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SAFER WORLD a private independent international internet information network www.safer-world.org/ 37-04/04/2005 |
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TAKE ACTION March 10, 2005 Tell EPA to Put the Brakes on 2,4-D
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CHEMICALS
CHEMICALS - HEAVY METALS
2005-03-14 Heavy metals in ceramic glaze can pose a risk to health BfR recommends lower maximum levels for the migration of lead and cadmium from ceramic objects to foods Coloured glazes of ceramic kitchenware may contain heavy metals like lead or cadmium. On contact with food, these toxic substances may be released from ceramic to varying degrees. The amounts of lead and cadmium which migrate from the ceramic to food is dependent not only the quality of the glaze but also more particularly on the temperature at which the ceramic was fired, the type of food and the duration of contact. The European Directive, which regulates the release of lead and cadmium from ceramics, is currently being reviewed. This prompted the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) to re-examine the valid maximum levels. BfR President Professor Dr. Dr. Andreas Hensel comments, "Risks to health from extreme lead uptakes from food stored for longer periods in lead-permeable ceramic containers cannot be completely ruled out today either." Even if the current provisions are complied with, there may be circumstances under which heavy metals may be released into food at levels which, particularly in the case of lead, can no longer be considered safe. BfR, therefore, recommends lowering the statutory maximum levels for the release of lead and cadmium from ceramic objects. Consumers should not store foods for longer periods in ceramic containers. Up to 4 milligram lead per litre (mg/l) may be released from ceramic containers which make full use of the permitted release level for lead. Depending on the calculation model, lead uptake may considerably exceed the provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI) of 0.025 mg per kilogram body weight and week derived by the World Health Organisation (WHO). “Even if it can be assumed that stipulated levels are not exceeded to this high degree every day or lifelong, these are additional and, above all, avoidable exposures“, commented Hensel. According to BfR the same applies to the heavy metal cadmium whereby the PTWI of 0.007 mg/kg body weight and week is exceeded to a far lower degree. Nevertheless, there are groups of persons who almost reach the limit value for cadmium because of their eating habits and lifestyle. Any additional intake, like for instance from ceramic kitchenware, should, therefore, be avoided. The Institute comes to the conclusion that if the current maximum levels are maintained for the migration of lead and cadmium from ceramic objects to foods intake levels may be reached in individual cases which, especially in the case of lead, can no longer be considered safe. It is not clear how many and how often consumers are affected by high heavy metal intakes of this kind. Particularly with regard to the sensitivity of children, BfR recommends lowering the maximum levels for the release of lead and cadmium from ceramics. Lead is a naturally occurring heavy metal which is widespread in the environment, not least because of industrial processes. It ranks amongst the strong environmental toxins and accumulates in the organism. Lead is present as an admixture in numerous products like batteries, some paints, glazes down to cosmetics. When ceramics are used normally, it is unlikely that the maximum possible lead amounts are taken up daily or even lifelong. However, if sour foods in particular are stored for longer periods in heavy metal-permeable ceramic containers, the lead amount released may reach critical levels. There are incidences of lead intoxication from fruit juices stored in lead-permeable ceramic jars even today. Acute lead intoxications manifest themselves through symptoms like vomiting, intestinal colic, constipation down to kidney failure. Children are especially at risk as the developing body reacts even more sensitively to lead. In children elevated lead exposure can lead to irreversible neurological damage including disruptions of brain functions. Chronic intoxications go hand in hand with weakness, loss of appetite, nervosity and weight loss. Like cadmium, lead is a heavy metal which is widespread at low levels. Cadmium and its compounds, as dust and in aerosols, are classified as carcinogenic substances. Aside from batteries, the metal is mainly used in coloured pigments and for the production of plastics. Cadmium also accumulates in the body via the food chain where it builds up in the liver and kidneys. Once it has been taken up by the body, cadmium is only eliminated very slowly. Cadmium intoxications initially manifest the symptoms diarrhoea and vomiting. They may lead to liver and heart damage, kidney and circulatory failure. At low doses over a longer period, they go hand in hand with non-specific symptoms like exhaustion, headaches and neurological disorders. Further information on this subject can be accessed on www.bfr.bund.de under Commodities/Materials in contact with foods. ================================================= CHEMICALS - LEAD
BBC-NEWS
February, 2005 Lead in drinking water and other parts of environment
causing violent crime - Study
Lead pollution may be turning children into criminals, US experts fear.
