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TAKE ACTION – EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT - POSSIBLE LETTER TO YOUR MEP From Philipp Mimkes, Coalition against BAYER-dangers, www.CBGnetwork.org Everyday household items - like toys, cosmetics, TVs, washing powders, clothes and furniture - contain man-made chemicals. Some chemicals are known to be toxic and we know very little about many others. Members of the European Parliament will take important decisions on the chemicals law this year. Now is the time to let your candidates for the European elections in June know that you care about your health and that you don't want hazardous substances to contaminate our bodies! Please take a look at www.chemicalreaction.org and ask your MEP (Member of European Parliament) candidates to support the campaign and protect our health and the environment from problem chemicals. Possible letter to your MEP Dear [name of the MEP candidate], We are very concerned about chemicals contaminating our bodies and our environment. Future generations must be better protected from harmful chemicals. The production of chemicals and their use in manufacturing and consumer products is largely globalised and subject to very little regulation. Chemicals cannot be effectively controlled at national level. Therefore the reform of the EU chemicals policy - REACH - must be put in place rapidly and actively promoted worldwide. Below we present three major areas that need to be strengthened in the REACH proposal, and we call on you to sign the following (in part or all):
Signature of MEP candidate: Date: The Chemical Reaction campaign is a joint project of the Friends of the Earth, Greenpeace and the European Environmental Bureau. ===================================================== TAKE ACTION – INDIA From Kavitha Kuruganti, Greenpeace India Please add your weight to this effort to get the governments here to act a least now for securing the long-pending justice issues in Bhopal.
A
unique opportunity to ensure Justice for
Bhopal!
To: Prime Minister of
India =========================================== TAKE ACTION - PESTICIDES From Pesticide Action Network Updates Service Action Alert: Protect Endangered Species From Pesticides, May 28, 2004 The Bush Administration has proposed new rules for pesticide review that will sharply limit protections for wildlife under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). A campaign is underway opposing the new rules and on June 5th, legislators will deliver a letter to Interior Secretary Gale Norton urging her to rescind them. Ask your legislator to sign on to the letter and prevent endangered species from losing important protections from pesticides. The Endangered Species Act requires the U.S Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) to consult with scientists at NOAA Fisheries and US Fish & Wildlife Service to determine what protections threatened and endangered wildlife need when registering or re-registering pesticides. This interagency consultation process is crucial, because past U.S. EPA decisions have ignored the agency's own evidence of pesticides harming threatened and endangered salmon, bald eagles, and sea turtles, among other species. If U.S. EPA is allowed to cut the wildlife agencies out of their review process on pesticide impacts, critical information and procedural safeguards will be lost, further opening the process to political and economically-driven decision-making. Pesticides kill millions of fish and other species each year. Bald eagles and peregrine falcons were placed on the endangered species list because of pesticide use, with eagles at 1% and peregrine falcons at 20% of their previous numbers when listed. Salmon in the Pacific Northwest, piping plovers in Florida, and San Joaquin kit foxes and golden eagles in California are only some of the species that have suffered from pesticide applications in recent years. In addition to wildlife, the protections ensured by consultations required with Fish and Wildlife Service experts also serve to aid farmworkers who work in, and live near, the very areas where certain pesticides threaten wildlife. Strong protections from highly toxic pesticides are needed for both wildlife and farmworkers, and the Fish and Wildlife Service and NOAA Fisheries should use their authority and responsibility to ensure protections are put in place. A number of legislators are waging a campaign to urge Secretary Norton to rescind the new U.S. EPA rules on wildlife consultation. Their letter, the Grijalva-Capps-Berman-Solis letter opposing the administration's rollbacks of pesticide protections for endangered species, has 38 signatures and will go to Secretary Norton on June 5, 2004. Ask your Congressional Representative today to join the campaign; the last day for legislators to sign the letter is June 4, 2004. Call or e-mail your Congressional Representative today. For contact information for your U.S. Representative visit http://www.house.gov/writerep/ to perform a quick search. As of May 28, here is the list of legislators that have signed on to the letter: Raúl M. Grijalva, Lois Capps, Howard L. Berman, Hilda L. Solis, Edward J. Markey, Chris Van Hollen, John W. Olver, Barney Frank, Maurice