CHE Fertility & Reproductive Health Working Group

Is your shampoo affecting your fertility?

Mon, 14 May 2012 13:25:21 -0400

Infertility can be devastating for any couple trying to have a baby. Roughly 10 percent of couples in the U.S. are affected by it, and a growing body of evidence suggests that all manner of chemicals in our environment are interfering with both men's and women's ability to have kids. MSN Health.

Study: Citywide Smoking Ban Reduced Maternal Smoking and Risk for Preterm Birth.

Mon, 14 May 2012 09:04:23 -0400

A citywide smoking ban in Colorado provided a natural experiment. The experimental citywide smoking ban site was implemented in Pueblo, Colorado. A comparison community was chosen that had no smoking ban, El Paso County, with similar characteristics of population, size, and geography. This is the first evidence in the United States that population-level intervention using a smoking ban improved maternal and fetal outcomes, measured as maternal smoking and preterm births. Journal of Women's Health.

U.S. Senator Dick Durbin calls for reform on flame retardant chemicals.

Sun, 13 May 2012 09:04:23 -0400

Reacting with outrage to the Chicago Tribune's investigation of deceptive tactics that have fueled the rise of toxic flame retardants in American homes, U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin on Thursday demanded answers from two federal agencies, urging them to act aggressively to rid homes of chemicals that pose health risks but don't stave off fires. Chicago Tribune, Illinois.

Prenatal smoking tied to worse asthma in kids.

Sat, 12 May 2012 09:04:22 -0400

Children whose mothers smoked during pregnancy may have a tougher time controlling their asthma than other kids do, a new study suggests. Reuters.

Study: Testosterone-Fueled Infantile Males Might Be a Product of Mom's Behavior.

Fri, 11 May 2012 09:04:24 -0400

By comparing the testosterone levels of five-month old pairs of twins, both identical and non-identical, University of Montreal researchers were able to establish that testosterone levels in infancy are not inherited genetically but rather determined by environmental factors. Science Daily.

Study: Developmental toxicants and signaling pathways on the migration of human neural crest cells.

Fri, 11 May 2012 13:20:50 -0400

The migration assay of neural crest assay faithfully models human neural crest migration, and reveals impairment of this function by developmental toxicants with good sensitivity and specificity. Environmental Health Perspectives.

Study: BPA Interferes with Proliferative Activity and Development of Steroidogenic Capacity in Rat Leydig Cells.

Fri, 11 May 2012 11:12:01 -0400

The presence of bisphenol A (BPA) in consumer products has raised concerns about potential adverse effects on reproductive health. Testicular Leydig cells are the predominant source of the male sex steroid hormone testosterone, which supports the male phenotype. The present report describes the effects of developmental exposure of male rats to BPA by gavage of pregnant and lactating Long-Evans dams. Biology of Reproduction.

Report: Substance Use During Pregnancy Varies by Race and Ethnicity.

Fri, 11 May 2012 11:01:16 -0400

A new report shows that 21.8 percent of pregnant White women aged 15 to 44 currently (within the past 30 days) smoked cigarettes. The study conducted by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) also showed that cigarette smoking levels among pregnant White women were significantly higher than the levels among pregnant Black women (14.2 percent) and pregnant Hispanic women (6.5 percent) in the same 15 to 44 age range. Stone Hearth News.

REACH chemical safety review: Re-opening a can of worms?

Fri, 11 May 2012 11:01:15 -0400

Five years after its adoption, the European Commission is preparing to review the controversial REACH regulation, which for the first time required chemical manufacturers to justify that their products are safe for consumers before placing them on the market. Euractiv, Belgium.

How international chemical regulations are changing American supply chains.

Fri, 11 May 2012 11:01:14 -0400

Arguments against chemical regulation have been top of mind recently; the odds seem to be stacked against large-scale reform of US legislation. But that doesn’t mean US companies are off the hook when it comes to toxic chemicals. Forbes.

Household chemicals' 'cocktail effect' raises cancer concerns for watchdog.

Fri, 11 May 2012 11:01:14 -0400

Europe's environmental watchdog, the European Environment Agency, has warned that products containing endocrine disrupting chemicals should be treated with caution until their true effects are better known. The Guardian, United Kingdom.

US scientist: 'Many routes of exposure' to endocrine disruptors.

Thu, 10 May 2012 09:54:20 -0400

Shanna H. Swan, a renowned scientist specialising in reproductive medicine, has warned about the health effects of endocrine disrupting chemicals known as phthalates which can end up in food via pesticides or plastics. In an interview with EurActiv, she calls on regulators to better protect consumers against those "hidden chemicals". Euractiv, Belgium.

Toxic roulette.

Thu, 10 May 2012 09:33:23 -0400

A new study of fetal exposure to BPA, a plastic additive found in some food packaging, shows that the chemical altered the mammary gland development in monkeys, reinforcing concerns that BPA - bisphenol A - could contribute to breast cancer in women. McClatchy Newspapers.

Flame retardants investigation: Chemical industry distorts science.

Wed, 9 May 2012 09:54:21 -0400

Twenty-five years ago, scientists gathered in a cramped government laboratory and set fire to specially designed chairs, TVs and electrical cables packed with flame retardants. For the next half-hour, they carefully measured how much the chemicals slowed the blaze. Chicago Tribune, Illinois.

Study: Trihalomethanes, chlorite, chlorate in drinking water and risk of congenital anomalies.

Tue, 8 May 2012 13:23:21 -0400

This was the first study showing an excess risk of different congenital anomalies related to chlorite and chlorate exposure via drinking water: further research is needed to confirm the observed relationships in large datasets, specifically for chlorate, an unregulated DBP. Environmental Research.

Food-packaging chemical could lead to breast cancer, study finds.

Tue, 8 May 2012 09:33:25 -0400

Big Tobacco wins fire marshals as allies in flame retardent push.

Tue, 8 May 2012 09:33:23 -0400

The problem facing cigarette manufacturers decades ago involved tragic deaths and bad publicity, but it had nothing to do with cancer. It had to do with house fires. The industry insisted it couldn't make a fire-safe cigarette and instead promoted flame retardant furniture. Chicago Tribune, Illinois.

Testing shows treated foam offers no safety benefit.

Sat, 5 May 2012 12:41:27 -0400

The chemical industry's leading trade group says fire-snuffing chemicals "can mean the difference between life and death." But when scientists touched a small flame to a pair of upholstered chairs - one with a flame retardant in the foam and one without- both were engulfed in flames within four minutes. Chicago Tribune, Illinois. [related stories]

Chemical manufacturers rely on fear to push flame retardant furniture standards.

Sat, 5 May 2012 12:41:26 -0400

Dr. David Heimbach's passionate testimony about a baby's horrific death by fire made health concerns about flame retardants sound abstract and petty. But there was a problem with his testimony: It wasn't true. Chicago Tribune, Illinois.

Vermont poised to become first state to ban fracking.

Sat, 5 May 2012 12:41:25 -0400

Vermont is poised to become the first state to ban a controversial natural gas drilling technique known as fracking. The Legislature finished work on the measure Friday, and it's on its way to Gov. Peter Shumlin for his signature. Vermont Public Radio, Vermont.

Study: High maternal choline intake may reduce diabetes risk in children

Sat, 5 May 2012 12:41:25 -0400

Cornell University researchers found that women in their third trimester of pregnancy who consumed 930 milligrams of choline daily had babies with a 33% lower cortisol concentration than those who consumed 430 milligrams. Extra choline consumption during pregnancy could lower the odds of developing stress-related conditions such as hypertension and type 2 diabetes throughout the child's life, one researcher said. The findings appear in The Journal of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology. The Huffington Post.

Study: Reproductive Technologies and the Risk of Birth Defects.NEJM.

Sat, 5 May 2012 12:41:25 -0400

Data from more than 300,000 births in South Australia from 1986 to 2002 showed that 8.3% of children conceived through some form of assisted reproductive technology developed a birth defect compared to 5.8% of children conceived naturally. The use of intracytoplasmic sperm injection was tied to a 57% increased risk of a birth defect, while in vitro fertilization showed no statistically significant increased risk, researchers wrote in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Study: Neonatal Plant Estrogen Exposure Leads to Adult Infertility in Female Mice.

Sat, 5 May 2012 11:15:56 -0400

A paper published May 2 in Biology of Reproduction describes the effects of brief prenatal exposure to plant estrogens on the mouse oviduct, modeling the effects of soy-based baby formula on human infants. The results suggest that exposure to estrogenic chemicals in the womb or during childhood has the potential to affect a woman's fertility as an adult, possibly providing the mechanistic basis for some cases of unexplained female infertility. Science Daily.

CHE Teleconference: Electromagnetic frequency (EMF) waves and Reproductive Health Risks.

Sat, 5 May 2012 09:35:01 -0400

May 21st, 10 a.m. Pacific / 1 pm Eastern. EMF waves from cell phones, computers and other wireless electronic devices are ubiquitous in our environment. The research base linking EMF exposure to negative reproductive health effects continues to grow. This teleconference will examine recent research on EMF exposure, infertility, and negative pregnancy outcomes. Join us to hear from top international experts in the field: Drs. Ashok Agarwal, De-Kun Li, and Carlo V. Bellieni.

Study: Reduced Sperm Viability in Offspring of Animals Treated With Tetracycline.

Sat, 5 May 2012 09:28:58 -0400

Tetracycline-treated males exhibited significantly reduced sperm viability compared to control males, and transmitted this toxic effect of tetracycline on sperm to their untreated sons but not to their F2 grandsons. These results are consistent with tetracycline-induced epigenetic changes in the male germline, and suggest the need for further investigation of transgenerational effects of tetracycline on male reproductive function. Nature.

Environmental toxicants causing ovarian disease across generations.

Sat, 5 May 2012 09:17:46 -0400

Washington State University researchers have found that ovarian disease can result from exposures to a wide range of environmental chemicals and be inherited by future generations. ScienceDaily.

Survey: New EPA Rules Offer Breath of Fresh Air to PA.

Sat, 5 May 2012 08:53:35 -0400

Judy Focareta, a maternal-child nurse in Pittsburgh, says expectant mothers and their unborn babies are especially susceptible to environmental factors which may be better kept in check under the new regulations. "While other states have improved their air quality and conversely reduced their premature-birth rates, we have not been able to move that here." Public News Service.

Many gardening products have high levels of toxic chemicals.

Fri, 4 May 2012 09:18:40 -0400

Researchers tested nearly 200 garden essentials- gloves, knee pads, hand tools and hoses- for heavy metals and chemicals known to pose a health risk. The results: Nearly two out of three products tested contained chemical levels of high concern. Seattle KOMO, Washington.

Review: PFOA an emerging drinking water contaminant.

Fri, 4 May 2012 08:53:37 -0400

This paper reviews current information relevant to the assessment of PFOA as an emerging drinking water contaminant. This information suggests that continued human exposure to even relatively low concentrations of PFOA in drinking water results in elevated body burdens that may increase the risk of health effects. Environmental Research.

NYT: How Chemicals Change Us.

Thu, 3 May 2012 09:18:41 -0400

Scientists warn that chemicals we're exposed to everyday can cause genital deformities and even breast cancer. Is our government paying attention? New York Times.

Industry official: Interior Department to release "fracking" rules by Friday.

Thu, 3 May 2012 11:31:58 -0400

American Petroleum Institute CEO Jack Gerard said the proposal would regulate the oil-and-gas development method. The rules are likely to set off a debate among energy companies and environmental groups. The Hill, District of Columbia.

Vermont lawmakers advance ban on hydraulic fracturing.

Thu, 3 May 2012 11:34:33 -0400

A legislative conference committee has agreed to make the state the first to ban a hotly debated method for drilling natural gas. Vermont Public Radio, Vermont.

EU to address risks of chemical mixtures, endocrine disruptors, nanosubstances.

Thu, 3 May 2012 11:31:58 -0400

The European Union is preparing to build on the REACH law and related legislation to address concerns about chemicals in three areas considered to be insufficiently regulated. Bloomberg BNA.

Researchers report dramatic drops in beach pollution since 1970s.

Thu, 3 May 2012 11:31:57 -0400

Metal contaminants in Southern California coastal waters have plummeted over the last four decades, according to a new study that attributes the cleaner water to 1970s environmental regulations. Los Angeles Times [Registration Required].

Banned chemical blamed for rare birth defects in Northfleet.

Wed, 2 May 2012 11:41:59 -0400

A banned chemical at the centre of a multi-million dollar lawsuit has been identified as a possible cause behind babies born with birth defects in Northfleet. Kent Messenger, United Kingdom.

Drillers may frack first, disclose later under draft plan.

Wed, 2 May 2012 11:37:49 -0400

Natural-gas companies drilling on U.S. land would be permitted to wait until after hydraulic fracturing is completed to disclose what chemicals they used, under a draft rule being considered by the U.S. Interior Department. Business Week.

Call for proposals: Assessing and Addressing Community Exposures to Environmental Contaminants.

Wed, 2 May 2012 11:37:18 -0400

This FOA encourages community-engagement projects designed to investigate the potential health risks of environmental exposures of concern to a community and to implement an environmental public health action plan based on research findings. The closing date is September 7, 2015.

Call for proposals: NIMHD Community-Based Participatory Research.

Wed, 2 May 2012 11:37:48 -0400

The National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities invites applications to plan the development of effective interventions using community-based participatory research (CBPR) approaches. The closing date in June 27th.

Study: Number of painkiller-addicted newborns triples in 10 years.

Tue, 1 May 2012 20:39:29 -0400

About 3.4 of every 1,000 infants born in a hospital in 2009 suffered from a type of drug withdrawal commonly seen in the babies of pregnant women who abuse narcotic pain medications, the study says. It's published today in The Journal of the American Medical Association. USA Today.

Fracking 'health challenges' to be examined by US advisers.

Tue, 1 May 2012 20:33:40 -0400

The Institute of Medicine will examine whether the process of hydraulic fracturing to extract natural gas from rock "poses potential health challenges," a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention official said. Bloomberg News.

Study: Exposures to pesticide in utero linked to brain abnormalities.

Tue, 1 May 2012 20:33:39 -0400

Babies exposed in the womb to a commonly used insecticide have brain abnormalities after birth, according to a study that looked at children born before the U.S. limited the chemical's use. Bloomberg News.

Air Quality Awareness Week, April 30-May 4, 2012.

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 20:33:41 -0400

CDC is collaborating with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to urge persons to "Be Air Aware" during Air Quality Awareness Week. May also is Asthma Awareness Month.

Garbology: Talking trash.

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 18:06:58 -0400

Thanks to new regulations, the emission of toxic chemicals from waste processing has been reduced a thousandfold. Today, the total emission of dioxins and furans produced by all the incinerators in America is less than ten grams a year, according to the EPA. Even so, municipal incinerators continue to have an image problem. Economist.

For miners, coal is no longer hot.

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 18:06:57 -0400

Coal companies are facing what is expected to be a decades long shift in the way the U.S.generates electricity. Increasingly stringent federal air-pollution regulations are scheduled to come online during the next several years, pushing utilities away from coal and toward use of cleaner-burning fuels. Wall Street Journal [Subscription Required].

Assessing chemicals.

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 18:06:57 -0400

The EPA broke new ground in March when it announced that it will subject dozens of chemicals in commerce to risk assessment. In principle, environmental groups and the chemical industry welcome EPA's action. But EPA's plan faces criticism from industry groups. Chemical & Engineering News.

British mothers of babies born on same street , with same birth defect, claim they've found the cause.

Sun, 29 Apr 2012 18:06:56 -0400

The mothers of a string of babies born with a birth defect on the same Kent street are convinced they've found the cause - the banned weedkiller, atrazine. London Daily Mail, United Kingdom.

Study: Prenatal BPA Exposure and Child Behavior in an Inner City Cohort.

Sat, 28 Apr 2012 11:45:34 -0400

Researchers examined the association between prenatal BPA exposure and child behavior, adjusting for postnatal BPA exposure, and hypothesizing sex-specific effects. Results suggest that prenatal exposure to BPA may affect child behavior, and differently among boys and girls. Environmental Health Perspectives.

America's most polluted cities.

Sat, 28 Apr 2012 18:06:58 -0400

While Los Angeles may be synonymous with air pollution to many, the worst levels of year-round particle pollution are in hot, dusty Bakersfield, California. Forbes.

Women who smoke during pregnancy 'may be more likely to have a child with Asperger's syndrome.'

Sat, 28 Apr 2012 18:06:59 -0400

Researchers have found that 13 per cent of mothers whose children were identified as having an autism spectrum disorder at the age of eight had smoked during pregnancy. London Daily Mail, United Kingdom.

Is spring cleaning a health risk?

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 13:48:11 -0400

This week, the EWG, a non-profit public-health advocacy in Washington, D.C., released its "Cleaners Hall of Shame" -- a list of popular cleaning supplies that may potentially pose a hazard to your health. Time.

Resource: Danish EPA booklet- Expecting a baby.

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 13:27:37 -0400

The Danish EPA has published a booklet for expectant mothers entitled: Expecting a Baby? Chemicals and Pregnancy- Advice about Chemicals and Pregnancy. The booklet lists strategies for risk reduction.

Video: Prenatal exposure to atrazine, other pesticides.

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 13:25:36 -0400

Like many expectant moms, filmmaker Penelope Jagessar Chaffer was curious about how the chemicals in her environment would affect her growing baby. In this TEDWomen talk, she asks an expert on the effects of pesticides on amphibians to explain how a certain pesticides, could affect her baby. Mother Nature Network.

The American Lung Association's State of the Air 2012 report released.

Thu, 26 Apr 2012 18:24:51 -0400

Many of America's most polluted cities have recorded their cleanest air quality since we began the report 13 years ago. Clean Air Act measures to cleanup major air pollution sources are working to drastically cut ozone (smog) and particle pollution (soot) from the air we breathe. Despite this progress, unhealthy levels of air pollution still exist and, in some parts of the country, worsened. American Lung Association.

Study: Occurrence of 210Po and Biological Effects of Low-Level Exposure.

Thu, 26 Apr 2012 19:11:36 -0400

The radionuclide grandparents of 210Po are common in sediments and segments of the public may be chronically exposed to low levels of 210Po in drinking water. 210Po accumulates in the ovaries where it kills primary oocytes at low doses. Environmental Health Perspectives.

Advisers say National Children's Study should represent US population.

Thu, 26 Apr 2012 13:48:09 -0400

An advisory committee that met yesterday to consider the design of the struggling National Children's Study came down firmly in favor of one option: The study should recruit children from a geographic sample that represents the entire U.S. population. But whether NIH will go with that plan isn't yet clear. Science.

The children of Fallujah - the hospital of horrors.

Thu, 26 Apr 2012 18:43:39 -0400

Stillbirths, disabilities, deformities too distressing to describe - what lies behind the torments in Fallujah General Hospital? Part 2 of 2. The Independent, United Kingdom.

The air quality egg will let you know exactly what you're breathing.

Thu, 26 Apr 2012 18:43:38 -0400

This adorable little sensor might yield less than adorable results: The air around you can be quite bad for you. Now you can know precisely how bad. Fast Company.

What causes autism?

Thu, 26 Apr 2012 18:58:12 -0400

When it comes to autism, ADHD, and learning disabilities, genetics is only part of the story. In fact, in trying to figure out what causes autism, researchers are proving that environmental factors, everything from farm chemicals to soda and shampoo ingredients, could be permanently messing with children's brain development. Rodale.

Study: PCB 95 Modulates Calcium-Dependent Signaling Pathway Responsible for Activity-Dependent Dendritic Growth.

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 19:03:47 -0400

This study demonstrates that RyR activity contributes to dynamic remodeling of dendritic architecture in response to NDL PCBs via CaMKI-CREB-Wnt2 signaling, and identify PCBs as candidate environmental risk factors for neurodevelopmental disorders, especially in children with heritable deficits in calcium signaling associated with autism. Environmental Health Perspectives.

Study: Potential Mechanisms Linking Pesticides and Autism.

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 19:03:46 -0400

Because multiple developmental processes are implicated in ASDs during gestation and early life, biological plausibility is more likely if these agents can be shown to affect core pathophysiological features. Here we review shared mechanisms between autism pathophysiology and effects of pesticide exposures, focusing on neuroexcitability, oxidative stress, and immune functions. Environmental Health Perspectives.

Study: Maternal Smoking During Pregnancy and the Prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorders.

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 19:03:59 -0400

Reported associations between gestational tobacco exposure and autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) have been inconsistent. This study estimates the association between maternal smoking during pregnancy and ASDs among children aged 8 years, using data from the Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network. Environmental Health Perspectives.

Dr. Landrigan Releases Top 10 Chemicals Most Likely to Cause Autism and Learning Disabilities.

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 18:43:38 -0400

In an editorial by Dr. Phil Landrigan, Dr. Linda Birnbaum, and Dr. Luca Lambertini, the authors outline 'A Research Strategy to Discover the Environmental Causes of Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disabilities.' Environmental Health Perspectives.

Fish glow green to track pollutants inside the body.

Tue, 24 Apr 2012 18:43:40 -0400

A genetically-engineered fish that glows green from the inside out is helping illuminate what pollutants such as endocrine disrupting chemicals do inside the body. National Geographic News.

Mothers challenge a trace contaminant in Tide.

Tue, 24 Apr 2012 18:43:39 -0400

In their quest to rid cleaning products of toxic chemicals, consumer advocates have now set their sights on Tide, the best-selling laundry detergent. New York Times [Registration Required].

Green Bay's air quality, manufacturing industry at odds.

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 20:18:41 -0400

Former City Council member Ned Dorff was surprised to read a report that listed Green Bay among the most polluted cities in America. So he has proposed a series of measures aimed at combating air pollution, including a ban on cigarette smoking in all public places. Green Bay Press-Gazette, Wisconsin.

Louisville air is better; concern remains in some neighborhoods.

Sun, 22 Apr 2012 20:18:41 -0400

A decade after landmark toxic-air monitoring prompted a city crackdown on chemical emissions, a new analysis shows significant improvement in some areas, but still cause for concern in neighborhoods near western Louisville’s Rubbertown industries. Louisville Courier-Journal, Kentucky.

Mainstreaming biobased plastics.

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 20:18:38 -0400

Biobased feedstocks for traditional plastics are increasingly available and major consumer product organizations such as Coca-Cola, Colgate-Palmolive, and H.J. Heinz are pushing hard for biobased beverage, shampoo, and condiment bottles as part of their sustainability initiatives. Chemical & Engineering News.

Pennsylvania law on fracking chemicals worries doctors.

Sun, 22 Apr 2012 20:18:40 -0400

Natural gas companies must tell health professionals what they use in drilling, but a required confidentiality agreement might leave physicians on shaky legal ground. Los Angeles Times [Registration Required].

Has NIH finalized design for children's study?

Sat, 21 Apr 2012 20:22:44 -0400

Controversy continues to dog the National Children's Study. Next Tuesday, an advisory board will consider cost-cutting alternatives to the original study design. But some researchers involved with the study think the National Institutes of Health has already made a decision. Science.

Chemicals may be cause of gender-bending fish.

Sat, 21 Apr 2012 20:22:45 -0400

Synthetic chemicals being released into rivers and bays around the coast could be forcing fish to become more feminine, researchers say. Sydney Morning Herald, Australia. [Registration Required].

Study: Birth defects more common in IVF babies.

Sat, 21 Apr 2012 20:26:13 -0400

Babies conceived through certain fertility treatment techniques are about one-third more likely to have a birth defect than babies conceived without any extra help from technology, according to a review of several dozen studies. Reuters.

Johnson & Johnson Naturals Baby Shampoo now available for hospital purchase.

Fri, 20 Apr 2012 08:54:03 -0400

Johnson & Johnson began offering its Naturals line of products for hospital purchase this week, following advocacy efforts by the Maryland Nurses Association. This provides an alternative to traditional Johnson & Johnson baby shampoo, which contains formaldehyde-releasing quaternium-15 as a bacteriocide. Long-term exposure to formaldehyde has been associated with harmful effects on male reproduction.

Heavy metals detected in tests in Australian mums-to-be.

Fri, 20 Apr 2012 08:54:04 -0400

A study of chemical contamination among pregnant women in Western Australia has discovered elevated levels of heavy metals and the presence of pollutants banned for almost 40 years. Perth West Australian, Australia.

Groups claims Exide released 300,000 pounds of lead dust in Texas.

Fri, 20 Apr 2012 08:54:03 -0400

A Frisco citizens' group claims that the city's Exide plant has put 300,000 pounds of lead dust into the air over 48 years. But a government agency says those numbers may not add up. Fort Worth WFAA TV, Texas.

Study: Fetal exposure to PFOA and adult body weight.

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 13:00:48 -0400

Pre-birth exposures to low doses of a compound- PFOA- that has been widely found in fast food packaging and household products, may increase body weight in women but not men, a new study finds. This is the first time that this chemical, which has been used in the manufacturing of water and stain resistant compounds, has been linked to obesity in humans, although this study was initiated because of research with mice showing that low dose exposures to PFOA in the womb cause post-pubertal weight gain. Environmental Health Perspectives.

Long-gone lead factories leave dangerous poisons.

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 13:00:47 -0400

More than a decade ago, government regulators received specific warnings that the soil in hundreds of US neighborhoods might be contaminated with dangerous levels of lead from factories operating in the 1930s to 1960s. But EPA and state regulators left thousands of families and children in harm's way, a 14-month USA TODAY investigation has found. USA Today.

Farm group seeks U.S. halt on "dangerous" crop chemicals.

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 13:00:47 -0400

A coalition of more than 2,000 U.S. farmers and food companies said Wednesday it is taking legal action to force government regulators to analyze potential problems with proposed biotech crops and the weed-killing chemicals to be sprayed over them. Reuters.

EPA issues rules limiting air pollution from fracking.

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 13:00:46 -0400

The Obama administration on Wednesday set the first-ever national standards to control air pollution and climate-altering gases from gas wells that are drilled using a method called hydraulic fracturing, or fracking – but not without making concessions to the oil and gas industry. Associated Press.

Gulf seafood deformities alarm scientists.

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 13:08:53 -0400

Gulf of Mexico fishermen, scientists and seafood processors have told Al Jazeera they are finding disturbing numbers of mutated shrimp, crab and fish that they believe are deformed by chemicals released during BP's 2010 oil disaster. Dispersants are known to be mutagenic, a disturbing fact that could be evidenced in the seafood deformities. Al Jazeera, Qatar.

In a lather over antibacterial soap.

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 13:08:52 -0400

Should you be washing your hands or bathing your children with antibacterial soap? The University of Texas student government and Canadian leaders say no. Many environmentalists and scientists agree. Houston Chronicle, Texas.

Trace chemicals in everyday food packaging cause worry over cumulative threat.

Tue, 17 Apr 2012 13:13:59 -0400

The government has long known that tiny amounts of chemicals used to make plastics can migrate into food. But scientists are beginning to piece together data on the ubiquity of chemicals in the food supply and the cumulative impact of chemicals at minute doses. What they’re finding has some health advocates worried. Washington Post [Registration Required].

Special panel links C8 to kidney, testicular cancer.

Tue, 17 Apr 2012 13:14:00 -0400

A team of experts revealed Monday that it has found a "probable link" between C8 and human cancers, rebuffing DuPont Co.'s longstanding contention that exposure to the chemical is harmless. This follow's the panels' findings linking C8 with pregnancy induced hypertension, announced in Dec. Charleston Gazette, West Virginia.

Prenatal exposure to air pollution linked to childhood obesity.

Tue, 17 Apr 2012 13:08:53 -0400

A study of pregnant women and their children in New York City has provided clinical evidence that links environmental pollution with childhood obesity. London Daily Mail, United Kingdom.

States back website for fracking disclosure.

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 21:51:44 -0400

FracFocus, a year-old site affiliated with coalitions of state governments, has won praise from Hill lawmakers, industry groups and even some environmentalists as a model for states taking the lead in disclosing the chemicals used in hydraulic fracturing operations. Politico.

Reforming cosmetics law.

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 21:51:43 -0400

For the first time in three decades, Congress is considering updating the law that governs the safety of cosmetics. The push for new legislation is coming primarily from the cosmetics industry, which is concerned about the increasing globalization and complexity of the cosmetics supply chain. Chemical & Engineering News.

Idling busses pollute playgrounds, EPA says.

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 21:51:43 -0400

A school bus company that operates in 30 states will pay a $90,000 federal fine and do environmental projects worth $348,000 to settle charges that it routinely allowed its school buses to idle excessively -- some for more than two hours. Hartford Courant, Connecticut.

Study: Perinatal arsenic exposure and later body size.

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 21:51:43 -0400

Pre- and postnatal arsenic exposure and body size to two years of age: a cohort study in rural Bangladesh. Postnatal arsenic exposure was associated with lower body weight and length among girls, but not boys. Environmental Health Perspectives.

Study: Early-life exposure to BPA affects adult learning.

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 21:51:42 -0400

Like developmental exposure to mercury, adult fish that had been exposed to tiny amounts of BPA as embryos had learning and memory problems, compared to fish that had not been exposed. UWM News.

Report: State of the Art Assessment of Endocrine Disrupters.

Fri, 13 Apr 2012 22:07:42 -0400

This report presents the results of a project "State of the Art Assessment of Endocrine Disrupters" which was commissioned through competitive tendering by the European Commission, DG Environment.

Study: Urinary Bisphenol A Concentrations and Implantation Failure among Women Undergoing In Vitro Fertilization.

Fri, 13 Apr 2012 13:30:13 -0400

Researchers evaluated the association of urinary BPA concentrations with implantation failure among women undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF). There was a positive linear dose-response association between BPA urinary concentrations and implantation failure. Environmental Health Perspectives.

Study: SES factors and phthalates among US women of reproductive age.

Fri, 13 Apr 2012 13:30:12 -0400

Researchers pooled data from the 2001-2008 NHANES Survey to examine the associations between phthalate metabolite concentrations with socioeconomic indicators among women 20 to 39 years age. The lowest quartile of overall socioeconomic status was associated with 1.83 times the concentrations of MBzP, and 0.72 times the concentrations of DEHP metabolites compared with the highest quartile. Biomarkers of phthalate exposure vary with socioeconomic factors in women of reproductive age in the United States. Environmental Research.

Report: Environmental physicians issue warning on health effects from EMF/RF.

Fri, 13 Apr 2012 13:30:14 -0400

The American Academy of Environmental Medicine (AAEM) issued a position paper yesterday on "Electromagnetic and Radiofrequency Field Effect on Human Health." The AAEM paper selected highlights of the science showing biological effects from electromagnetic fields, including genotoxic effects and reproductive defects. The AAEM calls for exercising precaution with regard to EMF, RF and general frequency exposure.

Call for proposals: Children's Environmental Health and Disease Prevention Research Centers.

Fri, 13 Apr 2012 09:54:59 -0400

This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) issued by NIEHS and EPA encourages grant applications to support a transdisciplinary program of basic and applied research to examine the effects of environmental factors on children’s health and well-being. Research conducted through the Centers should include substantive areas of science in children’s health while incorporating innovative technologies and approaches and links to the environment. Letters of intent are due June 17th.

More C8 results due, medical testing panel formed.

Fri, 13 Apr 2012 09:55:01 -0400

As one panel of experts prepared to release more key findings about C8's impacts on human health, a second trio of scientists has been appointed to sort out what sort of medical monitoring would help Mid-Ohio Valley residents exposed to toxic chemical by DuPont Co. Charleston Gazette, West Virginia.

DES Action launches international Health History Survey.

Thu, 12 Apr 2012 14:55:47 -0400

DES Action USA is taking steps to learn whether certain health conditions, beyond those already known, appear more frequently in DES-exposed individuals than among unexposed populations. The survey is intended as an informal assessment, not a scientific study. DES action is looking for trends to share with researchers who can follow-up with further study. The survey deadline is June 15, 2012.

Early-life infection may lead to adult memory loss.

Thu, 12 Apr 2012 09:54:58 -0400

During her talk March 8 at NIEHS, Bilbo said rat pups that suffered bacterial infections in utero, and experienced a second immune challenge later in life, displayed severe memory impairments as mature rats. NIEHS Environmental Factor.

Texas takes lead as states, EPA head to court over air pollution rule.

Thu, 12 Apr 2012 09:55:00 -0400

Texas will take aim in a federal appeals court Friday at a controversial rule that requires aging power plants to sharply reduce emissions that cause smog and soot in neighboring states. Houston Chronicle, Texas.

Delaware wants national mercury regulations.

Thu, 12 Apr 2012 09:55:00 -0400

Delaware officials say it will take stricter mercury regulations nationwide in order to reduce air pollution in Delaware. Lewes Cape Gazette, Delaware.

Doctors say drilling law hurts public health.