Exposure even at low doses can cause aggression and behavioural problems in
children, the scientist who first linked lead to lower IQ believes. Dr
Herbert Needleman, of Pittsburgh University, found youths arrested for
delinquency had higher levels of lead in their bones than others. Other
psychosocial factors are likely to be important, but cutting lead could cut
crime, he told a US conference. It affects the prefrontal lobes of
the brain which are important in the regulation of behaviour
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/4279051.stm
================================================= CHEMICALS - MERCURY "A study to be published on Thursday in the journal "Health and Place" found that autism, a developmental disorder marked by communication and social interaction problems, increased in Texas counties as mercury emissions rose, said Claudia Miller, a family and community medicine professor at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio. "The main finding is that for every thousand pounds of environmentally released mercury, we saw a 17 percent increase in autism rates," she said in an interview. About 48 tons of mercury are released into the air annually in the United States from hundreds of coal-burning plants. http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=571&e=2&u=/nm/environment_autism_dc *** Monday, March 14, 2005 Leading Education, Learning Disability Advocates: Alert Issued to Parents Linking Toxic Mercury and Learning Disabilities WASHINGTON, DC - The Learning Disabilities Association of America (LDA), the National Education Association (NEA), and the Arc of the United States today released a brochure that identifies mercury pollution as one of the greatest threats facing developing fetuses, infants and young children. This publication also shows parents how exposure to this potent neurotoxicant can adversely affect their child's learning potential. Mercury air pollution poisons the nation's lakes, rivers and oceans. Coal fired power plants are the nation's largest uncontrolled source of mercury. Mercury contamination in fish across the U.S is so pervasive that health departments in 45 states and U.S. territories have issued food consumption advisories for freshwater and coastal fish. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and EPA specifically warn pregnant women, women of childbearing age, nursing mothers, and young children to limit their consumption of fish. "Mercury can impair, damage, and even destroy functioning nerve tissue - much like lead," said Dr. Larry Silver, past president of the Learning Disabilities Association of America and clinical professor of psychiatry at Georgetown University Medical Center. "This brochure is designed to help parents identify the causes of mercury pollution and the dangers associated with this toxic chemical." The brochure, designed for parents, explains where mercury comes from, provides food consumption advice, offers ways to help stop mercury air pollution at its source, and helps parents identify clues to learning disabilities. The brochure is available online at www.ldaamerica.org and www.thearc.org . "At the National Education Association Health Information Network, we recognize that health issues affect a child's readiness to learn," said Jerald Newberry, Director of the NEA Health Information Network. "That's why it's important to give parents - a child's first teacher - access to information to help them make the right decisions from the very start. This brochure provides vital information to parents - especially pregnant women - on steps they can take to prevent exposure to mercury. It also offers simple tips to help parents identify and get assistance if their child has a learning problem." A learning disability is neurobiologically-based and affects the ability to read, write, speak, and/or compute math. It also often interferes with the ability to build social relationships. A learning disability is a life long disorder that affects the manner in which individuals with normal or above average intelligence select, retain and express information. Incoming or outgoing information may become scrambled as it travels between the senses and the brain. "As many as 10% of the school-aged population may have learning disabilities," said Jane Browning, Executive Director of LDA. "More than 50 percent of all students in public school special education programs have been diagnosed with dyslexia, auditory processing disorders, and other learning disabilities. Even though these are smart and sometimes even gifted students, they often fail in school and must struggle with their learning disabilities throughout their entire lives." Mercury poses the greatest hazard to the developing fetus because it passes easily through the placenta and impairs the development of the brain and nervous system. When the fetus is exposed to mercury through maternal fish consumption, neurodevelopmental effects may unfold as the child grows. Infants may appear normal during the first few months of life, but may later display subtle effects. Children and infants may be more sensitive to the effects of mercury because their nervous systems continue to develop until about age 16. Children also have higher mercury exposures than adults because a child eats