D. Hinchey, Jay Inslee, John Conyers, Jr., Dale E. Kildee, Michael M. Honda, Barbara Lee, George Miller, Sander M. Levin, Grace F. Napolitano, Danny K. Davis, Jim McDermott, Neil Abercrombie, Sam Farr, Nick Lampson, Dennis J. Kucinich, Adam B. Schiff, Tom Lantos, Rosa L. DeLauro, Ed Case, Jerrold Nadler, John Olver, Earl Blumenauer, Maxine Waters, Janice D. Schakowsky, Robert Wexler, James P. Moran, Susan A. Davis, Elijah E. Cummings, Bernard Sanders, Lloyd Doggett Sample Letter: Dear [Decision Maker], I disagree strongly with the administration plans to weaken protections for endangered species by attempting to allow the Environmental Protection Agency to shut fish and wildlife experts out of the process of determining whether certain pesticides may place imperiled fish and wildlife at risk. I support strong protections for endangered species. Please sign the Grijalva-Capps-Berman-Solis letter urging Secretary Norton to withdraw this dangerous proposal. Thank you for your consideration. Sincerely, [Your Name] [Your Address] Sources: Protect Wildlife and Farmworkers from Pesticides Earthjustice, http://ga0.org/earthjusticeaction/alert-description.tcl?alert_id=2817057; Fight Weakening of Rules that Protect Endangered Species from Pesticides, Northwest Coalition for Alternatives to Pesticides, http://www.pesticide.org. =========================================== BOOKS Endangered Brains by Kaye H. Kilburn M.D. April 2004 A "dirty dozen" chemicals cause brain damage. Everyone should know how to recognize them. Most of them are familiar, many are found at home and they hurt people. The damage they do is measurable and progressive. This damage resembles that from trauma to the brain, but the key differences are more generalized and usually permanent. Another crucial difference is: nothing reverses it, it does not go away. This is sudden aging, premature by 20 or more years! Therefore, one must prevent damage by avoiding exposure. The theme gathers patient stories that sadden but enliven my journey, the steps I took and thoughts I have had about this problem. Patients' tears, fears and fates are the substance of this account freed of the numbers and statistics, (which can be found in my other book: Chemical Brain Injury, See Above). Over the years, I have measured brain damage from chemicals and saw deaths from problems many physicians had dismissed as, "it's all in you head." My search for the cause led to chemicals, to the conveniences of modern life found at home, carried in insecticides, cleaning agents, carpets, and drapes- chemicals that cause brain damage. The newest problems from mold exposures at home result from moisture between walls. http://www.neuro-test.com/Books.htm Price: $20 plus $5 shipping prepaid. Order from: Order from: Amazon, Barnes & Noble Books or Send check to: Kaye Kilburn M.D., Endangered Brains, PO Box 5374 Pasadena, CA 91117 *** Chemical Brain Injury by Kaye H. Kilburn M.D. 1998. The idea that the brain is the most susceptible of body organs to the adverse effects of chemicals seemed a remote possibility a decade or two ago. Among the skeptics was Dr. Kaye H. Kilburn. Well-known in Environmental Medicine and Occupational Health, he had demonstrated that airways-obstruction caused the Monday-morning asthma from cotton dust in textile workers that led to the Cotton Dust Standard. He showed how asbestos scarred the lungs' small airways to trap air and reduce vital capacity and that welding fumes, aluminum refining, diesel exhaust and formaldehyde caused asthma by narrowing small airways. These workers complaints of memory loss, inability to concentrate, dizziness, lightheadedness and loss of balance led Dr. Kilburn to consider how to measure brain functions. He borrowed and adapted tests and built devices to measure key brain activities, and learned to find out how symptoms predicted losses of balance, quickness, and strength, and loss of vision for color and form. Nearly 300 patients who had been exposed to chemicals were evaluated for diagnosis and nearly 4,000 people who had been exposed in groups were evaluated for chemical effects. Statistical analysis of patients gathered from individuals and groups in cities, towns, and rural areas provided complementary insights into the effects of chemicals. Chemical Brain Injury focuses on how common and abundant chemicals affect the brain. It synthesizes endeavors to assess the effects of chemicals that were gathered over 15 years and published in 30 widely-scattered papers. Included are effects of chlorine, hydrogen sulfide, chlordane, arsenic, trichloroethylene, PCBs, hydrochloric acid and diesel exhaust. To understand how individuals and populations respond to chemicals, it considers the effects of aging, of years of school completed and of sex, height, weight and other factors. About the Author Dr. Kaye H. Kilburn, is Ralph Edgington Professor of Medicine at the University of Southern California, School of Medicine. His career spans problem- solving in respiratory failure, emphysema, asbestosis and byssinosis at Duke University and Mount Sinai School of Medicine. Since 1982 he has investigated chemicals and the brain. He is Editor-in-Chief of the Archives of Environmental Health and has published over 200 scientific papers.