Thu, 12 Apr 2012 09:54:59 -0400

Public health advocates and doctors on the front lines of Pennsylvania's natural gas-drilling boom are attacking the state's new Marcellus Shale law, likening one of its provisions to a gag order and complaining that vital research money into health effects was stripped at the last minute. Associated Press

California finds dangerous chemicals in nail polishes advertised as non-toxic.

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 21:03:24 -0400

Some nail polishes commonly found in California salons and advertised as free of a so-called "toxic trio" of chemicals actually have high levels of agents known to cause birth defects, according to state chemical regulators. Associated Press.

Britain to fight landmark ban on chemical linked to cancer.

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 21:03:23 -0400

Britain and other European Union member states are opposing a new law which would ban BPA, a common chemical which has been linked to breast cancer, heart disease, obesity and other conditions, from food packaging by 2014. The Independent, United Kingdom.

Maryland set to become first state to ban arsenic in chicken feed.

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 21:03:22 -0400

Maryland is about to become the first state to ban the use of additives containing arsenic in chicken feed, a practice already prohibited by Canada and the European Union. Washington Post [Registration Required].

EPA denies an environmental group's request to ban 2,4-D.

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 21:03:22 -0400

The EPA said that the Natural Resources Defense Council, had not adequately shown that the widely used herbicide, 2,4-D, would be harmful under the conditions in which it is used. New York Times [Registration Required].

Study indicates link between autism and obesity.

Mon, 9 Apr 2012 21:03:21 -0400

A study published today in the journal Pediatrics found obese mothers were 70 percent more likely to have a child with autism and twice as likely to have a child with other kinds of developmental delays compared with normal-weight moms with normal blood pressure and no diabetes. Sacramento Bee, California.

Leipzig’s St. Thomas Boys Choir copes with voices deepening at a younger age.

Sun, 8 Apr 2012 21:03:20 -0400

For 800 years, the St. Thomas Boys Choir has been filling churches with pure, young voices. Now it’s confronting a confounding phenomenon: Every year, those voices are cracking with teenage angst just a little earlier than before. Washington Post [Registration Required].

Japan sets new safety standards for nuclear power plants.

Sat, 7 Apr 2012 21:13:49 -0400

The government on Friday adopted new provisional safety standards for restarting nuclear reactors that were suspended after the Fukushima disaster. The standards were written in just two days after Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda dropped a previous stance that they were not necessary. Asahi Shimbun, Japan.

Dangers posed by pesticides during pregnancy.

Fri, 6 Apr 2012 09:39:02 -0400

An expectant mother's exposure to commonly used pesticides might pose risks to her developing fetus comparable to those long associated with tobacco smoking, new research suggests. Huffington Post.

EPA faces suit from 11 groups over coal ash.

Fri, 6 Apr 2012 09:39:01 -0400

Eleven environmental organizations are suing the US Environmental Protection Agency to force it to better regulate toxic coal ash and citing recent groundwater contamination at 29 coal ash dump sites in 16 states. Coal ash is produced mainly by coal-fired power plants and contains a mixture of toxic chemicals and compounds. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Pennsylvania.

Endocrine Experts Disappointed in FDA’s Approach to BPA.

Thu, 5 Apr 2012 10:09:29 -0400

The Endocrine Society, the world's oldest, largest and most active organization devoted to research on hormones and the clinical practice of endocrinology, expressed disappointment today in the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for neglecting key research and endocrine principles in deciding not to ban BPA in food packaging.

Study: Associations of prenatal exposure to organophosphate pesticide metabolites with gestational age and birthweight.

Thu, 5 Apr 2012 09:38:57 -0400

Prenatal urinary sum of six DAP concentrations were associated with shortened gestation and reduced birthweight in this cohort, but the effects differed by race/ethnicity and single nucleotide polymorphisms in paroxanase genotypes. Environmental Health Perspectives.

Early-life exposure to secondhand smoke affects girls more than boys, new study suggests.

Thu, 5 Apr 2012 09:38:57 -0400

The negative health effects of early-life exposure to secondhand smoke appear to impact girls more than boys -- particularly those with early-life allergic sensitization, according to new research from the University of Cincinnati (UC) College of Medicine. ScienceDaily.

Study: Socioeconomic factors and phthalate metabolite concentrations among United States women of reproductive age.

Thu, 5 Apr 2012 09:38:56 -0400

In fully adjusted models, the lowest quartile of overall socioeconomic status was associated with 1.83 times the concentrations of mono-benzyl phthalate (MBzP), and 0.72 times the concentrations of (molar sum) DEHP metabolites compared with the highest quartile of overall socioeconomic status. This latter association was driven primarily by educational attainment. Environmental Research.

Plastic’s polluted burden.

Thu, 5 Apr 2012 09:39:00 -0400

A new study shows that recycling companies across Europe continue to collect plastics that contain flame retardants and other worrisome substances, sometimes at concentrations above the limits of the European directive. Environmental Science & Technology.

EPA puts off chromium-6 water rule.

Wed, 4 Apr 2012 09:38:59 -0400

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's determination of how much chromium-6 in drinking water is unsafe won't be coming any time soon. In Coachella Valley, chromium-6 naturally occurs in the area's groundwater at 150 to more than 1,000 times above California's public health goal. Palm Springs Desert Sun, California.

Study: Weed killer causes animal shape changes.

Tue, 3 Apr 2012 09:38:58 -0400

The world's most popular weed killer, known as Roundup, can induce morphological changes in vertebrate animals, US biologists studying its effect on amphibians say. The study is the first to show that a pesticide can induce morphological changes in a vertebrate animal, the researchers say. United Press International.

BPA gets a reprieve - for now.

Tue, 3 Apr 2012 09:38:58 -0400

A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention biomonitoring survey found that Americans have traces of 212 environmental chemicals in their bodies — including so-called endocrine disrupters like bisphenol-A (BPA), which may have a major impact on human health even though the dose is barely perceptible. Time Magazine.

North Carolina scientists in the middle of the BPA debate.

Tue, 3 Apr 2012 09:38:58 -0400

Researchers in North Carolina now find themselves squarely in the middle of a scientific controversy after a ruling by the Food and Drug Administration on Friday. North Carolina Health News, North Carolina.

Flame retardants present in the air around Great Lakes, Arctic.

Mon, 2 Apr 2012 22:22:07 -0400

New flame retardants meant to replace their toxic predecessors are showing up in the air around the Great Lakes in increasing concentrations and travelling as far north as the Arctic. Windsor Star, Ontario.

Triclosan safety questioned.

Sun, 1 Apr 2012 22:22:07 -0400

The antibacterial agent triclosan is found in many consumer products like toothpaste, countertops and children’s toys. A coalition of environmental groups claims the chemical is an endocrine disruptor and toxic to the environment. But the U.S. Food and Drug Administration says there is no evidence of harm. Living On Earth.

Food and Drug Administration denies petition to ban use of chemical bisphenol A from food, drink containers.

Sat, 31 Mar 2012 22:22:06 -0400

The federal agency said the science does not show an immediate cause for such action. However, the FDA cautioned that this ruling does not declare bisphenol A, or BPA, as safe. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Wisconsin.

Puberty before age 10: A new 'normal.'

Sat, 31 Mar 2012 22:22:05 -0400

For many parents of early-developing girls, 'normal' is a crazy-making word, especially when uttered by a doctor; it implies that the patient, or patient’s mother, should quit being neurotic and accept that not much can be done. But even if it's the new normal, why is it happening? New York Times [Registration Required].

CME: Maternal Pesticide Exposure May Yield Earlier Breast Development in Offspring .

Fri, 30 Mar 2012 22:22:05 -0400

Prenatal exposure to currently approved pesticides in greenhouse workers appears to be linked to earlier breast development in their daughters as measured 10 years later, according to a new report by Christine Wohlfahrt-Veje, MD, from the University Department of Growth and Reproduction, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark, and colleagues. The authors report their findings in an article published online March 9 in the International Journal of Andrology.

New high in US autism rates inspires renewed debate.

Fri, 30 Mar 2012 22:28:14 -0400

About one in 88 children in the United States has autism or a related disorder, the highest estimate to date and one that is sure to revive a national argument over how the condition is caused, diagnosed and treated. Environmental factors may account for 62 percent of autism risk, according to a 2011 study. Reuters.

Webinar: Early-life Exposures - Long-term Health Consequences Part 3: PCE and Phthalates.

Fri, 30 Mar 2012 09:44:47 -0400

April 2, 2012, 1:00-3:00 p.m. ET. Sponsor: NIEHS. The third session of this series Ann Aschengrau, Ph.D. (Boston University), John Meeker, Ph.D. (University of Michigan), and Rita Loch-Caruso, Ph.D. (University of Michigan), and their work with early exposures and the resulting developmental effects. Numerous neurotoxic effects have been associated with tetrachloroethylene (PCE) exposure in adults, but little is understood about the long-term nervous system effects from early exposures. Phthalates have been associated with reduced gestational age and other effects potentially linked with preterm birth, including inflammation, endocrine disruption, and oxidative stress.

How much BPA exposure is dangerous?

Fri, 30 Mar 2012 09:44:46 -0400

The FDA has until Saturday to decide whether to ban the plastic additive BPA from food packaging. Some scientists think BPA poses a risk to consumers because it can act like estrogen in the body. But recent studies by government scientists suggest the risk, if any, is minimal. Morning Edition, NPR.

'Gag order' for provision in Marcellus Shale fracking bill prompts controversy.

Fri, 30 Mar 2012 09:44:46 -0400

Public health advocates and some environmental groups are crying foul over a provision in Act 13, claiming that the wording in the law, which regulates shale drilling, amounts to a gag order for doctors when it comes to chemicals that may make people sick, but industry advocates say that’s not the case. Pittsburgh Essential Public Radio, Pennsylvania.

Radioactive iodine in Philadelphia water tied to thyroid patients.

Fri, 30 Mar 2012 10:01:52 -0400

Government officials have now confirmed what they strongly suspected a year ago: The radioactive iodine-131 in some of the region's waterways, also found in minute amounts in Philadelphia's drinking water, is coming from thyroid patients. Philadelphia Inquirer, Pennsylvania. [Registration Required].

Autism Rates: New High In U.S. Inspires Renewed Debate.

Thu, 29 Mar 2012 19:27:56 -0400

About one in 88 children in the United States has autism or a related disorder. Scientists had long estimated that 90 percent of autism risk was genetic and 10 percent reflected environmental factors. But a 2011 study of twins by scientists at Stanford University concluded that genes account for 38 percent of autism risk and environmental factors 62 percent. Huffington Post.

Study: Mobile phone radiation interferes with HCG assay.

Thu, 29 Mar 2012 19:27:56 -0400

The radiofrequency radiation is of concern in hospital laboratories as the microwaves have many health effects even on immune functions. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of cell phone radiation on chorionic gonadotropin immunoassays of human serum. Radiation exposure from mobile phones altered the measured serum levels. Pathophysiology.

The 'end to new coal plants' in the US.

Thu, 29 Mar 2012 19:27:55 -0400

The Environmental Protection Agency issued the first limits on greenhouse gas emissions from new power plants Tuesday, requiring any new power plant to emit no more than 1,000 pounds of carbon dioxide per megawatt of electricity produced. Coal plants emit an average of 1,768 pounds of carbon dioxide per megawatt. Washington Post [Registration Required].

After years of complaints, EPA steps in at Iowa plant.

Wed, 28 Mar 2012 19:27:55 -0400

For years, people living in Muscatine, Iowa have complained about the ash and smoke blowing into their neighborhood from a corn processing plant. In 2010, the facility released more lead than any plant in the state and more acetaldehyde, a probable carcinogen, than almost any plant in the country. On Tuesday, the US EPA stepped in. Center for Public Integrity.

Minnesota setting health standards for emerging contaminants.

Wed, 28 Mar 2012 19:27:54 -0400

Federal and state regulators have already placed limits on many contaminants found in drinking water, such as lead. But health officials are now turning their attention to other chemicals in the water supply that are not widely known, including those in fragrances, drugs and bug spray. Minnesota Public Radio, Minnesota.

EPA to impose first greenhouse gas limits on power plants.

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 09:45:30 -0400

The Environmental Protection Agency will issue the first limits on greenhouse gas emissions from new power plants as early as Tuesday, according to several people briefed on the proposal. The move could end the construction of conventional coal-fired facilities in the United States. Washington Post [Registration Required].

Common toothpaste additive triclosan to be deemed toxic to environment.

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 09:45:28 -0400

The Canadian government is set to declare a bacteria killer found in many toothpastes, mouthwashes and anti-bacterial soaps as toxic to the environment, a move which could see the use of the chemical curtailed sharply. Postmedia News.

Heritable epigenetics.

Mon, 26 Mar 2012 21:00:58 -0400

A study on four classes of chemicals- plastics, pesticides, dioxins, and hydrocarbons- has confirmed that exposure of a fetus to man-made chemicals in the womb can result in heritable changes in gene expression, even to offspring generations later that were not directly exposed to the chemicals. Chemical & Engineering News.

Mercury - a hazard in the oceans and on the land.

Mon, 26 Mar 2012 21:00:59 -0400

Mercury vapour enters the body through the air. It destroys kidneys, brain and eyes. Sources of mercury exposure vary from fish to gold mining to light bulbs. Close to 40% of the total mercury used in the world is being used by artisanal miners, who don't know how to use it. Australia ABC News, Australia.

For Pennsylvania's doctors, a gag order on fracking chemicals.

Mon, 26 Mar 2012 21:00:59 -0400

Under a new law, doctors in Pennsylvania can access information about chemicals used in natural gas extraction—but they won't be able to share it with their patients. Mother Jones

Doctors oppose Utah oil refinery expansions.

Sun, 25 Mar 2012 21:13:28 -0400

A group of Utah doctors is leading a campaign against expansion plans at three of five Utah oil refineries, saying the air in the Salt Lake basin is dirty enough and often fails to meet standards of the US Environmental Protection Agency. Associated Press.

Commentary: An update on BPA science.

Sat, 24 Mar 2012 13:50:16 -0400

As the end-of-the-month decision from the Food and Drug Administration on the safety of bisphenol A (BPA) draws closer, the chemical industry is trying hard to paint NRDC’s advocacy against the endocrine-disrupting substance in a bad light. NRDC Switchboard.

On verge of court defeat, fumigant maker pulls product.

Fri, 23 Mar 2012 13:26:37 -0400

On verge of court defeat, fumigant maker pulls product. When Arysta LifeScience abruptly pulled methyl iodide off the market this week, it cited the "economic viability" of the controversial fumigant. But at a hearing in an Oakland courtroom Wednesday, another factor emerged: Arysta was on the verge of losing a major lawsuit. California Watch.

Beware the fog.

Fri, 23 Mar 2012 13:26:38 -0400

A new study suggests that fog can harbor real-life horrors. Researchers have found that coastal mists may carry toxic mercury that can harm ecosystems and human health. Science.

Prenatal pollutants linked to childhood anxiety, ADHD.

Thu, 22 Mar 2012 13:26:39 -0400

Inner-city women who breathe powerful airborne pollutants called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons while pregnant are more likely to have children who develop behavioral problems by the time they reach school age, researchers report. ABC News.

Study: Sunscreen compound linked to endometriosis.

Thu, 22 Mar 2012 13:26:38 -0400

Although sunscreens shield the skin from harmful ultraviolet light, they may have a dark side: Exposure to a compound commonly found in the lotions was associated with endometriosis in a small study in people. Chemical & Engineering News.

Call for comments: Implementation of the New Source Review (NSR) Program for PM2.5.

Tue, 20 Mar 2012 13:26:38 -0400

A revision would correct an inadvertent error made in 2008 when the EPA issued its final rule to implement the new source review (NSR) program for fine particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter of less than or equal to 2.5 micrometers (PM2.5). Comments will be accepted until May 15th.

Bisphenol A (BPA) could affect reproductive capabilities, cause infection of the uterus.

Wed, 21 Mar 2012 09:34:18 -0400

Researchers at the University of Cincinnati have found evidence that, in addition to affecting the heart, brain and nervous system, bisphenol A (BPA), could affect a mammal's ability to reproduce by altering the structure of the uterus in ways that can progress to a potentially fatal infection. ScienceDaily.

Maker of methyl iodide scraps controversial pesticide.

Wed, 21 Mar 2012 10:09:37 -0400

The manufacturer of methyl iodide is pulling the controversial pesticide from the U.S. market, representatives of Tokyo-based Arysta LifeScience confirmed late Tuesday. Santa Cruz Sentinel, California.

Chemicals in plastic linked to rise in obesity and diabetes.

Tue, 20 Mar 2012 10:09:36 -0400

Man-made chemicals present in homes, schools, offices, cars and food are probably contributing to the sharp rise in obesity and diabetes in western societies, according to a review of scientific literature published today. London Independent, United Kingdom.

Study of 'meth babies' finds behavior problems.

Mon, 19 Mar 2012 19:22:48 -0400

The first study to look at methamphetamine's potential lasting effects on children whose mothers used it in pregnancy finds these kids at higher risk for behavior problems than other children. Associated Press.

Vermont joins air pollution lawsuit to support EPA.

Mon, 19 Mar 2012 19:19:46 -0400

Vermont has joined 11 other states, New York City and the District of Columbia in support of a Clean Air Act rule the would reduce toxic air pollution from power plants in the United States. Brattleboro Reformer, Vermont.

Scientists warn of low-dose risks of chemical exposure.

Mon, 19 Mar 2012 19:11:33 -0400

Last week, 12 scientists - including such experts as Theo Colborn and the University of Missouri's Frederick vom Saal - published a paper that they say significantly advances the debate on endocrine-disrupting chemicals. These findings, the researchers say, point to the need for basic changes in how chemical safety testing is conducted. Yale Environment 360.

Mercury laden skin creams sought in Bay Area.

Sun, 18 Mar 2012 19:11:32 -0400

State health investigators are going undercover in the Bay Area's ethnic communities to hunt for illegal skin-lightening creams containing high levels of mercury. Contra Costa Times, California.

EPA mystified by stingy DDT pollution in San Francisco Bay.

Sun, 18 Mar 2012 19:11:32 -0400

A half-century after California officials discovered that large amounts of the pesticide DDT had been discharged into a San Francisco Bay canal, the chemical is still poisoning fish and posing a threat to human health there despite numerous cleanup attempts. Associated Press.

Report: Pollution levels fall in North America.

Sat, 17 Mar 2012 19:11:32 -0400

In 2009, 257 different pollutants were let into the water and 444 pollutants into the air, the report said. These pollutants ranged from nitrate compounds to hydrochloric and sulphuric acids. Postmedia News.

Congressman moves to ban BPA from food packaging.

Sat, 17 Mar 2012 19:11:31 -0400

A Massachusetts congressman asked the federal government on Friday to ban the chemical bisphenol A from use in food and beverage containers, and took a page from the food industry's own playbook to argue his case. Washington Post [Registration Required].

The dose doesn't always make the poison.

Sat, 17 Mar 2012 19:19:45 -0400

Many common household products contain chemicals that could be hazardous to human health. Now, a new report finds that for some chemicals, a very small dose can have a very large health effect. Host Bruce Gellerman talks to Laura Vandenberg, a researcher at Tufts University Center for Regenerative and Developmental Biology, about how exposure to small amounts of chemicals can act like hormones and have adverse health effects on humans. Living On Earth.

Highly exposed to phthalates as fetuses, female mice have altered reproductive lives.

Sat, 17 Mar 2012 19:23:39 -0400

In the first study to examine what effect in utero doses of phthalates have on the reproductive system of mice, Brown University toxicologists found that extremely high doses were associated with significant changes, such as a shortened reproductive lifespan and abnormal cell growth in mammary glands. ScienceDaily.

Humans vs. plastic.

Fri, 16 Mar 2012 19:27:19 -0400

A plastic bottle takes almost one thousand years to decompose, and even during decomposition it releases toxic chemicals such as bisphenol A, styrene trimer and others. Himalayan Times, Nepal.

Study finds link between cell phone radiation and behavior problems in mice.

Fri, 16 Mar 2012 09:26:17 -0400

Researchers from the Yale School of Medicine found that exposing pregnant mice to radiation from a cell phone resulted in offspring who were more hyperactive, had more anxiety and poorer memory -- symptoms associated with ADHD -- than mice who were not exposed to radiation. ABC News.

You are what your mother ate.

Fri, 16 Mar 2012 09:26:17 -0400

The behavior and experiences of our parents and grandparents can affect the traits they pass on to us, new research reveals. A phenomenon called epigenetics shows how environmental influences can flick the switch on genes that might otherwise remain switched off. Sydney Morning Herald, Australia. [Registration Required].

Report: Low doses, big effects: Scientists seek 'fundamental changes' in testing, regulation of hormone-like chemicals.

Thu, 15 Mar 2012 09:26:15 -0400

Small doses can have big health effects. That is a main finding of a new report, three years in the making, published Wednesday by a team of 12 scientists who study hormone-altering chemicals. Dozens of substances that can mimic or block hormones are found in the environment, the food supply and consumer products, including plastics, pesticides and cosmetics. One of the biggest controversies is whether the tiny doses that most people are exposed to are harmful. The researchers concluded after examining hundreds of studies that health effects "are remarkably common" when people or animals are exposed to low doses. "Fundamental changes in chemical testing are needed to protect human health," they wrote. Environmental Health News.

Opinion: 'There are no safe doses for endocrine disruptors.'

Thu, 15 Mar 2012 09:26:15 -0400

As a scientist, I am often asked what “proof” links hormone-altering chemicals to diseases and birth defects. One mother questions whether exposures during her pregnancy caused her child’s autism. Another asks whether chemicals in the foods she ate could have caused her son’s abnormal genitalia. The underlying question raised by these mothers is provocative: Do small amounts contribute to human health problems? My colleagues and I have concluded in a new report that there truly are no safe doses for hormone-altering chemicals. Academic, regulatory and industry scientists must work together to identify and replace such chemicals that are ubiquitous in everyday consumer products. Environmental Health News.

Is it safe to play yet?

Thu, 15 Mar 2012 09:26:14 -0400

Laura MacCleery was four months pregnant when she started an inventory of the chemicals in her Alexandria, Va., town house. First, she collected 70 products in a pile: things like makeup, shampoo, and sink cleaners. Then she typed the names of the cosmetics into an online database called Skin Deep. The results were not comforting. New York Times [Registration Required].

Protecting, nourishing fluid can also expose fetuses to chemicals.

Thu, 15 Mar 2012 09:26:13 -0400

Researchers tested the amniotic fluid of 15 pregnant women in southeast Michigan for flame retardant chemicals called PBDEs. Amniotic fluid both cushions fetuses and provides nutrients for development. The chemicals were in every sample. Great Lakes Echo, Michigan.

Pill that left a generation blighted by cancer.

Thu, 15 Mar 2012 09:26:12 -0400

DES was prescribed to pregnant women in the UK from the 1950s to the 1970s in the mistaken belief that it prevented miscarriage. Instead, it left behind a hidden legacy of damage to the fetus. A leading American compensation lawyer has announced that he plans to coordinate a UK-wide hunt for ‘DES daughters’ to launch a class-action claim. London Daily Mail, United Kingdom.

Persistent lipophilic environmental chemicals and endometriosis: the ENDO Study.

Thu, 15 Mar 2012 09:33:34 -0400

Using a matched cohort design, cohort- and biologic media-specific POPs were associated with endometriosis underscoring the importance of methodologic considerations when interpreting findings. Environmental Health Perspectives.

Study: Fatty diets may be associated with reduced semen quality.

Thu, 15 Mar 2012 09:33:35 -0400

The study of 99 men in the USA found an association between a high total fat intake and lower total sperm count and concentration. ScienceDaily.

Ob-gyns can prevent negative health impacts of environmental chemicals.

Thu, 15 Mar 2012 09:33:33 -0400

Ob-gyns are uniquely positioned to play a major role in reducing the effects of toxic chemicals on women and babies, according to an analysis led by University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) researchers. Newswise.

Toxic environmental chemicals: the role of reproductive health professionals in preventing harmful exposures.

Wed, 14 Mar 2012 10:19:30 -0400

Rapidly accumulating scientific evidence documents that widespread exposure to environmental chemicals at levels that are encountered in daily life can impact reproductive and developmental health adversely. Preconception and prenatal exposure to environmental chemicals are of particular importance because they may have a profound and lasting impact on health across the life course. Thus, prevention of developmental exposures to environmental chemicals would benefit greatly from the active participation of reproductive health professionals in clinical and policy arenas. AJOG.

Study: Smoking and prevalence of allergic disorders in Japanese pregnant women.

Wed, 14 Mar 2012 09:26:12 -0400

Baseline data from the Kyushu Okinawa Maternal and Child Health Study provide evidence that current smoking and ETS exposure may increase the likelihood of wheeze. The possibility of a positive association between ETS exposure and rhinoconjunctivitis was also suggested. Environmental Health.

Study: Prenatal exposures to environmental chemicals and birth order as risk factors for child behavior problems.

Wed, 14 Mar 2012 09:49:28 -0400

Internalizing behavior appears to be affected by prenatal exposure to PCBs at low levels. Under lower-level exposures, however, behavior problems may be more strongly associated with parental child-rearing attitudes involved in birth order, than with such hazardous chemicals. Environmental Research.

Study: Exposure to electromagnetic fields from laptop use of "laptop" computers.

Wed, 14 Mar 2012 09:50:04 -0400

The power supply induces strong intracorporal electric current densities in the fetus and in the adult subject, which are respectively 182-263% and 71-483% higher than ICNIRP 98 basic restriction recommended to prevent adverse health effects. Archives of Environmental & Occupational Health.

New study warns about toxic chemicals in jewelry.

Tue, 13 Mar 2012 09:33:35 -0400

A new study found a majority of low-cost metal jewelry sold in Michigan stores contain toxic chemicals including lead, cadmium, arsenic, mercury, bromine, chlorine and flame retardants. Detroit WXYZ TV, Michigan.

Study: Transgenerational Actions of Environmental Compounds on Reproductive Disease and Identification of Epigenetic Biomarkers of Ancestral Exposures

Mon, 12 Mar 2012 10:03:55 -0400

Environmental factors during fetal development can induce a permanent epigenetic change in the germ line (sperm) that then transmits epigenetic transgenerational inheritance of adult-onset disease in the absence of any subsequent exposure. The epigenetic transgenerational actions of various environmental compounds and relevant mixtures were investigated with the use of a pesticide mixture (permethrin and insect repellant DEET), a plastic mixture (bisphenol A and phthalates), dioxin (TCDD) and a hydrocarbon mixture (jet fuel, JP8). PLoS One.

Dangerous beauty: 5 scariest beauty products.

Mon, 12 Mar 2012 10:03:54 -0400

Mercury in skin creams? That was the headline-grabber last week, when an FDA investigation found imported skin creams may contain toxic levels of mercury and other heavy metals. The risk is serious; people are actually getting sick from mercury contamination from these products. Forbes.

Exotic grass could help clean lead from soil.

Mon, 12 Mar 2012 10:03:54 -0400

A subtropical grass might one day be grown in yards across North Jersey as an affordable way to deal with a lingering childhood health concern - lead contamination. Bergen County Record, New Jersey.

Why pregnant teenagers are happy to carry on smoking.

Sun, 11 Mar 2012 10:03:55 -0400

In the UK over the past 10 years the proportion of teenage girls who smoke has fallen to an all-time low, from 31% to 17%. But one in four women smokes during part of her pregnancy as the long-term decline in smoking in pregnancy has all but come to a halt. The Guardian, United Kingdom.

Risking their health while caring for others: Reproductive health hazards of germ-killers.

Sat, 10 Mar 2012 10:44:43 -0400

Nurses face many occupational health hazards. One that demands more study is the effects of exposure to medical sterilizing agents that appear to double the risk of miscarriage. A new study from NIOSH, Harvard School of Public Health and Brigham & Women's Hospital surveyed about 7,000 women nurses and found numerous potential occupational chemical exposures that doubled or tripled miscarriage risk. These findings add to what is now a considerable body of literature documenting these associations in nursing. The Pump Handle.

Study: Effectiveness of window replacement and residential lead paint hazard control.

Sat, 10 Mar 2012 14:48:08 -0500

Lead-safe window replacement is an important element of lead hazard control, weatherization, renovation and housing investment strategies and should be implemented broadly to protect children. Environmental Research.

Pesticides persist even when you wash your fruit and veg.

Sat, 10 Mar 2012 14:26:00 -0500

Washing fruit and vegetables does not remove chemical pesticide residues, tests commissioned by Government food watchdogs show. London Daily Mail, United Kingdom.

Marine hangar was 'witches brew.'

Sat, 10 Mar 2012 14:25:58 -0500

Marine Corps Air Station El Toro's Hangar 296 was "ground zero" for TCE plume spreading miles into Orange County and the only building on the former base contaminated with radiation. Along with waste from adjacent hanger 297, TCE from 296 has created a plume that threatens Orange County's principal aquifer. Salem News, Oregon.

EPA, Wyoming, 2 tribes agree to more groundwater testing in fracking zone.

Fri, 9 Mar 2012 14:25:55 -0500

The state of Wyoming, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and two American Indian tribes announced Thursday they have agreed to additional testing of groundwater that the federal agency says may have become contaminated by gas development that includes hydraulic fracturing. Associated Press.

Evidence is mixed, but avoid BPA if you can.

Fri, 9 Mar 2012 14:50:02 -0500

Expert panels organized by the National Institutes of Health have concluded that there is reason to be concerned, although there is no proof of harm. Lake County News Sun, Illinois.

Overhaul of U.S. child health study concerns investigators.

Fri, 9 Mar 2012 14:49:00 -0500

A controversial health study of 100,000 U.S. children that has struggled for years hit another rough patch last month when the National Institutes of Health (NIH) announced that it may modify its sampling plan in 2013 to save money. Science.

Friends of the Earth sues U.S. EPA over lead in aviation fuel.

Fri, 9 Mar 2012 14:49:22 -0500

The nonprofit group Friends of the Earth filed a lawsuit against the Environmental Protection Agency today to force the regulation of lead emissions from general aviation aircraft under the Clean Air Act. Environment News Service.

Overhaul of US child health study concerns investigators.

Thu, 8 Mar 2012 15:13:18 -0500

A controversial health study of 100,000 U.S. children that has struggled for years hit another rough patch last month when the National Institutes of Health announced that it may modify its sampling plan in 2013 to save money. Science [Subscription Required].

Study: Hidden dangers in everyday products.

Thu, 8 Mar 2012 15:16:26 -0500

A first-of-its-kind, peer-reviewed study published in Environmental Health Perspectives Thursday reveals an alarming number of unlabeled chemicals of concern in commonly used household and personal care products. Forbes.

Mercury found in lotions and cosmetics, says FDA.

Thu, 8 Mar 2012 15:13:17 -0500

Women are being warned to stay away from beauty products that contain a toxic ingredient — mercury. The ingredient has been found in skin-care products, soaps and cosmetics in stores that tend to cater to Latino, African-American, Asian and Middle Eastern communities New York Daily News, New York.

What the frack is in that water?

Thu, 8 Mar 2012 15:13:17 -0500

Environmentalists have repeatedly pressed regulators to compel oil and gas companies to report what chemicals they use in the drilling and fracking process. ProPublica has compiled a list of the main ingredients that have been identified so far. ProPublica.

State, Salinas-area strawberry growers grapple with pesticide reduction.

Thu, 8 Mar 2012 15:13:16 -0500

The use of the toxic fumigant methyl iodide, which was registered for use in California last year but it has not yet been used in Monterey County, is being challenged in Alameda County Superior Court with a decision expected at any time. Salinas Californian, California.

Fewer premature births after smoking ban in Scotland.

Thu, 8 Mar 2012 15:13:15 -0500

Since Scotland introduced a ban on smoking in public places in 2006 there has been a 10 percent drop in the country's premature birth rate, say researchers. BBC.

Study: Environmental exposures: how to counsel preconception and prenatal patients in the clinical setting.

Wed, 7 Mar 2012 14:52:14 -0500

A growing body of scientific evidence suggests that preconception and prenatal exposures can adversely impact fetal development leading to potential long lasting health effects. Reproductive health professionals have little training on these exposures and how to effectively counsel patients. We present short summaries of some of the most common environmental exposures and give providers practical tools to counsel patients in the clinical setting. AJOG.

Simple recommendations help reduce environmental exposures for women.

Wed, 7 Mar 2012 14:50:43 -0500

Reproductive health care providers should share these tips and more scientific information with women who want to become pregnant or who are pregnant, but that does not always happen. News-Medical.Net.

The Mad Hatter, The Lorax and the dangers of mercury.