more food relative to his or her body weight than an adult does. As a result, children have a higher risk for adverse health effects. "We know that in extreme cases mercury can cause intellectual disabilities, such as mental retardation, which can require lifelong supports," said Leo Berggreen, President of The Arc of the United States, an organization working to include all children and adults with cognitive, intellectual, and developmental disabilities. "The Arc of the U.S. will do whatever we can to get this vital information into the hands of parents-to-be. We hope the EPA can be counted on to protect all developing babies from exposure to lifelong harm. In the meantime, we intend to get information to expectant parents so they can protect their children themselves." "In just a few short days, the Bush administration will issue its final mercury rule," said Martha Keating, Senior Scientist with the Clean Air Task Force. "Let's hope that they finally got it right and that this rule will actually protect America's children. We watched with dismay the inordinate amount of influence the big energy companies have exerted so far. We hope EPA's final rule demonstrates they have put health and science above politics." To see the brochure immediately, go to http://www.mercuryhurts.org Contact: Joel Finkelstein (w) 202.887.1345 (c) 202.285.0113 *** Environmental mercury release, special education rates, and autism disorder: an ecological study of Texas Raymond F. Palmera, , , Steven Blanchardb, Zachary Steina, David Mandellc and Claudia Millera University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio Department of Family and Community Medicine, 7703 Floyd Curl Drive, San Antonio, Texas 78229-3900, USA bDepartment of Sociology, Our Lady of the Lake University, San Antonio, Texas, USA cUniversity of Pennsylvania Center for Mental Health Policy and Services Research, USA Accepted 1 November 2004. Available online 17 February 2005. ABSTRACT The association between environmentally released mercury, special education and autism rates in Texas was investigated using data from the Texas Education Department and the United States Environmental Protection Agency. A Poisson regression analysis adjusted for school district population size, economic and demographic factors was used. There was a significant increase in the rates of special education students and autism rates associated with increases in environmentally released mercury. On average, for each 1000 lb of environmentally released mercury, there was a 43% increase in the rate of special education services and a 61% increase in the rate of autism. The association between environmentally released mercury and special education rates were fully mediated by increased autism rates. This ecological study suggests the need for further research regarding the association between environmentally released mercury and developmental disorders such as autism. These results have implications for policy planning and cost analysis. Keywords: Mercury; Special education; Autism; Environmental toxins; Ecological Copyright © 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. ScienceDirect® is a registered trademark of Elsevier B.V. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.healthplace.2004.11.005 ================================================= CHEMICALS - PESTICIDES From P A N U P S Pesticide Action Network Updates Service Pesticides Among Chemicals Found in New Study on Household Dust March 24, 2005 A study of common household dust released this week found pesticides and other chemicals in samples from 70 homes across the United States. Released by Clean Production Action on March 22, Sick of Dust: Chemicals in Common Products - A Needless Health Risk in Our Homes documents a wide range of chemicals used in common products such as computers, cosmetics and upholstery as well as household and agricultural pesticides in the dust samples. "We have a right to safety in our own homes," said Angela Grattaroti, a participant in the Sick of Dust study who is a mother and co-chair of a parent advisory council for special education in Leominster, Massachusetts. "It is inexcusable to subject our children to harms that can be avoided." Every dust sample contained measurable concentrations of five pesticides: cis-permethrin, trans-permethrin, piperonyl butoxide, pentachorophenol (PCP) and 4,4'-DDT. Six more pesticides were found in some of the samples, including: alpha- and gamma-chlordane, chlorpyrifos, deildrin, methoxychlor and propoxur. Researchers tested samples for a total of 14 pesticides in the study. Permethrin products are widely used in U.S. homes, yards and gardens. They are also used to kill insects in agriculture (especially in corn, wheat and alfalfa production), forestry, and public health programs, including use for head lice control. Because of the widespread use of these products, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) routinely finds permethrin residues on food. In 2001, it was among the top 10 most commonly detected pesticides in FDA food samples. Like all synthetic pyrethroids, permethrin products kill insects by strongly exciting their nervous systems. Permethrin is a possible carcinogen and also affects both male and female reproductive systems and the immune