengam, panap@panap.net , tel: 0060-4-657-0271; PAN Germany (http://www.pan-germany.org): Carina Weber, presse@pan-germany.org , tel: 0049-40-3991910-0; PAN Latin America (RAPAL) (http://www.rap-al.org): Maria-Elena Rozas, rapal@rapal.cl , tel: 0056-2-3416742; PAN North America (http://www.panna.org): Monica Moore, panna@panna.org , tel: 001-415-981-1771; PAN UK (http://www.pan-uk.org): Barbara Dinham, admin@pan-uk.org , tel: 0044-207-274-88-95. --- Contaminated without consent: New findings - pesticide poisoning of people Rachel Carson Memorial Lecture - 3 December A leading cancer expert claims that pesticides are the top environmental suspect for increases in the disease. Speaking at last week's PAN conference, Prof Belpomme said that 'while previously tobacco was thought to account for a third of malignancies we have concluded it causes no more than 15 per cent: Other environmental factors are at work.' At next Wednesday's Rachel Carson Memorial Lecture, Sandra Steingraber, an international expert on the environmental links to cancer and reproductive health, will say: 'When our environment is contaminated with toxic chemicals, so too are we. The simple biological truth of toxic trespass raises human rights questions of the most fundamental sort.' Everyone now has a cocktail of poisonous chemicals in their bodies. A test has revealed 20 pesticides and other contaminants in the body tissue of six volunteers from PAN UK. The laboratory described residue levels in five of the six of those tested as 'significant', 'well above background' or 'above background'. There is also new alarm about a very commonly used herbicide, Roundup (glyphosate). Speaking last week at the PAN conference, expert endocrinologist, Professor Gilles-Eric Seralini presented a new study showing that the product Roundup (in formulation) is more toxic than glyphosate alone. He says: 'Roundup has some hormonal perturbating (disrupting) effects. These . could account for sperm decline, increase in sexual malformations, and an increase in cancers. In her lecture, Sandra Steingraber will raise the questions: "Who benefits from the ongoing dependencies of our industrial and agricultural systems on chemicals with suspected links to cancer, birth defects, and brain damage? Who pays the price? What are the responsibilities of governments to prevent harm and compel the transformation toward a non-toxic economy? And what are our responsibilities as individual citizens. PAN UK is running a right to know campaign to ensure people know what pesticides are being used and when. They want the government to make it mandatory for pesticide users to give the public advance warning, and put up signs in fields near houses and where there are rights of way. They also want food labelling to show which pesticides were used in its production. PAN international has declared 3 December a 'Day of No Pesticide Use'. This is the anniversary of the Bhopal pesticide plant disaster Interviews / CONTACTS Sandra Steingraber - contact via Liz Parker (Mob 07881 718 438) or: Alison Craig, PAN UK 020 7274 8895 (Mob 07709 730561) Barbara Dinham, PAN UK 020 7274 8895 (Mob 07950 414244) NOTES TO EDITORS 1. Professor Dominique Belpomme is President of the Association for Research on Treatment Against Cancer (ARTAC). In the most recent World Cancer Report, 2003, IARC estimated that tobacco accounts for as much as 30 per cent of all malignant tumours, and that environmental pollution accounts for 1-4 per cent of cancers. 2. PAN UK is holding the first annual Rachel Carson Memorial Lecture, to be given by Dr Sandra Steingraber, recognised expert on the environmental links to cancer and reproductive health. Contaminated without Consent: why our exposure to chemicals in air food and water violates human rights, will take place at 6.30 on 3 December 2003 at The Prince's Foundation, 19-22 Charlotte Road (near Old Street Underground), London EC2A 3SG (entry by ticket only) See our website www.pan-uk.org (http://www.pan-uk.org/briefing/RCML.pdf) 3. Results from the tests (blood serum and fat biopsy) of the PAN UK volunteers are available from PAN UK. They were performed by the Biolab Medical Unit, www.biolab.co.uk All six volunteers lead healthy lives and eat organic food when possible. 4. Professor Gilles-Eric Seralini is a molecular endocrinologist at the University of Caen, and president a group of independent scientists advising on genetic engineering. 5. Roundup is the world's most widely used pesticide (herbicide), accounting for six per cent of global sales, and used widely in genetically modified crops. 