Wed, 7 Mar 2012 14:52:01 -0500

The recent mercury spill at San Juan Basin Health Department was a learning experience, highlighting what potential dangers to human health may result from exposure. Durango Herald, Colorado.

Farmers face tough choice on ways to fight new strains of weeds.

Wed, 7 Mar 2012 15:18:35 -0500

A hot debate has erupted over whether farmers should adopt a new generation of genetically engineered, herbicide-resistant crops or turn away from chemical herbicides altogether. Morning Edition, NPR.

Skin products tainted with mercury.

Wed, 7 Mar 2012 15:18:35 -0500

The Food and Drug Administration is cautioning consumers that skin creams, beauty and antiseptic soaps and lotions contaminated with mercury have been found in at least 7 states. CNN.

Life with invisible enemy: Small but uncertain radiation risks torment Japanese in nuke zone.

Wed, 7 Mar 2012 15:18:34 -0500

Yoshiko Ota keeps her windows shut. She never hangs her laundry outdoors. Fearful of birth defects, she warns her daughters: Never have children. This is life with radiation. Associated Press.

Niagara Falls won't treat drilling wastewater.

Wed, 7 Mar 2012 15:50:16 -0500

Niagara Falls has gone on record against treating wastewater from hydraulic fracturing, with elected officials saying they don't want the city that endured the Love Canal toxic waste crisis to be a test case for the technology used in gas drilling operations. Associated Press.

The big fracking bubble: The scam behind the gas boom.

Wed, 7 Mar 2012 15:51:26 -0500

As recently as a decade ago, many energy experts believed that America was nearly pumped out. But a new technique - fracking - ignited a boom in drilling for "unconventional" sources of gas and oil. Have America's reserves of natural gas been overhyped? Rolling Stone.

Campbell's to end use of BPA in can linings.

Tue, 6 Mar 2012 15:51:27 -0500

Campbell's Soup has agreed to stop using the chemical BPA in the lining of its cans, joining a host of other brands moving away from using the substance. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Wisconsin.

Study: Industrial chemicals linked to attention problems in Massachusetts children.

Mon, 5 Mar 2012 15:53:58 -0500

PCBs, which were first linked to learning problems in children more than two decades ago, may play a role in attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, too. Boys in New Bedford who were exposed to higher levels of PCBs in the womb scored lower on focus and concentration tests, which indicates they are more likely to have attention problems related to ADHD, according to a newly published study. All of the children studied were born to mothers who lived near the contaminated harbor and dumpsites in this low-income community but their exposures were comparable to children's levels throughout the United States so the link to attention problems could exist in other communities, too. Environmental Health News.

Effects of prenatal polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon exposure and environmental tobacco smoke on child IQ in a Chinese cohort.

Mon, 5 Mar 2012 18:23:19 -0500

These results suggest that exposure of pregnant women to emissions of PAHs from the coal-burning plant, in combination with prenatal exposure to environmental tobacco smoke, may have adversely affected cognitive function of children at age 5. Environmental Research.

War on coal: why polluting plants are shutting down nationwide.

Sun, 4 Mar 2012 18:58:28 -0500

Two aging coal-fired plants in Chicago -- blamed for respiratory illnesses in the city -- will be closing down years earlier than expected in a deal that was brokered between energy companies, environmental groups and Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel. Time Magazine.

Loss of Arctic sea ice may lead to mercury deposits.

Fri, 2 Mar 2012 18:23:20 -0500

Significant declines in perennial Arctic sea ice over the past decade may be intensifying a chemical reaction that leads to deposits of toxic mercury, a NASA-led study showed on Thursday. Reuters.

Effects of environmental toxicants reach down through generations.

Fri, 2 Mar 2012 18:23:19 -0500

A Washington State University researcher has demonstrated that a variety of environmental toxicants can have negative effects on not just an exposed animal but the next three generations of its offspring. ScienceDaily.

CHE Partner call: Phthalates and Proposed REACH Regulations.

Fri, 2 Mar 2012 16:01:33 -0500

This call, scheduled for March 12th, will feature Dr. Shanna Swan from the Mount Sinai School of Medicine, Dr. Sarah Janssen from the Natural Resources Defense Council, and Dr. Lisette van Vliet from the Health and Environmental Alliance.

Study: Vitamin D shrinks fibroid tumors in rats.

Fri, 2 Mar 2012 16:01:32 -0500

Treatment with vitamin D reduced the size of uterine fibroids in laboratory rats predisposed to developing the benign tumors, reported researchers funded by the National Institutes of Health. ScienceDaily.

Webinar series addresses early-life exposures.

Fri, 2 Mar 2012 16:01:31 -0500

A February 3rd web seminar was the first in a continuing series on the long-term health consequences of early-life environmental exposures. The seminar is recorded for download. NIEHS Factor.

Skin lightening creams from outside US can be hazardous.

Fri, 2 Mar 2012 10:20:23 -0500

Some African-Americans and people of color around the world use skin lightening creams to bleach their skin and fade dark spots. Yet health officials are finding that particular skin lightening creams from outside the U.S. can be very dangerous, because people have reported getting mercury poisoning from these products. TheGrio.

Study: In what ways does lead damage the brain?

Thu, 1 Mar 2012 16:08:41 -0500

A new paper published in Toxicological Sciences provides the first comprehensive working model of the ways by which lead exposure impairs synapse development and function. EurekAlert!

Scientists: Far more cesium released than previously believed.

Thu, 1 Mar 2012 10:20:23 -0500

A mind-boggling 40,000 trillion becquerels of radioactive cesium, or twice the amount previously thought, may have spewed from the crippled Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant after the March 11 disaster, scientists say. Asahi Shimbun, Japan.

Researchers: Washing polished rice can slash cesium level.

Thu, 1 Mar 2012 10:20:22 -0500

Consumers need not worry too much about eating rice contaminated with cesium, provided that the grain is polished and thoroughly washed before serving, according to a recent study. Asahi Shimbun, Japan.

Podcast: Phthalates in medicinal products, with Katherine Kelley.

Thu, 1 Mar 2012 16:06:58 -0500

In this podcast, host Ashley Ahearn talks to Katherine Kelley about her new study on the extent to which phthalates are used in medicinal products. Environmental Health Perspectives.

Study: Pollutants long gone, but disease carries on.

Wed, 29 Feb 2012 10:20:22 -0500

Exposure to certain pollutants early in a rat’s pregnancy can foster disease in her offspring during their adulthood as well as in subsequent generations, a new study shows. A wide range of pollutants elicited such lasting effects, despite future generations never encountering the triggering pollutant. Science News.

Study: High levels of PCBs tied to defective sperm in infertile men.

Tue, 28 Feb 2012 10:20:22 -0500

Research shows for the first time that increased levels of organochlorine chemicals PCBs and a DDT breakdown product in men are associated with an extra sex chromosome in sperm that can contribute to reproductive problems. An abnormal number of chromosomes in embryo or fetus is the largest known cause of failed pregnancies in people. It can also lead to birth defects. Environmental health Perspectives.

New report likely to fuel debate over TSA scanners.

Tue, 28 Feb 2012 10:27:05 -0500

A new report from the inspector general of the Department of Homeland Security is likely to fan rather than extinguish the debate over the safety of X-ray body scanners deployed at airports across the country. ProPublica.

Event: NIEHS Core Centers Meeting 2012.

Mon, 27 Feb 2012 12:46:47 -0500

NIEHS Core Centers Meeting 2012. Boston, Massachusetts. March 26-29th. "50 Years of Success: Shared Strategies for Moving Forward." This year, the Harvard School of Public Health celebrates the 50th-year anniversary of the founding of the NIEHS Center for Environmental Health. As we look to the future of our centers, we must again combine hard work and forward thinking.

Mercury in fish near Tennessee weapons plant.

Mon, 27 Feb 2012 12:17:23 -0500

Even though mercury discharges at Oak Ridge National Laboratory have declined in recent years, the mercury concentrations in fish have not. In fact, in the lower stretches of East Fork, mercury levels in fish have actually increased despite an overall cleaner environment. Knoxville News Sentinel, Tennessee.

California bill would smoke out safety, end use of toxic flame retardants.

Sun, 26 Feb 2012 12:17:59 -0500

A bill under consideration in the California legislature would replace an existing flammability test that some experts say is unrealistic and requires, to meet it, heavy use of flame retardant chemicals. New America Media

CHE Fertility Teleconference: Environmental Contributors to Preterm Birth.

Sat, 25 Feb 2012 09:12:36 -0500

March 19th at 10:00 am PT / 1:00 pm ET. Preterm birth is an intractable public health problem, affecting more than 500,000 infants per year in the United States. Long term sequelae of preterm birth include intellectual disabilities, cerebral palsy, vision and hearing loss, and respiratory and digestive problems. The annual societal economic burden associated with preterm birth in the US was estimated at $26.2 billion in 2005. A mounting body of research links environmental contaminants to preterm birth. This call features Dr. Rita Loch-Caruso from the University of Michigan, Dr. Howard Chang from Emory University, and Dr. Kaylon Bruner-Tran from Vanderbilt University. Join us for this important discussion on environmental contributors to preterm birth, and implications for practice and policy changes.

Request for Proposals: Testing New Approaches to Prenatal Care.

Sat, 25 Feb 2012 09:12:37 -0500

Sponsor: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Deadline: Wednesday March 21, 2012. As part of the Strong Start campaign, CMS has released a funding opportunity announcement to reduce the frequency of premature births, medically defined as less than 37 weeks of gestation, in pregnant Medicaid beneficiaries. Under this initiative, the CMS Innovation Center will award up to $43.2 million through a competitive process to achieve better care, improved health, and lower costs for pregnant Medicaid beneficiaries and their newborns.

Conference/Seminar: Society of Toxicology Annual Meeting.

Sat, 25 Feb 2012 09:09:30 -0500

Sponsor: Society of Toxicology. March 11 - 15, 2012. San Francisco, California. The SOT Annual Meeting provides complete and in-depth coverage of toxicology. The SOT Scientific Program Committee is charged with creating a thought-provoking and dynamic program that captures all the latest scientific advances that have occurred during the past 12 months.

Meeting: NIEHS and EPA Centers for Children's Environmental Health and Disease Prevention Research: Strengthening the Network.

Sat, 25 Feb 2012 09:03:15 -0500

Sponsor: National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences in collaboration with the US Environmental Protection Agency. March 6 - 7, 2012. Bethesda, Maryland. This meeting will bring together Children's Environmental Health Centers investigators and other experts in the area of children's environmental health to share scientific strategies, to discuss openly the implementation of new research approaches and tools, and to highlight late-breaking science in the field. Experts have been invited from the fields of reproductive health, pubertal development, metabolism, early life exposures and epigenetic changes, along with key researchers in environmental technologies. This meeting is open to the broader children's environmental health community in an effort to foster collaborations and enhance the overall children's environmental health network.

Call for Abstracts: The Contribution of Epigenetics in Pediatric Environmental Health.

Sat, 25 Feb 2012 09:00:40 -0500

Sponsor: Children's Environmental Health Network. On May 30th - June 1st, 2012, CEHN will convene a research conference titled "The Contribution of Epigenetics in Pediatric Environmental Health" at the Stanford Court Renaissance Hotel in San Francisco, California. This conference will help mark CEHN's 20th Anniversary and highlight the role of epigenetics in determining the impact of the environment on pediatric disease and children's current and future health. Conference organizers are seeking late-breaking abstracts related to the broad topics listed on the website. Deadline: Friday March 2, 2012.

Is your tap water safe?

Fri, 24 Feb 2012 08:13:21 -0500

Antibiotics, hormones, a chemical found in gasoline ...research shows that hundreds of unregulated contaminants may be flowing from your tap. No one can say for sure, because the government doesn't require testing for them. And although they're at low levels, no one knows how dangerous they might be when they're all mixed together in the water supply and consumed over a lifetime. Good Housekeeping.

EPA chief: 'Fracking' can be OK.

Fri, 24 Feb 2012 08:24:26 -0500

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa P. Jackson told energy industry leaders and environmentalists Wednesday that natural gas fracking can be done without harmful impacts, presenting "an historic opportunity" for the country in terms of energy development and job creation. Asbury Park Press, New Jersey.

Study: Mom's nicotine gum, patches tied to colic in babies.

Fri, 24 Feb 2012 08:42:00 -0500

Women who use nicotine gum, patches or inhalers while pregnant are 60 percent more likely to have a child with colic than moms who stayed away from nicotine, according to a new study. Reuters.

Study: Chemical exposures cause child IQ losses that rival major diseases.

Fri, 24 Feb 2012 08:13:22 -0500

Three common environmental chemicals - lead, organophosphate pesticides and methylmercury - may have effects on children's IQ in the overall population similar to the impacts of major medical conditions such as preterm birth or ADHD - two of the most prevalent in U.S. children. The finding from this reanalysis of published data hints that the societal toll of exposures to these invisible yet widespread contaminants may be more severe than what previous studies of individual risk would suggest. Environmental Health Perspectives.

Study: Fetal exposure to propoxur and abnormal child neurodevelopment at two years of age.

Thu, 23 Feb 2012 08:13:20 -0500

Higher prenatal exposure to an insecticide commonly used worldwide was associated with poorer motor development in the children at 2 years of age, suggesting that fetal carbamate pesticide exposures may have lasting consequences. The study is one of the first to assess developmental affects of gestational exposure to the pesticide propoxur on children's growing nervous system. Neurotxicology.

EPA dioxin assessment raises red flag for some.

Thu, 23 Feb 2012 08:47:37 -0500

Nearly three decades in the making, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently announced its landmark dioxin assessment with the conclusion: "Generally, over a person’s lifetime, current exposure to dioxins does not pose a significant health risk." But specialists say dioxins pose a risk for fetuses, newborns and people with immune deficiencies such as AIDS patients. CNN.

Europe to target pharmaceutical pollution with new water quality rules.

Thu, 23 Feb 2012 08:45:29 -0500

The European Commission has unveiled a new set of water pollution rules, which will for the first time include certain pharmaceutical products. Environmental News Network.

Study: Nutrition can modulate the toxicity of environmental pollutants.

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 08:50:50 -0500

The authors recommend that nutrition and dietary practices be incorporated into future environmental research and the development of risk assessment paradigms. Healthful nutrition interventions might be a powerful approach to reduce disease risks associated with many environmental toxic insults, and should be considered a variable within the context of cumulative risk assessment, and where appropriate, a potential tool for subsequent risk reduction. Environmental Health Perspectives.

Study: Neuropsychological measures of attention and impulse control among 8-year-old children exposed prenatally to organochlorines.

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 19:55:10 -0500

These results support an association between organochlorines (mainly PCBs) and neuropsychological measures of attention among boys only. Environmental Health Perspectives.

Study: Infertile couples have higher exposure to phthalates.

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 19:37:45 -0500

Infertile couples are exposed to three to five times higher levels of phthalates compared to fertile couples who have naturally conceived a child, finds a study from Italy. The couples had higher levels of four different classes of phthalates in their urine, including the phthalate compound most commonly used in plastics and the compound most commonly used in cosmetics. Environmental Health News.

New report: Strengthening Toxic Chemical Risk Assessments to Protect Human Health.

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 08:57:13 -0500

NRDC and the Science and Environmental Health Network (SEHN) together released an issue paper that identifies four key areas where the risk assessment of toxic chemicals could be meaningfully and relatively easily improved.

Michigan passes health study on to Emory University.

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 19:37:45 -0500

For more than three decades Michigan tracked the health of about 4,000 residents who ingested fire retardant chemicals accidentally introduced into the food supply. Now the state is handing off the study - not because of mollified fears or chemical-free participants. There’s no money. Great Lakes Echo, Michigan.

Medical officials find mercury in lightening cream.

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 19:37:44 -0500

Scouring the home of an Alameda County woman for the likely source of mercury poisoning, California health officials determined that an illegal skin-lightening cream smuggled in from Mexico was to blame. Associated Press.

Cadmium in mascara, lead in lipstick, and arsenic in eyeliner.

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 19:37:44 -0500

The ugly secrets that the beauty industry isn't telling you. There have long been suspicions over the levels of toxins in make-up, with numerous reports paying close attention to lead levels in lipsticks. London Daily Mail, United Kingdom.

Study: Maternal PFOA levels in blood drives daughter’s subsequent weight.

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 08:42:45 -0500

Daughters of mothers with the highest concentrations of PFOA in the blood during pregnancy were three times as likely to be overweight at the age of about 20 years as daughters of mothers with the lowest PFOA levels. Stone Hearth News.

New report: State of the Art Assessment of Endocrine Disrupters.

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 20:04:18 -0500

The European Commission has today released a major report on the science of Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals (EDCs). The report examines what is needed to define and identify EDCs.

Study: Fetal exposure to bisphenol A as a risk factor for the development of childhood asthma.

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 19:55:08 -0500

This animal model study demonstrates that prenatal exposures that produce environmentally relevant burdens of BPA, followed by postnatal allergic sensitization and challenges, promote the development of experimental allergic asthma. Environmental Health.

Kids, mothers-to-be: hands off white sturgeon!

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 20:08:12 -0500

The new fish guidelines are based on mercury and polychlorinated biphenyls [PCB] levels in the fish. Bay Citizen, California.

Language skills linked to mother's time in sun.

Mon, 20 Feb 2012 20:10:08 -0500

Mothers with low vitamin D levels during pregnancy are twice as likely to have children who experience language difficulties requiring clinical treatment, Australian scientists have found. Sydney Morning Herald, Australia.

Training/Workshop: Reach the Decision Makers Training Program.

Sat, 18 Feb 2012 14:18:30 -0500

Sponsor: UCSF Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment. This innovative science and policy training program works to increase the number of scientists, community-based leaders, public health and health care professionals who are actively involved in informing the US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) of current and relevant reproductive health scientific findings impacting their decisions in setting policy. Reach is designed based on the very successful "Women's Policy Institute" of the Women's Foundation of California. Application deadline: Friday February 24, 2012.

Long-awaited EPA dioxin report released.

Sat, 18 Feb 2012 13:11:39 -0500

After 21 years of wrangling over health threats, uncertain science and industry pressure, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Friday released its assessment of dioxins defining how toxic they are.

Chemicals and health.

Sat, 18 Feb 2012 13:11:38 -0500

It's taken nearly a quarter of a century but the EPA has finally concluded that the chemical perchloroethylene is a likely human carcinogen. 'Perc' is just one of more than 62 thousand industrial chemicals that were presumed safe back in 1976. But still today, most have never been investigated for health effects. Instead they were grandfathered in. Living On Earth.

Is radiation actually good for some of us?

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 13:11:38 -0500

By age 10, most people are exposed to enough radiation to be at risk, but the science is so complicated that exposure could even have benefits. Miller-McCune.

Mercury rules imminent; challenges expected.

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 13:11:37 -0500

With mercury rules imminent, challenges are expected to focus on key EPA finding. Industry groups and states are expected to challenge the agency's findings that it is "appropriate and necessary" to regulate such emissions. Bloomberg BNA.

Fresno attorney gives Kettleman City new hope.

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 13:11:37 -0500

A cluster of birth defects has plagued Kettleman City and no one knows what's causing it. The town is home to the largest toxic waste dump west of the Mississippi, is surrounded by pesticide-treated orchards, has contaminated drinking water, and some worry that the old oil lines and equipment could be leaking. Fresno KSEE TV, California.

Study: Texas tweens have high levels of persistent organic pollutants.

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 13:11:36 -0500

Older children have higher levels of Teflon-related chemicals called PFCs - used in products to prevent staining and sticking - than younger children, although their levels are lower than a decade ago. PFCs have been used in food packages, non-stick coatings, fire-fighting foams, carpet coatings, and cosmetics and lotions. Children can be exposed via their mothers before birth and when breastfeeding. Environmental Health Perspectives.

Environment: The unseen enemies.

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 23:29:28 -0500

BPA is one of a plethora of chemicals and pollutants that, though unseen or unnoticed, can have significant effects on public health. Those relationships are the driving force behind environmental health campaigns locally, regionally and nationally. Rochester City Newspaper, New York.

400 lipsticks found to contain lead, FDA says.

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 23:29:31 -0500

Four hundred of the nation's most popular lipsticks contained trace levels of lead when tested recently by the federal government, confirming similar results of earlier analyses but on a much wider scale and at higher levels than previously detected. Washington Post [Registration Required].

Study: Rice significantly contributes to arsenic exposure in pregnant women.

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 09:47:06 -0500

Eating even relatively modest levels of rice - about a half a cup of cooked rice a day - can significantly contribute to arsenic exposure in the U.S. population, reports a study of pregnant women who live in New Hampshire. Women who were exposed through both eating rice and drinking water had on average twice the level of arsenic in their urine than women who did not eat rice and were exposed only through water. Environmental Health News.

Less acid rain could mean more mercury in fish.

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 09:47:05 -0500

Regulations on mercury emissions in Europe have led to a steady decline in mercury entering the environment since the 1990s. So government scientists in Norway were surprised to discover in 2009 that mercury levels in lake fish had strongly increased since 1991. Chemical & Engineering News.

University of Wisconsin study sees dietary tie to early puberty in girls.

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 09:47:04 -0500

Girls today may be reaching puberty as much as four years earlier than generations before them because their diets are higher in calories, research from the University of Wisconsin-Madison suggests. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Wisconsin.

Mercury poisons Massachusetts from afar.

Sun, 12 Feb 2012 09:47:03 -0500

Massachusetts has slashed in-state emissions of mercury more than 90 percent since the mid-1990s, but the toxic metal continues to rain down on the state from smokestacks in other regions of the United States that have been slower to clean up their act. Milford Daily News, Massachusetts.

Evangelical group holds firm on 'pro-life' link to EPA rule.

Sun, 12 Feb 2012 09:47:02 -0500

The Environmental Evangelical Network (EEN) is under attack from the religious right over its campaign in favor of EPA's new restrictions on mercury emissions from coal-fired power plants - rules the EEN calls vital to protecting the health of the unborn. The Hill, District of Columbia.

States sue E.P.A. over delayed soot rules.

Sat, 11 Feb 2012 09:47:03 -0500

Eleven states, including New York and California, sued the Environmental Protection Agency on Friday in federal district court in Manhattan over the agency’s delays in tightening air quality standards involving fine particulate matter, or soot, from diesel trucks, buses, power plants and other sources. New York Times [Registration Required].

Study: Diversity in Fetal Membrane Cytokine Signature to Stimulation by Bacterial Infections Associated with Preterm Birth.

Sat, 11 Feb 2012 09:07:41 -0500

"Pathophysiologic pathways leading to preterm labor and delivery are not the same in each and every subject and vary based on an individual’s risk exposure. This can include her race, type of infectious agent or bacterial pathogen, as researched in this study, or any other risk factor like BMI, nutritional deficiencies, behavioral issues, various stressors, genetic, and epigenetic factors, said Ramkumar Menon, PhD, with the University of Texas Medical Branch, Obstetrics & Gynecology, Galveston, Texas. Stone Hearth News.

Study: Oil-gas pollution tops expectations.

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 10:24:09 -0500

Ozone-forming air pollution measured along the Colorado Front Range by scientists is up to twice the amount that government regulators have calculated should exist, a new study finds. It pinpoints oil and gas development as the main source, a finding that could have broad implications for the petroleum industry across the Rocky Mountain region. Associated Press.

California sets trends in health regulation.

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 10:24:09 -0500

The state has been first to pass major public health initiatives that have spread throughout the country. California was first to require smog checks for clean air, pass anti-tobacco initiatives and bike helmets laws. CNN.

China probes "bouncing" boiled eggs.

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 10:24:08 -0500

Chinese authorities are investigating eggs which bounce after being boiled and may make men sterile, state media reported Friday, in the latest food safety scare to hit the country. Reuters.

Widespread plasticizer clouds doping tests of cyclists.

Thu, 9 Feb 2012 10:27:07 -0500

In the race to catch drug cheats, sports officials are turning to more sophisticated tests. Since cheaters are rarely caught red-handed, scientists devised a plan to catch them with the packaging, inside their bodies - by looking for residues of a phthalate plasticizer called DEHP. But the plasticizer is so ubiquitous that it has clouded the results of these blood doping tests. Environmental Health News.

Behind the PR curtain: Oregon firm played part in effort to counter attacks on herbicide.

Thu, 9 Feb 2012 10:27:07 -0500

A Lake Oswego public affairs firm has come under scrutiny for its role in a broad-based public relations effort mounted by a company seeking to dispel criticism that its widely used herbicide, atrazine, is a public health threat. Portland Oregonian, Oregon.

Is that lead in your lipstick?

Thu, 9 Feb 2012 10:27:07 -0500

Recent tests by FDA scientists, updating tests from 2007, reveal increased lead levels in US lipsticks, with two brands above California's standard of 5 ppm. FDA says it is considering setting an upper limit for lead in lipsticks, but to date no such limit has been set. Forbes.

Religious right bashes green evangelicals for supporting EPA rules.

Thu, 9 Feb 2012 10:31:37 -0500

Religious-right leaders are slamming a green evangelical group for casting support for Environmental Protection Agency rules to cut power plant mercury emissions as a "pro-life" position. The Hill, District of Columbia.

Ohio AG wants disclosure of drilling chemicals, tougher penalties for pollution.

Thu, 9 Feb 2012 10:31:36 -0500

Ohio's top law enforcer is advocating increased environmental sanctions on polluters in the oil and gas industry and required disclosures of the chemicals used in the drilling technique called fracking that would be among the toughest in the nation. Associated Press.

The frog of war.

Wed, 8 Feb 2012 10:31:37 -0500

When biologist Tyrone Hayes discovered that a top-selling herbicide - atrazine - messes with sex hormones, its manufacturer went into battle mode. Thus began one of the weirdest feuds in the history of science. Mother Jones.

Syngena found shaping the "News" about atrazine.

Tue, 7 Feb 2012 13:27:50 -0500

Documents recently unsealed as part of a major lawsuit against Syngenta reveal how the global chemical company's PR team investigated the press and spent millions to spin news coverage and public perceptions in the face of growing concerns about potential health risks from the widely used weed-killer "atrazine." Center for Media and Democracy.

Releases of dioxins.

Mon, 6 Feb 2012 13:14:30 -0500

For years, chemical manufacturers have been blamed as the main industrial source of chlorinated dioxins and furans. Now, EPA data reveals a different pattern: When both the quantity and toxicity of releases are considered, the primary metals industry emerges as the main source of dioxin toxicity. Chemical & Engineering News.

An older mum OR dad increases autism risk.

Mon, 6 Feb 2012 13:14:29 -0500

Children are more likely to have autism if either of their parents is older than 35 at the time of conception, according to a major study. The risk is up to 27 per cent higher than for those with younger parents, say researchers from Denmark. London Daily Mail, United Kingdom.

Diabetes quadruples birth defects risk.

Mon, 6 Feb 2012 13:14:28 -0500

The risk of birth defects increases four-fold if the pregnant mother has diabetes, researchers say. The study, published in the journal Diabetologia, analysed data from more than 400,000 pregnancies in the north-east of England. The risk of defects such as congenital heart disease and spina bifida were increased. BBC.

CHE Partnership call: Health Effects of Indoor Air Contaminants.

Sat, 4 Feb 2012 15:46:03 -0500

Sponsor: Collaborative on Health and the Environment.Tuesday February 14, 2012 at 10:00 AM Pacific / 1 PM Eastern. With some notable exceptions, most people spend far more time indoors than outdoors. Thus, the quality of indoor air is an important public health concern. Considerable effort has gone into measuring and monitoring the quality of outdoor air and its health effects. But we often know far less about indoor air contaminants and their health effects. This call will feature experts whose research focuses on indoor concerns internationally and in the US.

High levels of mercury found in Minnesota's North Shore babies.

Fri, 3 Feb 2012 12:21:35 -0500

One in 10 babies along Minnesota's North Shore are born with unhealthy levels of mercury in their bodies, according to a new report on contamination around Lake Superior, the first to look for the pollutant in the blood of U.S. infants. Minneapolis Star Tribune, Minnesota.

Cell Phones: Technology, Exposures, Health Effects.

Fri, 3 Feb 2012 15:46:02 -0500

Environment & Human Health, Inc. has published a report that reviews the science on health risks due to cell phone technology and issues policy recommendations in addition to precautionary health recommendations for individuals.

FOA: Biomedical and Behavioral Research Innovations to Ensure Equity (BRITE) in Maternal and Child Health (R15).

Thu, 2 Feb 2012 12:21:35 -0500

Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. Application Receipt/Submission Date(s): April 3, 2012, October 11, 2012, October 11, 2013. This FOA seeks to increase the diversity of the pool of researchers involved in health equity research related to NICHD mission areas including infant mortality; Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS); child, adolescent, and/or adult obesity; uterine fibroids; pediatric and maternal HIV/AIDS prevention; violence prevention; health literacy; and outreach and information dissemination.

EPA Dioxin report delayed.

Thu, 2 Feb 2012 13:51:38 -0500

The Environmental Protection Agency has missed its own deadline to release a major report on the health effects of dioxins, a class of toxic chemicals. People in central Michigan have lived with dioxin pollution for more than three decades. Environment Report.

Study: Cadmium may affect newborn girls more than boys: maternal exposure linked to smaller birth size.

Thu, 2 Feb 2012 13:51:38 -0500

A new study shows that maternal cadmium exposure is associated with reduced head circumference and birth weight in newborn girls. Environmental Health Perspectives.

Women's reproductive environmental health takes the spotlight.

Thu, 2 Feb 2012 13:51:37 -0500

NIEHS welcomed leading scientists to a meeting Jan. 20 to lay the foundation for a consortium focused on advancing research in women's reproductive health. NIEHS Environmental Factor.

Folic acid supplementation dysregulates gene expression in lymphoblastoid cells -- implications in nutrition.

Wed, 1 Feb 2012 15:42:45 -0500

Excessive folic acid supplementation may require careful monitoring in women who are planning for, or are in the early stages of pregnancy. Aberrant expression of genes during early brain development may have an impact on behavioural characteristics. Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications.

Decoding neurodevelopment: findings on environmental exposures and synaptic plasticity.

Wed, 1 Feb 2012 13:51:37 -0500

Of special interest are key discoveries by investigators at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) about some of the basic mechanisms involved in synaptic plasticity, and work by other investigators that explores the hypothesis that environmental toxicants that disrupt synaptic plasticity at critical periods play a role in disorders that have roots in early brain development, such as autism spectrum disorders (ASDs), attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and schizophrenia. Environmental Health Perspectives.

Increased risk of gestational diabetes among women whose mothers smoked during pregnancy.

Wed, 1 Feb 2012 10:38:30 -0500

Women were more likely to be obese, have high blood pressure or have gestational diabetes during pregnancy if their mother smoked while pregnant, finds a study of more than 70,000 women in Norway. This study is the first to identify an increased risk of gestational diabetes among women whose mothers smoked during pregnancy. Results here are consistent with other studies finding links between prenatal smoking and obesity in children as well as small increases in blood pressure.

Webinar: Early Life Exposures - Long-Term Health Consequences.

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 16:36:13 -0500

Sponsor: NIEHS. February 3, 2012; 1:00 - 3:00 PM ET. This seminar will feature work with polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), compounds often added to furniture, electronics and other consumer products to improve fire safety. PBDEs can cross the placental barrier from mother to fetus and influence childhood development years later. PBDEs have been associated with alterations in thyroid hormone levels, reduced fertility, and neurodevelopmental deficits.

Fish oil in pregnancy may reduce infant eczema.

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 16:28:05 -0500

A recent study published in the British Medical Journal found that long chain polyunsaturated fatty acid supplementation in pregnancy led to lower rates of childhood eczema in the offspring of women with a family history of allergic disease. New Scientist.

Study: PCBs could harm babies' immune system.

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 16:19:24 -0500

PCBs may interfere with immune system development in infants exposed in the womb and early in life, report researchers from the United States and Slovakia. Infants with higher PCB exposure during gestation and as newborns had smaller thymus organs at birth and at 6 months of age but not at 13 months. These results suggest that early life exposure to PCBs might impact the development of the immune system, but the effects seem to be limited to early infancy. The long-term implications of these changes remain to be determined. Environmental Health Perspectives.

Chicago water sampling shows high levels of lead.

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 16:19:23 -0500

In a new round of water testing by the Environmental Protection Agency, half of the 29 Chicago homes visited yielded at least one sample containing more than 15 parts per billion of lead, a level that can trigger regulatory action if detected during routine screening. Chicago Tribune, Illinois.

Soaps, makeup and other items contain deadly ingredients, say consumer advocates.

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 16:19:23 -0500

According to the Environmental Working Group, a nonprofit research and advocacy organization, cosmetics and other personal care products contain numerous ingredients, such as phthalates, parabens, formaldehye and diethanolamine, that we should be wary of. Washington Post [Registration Required].