system. Piperonyl butoxide, which is used in formulations of permethrin, increases the potency of permethrin and related pyrethroids and is also a possible carcinogen. Most exposure to pentacholorophenol (PCP) in the U.S. comes from its past use on treated wood and soil. From 1987 to 1993 EPA recorded releases of PCP to land and water totaling nearly 100,000 pounds. PCP use has been restricted since 1984, but it is still used as a preservative on wooden utility poles and railroad ties. PCP is a known neurotoxin and a suspected endocrine disruptor, and is classified as a possible human carcinogen. Although DDT was banned from use in the United States in 1972, a recent body burden study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found DDT residues in the blood of 99% of those sampled. DDT is classified as a probable human carcinogen, and has been linked to developmental and reproductive disorders, premature births and reduced lactation in nursing mothers. Five additional classes of chemicals were found in the dust: Alkylphenols are found in laundry detergents, textiles, hair-coloring, paints and all-purpose cleaners. These chemicals are widely recognized to mimic natural estrogen hormones leading to altered sexual development in some organisms. Organotin compounds are found in PVC (polyvinyl chloride) water pipes, PVC food packing materials, glass coatings, polyurethane foams and many other consumer products. These chemicals are very poisonous even in small amounts. They can disrupt the hormone, reproductive and immune systems. Animal studies show that exposure early in life can also have long-term effects on brain development. Perfluorinated organics are used to make Teflon, Goretex and other oil-, water- and stain-resistant materials for nonstick frying pans, utensils, stove hoods, stain-proof carpets, furniture and clothes. These chemicals have been shown to damage organ function and sexual development in lab animals, and are potentially carcinogenic. Phthalates are used primarily in vinyl (PVC) products such as shower curtains, raincoats, toys, furniture and flooring. They are also used in paint, pesticides and personal care products (perfume, nail polish, hairspray). These chemicals disrupt reproductive systems in animal studies, particularly in male offspring and can contribute to male infertility. They have been linked to asthma and respiratory problems in children. Polybrominated dephenyl ethers (Brominated Flame Retardants) are applied to textiles or incorporated into plastics, foams and electrical goods to prevent or slow the spread of fire. These chemicals build up in the body and persist for long periods of time in the environment. Studies show they damage the development of the nervous and behavioral systems in young animals. American women have the highest levels of these chemicals tested for in breast milk. Sick of Dust authors call for an aggressive program of regulatory reform, corporate responsibility and consumer action. They stress the need for national level policy reforms and highlight state governments that are taking action in the absence of federal leadership. Legislation to phase out dangerous chemicals has been passed or is moving forward in Arkansas, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Oregon and Washington. In addition to Clean Production Action, the following groups helped coordinate research for the report: Alliance for Healthy Tomorrow, Center for Environmental Health, Citizens Environmental Coalition, Ecology Center, Environmental Health Strategy Center, Oregon Environmental Council, Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition and the Washington Toxics Coalition. Sources: Press Release, Hazardous Chemicals found in Household Dust Across U.S., New Report Says, March 22, 2005, Safer Products Project, Sick of Dust: Chemicals in Common Products - A Needless Health Risk In Our Homes, March 2005, Pat Costner, Beverly Thorpe and Alexandra McPherson. Contact: Clean Production Action, 716-805-1056, info@saferproducts.org. For the full report visit www.safer-products.org. 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. *** Activists Urge Lindane Ban March 17, 2005 Indigenous and environmental health advocates from the U.S., Mexico and Canada testified in San Diego, California today, in front of the Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC) in support of eliminating lindane, a pesticide that persists in air and water and has been found at high levels in the Arctic. The Commission designated a task force in 2002 to reduce exposure to lindane, but so far the U.S. government has blocked a continent-wide ban. Advocates hosted a "Lindane Lunch" for government officials attending the San Diego CEC meeting, serving traditional and common foods known to be contaminated by the toxic pesticide lindane. On the menu were salmon, halibut, and muktuk (whale meat) from Alaska-all important in the traditional diet of Arctic peoples-as well as common foods that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has found contaminated by lindane such as pickles, mixed nuts, chocolate chip cookies and wheat bread. Human breastmilk, found to contain lindane in studies around the world, was also on display. "We wanted to offer the government officials a taste of our