6. In 1962 Rachel Carson's ground-breaking book Silent Spring warned of the dangers of indiscriminate pesticide use. Its profound influence is credited with the foundation of the modern environmental movement. Many of the pesticides she particularly identified (notably those that are persistent and bioaccumulative such as DDT) are now being eliminated from global production and use 7. Pesticide Action Network UK promotes healthy food, agriculture and an environment which will provide food and meet public health needs without dependence on toxic chemicals, and without harm to food producers and agricultural workers. PAN UK is a non-profit organisation that works nationally and internationally with like-minded groups and individuals concerned with health, environment and development to eliminate the hazards of pesticides, reduce dependence on pesticides, and to increase sustainable and ecological alternatives. --- Pesticide Action Network Updates Service Resource Pointer #348 (Going Organic: Transitioning Your Farm December 10, 2003 Resource Pointer #347 (EU Chemicals Policy) December 3, 2003 Pesticide Action Network North America (PANNA), 49 Powell St., Suite 500, San Francisco, CA 94102 USA, Phone: (415) 981-1771 Fax: (415) 981-1991 Email: panna@panna.org Web: http://www.panna.org ================================================= CHEMICALS – STEROIDS Tuesday, 9 December, 2003 Steroids in herbal eczema creams Severe eczema cases can be disabling So-called "natural" creams for eczema have been found to contain the steroid drugs customers were trying to avoid. Researchers from Sheffield tested 24 herbal creams bought from herbalists, clinics and by mail order, and found the majority had traces of the drugs. Long-term use of steroids for eczema can cause permanent damage. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/3301481.stm ================================================= CHEMICALS - THUJONE European commission-health & consumer protection directorate-general Directorate C - Scientific Opinions C2 - Management of scientific committees; scientific co-operation and networks Scientific Committee on Food SCF/CS/FLAV/FLAVOUR/23 ADD2 Final 6 February 2003 Opinion of the Scientific Committee on Food on Thujone (expressed on 2 December 2002) Conclusion and Risk Characterisation The metabolism of Alpha- and Beta-thujone occurs mainly by 7-hydroxylation with lesser amounts of other hydroxylated metabolites or thujol/neothujol which are excreted as urinary conjugates. Alpha -thujone appears to be more neurotoxic than Beta-thujone and metabolism results in detoxication. The principal manifestation of intoxication by thujone is epileptiform convulsions in animals and man. The NOEL for convulsions in subchronic toxicity studies in female rats was 5 mg/kg bw but there are no long-term or reproductive toxicity data. No relevant genotoxicity studies are available on thujone. The Committee considered the available data inadequate to establish a TDI/ADI but noted that some of the deficiencies in the database were being addressed in ongoing NTP studies and recommended that the results of these should be reviewed when available. In the meantime, the Committee notes that cases of human intoxication have been reported from essential oils rich in thujone and the doses involved, although poorly specified, indicate that humans are at least as sensitive as rodents to the acute neurotoxic effects. Accordingly, the Committee does not consider it appropriate to use thujone as a chemically identified flavouring substance. The Committee supports the continued application of the current upper limits to the occurrence of Alpha- and Beta-thujone in foods and beverages. In this context, the Committee noted that the consumption of as much as 1 litre of an alcoholic beverage containing 5 mg/l, the maximum permitted level of thujone in alcoholic beverages with up to 25% alcohol, would result in an intake of about 0.08 mg thujone/kg bw for a 60 kg adult. This intake is about 100 times lower than the NOEL derived from a 14 week study in rats. ================================================= CONFERENCES 10th International Congress of Toxicology 11-15 July, 2004; Tampere, http://www.toxicology.org/Resources/sitemap.html# Site Map of site behind 10th. congress toxicolgy in 2004 in finland ================================================ COUNTRIES –EU PUBLIC HEALTH - Publication: Work-related health monitoring in Europe from a public health perspective (In press) http://europa.eu.int/comm/health/ph_projects/2002/monitoring/monitoring_2002_08_en.htm- Health information