Frederick vom Saal wants FDA to ban BPA, endocrine disruptors.

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 16:19:21 -0500

For the past 20 years, much of University of Missouri biology professor Frederick vom Saal’s research, thoughts and time have converged into one point: trying to get endocrine disruptors, chemicals that interfere with the hormone system and can cause obesity, infertility and cancer, out of daily use. Columbia Missourian, Missouri.

Research opens up scientists' concern over effects of controversial chemical BPA.

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 10:59:52 -0500

Are you really doing enough to avoid the controversial chemical bisphenol-A, BPA for short? Probably not. Cleveland Plain Dealer, Ohio.

Caffeine may alter women's estrogen levels, study says.

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 16:28:05 -0500

Caffeine changes women's estrogen levels and has different effects in Asian and white women, a new study says. USA Today.

Call for Abstracts: APHA 2012.

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 09:47:09 -0500

American Public Health Association's 140th Annual Meeting and Exposition San Francisco, CA. October 27-31, 2012. The APHA 2012 Call for Abstracts is NOW OPEN! This year's theme will be Prevention and Wellness Across the Lifespan. Deadline for submission of abstracts: February 6 for the Environmental Section; February 10 for the Maternal/Child Section.

Call for Abstracts: Endo2012.

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 12:29:23 -0500

The Endocrine Society's 94th Annual Meeting , Houston, TX, June 23-26, 2012. The Call for Abstracts is now open.This year's symposia include: Male Germ Cell Development, New Mechanisms for HPA Axis Regulation, and Diagnosis & Treatment of Peripheral Precocious Puberty. Deadline for submission of abstracts is February 6.

Call for Abstracts: ISEE.

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 12:29:21 -0500

International Society for Environmental Epidemiology's 24th Annual Meeting, Columbia, SC, August 26-30, 2012. The ISEE 2012 Call for Abstracts is now open. This year's theme will be Environmental Health Across Land, Air and Sea. Deadline for submission of abstracts is February 10.

Call for Abstracts: ARHP.

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 12:29:24 -0500

Association of Reproductive Health Professionals Annual Conference, New Orleans, LA, September 20-22, 2012. The ARHP 2012 Call for Abstracts is now open. This clinical conference combines the latest research science with interactive, hands-on training and offers take home points for immediate practice improvement. Deadline for submission of abstracts: February 24.

Drive-by scanning: Officials expand use and dose of radiation for security screening.

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 11:58:11 -0500

U.S. law enforcement agencies are exposing people to radiation in more settings and in increasing doses to screen for explosives, weapons and drugs. In addition to the controversial airport body scanners, now deployed for routine screening, various X-ray devices have proliferated at the border, in prisons and on the streets of New York. ProPublica.

Should Alaska pay attention to lead in our playgrounds and children?

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 11:58:10 -0500

For the first time since the 1980s, Anchorage has an air quality monitoring station devoted to measuring lead in the air we breathe. It's there because piston-driven airplanes, unlike cars and trucks, still use fuel with lead added to boost octane. Anchorage Press, Alaska.

Military: Investigation into S. Korea Agent Orange is over.

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 11:58:09 -0500

For the last nine months the U.S. Army has drilled, tested and analyzed soil and water at Camp Carroll military base in South Korea for traces of Agent Orange. The result of the roughly $4 million investigation is a 58-page report, in which the Army claims no traces of Agent Orange were found. An environmental expert disagrees. KPHO Phoenix, Arizona.

Effort to ban three chemicals used on Long Island.

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 11:58:08 -0500

With three million Long Islanders dependent on a single underground aquifer for drinking water, and the annual use of millions of pounds of pesticides, local environmental groups have asked for an immediate ban of the three most frequently found chemicals, atrazine, metalaxyl, and imidacloprid, from use on the Island. East Hampton Star, New York.

Study: Indoor air pollution from gas cooking and infant neurodevelopment.

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 11:58:08 -0500

A new study from Spain reports that infants born to mothers who cooked with gas stoves had slightly lower intelligence scores at ages 1 and 2 than those in homes without gas cookers. In homes with gas, infant scores were better if there was an exhaust fan above the stove. Gas stoves are so common that these small decreases in infant intelligence may lead to more children with lower IQs and fewer with higher IQs in the future. Epidemiology.

Report: Federal agencies fail to address BPA.

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 11:58:07 -0500

A report being released Thursday says federal agencies have not taken effective steps to protect the public from the dangers of BPA, a commonly used chemical found in food packaging that has been linked to health problems, including cancer, asthma and heart attacks. Center for Progressive Reform.

Study finds no link between mining, polluted groundwater in southern West Virginia.

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 12:28:39 -0500

A yearlong study of groundwater in some southern coalfield communities showed no evidence of widespread pollution related to mining, the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection said Tuesday. Associated Press.

Babies born into poverty are damaged forever before birth.

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 13:57:12 -0500

The health of babies born in deprived areas could be damaged for the rest of their lives long before they have even left the womb, according to startling research from Scots scientists. Edinburgh Scotsman, United Kingdom.

Mercury's harmful reach has grown, study suggests.

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 13:57:14 -0500

The strict new federal standards limiting pollution from power plants are meant to safeguard human health. But they should have an important side benefit, according to a study being released on Tuesday: protecting a broad array of wildlife that has been harmed by mercury emissions. New York Times [Registration Required].

Metals found in water at coal plants.

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 13:57:14 -0500

Elevated levels of metals have been found in groundwater near ash basins at all 14 N.C. coal-fired power plants, state regulators say after intensified monitoring. Charlotte Observer, North Carolina.

Job: Program Coordinator, Breast Cancer Fund.

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 14:06:20 -0500

Founded in 1992 and headquartered in San Francisco, the Breast Cancer Fund is the leading national organization working to connect the dots between breast cancer and exposures to chemicals and radiation in our everyday environments. The Program Coordinator position provides an exciting opportunity for a seasoned organizer/advocate/campaigner to coordinate the organization’s education and outreach efforts and our Cans Not Cancer campaign to get toxic BPA out of canned food; support our state and federal legislative campaigns; and help build and sustain a thriving, engaged community of advocates committed to environmental health. Deadline for application is February 6, 2012.

Job: Communications Director, PHI, Oakland, CA.

Sun, 22 Jan 2012 14:33:17 -0500

PHI is seeking a full time Communications Director, in its office in Oakland, CA.The Public Health Institute (PHI) is an independent, nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting health, well-being and quality of life for people throughout California, across the nation and around the world. As one of the largest and most comprehensive public health organizations in the nation, we are at the forefront of research and innovations to improve the efficacy of public health statewide, nationally and internationally. The Communications Director is responsible for developing and implementing a dynamic communications strategy that advances PHI's brand and programmatic interests.

UK: Thousands of women could be at risk from DES.

Sun, 22 Jan 2012 14:33:17 -0500

Thousands of women could be at risk from DES, the 'silent Thalidomide.' Tens of thousands of British families are to be asked if they are victims of diethylstilbestrol- DES -, a drug given to pregnant women which can cause fatal illness in the second, and possibly even third, generations. Some women given the drug in this country have already obtained compensation in America. London Independent, United Kingdom.

More states ordering disclosure of fracking chemicals.

Sun, 22 Jan 2012 14:33:16 -0500

In a belated attempt to soothe public suspicion about shale-gas drilling, state regulators increasingly are forcing natural gas producers to disclose the chemicals used to hydraulically fracture natural gas wells. Philadelphia Inquirer, Pennsylvania. [Registration Required].

Study: Dry-cleaning chemical can increase risk of bipolar disorder.

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 14:33:15 -0500

A new study has found early exposure to a chemical commonly used in dry-cleaning, tetrachloroethylene (also known as perchloroethylene or PCE), can increase the risk of developing bipolar disorder and post traumatic stress syndrome. Environmental Health.

Study: Environmental exposure to organochlorines may impact male reproduction.

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 14:33:15 -0500

Chromosomal abnormalities contribute substantially to reproductive problems, but the role of environmental risk factors has received little attention. Investigators at the Harvard School of Public Health led an observational study indicating that environmental exposure to organochlorine chemicals, including Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) and p,p'-DDE (the main metabolite of the insecticide DDT) can affect male reproduction. Environmental Health Perspectives.

Impacts of Gas Drilling on Human and Animal Health.

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 10:05:15 -0500

Controversy surrounding the impact of gas drilling on air and water quality, and resulting health issues, continues. Because animals often are exposed continually to air, soil, and groundwater and have more frequent reproductive cycles, animals can be used as sentinels to monitor impacts to human health. In this article, the most commonly reported effects in animals were associated with reproduction. Cattle that have been exposed to wastewater, affected well or pond water may have trouble breeding. When bred cows were likewise exposed, farmers reported an increased incidence of stillborn calves with and without congenital abnormalities (cleft palate, white and blue eyes). New Solutions.

Study: Early-life exposures to solvent linked to drug abuse.

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 22:27:39 -0500

A new study found that higher in utero and childhood exposure to a solvent known as PCE, or tetrachloroethylene, increased the risk of cigarette, drug, and alcohol use as a teenager and young adult. These results are consistent with previous animal and human studies reporting that PCE can affect both behavior and cognition in animals and humans. This is the first study to evaluate the behavioral consequences of early life PCE exposure in adulthood. Environmental Health.

Programmed to be fat?

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 22:27:41 -0500

Controversial new science is raising suspicion that chemicals in the environment may be programming us to be fat. And it starts before we're even born. Scientists suspect that, starting in the womb, man-made chemicals may be triggering changes to our metabolism that result in life-long weight gain. The Nature of Things, CBC-TV.

Study: Nurses' miscarriages linked to chemicals at work.

Sat, 14 Jan 2012 22:27:40 -0500

A new study reports that nurses who worked with chemotherapy drugs or sterilizing chemicals were twice as likely to have a miscarriage as their colleagues who didn't handle these materials. Reuters.

Study: Male fertility linked to omega fatty acids found in tuna, salmon.

Fri, 13 Jan 2012 22:27:38 -0500

A University of Illinois study reports that a certain omega-3 fatty acid is necessary to construct the arch that turns a round, immature sperm cell into a pointy-headed super swimmer with an extra long tail. Biology of Reproduction.

Study: PCBs and Sperm Sex Chromosome Disomy.

Fri, 13 Jan 2012 22:27:39 -0500

Researchers identify that environmental exposure to organochlorines may impact male reproduction. Researchers found that men with higher levels of DDE and PCBs had significantly higher rates of sperm abnormalities. Environmental Health Perspectives.

EPA: New York should set radiation limits for fracking wastewater.

Fri, 13 Jan 2012 15:15:51 -0500

The Environmental Protection Agency says New York regulators should set limits for radioactive materials in gas-drilling wastewater sent to public treatment plants before allowing any hydraulic fracturing of natural gas wells in the state. Associated Press.

Study: Pregnancy loss and phthalate levels around the time of conception.

Thu, 12 Jan 2012 09:26:14 -0500

In the first study of its kind, scientists in Denmark report that women exposed near the time of conception to relatively common levels of a particular phthalate are more likely to experience early pregnancy loss compared to women with lower exposures. The phthalate associated with the losses, MEHP, is a breakdown product of a phthalate, DEHP, widely used in plastics. Only exposures around conception - and not in the prior month - were linked to the loss. Environmental Health Perspectives.

Study: Parental transfer of PBDEs and thyroid endocrine disruption in zebrafish.

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 11:48:13 -0500

Fish exposed to low levels of common flame retardants called PBDEs for most of their lives pass the chemicals, and more surprisingly, the associated toxic effects, along to their progeny. While parent's health effects were minimal, the exposures reduced hatch rates and altered the thyroid hormone system of the next generation. The study is important because it shows that flame retardants can trigger thyroid hormone disruption in the next generation whether or not the offspring are exposed to the chemicals.Environmental Science and Technology.

Coal company fights to block health studies from WV lawsuit.

Tue, 10 Jan 2012 09:22:10 -0500

Lawyers for Alpha Natural Resources are trying to keep testimony about West Virginia University studies linking mountaintop removal to birth defects and cancer among coalfield residents out of a legal challenge to one of the company's new mining permits. Charleston Gazette, West Virginia.

EPA's Toxics Release Inventory doesn't offer full picture of pollution.

Tue, 10 Jan 2012 09:22:11 -0500

The EPA has unveiled its analysis of the 2010 Toxics Release Inventory, a database on the disposal or release of 650 potentially dangerous chemicals used by almost 21,000 facilities. But it provides only a snapshot of the pollution produced by American industry, and estimates in some cases dramatically understate the extent of pollution. Center for Public Integrity.

Call for Abstracts: The Contribution of Epigenetics in Pediatric Environmental Health.

Tue, 10 Jan 2012 09:40:33 -0500

Sponsor: Children's Environmental Health Network (CEHN), May 30 - June 1, 2012, San Francisco, CA. CEHN is pleased to announce a Call for Submissions of Late-Breaking Scientific Abstracts for the research conference titled "The Contribution of Epigenetics in Pediatric Environmental Health". This event will help mark CEHN's 20th Anniversary and highlight the role of epigenetics in determining the impact of the environment on pediatric disease and children's current and future health. Submission deadline is March 2, 2012.

Study: Widespread occurrence of bisphenol-A in paper and paper products.

Mon, 9 Jan 2012 15:18:18 -0500

Bisphenol A seems impossible to avoid. It contaminates food, thermal receipts and drinks served in certain plastic bottles. A new study finds its reach goes even further. Researchers detected trace amounts of BPA in a wide variety of paper products most of us touch every day. Environmental Science and Technology.

Boston lawsuit claims DES-breast cancer link.

Mon, 9 Jan 2012 15:18:17 -0500

Fifty three women from around the country are suing drug companies who made and promoted synthetic estrogen DES (diethylstilbestrol) for millions of pregnant women from about 1938 to the early 1970s. Associated Press.

Did moms of the 1950s spur obesity epidemic?

Mon, 9 Jan 2012 15:18:17 -0500

One fitness expert thinks obesity rates soared because a generation of young women smoked, spurned breast-feeding and restricted their weight during many, closely spaced pregnancies. Los Angeles Times [Registration Required].

Study: Plume vapors linked to birth defects.

Sun, 8 Jan 2012 15:18:16 -0500

A new study links congenital heart problems, low birth weight and other birth defects to soil vapors from industrial contaminants that have lurked beneath Endicott -- and in subterranean pockets across upstate New York -- for decades. Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin, New York.

Record air pollution hammers California's ag heartland.

Sun, 8 Jan 2012 15:18:16 -0500

This is the time of year when residents who often live with the nation's worst pollution often can draw a breath of fresh air. But this winter has not been kind to people who want to play outside in California's Central Valley. Associated Press.

Vitamin D- The Sunshine Vitamin: Low Levels and a New Health Concern.

Fri, 6 Jan 2012 15:22:27 -0500

According to recent studies, we can add earlier age of menarche to the list of potential health impacts that may be caused by inadequate levels of vitamin D, a common condition in the general population. Ted Schettler, Science Director, Science and Environmental Health Network and CHE.

Tougher U.S. lead limit could strain local abatement efforts.

Fri, 6 Jan 2012 09:43:21 -0500

A federal panel is recommending lowering the threshold for lead poisoning in children at the same time that funding shortages are threatening St. Louis' lead abatement program. St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Missouri.

Toxic releases rose 16 percent in 2010, EPA says.

Fri, 6 Jan 2012 09:43:20 -0500

The amount of toxic chemicals released into the environment nationwide in 2010 increased 16 percent over the year before, reversing a downward trend in overall toxic releases since 2006, according to a report released Thursday by the Environmental Protection Agency. Washington Post [Registration Required].

Worldwide mercury pollution is expected to increase dramatically by 2050.

Fri, 6 Jan 2012 09:43:20 -0500

Worldwide mercury pollution is expected to increase dramatically by 2050, unless major policy changes are implemented. Even the best-case scenario suggests major actions will only dent mercury deposition to the US. In the worst-case scenario, Asia will more than double its current mercury emissions by 2050. Much of these increased emissions from Asia are due to India's growing use of coal.

Grime-fighting garments aim to purify air.

Thu, 5 Jan 2012 10:06:31 -0500

Helen Storey and Tony Ryan are fusing style and substance to create clothes that purify the air we breathe. Their "Catalytic Clothing" venture makes use of existing self-cleaning technology found in paints and glass which employ photocatalysts to break down harmful airborne pollutants like nitrous oxide emitted by cars and factories. CNN.

California's quicksilver cleanup.

Thu, 5 Jan 2012 10:06:30 -0500

At best estimate, there are more than 200 derelict mercury mines in California. They’ve cumulatively left the state with at least 188 polluted water bodies. San Luis Obispo New Times, California.

A list of cans with, and cans without, BPA.

Thu, 5 Jan 2012 09:51:08 -0500

Are you willing to pay 2.2 cents more per can to get the BPA out of canned food? Steel cans coated with a 'baked-on oleoresinous c-enamel' do not contain BPA. Oleoresin is a non-toxic mixture of oil and resin extracted from plants, such as pine or balsam fir. The cost is currently 2.2 cents more (14%) than cans with industry-standard BPA epoxy liners. Inspiration Green.

Diabetes during pregnancy may raise ADHD risk.

Wed, 4 Jan 2012 10:49:43 -0500

Young children are far more likely to experience attention and hyperactivity problems if their mother develops diabetes during pregnancy and they are born into a poor or lower-middle-class household, a new study suggests. children with both risk factors had a 14-fold increased risk of ADHD compared to children with neither risk factor. Health.com.

Epigenetics: Twins data reshaping nature versus nurture debate.

Tue, 3 Jan 2012 10:16:28 -0500

Genetics have long seemed to weigh heavily in favor of the role of nature in shaping the people we become. But even identical twins are different to varying degrees, and some researchers believe those differences suggest a third influence at work, called epigenetics. Talk of the Nation, NPR.

Monsanto jurors must decide if residents of Nitro, West Virginia should be tested for disease.

Mon, 2 Jan 2012 10:02:40 -0500

Putnam County jurors chosen to sit in the upcoming case against Monsanto, a former Nitro chemical plant, will have to decide whether thousands of current and former Nitro residents should be periodically tested for disease at the expense of the company. Residents alleged in a class-action lawsuit that Monsanto unsafely dispersed dioxin. Dioxin has been linked to cancer, birth defects, learning disabilities, endometriosis, infertility and suppressed immune functions. Charleston Gazette, West Virginia.

Wood stove replacements clear air in Libby, Montana.

Mon, 2 Jan 2012 10:02:40 -0500

The replacement of 1,200 wood stoves in Libby with newer, more efficient models has improved air quality, leading to associated health improvements for children in the northwest Montana town, according to a new study. Airborne particulate pollution in Libby dropped 30 percent over the course of the four-year study. Associated Press.

Bisphenol A in Thermal Paper Receipts: An Opportunity for Evidence-Based Prevention.

Sun, 1 Jan 2012 17:38:57 -0500

While research into the effects of exposure to BPA continues, we have an opportunity to act today on the basis of the available evidence to remove BPA from thermal paper, as we strive to protect the health and future intelligence of America's children. Andrea Schwartz, Philip Landrigan. Environmental Health Perspectives.

Can indoor swimming alter hormones in boys?

Sun, 1 Jan 2012 10:02:30 -0500

Swimming is generally considered an excellent form of exercise, and indoor swimming is common, especially in winter. However, there is evidence that swimming in a chlorinated indoor pool can cause respiratory irritation or genotoxicity in some people. A recent study suggests another possible consequence: altered levels of hormones in boys. Environmental Health Perspectives.

RFA: Health Effects Institute 11-2- Effects of air pollution.

Sun, 1 Jan 2012 10:02:30 -0500

Walter A. Rosenblith New Investigator Award. The purpose of this award is to bring new, creative investigators into active research on the health effects of air pollution. It provides three years of funding for a small project relevant to HEI’s research interests to a new investigator with outstanding promise at the Assistant Professor or equivalent level. For more information please contact Dr. Annemoon van Erp (+1 617 488 2346). Letters of intent for RFA 11-2 are due on February 1, 2012. Full applications are due on March 1, 2012.

FOA: Administrative Supplements for Collaborative Activities to Promote Metabolomics Research.

Sun, 1 Jan 2012 14:05:10 -0500

Sponsor: NIH Common Fund. Receipt Date: March 15, 2012. This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) is developed as a Common Fund initiative (http://commonfund.nih.gov/) through the NIH Office of the NIH Director, Office of Strategic Coordination (http://dpcpsi.nih.gov/osc/). This initiative will support new collaborations that exploit metabolomics approaches to move basic and clinical research towards translational goals and will increase the number of investigators cross-trained in metabolomics methodology, bioinformatics analysis, biochemistry and physiology.

RFA: Novel Technologies for Rapid and Sensitive Biomonitoring in Humans (SBIR [R43/R44]).

Sun, 1 Jan 2012 14:05:09 -0500

Sponsor: National Institutes of Environmental Health Sciences. Letter of intent date: January 23, 2012. Through the National Biomonitoring Program (NBP) and The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), the CDC has established gold standard methods to measure over 450 chemicals and nutritional markers in blood, serum, urine, breast milk and meconium. There is an urgent need for technology development for biomonitoring capabilities to complement and expand the CDC’s efforts. NIEHS and other NIH Institutes have supported a limited number of projects through the SBIR/STTR programs for biomonitoring technologies that use Raman spectroscopy, XRF technology, or antibody or aptamer-based approaches.

FOA: Maternal Nutrition and Pre-pregnancy Obesity: Effects on Mothers, Infants and Children (R01).

Sun, 1 Jan 2012 14:09:10 -0500

Sponsor: National Institute of Nursing Research. Open date: January 5, 2012. This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) issued by the National Institute of Nursing Research encourages R01 applications to improve health outcomes for women, infants and children, by stimulating interdisciplinary research focused on maternal nutrition and pre-pregnancy obesity. Maternal health significantly impacts not only the mother but also the intrauterine environment, and subsequently fetal development and the health of the newborn.

EPA power plant rule delayed.

Sat, 31 Dec 2011 10:02:29 -0500

A federal court is suspending an Obama administration regulation intended to reduce pollution from power plants in 27 states and help improve unhealthy air downwind. Associated Press.

Benzene fouling drinking water at Suncor refinery, Colorado.

Sat, 31 Dec 2011 10:02:29 -0500

Toxic petroleum dissolved in groundwater beneath Suncor Energy north of downtown Denver is seeping directly into the bottom of Sand Creek near the creek's confluence with the South Platte River, and piped drinking water at the refinery may be contaminated with benzene. Denver Post, Colorado.

Threat of water pollution vaults 'fracking' into public consciousness.

Fri, 30 Dec 2011 10:02:29 -0500

This was the year that "fracking" became a household word. For the first time, independent scientific investigations linked the drilling technique with water pollution, and a variety of federal and state agencies responded to the growing apprehension about water contamination with more studies and more regulation. ProPublica.

Why warmer water leads to male offspring, if you're a fish.

Fri, 30 Dec 2011 10:02:29 -0500

To a list that includes extreme weather patterns and disappearing polar bears, you can add another dispiriting effect of climate change: too many males. Time Magazine.

Efforts to clean up Agent Orange contamination in Vietnam.

Thu, 29 Dec 2011 10:02:29 -0500

Agent Orange has left a long and poisonous legacy, causing birth defects in children born long after the war ended. But it took until June this year for the United States to begin a project to clean up some of Vietnam's worst contaminated sites. Radio Australia, Australia.

California pesticide use rises after years of decline.

Thu, 29 Dec 2011 10:02:29 -0500

Pesticide use in California rose in 2010 after declining for four consecutive years, according to state data released Dec. 28th.

Port of Long Beach to complete its Clean Trucks Program.

Thu, 29 Dec 2011 10:02:29 -0500

The Port of Long Beach will celebrate a milestone on New Year's Day with the official completion of its Clean Trucks Program, a massive effort that has reduced air pollution from harbor trucks by 90 percent in just over three years, port officials said. Long Beach Press-Telegram, California.

In Peru, gold rush leads to mercury contamination concerns.

Wed, 28 Dec 2011 10:02:29 -0500

Rising global demand for gold has also fueled demand for a far less prized metal, mercury. The toxic metal is used by millions of miners every day to separate and collect gold from rocks and soil. Miners say mercury is easy to use, readily available, and cheap. PBS NewsHour.

Chinese turn to US for clarity in smog data.

Tue, 27 Dec 2011 10:02:29 -0500

The doubts about official pollution data keep piling up for China's government, as green activists, celebrity bloggers and ordinary citizens increasingly demand action and information to halt the environmental fall-out from decades of breakneck economic growth. USA Today.

Doctors, moms take on No. 1 polluter in Utah.

Mon, 26 Dec 2011 10:02:29 -0500

Doctors and a lobby group of Utah mothers are blaming a company-- Kennecott Utah Copper -- that mines nearly a mile deep in the largest open pit in the world for contributing one-third of Salt Lake County's pollution. The rest is from tailpipe and other emissions. Associated Press.

EPA ruling on chromium-6 in water expected soon.

Mon, 26 Dec 2011 10:02:29 -0500

Municipalities and residents depending on wells to supply all or part of their water needs still have no answer from a federal agency about whether stricter guidelines will be put in place governing chromium-6 in drinking water. Oklahoma City Oklahoman, Oklahoma.

Evidence mounts for endocrine effects of antibacterial soaps.

Sun, 25 Dec 2011 10:02:29 -0500

New results from a study of an antimicrobial- triclocarban - widely used in many consumer products reveal that the compound strongly enhances the effect of estrogen on a gene that is active in the brains of developing zebrafish embryos. American Scientist.

The end of the mercury pipeline.

Sat, 24 Dec 2011 10:02:29 -0500

The hatting industry dumped enough mercury into Connecticut's Still River that its sediments are still laden with it. When the river floods, extra mercury finds its way downstream, into Long Island Sound. But across the country, there's mercury in the air and in the water, coming from coal-fired power plants in the Midwest. Danbury News Times, Connecticut.

Contaminated fish found in Lake Wylie.

Sat, 24 Dec 2011 10:02:29 -0500

Toxic compounds called PCBs have been found in largemouth bass in the N.C. portion of Lake Wylie, N.C. health authorities said today in warning the public to limit consumption of the fish. Charlotte Observer, North Carolina.

New York environmental group says discarded thermostats are major source of mercury pollution.

Fri, 23 Dec 2011 11:20:39 -0500

While health and environmental groups are praising the EPA for reining in mercury emissions from power plants, a New York group says incinerators release even more mercury than coal-fired power plants in New York, thanks in part to discarded thermostats. Associated Press.

Japanese mothers rise against nuclear power.

Fri, 23 Dec 2011 00:00:00 -0500

Japan’s nuclear power industry, which once ignored opposition, now finds its existence threatened by women angered by official opaqueness on radiation from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant after it was struck by an earthquake- driven tsunami on Mar. 11. Inter Press Service.

EPA forces dirtiest power plants to clean up toxic air pollution.

Thu, 22 Dec 2011 00:00:00 -0500

Clean up or shut down. That's the decision facing hundreds of the nation's oldest and dirtiest power plants under an Environmental Protection Agency rule announced Dec. 21 that will force plants to control mercury and other toxic pollutants for the first time. Associated Press.

Thalidomide maker to face victims in Victorian court.

Thu, 22 Dec 2011 11:24:50 -0500

As judge David Beach ruled that the German inventors of the drug thalidomide should face their alleged victims in a Victorian court rather than in Germany, Lynette Rowe began to cry tears of relief. Because she has no arms, a supporter sitting nearby leaned across and gently wiped her eyes with a handkerchief. Sydney Australian, Australia.

Historic EPA rule for power plant emissions.

Thu, 22 Dec 2011 13:16:17 -0500

EPA forces dirtiest power plants to clean up toxic air pollution, but gives leeway on timing. Clean up or shut down. That's the decision facing hundreds of the nation's oldest and dirtiest power plants under an Environmental Protection Agency rule announced Wednesday that will force plants to control mercury and other toxic pollutants for the first time. Associated Press

Further dioxin regulation delays sought.

Thu, 22 Dec 2011 13:16:17 -0500

In light of just-passed federal legislation, a chemical industry group is asking the EPA to change course on its assessment of the most potent form of dioxin. Such a move by the agency could drag out completion of the assessment, which has been underway for 20 years. Chemical & Engineering News.

Moms' pesticide exposure tied to infection in kids.

Wed, 21 Dec 2011 13:16:16 -0500

A new report links remnants of a once-common pesticide to lung infections and wheezing in kids exposed to the chemical before birth. Known as DDE, the compound is a broken-down form of the harmful pesticide DDT and is found in many places around the world. Reuters.

Mexico ignores warnings about bisphenol A.

Wed, 21 Dec 2011 13:16:16 -0500

Mexican scientific experts on bisphenol A are concerned that the country has taken no measures to protect against exposure in Mexico. They worry that products banned in other countries are being sent to developing countries like Mexico. Tierramérica, Latin America.

Fingerprinting mercury emissions.

Tue, 20 Dec 2011 13:16:16 -0500

Researchers have begun to track mercury emissions from individual coal-fired power plants to determine where, and in what form, these airborne contaminants settle. Environment Report.

NOAA: Gulf oil spill spewed as much air pollution as a large city.

Tue, 20 Dec 2011 13:27:39 -0500

Last year's massive Deepwater Horizon oil spill didn't just poison the Gulf of Mexico -- it generated as much air pollution as a large city, according to a new study by the Boulder-based National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Boulder Daily Camera, Colorado.

Stray showers of mercury getting into food chain.

Mon, 19 Dec 2011 10:13:08 -0500

Earth is being showered with mercury that can land anywhere and enter the food chain, a study has shown. Mercury from coal burning in Asia, for example, could circle the globe several times before being oxidised and carried back to the Earth's surface. Press Association.

High-fat diet leaves its mark on sperm.

Mon, 19 Dec 2011 10:13:08 -0500

Obese male mice tend to sire unhealthy offspring. And it seems diet is to blame, causing tiny changes in sperm that may lead to metabolic disorders in mouse pups. The discovery brings us closer to understanding how lifestyle choices affect the health of future generations. New Scientist.

Residents, businesses adopt parks to avoid pesticide use.

Mon, 19 Dec 2011 10:13:07 -0500

Residents and employees of local businesses have adopted six Ashland parks plus Lithia Park's Japanese Garden as part of an expanding effort to keep the city's park system largely free of chemical pesticides. Medford Mail Tribune, Oregon.

Mercury remains messy, potentially dangerous and hugely expensive.

Mon, 19 Dec 2011 10:13:07 -0500

The Cold War brought mercury to Oak Ridge, and it never really left. About 2 million pounds of the mercury were lost or unaccounted. Many tons of the toxic metal ended up in the environment via spills, leaks and waste discharges. Knoxville News Sentinel, Tennessee.

EPA ordered to do outside reviews of toxicology database.

Sat, 17 Dec 2011 11:02:49 -0500

Congress has directed the Environmental Protection Agency to document improvements to its process of drafting regulatory standards for toxic chemicals and to ask the academies to review up to three of its toxicity assessments. Science.

Illinois coal plants ahead of EPA mercury rule.

Sat, 17 Dec 2011 11:01:00 -0500

Most Illinois utilities won't miss a beat when the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency requires coal-fired power plants to control mercury emissions for the first time. In fact, the state already is way ahead. Associated Press.

EPA finalizes tough new rules on emissions by power plants.

Sat, 17 Dec 2011 10:19:04 -0500

The Obama administration finished crafting tough new rules Friday curbing mercury and other poisons emitted by coal-fired utilities, according to several people briefed on the decision, culminating more than two decades of work to clean up the nation’s dirtiest power plants. Washington Post [Registration Required].

Evangelicals, Catholics back mercury limits.

Sat, 17 Dec 2011 10:19:04 -0500

Mercury from power plants can be harmful to developing fetuses. In an unusual alliance that has the potential to shift pollution politics, Catholics and evangelical Christians opposed to abortion are joining forces with child health advocates to lobby for stricter limits on mercury pollution. Living On Earth.

EPA neglects discrimination claims from polluted communities.

Thu, 15 Dec 2011 10:43:19 -0500

Three years into Lisa Jackson’s tenure as head of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, more than a dozen formal complaints alleging air pollution is disproportionately harming low-income, minority communities remain unresolved. Center for Public Integrity.

Study: Children's leukemia risk tied to father's smoking.

Thu, 15 Dec 2011 10:43:20 -0500

Children whose fathers smoked around the time of their conception have at least a 15 percent higher risk of developing the most common form of childhood cancer, a type of leukemia, according to an Australian study. Reuters.

Environmental groups sue EPA over paper mill air pollution standards.

