Fw: Toxic Times, July 24 - August 5

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News Highlights from July 24, 2009 – August 5, 2009

(Please note that we are now issuing “Toxic Times†every other week.  We

welcome your feedback!  Please write to gen.  Thank-you!)

 

MICHIGAN NEWS

 

Both sides put positive spin on Michigan Supreme Court’s Dow class-action

ruling

The Michigan Messenger, Monday, August 3, 2009

After the Michigan Supreme Court --determined new criteria for class-action

lawsuits, it deferred the case back to district court. Both sides have claimed

this as a victory.

http://michiganmessenger.com/24145/both-sides-put-positive-spin-on-mich-supreme-\

court%E2%80%99s-dow-class-action-ruling

 

Workshop held to help guide Great Lakes Restoration Initiative dollars to

Michigan’s most polluted sites

Great Lakes Echo, Wednesday, August 5, 2009

The U.S. Congress is currently working to pass a bill that would grant $475

million for cleanup of the Great Lakes. Federal agencies and Michigan residents

are trying to figure out how to direct that money towards Michigan’s 14 most

polluted sites.

http://greatlakesecho.org/2009/08/05/workshop-held-to-help-guide-great-lakes-res\

toration-initiative-dollars-to-michigans-most-polluted-sites/

 

NATIONAL NEWS

 

Opposing camps agree on rewriting toxin law

USA Today, Tuesday, August 4, 2009

Environmental advocates and chemical industry leaders both agree that current

legislation to protect consumers from toxic chemicals—the Toxic Substances

Control Act—is ineffective and needs to be replaced with stronger national

policy.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2009-08-04-toxins-bpa-epa_N.htm

 

California will require green chemistry in its products

Miller-McCune Magazine, Monday, July 27, 2009

With chemical concerns drawing increasing attention, ‘green chemistry’ is

becoming more desirable for both industry and policy. However, only California

is fully utilizing this demand by passing legislation requiring its

implementation.

http://www.miller-mccune.com/science_environment/california-green-chemistry-1364

 

Congress to FDA: Prove bisphenol A safe, or ban it

The Daily Green, Monday, August 3, 2009

Congress has added a section to the new food safety bill that would require the

U.S. Food and Drug Administration to prove the bisphenol A—an additive in

certain hard plastics and food container liners—is safe, or to restrict its

use in products for pregnant women and young children.

http://www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/latest/bisphenol-a-47080302?src=\

rss

 

Tox21: New dimensions of toxicity testing

Environmental Health Perspectives, August 2009

A paradigm shift towards understanding the biological mechanisms of toxicity,

combined with new high-throughput technology, may yield a better understanding

of chemical toxicology.

http://www.ehponline.org/members/2009/117-8/focus.html

 

Chemicals can turn genes on and off; new tests needed, scientists say

Environmental Health News, Monday, August 3, 2009

Scientists are concerned that some of the thousands of industrial chemicals and

pollutants people are exposed to may be able to enact genetic changes without

mutation; they may be able to directly turn genes on and off.

http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/ehs/news/epigenetics-workshop

 

Dry cleaners leave a toxic legacy

The Chicago Tribune, Sunday, July 26, 2009

Perchloroethylene, a chemical solvent once used in dry cleaning and linked to a

host of toxic ailments, has left numerous sites poisoned, more than 500 in

Illinois alone.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/health/chi-dry-cleaners-pollution-bd26-jul26,0,518\

4515.story

 

Perfluoropolymer degrades in decades, study estimates

Environmental Science and Technology, Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Fluorotelomer polymers—used in stain resistant coatings—maybe a significant

source of PFOA (a chemical found to cause developmental disorders in lab

animals) as they breakdown. While a new study suggests that breakdown can occur

over the course of a couple of decades, the compounds are inherently difficult

to analyze.

http://pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10.1021/es9021238?cookieSet=1

 

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

 

Anxiety, inattention, poor decisions increase in kids with higher lead levels

Environmental Health News, Tuesday, August 4, 2009

A new study in India has further linked high blood lead levels with cognitive

impairments, particularly noticing that as lead levels increase, so do the

incidences of anxiety, inattention, and decreased executive function.

http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/ehs/newscience/anxiety-inattention-poor-d\

ecisions-linked-to-lead-in-kids/

 

Declines seen in levels of persistent organic pollutants in mothers’ milk

Environmental Health News, Friday, July 24, 2009

Breast milk concentrations of certain persistent organic pollutants—including

dioxins, furan, PCBs, and some PBDEs—have decreased over the last decade,

according a new study. The findings imply that body concentrations may be

decreasing, as well.

http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/ehs/newscience/pops-levels-decline-in-mot\

hers-milk/

 

Phthalates may increase risk of preterm births

Environmental Health News, Monday, August 3, 2009

Exposure to high concentrations of phthalates during the third trimester may

increase the risk of premature birth, according to a new study. Phthalates,

chemicals added to plastics to soften them, are widely used in industry. The

study is the first on the topic and needs further research to determine any

actual causal relationship.

http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/ehs/newscience/phthalate-exposure-associa\

ted-with-preterm-births/

 

Stain repellents affect thyroid hormone levels in adult Inuits

Environmental Health News, Wednesday, August 5, 2009

A recent study has found that certain polyhalogenated compounds, including PCBs

and certain stain repellents, can last for a long time in the human body and can

affect thyroid function in people.

http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/ehs/newscience/pfos-affects-thyroid-hormo\

ne-in-inuit/

 

Common insect repellent affects nervous system

AFP via Google, Tuesday, August 4, 2009

A commonly used insect repellent known as ‘deet’ has been found to have

neurological effects through the same mechanism as some insecticides and sarin

nerve gas. While the neurological impact is short-lived, additional research is

needed to determine safe levels, especially foe pregnant women and children.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jV4LJyAmzdrqcQFwHocR3Y7NxUMg

 

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The Michigan Network for Children's Environmental Health is a coalition of

health professionals, health-affected groups, environmental organizations, and

others dedicated to a safe and less toxic world for Michigan's children. 

Through education, outreach, and advocacy, we seek to protect Michigan's

children from adverse impacts caused by exposure to widespread hazardous

chemicals.  Please visit: www.mnceh.org.