Event : Network of Competent Authorities for health information and Knowledge. Second Meeting, Luxembourg, 15-16 December 2003. New: Draft list of participants, Draft agenda http://europa.eu.int/comm/health/ph_information/ev_20031215_en.htm Event : Network of Competent Authorities for health information and Knowledge. First Meeting, Luxembourg, 10 July 2003. New: List of participants, draft minutes (145 KB), contributions http://europa.eu.int/comm/health/ph_information/ev_20030710_en.htm - Risk Assessment: New Home Pages: - Risk Assessment: Key Documents: New - Commission non-food Scientific Committees: http://europa.eu.int/comm/health/ph_risk/documents/risk_key01_en.pdf - Summary of the objectives and activities for risk assessment in the main areas of activity and evaluation of future needs. Priorities in the EU for risk assessment in the non-food area http://europa.eu.int/comm/health/ph_risk/documents/risk_key02_en.pdf - Risk Assessment Scientific Committee on Toxicity, Ecotoxicity and the Environment Opinion on ?risks to health and the environment related to the use of mercury products? (rpa final report: j372/mercury) Adopted by the CSTEE during the 40th plenary meeting of 12-13 November 2003 (PDF) http://europa.eu.int/comm/health/ph_risk/committees/sct/documents/out210_en.pdf - Rare diseases programme Funded project 2000 : "TEAM 1 - Transfer of expertise on rare metabolic diseases in adults (Phase 1)". Information updated CONSUMER AFFAIRS - Press releas e Action pledged as poll shows consumers still do not trust cross-border shopping, 01 December 2003 http://europa.eu.int/rapid/start/cgi/guesten.ksh?p_action.gettxt=gt&doc=IP/03/1632|0|RAPID&lg=EN&display= - Consumer Protection in the EU Eurobarometer survey, November 2003 (PDF, 7,25MB) http://europa.eu.int/comm/consumers/topics/eb_59-2_en.pdf Data of the Eurobarometer http://europa.eu.int/comm/consumers/topics/eb_59-2_data_en.pdf - Consumer Policy Decision adopted on the financing of EU consumer policy actions - Health and Consumer Affairs: Results of the Council meeting, Brussels, 1-2 December 2003 Review of the rolling programme of actions of the Consumer Policy Strategy 2002-2006 http://europa.eu.int/comm/consumers/overview/cons_policy/review_rollingprog_2002-2006_en.htm FOOD SAFETY - Animal Health / Prevention and Control of Animal diseases New section : Pet Passport http://europa.eu.int/comm/food/fs/ah_pcad/ah_pcad_index_en.html#Pet%20Passport - Press release Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consummer protection Council , 1-2 December, 28 November 2003 http://europa.eu.int/rapid/start/cgi/guesten.ksh?p_action.gettxt=gt&doc=MEMO/03/246|0|RAPID&lg=EN&display= Byrne welcomes Council adoption of new uses of food additives and improved rules for flavourings, 03 December 2003 Reduced-Calorie Fats: Salatrims approved for use as food ingredients, 01 December 2003 http://europa.eu.int/comm/dgs/health_consumer/library/press/press323_en.pdf - Safety of Food Products Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed : Weekly overview of alert and information notifications - week 48 (303KB) http://europa.eu.int/comm/food/fs/sfp/ras_week48_en.pdf - Plant Health Inspections Final report of a mission carried out in Germany from 10 to 14 March 2003 in order to assess the situation concerning phytophthora ramorum and the implementation of Commission Decision 2002/757/EC (9118/2003) http://europa.eu.int/comm/food/fs/inspections/pi/reports/germany/index_en.html - Tobacco Event : Regulatory Committee established under Article 10 of the Directive 2001/37/EC on the approximation of the laws, regulations and administrative provisions of the Member States concerning the manufacture, presentation and sale of tobacco products. 1st Meeting, Luxembourg, 23 September 2002 New: Summary record http://europa.eu.int/comm/health/ph_determinants/life_style/Tobacco/ev_20020923_en.htm - Tobacco Event : Regulatory Committee established under Article 10 of the Directive 2001/37/EC on the approximation of the laws, regulations and administrative provisions of the Member States concerning the manufacture, presentation and sale of tobacco products. 