concern," explained Shawna Larson from the Indigenous Environmental Network who traveled from Alaska to San Diego to highlight the effects of lindane on Arctic peoples. "The task force's decisions have a real impact on our food and way of life in the Arctic, where lindane is the most abundant pesticide found in our air and water." Indigenous peoples of the north who rely on traditional diets of marine mammals and fish are particularly at risk from lindane exposure through foods. In 1997, the Northern Contaminants Program estimated 15 to 20 percent of Inuit women on southern Baffin Island are exposed to dangerous levels of lindane in their daily diet. But everyone on the planet also faces health risks from lindane residues. An average local diet in any region of the world was found in 2003 to include 3.8 to 12 times the "Allowable Daily Intake" of lindane set under Codex Alimentarius, the United Nations system of food standards. Lindane can cause seizures and damage to the nervous system, and can weaken the immune system. Case-controlled research shows a significant association between brain tumors in children and the use of lindane-containing lice shampoos. The insecticide is also a suspected carcinogen and hormone disruptor. In 2004 Mexico committed to phase out all uses of lindane, and Canada instituted a phase out of lindane for all agricultural uses. However, the U.S. continues seed treatment uses of lindane for corn, wheat and a handful of other grains. In an average year, 142,000 pounds of lindane are applied to seeds in the U.S. Lindane is also use to control head lice and scabies in the U.S. and Canada. "U.S government inaction and industry influence have kept lindane on the market here for far too long," said Kristin Schafer with Pesticide Action Network North America. "Fifty-two countries have already banned this toxic pesticide, it is time for the U.S. to join the club." Lindane is also a significant contaminant in urban sewer systems and can pollute sources of drinking water. The Los Angeles County Sanitation District estimates that one dose of lindane shampoo used as a treatment for head lice contaminates six million gallons of water. This threat to clean drinking water, and the enormous costs of clean up, prompted California to ban lindane shampoos and lotions in 2002. The Commission on Environmental Cooperation, established under the environmental side-agreement to the North America Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), agreed in 2002 to target lindane for regional action in North America under the Sound Management of Chemicals (SMOC) Initiative. The SMOC working group has already developed North America Regional Action Plans for DDT, chlordane, mercury and PCB. Lindane is listed on the Rotterdam Convention on Prior Informed Consent (PIC) list, and is restricted under the international protocol on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution (LRTAP). The pesticide is also a candidate for addition to the list of chemicals targeted for global elimination under the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs), which will hold its first official meeting in Uruguay in the first week of May 2005. Organizations hosting the Lindane Lunch and sending representatives to testify before the commission include: from Canada; Sierra Club, Canada; from Mexico, Consejo Regional Otomi Del Alto Lerma, and Huicholes y Plaguicidas; and from the U.S.; Indigenous Environmental Network, Alaska Community Action on Toxics, Natural Resources Defense Council, and PANNA. Sources: Press Release, PANNA, March 16, 2005, Ban Lindane Now, Lindane, Fact Sheet, PANNA, March 2005, Too Toxic for Pets, But not for Children, PANUPS, Lindane, Going, Going, Gone, Lindane Moves closer to Elimination, Global Pesticide Campaigner, Dec, 2003, PANNA, http://www.panna.org; Lindane RED Facts, US EPA, September 2002, http://www.epa.gov/REDs/factsheets/lindane_fs.htm. 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 comment, send an email to: panna@panna.org To subscribe, send a blank email to: PANUPS-subscribe@topica.email-publisher.com Pesticide Action Network North America (PANNA) Email: panna@panna.org Web: http://www.panna.org ================================================= CHEMICALS - TABACCO Worldwide Smokefree Workplace Laws Parts excerpted from Reuters, 3/14/05 LONDON, March 14 - Smokefree workplace legislation is happening all over the world to protect workers from having to breathe tobacco smoke, which is known to cause cancer in humans. Here is a summary of recent smokefree workplace laws worldwide. 