================================================= From P A N U P S Pesticide Action Network Updates Service Body Burden, June 3, 2004 Resource Pointer #366 Plants as Medicine May 26, 2004 Resource Pointer #365 International Development May 12, 2004, Resource Pointer #364 Soil Science May 6, 2004, Resource Pointer #363 Increasing Grassroots Opposition to Dow Chemical- May 21, 2004 POPs Treaty In Force Today, May 17, 2004, Pesticide Drift Poisons in Central Valley. May 14, 2004, Last week, in two separate incidents, drifting pesticides poisoned bystanders in California's the Central Valley. Both incidents occurred during the springtime heavy spraying season, and underscore the dangers of pesticide drift for workers and surrounding communities. World Fair Trade Day. May 07, 2004 *** Study: American Pesticide Levels Are High. By Terence Chea, Associated Press Writer SAN FRANCISCO - Many U.S. residents carry unhealthy levels of pesticides in their bodies, with children, women and Mexican Americans disproportionately exposed to the toxic chemicals, according to a study to be released Tuesday. The Pesticide Action Network analyzed data collected by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in a study of more than 2,648 people tested for levels of 34 pesticides, the environmental group said. Pesticide Action Network: http://www.panna.org CropLife America: http://www.croplifeamerica.org ================================================= CHEMTRAILS Patent Stratospheric Welsbach seeding http://crop.mur.at/g7/trailimages/welsbach-seeding.pdf Source: http://ecolog.twoday.net/stories/215970/ ================================================= COUNTRIES – FRANCE - INSECTICIDE From Coalition against BAYER-dangers. 26 May 2004 France suspends use of Gaucho insecticide for corn French Agriculture Minister Herve Gaymard on Tuesday announced it planned to stop use of the Gaucho pesticide to treat corn seeds until it is reviewed by the European Commission in 2006. In January last year, Gaymard had already extended for three years suspension of the use of Gaucho, a chemical produced by the German chemicals and pharmaceuticals giant Bayer, for treatment of sunflower seeds. Gaucho, like another pesticide Regent TS produced by German chemicals giant BASF, has been accused by French bee-keepers of causing a high mortality rate among bees. Sales of Regent TS was suspended in France last February. An agriculture ministry report deemed that the government's decision to give farmers till June to use up their remaining stocks of pesticide was much less costly that destroying the crop seeds already sprayed. But the national association of bee-keepers says massive damage is being done to bee populations, which are crucial to plant pollination. Subisidiaries of Bayer and BASF, which sold Regent TS, are under criminal investigation in France for selling an agricultural product that is toxic to humans or animals. (source: AFP) French beekeepers say about 90 billion of their insects have been killed over the last 10 years by a pesticide. The chemical, used on crops including maize and sunflowers, damages the bees' sense of direction so they become lost. It is used in the UK on several crops, though not in exactly the way it is used in France, and British beekeepers have been urged to be on their guard. UK apiarists say the value of bees to the agricultural economy is immense, and they fear bees are becoming rarer. The chemical implicated in the loss of French bees is imidacloprid, marketed under a variety of names including Gaucho. It is slowly released in the plants, protecting them against insect attack by destroying their ability to find their way. A London newspaper, the Observer, reported: "Almost immediately after the chemicals were introduced 10 years ago, beekeepers reported that their bees were becoming disoriented and dying. Used in UK "Within a few years honey production in south-west France fell by 60%. According to the chairman of the national beekeepers' association, Jean-Marie Sirvins, a third of the country's 1.5 million registered hives disappeared. "As a result, France has had to import up to 24,000 tons of honey annually." The pesticide companies say their products are not responsible for killing the bees. There are no reports of any ill effects from applications of imidacloprid in the UK, where it is licensed for use on beet. There are restrictions on its use when the plants are in flower, or for spraying the foliage. But Richard Jones, the director of the International Bee Research Association, told BBC News Online: "Beekeepers here have to be on the alert. More needed "The verroa mite, which feeds on the bees' blood, arrived from mainland Europe, and we know that bees' nests can travel a long way on container ships. "People hear about bees and think only about honey, but it's the other side of the problem that's worrying. "They add billions of pounds to the value of the agricultural economy every year because of their work in pollinating crops like apples. "We don't have enough bees in the UK, and we have very few feral bees. Every time a hedgerow is destroyed, that means the loss of nesting places for bumblebees." By Alex Kirby, 1 March 2004 BBC News Online environment correspondent
Coalition
against BAYER-dangers,
www.CBGnetwork.org,
CBGnetwork@aol.com ================================================= COUNTRIES - SWEDEN Sweden Parliament Votes 245 to 45 for Smokefree Air Parts excerpted from AFP, 5/13/04
STOCKHOLM:
The Swedish parliament voted last Wednesday in favor of a government
proposal to clear the air in bars and restaurants starting on June 1, 2005.