2nd Meeting, Luxembourg, 10 February 2003 New: Summary record http://europa.eu.int/comm/health/ph_determinants/life_style/Tobacco/ev_20030210_en.htm - Tobacco Event : Experts? meeting on tobacco ingredients regulation, Luxembourg, 29 September 2003 New: Summary record http://europa.eu.int/comm/health/ph_determinants/life_style/Tobacco/ev_20030929_en.htm - International Food Safety Issues Codex Alimentarius : CCFICS - Codex Committee on Food Import and Export Certification and Inspection (updated) http://europa.eu.int/comm/food/fs/ifsi/eupositions/ccfics/ccfics_index_en.html - International Food Safety Issues Codex Alimentarius : TFAF - ad hoc Intergovernmental Task Force on Animal Feeding (updated) http://europa.eu.int/comm/food/fs/ifsi/eupositions/tfaf/tfaf_index_en.html - Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health - Section : General Food Law Draft agenda of the 8th meeting of 08 December 2003 (90KB) http://europa.eu.int/comm/food/fs/rc/scfcah/general/agen06_en.pdf - Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health - Section : Animal Health and Animal Welfare Addendum (89KB) to the Agenda of the meeting of 12 December 2003 (189KB) http://europa.eu.int/comm/food/fs/rc/scfcah/ah_aw/agenda16_add_en.pdf http://europa.eu.int/comm/food/fs/rc/scfcah/ah_aw/agenda16_en.pdf - Standing Committee on Seeds and Propagating Material of Agriculture, Horticulture and Forestry Short report of the meeting held on 11 November 2003 (143KB) http://europa.eu.int/comm/food/fs/rc/scsp/rap48_en.pdf - Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health - Section : Plant Health Draft Agenda : Meeting of 1-2 Decmeber 2003 - Pesticides - Residues (81KB) http://europa.eu.int/comm/food/fs/rc/scfcah/plants/agenda09_en.pdf ================================================= DISEASE – FRAGRANCE ALLERGY Monday, 15 December, 2003 Are you allergic to Christmas? By Pat Hagan The festive season affects people in different ways. If, for example, the words 'Christmas shopping' bring you out in a cold sweat, or the sight of decorated tree before 21 December makes your brow furrow, you probably have a condition called 'being male'. But thousands of people do genuinely have an allergic reaction to Christmas that, in some cases, increases their risk of becoming seriously ill. The charity Allergy UK has issued a warning to allergy sufferers to be on their guard this year in case they come into contact with potential triggers. It has even designed a poster - entitled 'Festive Season Alert' - highlighting the dangers. Muriel Simmons, chief executive of Allergy UK, told BBC News Online the major problem is that exposure to potential triggers increases sharply during festive celebrations. … Candles are synonymous with Christmas. But scented candles give off a perfume that can aggravate allergic conditions. Many women, for example, will complain they react to certain perfumes and stop using them. But when it's contained in a candle, it is difficult to escape. "It can be a nightmare for some people," said Ms Simmons. "The perfume in candles can spark off rashes, headaches, sickness and asthma. "Unfortunately, people rarely realise it's the perfume in the candle that's doing it." http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/3307783.stm --- ''The youngest patients sensitized were aged 2 years'' 1: Br J Dermatol. 2003 Nov;149(5):986-9. Related Articles, Links The frequency of fragrance allergy in patch-tested patients increases with their age. Buckley DA, Rycroft RJ, White IR, McFadden JP. St John's Institute of Dermatology, St Thomas' Hospital, London SE1 7EH, U.K. BACKGROUND: The most likely age of sensitization to fragrance chemicals is unknown. OBJECTIVES: To investigate the frequency of allergy to the 8% fragrance mix (FM) in each decade of life in patients undergoing patch testing for the investigation of skin symptoms. METHODS: Patients (n = 23 846; 14 104 female and 9742 male) underwent patch testing to a standard series between 1 January 1984 and 31 December 1998. All data were recorded on a computerized database. RESULTS: We found that 8.4% of females and 6.4% of males were allergic to the FM. The frequency of fragrance allergy was low in the first two decades of life (2.5-3.4%). It gradually increased in females after the age of 20 years to peak in the 60s at 14.4% of those tested, with a decline to 11.6% in the 80s. The prevalence in males rose more slowly and peaked at 13.7% in the 70s, declining to 10.8% in the 80s. The youngest patients sensitized were aged 2 years. CONCLUSIONS: These findings support the hypothesis that allergy to fragrance results from a combination of repeated environmental exposure and age-related susceptibility factors. PMID: 14632803 [PubMed - in process] ================================================= DISEASE – GULF WAR SYNDROME Monday, 24 November, 2003, Veteran death linked to Gulf War Major Ian Hill became ill a day after taking anti-nerve agent tablets The death of an army veteran in 2001 was linked to his service in the 1991 Gulf War, a