2004 March - Ireland implements a nationwide smokefree workplace law, including pubs, bars and restaurants. Polls show high rates of acceptance and compliance. May - India eliminates smoking in public places, tobacco advertising in media, and sales to minors, after statistics showed smoking killed 2,200 people in India per day. June - Norway extends smokefree workplace legislation to bars and restaurants. Oct - Hong Kong announces plans to extend smokefree workplace legislation to bars, restaurants, and offices. Nov - Scotland announces plans to implement smokefree workplace legislation in all enclosed public spaces by early 2006. The British government announces plans for smokefree workplace legislation across England and Wales starting in 2006. Nov - Russia's upper house of parliament approves a bill to restrict smoking in public places. The bill covers public transport and the workplace, and prevents the sale of tobacco in health, sports, cultural centers, and near schools. Dec - New Zealand extends smokefree workplace legislation to pubs, clubs, restaurants, and school grounds. Dec - The Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan eliminates smoking in all public places, including restaurants and bars. 2005 Jan - Italy implements smokefree workplace legislation in all enclosed public spaces, including restaurants and bars. Feb - Cuba eliminates smoking in offices, stores, theatres, buses and taxis, schools, sports facilities, and air-conditioned public areas. March - Parliament in Bangladesh passes smokefree workplace law in places such as schools, offices, libraries, hospitals and airports. It also prohibits advertisement of tobacco products in cinemas, newspapers, and on television. June - Sweden will implement smokefree workplace legislation in all workplaces, including restaurants and bars. Hundreds of localities in the United States, Canada, and Australia have implemented smokefree workplace laws, but no nationwide legislation has yet been enacted by these countries. To win smokefree air where YOU live, go to http://www.smokefree.net/alerts.php ================================================= CONFERENCES June 23 at the Air & Waste Management Association’s 98th Annual Conference & Exhibition, June 21-24, 2005, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Conference will feature more than 160 technical and educational sessions from program tracks in 12 scientific areas: Basic Sciences; Emission Control Technology; Measurements; Optical Sensing; Toxic Air Pollutants; Effects; Industrial Processes; Program Administration; Pollution Prevention/Sustainable Development; Transportation Issues; Municipal/Medical Waste; and Hazardous, Mixed, and Radioactive Waste. For more information about the program, visit www.awma.org/ACE2005 . Betty Bridges, RN (www.fpinva.org ) will be presenting her paper titled, "Scented Products as Sources of VOCs: Implications for Susceptible Populations." ================================================= COUNTRIES - EU New EU anti-smoking campaign launched Consultations: Food Safety Open Consultation : IPM Consultation "The Future of Pesticides in Europe" background page in EN, DE & FR and a link to profile-related questions http://europa.eu.int/comm/food/consultations/index_en.htm Consultations: Food Safety Consultation : Revision of Commission Directive 91/321/EEC on infant formulae and follow-on formulae Additional comments http://europa.eu.int/comm/food/consultations/comments_en.htm Programme 2003-2008: Executive Agency for the Public Health Programme Available in ES, DE, EN, FR http://europa.eu.int/comm/health/ph_programme/agency/agency_en.htm Programme 2003-2008: Executive Agency for the Public Health Programme.- Objectives Available in ES, DE, EN, FR http://europa.eu.int/comm/health/ph_programme/agency/objectives_en.htm Programme 2003-2008: Executive Agency for the Public Health Programme. - Budget Available in ES, DE, EN, FR http://europa.eu.int/comm/health/ph_programme/agency/budget_en.htm Programme 2003-2008: Executive Agency for the Public Health Programme - Next stages Available in ES, DE, EN, FR http://europa.eu.int/comm/health/ph_programme/agency/milestones_en.htm Communicable diseases: Call for tenders: L-Luxembourg: external evaluation of the implementation of Decision No 2119/98/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 September 1998 setting up a network for the epidemiological surveillance and control of communicable diseases in the Community. Results notice, 02 March 2005 http://europa.eu.int/comm/health/ph_programme/howtoapply/call_152218_2004.htm Securing Consumer Safety - Safety of Products - The General Product Safety Directive (GPSD) Weekly Overviews of RAPEX notifications, Week 7, 2nd notification CORRIGENDUM http://europa.eu.int/comm/dgs/health_consumer/dyna/rapex/create_rapex.cfm?rx_id=7 and more ... *** EU - REACH The detailed policy paper on REACH that I finished for WWF in December is now up on the web & can be freely distributed: http://www.panda.org/downloads/europe/reachfilespolicyguide.pdf It is intended to: - provide a simple introduction to REACH, - to outline a number of key issues in the REACH debate - explode some myths about REACH - to explain the EU Environmental NGO priorities for improving the REACH legislation. The detailed table of contents, and list of myths, provides easy access to whatever part of the paper you are interested in. In addition, where possible, a URL is provided for accessing documents cited. Unlike the earlier draft I circulated, this version does not have detailed amendments. This is because they have been further developed over the last few weeks, and are being separately distributed to parliamentarians etc, who are now starting to discuss REACH in depth. Dr A. Michael Warhurst, Chemicals Science and Policy Project Lowell Centre for Sustainable Production University of Massachusetts, Lowell One University Avenue Lowell MA 01854 Email: michael_warhurst@uml.edu http://chemicalspolicy.org/ http://sustainableproduction.org/ ================================================= DISEASE Psychosom Med. 2005 Mar-Apr;67(2):318-25.Related Articles, Links Symptom profile of multiple chemical sensitivity in actual life. Saito M, Kumano H, Yoshiuchi K, Kokubo N, Ohashi K, Yamamoto Y, Shinohara N, Yanagisawa Y, Sakabe K, Miyata M, Ishikawa S, Kuboki T. Department of Psychosomatic Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8655, Japan. hikumano-tky@umin.ac.jp . Objective: This study was conducted to confirm the definition of multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS) in actual life: that multiple symptoms are provoked in multiple organs by exposure to, and ameliorated by avoidance of, multiple chemicals at low levels. We used the Ecological Momentary Assessment to monitor everyday symptoms and the active sampling and passive sampling methods to measure environmental chemical exposure. Methods: Eighteen patients with MCS, diagnosed according to the 1999 consensus criteria, and 12 healthy controls participated in this study. Fourteen patients and 12 controls underwent 1-week measurement of physical and psychologic symptoms and of the levels of exposure to various chemicals. Linear mixed models were used to test the hypotheses regarding the symptom profile of MCS patients. Results: Some causative chemicals were detected in 11 of 14 MCS patients. Two other patients did not report any hypersensitivity episodes, whereas passive sampling showed far less exposure to chemicals than control subjects. Another subject reported episodic symptoms but was excluded from the following analyses because no possible chemical was detected. Eleven of the 17 physical symptoms and all four mood subscales examined were significantly aggravated in the interview based on "patient-initiated symptom prompts." On the other hand, there were no differences in physical symptoms or mood subscales between MCS patients and control subjects in the interview based on "random prompts."Conclusions: MCS patients do not have either somatic or psychologic symptoms under chemical-free conditions, and symptoms may be provoked only when exposed to chemicals. PMID: 15784800 [PubMed - in process] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&listuids=15784800 ================================================= FOOD - GMS - LAW - IRAQ Resolution The Laureates of the Right Livelihood Award (Alternative Nobel Prize), as signed below, and the participants of the Conference "Die Alternative – Ausblicke auf eine andere Globalisierung” in Munich, March 8 – 12, 2005 declare To the Iraq Order 81: "Crime Against Humanity" Iraq is one of the world's cradles of civilisation and agriculture. Traditional varieties of crops in Iraq, which evolved over thousands of years, are not just the legacy of Iraqi farmers, but are global legacy. Order 81, passed by Mr. Paul Bremer, the US official in charge of reconstruction of Iraq, will effectively prevent Iraqi farmers from using their ancient varieties of seeds and crops, and is forcing them to depend on corporate patented and genetically modified seeds. We demand of the US government and of the Iraqi government to repeal Order 81. We call on the international community to protect and propagate the farmers varieties, evolved over thousands of years in Iraq. Emergency action is needed to rescue and preserve this world’s heritage by creating community seed banks, controlled by local farmers.” Munich, 12th of March 2005 The Laureates: Dr. Ibrahim Abouleish Prof. Dr. Dr. Hans-Peter Dürr Prof. Johan Galtung Stephen Gaskin Tapio Mattlar Prof. Dr. Manfred Max-Neef Pat Mooney Nicanor Perlas Prof. Dr. P. K. Raveendran Irina Sherbakova Dr. Vandana Shiva Sulak Sivaraska Prof. Dr. Michael Succow V.i.S.d.P.: Prof. Dr. Dr. Hans-Peter Dürr, Global Challenges Network, Frohschammer Str. 14, D - 80807 München, www.gcn.de
***
From Coalition against BAYER-dangers (Germany: March 21, 2005 GM crop trail blow to biotech industry The final results of the GM farmscale evaluations, announced today, are a severe blow to the biotech industry, Friends of the Earth said today. The results of the trials showed that growing GM winter oilseed rape led to
o Fewer important food plants for insects and birds o An increase in grass weeds which farmers may have to tackle with more herbicides, which would further damage wildlife.
Friends of the Earth has also discovered that biotech giant, Bayer, has told the EU that it wants to withdraw its application to grow the GM winter oilseed rape trialled in the UK's GM farmscale evaluations. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has told Friends of the Earth that Bayer applied to the European Commission (EC) "reduce the scope of the application to import and processing" [1]. The results of the crop trials of GM winter oilseed rape - the final results of the farm scale evaluations - are due to be revealed today.
Bayer told the EC that it wished to withdraw its application to grow the GM oilseed rape and only seek permission to import it into the EU for use in food and animal feed. There is widespread European opposition to the rape; Friends of the Earth discovered that 23 out of 25 EU countries, including the UK, objected to the GM crop being grown because of concerns about the impact on the environment and human health [2].