Lawmakers approved the proposal by 245 votes to 45, despite objections from
the Swedish hotel and restaurant association. A smokefree law in bars and restaurants in neighboring Norway is scheduled to go into effect on June 1. European countries Ireland and the Netherlands introduced similar smokefree laws earlier this year. Outside of Europe, New Zealand, India, Uganda, and Bhutan have adopted similar measures. To win smokefree air where YOU live, go to http://www.smokefree.net/alerts.php ================================================ COUNTRIES – EU Food Safety (under all) Codex Alimentarius CCMAS ? Codex Committee on Methods of Analysis and Sampling - Annotated Agenda indicating the division of competence and right to vote between the European Community and its Member States in respect of each particular agenda item - 8-12 March 2004 http://europa.eu.int/comm/food/fs/ifsi/eupositions/ccmas/ccmas_cl2004-25_en.pdf Committees Summary Report Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health Section (SCFCAH) : Animal Health and Animal Welfare from 22 March 2004 http://europa.eu.int/comm/food/fs/rc/scfcah/ah_aw/rap32_en.pdf Codex Alimentarius CCMAS ? Codex Committee on Methods of Analysis and Sampling - Annotated Agenda indicating the division of competence and right to vote between the European Community and its Member States in respect of each particular agenda item - 8-12 March 2004 http://europa.eu.int/comm/food/fs/ifsi/eupositions/ccfo/ccfo_index_en.html Public Health Health in other policies : Event : Public Forum "A Stronger European-based Pharmaceutical Industry for the Benefit of The Patient" . Erkki Liikanen, Commissioner for Enterprise, and David Byrne, Commissioner for Health and Consumer Protection, will be hosting a Public Forum on the European pharmaceutical sector from both the competitiveness and health perspectives. Brussels, Thursday 3 June from 14:00 to 18:00 Health monitoring programme : Funded project 2000 : "Setting up a coherent set of Health indicators for the European Union (Phase 2) / Proposition d'un ensemble cohérent d'indicateurs de santé pour l'Union Européenne (Phase 2)" http://europa.eu.int/comm/health/ph_projects/2000/monitoring/monitoring_project_2000_full_en.htm#3. Outcome of the project: Publication: Creating a coherent set of indicators to monitor health across Europe: the Euro-REVES 2 project, European Journal of Public Health, Volume 13, Supplement 1, September 2003 Health monitoring programme : Funded project 2000 : "Health surveys in the European Union: European Health Interview & Health Examination Surveys (HIS and HIS/HES) evaluations and models (Phase 2)" http://europa.eu.int/comm/health/ph_projects/2000/monitoring/monitoring_project_2000_full_en.htm#4 Outcome of the project: Publication: Evaluation of Health Interview Surveys and Health Examination Surveys in the European Union, European Journal of Public Health, Volume 13, Supplement 1, September 2003 Health monitoring programme : Funded project 2000 : "PERISTAT - Indicators for monitoring and evaluating perinatal health in Europe / Indicateurs pour la surveillance de la santé périnatale en Europe" http://europa.eu.int/comm/health/ph_projects/2000/monitoring/monitoring_project_2000_full_en.htm#7 Outcome of the project: Publication: PERISTAT: Indicators for monitoring and evaluating perinatal health in Europe, European Journal of Public Health, Volume 13, Supplement 1, September 2003 Health monitoring programme : Funded project 2000 : "Bold CHILD - Child Health Indicators of Life and Development" http://europa.eu.int/comm/health/ph_projects/2000/monitoring/monitoring_project_2000_full_en.htm#8 Outcome of the project: Publication: Child Health Indicators for Europe: a priority for a caring society, European Journal of Public Health, Volume 13, Supplement 1, September 2003 ================================================= INTERNET - MAILING LIST As you may or may not know the [IAQ] discussion group has been converted to a $$fee required discussion group. We have all enjoyed being a part of this discussion group. To the credit of its moderator, a tremendous opportunity was developed to share information and enhance our collective understanding of the IAQ field. We recently received a notice of intent to charge for continued access to this group. We encourage all that so choose to remain with and support [IAQ]. However, there are many members that are not in a position, or are not willing, to pay for continued participation. Therefore we have established an alternative discussion group with FREE access to anyone who decides to join. The new groups is [IEQUALITY] The IEQ discussion group has been established to provide a forum for IEQ professionals to openly discuss issues. These issues include indoor environmental health, IAQ consulting, toxicology,HVAC engineering, industrial hygiene, risk management, restoration and remediation, insurance coverage, legal issues, medical issues and more. The links to the group are: Post message: iequality@yahoogroups.com ================================================= RACHEL'S ENVIRONMENT & HEALTH NEWS May 13, 2004, #791 Fourteen Reasons for Precaution In Rachel's #789 and #790, we offered responses to the critics of precaution. Here we take a positive approach and offer 14 basic arguments FOR precaution. …. http://www.rachel.org ================================================= RESEARCH Environmental Health Perspectives EHP Table of Contents Editorial p. A 454 The Oceans and Human Health. Paul A. Sandifer, A. Frederick