Thu, 15 Dec 2011 10:43:20 -0500

Paper mill air pollution standards 25 years out of date, environmental groups sue EPA. Three advocacy groups sued the Environmental Protection Agency last week over concerns that regulations for paper mills emissions are 25 years out of date. Center for Public Integrity.

FOA: Enhancing Developmental Biology Research at Undergraduate Institutions Academic Research Enhancement Award (R15).

Thu, 15 Dec 2011 14:14:54 -0500

Sponosr: Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. Open date: August 10, 2012. This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) issued by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) encourages grant applications to strengthen the developmental biology research environment at educational institutions that provide baccalaureate or advanced degrees, but that have not been major recipients of NIH support. In addition, this FOA attempts to foster the development of novel or underutilized experimental model systems, and to motivate students through exposure to and participation in research projects designed to study fundamental processes underlying normal development.

Limited Competition: Planning Grants for Hubs of Interdisciplinary Research and Training in Global Environmental and Occupational Health (GEOHealth) (P20).

Thu, 15 Dec 2011 14:09:11 -0500

Sponsor: John E. Fogarty International Center National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Application Receipt Date: March 07, 2012. The ultimate goal of the FOA is to foster the planning for multidisciplinary Global Environmental and Occupational Health Hubs (GEOHealth Hubs), based in LMICs, that will lead collaborative research and training for focal environmental and occupational health issues in several core science areas, including fields such as epidemiology, biostatistics, genetics, environmental science, industrial hygiene, systems science, toxicology, behavioral science, and implementation science.

RFA correction: Environmental Health Sciences (EHS) Core Centers (P30).

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 13:47:51 -0500

Sponsor: The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences . Letter of intent due: January 14, 2012. The purpose of this Notice is to provide clarification on the number of applications an Institution is permitted to submit under RFA-ES-12-002, Environmental Health Sciences (EHS) Core Centers (P30). Only one application per Institution is allowed. The Centers are designed to establish leadership and support for programs of excellence in environmental health sciences by providing scientific guidance, technology, and career development opportunities for promising investigators.

Report: Coal ash taints 20 US sites.

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 10:43:19 -0500

Toxic contamination from coal ash, a waste product of coal-fired power plants, has been detected in ground water and soil at 20 sites in 10 US states, an environmental watchdog group reported on Tuesday. Reuters.

Maine report lists hundreds of products containing toxic chemicals.

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 10:47:57 -0500

Maine is among just a handful of states that require manufacturers to report the use of BPA and other chemicals in their products. It also has the earliest deadine for companies to report. This week the results are in, and more than 650 products are on the list. Maine Public Broadcast Network, Maine.

Farmers slow to adopt new pesticide.

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 10:47:57 -0500

A year after environmentalists lost a regulatory battle to keep the controversial pesticide methyl iodide off the California market, they appear to be winning the ground war against the chemical. HealthyCal, California.

EPA to unveil new rules for power plants.

Tue, 13 Dec 2011 15:37:55 -0500

More than 20 years ago, Congress ordered the Environmental Protection Agency to regulate toxic air pollution. It's done that for most industries, but not the biggest polluters, coal and oil-burning power plants. The EPA now plans to change that later this week, by setting new rules to limit mercury and other harmful pollution from power plants. Morning Edition, NPR.

Permit could keep S.S. Badger car ferry operating.

Sun, 11 Dec 2011 15:37:55 -0500

The coal-fired, steam-powered, S.S. Badger dumps about 500 tons of coal ash annually on its 60 mile run from Manitowoc to its homeport of Ludington, Michigan. The EPA says that practice needs to stop before the end of 2012. The Badger's owners say they need more time. Manitowoc Herald Times Reporter, Wisconsin.

EPA to expand Dallas-Fort Worth smog-violation area.

Sat, 10 Dec 2011 15:37:54 -0500

Rejecting a recommendation from Gov. Rick Perry, the EPA’s regional chief in Dallas said Friday he will expand the nine-county North Texas smog-violation area to include Wise and Hood counties, in part because of air pollution from Barnett Shale drilling. Dallas Morning News, Texas.

Citizens say mercury polluters' time is up.

Sat, 10 Dec 2011 15:37:54 -0500

In one of the nation's most mercury-polluted states, a group of citizens are encouraging federal regulators in their effort to tightly restrict mercury emissions from local power plants. Charleston State Journal, West Virginia.

Study: Stress in early pregnancy can lead to more pre-term births, fewer baby boys.

Sat, 10 Dec 2011 13:27:38 -0500

Stress in the second and third months of pregnancy can shorten pregnancies, increase the risk of pre-term births and may affect the ratio of boys to girls being born, leading to a decline in male babies. These are the conclusions of a study that investigated the effect on pregnant women of the stress caused by the 2005 Tarapaca earthquake in Chile. Human Reproduction.

Study: Evidence for epigenetic abnormalities of the Androgen Receptor gene in foreskin from children with hypospadias.

Sat, 10 Dec 2011 13:27:37 -0500

Hypospadias is a malformation of the penis due to an incomplete development of the male urethra, the exact etiology of which in the majority of cases remains unknown. Twenty boys with isolated glandular hypospadias and 20 age-matched control children undergoing a surgical procedure for circumcision were studied. Androgen Receptor (AR) gene methylation in foreskin tissues from patients with hypospadias was higher than in normal children. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.

Physicians for Social Responsibility (PSR) new Toxic Tools and Resources page.

Sat, 10 Dec 2011 11:10:14 -0500

PSR has a valuable tool for medical professionals and others working on issues around toxics. These tools (Toxics databases, advocacy and clinical tools) can be found on PSR's Environmental Health Policy Institute. EHPI is a valuable resource for anyone and also includes a range of professionals sharing their inspirations, ideas and analysis.

Emissions Standards for Boilers and Industrial Solid Waste Incinerators.

Sat, 10 Dec 2011 11:10:13 -0500

On December 2, 2011 the EPA Administrator signed proposed reconsiderations for rules to reduce emissions of air pollutants from existing and new boilers and major and area source facilities, and from Commercial and Industrial Solid Waste Incinerators (CISWI). EPA also proposed revisions to the Non-Hazardous Secondary Material (NHSM) Rule. These standards will reduce emissions of harmful pollutants including mercury, lead, cadmium, nitrogen dioxide and particle pollution. EPA will take public comment for 60 days from the publication in the Federal Register, expected late Dec.

Study: PCBs linked to reduced birth weight.

Fri, 9 Dec 2011 10:12:29 -0500

A new study of two now-banned persistent chemicals, PCBs and DDE, finds compelling evidence linking PCBs to reduced birth weight of newborn babies. In contrast, the research did not find a link with DDE, a metabolite of the insecticide DDT. The results from this analysis of multiple studies indicate that current exposures to PCBs - while generally lower than before the substances were banned four decades ago - are still harmful to the growing fetus.

Lead from old US batteries sent to Mexico raises risks.

Fri, 9 Dec 2011 10:12:28 -0500

Lead from old US batteries sent to Mexico raises risks. The spent batteries Americans turn in for recycling are increasingly being sent to Mexico, where their lead is often extracted by crude methods that are illegal in the United States, exposing plant workers and local residents to dangerous levels of a toxic metal. New York Times [Registration Required].

GOP assault on regulations could undermine air pollution protections.

Fri, 9 Dec 2011 10:12:28 -0500

The Republican-led House on Wednesday passed the REINS Act that would allow Congress to block the costliest regulations and add new hurdles for some of the more expansive environmental, health and workplace safety protections for citizens. Center for Public Integrity.

Coal companies shift focus to China.

Fri, 9 Dec 2011 10:12:27 -0500

With aging coal-fired U.S. power plants shutting down, major American coal companies are exporting ever-larger amounts of coal to China. Now, plans to build two new coal-shipping terminals on the West Coast have set up a battle with environmentalists who want to steer the world away from fossil fuels. Yale Environment 360.

FDA to decide whether to ban BPA in food packaging.

Thu, 8 Dec 2011 10:12:27 -0500

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration will decide by March 31 whether to ban the chemical BPA in food packaging. The agency's promise, announced yesterday, settles a lawsuit brought in August by the Natural Resources Defense Council. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Wisconsin.

New flame retardant levels in air rising rapidly.

Thu, 8 Dec 2011 10:12:26 -0500

Created to replace older chemicals thought to pose an environmental threat, new flame retardants have become widespread in the air near the Great Lakes, according to a new report that shows air concentrations of the brominated chemicals doubling every 13 months in Cleveland and Chicago. Chemical & Engineering News.

Study: ZEN and the art of breast health maintenance

Tue, 6 Dec 2011 13:47:51 -0500

Zearalenone (ZEN) is a non-steroidal mycoestrogen that widely contaminates agricultural products. ZEN and its derivatives share similar molecular mechanisms and activity with estrogens and interact with ER leading to changes in the reproductive system in both animals and humans. ZEN has been widely used in the United States since 1969 to improve fattening rates in cattle by increasing growth rate and feed conversion efficiency. International studies have suggested links between consumption of ZEN-fed animals and products and precocious (early) puberty in young females. These include an epidemic of premature breast development and early puberty in Puerto Rico, linked to dairy and meat products, and studies from Hungary and Italy where female children with precocious puberty had increased ZEN levels in their serum. International Journal of Clinical Practice.

New study focuses on arsenic in rice.

Tue, 6 Dec 2011 11:14:28 -0500

A new federally-funded study of more than 200 pregnant women receiving prenatal care in the New Hampshire area reports a link between rice consumption and elevated levels of arsenic in urine, suggesting that many people in the US may be exposed to potentially harmful levels of arsenic through rice consumption. Exposure to this toxin in the womb has been linked to problems ranging from low birth weight and infant mortality to hampered immune function and increased death rates from lung cancer later in life. Consumer Reports.

Panel links C8 to high blood pressure in pregnancy

Mon, 5 Dec 2011 13:47:51 -0500

A three-person team of scientists has found a "probable link" between C8 and high blood pressure among pregnant women, but no such link between exposure to the chemical and other reproductive effects. The term "probable link" isn't a standard one for scientists who study toxic chemical exposure. It's defined in the DuPont legal settlement as whether "based upon the weight of the available scientific evidence, it is more likely than not that there is a link between exposure to C8 and a particular human disease" among Mid-Ohio Valley residents taking part in the suit.

US preparing to cut aid for lead poisoning prevention efforts.

Mon, 5 Dec 2011 09:47:46 -0500

Programs to fight lead poisoning in Massachusetts have been slashed and now Congress is poised to eliminate the remaining federal aid - even as scientists last month concluded that the toxic metal can harm children at half the levels previously thought. Boston Globe, Massachusetts.

Air pollution becomes economic liability.

Mon, 5 Dec 2011 09:47:45 -0500

Hundreds of flights cancelled due to Beijing smog. Beijing authorities canceled hundreds of flights and shut motorways as thick smog descended on the Chinese capital on Sunday and Monday, reducing visibility at one of the world's busiest airports. Agence France-Presse.

A toxic river of poison: San Benito County's New Idria mercury mine now a Superfund site.

Sun, 4 Dec 2011 09:47:44 -0500

Every second of every day it flows: a river of poison gushing from the hillsides. Forty gallons a minute, 21 million gallons a year. A bright orange toxic brew, nearly as corrosive as battery acid, teeming with mercury, aluminum, iron and nickel, the legacy of a long-abandoned mine, relentlessly pouring into nearby streams. Santa Cruz Sentinel, California.

Pesticide dumps a blight on Aberdeen, North Carolina.

Sun, 4 Dec 2011 09:47:44 -0500

Nearly 40 years after Dr. Robert Mobbs first voiced his alarm about pesticide pollution, Aberdeen became the site of one of the largest and most expensive Environmental Protection Agency Superfund cleanup efforts in the country. Southern Pines Pilot, North Carolina.

EPA tweaks proposed boiler rule, zeroes in on largest emitters.

Sat, 3 Dec 2011 09:47:43 -0500

The U.S. EPA released a reworked package of proposed rules to tackle toxic emissions from 201,000 of the largest boilers and incinerators nationwide. The industrial boilers are one of the largest U.S. sources of harmful air pollution. Greenwire.

House Republicans try to rein in regulations.

Sat, 3 Dec 2011 09:47:42 -0500

In an ambitious gesture to their business allies, House Republicans passed legislation Friday that critics say would prevent the government from protecting Americans at their workplaces, in their homes, and when they want a breath of fresh air. Associated Press.

Christian environmental group: EPA's new rules on mercury is a pro-life issue.

Sat, 3 Dec 2011 09:47:42 -0500

The federal government's strict new rules on mercury emissions are a pro-life issue that Christians should embrace to protect unborn children, according to a group of Christian environmentalists. Grand Rapids Press, Michigan.

Weed killer linked to gender-bending in animals.

Fri, 2 Dec 2011 10:10:43 -0500

Exposure to atrazine, a commonly used weed killer, increases the risk of reproductive problems in a wide range of animals, says a new review study that analyzed research from around the world. Toronto Globe and Mail, Ontario.

Leaching pipes linked to drug use on Cape Cod.

Fri, 2 Dec 2011 10:10:42 -0500

Cape Codders exposed early in life to drinking water contaminated by solvents were more likely to eventually use illicit drugs, according to a newly released study by Boston University's School of Public Health. Cape Cod Times, Massachusetts.

Researchers follow pesticides’ migration to the Arctic.

Fri, 2 Dec 2011 10:10:43 -0500

Six pesticides used in high volumes for agriculture travel from farm fields to the Arctic, where the cold prevents further degradation. Chemical & Engineering News.

Gas drilling polluting Chesapeake Bay area.

Thu, 1 Dec 2011 10:18:09 -0500

An environmental group said Wednesday that infrared video shows air pollution streaming from natural gas sites that have been sprouting up across the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Associated Press.

Agent Orange buried at beach strip in Japan?

Thu, 1 Dec 2011 10:18:09 -0500

Dozens of barrels of the toxic defoliant Agent Orange were buried in the late 1960s beneath what is now a busy neighborhood in the central Okinawa Island town of Chatan, near Araha Beach, according to a former U.S. soldier who has recently pinpointed the location thanks to a 1970 map of a U.S. base obtained by The Japan Times. Japan Times, Japan.

Despite lone inspector’s efforts, persistent haze envelops Iowa town.

Wed, 30 Nov 2011 10:22:01 -0500

Many Iowa communities have had little choice but to get used to the foggy haze of pollution that billows from smokestacks and enshrouds homes. Here in the heart of the Corn Belt, people endure the consequences of a regulatory system that has failed them for years. Center for Public Integrity

Atrazine in water tied to menstrual irregularities, low hormones.

Mon, 28 Nov 2011 14:02:03 -0500

Women who drink water contaminated with low levels of the weed-killer atrazine may be more likely to have irregular menstrual cycles and low estrogen levels, scientists concluded in a new study. The most widely used herbicide in the United States, atrazine is frequently detected in surface and ground water, particularly in agricultural areas of the Midwest. The newest research, which compared women in Illinois farm towns to women in Vermont, adds to the growing scientific evidence linking atrazine to altered hormones. Environmental Health News.

Dirty Secrets report- toxic chemicals found in brand-name cleaning products

Mon, 28 Nov 2011 09:44:51 -0500

Cleaning product companies aren't required to list all the chemicals used in their products, and what isn't on the label could be hazardous to health. Women's Voices for the Earth has released a report, Dirty Secrets, that reveals the presence of hidden toxic chemicals in 20 top brand-name cleaning products. Examples include phthalates and galaxolide, chemicals linked to hormone disruption, and toluene, linked to pregnancy complications.

Call for Public Comment: HHS Environmental Justice Strategy

Mon, 28 Nov 2011 14:50:52 -0500

Public commentary on the Draft 2012 HHS Strategy is being accepted for a 60-day period, ending 11:59 pm EDT on Saturday, December 3, 2011. HHS recognizes that disproportionate exposure to environmental hazards with negative health effects persist in minority and low-income populations and Indian tribes and that coordinated Federal action is needed to eliminate these disparities. The Draft 2012 HHS Environmental Justice Strategy (PDF - 557KB) introduces the vision of "a nation that equitably promotes healthy community environments and protects the health of all people." Reproductive health language is included in section III. Research and Data Collection, Analysis and Utilization. Comments may be sent via email to to ejstrategy@hhs.gov.

Labadie Power Plant second worst polluter in the U.S.

Sun, 27 Nov 2011 14:02:02 -0500

The Ameren Missouri coal-fired power plant in Labadie is the second worst mercury polluter in the nation, according to a recently study released by Environment Missouri, a nonprofit advocacy organization. Washington Missourian, Missouri.

Oil refineries accidentally release air pollution once a day, on average.

Sun, 27 Nov 2011 14:02:02 -0500

Accidental air pollution releases at Louisiana's oil refineries averaged 1 per day in 2010. Air pollution generated by Louisiana’s 17 oil refineries has been steadily declining in the two decades since reporting requirements began, with last year’s emissions down by two-thirds from 1988 levels. But the state’s refineries still release far too much toxic material into the air as a result of accidents, according to a new study led by the Louisiana Bucket Brigade. New Orleans Times-Picayune, Louisiana.

Study: Wifi and human sperm quality.

Sat, 26 Nov 2011 14:50:51 -0500

In the first study to evaluate the direct impact of laptop use on human spermatozoa, researchers evaluated ex vivo exposure of human spermatozoa to a wireless internet-connected laptop. Findings include decreased motility and induced DNA fragmentation by a nonthermal effect .

Renewable power trumps fossils for first time.

Fri, 25 Nov 2011 14:02:01 -0500

Renewable energy is surpassing fossil fuels for the first time in new power-plant investments, shaking off setbacks from the financial crisis and an impasse at the United Nations global warming talks. Bloomberg News.

Job Posting - Program Officer, Reproductive Justice, Groundswell Fund.

Fri, 25 Nov 2011 14:50:50 -0500

The Groundswell Fund is seeking a Program Officer, with flexibility in the location of the assignment. Working closely with the Executive Director, the Program Officer contributes to the design and implementation of grantmaking, technical assistance, evaluation, communications, and fundraising programs. The Program Officer plays a leadership role in the field of philanthropy by generating increased visibility and resources for reproductive justice. To Apply: Please send resume, cover letter, two writing samples, and a list of three references to Vanessa Daniel at: info@groundswellfund.org by December 1, 2011.

Study: Mediterranean diet and decreased risk of infertility.

Fri, 25 Nov 2011 14:50:51 -0500

The Mediterranean diet could increase the possibilities of achieving pregnancy According to a study carried out by the department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health an the Institute of Culture and Society of the University of Navarra, the Mediterranean diet could be of benefit to those who are seeking to become pregnant. This research project has been published in the journal Fertility and Sterility, depends on the larger project SUN (University of Navarra Diet and Lifestyle Tracking Program).

Study: Association between pregnancy loss and urinary phthalate levels around the time of conception.

Wed, 23 Nov 2011 14:50:50 -0500

In a previously established cohort of first pregnancy planners, researchers analyzed phthalate metabolites in urine samples collected on day 10 after the first day of the last menstrual period before conception occurred and during the previous cycle. Subclinical embryonal loss was identified by repeated urinary hCG measurements and information on clinical spontaneous abortions was obtained by telephone interview with the mother. The phthalate metabolite MEHP was associated with higher occurrence of pregnancy loss. Environmental Health Perspectives.

BPA lurks in canned soups and drinks.

Wed, 23 Nov 2011 09:30:37 -0500

A new study may provide another reason to skip the canned pumpkin and cranberry sauce this Thanksgiving. People who ate one serving of canned food daily over the course of five days, the study found, had significantly elevated levels - more than a tenfold increase - of bisphenol-A, or BPA, a substance that lines most food and drink cans. New York Times [Registration Required].

The war on coal.

Wed, 23 Nov 2011 09:30:36 -0500

The powerful coal industry - which provides nearly half the electricity used by Americans, along with 30% of U.S. carbon emissions and a smoggy chunk of the nation's air pollution - is being attacked by an insurgency of environmentalists, regulators and health advocates. Time Magazine.

Court demands Health Canada re-examine pesticide.

Wed, 23 Nov 2011 09:30:35 -0500

A court has ordered Health Canada to reconsider its decision not to review the effects of Roundup, a popular herbicide, a ruling that some say will strengthen the public's hand in forcing the government to answer environmental concerns. Canadian Press.

'Natural Gas Highway' prepares to remove diesel.

Wed, 23 Nov 2011 09:30:35 -0500

'Natural Gas Highway' prepares to remove diesel fumes from 18-wheelers in the Southwest. Oil and gas companies in Texas, Oklahoma and Louisiana are quickly laying the groundwork for a major effort to convert much of the nation's diesel-fueled heavy vehicle network to burn gas instead. ClimateWire.

Why are so many children being born with sex defects?

Wed, 23 Nov 2011 09:30:34 -0500

1.2 million Britons are thought to have been born with some kind of disorder of sexual development as a result of errors in their genetic code. The disorders may be becoming increasingly common as a result of chemicals in plastics and hormones excreted by women taking the Pill, or similar drugs used in animal rearing. London Daily Mail, United Kingdom.

Study: Newborn hormone exposure can disrupt female reproductive health

Tue, 22 Nov 2011 09:30:34 -0500

A single hormone treatment given to newborn female rats significantly changed the chemical activity in the brain region that guides ovary development and function, report researchers in the journal Fertility and Sterility. The changes seen in the rats are similar to those in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). The study expands on growing concerns that early-life exposures to hormonally active chemicals may impact and alter female reproductive development and fertility.

Protecting Children From Toxicants.

Tue, 22 Nov 2011 09:44:50 -0500

Nancy Hepp, CHE's Research and Communications Specialist, has published an article on children's environmental health in The ASHA Leader. During brain development, which begins in the fetus and continues into adolescence, a precisely timed sequence of cell division, migration, differentiation, myelination, synapse formation, programmed cell death, and synapse pruning unfolds. Disruption or alteration of this process by chemical exposure or other environmental factors can lead to various outcomes (developmental delays, learning disabilities, attention deficits, etc.).

FOA: Developmental Mechanisms of Human Structural Birth Defects (P01)

Mon, 21 Nov 2011 14:50:50 -0500

The Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) and Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS), National Institutes of Health (NIH) encourages innovative, multidisciplinary, interactive, and synergistic program project (P01) grant applications from institutes/organizations that propose to integrate basic, translational, and clinical approaches to understanding the developmental biology and genetic basis of congenital structural human malformations. To contain costs, each P01 will consist of only three component projects and associated cores. At least one project must propose basic research in an animal model system and at least one project must be clinical or translational in nature. The component projects must share a common central theme, focus, or objective on a specific developmental structural malformation or class of anomalies that is genotypically, mechanistically, biologically, or phenotypically analogous or homologous in both animal models and humans. FOA expiration date: January 8, 2015.

Study: Prenatal concentrations of PCBs, DDE, DDT and overweight in children.

Fri, 18 Nov 2011 09:30:33 -0500

Children exposed to persistent organic pollutants - POPs - in the womb have a higher risk of being overweight. The researchers found that PCBs, DDT and DDE exposure led to an increased risk of weight gain in children as assessed by BMI scores, although effects differed in boys vs. girls. In some cases, children with higher POPs exposures were almost twice as likely to be overweight compared to children with lower exposures, depending on the pollutant and gender.

Money to burn: Flame retardant industry spent $23 million on lobbying.

Wed, 16 Nov 2011 09:49:04 -0500

Flame retardant industry spent $23 million on lobbying, campaign donations. A 5-month investigation by Environmental Health News reveals that the chemical industry spent at least $23.2 million over the past five years to lobby California officials and donate to campaigns in an effort to defeat bills that would have regulated flame retardants. The four top recipients, three Democrats and one Republican, never voted in favor of any of the five bills. During the years of lobbying, the flame retardants have been building up in people’s bodies, including breast milk, around the world. Environmental Health News.

Why Americans still breathe known hazards decades after 'clean air' law.

Wed, 16 Nov 2011 09:49:02 -0500

The stumbling, two-decade-old war on hazardous air pollutants has stalled on bureaucratic dawdling, industry resistance, legal maneuvering, limited resources and politics. Untainted air for all Americans, promised on Nov. 15, 1990, by President George H. W. Bush, has proved elusive. Center for Public Integrity.

Risk of disease partially set in womb, scientists say.

Mon, 14 Nov 2011 09:49:01 -0500

Researchers now believe that the food a pregnant woman eats, her weight and fitness, her stress level, and the drugs, pollutants and infections she is exposed to can trigger changes that also make her baby vulnerable to disease after birth. Chicago Tribune, Illinois.

Cities in decline, infant mortality on the rise.

Sat, 12 Nov 2011 09:49:03 -0500

Study after study reveals that infant survival is threatened by economic crisis and upheaval. The issue is especially acute in Milwaukee, a once-muscular manufacturing city where the infant mortality rate in some neighborhoods now rivals that of Third World nations. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Wisconsin.

Smoking and drinking in pregnancy 'harms 10,000 babies in UK each year.'

Sat, 12 Nov 2011 09:49:00 -0500

Britain's top children's doctor has said that more than 10,000 babies each year suffer serious harm, including death, because their mothers drank alcohol, smoked, over-ate, or took drugs during pregnancy. London Guardian, United Kingdom.

Fire retardants may not harm newborns' thyroids.

Sat, 12 Nov 2011 09:30:33 -0500

Despite concerns that common fireproofing chemicals could disrupt thyroid function in developing fetuses, a new study finds no link between thyroid hormone levels and flame retardants in the blood of newborn babies. Reuters.

Woodsmoke linked to pneumonia, and also hurts kids' IQs.

Fri, 11 Nov 2011 09:30:32 -0500

Smoke from open fires and dirty cookstoves, used by almost half the world's population, is linked to severe pneumonia, especially among women and young children. A second study uncovered a surprising link between prenatal maternal exposure to woodsmoke and poorer performance in markers for IQ among their children years later. CBC Canada.

World's 10 worst toxic pollution problems.

Fri, 11 Nov 2011 10:08:21 -0500

Mercury, lead, chromium and other toxic compounds, used in many industrial processes, rob years of healthy life from millions each year. Simple fixes could go far in solving the issue. Scientific American.

Androgen blockers appear in effluent.

Fri, 11 Nov 2011 10:08:21 -0500

Scientists have long blamed environmental estrogens in wastewater for feminizing male fish downstream of sewage plants. Instead of estrogens, however, a new study of treated wastewater identifies a wide range of antiandrogens--compounds that block male hormones--that can accumulate in fish. Chemical & Engineering News.

States ban lead wheel weights.

Thu, 10 Nov 2011 10:08:20 -0500

The U.S. has worked to get lead out of gas and out of paint, but the biggest source of lead in a consumer product is still on roadways in the form of wheel weights used to balance the tires on our cars. Environment Report.

Coffee, tea reduces mercury exposure when eating fish.

Thu, 10 Nov 2011 10:08:20 -0500

Forget sake - a groundbreaking new study from the Université de Montréal shows that sushi-lovers should be eating their raw fish with coffee or tea to reduce their exposure to mercury. Montreal Gazette, Quebec.

US lawsuit extends thalidomide's reach.

Wed, 9 Nov 2011 10:08:19 -0500

In a new twist on a historic tragedy, 13 Americans who say they are survivors of thalidomide are suing four companies for producing and distributing the notorious drug. The plantiffs say that the drug affected more people in the United States than thought and that the companies responsible have done all they can to hide these facts. Nature.

Video: Toxics in the air, worry on the ground.

Tue, 8 Nov 2011 10:01:36 -0500

Two decades ago Congress strengthened the Clean Air Act to limit emissions of some of the most hazardous chemicals. But an investigation by the Center for Public Integrity and NPR finds that toxic pollution persists in hundreds of communities, including two cities in Pennsylvania. This video profiles those cities. Center for Public Integrity.

The quest for cleaner air.

Mon, 7 Nov 2011 19:09:22 -0500

Americans might expect the government to protect them from unsafe air. That hasn’t happened. Insidious forms of toxic air pollution persist in hundreds of communities across the United States, an investigation by the Center for Public Integrity's iWatch News and NPR shows. Center for Public Integrity.

Action agenda of the "National Conversation on Public Health and Chemical Exposures."

Sun, 6 Nov 2011 19:09:21 -0500

Over the past two years there has been a broad-based, intense, and relatively rancor-free effort to revitalize and rationalize how we manage hazardous industrial and naturally occurring chemicals. Environmental Health Perspectives.

Health care's anti-PVC push grows.

Sun, 6 Nov 2011 19:09:21 -0500

Hospitals and public health professionals are pushing to find alternatives to soft-plastic PVC found in IV bags, tubing, neo-natal masks -- even flooring and carpeting. These products contain phthalates, used to soften PVC. Kaiser Permanente, one of the nation's largest health providers, has committed to eliminate PVC from its hospitals. CNN.

Study: Infant brain drain- chemicals in plastics under scrutiny.

Thu, 3 Nov 2011 14:10:52 -0500

In utero exposure to some chemicals-- DEHP and perhaps DBP but not bisphenol A-- found in plastics might impact infant behavior and reflexes after birth, report researchers at Cincinnati Children's Hospital and Medical Center. These results are consistent with prior studies documenting altered brain development among infants and children with higher exposure to phthalates and during gestation. Neurotoxicology and Teratology.

Study: Prenatal environmental risk factors for genital malformations in a population of 1442 French male newborns: a nested case-control study.

Thu, 3 Nov 2011 15:01:04 -0400

The objective of this study was to determine the incidence of external genital malformations in a population of full-term newborn males in southern France, with a case-control study to identify the risk factors including a focus on parental occupational exposure to EDCs. The data support the hypothesis that prenatal contamination by pesticides may be a potential risk factor for newborn male external genital malformation and it should thus be routinely investigated in all undervirilized newborn males.

Re-using plastic bottles increases leaching of toxic chemicals.

Thu, 3 Nov 2011 12:27:20 -0400

Re-using plastic bottles causes toxic chemicals antimony and bromine, the last used as a flame retardant, to be leached into the fluid they carry, a joint study by the Harvard School of Public Health and the Cyprus University of Technology has shown. Cyprus Mail, Cyprus.

ACOG District IX: Environmental Toxicants Resource Center.

Tue, 1 Nov 2011 09:44:49 -0500

A growing body of scientific research links toxic chemical exposures in early life to some of the most serious public health threats of our time, such as increased risks of breast cancer, infertility, and learning and developmental disabilities. This portal directs Fellows to a collection of toxicology and environmental health information resources and aims to assist the organization's ongoing efforts to improve access to quality and accurate health information, particularly among underserved and vulnerable populations.

Symposium: Prematurity Prevention

Tue, 1 Nov 2011 09:44:49 -0500

Sponsor: March of Dimes,January 19 to 20, 2012, Omni Shoreham Hotel, Washington, D.C. The March of Dimes is holding a Prematurity Prevention Symposium, providing attendees with an opportunity to meet key opinion leaders, showcase successful prevention programs, and engage in problem solving. The event also will launch the Prematurity Prevention Network, a coalition of individuals and organizations dedicated to promoting prematurity prevention.

Dr. Joe Leigh Simpson to Lead Research and Global Programs for March of Dimes Foundation

Mon, 31 Oct 2011 09:44:49 -0500

At the March of Dimes, Dr. Simpson will lead one of the nation’s premier grant-making programs, with a $100 million research grant portfolio focused on the prevention of birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality, including basic biological processes of development, genetics, clinical studies, studies of reproductive health, environmental toxicology, and studies in social and behavioral sciences. He also will guide March of Dimes global partnerships with academic medical centers, international organizations, and non-government organizations in middle- and lower-income countries to help improve maternal and infant health.

Toxic chemicals: California hardens stance on products.

Tue, 1 Nov 2011 12:27:19 -0400

The state agency charged with regulating toxic substances has taken another crack at writing regulations intended to provide consumers with information about harmful chemicals in products, after its first draft was criticized as too weak. San Francisco Chronicle, California.

Atrazine herbicide at the center of Illinois water suit.

Sun, 30 Oct 2011 12:27:19 -0400

A lawsuit alleging harm from the chemical atrazine will hinge, in part, on the release of documents that Syngenta Inc. wants to keep confidential. Alton Telegraph, Illinois.

U.S. Embassy air quality data undercut China's own assessments.

Sun, 30 Oct 2011 12:27:19 -0400

One day this month, the reading was so high compared with U.S. standards it was listed as 'beyond index.' But China's own assessment that day was that Beijing's air was merely 'slightly polluted.' Los Angeles Times, California. [Registration Required].

Bisphenol A, under a health scandal.

Sun, 30 Oct 2011 12:27:20 -0400

Archives are often ruthless. For those who plunge into scientific journals, the case of bisphenol A (BPA) has all the features of a global health scandal, potentially one of the most serious of the past decade. Paris Le Monde, France.