But, in a bizarre twist, the EC has refused to allow Bayer to alter its joint application (to grow the GM oil seed rape and import it for use in food and feed). A decision is likely to be taken later this year. Clare Oxborrow, Friends of the Earth's GM campaigner said:
"These results are yet another major blow to the biotech industry. Growing GM winter oilseed rape would have a negative impact on farmland wildlife. No wonder Bayer tried to withdraw its application to grow GM winter oilseed rape. Almost every EU country has raised serious concerns about the impact that this crop could have on our environment and health. Bayer should now scrap the whole application - including its intention to import it into the EU as food. "The farm scale evaluations only looked at a narrow range of concerns. They were not a comprehensive assessment of the risks of growing GM crops. The vast majority of consumers have made it clear that they do not want GM. The Government should pull the plug on this unnecessary and unpopular technology and invest in a truly sustainable farming future instead."
Growing GM oilseed rape would inevitably lead to the contamination of neighbouring crops and the environment. Research published by DEFRA has shown that GM oilseed rape pollen can be carried 26 kilometers, and in Canada, where GM oilseed rape has been grown for a number of years, organic oilseed rape production has been abandoned because of widespread contamination from GM crops.
The British public remains deeply opposed to GM crops. A Which? survey last year revealed that opposition had hardened since a similar study in 2002. Sixty one per cent said that they were concerned about the use of GM in food production (56 per cent in 2002) and 58 per cent said they try to avoid GM ingredients altogether (a 13 per cent increase).
The four -year GM farm scale evaluations [3] were ordered by the Government, following widespread public concern, to assess the impact on farmland wildlife of growing GM crops compared with conventional crops. They cost an estimated £5.5 million. The FSE results for GM maize, beet and spring oil seed rape were published in October 2003 [4]. GM oilseed rape and beet were judged to be more damaging to the environment than conventional counterparts, and Bayer abandoned plans to grow GM maize - claiming it was "commercially non-viable" [5] - after its crop was only given limited approval by the government.
Notes: [1] Email from DEFRA, Tuesday 1 March 2005: "The notifier (Bayer) chose to reduce the scope of the application to import and processing after the sixty day period. However, the EU Commission's position is that the notifier cannot change the scope of the notification at this stage...." [2] Friends of the Earth obtained the Member State comments on the GM application through a Freedom of Information request to DEFRA. Examples of comments from member states: UK: "The UK Competent Authority agrees ... that on the basis of the information provided in the dossier approval for cultivation should not be granted." Austria: "No data/studies at all on possible effects on human health are provided." Belgium: controlling gene flow will be "impracticable, hardly workable, and hard to control". France: "the French Food Safety Agency considers that the safety of genetically modified rape Ms8xRf3 from the health point of view cannot be guaranteed." Poland: "...granting any consent for growing this species in EU territory would be inappropriate." Slovenia: "the gene flow from a cultivation could not be managed satisfactory, so to ensure existence of all different agricultural practices in EU, including organic farming. In the same way the gene flow to wild relatives would be impossible to prevent." Italy: "The Italian National Competent Authority agrees ... that no authorisation should be granted for the cultivation of the product under notification C/BE/96/01". Norway: "we will not support consent for this notification if it is to cover cultivation "Sweden retains objection to the culitivation of this oilseed rape"
[3] The Farm Scale Evaluations (FSEs) compared GM crop management with conventional crop management (which are themselves known to be harmful to wildlife and the environment). GM crops were not compared to organic farming, a system that has been shown to improve wildlife in the field. The trials did not consider: o the development of herbicide tolerant oilseed rape volunteers and weeds, o impacts on wider soil ecology, o contamination of non-GM crops, o cross-pollination with wild plants. Researchers have calculated that the farm scale evaluations can only detect differences of between 50 - 100% in changes to wildlife population sizes. Therefore, if smaller differences occurred between the GM and non-GM crops during the trials, they might not show up in the results because the trials were not sensitive enough to detect them with any certainty. In the case of the spring sown crops, the effects on biodiversity were very clear and surprisingly large. However, uncertain results for winter oilseed rape do not necessarily mean that no harm has occurred. In fact, evidence shows that differences as low as 13 per cent may be ecologically important for wildlife. A FSE briefing is at: http://www.foe.co.uk/resource/media_briefing/government_to_publish_the.pdf [4] http://www.foe.co.uk/resource/press_releases/gm_crops_blair_who_do_you.html [5] http://www.foe.co.uk/resource/press_releases/biotech_firm_ditches_gm_ma_31032004.html
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