Holland, Teri K. Rowles, and Geoffrey I. Scott, p. A 455 Connecting the Oceans and Human Health. Frederick L. Tyson, Donald L. Rice, and Allen Dearry. Correspondence p. A 458 Access to Environmental Information Testing Toxic Compounds in Human Subjects: Ethical Standards and Good Science Testing Toxic Pesticides in Humans: Health Risks with No Health Benefits Toxicity of Fragrances Environews, Forum. p. A 464 Reconstructing the Environment in Iraq Japan's Toxic Past Resurfaces Echinacea No Cure-all for Kids Why Males Are More at Risk for Melanoma EHPnet: Center for Ocean-Land-Atmosphere Studies The Beat NIEHS News p. A 468 New Centers for Oceans and Human Health Beyond the Bench: Toxin Talk in Miami Headliners: MeHg/PCB Combination Impairs Motor Skills in Young Rats Focus p. A 472 The State of the Oceans, Part 2: Delving Deeper into the Sea's Bounty Spheres of Influence p. A 482 Risk Assessment at the EPA: An Agency Self-Exam Innovations p. A 486 RoboLobsters: The Beauty of Biomimetics Science Selections p. A 490 Exhaustive Variation. Disinfection Question Risky Shellfish? Research Commentaries Antimony: An Unlikely Confounder in the Relationship between Well Water Arsenic and Health Outcomes in Bangladesh Kathleen M. McCarty, David B. Senn, Molly L. Kile, Quazi Quamruzzaman, Mahmuder Rahman, Golam Mahiuddin, and David C. Christiani p. 809 A Tale of Two Diesels Janet Arey, p. 812 Articles Bioassay-Directed Fractionation and Salmonella Mutagenicity of Automobile and Forklift Diesel Exhaust Particles David M. DeMarini, Lance R. Brooks, Sarah H. Warren, Takahiro Kobayashi, M. Ian Gilmour, and Pramila Singh p. 814 Sample Characterization of Automobile and Forklift Diesel Exhaust Particles and Comparative Pulmonary Toxicity in Mice Pramila Singh, David M. DeMarini, Colin A.J. Dick, Dennis G. Tabor, Jeff V. Ryan, William P. Linak, Takahiro Kobayashi, and M. Ian Gilmour p. 820 Relationships between PCBs and Thyroid Hormones and Retinol in Female and Male Polar Bears Marte Braathen, Andrew E. Derocher, Øystein Wiig, Eugen G. Sørmo, Elisabeth Lie, Janneche U. Skaare, and Bjørn Munro Jenssen p. 826 Prediction of Residential Pet and Cockroach Allergen Levels Using Questionnaire Information Ulrike Gehring, Elizabeth Triche, Robert T. van Strien, Kathleen Belanger, Theodore Holford, Diane R. Gold, Thomas Jankun, Ping Ren, Jean-ellen McSharry, William S. Beckett, Thomas A.E. Platts-Mills, Martin D. Chapman, Michael B. Bracken, and Brian P. Leaderer p. 834 Cellular and Humoral Immune Abnormalities in Gulf War Veterans Aristo Vojdani and Jack D. Thrasher p. 840 Natural Variability and the Influence of Concurrent Control Values on the Detection and Interpretation of Low-Dose or Weak Endocrine Toxicities John Ashby, Helen Tinwell, Jenny Odum, and Paul Lefevre p. 847 Adipose Tissue Levels of Organochlorine Pesticides and Polychlorinated Biphenyls and Risk of Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma Penelope J.E. Quintana, Ralph J. Delfino, Susan Korrick, Argyrios Ziogas, Frederick W. Kutz, Ellen L. Jones, Francine Laden, and Eric Garshick p. 854 Estradiol Uptake, Toxicity, Metabolism, and Adverse Effects on Cadmium-Treated Amphibian Embryos Osvaldo Fridman, Lucrecia Corró, and Jorge Herkovits p. 862 Cytogenetic Markers, DNA Single-Strand Breaks, Urinary Metabolites, and DNA Repair Rates in Styrene-Exposed Lamination Workers Pavel Vodicka, Jarno Tuimala, Rudolf Stetina, Rajiv Kumar, Paola Manini, Alessio Naccarati, Luciano Maestri, Ludmila Vodickova, Miroslava Kuricova, Hilkka Järventaus, Zuzana Majvaldova, Ari Hirvonen, Marcello Imbriani, Antonio Mutti, Lucia Migliore, Hannu Norppa, and Kari Hemminki p. 867 Emission-Particle-Induced Ventilatory Abnormalities in a Rat Model of Pulmonary Hypertension Sarah Y. Gardner, John K. McGee, Urmila P. Kodavanti, Allen Ledbetter, Jeffrey I. Everitt, Darrell W. Winsett, Donald L. Doerfler, and Daniel L. Costa p. 872 Ultrafine Particle Deposition in Subjects with Asthma David C. Chalupa, Paul E. Morrow, Günter Oberdörster, Mark J. Utell, and Mark W. Frampton p. 583 Chemical Risks Associated with Consumption of Shellfish Harvested on the North Shore of the St. Lawrence River's Lower Estuary Fabien Gagnon, Thierry Tremblay, Justine Rouette, and Jacques-François Cartier p. 883 Breast Cancer Risk and Historical Exposure to Pesticides from Wide-Area Applications Assessed with GIS Julia Green Brody, Ann Aschengrau, Wendy McKelvey, Ruthann A. Rudel, Christopher H. Swartz, and Theresa Kennedy p. 889 Endocrine Disruption and Altered Gonadal Development in White Perch (Morone americana) from the Lower Great Lakes Region Richard J. Kavanagh, Gordon C. Balch, Yiannis Kiparissis, Arthur J. Niimi, Jim Sherry, Cheryl Tinson, and Chris D. Metcalfe p. 898 Exocrine Pancreatic Pathology in Female Harlan Sprague-Dawley Rats after Chronic Treatment with 2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin and Dioxin-like Compounds Abraham Nyska, Micheal P. Jokinen, Amy E. Brix, Donald M. Sells, Michael E. Wyde, Denise Orzech, Joseph K. Haseman, Gordon Flake, and Nigel J. Walker p. 903 Environmental Medicine Grand Rounds Mercury Exposure Aboard an Ore Boat. Richard R. Roach and Stephanie Busch. p. 910 Workgroup Report Pesticide Testing in Humans: Ethics and Public Policy Christopher Oleskey, Alan Fleischman, Lynn Goldman, Kurt Hirschhorn, Philip J. Landrigan, Marc Lappé, Mary Faith Marshall, Herbert Needleman, Rosamond Rhodes, and Michael McCally p. 914 Children's Health Articles The Effect of Disinfection By-products and Mutagenic Activity on Birth Weight and Gestational Duration J. Michael Wright, Joel Schwartz, and Douglas W. Dockery p. 920 Levels of Lead in Breast Milk and Their Relation to Maternal Blood and Bone Lead Levels at One Month Postpartum Adrienne S. Ettinger, Martha María Téllez-Rojo, Chitra Amarasiriwardena, Teresa González-Cossío, Karen E. Peterson, Antonio Aro, Howard Hu, and Mauricio Hernández-Avila p. 926 Association of FEV1 in Asthmatic Children with Personal and Microenvironmental Exposure to Airborne Particulate Matter Ralph J. Delfino, Penelope J.E. Quintana, Josh Floro, Victor M. Gastañaga, Behzad S. Samimi, Michael T. Kleinman, L.