coroner has ruled. Major Ian Hill died after a decade of ill health which he said was caused by Gulf War Syndrome, a disputed condition the government has never agreed exists. The Cheshire Coroner ruled he died of natural causes, but said his service in 1991 had "contributed" to his death. … http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/3234908.stm ================================================= DISEASE – LUNG CANCER Thursday, 4 December, 2003, Air pollution cancer fears grow Men living in areas with polluted air may be more likely to develop lung cancer, according to scientists. Norwegian experts who looked at more than 16,000 men over almost three decades found that those in more polluted areas were more at risk. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/3288781.stm =================================================
Environmental Medicine Article Environmental Health Perspectives Volume 111, Number 12, September 2003 Perceived Treatment Efficacy for Conventional and Alternative Therapies Reported by Persons with Multiple Chemical Sensitivity Pamela Reed Gibson, Amy Nicole-Marie Elms, and Lisa Ann Ruding School of Psychology, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, Virginia, USA Abstract Address correspondence to P. Gibson, James Madison University, School of Psychology, MSC 7401, Harrisonburg, VA 22807 USA. Telephone: (540) 568-6195. Fax: (540) 568-3322. E-mail: gibsonpr@jmu.edu We thank C. Wilson and J. Wilson of the Chemical Injury Information Network for their support in survey distribution and funding. We also appreciate the efforts of all respondents who completed surveys. This research was supported in part by a grant from the Chemical Injury Information Network and a James Madison University Faculty Summer Research grant. The authors declare they have no conflict of interest. Received 17 June 2002; accepted 16 December 2002. http://ehpnet1.niehs.nih.gov/docs/2003/5936/abstract.html Scherrmann: You can download at this site the whole article or I can send you the article. ================================================= POLITIC – USA - CALIFORNIA From CBG: Chemical industry’d decret plan to attack california’a anti-toxics trend. The precautionary principle, a policy that says new chemicals should not be allowed on the market unless they´re proven safe, has gained a strong foothold in Europe. The American chemical industry now plans to conduct a covert campaign attacking the growing movement in California for more chemical safety testing, with tactics including the creation of phony front groups and spying on activists, according to an internal American Chemistry Council (ACC) memo obtained by Environmental Working Group (EWG). The ACC comprises more than 100 companies - among them Dow, Du Pont, Bayer, BASF and Monsanto.
Memo Calls for Phony Front Groups, Spying on Activists The memo, available at www.ewg.org, offers a rare inside glimpse of the deceptive and underhanded tactics used by some corporations and public relations firms to lobby against tougher environmental regulations. It recommends that ACC, the lobbying association for U.S. chemical companies, hire a crisis communications firm that promotes itself as the attack dog of the public relations industry to fight back against California's adoption of laws and regulations that embrace the "precautionary principle."
The precautionary principle, a policy that says new chemicals should not be allowed on the market unless they're proven safe, has gained a strong foothold in Europe, and in recent years California has enacted measures applying the principle to several pollutants including, most recently, chemical flame retardants. Despite the fact that two-thirds of the public believes that such protections are in place already, the Bush Administration has opposed their realization here in the U.S.
The memo warns that the state's embrace of the precautionary principle is a threat to the entire U.S. chemical industry because "California's political climate makes the state more susceptible to policy and thinking inspired by the PP [precautionary principle] than other geographic region... California is a bellwether state, and any success enjoyed here could readily spill over to other parts of the country."
It recommends to ACC members that they pay $120,000 a year to Nichols-Dezenhall, a Washington-based firm that hires former FBI and CIA agents, to conduct "selective intelligence gathering ... about the plans, motivations and allies of opposition activists... Focus on the PP 'movement leadership' in the U.S., and in particular, California."