Job opening: Environmental Health Advisor, Washington, DC.

Sat, 29 Oct 2011 15:00:30 -0400

Global Health Fellows Program II is seeking an Environmental Health Advisor to serve on the Environmental Health Team within the Maternal and Child Health Division of the Office of Health, Infectious Disease and Nutrition in the Bureau for Global Health. The MCH Division supports strategic planning, innovative program design, and monitoring and evaluation in maternal, newborn, child and environmental health programs globally and with USAID Missions. All online applications must be submitted by 5:00 p.m. Eastern time November 15, 2011.

RFI: Research Resources for the Environmental Health Sciences

Fri, 28 Oct 2011 09:05:14 -0400

Sponsor: National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS). Response Date: December 1, 2011. The NIEHS Division of Extramural Research and Training is seeking input on existing technological resources that can facilitate research in the environmental health sciences, but that are not widely available due to infrastructure requirements or other technical issues which limit distribution.

Mystery fish: The label said red snapper, the lab said baloney.

Fri, 28 Oct 2011 09:05:12 -0400

Mislabeling seafood- deliberate or not- hurts consumers three ways: in their wallet; in their health, when they mistakenly eat species that are high in mercury or other contaminants; and in their conscience, if they find out they've mistakenly bought species whose numbers are low. Consumer Reports.

UN: Leaded fuel to be gone by 2013.

Fri, 28 Oct 2011 09:05:11 -0400

Leaded gasoline, once so widespread it was sold at US pumps as "regular" fuel, is expected to be eradicated globally within two years, the United Nations Environment Program announced Thursday. With its end in sight, public health and environmental advocates are claiming victory in a fight that stretches back to the 1920s. Associated Press.

Review: Endocrine disrupting chemicals and disease susceptibility.

Fri, 28 Oct 2011 09:05:13 -0400

Environmental chemicals have significant impacts on biological systems. Chemical exposures during early stages of development can disrupt normal patterns of development and thus dramatically alter disease susceptibility later in life. A wide range of substances, both natural and man-made, are thought to cause endocrine disruption, including pharmaceuticals, dioxin and dioxin-like compounds, polychlorinated biphenyls, DDT and other pesticides, and components of plastics such as bisphenol A (BPA) and phthalates.This review focuses on the mechanisms and modes of action by which EDCs alter hormone signaling. It also includes brief overviews of select disease endpoints associated with endocrine disruption.

How Chinese babies pay the price for Chinese pollution.

Thu, 27 Oct 2011 15:42:13 -0400

There are about 3,000 babies born in the U.S. with neural tube defects each year, or about .75 for every thousand live births. The numbers are much grimmer in China, particularly in the Shanxi province, where there are roughly 14 neural-tube defect babies born per thousand. The Shanxi province is also flat-out filthy. Time Magazine.

New video: Early Exposures to Hazardous Pollutants/Chemicals and Associations with Chronic Disease.

Thu, 27 Oct 2011 14:34:46 -0400

This 30-minute video presentation by Katherine Cooper, senior researcher with the Canadian Environmental Law Association, discusses the developmental origins of chronic disease in a video briefing report.

Study: In utero exposure to bisphenol-A and anogenital distance of male offspring.

Thu, 27 Oct 2011 15:42:14 -0400

This study provides the first epidemiologic evidence that in utero BPA exposure may adversely affect male genital development. A total of 153 boys were included in the final analysis, among them 56 with parental occupational exposure during pregnancy and 97 without. A highly significant relationship was found between higher BPA exposure and shortened AGD; most marked with higher maternal exposures. Birth Defects Research Part A, Clinical and molecular teratology.

Tragedy prompts chemist's switch to greener path.

Wed, 26 Oct 2011 15:42:12 -0400

When his two-year-old son died, a question haunted Dr. John Warner. A senior research scientist at Polaroid Corp., he wondered if something he handled in the lab might have caused the birth defect that killed his son. Toronto Globe and Mail, Ontario.

Yukon delivers a plug of mercury in response to a changing climate.

Wed, 26 Oct 2011 15:42:12 -0400

The Yukon River is delivering upwards of five tons of mercury a year to the Arctic environment, likely in response to a warming climate, scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey announced Tuesday. Thawing permafrost and industrial pollution are fingered as culprits. Daily Climate.

Study verifies link between prenatal exposure to antidepressants and autism symptoms in offspring.

Tue, 25 Oct 2011 15:03:29 -0400

Rats exposed to antidepressants just before and after birth manifest behaviors which mimic the symptoms of autism, according to a new study that was partially funded by the National Institute of Mental Health. International Business Times.

Study: Prenatal concentrations of PCBs, DDE, DDT and overweight in children.

Tue, 25 Oct 2011 14:36:26 -0400

This prospective birth cohort study suggests that prenatal organochlorine compound exposures may be associated with overweight in children and that sex and high-fat intake may influence susceptibility. Environmental Health Perspectives.

BPA in utero and behavior in female children.

Mon, 24 Oct 2011 18:10:42 -0400

Girls exposed in womb to BPA have risk of behavior problems. Exposure in the womb to bisphenol-A, a chemical used to make some plastic containers, may cause behavior and emotional problems in young girls, a study found. The research showed that hyperactive, anxious, aggressive and depressed behavior was more common in 3-year-old girls who were exposed in the womb to bisphenol-A than girls with lower exposures. Boys did not appear to be affected. Bloomberg News.

Girls exposed in womb to BPA have risk of behavior problems.

Mon, 24 Oct 2011 15:42:11 -0400

Exposure in the womb to bisphenol-A, a chemical used to make some plastic containers, may cause behavior and emotional problems in young girls, a study found. The research showed that hyperactive, anxious, aggressive and depressed behavior was more common in 3-year-old girls who were exposed in the womb to bisphenol-A than girls with lower exposures. Boys did not appear to be affected. Bloomberg News.

Little women.

Sun, 23 Oct 2011 15:42:10 -0400

By the 1980s, the onset of puberty, if not actual menstruation, had gone into free fall--a change so sudden and pronounced that something more than normal evolution must have been at work. There is no shortage of theories about what's causing this to hapen. Obesity, exposure to endocrine disruptors like BPA, even social factors like TV and the internet have been invoked. Time Magazine.

Webinar: Food Matters- Greener and Cleaner Food for Maternal and Child Health.

Sat, 22 Oct 2011 14:32:18 -0400

Thursday, November 3, 2011. 3:30-4:30 Eastern. The Role of the Environment and How to Promote Greener and Cleaner Food for Maternal and Child Health. Presenter: Joanne Perron, MD, FACOG, Postdoctoral Fellow, Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment at the University of California San Francisco. Moderator: Robert M. Gould, MD Associate Pathologist, Kaiser Hospital, San Jose and President, San Francisco-Bay Area Chapter of Physicians for Social Responsibility. CME credits are available for this webinar.

EPA delays pollution rule for coal plants to December.

Sat, 22 Oct 2011 14:19:30 -0400

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said on Friday it will postpone its final rule aimed at slashing air pollution from coal plants for a month, but made it clear it plans to move forward on the regulations. Reuters.

Talk of treaty ban on mercury concerns scientists.

Fri, 21 Oct 2011 14:19:29 -0400

Scientists are warning officials negotiating a global treaty on mercury that banning the deadly chemical completely would be dangerous for public health because of the chemical's use in vaccines. Associated Press.

Study links pollutants to a 450 percent increase in risk of birth defects.

Thu, 20 Oct 2011 15:09:56 -0400

Pesticides and pollutants are related to a 450 percent increase in the risk of spina bifida and anencephaly in rural China, according to scientists at The University of Texas at Austin and Peking University. Principal investigator Richard Finell, working with public health officials in four rural counties examined placentas from 80 newborn or stillborn fetuses that suffered from a neural tube defect. These placentas were screened for the presence of a persistent organic pollutants (POPs). Strong associations were found between the birth defects and high levels of a number of compounds present in commonly used pesticides. They also found elevated placental concentrations of PAHs. University of Texas News.

NOT: Environmental Influences on Stem Cells in Development, Health, and Disease.

Thu, 20 Oct 2011 09:05:13 -0400

Sponsors: Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, and National Center for Research Resources. NICHD plans to support novel research leading to improved understanding of the effects of environmental exposures on unipotent, multipotent, and pluripotent stem cells throughout development. As exposure in utero during preimplantation and/or postimplantation may be associated with results distinct from exposure during puberty or adulthood, studies investigating the windows of susceptibility are of importance. Studies of potential transgenerational effects (including genetic or epigenetic aspects) are also encouraged.

Persistent organochlorine pollutants and menstrual cycle characteristics.

Wed, 19 Oct 2011 15:42:15 -0400

An evolving body of evidence suggests an adverse relation between persistent organochlorine pollutants (POPs) and menstruation, though prospective longitudinal measurement of menses is limited and served as the impetus for study. Researchers assessed the relation between a mixture of persistent organochlorine compounds and menstrual cycle length and duration of bleeding in a cohort of women attempting to become pregnant. Select POPs were associated with changes in menstruation underscoring the importance of assessing chemical mixtures for female fecundity.

EPA signs off on new Oregon water quality rules -- strictest in the nation.

Wed, 19 Oct 2011 14:13:37 -0400

The EPA has approved Oregon's new standards for toxic water pollution, the strictest in the United States. The new standards, approved Monday by the EPA's Seattle office, are designed to protect tribal members and others who eat large amounts of contaminated fish. Portland Oregonian, Oregon.

Greens try to rebrand air rule foes.

Wed, 19 Oct 2011 14:13:36 -0400

Environmentalists have a new nickname for members of Congress questioning the public health benefits of the Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed air rules: Health Deniers. Politico.

Tennessee waters get drug test.

Tue, 18 Oct 2011 14:19:30 -0400

Traces of chemicals that may disrupt hormonal and immune systems, including several personal care products, have shown up in the drinking water of six of 11 utilities tested across the state, according to a new report. Nashville Tennessean, Tennessee.

Study: Environmental insults in-utero and epigenetic mechanisms affecting fetal development.

Mon, 17 Oct 2011 15:15:04 -0400

This study looked at in utero exposures, infant growth, and DNA methylation of repetitive element with developmentally related genes in human placentas. Results suggest that epigenetic alterations in repetitive element methylation markers, most notably AluYb8 methylation, may be susceptible to the intrauterine environment, play a critical role in mediating placenta function and ultimately inform on the developmental basis of health and disease. Environmental Health Perspectives.

Concern over fallout of bombing mice with pesticide.

Mon, 17 Oct 2011 14:13:36 -0400

The Farallon Islands are crawling with nonnative house mice. But the solution to getting rid of the mice might be worse than the problem. Federal regulators are considering a plan to drop from the air pesticide pellets potent enough to kill all of the tens of thousands of rodents. But nontargeted species also are at risk of death. San Francisco Chronicle, California.

Tackling high infant mortality rates among blacks.

Sat, 15 Oct 2011 14:13:35 -0400

African-Americans fare far worse whan white Americans with respect to infant mortality rates: Their rate of 13.3 deaths per 1,000 is almost double the national average and higher than Sri Lanka’s. Precisely why the black infant mortality rate is so high is a mystery that has eluded researchers even as the racial disparity continues to grow. New York Times [Registration Required].

Delaware's champion for cleaner air.

Sat, 15 Oct 2011 14:13:35 -0400

As Chairman of the Senate subcommittee overseeing the Clean Air Act, Democratic Senator Tom Carper has passed measures to reduce diesel emissions and promote carbon-dioxide sequestration. These days, he said, he's measuring success in the Senate "by the bad things we keep from happening." Wilmington News Journal, Delaware.

Perry promises increased drilling and decreased regulation.

Sat, 15 Oct 2011 14:13:34 -0400

Gov. Rick Perry of Texas released a long-promised jobs and energy proposal Friday that resembles a wish list for the oil and gas industry, promising new drilling across much of the country, including in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, as well as a curtailing of environmental regulations and "dismantling" the Environmental Protection Agency. New York Times [Registration Required].

Republicans score another symbolic defeat for EPA - this time over toxic coal ash.

Sat, 15 Oct 2011 14:13:38 -0400

House Republicans on Friday succeeded in championing legislation that would wrest regulation of coal ash from the federal Environmental Protection Agency to the states, who will have the authority to regulate the often hazardous residue at power plants as if it were municipal garbage. Center for Public Integrity.

Study: Link between prenatal exposure to cigarette smoke and mental health problems.

Fri, 14 Oct 2011 11:10:24 -0400

Children born to mothers who smoked during pregnancy were more likely than those born to nonsmoking moms to take medications that treat mental disorders, suggests a study published in the Journal of Epidemiology. The most common prescriptions were for antidepressant and anti-anxiety drugs. Overall, this is the first study to report a link between prenatal exposure to cigarette smoke and mental health problems during late childhood and adolescence.

Study: Maryland trash-burning power plants pollute more than coal.

Fri, 14 Oct 2011 11:10:23 -0400

Maryland's two major trash-burning power plants produce more pollution than the state's four largest coal-fired plants, according to a new study. Washington DC Examiner, District of Columbia.

Study: Birth defects linked to POPs.

Thu, 13 Oct 2011 11:10:21 -0400

A variety of persistent organic pollutants, known as POPs, that are found in pregnant women are associated with an increased risk of neural tube defects in their babies, reports a study of Chinese women. The research reveals a complicated picture where some POPs are cultprits while others are not. Researchers found that moms that carried a baby with a neural tube defect were nearly five times as likely to have elevated levels of up to 10 different PAHs in their placentas.

EPA chief: Great Lakes harbor cleanups planned.

Thu, 13 Oct 2011 11:10:18 -0400

Nine river mouths and harbors contaminated with industrial chemicals will be targeted for accelerated cleanups under an Obama administration program to deal with festering problems in the Great Lakes, US Environmental Protection Agency chief Lisa Jackson said Wednesday. Associated Press.

Environmental chemicals may be obstacle for infertile couples.

Wed, 12 Oct 2011 11:10:21 -0400

Kira Testin knew that something was wrong before she and her husband ever saw the fertility specialist. "We had been trying for a year to get pregnant," recalls Testin, who was 27 at the time. "We weren't naïve, but it still was devastating to hear that we would be unable to conceive naturally." Environmental Health News.

Groups sue Obama for scrapping stricter smog limit.

Wed, 12 Oct 2011 11:10:20 -0400

Environmental groups sued the Obama administration Tuesday for scrapping a stricter limit for smog-forming pollution, saying the decision violated the law and put politics ahead of protecting public health. Associated Press.

Resource: Environmental Exposures, Infertility, and Related Reproductive Disorders.

Wed, 12 Oct 2011 18:34:01 -0400

Environmental Exposures, Infertility, and Related Reproductive Disorders: An Update- October 2011. This article summarizes scientific studies and discusses trends in fertility, causes of infertility and concerns about early life environmental exposures. First published in 2003, the review has been updated to include data from recent studies of male and female infertility, and early life exposures effecting reproductive function in adulthood. This paper has undergone peer-review by an independent group of scientific experts in the field. Collaborative on Health and the Environment.

Report: Mercury levels mostly down in Great Lakes.

Wed, 12 Oct 2011 11:10:20 -0400

Mercury levels have dropped about 20 percent in the Great Lakes in recent decades but remain dangerously high and are getting worse in some places, scientists said in a report released Tuesday. Associated Press.

Environmental justice strategy aims to address inequities.

Tue, 11 Oct 2011 11:10:19 -0400

Environmental justice strategy aims to address inequities among low-income, minority and tribal groups. The plan from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services addresses environmental health inequities among low-income and minority populations, and highlights everything from air pollution to environmental disasters. Huffington Post.

Amish farmers in Chesapeake Bay watershed find themselves in EPA's sights.

Tue, 11 Oct 2011 11:10:19 -0400

Lancaster Plain Sect farmers have historically spurned government help. But their desire to keep to themselves is being challenged as the Obama administration targets Chesapeake Bay pollution. Greenwire.

Study: In utero exposure to DES associated with a high lifetime risk of a broad spectrum of adverse health outcomes.

Mon, 10 Oct 2011 12:52:22 -0400

Researchers combined data from three studies initiated in the 1970s with continued long-term follow-up of 4,653 women exposed in utero to DES and 1,927 unexposed controls. They assessed the risks of 12 adverse outcomes linked to DES exposure, and their relationships to the baseline presence or absence of vaginal epithelial changes, which are correlated with a higher dose of, and earlier exposure to, DES in utero. Findings include increased risk of infertility, miscarriage, preterm delivery, still birth, ectopic pregnancy, early menopause, and breast cancer in women exposed to DES in utero. NEJM.

Conference: Environmental Endocrine Disruptors Gordon Research Conference.

Mon, 10 Oct 2011 12:36:48 -0400

June 03, 2012 - June 08, 2012. West Dover, VT. Sponsor: Gordon Research Conferences. A preliminary program for the Gordon Research Conference has been announced. Topic include: Endocrine Disruptors, Society, and Public Policy; Women’s Health and Environmental Endocrine Disruptors; Men’s Health and Environmental Endocrine Disruptors; Gene-Environment Interactions, Epigenetics, and EEDs; Thyroid and Immune System Disruptors;Neuroendocrine Disruptors; Resolving Controversies in Endocrine Disruption; Evolution in a Contaminated Environment; Endocrine Disruptors and Ecosystems: In Honor of Rachel Carson. Applications are available on the conference website.

Philadelphia becomes hotbed of autism research.

Mon, 10 Oct 2011 11:10:17 -0400

Drexel University's Autism Public Health Research Institute is searching for what flips the genetic switch that puts some infants on a path to autism, beginning with environmental exposure, as evidence builds that genes alone do not explain the disorder. Philadelphia Inquirer, Pennsylvania. [Registration Required].

A toxic tour: Neighborhoods struggle with health threats from traffic pollution.

Sun, 9 Oct 2011 11:30:24 -0400

The nation's top environmental health official visited the Los Angeles/Long Beach harbor area to witness first-hand how communities are struggling with health issues related to pollution. "Los Angeles has its share of health problems and we suspect many of them are environmentally related," said Linda Birnbaum, director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. Environmental Health News.

DES Action group comments on NEJM article.

Fri, 7 Oct 2011 09:59:33 -0400

Women exposed before birth to the anti-miscarriage drug diethylstilbestrol (DES), which was prescribed to their mothers primarily from 1938 thru 1971, know all too well of the health problems it inflicted on them as individuals. But an article in the October 6, 2011, New England Journal of Medicine, "Adverse Health Outcomes in Women Exposed in Utero to Diethylstilbestrol", provides a comprehensive look at what is known to date of medical problems for DES Daughters as a whole.

Premature births 30% higher in cities because of pollution.

Fri, 7 Oct 2011 11:32:15 -0400

Expectant mothers living in large towns or cities are a third more likely to give birth prematurely because of pollution, research suggests. London Daily Mail, United Kingdom.

Risky pregnancy drug raised daughters' cancer odds.

Thu, 6 Oct 2011 12:16:00 -0400

Diethylstilbestrol, or DES, a drug that millions of pregnant women took decades ago to prevent miscarriage and complications, has put their daughters at higher risk for breast cancer and other health problems that are showing up now, a new federal study finds. Associated Press.

Study: Bisphenol A (BPA) can alter the way genes are read in male rats exposed to the chemical as newborns.

Wed, 5 Oct 2011 12:15:59 -0400

The so-called epigenetic changes had lasting effects on reproductive hormone signals into adulthood that may partially explain reported effects of the chemical on male fertility. The findings add to a growing body of research showing that BPA can impact the way genes are coded and then interpreted later in life during sexual maturity. Such changes have been documented in the brain, prostate and uterus. Toxicology.

EPA to ease rule on power plants.

Wed, 5 Oct 2011 12:15:58 -0400

The Environmental Protection Agency, under pressure from some states, industry and Congress, is expected to ease an air quality rule that would require power plants in 27 states to slash emissions, said people familiar with the matter. Wall Street Journal [Subscription Required].

Birth defects in China jump 70 percent in 15 years.

Wed, 5 Oct 2011 12:15:58 -0400

In China the birth defect rate has jumped from 8.77 per 1,000 in 1996, to 15 per 1,000 in 2010, according to Report on Women and Children's Health Development published on Sept. 21. Experts attributed the 70.9 percent surge to environmental pollution. Epoch Times.

Study: Maternal pregnancy levels of trans-nonachlor and oxychlordane and prevalence of cryptorchidism and hypospadias in male offspring.

Wed, 5 Oct 2011 15:36:57 -0400

Given positive associations between chlordane isomers and testicular germ cell tumors, it is reasonable to assume that chlordanes might also be associated with other testicular dysgenesis syndrome disorders.The results of this study do not support an association between chlordane levels and cryptorchidism or hypospadias. Environmental Health Perspectives.

Car exhaust link to low baby weights in Perth.

Wed, 5 Oct 2011 15:34:28 -0400

Car fumes in Perth suburbs are affecting the growth of unborn babies and making them smaller at birth than expected, a new study reveals. Researchers from the University of WA and Telethon Institute of Child Health Research found that mothers living in suburbs with low industrial activity and average traffic emissions were giving birth to babies weighing 58g less than the average expected birth weight of 3.5kg. Perth West Australian, Australia.

Study: Mixture effects of PCBs and PBDEs on hearing loss.

Tue, 4 Oct 2011 12:23:34 -0400

Rats born to mothers exposed to mixtures of PCBs and PBDEs found in the environment during pregnancy and nursing had deficits in cochlear function larger than each alone at the lowest doses tested. The levels of chemicals mimicked real-world exposures of PCB profiles from fish and the most prevalent PBDE mixture found in people. Toxicological Sciences.

Mom’s diet tied to birth defects in new study.

Tue, 4 Oct 2011 15:40:05 -0400

Healthier dietary choices by pregnant women are associated with reduced risks of birth defects, including neural tube defects and orofacial clefts, according to a study published Online First by the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. Researchers developed two diet quality indices that focused on overall diet quality based on the Mediterranean Diet (Mediterranean Diet Score or MDS) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Guide Pyramid (Diet Quality Index or DQI). Stone Hearth News.

Bisphenol A is ubiquitous in receipts.

Tue, 4 Oct 2011 12:23:33 -0400

People are routinely exposed to BPA through their skin, albeit at levels lower than through diet, according to research which shows that the hormone-mimicking chemical bisphenol A is ubiquitous in cash-register receipts and other paper products such as envelopes and newspapers in the United States. Chemical & Engineering News.

California can charge developers fees to offset smog.

Tue, 4 Oct 2011 12:28:58 -0400

Environmental groups and state regulators win major smog case over home developers. The US Supreme Court has refused to take up a lawsuit from the National Association of Home Builders that challenged whether air pollution officials in California can charge developers fees to offset the smog caused from new housing developments. San Jose Mercury News, California.

ACOG Letter to EPA on Chlorpyrifos.

Mon, 3 Oct 2011 18:34:02 -0400

In a letter dated October 3, 2011, the president of the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, James N. Martin, Jr., MD, FACOG, responded to the Environmental Protection Agency's invitation for comments regarding its upcoming decision to re-register the pesticide chlorpyrifos, an organophosphate (OP) insecticide, acardicide, and miticide used to control a variety of insects. The ACOG letter supports action taken by the EPA in 2000 to largely eliminate use of chlorpyrifos in home and school settings. Dr. Martin cites the 2007 Summit on Environmental Challenges to Reproductive Health and Fertility, co-sponsored by the UCSF Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment and the Collaborative on Health and the Environment, and the June 30, 2011 EPA Preliminary Human Health Risk memo on chlorpyrifos, describing evidence of negative neurobehavioral and neurodevelopmental outcomes in offspring exposed prenatally to chlorpyrifos.

States continue to ban chemicals.

Mon, 3 Oct 2011 12:28:57 -0400

Fueled by consumer concerns about exposure to toxic chemicals, state legislatures in 2011 have continued a trend of recent years by banning specific uses of certain compounds. Thus far this year, lawmakers in six states have adopted laws to restrict bisphenol A or a phosphate-based flame retardant. Chemical & Engineering News.

Advising parents in the face of scientific uncertainty.

Sat, 1 Oct 2011 18:10:43 -0400

The Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment seeks "to provide evidence-based information in a responsible manner to doctors and other clinical practitioners who serve as a frontline for pregnant women and other patients concerned about exposure to environmental chemicals. Their ultimate target is the larger community and the legislators and policymakers who could regulate chemical exposures." Environmental Health Perspectives.

Study: Mediterranean diet may enhance fertility.

Sat, 1 Oct 2011 15:42:13 -0400

This study examined the dietary patterns of a total of 485 women, aged 21-45 years, reporting having presented with difficulty getting pregnant, and 1,669 age-matched controls who had at least one child. A lower risk of difficulty getting pregnant was apparent in the highest quartile of adherence to the Mediterranean-type pattern compared with the lowest quartile. Greater adherence to the Western-type dietary pattern showed no association with this outcome. Fertility & Sterility.

Study: BPA exposure in utero alters breast development and may increase breast cancer risk.

Sat, 1 Oct 2011 18:34:02 -0400

In this study, researchers mimicked human exposure to BPA as it occurs with beverages and food from BPA containing vessels (such as plastics and the lining of tin cans) by adding the compound to the drinking water of breeding mice. Female pups born from BPA-consuming parents were transferred to a BPA-free environment at weaning and followed over time.Researchers analyzed changes in the mammary gland of female offspring that were exposed to BPA through their mothers in utero and while being breast fed. The mammary glands of BPA exposed females showed an increased response to the hormone progesterone. Lifetime exposure to progesterone has been linked to increase breast cancer risk. Molecular Endocrinology.

Toxic law?

Sat, 1 Oct 2011 16:30:37 -0400

Some of the Republican contenders for president have taken on the Environmental Protection Agency as a favored target, claiming its regulations are hurting businesses and the economy. But is it possible that the EPA isn’t doing enough, particularly when it comes to protecting us from toxic chemicals? Need to Know, PBS.

BPA levels higher in fetus during early pregnancy, compared to maternal and neonatal levels.

Fri, 30 Sep 2011 13:23:32 -0400

A rodent study finds that bisphenol A (BPA) levels were higher in the fetus during earlier parts of pregnancy when compared to the mother and newborns. While BPA exposure is widespread, scientists continue to debate its toxicity and human health risks. BPA is a chemical used in a wide variety of consumer products, including polycarbonate plastics, food can linings, and thermal receipts. A recent study also found that BPA levels are higher in women exposed to cigarette smoke. Some cigarette filters may be made of BPA. Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology.

Dr. Pat Hunt summarizes EDCs in Scientific American.

Fri, 30 Sep 2011 09:14:37 -0400

Scientists have become increasingly worried that even extremely low levels of some environmental contaminants may have significant damaging effects on our bodies and that fetuses are particularly vulnerable to such assaults. Some of the chemicals that are all around us have the ability to interfere with our endocrine systems, which regulate the hormones that control our weight, our biorhythms and our reproduction. Synthetic hormones are used clinically to prevent pregnancy, control insulin levels in diabetics, compensate for a deficient thyroid gland and alleviate menopausal symptoms. You wouldn't think of taking these drugs without a prescription, but we unwittingly do something similar every day. Scientific American.

Are flame retardants safe? Growing evidence says "No."

Thu, 29 Sep 2011 09:33:59 -0400

New studies have underscored the potentially harmful health effects of flame retardants, used in everything from baby blankets to carpets. Health experts are now calling for more aggressive action to limit these chemicals, including cutting back on highly flammable, petroleum-based materials used in many consumer products. Yale Environment 360.

Fluorescent fish glows to show feminizing chemicals.

Wed, 28 Sep 2011 13:23:31 -0400

For people worried about the feminizing effect of estrogen-like chemicals in the water there is now a modern-day equivalent of the canary in the coal mine: a genetically modified fish in a bowl. Scientists at Vitargent, a biotechnology company in Hong Kong, have created a genetically engineered fish that glows green when it is exposed to oestrogen-like chemicals. The research team took the green fluorescent protein gene from jellyfish and spliced it into the genome of the medaka fish, Oryzias melastigma, next to a gene that detects estrogen. Chemicals that have estrogen-like activity cause the fish to express the modified gene, making them glow.

Mother's job can increase danger of asthma for unborn baby.

Wed, 28 Sep 2011 09:37:53 -0400

A pregnant woman's job can give asthma to her unborn baby, researchers say. Women exposed to certain chemicals and natural substances are known to be at risk of developing the breathing condition. London Daily Mail, United Kingdom.

FOA: Gamete Quality in Natural and Assisted Reproduction (R01).

Thu, 29 Sep 2011 09:29:13 -0400

Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. Office of Dietary Supplements. Expiration date January 8, 2014. The purpose of this Funding Opportunity Announcement is to encourage applications from the scientific community to support outstanding research in the area of female and male gamete quality. For both natural and assisted reproduction, a focal point of the initiative is on the production, identification, and use of healthy gametes. In this regard, the identification and validation of biomarkers that assess gamete quality is critical. Additional areas of interest are the impact of nutrition, environmental exposures, disease states, and aging on oocyte and sperm quality.

NOT: Administrative Supplements to Enable Continuity of Research Experiences of Maternal Fetal Medicine and Neonatal-Perinatal Physicians During Fellowship Training and Early Academic Career.

Thu, 29 Sep 2011 09:23:09 -0400

Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. Applications will be accepted until December 19, 2011. NICHD announces an administrative supplement program to provide additional funds to Neonatal Research Network (NRN) and the Maternal-Fetal Medicine Units (MFMU) Network (U10) grants to support advanced research experiences of exceptional individuals early in their research careers in the field of maternal fetal medicine or neonatology. The purpose of this program is to provide opportunities for clinically trained individuals to continue to conduct research and to enhance their research skill set during the years of fellowship or early academic career (within 5 years of completion of maternal fetal medicine or neonatal-perinatal medicine fellowship training).

RFA: Environmental Influences on Stem Cells in Development, Health, and Disease (R01).

Thu, 29 Sep 2011 09:13:29 -0400

National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. Application Receipt Date(s): November 28, 2011. The microenvironment directs the behavior of stem and progenitor cells, the fundamental source from which all tissues derive. The impact of the environment is not limited to in utero exposure. While most organs are formed in the womb, many continue to develop after birth. Reproductive tissues, for example, begin a lengthy maturation process that begins with puberty. Mammary glands notably do not completely mature until pregnancy and the glands degenerate somewhat after lactation ceases, but the tissues continue to include stem and self-renewing cells. The goal of this initiative is to support novel research directions leading to understanding the potential of environmental exposures to alter function, proliferation, survival, and differentiation of stem cells, including embryonic and adult pluripotent and multipotent cells.

New study to examine pregnancy outcomes after Gulf oil spill.

Tue, 27 Sep 2011 16:31:00 -0400

Tulane University's School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine will take a close look at the spill's health impacts in pregnant women and women of reproductive age in Louisiana's coastal parishes. The NIEHS provided $6.5 million to do the work. In the first long-term study to examine a major spill's effects on pregnant women and women's health, researchers will study will follow 500 pregnant and 500 women of reproductive age over five years. The study will also look at the impact of repeated disasters on pregnancy outcomes and women's health.

Study: Preterm birth associated with higher risk of death in early childhood, young adulthood.

Tue, 27 Sep 2011 15:37:30 -0400

In a study that included more than 600,000 individuals born in Sweden between 1973-1979, those born preterm (less than 37 weeks gestation) had a higher risk of death during early childhood and young adulthood than persons born at term. The researchers write that, to their knowledge, this is the first study to report the specific contribution of gestational age at birth on mortality in adulthood. "The underlying mechanisms are still largely unknown but may involve a complex interplay of fetal and postnatal nutritional abnormalities; other intrauterine exposures, including glucocorticoid and sex hormone alterations; and common genetic factors." JAMA.

Study: No harm to mice testes from BPA in utero.

Tue, 27 Sep 2011 15:14:53 -0400

Researchers at Brown University found that giving even large doses of BPA to pregnant mice did not have a negative effect on their sons' reproductive systems. The digestive system - usual route of BPA exposure in humans - may detoxify it. Male mice whose mothers were exposed to either moderate or high levels of bisphenol A while pregnant did not grow up to show any adverse effects to their reproductive systems by several measures, according to a new study. Data on female mice is still forthcoming but less encouraging. Developmental and Reproductive Toxicology.

Study: Perinatal exposure to BPA may increase the propensity to develop breast cancer.