-J. Sally Liu, Charles Bufalino, Chang-Fu Wu, and Christine E. McLaren p. 932 Announcements NIEHS Extramural Update. p. A 495 Fellowships, Grants, & Awards. p. A 496 Book Review/New Books. p. A 508 Brought to you by ehpOnline. http://www.ehpOnline.org/ *** Establishment of the Endocrine Disruptor Methods Validation Advisory Committee: June 2, 2004 (Volume 69, Number 106 Page 31099-31100 AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). ACTION: Establishment of Federal Advisory Committee Act Committee. SUMMARY: As required by section 9(a)(2) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App. 2 section 9(a)(2)), we are giving notice that EPA is establishing the Endocrine Disruptor Methods Validation Advisory Committee (EDMVAC). The purpose of this Committee is to provide a forum for a diverse group of individuals representing a broad range of interests and scientific expertise. It will provide advice to the Agency on matters related to the validation of assays under consideration by the Endocrine Disruptor Screening Program (EDSP). The Committee will analyze relevant scientific issues, protocols, review data and interpretations of data for the assays. The major objective of the Committee is to provide advice and recommendations to the EPA Administrator on scientific and technical aspects of the assays as they progress through the validation process. EPA has determined that this advisory committee is in the public interest and will assist the Agency in performing its duties as prescribed by the Food Quality Protection Act of 1996. Copies of the Committee Charter will be filed with the appropriate congressional committees and the Library of Congress. http://epa.gov/EPA-TOX/2004/June/Day-02/t12419.htm How Can I Get Additional Information, Including Copies of this Document or Other Related Documents? 1. Electronically. You may access this Federal Register document electronically through the EPA Internet site under the ``Federal Register'' listings at http://www.epa.gov/fedrgstr/ Information about the former Endocrine Disruptor Methods Validation Subcommittee, the Endocrine Disruptor Screening Program and related programs is available from http://www.epa.gov/scipoly/oscpendo/ EPA has established an official public docket for the EDMVAC under docket identification (ID) number OPPT-2004-0084. The official public docket consists of the documents related to the activities of the committee and any public comments received. Although a part of the official docket, the public docket does not include Confidential Business Information (CBI) or other information whose disclosure is restricted by statute. An electronic version of the public docket is available through EPA's electronic public docket and comment system, EPA Dockets. You may use EPA Dockets at http://www.epa.gov/edocket/ to access the index listing of the contents of the official public docket, and to access those documents in the public docket that are available electronically. Although not all docket materials may be available electronically, you may still access any of the publicly available docket materials through the docket facility identified in Unit II.2. Once in the system, select ``search,'' then key in the appropriate docket ID number. 2. In person. The official public docket is the collection of materials that is available for public viewing at the EPA Docket Center, Rm. B102-Reading Room, EPA West, 1301 Constitution Ave., NW., Washington, DC. The EPA Docket Center is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays. The EPA Docket Center Reading Room telephone number is (202) 566-1744 and the telephone number for the OPPT Docket, which is located in the EPA Docket Center, is (202) 566-0272. 3. By mail. You may obtain copies of this document and other related documents from the technical contact person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. List of Subjects: Environmental protection, Endocrine disruptors, Endocrine Disruptor Screening Program, Endocrine Disrupor Methods Validation Advisory Committee. Dated: May 18, 2004. Susan B. Hazen, Assistant Administrator, Office of Prevention, Pesticides and Toxic Substances. *** The effects of a double blind, placebo controlled, artificial food colourings and benzoate preservative challenge on hyperactivity in a general population sample of preschool children B Bateman, J O Warner, E Hutchinson, T Dean, P Rowlandson, C Gant, J Grundy, C Fitzgerald, J Stevenson Arch Dis Child 2004;89:506511. doi: 10.1136/adc.2003.031435 Artificial food colourings and preservatives have a "significant" impact on hyperactivity levels in very young children, finds research in Archives of Disease in Childhood. Removal of these substances could be in the long term interest of public health, say the authors. The authors base their findings on over 1800 three year old children, who were screened for hyperactivity