The memo says Nichols-Dezenhall would also "create an independent PP watchdog group to act as an information clearinghouse and criticize the PP in public and media forums... The group could be structured as a tax-exempt organization." EWG obtained the document from a confidential source outside the chemical industry who received it from ACC, which was recruiting other industries as allies in the campaign. Microsoft Word data embedded in the document confirms that it was written in July by Tim W. Shestek, an ACC lobbyist in Sacramento. In a Nov. 19 letter to ACC's President Greg Lebedev and Vice President for State Governmental Affairs Roger Bernstein, EWG asked if the association had hired the firm to execute the plan. Among Nichols -Dezenhall's reported tactics are digging through the trash of its' clients opponents. (The letter is available at www.ewg.org/briefings/acc/index.php)
Creating phony front groups is "patently deceptive in its effort to use third parties to carry the message because, understandably, the ACC lacks credibility and trust in any discussion of the safety of its members' products," said the letter from Bill Walker, EWG's vice president for the West Coast. "However, the third tactic, "selective intelligence gathering," pushes the ethical envelope toward dirty tricks, given Nichols-Dezenhall's reputation for such techniques." "As someone whose trash might be searched," Walker said today, "I'd at least like to know the lengths ACC is planning on going to in order to stop common-sense public protections in the State of California. ACC has spent millions on advertising and corporate PR to position itself as a solid corporate citizen, with nothing to hide from the public."
Environmental Working Group. Headquarters: 1436 U St. N.W., Suite 100 | Washington, DC 20009 || info@ewg.org California Office: 1904 Franklin St. Suite 703 | Oakland, CA 94612 || california@ewg.org
================================================= RACHEL'S ENVIRONMENT & HEALTH NEWS October 30, 2003 (Published December 4, 2003) Critiques of the precautionary principle #781 . ================================================= SCIENCE - MALFORMATIONS Pesticides
and congenital malformations - how many studies will it take to reach a
conclusion? Kogevinas M, Sala M Pesticides and congenital malformations is a long-standing story. A recent review identified 34 epidemiologic studies on occupational exposure to pesticides in relation to congenital malformations published after 1980 (1). There are no conclusions, however, to be drawn from the conjunct of the data even though some of the studies were not small in size and a few used fairly detailed methods for exposure assessment. One study on paternal exposure to pesticides and congenital malformations is even published in this issue (2). Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment and Health, Previous Issues: http://www.occuphealth.fi/e/dept/sjweh/index.htm http://www.occuphealth.fi/cgi-bin/sjweh/abst_testi.pl?key=1998|6|445--|1 ================================================= SCIENCE – BLOOD-BRAIN-BARRIER ''Additionally, BBB breakdown is theorized to be a key component in central nervous system (CNS) associated pathologies. BBB investigation is an ever growing and dynamic field studied by pharmacologists, neuroscientists, pathologists, physiologists, and clinical practitioners.'' The blood-brain barrier (BBB) is the specialized system of capillary endothelial cells that protects the brain from harmful substances in the blood stream, while supplying the brain with the required nutrients for proper function. Unlike peripheral capillaries that allow relatively free exchange of substance across / between cells, the BBB strictly limits transport into the brain through both physical (tight junctions) and metabolic (enzymes) barriers. Thus the BBB is often the rate-limiting factor in determining permeation of therapeutic drugs into the brain. Additionally, BBB breakdown is theorized to be a key component in central nervous system (CNS) associated pathologies. BBB investigation is an ever growing and dynamic field studied by pharmacologists, neuroscientists, pathologists, physiologists, and clinical practitioners. More information on the Blood Brain Barrier (BBB): History of Blood- Brain Barrier, Pericyte, Astrocyte and Basal Lamina Association with the BBB, Cell Membranes, Anatomy and Physiology of the Cerebral Capillary Endothelia, Transport at the BBB, Transport of Substances into the Brain, Anatomy and Physiology of Blood-CSF Barrier, Cerebral-Spinal Fluid, Circumventricular Organs, Blood Supply to the Brain, Pathophysiology of the BBB http://users.ahsc.arizona.edu/~davis/bbb.htm
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