Tue, 27 Sep 2011 15:14:52 -0400

Researchers at the Swiss Institute for Experimental Cancer Research examined whether perinatal exposure to a range of low doses of BPA is sufficient to alter mammary gland hormone response later on in life, with a possible impact on breast cancer risk. To mimic human exposure, BPA was added to the drinking water of mice. Analysis of the mammary glands of their daughters at puberty showed that estrogen-dependent transcriptional events were perturbed and the number of terminal end buds, estrogen-induced proliferative structures, was altered in a dose-dependent fashion. Adult females showed an increase in mammary epithelial cell numbers comparable to that seen in females exposed to diethylbestrol, a compound exposure to which was previously linked to increased breast cancer risk.Molecular Endocrinology.

Webcast: Scientists constructing tool to flag EDCs early in chemical development. .

Tue, 27 Sep 2011 15:11:04 -0400

A group of biologists and green chemists, in a project funded by Advancing Green Chemistry and Environmental Health Sciences, is developing a protocol for chemists to use to determine if the chemical they are developing is an endocrine disruptor. The project was highlighted during a panel discussion on practical approaches to integrating rapid testing into the chemical design process on Sept. 21 during the workshop "Applying 21st Century Toxicology to Green Chemical and Material Design."

No regs are good regs: Single senator blocks pipeline safety bill on principle.

Tue, 27 Sep 2011 13:19:52 -0400

A senator who opposes federal regulation on philosophical grounds is single-handedly blocking legislation that would strengthen safety rules for oil and gas pipelines, a bill that even the pipeline industry and companies in his own state support. Associated Press.

What is the most polluted country and city in the world?

Mon, 26 Sep 2011 13:19:51 -0400

Air pollution figures are gathered all over the globe, but it takes some serious effort to bring them all together so that countries and cities can be compared. The World Health Organisation has valiantly attempted just this today in their Database of outdoor air pollution in cities. London Guardian, United Kingdom.

Would a lower ozone level be safer? A closer look.

Sun, 25 Sep 2011 13:19:50 -0400

The Obama administration recently pulled the plug on lowering EPA limits. It seems clear, though, that the lower the level, the fewer effects on health. Los Angeles Times, California. [Registration Required].

Air pollution in the natural gas fields.

Sat, 24 Sep 2011 13:19:50 -0400

Water pollution is not the only potential problem from gas fracking. Some residents in America's west say it’s also increasingly difficult to breathe the air near drilling sites. Tests show high levels of ozone and toxic benzene. Living On Earth.

EPA to enforce earlier standard on ozone levels.

Fri, 23 Sep 2011 13:19:49 -0400

The Environmental Protection Agency will enforce a three-year-old Bush administration standard for smog-forming ozone following the White House's decision to abandon a more stringent standard opposed by business groups, EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson said Thursday. Wall Street Journal [Subscription Required].

Methylmercury disrupt hormone levels in both sexes of white ibis.

Thu, 22 Sep 2011 17:54:23 -0400

Levels of methylmercury commonly measured in the environment disrupt hormone levels in both sexes of white ibis, a bird species that lives in US southeast coastal marshes. Altered courtship and chick rearing behaviors tied to the hormone changes reduced reproduction. The experimental study is among the first to show that methylmercury can act as an endocrine disruptor and reduce reproductive success in wildlife.

Smoggiest U.S. cities?

Wed, 21 Sep 2011 17:54:22 -0400

They may be dirtier than reported. The 10 smoggiest U.S. metro areas extend beyond California and many experience more days of dirty air than are publicly disclosed, says a report Wednesday by an environmental group. USA Today.

Obama's smog decision called a "huge loss for public health."

Wed, 21 Sep 2011 17:54:22 -0400

President Obama’s decision early this month to side with anti-regulation business interests against the U.S. EPA to stop a plan to tighten smog regulations comes during an election cycle in which Obama has received campaign donations from top polluters. Washington Independent.

Illegal pesticides for sale in New York City.

Tue, 20 Sep 2011 17:54:21 -0400

Some 6,000 packages of rat and cockroach poison were seized from shops and street vendors in and around Chinatown during a five-month undercover investigation into the sale of illegal pesticides. One chemical, brodifacoum, was reported to be 61 times as potent as the legal limit. New York Times [Registration Required].

Gender-bent fish found downstream of pharmaceutical plants.

Mon, 19 Sep 2011 17:54:21 -0400

A French study finds that more than three-quarters of wild gudgeon fish examined had a mix of male and female traits in their sex organs if they lived directly downstream from a plant that manufactures pharmaceutical drugs. This is the first study to link discharge from a drug manufacturing plant - rather than a sewage treatment plant - with physical and chemical changes in fish living downstream.

Science lags as health problems emerge near gas fields.

Sat, 17 Sep 2011 17:54:20 -0400

Residents of dozens of communities nationwide that have experienced extensive natural gas drilling are reporting symptoms that include respiratory infections, headaches, neurological impairment, nausea and skin rashes. More rarely they have reported more serious effects, from miscarriages to cancer. ProPublica.

Scientists: drilling threat to water.

Fri, 16 Sep 2011 15:10:19 -0400

Dozens of scientists, including four from the prestigious National Academy of Sciences, warned Gov. Andrew Cuomo that it will be practically impossible for municipal drinking water systems to protect against chemicals used in natural gas hydraulic fracturing, also called hydrofracking. Albany Times Union, New York.

Engineer sues US health agency over response to allegations about lead in drinking water.

Thu, 15 Sep 2011 12:15:58 -0400

An engineer who believes the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention fudged a study of lead in drinking water is suing the agency under the US Freedom of Information Act. Nature.

Concerns raised over use of toxic pesticides to fight sea lice in Canada.

Thu, 15 Sep 2011 12:15:58 -0400

A drug long used by the fish farming industry to control sea lice infestations has become increasingly ineffective, forcing the industry to seek alternatives and raising concerns that toxic pesticides are being released into the ocean under emergency authorizations. Toronto Globe and Mail, Ontario.

Water testing in Chicago raises concerns about screening process for lead.

Wed, 14 Sep 2011 12:15:58 -0400

Nationwide, water is screened for lead by checking the first sample of water from homeowners' faucets. But results of recent federal testing in Chicago show that although all homes passed that first test, nearly 45 percent had lead levels spike directly afterward. Chicago Tribune, Illinois.

Finnish emissions 'cause Swedish birth defects.'

Wed, 14 Sep 2011 12:15:57 -0400

Emissions from steel giant Outokumpu, in the Finnish city of Tornio (Torneå in Swedish), are believed to be the cause of several infants in Haparanda in northern Sweden being born with serious birth defects this year, according to a Swedish media report. The Local Sweden, Sweden.

As floodwaters stall, powerless Cyanamid seeps benzene into Raritan.

Wed, 14 Sep 2011 12:15:56 -0400

Carcinogenic benzene 20,000 times regulatory levels continues to leak into the Raritan River because the water treatment plant at the American Cyanamid Superfund site remains without power, the US Environmental Protection Agency reported. Somerville Courier News, New Jersey.

Chemicals of concern.

Tue, 13 Sep 2011 12:15:57 -0400

The White House is under pressure from two democratic senators to release a list of chemicals the Environmental Protection Agency says could endanger human health or the environment. The chemical industry has attempted to block release of EPA’s proposed list over the past year. Chemical & Engineering News.

Obama's second chance on air toxics rule.

Sat, 10 Sep 2011 12:15:56 -0400

President Obama’s recent decision to go against EPA recommendations for ozone standards shocked environmentalists. Soon the president will have another opportunity to make a decision on another EPA clean air regulation. Living On Earth.

Study: Prenatal phthalate exposure and infant neuro and motor development.

Tue, 6 Sep 2011 12:02:03 -0400

Increasing exposure to phthalates in pregnant women was associated with poorer development in their baby boys, finds a study that examined mental and motor skills in 6-month-old infants. Researchers with the Prospective Mothers and Children’s Environmental Health (MOCEH) Study examined data from 460 mother/infant pairs in Korea. Results show that the higher the exposure to phthalates in the moms, the lower the scores of infant development, including both cognitive and motor behavior. However, the association was only identified in sons, not in daughters. Environmental Health Perspectives.

Study: Phthalates affect child development.

Tue, 6 Sep 2011 12:02:03 -0400

Researchers from Columbia University have found a significant link between pregnant women's exposure to phthalates, used in all kinds of consumer products including flooring, cars and cosmetics, and negative impacts on their children's development. Three phthalates were significantly associated with behavioral disorders, or behavioral problems: anxious, depressed behaviors, emotionally reactive behaviors, withdrawn behavior. Environmental Health Perspectives.

EPA aims to clean up polluted air in Western gas fields.

Mon, 5 Sep 2011 12:02:02 -0400

Although water contamination from natural gas fracking has been grabbing headlines, the impact of natural gas development on air quality is better understood. Gas production laces the air with toxic substances like sulfur dioxide and benzene and emits pollutants that form smog. Yet air-quality standards for oil and gas production haven't been updated in years. High Country News.

Perc remains in dry-cleaned clothes.

Sat, 3 Sep 2011 12:02:01 -0400

Researchers, led by a high school student, have found that perchloroethylene, a dry cleaning solvent that has been linked to cancer and neurological damage, stays in fabrics and that levels increased with repeat cleanings, particularly in wool. Washington Post [Registration Required].

Mercury poisoning linked to Mexican beauty product.

Sat, 3 Sep 2011 12:02:01 -0400

Twenty people in South Texas have tested positive for high levels of mercury. The common denominator in the cases was Crema Aguamary, which is marketed as a skin-lightening and anti-aging cream and is not approved for sale in the United States. McAllen Monitor, Texas.

Prenatal exposure to BPA and sexually selected traits in male mice.

Fri, 2 Sep 2011 09:24:45 -0400

A new mouse study now suggests BPA may adversely affect development of sexually selected traits, potentially compromising animals’ ability to reproduce. The dose used was designed to be relevant to human exposure. Environmental Health Perspectives.

Toxicologist: Oil spill far more toxic than admitted.

Fri, 2 Sep 2011 09:22:48 -0400

Riki Ott, an environmental toxicologist, has been tracking the health impacts of oil spills on human beings since her home was impacted by the Exxon Valdez spill in Alaska. Many of the chemicals of concern to occupational and environmental health officials have been shown to impact fetuses in the first trimester. Michigan Messenger, Michigan.

US researchers find Roundup chemical in water, air.

Thu, 1 Sep 2011 09:27:22 -0400

Significant levels of the world's most-used herbicide, glyphosate, have been detected in air and water samples from two U.S. farm states, government scientists said on Wednesday, in groundbreaking research on the active ingredient in Monsanto Co's Roundup. Glyphosate has been shown to impair sperm production in animal studies. Reuters.

Fighting flames with greener materials.

Thu, 1 Sep 2011 09:27:21 -0400

Materials scientists have developed flexible coatings mere billionths of a meter thick that keep cotton clothing from going up in flames and plastic foam from melting. Unlike the widely used but potentially toxic flame retardants they've been designed to replace, these nano-coatings appear relatively safe, their designers say. Science News.

Using bacteria to clean water.

Thu, 1 Sep 2011 09:27:21 -0400

As water passes through soil, natural populations of bacteria help cleanse the liquid of contaminants such as nitrate, perchlorate, and chlorinated organic compounds. Now, two water utilities in California are capturing those bacteria, allowing them to create biofilms in reactors and purify water. Chemical & Engineering News.

California officials ignored scientists in approving pesticide.

Tue, 30 Aug 2011 09:27:20 -0400

The state's former top pesticide regulatory official dismissed safety guidelines suggested by her own staff scientists on the grounds that they were "excessive" and too onerous for the pesticide manufacturer, recently released internal documents show. Methyl iodide, a pesticide used primarily by strawberry growers, may cause brain damage in developing fetuses. California Watch.

Children with older dads at greater risk for mental illness.

Mon, 29 Aug 2011 09:44:27 -0400

Older fathers and large parental age differences increase the risk for psychiatric disorders in offspring, whereas other environmental factors decrease risk. Is this a function of biology, environment or both? Scientific American.

Genetics' new frontier: A mother's diet and weight during pregnancy affect baby's genes.

Mon, 29 Aug 2011 09:53:27 -0400

Cracking the human genome is already old news for those riding the next wave of genetic research. The rising field of epigenetics is revealing how diet, behavior and the environment are reprogramming the genes we're dealt at conception. Orlando Sentinel, Florida. [Registration Required]

Conference: Environmental Endocrine Disruptors.

Tue, 30 Aug 2011 14:50:09 -0400

June 3-8, 2012 West Dover, VT
Sponosr: Gordon Research Conferences
The unifying goal for the 2012 conference is to link basic research, clinical investigation, epidemiological studies, and public health research to the real world environment. Session Topics are: EEDs, Society and Public Policy; Women’s Health and EEDs; Men’s Health and EEDs;.Gene-Environment Interactions, Epigenetics, and EEDs; Thyroid and Immune System Disruptors; Neuroendocrine Disruptors; Resolving Controversies in Endocrine Disruption; Evolution in a Contaminated Environment; and EEDs and Ecosystems: In Honor of Rachel Carson.

Announcement: CDC National Action Plan for Prevention, Detection, and Management of Infertility.

Tue, 30 Aug 2011 14:50:09 -0400

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is developing a report that will identify public health priorities regarding prevention, detection, and management of infertility. The goal of the NAP is to promote, preserve, and restore the ability of U.S. women to conceive, carry a pregnancy to term, and deliver a healthy child. The CDC welcomes questions, comments, and input on the National Action Plan for infertility through its website.

Conference: Environmental Excellence in Health Care.

Sat, 27 Aug 2011 11:12:46 -0400

November 10, 2011
Baltimore, Maryland
Sponsor: Maryland Hospitals for a Healthy Environment
Join regional and national health care professionals, environmental industry experts, and educators for this learning and networking event designed to showcase the measurement practices of hospitals as they journey toward more sustainable environments for hospital staff, patients, and communities. The keynote speaker, plenary session, and smaller breakout sessions will explore how facilities are measuring sustainability success using quantitative and qualitative measures.

Call for Comment: NIH Common Fund.

Sat, 27 Aug 2011 11:12:45 -0400

Deadline for comments: September 14, 2011
This interactive web-based dialogue solicits comments and provides a forum for discussion of ideas proposed by scientists and stakeholders. Input will shape these ideas so that the Common Fund investment will have a catalytic, transformative impact on a broad range of diseases and conditions. Topics include: Group Effects, Developmental Origins of Disease, Beyond Genome-Wide Association Studies and A Synthetic Cohort for the Analysis of Longitudinal Effects of Gene-Environment Interactions.

Call for abstracts: SGI 2012 Annual Meeting.

Sat, 27 Aug 2011 11:12:45 -0400

March 21-24, 2012 San Diego, CA, USA
Sponsor: Society for Gynecologic Investigation Deadline for abstracts: October 14, 2011
SGI's mission includes establishing the scientific basis and clinical translation of reproductive science and women's health through leadership mentoring, advocacy for research, and collaboration with academia, government, industry and professional organizations The theme of is year's conference is 'Improving Women's Health through Personalized Medicine'.

Conference: Best Practices of ASRM and ESHRE.

Sat, 27 Aug 2011 11:12:44 -0400

March 1-3, 2012 Cortina d'Ampezzo, ITALY Sponsors: The American Society for Reproductive Medicine and the European Society of Human Reprodution and Embryology
Best Practices of ASRM and ESHRE is a three-day workshop intended to assess the evidence for both established and emerging approaches to the science and art of reproductive health care. Faculty from the American Society for Reproductive Medicine and the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology will compare and contrast global procedures and technologies for diagnosis and treatment of reproductive disorders.

Conference: 14th World Congress on Human Reproduction

Sat, 27 Aug 2011 11:12:44 -0400

March 1-3, 2012 Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy Sponsors: The American Society for Reproductive Medicine and the European Society of Human Reprodution and Embryology
Best Practices of ASRM and ESHRE is a three-day workshop intended to assess the evidence for both established and emerging approaches to the science and art of reproductive health care. Faculty from the American Society for Reproductive Medicine and the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology will compare and contrast global procedures and technologies for diagnosis and treatment of reproductive disorders.

ARHP Editorial: Our Imperative To Translate Reproductive Health Research Into Real Practice Change.

Sat, 27 Aug 2011 11:12:43 -0400

It is long past time to intensify our efforts to apply what we have learned through research into practice, and not just in our relatively small professional community, but beyond to other specialties and disciplines. We need to bring our reproductive health expertise, our high-quality, evidence-based research and our knowledge of adult learning theory to all clinicians who can make a difference in public health.

Conference: The Contribution of Epigenetics in Pediatric Environmental Health.

Sat, 27 Aug 2011 11:12:43 -0400

May 30, 2012 - June 01, 2012 San Francisco, California Sponsor: Children's Environmental Health Network
This conference is intended for research scientists in the fields of environmental health, epidemiology, and environmental toxicology, as well as for public health professionals. I's objective include fostering collaborations among scientists and the public to conduct and translate research findings on epigenetic regulation important to pediatric health outcomes (i.e. the etiology and prevention of abnormal neurodevelopment, asthma/allergy, obesity, endocrine disorders, etc.).

Japan nuke plant radiation leak exceeds Hiroshima.

Sat, 27 Aug 2011 11:12:48 -0400

The amount of radioactive cesium that has leaked from a tsunami-hit nuclear plant is about equal to 168 of the atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima at the end of World War II, Japan's nuclear agency said Friday. Associated Press.

A BPA-free county?

Thu, 25 Aug 2011 14:27:53 -0400

Multnomah County Chair Jeff Cogen wants to enact a countywide ban on selling baby bottles and some other plastic products made with bisphenol A, after industry lobbyists killed a proposed statewide ban in this year’s legislative session. Portland Tribune, Oregon.

Washington state rule requires chemical-reporting for consumer products.

Tue, 23 Aug 2011 14:27:53 -0400

Washington state is requiring manufacturers of toys, cosmetics, jewelry and baby products to report when their products contain certain harmful chemicals, under a new law that took effect this week. Associated Press.

Air test reveals traces of EDB.

Sun, 21 Aug 2011 14:27:53 -0400

Neighbors in the Argyle-Bartonville area want a federal investigation after a chemical traditionally used as a pesticide and gasoline additive started turning up in air samples near natural gas drilling and production sites. Denton Record-Chronicle, Texas.

Aviation gas poses lead risk to thousands.

Sun, 21 Aug 2011 14:27:53 -0400

Based on new research indicating that living within 1 kilometer of an airport creates a significant risk for lead poisoning-- because aviation gasoline still contains the metal--, Florida Today examined local data to gauge the potential lead threat to Space Coast residents. Melbourne Florida Today, Florida.

Study: Celiac disease in women with unexplained infertility.

Sat, 20 Aug 2011 11:12:47 -0400

A recent study demonstrated increased rates of celiac disease in women who present with unexplained infertility.Though the study numbers are small, the findings suggest that, at least for some women with infertility, dietary measures may help bolster fertility. Journal of Reproductive Medicine.

Getting ready for a wave of coal-plant shutdowns.

Sat, 20 Aug 2011 14:27:52 -0400

Over the next 18 months, the Environmental Protection Agency will finalize a flurry of new rules to curb pollution from coal-fired power plants. Mercury, smog, ozone, greenhouse gases, water intake, coal ash—it’s all getting regulated. And, not surprisingly, some lawmakers are grumbling. Washington Post [Registration Required].

Antibacterial chemical raises safety issues.

Sat, 20 Aug 2011 14:27:52 -0400

Federal regulators, consumer advocates and soap manufacturers are locked in a battle over the active ingredient in many antibacterial soaps, a chemical known as triclosan. New York Times [Registration Required].

Study: Paper money from countries all around the world carries BPA.

Thu, 18 Aug 2011 14:27:52 -0400

Paper bills are the latest addition to a growing list of items tainted with the ubiquitous chemical that has been linked to adverse reproductive, metabolic and behavioral effects. The levels measured in the 50 bills from different governments varied widely, from almost nothing to substantial amounts. Environmental Science and Technology.

Mercury-loving bugs speed help for toxic spills.

Wed, 17 Aug 2011 14:27:51 -0400

Scientists say they have engineered bacteria that can mop up mercury, a step forward in the goal of using "bioremediation" to cleanse toxic chemicals from the environment. Agence France-Presse.

Researchers study prenatal exposure to toxic chemicals.

Tue, 16 Aug 2011 14:27:51 -0400

Scientists are learning that health is the function of genes and environment. The work of Milwaukee-based researchers suggests that this principle also applies to the health of a growing fetus and a premature infant. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Wisconsin.

Siblings of autistic children at a 20 times higher risk.

Mon, 15 Aug 2011 11:46:28 -0400

Doctors have long known that autism can run in families. A new study shows that the risk of a younger sibling of an autistic child developing the condition is twice as high as previously thought – roughly 20 times greater than children in the general population. The results may help shed some light on whether DNA or environmental influences play a greater role. USA Today.

Siemens' new water treatment system designed to handle wastewater from shale drilling.

Sat, 13 Aug 2011 11:46:28 -0400

Cakes produced daily at Advanced Waste Services in New Castle are not the edible kind. The dense, 16-square-foot, slate-like rectangles are made entirely of sludge, the dry solid residual that results from treating industrial wastewater. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Pennsylvania.

How to protect yourself from America's 'new' drinking water toxins.

Thu, 11 Aug 2011 11:46:27 -0400

Millions of Americans have been ingesting them for years- perchlorate, hexavalent chromium, volatile organic compounds- t because they’re safe, but because they are among 6,000 toxins the EPA has not gotten around to regulating in municipal drinking water systems. Forbes.

Safe Planet campaign uses the arts to explain chemical threat.

Thu, 11 Aug 2011 11:46:27 -0400

Telling someone they’ve been poisoned in ways that could reshape their DNA and be carried on to their descendants- possibly causing cancer, neurological illness, mental deficiency, birth defects, brain damage and death- isn’t easy. But that’s Michael Stanley-Jones’ job.

Banned chemical levels high in pregnant women.

Thu, 11 Aug 2011 11:46:27 -0400

Pregnant women participating in a pilot study at San Francisco General Hospital had the highest levels of banned chemicals used in flame retardants in their bodies compared with other expectant mothers in other studies conducted worldwide. San Francisco Chronicle, California.

Mercury poisoning linked to autism.

Wed, 10 Aug 2011 11:46:27 -0400

A family history of mercury poisoning has emerged as a significant risk factor for developing autism, Melbourne researchers say. Melbourne Age, Australia.

Bloggers take aim at S.S. Badger coal ash discharges into Lake Michigan.

Tue, 9 Aug 2011 11:46:26 -0400

The liberal CREDO Action has begun an online effort to end S.S. Badger coal ash discharges into Lake Michigan. Muskegon Chronicle, Michigan.

C8 study raises questions about thyroid impacts.

Sun, 7 Aug 2011 11:46:26 -0400

A new West Virginia University study cautions that exposure to the toxic chemical C8, also known as PFOA, may affect the function of the thyroid gland and says more research on the matter is needed. Charleston Gazette, West Virginia.

Odd chemicals turn up in drinking water.

Sat, 6 Aug 2011 11:46:26 -0400

Trace amounts of sex hormones, prescription drugs, flame retardants and herbicides are being detected in treated drinking water pumped to more than 7 million people in Chicago and its suburbs. Chicago Tribune, Illinois.

Toxic chromium found in Chicago drinking water.

Sat, 6 Aug 2011 11:46:25 -0400

Chicago's first round of testing for a toxic metal called hexavalent chromium found that levels in local drinking water are more than 11 times higher than a health standard California adopted last month. Chicago Tribune, Illinois.

Resource: Publication helps pregnant women reduce fetal exposures.

Fri, 5 Aug 2011 19:40:42 -0400

An important brochure, 12 STEPS TO REDUCING FETAL EXPOSURES, has been released by Environment and Human Health, Inc. (EHHI), a nine-member, non-profit organization composed of doctors, public health professionals and policy experts dedicated to protecting human health from environmental harms.

Study: BPA Exposure Alters Hormonal Response of Women Undergoing In-vitro Fertilization.

Fri, 5 Aug 2011 11:12:47 -0400

A University at Albany-led research team has identified a link between exposure to bisphenol A (BPA), a molecular component of plastics and resins used in baby bottles and the linings of canned foods, and a reduction in the peak estrogen concentrations among women undergoing in-vitro fertilization (IVF). The reduced estrogen concentrations could adversely influence the quality of egg-containing follicles. Fertility & Sterility.

Fukushima begins 30-year odyssey in radiation health.

Fri, 5 Aug 2011 09:53:31 -0400

Researchers in Fukushima City, Japan are about to launch one of the most ambitious epidemiological studies ever attempted on the effects of low-dose radiation. The target population includes all of Fukushima Prefecture's 2-million-plus residents. Science [Subscription Required].

Senate Democrats confident they can keep anti-EPA bills at bay in fall.

Thu, 4 Aug 2011 09:41:48 -0400

When Congress returns in September from its monthlong recess, House Republicans say they will pick up where they left off in crafting and passing legislation to restrict U.S. EPA's air quality rules. New York Times.

How safe is your soil?

Thu, 4 Aug 2011 09:41:46 -0400

As backyard gardening and urban farming continues to explode in popularity, many may be ignorant of the fact that urban topsoil, particularly throughout the East Bay flatlands, contains a cocktail of heavy metal pollutants that can be consumed by humans and pets through contaminated plants and soil dust. Lead, in particular, is virtually ubiquitous. There's little consensus on what to do about it. East Bay Express, California.

Bill would ban fracking in New Jersey.

Wed, 3 Aug 2011 09:41:46 -0400

Until the film "Gasland" came along last year, public awareness of the fracking process was scant. Now there’s a bill on Gov. Chris Christie’s desk that would make New Jersey the first state to have a permanent fracking ban. Asbury Park Press, New Jersey.

Researchers to study spill's effect on women.

Tue, 2 Aug 2011 09:41:45 -0400

A new study aims to examine the Gulf oil spill’s potential health effects on wives, sisters and mothers. It’s the first long-term study to examine a major spill’s effects on pregnant women and women’s health, said the study’s lead researcher. Thibodaux Daily Comet, Louisiana.

Study links asthma to magnetic-field exposure of pregnant moms.

Mon, 1 Aug 2011 09:26:01 -0400

Can magnetic fields from power lines, computers and even common household appliances lead to health problems? A new study suggests that pregnant women with the highest levels of exposure to magnetic fields are more likely to have a child who develops asthma, compared to pregnant women with low exposure levels. Toronto Globe and Mail, Ontario.

C8 panel moving closer to key decisions.

Sun, 31 Jul 2011 09:26:00 -0400

More than six years after a landmark legal settlement, a panel of scientists is still another year away from determining if the DuPont chemical C8, also known as PFOA, makes people sick. But with three new reports issued last month, members of the three-person C8 Science Panel say they are getting closer to a conclusion. Charleston Gazette, West Virginia.

Dr. Michael Hendryx, measuring mining's toll on health.

Sun, 31 Jul 2011 09:26:00 -0400

After years of neglect, health complaints from coal country are finally being investigated, thanks largely to one man. And his startling findings about cancer, birth defects and more are striking a nerve. Living On Earth.

The new dirt on dry cleaners.

Sat, 30 Jul 2011 09:25:59 -0400

A shakeup is coming to an industry that has changed little for decades. Many dry cleaners will be required to find new solvents to replace a widely used cleaning agent called perchloroethylene, or perc, by 2020. As a result, businesses are using a growing array of new methods to clean garments. Wall Street Journal [Subscription Required].

Study: Researcher finds caffeine consumption, female infertility link .

Sat, 30 Jul 2011 13:16:01 -0400

Caffeine reduces muscle activity in the Fallopian tubes that carry eggs from a woman's ovaries to her womb. By studying tubes from mice, researchers discovered that caffeine stops the actions of specialized pacemaker cells in the wall of the tubes. British Journal of Pharmacology.

How to design a safer chemical.

Sat, 30 Jul 2011 09:25:59 -0400

When chemists design new detergents, shampoos, paints, and lubricants, they don't immediately consider whether their molecules will have toxic side-effects. That task has traditionally been left to toxicologists further down the production line. But chemists can take earlier responsibility for the safety of their molecules. Nature.

Oil industry pressures White House with new smog study.

Fri, 29 Jul 2011 09:26:01 -0400

The cost of cleaning up smog across the country would outstrip any benefits for public health, the American Petroleum Institute says in a report that is being taken to the White House to bolster the trade group's argument that President Obama should stop U.S. EPA from setting stricter limits on ground-level ozone. New York Times.

EPA considers new call for toxicity testing of BPA.

Wed, 27 Jul 2011 10:25:44 -0400

Turning up in and on everything from food to money, BPA's ubiquity is raising concerns. So the US Environmental Protection Agency has solicited public comments about whether to require new toxicity testing and environmental sampling of bisphenol A. Science News.

Water disinfectant turns medical compounds toxic.

Tue, 26 Jul 2011 10:25:45 -0400

A group of benign iodinated chemicals used for medical tests form highly toxic compounds when they go through drinking water disinfection, according to a new study. Health concerns of iodo-acids and iodo-trihalomethanes produced include adverse reproductive and developmental effects recently. Environmental Science & Technology.

Furniture linked to PBDE flame retardants in pregnant women.

Tue, 26 Jul 2011 10:25:44 -0400

A new study of pregnant immigrants living in California suggests that living with furniture containing flame retardants called PBDEs may lead to high blood levels of the chemicals. Environmental Science & Technology.

Conference: International Workshop on Endocrine Disruptors.

Wed, 27 Jul 2011 10:25:43 -0400

Sponsor: The Endocrine Society. Sept 7-9 2011. Montalbano Elicona, Sicily, Italy. The endocrine disruptors (EDs) or endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) impact on a variety of homeostatic systems from conception to the elderly, and their unwanted effects can be transmitted to each subsequent generation through epigenetic modifications of the gamete DNA. The Endocrine Society has attributed and continue to attribute the outmost importance on basic and clinical research in this field. The aim of this international workshop is to inform a wide category of stakeholders on the most recent data on the endocrine consequences of animal and human exposure to the EDs.

Halifax conference examines advances regarding mercury in environment.

Mon, 25 Jul 2011 15:11:23 -0400

More than 800 researchers from 48 countries have gathered in Halifax for a week-long conference to examine ways of limiting the effects of mercury on human health and the environment. Canadian Press.

EPA seeks to tighten ozone standards.

Mon, 25 Jul 2011 15:07:13 -0400

This week, the map of the United States lit up with orange warnings of high ozone levels. But recent science suggests that the levels of ground-level ozone in the air were even more harmful than those health advisories suggest. The EPA wants to tighten its ozone standards. Weekend Edition, NPR.

Study: Chronic perchlorate exposure causes morphological abnormalities in developing stickleback.

Mon, 25 Jul 2011 14:59:31 -0400

Few studies have examined the effects of chronic perchlorate exposure during growth and development, and fewer still have analyzed the effects of perchlorate over multiple generations. In this study, fish exposed to perchlorate displayed a variety of abnormalities, including slower growth rates, aberrant sexual development and poor survivorship. These conditions were absent when the offspring of contaminated fish were raised in untreated water, suggesting a lack of transgenerational effects. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry. 2011.

Study: Neurophysiologic and neurobehavioral evidence of beneficial effects of prenatal omega-3 fatty acid intake on memory function at school age.

Mon, 25 Jul 2011 14:35:30 -0400

The beneficial effects of prenatal and early postnatal intakes of omega-3 (n-3) polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) on cognitive development during infancy are well recognized. This study provides the first neurophysiologic and neurobehavioral evidence of long-term beneficial effects of n-3 PUFA intake in utero on memory function in school-age children. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

RFI: To Solicit Input on the Feasibility, Scope, and Design of a State Health Policy Database.

Sat, 23 Jul 2011 18:08:00 -0400

Sponsor: The NIH Common Fund’s Health Economics Program. Response Date: August 26, 2011. NIH is seeking input about developing a State Health Policy Database (SHPD) to support scientific research on key research questions in health economics and to facilitate applied health economics research on issues relating to health care reform. The SHPD is envisioned as a research tool that will document state-level policies in a manner that facilitates valid comparisons across states and over time.

NOT: Children's Environmental Health and Disease Prevention Research Centers (P01).

Sat, 23 Jul 2011 16:53:48 -0400

Sponsors: National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Environmental Protection Agency, National Institutes of Health. Expected publication: Fall 2011. Notice of Intent to Publish a Request for Applications: The NIEHS and the US EPA intend to renew an initiative by publishing a FOA to solicit applications for Children's Environmental Health and Disease Prevention Research Centers. The purpose of this program is to support a multidisciplinary program of applied and basic research along with an active community outreach translation effort to examine and translate the effects of early exposure to environmental hazards on children's health and wellbeing.

FOA: Translational Research in Pediatric and Obstetric Pharmacology (R01).