and allergies. Almost 300 children, divided into four groups, completed the four week study. During the first week, the children ate only foods free of artificial additives, including colourings, such as tartrazine, sunset yellow, and carmoisine, and the preservative sodium benzoate. During the second and fourth weeks they were randomly assigned to a daily dose of fruit juice, with or without colourings and preservatives. The children's behaviour was assessed before the study began and regularly throughout the study period by formal clinical assessment and parental diaries. The parents were unaware which type of juice had been given to their child. Parental ratings showed that the children became significantly less hyperactive during the period when the additives were removed from the diet, and much more hyperactive when they were put back in. The authors suggest that for those children with high hyperactivity scores, this translates as a reduction in prevalence from 15% to 6%. But this figure must be interpreted with caution, they say. [email comments; not in paper]. These changes were not reflected in the formal clinic assessments. But the authors suggest that parental ratings might be more sensitive as parents see their children's behaviour over a longer period of time, in more varied settings, and in less optimal conditions. Children with more extreme forms of hyperactivity were no more or less likely to respond to dietary changes than children at the milder end of the behavioural spectrum. And the effects were seen irrespective of whether the child was hyperactive or allergic before the study began. Previous research has shown that young hyperactive children are at risk of continuing behavioural difficulties, such as poor social adaptation and educational problems, say the authors, pointing out that there could be a potential long term public health benefit, if this issue were addressed. "These findings therefore suggest that significant changes in children's hyperactive behaviour could be produced by the removal of artificial colourings and sodium benzoate from their diet," they conclude. Studies should be undertaken to see if the same effects might be seen in older children as well, they suggest. ARCHIVES OF DISEASE IN CHILDHOOD 2004; 89: 506-11 http://press.psprings.co.uk/adc/june/506_ac31435.pdf *** Change to the OEHHA toxicity criteria database. Oral unit risks and slope factors added for the following chemicals: 2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin, 3,3',4,4'-TCB, 3,4,4',5-TCB, 2,3,3',4,4'-PeCB, 2,3,4,4',5-PeCB, 2,3',4,4',5-PeCB, 2',3,4,4',5-PeCB, 3,3',4,4',5-PeCB, 2,3,3',4,4',5-HxCB, 2,3,3',4,4',5'-HxCB, 2,3',4,4',5,5'-HxCB, 3,3',4,4',5,5'-HxCB, 2,3,3',4,4',5,5'-HpCB. All use the reference: OEHHA, 2003 Adoption of the Revised Toxicity Equivalency Factors (TEF WHO-97) for PCDDs, PCDFs, and Dioxin-Like PCBs [06/03/04] http://www.oehha.ca.gov/prop65/whats_new/index.html *** Allergy Volume 59 Issue 6 Page 632 - June 2004 doi:10.1111/j.1398-9995.2004.00448.x Original article Allergy, asthma and markers of infections among Albanian migrants to Southern Italy M. T. Ventura1, G. Munno2, F. Giannoccaro3, F. Accettura1, M. Chironna4, R. Lama5, M. Hoxha5, V. Panetta6, L. Ferrigno6, F. Rosmini6, P. M. Matricardi7, S. Barbuti4, A. Priftanji5, S. Bonini8, A. Tursi1 Background: Studies of immigrants represent an useful tool to determine the relative relevance of environmental vs genetic factors in causing the reported rapid increase of the prevalence of sensitization and allergic diseases. Methods: A total of 152 Albanian migrants to Southern Italy responded to a questionnaire based on the European Community Respiratory Health Survey (ECRHS) and 139 of them underwent skin prick test, and 61 serological assays for total IgE and IgG antibodies against Toxoplasma gondii (TG), herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1), hepatitis A virus (HAV) and Helicobacter pylori (HP). Results: Reported asthma was rare (2/152; 1.3%) and reported nasal allergies rather frequent (24/152; 15.8%). Sensitization to common inhalant allergens occurred in 27/139 (19.4%) subjects. The frequency of skin sensitization to pollen (P = 0.003) and that of hay fever (P = 0.004) increased with the time spent in Apulia. All the 61 sera had antibodies against HAV, 59/61 (96.7%) against HSV-1, 48/61 (78.7%) against HP and 34/61 (55.7%) against TG. The prevalence of skin sensitization and hay fever symptoms were correlated to the duration of residence in Southern Italy. Conclusions: Data presented indicate that Albanian migrants to Italy, in spite of the low prevalence of allergic diseases and sensitization in their country of origin, manifest with time an increasing prevalence of sensitization to local allergens and nasal symptoms after immigration to Italy. This would suggest a permanent role of allergen exposure and lifestyle factors in influencing the appearance of sensitization and symptoms of allergic diseases. http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/links/doi/10.1111/j.1398-9995.2004.00448.x/abs/ ***
The EHP
Toxicogenomics Issue 112-7 May
2004 is now online. Indoor Air Volume 14 Issue 3 Page 178 - June 2004 Effects of pollution from personal computers on perceived air quality, SBS symptoms and productivity in offices. Z. Bakó-Biró1,2, P. Wargocki1, C. J. Weschler1,3, P. O. Fanger1 Abstract In groups of six, 30 female subjects were exposed for 4.8 h in a low-polluting office to each of two conditions - the presence or absence of 3-month-old personal computers (PCs). These PCs were placed behind a screen so that they were not visible to the subjects. Throughout the exposure the outdoor air supply was maintained at 10 l/s per person. Under each of the two conditions the subjects performed simulated office work using old low-polluting PCs. They also evaluated the air quality and reported Sick Building Syndrome (SBS) symptoms. The PCs were found to be strong indoor pollution sources, even after they had been in service for 3 months. The sensory pollution load of each PC was 3.4 olf, more than three times the pollution of a standard person. The presence of PCs increased the percentage of people dissatisfied with the perceived air quality from 13 to 41% and increased by 9% the time required for text processing. Chemical analyses were performed to determine the pollutants emitted by the PCs. The most significant chemicals detected included phenol, toluene, 2- ethylhexanol, formaldehyde, and styrene. The identified compounds were, however, insufficient in concentration and kind to explain the observed adverse effects. This suggests that chemicals other than those detected, so-called 'stealth chemicals', may contribute to the negative effects. http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/links/doi/10.1111/j.1600-0668.2004.00218.x/abs/ ================================================= SCIENCE - JOURNALS Focus: Obese. Hyperactive. How can we eat our way out of trouble? 30 May 2004 Why has a nation obsessed by diet let its children fall victims to an 'obesity epidemic'? The Government mutters advice but why doesn't it stop junk food being targeted at the very young? Food writer Joanna Blythman discovers the answers - and how we can get our children (and ourselves) out of this sorry, sticky mess Full article at: http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/health_medical/story.jsp?story=526324 *** Food additives and behaviour. Food additives harm children, research shows By Jeremy Laurance Health Editor, 25 May 2004 Artificial colourings and preservatives in food and drink boost levels of hyperactivity in pre-school children and urgent consideration should be given to removing them, doctors will claim today. The additives have a "significant" impact on the behaviour of ordinary children and their elimination would be in the long-term interests of public health, researchers from the University of Southampton say. The proportion of children with high levels of hyperactivity was halved when the additives were removed, the researchers found…. http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/health_medical/story.jsp?story=524648 *** Children at risk from cosmetics By Severin Carrell. 30 May 2004 Children are at greater risk of cancers and fertility problems in later life because of the growing use of their cosmetics and toiletries, health experts are warning. Adolescents and the parents of young children are buying more beauty products made for adults and toiletries such as baby wipes and bubble baths than ever before. Link to news article: http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/health_medical/story.jsp?story=526366 *** After four years of copying and scanning, the tobacco industry's eight million secrets are out By Jeremy Laurance and Rachel Stevenson 28 May 2004 In an anonymous building on an industrial estate in Guildford, Surrey, lie clues to the causes of one of the world's worst epidemics. The two-storey concrete and glass structure, bristling with security cameras, contains eight million documents relating to British American Tobacco, which sells cigarettes in 180 countries. The documents allegedly expose its involvement in smuggling and price-fixing, and reveal the tactics it allegedly has used to conceal the damage done by products that kill one in every two of their users. Yet, despite a 1998 court ruling in Minnesota, which ordered BAT to grant public access to the depository, researchers claim the company has obstructed access and allegedly tampered with the contents of files in a way which the researchers say amounts to concealment. Now, for the first time, all eight million documents are to be made globally available, following a clandestine operation to copy and scan them on to the world wide web. .. http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/health_medical/story.jsp?story=525633 *** Genetically modified trees cause memory loss By Chris Lang. Published in WRM Bulletin 82, May 2004. Maybe it's something in the water in Geneva that causes temporary memory loss. Or maybe it's the coffee. Whatever, the participants at the fourth meeting of the United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF-4) held in Geneva in May seemed to be suffering from a form of collective amnesia. Five months ago, the ninth Conference of the Parties (COP-9) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) reached a decision that will promote industrial forestry projects and genetically modified (GM) tree plantations. COP-9 decided to allow the North to establish plantations, including GM tree plantations, in the South under the Kyoto Protocol's "Clean Development Mechanism". The plantations are supposed to absorb carbon dioxide and store carbon. … www.wrm.org.uy Of course USDA's Safiya Samman knew this. Sadly, in common with most of the delegates at UNFF-4 she was suffering from GM tree-induced amnesia and she just forgot to mention it. http://chrislang.blogspot.com/ ***
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