Sat, 23 Jul 2011 16:38:51 -0400

Sponsor: Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. Application Date: October 4, 2011. The purpose of this funding opportunity announcement (FOA) is to encourage applications for translational and clinical research as well as clinical trials that will advance our knowledge about the underlying mechanisms of drug action, response, and safety in children at various developmental stages, and/or in pregnant women and the developing fetus.

Mercury from power plants endangers our children.

Fri, 22 Jul 2011 11:01:58 -0400

In clinical practice, both physicians and nurses counsel childbearing families about the harmful effects of mercury on the developing baby. How is the baby exposed to mercury? Coal-fired power plants release a form of mercury into the air which falls into our waterways and is converted into methylmercury, a potent neurotoxin that can disrupt brain and nervous system development. Pittsburg Post Gazatte.

EPA finalizes guidance to limit mining impacts.

Fri, 22 Jul 2011 10:27:37 -0400

Despite strong pressure from the coal industry and its political allies, the Obama administration on Thursday finalized new guidance aimed at reducing the environmental and public health impacts of mountaintop removal mining in Appalachia. Charleston Gazette, West Virginia. http://wvgazette.com/News/201107210720

Why ARE young women hitting menopause?

Thu, 21 Jul 2011 10:27:36 -0400

Alarming new research last week suggests that as many as six per cent of women (or one in 16) experience premature menopause. The new study of 4,968 50-year-old women across the UK is the largest study of its kind. Possible links include smoking, chemicals called PFCs, stress, and poor diet. London Daily Mail, United Kingdom.

EU tightens rules on unsafe children's toys.

Thu, 21 Jul 2011 10:27:36 -0400

The European Union introduced tighter safety measures for children's toys on Wednesday, a measure that could hurt Chinese imports which make up 80 percent of all EU toy imports. The new rules specifically target toys that contain phthalates and flame retardants, linked to hormone disruption in children. Reuters.

Heavy metals detected in Kalamazoo river oil spill area.

Thu, 21 Jul 2011 10:27:35 -0400

Levels of heavy metals have increased in water samples being conducted along the Kalamazoo River and Talmadge Creek nearly a year after an oil pipeline ruptured in the area spewing an estimated one million gallons of oil into the waterways. Tar sands oil contain much higher levels of heavy metals than conventional crude. Michigan Messenger, Michigan.

New York Mayor Bloomberg gives $50 million to fight coal-fired power plants.

Thu, 21 Jul 2011 10:27:38 -0400

New York Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg will donate $50 million over four years to the Sierra Club's "Beyond Coal" campaign, swelling the organizations current $80 million budget. Washington Post [Registration Required].

Ohio leads list of top 20 states with toxic air.

Thu, 21 Jul 2011 10:13:09 -0400

People living in Ohio, Pennsylvania and Florida are most at risk in the United States from toxic emissions spewing from coal and oil-fired power plants, two leading American environmental groups said in a report on Wednesday. Reuters.

To dilute lead, add a bunch of fish bones.

Thu, 21 Jul 2011 10:13:08 -0400

Alaskan pollock is usually the faux stand-in for crab meat or the main ingredient in fast-food fish sandwiches. But now the flaky fish is moving into a new realm, as part of the solution to one of the nation’s longest-running toxic waste problems. New York Times [Registration Required].

Study: Researcher finds caffeine consumption, female infertility link.

Wed, 20 Jul 2011 16:38:53 -0400

Caffeine reduces muscle activity in the Fallopian tubes that carry eggs from ovaries to uterus. Researchers studied tubes from mice, and discovered that caffeine stops the actions of specialized pacemaker cells in the wall of the tubes. These cells coordinate tube contractions so that when they are inhibited, eggs can't move down the tubes. British Journal of Pharmacology.

Apology issued for coalfields birth defects statement.

Wed, 20 Jul 2011 10:13:07 -0400

Crowell & Moring, a law firm representing the National Mining Association, apologized for a statement indicating birth defects in the coalfields may be caused by in-breeding as opposed to mountaintop mining. Beckley Register-Herald, West Virginia.

DuPont is sued over new herbicide.

Wed, 20 Jul 2011 10:13:06 -0400

A Pennsylvania homeowner and an Indiana golf course company have filed a class-action lawsuit against DuPont charging that the chemical giant was either negligent or reckless in putting a new weedkiller on the market. New York Times [Registration Required].

Study: Passive smoking can damage the DNA of sperm.

Wed, 20 Jul 2011 10:13:06 -0400

Passive smoking may cause mutations in the DNA of sperm, according to a study in mice. The finding suggests that men exposed to second-hand smoke could pass on any resulting genetic abnormalities to their children. London Guardian, United Kingdom.

EPA backs away from lead dust testing renovation proposal.

Tue, 19 Jul 2011 10:13:05 -0400

U.S. EPA announced Friday that it decided against a proposed rule that would have required contractors to test dust to prove the absence of lead following renovations. Greenwire.

Triclosan: Is Bath & Body Works' new soap harmful to teens?

Tue, 19 Jul 2011 10:13:05 -0400

Health and environmental groups have mounted a campaign against Bath & Body Works, urging the retailer to stop selling its line of “Summertime Scent” soaps that contain triclosan, a chemical categorized as a pesticide. Los Angeles Times, California. [Registration Required].

Pollutants' role in birth defects becomes clearer.

Tue, 19 Jul 2011 10:13:04 -0400

Babies exposed to certain organic pollutants in the womb are at a highly increased risk of neural tube defects leading to conditions such as spina bifida, according to researchers in China. Neural tube defects arise very early in pregnancy and affect more than 320,000 infants worldwide every year. Nature.

E-waste not, want not.

Mon, 18 Jul 2011 10:13:04 -0400

E-waste is the fastest-growing recycling challenge, and not only is it plentiful, it is also toxic. The 140,000 tonnes of waste electronics that Canadians throw out every year contains 4,750 tonnes of lead, 4.5 tonnes of cadmium and 1.1 tonnes of mercury. Kingston Whig-Standard, Ontario.

Modernizing toxicity tests.

Mon, 18 Jul 2011 10:13:03 -0400

To reduce extensive animal testing and speed up safety evaluations, the EPA is moving to incorporate data from high-throughput-screening assays into its risk assessments. Toward that goal, they are considering an integrated approach to pesticide testing and assessment. Chemical & Engineering News.

Dirty trucks in ports targeted by federal program.

Sun, 17 Jul 2011 11:55:07 -0400

Starting with more than $3 million in federal funds, the University of Maryland and air-quality officials in four states are teaming up to offer subsidies and financial incentives to replace older short-haul trucks serving four mid-Atlantic ports — Baltimore, Philadelphia, Wilmington and Hampton Roads. Baltimore Sun, Maryland.

EPA concerned about mountaintop removal link to birth defects.

Sun, 17 Jul 2011 11:55:07 -0400

Federal environmental regulators are looking closely at a new scientific study that found Appalachian residents who live near mountaintop removal mine sites face an increased risk of birth defects. Charleston Gazette, West Virginia.

Newfoundland and Labrador joins provinces outlawing cosmetic pesticides on lawns.

Fri, 15 Jul 2011 11:55:08 -0400

Newfoundland and Labrador intends to join the growing ranks of provinces that have banned the sale and use of cosmetic pesticides on household lawns. Canadian Press.

State fracking rules could allow drilling near New York City water supply tunnels.

Fri, 15 Jul 2011 11:48:44 -0400

The latest draft of guidelines for hydraulic fracturing in New York could open the door to drilling within 1,000 feet of aging underground tunnels that carry water to New York City, a far cry from the seven-mile buffer once sought by city officials. ProPublica.

Study: Love Canal exposure, preterm birth and birth defects.

Fri, 15 Jul 2011 11:35:11 -0400

A new study of pregnancy records of women who lived in Love Canal before the community was evacuated three decades ago finds an increased risk for early birth while they lived there and a rise in birth defects in their sons well after the women moved. Fewer boys than girls were born before the moves, but more birth defects were seen in boys conceived and born after their mothers moved away.

African countries debate using DDT in anti-malaria efforts.

Thu, 14 Jul 2011 11:48:44 -0400

The chemical pesticide DDT has been banned by most countries for use in agriculture, but some continue to use it indoors to kill insects that carry malaria. Voice of America.

Tomblin says he hasn't looked at MTR birth-defect research.

Thu, 14 Jul 2011 11:35:10 -0400

Senate President Earl Ray Tomblin says he hasn't looked into new research that shows that babies born near Appalachian mountaintop removal sites have higher rates of birth defects. The overall rate of birth defects in mountaintop removal areas was 13 percent higher between 1996 and 1999. Charleston Gazette, West Virginia.

After styrene warning, concern about who's at risk.

Thu, 14 Jul 2011 11:35:11 -0400

Last month's health warning from the Department of Health and Human Services' National Toxicology Program has set off a bruising battle with the makers of styrene, a chemical compound derived from crude oil. Reuters.

Government agency vote means lower lead in toys.

Thu, 14 Jul 2011 11:30:43 -0400

The amount of lead allowed in toys and other children's products sold in the U.S. will soon be reduced to one of the lowest limits in the world. The move was praised by consumer advocates but denounced by critics worried about job losses and shuttered businesses. Associated Press.

Society Endorses EDC Bill to Strengthen NTP and NIEHS.

Wed, 13 Jul 2011 10:25:43 -0400

As part of its ongoing efforts to improve the regulation of endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs), The Endocrine Society has endorsed the Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals Exposure Elimination Act of 2011. Designed to strengthen the regulation of chemicals found to be endocrine disruptors, the bill calls for increased research on these chemicals by the NIEHS, and establishes a framework for regulatory response from Federal agencies.

U.S. House votes to end EPA water pollution oversight.

Wed, 13 Jul 2011 10:27:36 -0400

Fueled by coal industry complaints about the Obama administration's crackdown on mountaintop removal, legislation passed the U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday that would strip federal regulators of their authority to make state agencies properly police water pollution. Charleston Gazette, West Virginia.

Birth defects linked for first time to smoking in pregnancy.

Wed, 13 Jul 2011 11:30:42 -0400

Doctors are urging mothers-to-be to give up cigarettes after new research linked smoking in pregnancy to babies suffering birth defects such as clubfoot, missing limbs and deformed limbs. London Guardian, United Kingdom.

Report raises questions about EPA's 2008 perchlorate decision.

Wed, 13 Jul 2011 11:21:42 -0400

In a report released Tuesday, the U.S. Government Accountability Office concludes that the EPA deviated from its customary scientific analysis in reaching the decision not to regulate the drinking water contaminant. Los Angeles Times, California. [Registration Required].

House panel uses 2012 spending bill to restrict environmental rules.

Wed, 13 Jul 2011 11:21:42 -0400

House panel uses 2012 spending bill to restrict environmental rules. House Republicans pushed ahead Tuesday with a plan to use 2012 spending legislation to hamstring the Obama administration on greenhouse gas regulations, coal mining standards, clean-air rules and coal ash restrictions, among others. Dow Jones Newswires.

Fracking nation.

Wed, 13 Jul 2011 11:21:41 -0400

Fracking has already drawn considerable scrutiny for polluting pristine rivers, turning bucolic farmlands into noisy industrial zones, and leaking enough methane to make ordinary tap water as flammable as lighter fluid. Now scientists are concerned that fracking could contaminate groundwater with radioactive compounds such as uranium and strontium. Discover.

Study: Risk factors for autism remain elusive.

Tue, 12 Jul 2011 11:21:41 -0400

A new research review of 40 previous studies underscores the importance of continuing to study which environmental factors, whether before, during or after birth, may act in concert with genetics to cause autism. Reuters Health.

Metal water bottles may leach BPA.

Tue, 12 Jul 2011 11:21:41 -0400

Consumers who switched from polycarbonate-plastic water bottles to metal ones in hopes of avoiding the risk that bisphenol A will leach into their beverages aren’t necessarily any better off, a new study finds. Science News.

Toxic metals in 'clean' shop towels may pose a health risk to some workers.

Mon, 11 Jul 2011 11:21:40 -0400

A new study suggests that workers using laundered shop towels are in fact exposing themselves to high levels of lead, cadmium and other heavy metals. Huffington Post.

EPA funding cuts outlined by GOP.

Thu, 7 Jul 2011 16:16:16 -0400

House Republicans outlined a new round of spending cuts from environmental agencies Wednesday while denying President Barack Obama any increase for one of his top investment priorities: the National Science Foundation. Politico.

EPA sued over toxic waste dumps in California.

Thu, 7 Jul 2011 16:14:40 -0400

Central and Southern California community groups filed a complaint about toxic waste dumps with the Environmental Protection Agency 17 years ago and never received a response. Tired of waiting, they have filed a federal lawsuit. Los Angeles Times, California. [Registration Required].

Tough new clean-air rules will target drifting pollution.

Thu, 7 Jul 2011 16:14:41 -0400

Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa Jackson is expected to announce tough new regulations Thursday that seek to significantly reduce emissions from many coal-fired power plants. USA Today.

B.C. eyes ban on home use of pesticides.

Wed, 6 Jul 2011 16:08:18 -0400

The British Columbia government is working toward legislation that would ban home use of pesticides for cosmetic purposes, a practice that is linked to childhood leukemia and other cancers. Postmedia News.

EPA chief stands firm as tough rules loom.

Wed, 6 Jul 2011 16:08:17 -0400

In the next weeks and months, Lisa P. Jackson, the Environmental Protection Agency administrator, is scheduled to establish regulations on smog, mercury, carbon dioxide, mining waste and vehicle emissions that will affect every corner of the economy. New York Times [Registration Required].

Study: Environment more important than genetics in autism.

Tue, 5 Jul 2011 16:08:17 -0400

Environmental factors play a more important role in causing autism than previously assumed and, surprisingly, an even larger role than genetics, according to a new study out of UCSF and Stanford that could force a dramatic swing in the focus of research into the developmental disorder. San Francisco Chronicle, California.

Study: Prenatal exposure to BPA and adult obesity.

Tue, 5 Jul 2011 16:08:16 -0400

Prenatal exposure to low levels of BPA caused rats to become obese and unhealthy as adults, finds a new study. Pups exposed to a low dose through their mothers while in the womb and nursing - but fed a balanced diet as they grew - were fatter and had a suite of metabolic problems later in life when compared to unexposed rats.

Cardin leads fight over pesticides.

Mon, 4 Jul 2011 16:08:18 -0400

Sen. Benjamin L. Cardin, long applauded by local environmentalists as a defender of the Chesapeake Bay, is wading into the high-profile debate over the federal regulation of pesticides, a move that puts him at odds with some fellow Democrats but that could raise his national profile on environmental issues. Baltimore Sun, Maryland.

Virtual human tissue could help toxicology testing.

Sun, 3 Jul 2011 15:56:16 -0400

Forget virtual reality - the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is building virtual human organs. The EPA's "virtual tissue" researchers hope that one day computer simulations may be able to identify the risks posed by common industrial pollutants such as pesticides without testing them on animals. Myrtle Beach Sun News, South Carolina.

EPA to unveil rules for cutting smog from coal plants.

Sat, 2 Jul 2011 15:56:16 -0400

This Fourth of July holiday weekend, Gina McCarthy will be contemplating smog and soot. She will be dotting the i's and crossing the final t's in preparation for a midweek lifting of the curtain on the Environmental Protection Agency's long-awaited rule designed to protect downwind states from upwind pollution. Solve Climate News.

River too dirty to host oysters.

Sat, 2 Jul 2011 15:56:16 -0400

The Hackensack River is still so heavily polluted with PCBs, dioxins and other contaminants that oysters placed in the water to help filter out contamination have either died or become deformed. The contaminants are suspected of disrupting the oysters' endocrine systems. Bergen County Record, New Jersey.

Toxins in Great Lakes fish.

Fri, 1 Jul 2011 15:56:15 -0400

A few weeks ago, Joe Bohr got a surprise. He's a researcher for the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality. He was looking at some numbers for PCB contamination in carp caught in canals in St. Clair Shores. He found concentrations 50 times higher than normal. Environment Report.

Budgets cripple tests for mercury.

Fri, 1 Jul 2011 15:56:15 -0400

South Carolinians who eat fish from the state's waterways will not learn if they have elevated mercury because health officials have given up on a proposed major statewide campaign to reduce the amount of mercury in the environment and determine the extent of health risk. Charleston Post and Courier, South Carolina.

Fukushima children test positive for internal radiation exposure.

Fri, 1 Jul 2011 15:56:15 -0400

Trace amounts of radioactive substances have been found in urine samples taken from children from Fukushima city, raising concerns that residents have been exposed internally to radiation from the stricken nuclear power plant 37 miles away. London Guardian, United Kingdom.

Study: Taking prenatal vitamins around conception could decrease the risk of autism.

Thu, 30 Jun 2011 15:56:14 -0400

Taking prenatal vitamins around the time of conception decreased the risk of autism in the children by almost half, finds a study of mom/child pairs from California. Mothers with specific genetic variants that hinder the breakdown of nutrients important to early brain development - like folate - were further at risk if they didn't take prenatal vitamins.

Baltimore homeowners' concern about lead gets slow response.

Wed, 29 Jun 2011 15:56:17 -0400

The failure of authorities to investigate residents' complaints about lead contamination in their neighborhood demonstrates a breakdown at every level of government in the enforcement of laws and regulations meant to protect the public from the hazards of lead-based paint. Baltimore Sun, Maryland.

Surprising causes of male infertility.

Tue, 28 Jun 2011 10:05:21 -0400

On average, the typical man makes about 1,000 sperm every heartbeat. Yet a number of lifestyle choices, environmental factors and chance events can sabotage the sperm. Wall Street Journal [Subscription Required].

Plasticizer-tainted foodstuffs found in shipments to Europe.

Tue, 28 Jun 2011 10:05:21 -0400

The EU has confirmed that Taiwanese food products contaminated by phthalates, industrial plasticizers, have been shipped to Europe. However, the problem in Europe is no worse than in Canada, the US, China or Malaysia, a spokesman for the European Commission on Health and Consumer Policy said. Taipei Times, Taiwan.

Colorado OKs radioactive sludge dumping near Denver water supply.

Tue, 28 Jun 2011 10:03:45 -0400

State health officials are letting Cotter Corp. dump 90,000 gallons of radioactive sludge and solvents from its uranium mill into an impoundment pond the agency knows to be leaking. The site is near the water supply for the city of Denver. Denver Post, Colorado.

For Sen. Lautenberg, crusade to reform chemical regulations is personal.

Tue, 28 Jun 2011 10:01:49 -0400

You might say Sen. Frank Lautenberg wants to be the grandfather of chemical regulation. Like most grandfathers, Lautenberg is particularly concerned with children's health. His eyes light up when asked about how chemicals in the environment or in day-to-day products may pose risks to children. Greenwire.

Latin American banana labourers file pesticide exposure claims.

Tue, 28 Jun 2011 10:01:48 -0400

A 25-year battle by Latin American banana labourers to win compensation from companies including British-Dutch oil giant Shell for exposure to a pesticide which they claim left them sterile and crippled by ill health is set to finally come to a close after dozens of workers filed damages claims. London Independent, United Kingdom.

Study: BPA makes male mice less masculine.

Tue, 28 Jun 2011 10:01:48 -0400

Bisphenol A, a chemical used to produce baby bottles, cups and plastic packaging may cause male mice to act like females, a new study finds. The male mice also appeared to lose their ability to attract females. PBS NewsHour.

Fukushima gives radiation meters to pregnant women and children.

Mon, 27 Jun 2011 10:57:50 -0400

About 300,000 children and pregnant women in Fukushima Prefecture will get dosimeters to monitor their exposure to radiation spewed from the hobbled Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant. Asahi Shimbun, Japan.

California's new pesticide plan sparks protest.

Sat, 25 Jun 2011 10:57:26 -0400

Twenty-five environmental and pubic health groups asked Gov. Jerry Brown on Friday to abandon the state's new plan for eradicating agricultural pests and explore a less toxic approach, such as crop rotation or planting neighboring crops that deter insects. Los Angeles Times, California. [Registration Required].

Launch of Bill to Modernize 1938 Regulations that Allow Harmful Chemicals in Shampoos, Cosmetics.

Fri, 24 Jun 2011 23:31:39 -0400

Rep. Jan Schakowsky, D-Ill., joined by Rep. Ed Markey, D-Mass., and Rep. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wisc., introduced the Safe Cosmetics Act of 2011 (H.R.2359), which would give the Food and Drug Administration authority to ensure that personal care products such as shampoo and cosmetics are free of harmful ingredients. The bill aims to phase out ingredients linked to cancer, birth defects and developmental harm, close labeling loopholes by requiring full ingredient disclosure, and provide additional occupational protections.

Webinar: Is it in you? BPA and phthalates in food packaging.

Fri, 24 Jun 2011 17:58:30 -0400

Thursday, June 30, 2011.12 p.m. EDT/ 11 a.m. CDT/ 9 a.m. PDT. Sponsor: Healthy Food Action.BPA and phthalates in food packaging: Reducing dietary exposures. This webinar will will bring together experts on food exposure to BPA and DEHP and chemical policy reform, to equip health professionals with information on how to reduce environmental exposures.

Dr. David Wallinga on Prenatal Pesticide Exposure.

Fri, 24 Jun 2011 17:58:29 -0400

In a MinnPost interview, Dr. David Wallinga comments on prenatal pesticide exposure and brain development, and what parents can do to minimize their children’s exposure.

Perinatal Prevention of Childhood Cancers.

Fri, 24 Jun 2011 09:17:00 -0400

There is a strong body of epidemiological evidence that pesticide exposure in early life, including the fetal period, is associated with adverse child health outcomes, with the evidence for early life pesticide exposures and childhood cancer particularly robust. Surprisingly, there are not public health communications, either from governmental or non-profit agencies, about the associations between perinatal pesticides exposures and risk of childhood cancers.

Physicians Adopt Public Safety Policies at AMA Meeting.

Fri, 24 Jun 2011 17:24:12 -0400

The American Medical Association (AMA) considered the public health implications of bisphenol A (BPA) and mercury emissions at the 2011 Annual Meeting held in Chicago this week. The AMA adopted a policy urging that BPA-containing products be clearly labeled if there is a potential for human exposure. The AMA also adopted a policy that supports the EPA's national mercury emissions standards for cement kilns

Homeowners' wells tainted by banned insecticide.

Wed, 22 Jun 2011 09:13:43 -0400

Decades after it was banned in the United States as a cancer risk, an insecticide called dieldrin has been discovered in 108 private wells in Central Florida, making the water unsafe to drink. Orlando Sentinel, Florida. [Registration Required].

Study: Birth defect rates higher in mountaintop removal areas.

Wed, 22 Jun 2011 09:13:42 -0400

Researchers found "significantly higher" rates of birth defects in areas with mountaintop removal mines than in non-mining regions in central Appalachia, according to a study released Tuesday. Charleston Gazette, West Virginia.

Scientists warn that chemicals may be altering breast development.

Wed, 22 Jun 2011 09:13:44 -0400

Exposure to chemicals early in life may alter how breast tissue develops and raise the risks of breast cancer and lactation problems later in life, scientists concluded in a set of reports published Wednesday. Environmental Health News.

NIH Notice: Extramural Loan Repayment Program for Contraception and Infertility Researchers (LRP-CIR (NOT-OD-11-088) ).

Tue, 21 Jun 2011 16:58:11 -0400

Applications accepted September 1-November 15, annually. Issued by: National Institutes of Health, Office of Extramural Programs Division of Loan Repayment, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. Extramural LRPs provide for the repayment of educational loan debt of up to $35,000 annually for qualified health professionals performing research within the mission of NIH at domestic, non-profit, or government entities.

Lead-tainted jewelry persists at Burlington Coat Factory, Styles For Less.

Tue, 21 Jun 2011 09:04:05 -0400

This month, the attorney general cited Burlington Coat Factory for 23 necklaces whose clasps contained illegal levels of lead, as much as 88 percent in one case. It also cited Styles for Less for selling four necklaces with excess lead. California Watch.

Childhood autism spikes in geek heartlands.

Fri, 1 Jul 2011 15:56:15 -0400

Childhood autism is two to four times as common in Eindhoven, the centre of the Dutch information technology industry, as it is in two comparably sized Dutch cities with far fewer IT employees. New Scientist.

Food scandals in Taiwan: Plastic unfantastic.

Tue, 21 Jun 2011 09:04:05 -0400

Taiwan's biggest-ever food scare began when inspectors testing various drinks last month detected dangerous levels of industrial plasticisers. Since then, the crisis has gone international, as countries have withdrawn Taiwanese products from supermarket shelves. Some are wondering how the government can live the scandal down. Economist.

75 percent of nuke sites have leaked tritium.

Tue, 21 Jun 2011 09:04:05 -0400

Radioactive tritium has leaked from three-quarters of U.S. commercial nuclear power sites, often into groundwater from corroded, buried piping, an Associated Press investigation shows. Associated Press.

Cause & defect: Docs see links, but state officials say it costs too much to investigate.

Mon, 20 Jun 2011 14:33:12 -0400

Many of Dr. Susan Davidson's patients whose babies have gastroschisis, a birth defect in which the intestines grow outside of the body, come from small, agricultural towns and she wonders if the cases are linked to the herbicide atrazine. Madison Wisconsin State Journal, Wisconsin.

Study: Maternal diet linked to epigentic changes, greater body fat in children.

Mon, 20 Jun 2011 14:33:11 -0400

What a woman eats when she is pregnant can influence her child's genetics in ways that have long-lasting effects on their weight, finds research published in the journal Diabetes. This is the first study to show that maternal diet is linked to epigenetic changes in people and that these changes are related to body fat in children years later.

Atrazine link? Doctor sees 'ominous trends,' but no proof.

Sun, 19 Jun 2011 14:33:10 -0400

Gastroschisis, a birth defect in which the intestines grow outside the body, is more common among babies conceived in the spring when the levels of the herbicide atrazine in water are highest, researchers from Indiana reported. Madison Wisconsin State Journal, Wisconsin.

New pressure on U.S. EPA to delay final mercury rule.

Fri, 17 Jun 2011 14:33:10 -0400

A proposed rule to limit mercury from coal-fired power plants took center stage at a divisive Congressional hearing this week. Solve Climate News.

Danish sperm counts spark data dispute.

Sat, 18 Jun 2011 14:33:09 -0400

Last week, in what its editor acknowledges was an unusual move, the journal Epidemiology published a commentary and an editorial on new sperm count data that had not been submitted to it, nor had they been published elsewhere by the researchers who collected them. Science [Subscription Required]

Concern grows over plasticizers used in medicines.

Fri, 17 Jun 2011 14:33:08 -0400

Contamination from harmful plasticizers appears to be spreading from food into China's pharmaceutical industry. The State Food and Drug Administration confirmed Wednesday that three kinds of plasticizers, DMP, DEP and DBP, are legally recognized in China's 2010 Pharmacopoeia as inert in drug production and therefore safe. China Daily

Study: Surgery may address PCOS-related infertility in obese women.

Thu, 16 Jun 2011 11:06:43 -0400

Bariatric surgery may help reverse infertility in morbidly obese women with polycystic ovarian syndrome, a study presented at the annual meeting of the American Society for Metabolic & Bariatric Surgery suggests. Experts said six obese PCOS patients diagnosed with infertility were able to conceive three years after having the weight-loss procedure. HealthDay News.

Prenatal pesticide exposure tied to birth size.

Wed, 15 Jun 2011 12:43:05 -0400

Exposure to even moderate amounts of certain pesticides during pregnancy may affect infants' birth size, a new study suggests. Reuters.

FOA: Male Reproductive Health Research (MRHR) Career Development Program [K12].

Tue, 14 Jun 2011 09:17:01 -0400

Application Due Date: November 14, 2011.The purpose of this Funding Opportunity Announcement is to increase the clinical research capacity among practitioners in the area of male reproductive biology and promote the translation of basic science advances to clinical practice. The MRHR program will accomplish this through a mentored program, bridging clinical training with research independence. The intent is to stimulate clinical research in male reproductive health and bring a more holistic approach to fertility regulation in clinical practice in which the male is an equal partner.

150 chemicals are no longer incognito.

Tue, 14 Jun 2011 12:43:05 -0400

This month the EPA made public the names of 150 chemicals that were investigated in health and safety studies but whose identities were withheld as confidential business information. Included on the list are several components of Corexit, a dispersant used to break down oil from the Deepwater Horizon spill last year in the Gulf of Mexico. New York Times [Registration Required].

Experts warn against PVC plastic wrap.

Mon, 13 Jun 2011 12:43:04 -0400

Chemical experts yesterday urged the public not to use plastic wrap made with polyvinyl chloride, because oily or hot foods wrapped in that material could absorb potentially harmful plasticizer chemicals. Taipei Times, Taiwan.

Utah researcher says autism-pollution link needs serious study.

Mon, 13 Jun 2011 12:24:05 -0400

Could Utah’s high autism rates be related to Salt Lake County’s large number of toxic chemical releases? Researchers say the question deserves more study after their preliminary review shows children with autism spectrum disorders and other intellectual disabilities are more likely to have been born near industries that emit toxic chemicals or heavy metals. Salt Lake Tribune, Utah.

Apples top list of produce contaminated with pesticides.

Sun, 12 Jun 2011 12:43:04 -0400

Apples are at the top of the list of produce most contaminated with pesticides in a report published today by the Environmental Working Group, a public health advocacy group. USA Today.

Hundreds poisoned by lead in east China.

Sun, 12 Jun 2011 12:24:04 -0400

More than 600 people, including 103 children, have been found to be suffering from lead poisoning in east China's Zhejiang Province, according to local health authorities. 26 adults and 103 children are suffering from severe lead poisoning. Xinhua News Agency, China.

Victims of plasticizer-tainted food encouraged to seek compensation.

Sat, 11 Jun 2011 12:24:04 -0400

According to statistics from the Cabinet-level Consumer Protection Commission (CPC), since the announcement that the phthalate DEHP had been discovered in food products in Taiwan on May 23, consumer protection officials around the country have as of Saturday handled 250 cases of complaints related to the largest food contamination scandal that has ever hit Taiwan. Central News Agency, Taiwan.

A new, little known measure of a man.

Thu, 9 Jun 2011 12:24:03 -0400

"Darling, did the doctor measure your anal-scrotal length?" Windsor Star, Ontario.

EPA agrees to reveal secret identities of potentially risky chemicals.

Thu, 9 Jun 2011 12:24:03 -0400

The Environmental Protection Agency today made public the names of more than 150 chemicals whose identities in health and safety studies had been kept confidential, a move cheered by environmental advocates as a meaningful step towards greater openness. Center for Public Integrity .

Unraveling the microbiome.

Wed, 8 Jun 2011 12:24:02 -0400

Scientists are showing that exposure to chemicals can affect the composition and function of the human microbiome- the microorganisms and their genes living in and on the human body. Chemical & Engineering News.

Study: BPA chemical exposure is underestimated.

Tue, 7 Jun 2011 12:24:02 -0400

Exposure to the hormone-disrupting chemical bisphenol A has been underestimated, because prior lab tests have looked at single exposures rather than daily diets, the University of Missouri reports. USA Today.

Renewing the debate on sperm count trends.

Tue, 7 Jun 2011 12:24:01 -0400

It is one of the most fraught topics in environmental health. Are men becoming less fertile, with declining sperm counts and diminishing sperm quality? If so, sperm might be an early warning sign of environmental dangers. But now, 15 years of data from Denmark show no decline in sperm counts, after all. New York Times [Registration Required].

Study: Fetal Exposure to BPA Changes Development of Uterus in Primates.

Tue, 7 Jun 2011 12:48:53 -0400

Unpublished data from NIEHS presented at the Endocrine Society meeting suggests that exposure in the womb to bisphenol A (BPA), a chemical widely used in the food and medical industries, causes changes in female primates' uterus development, new research suggests. ScienceDaily.

AFA blog: Perfluorochemicals- If it doesn't stick to the pan, what does it do in our bodies?

Tue, 7 Jun 2011 15:43:32 -0400

Studies in recent years have found relationships between chemicals in our homes and environment and the ability of a couple to conceive. Chemicals that alter the action of natural hormones in our bodies are known as hormone disruptors, or endocrine disrupting compounds. Some experts are taking a new look at familiar products found in our homes, and asking: can the clothes we wear, the food we eat and the pans we cook in affect fertility?

Study: BPA chemical exposure is underestimated.

Tue, 7 Jun 2011 09:04:03 -0400

Some workers in Canada overexposed to radiation.

Mon, 6 Jun 2011 15:39:24 -0400

Canadian government data shows doses above safe limits. Some medical specialists and other workers have been overexposed to radiation, a few getting doses high enough to change their blood chemistry and even cause radiation sickness. Canadian Press.

BPA is indispensible for making plastics.

Mon, 6 Jun 2011 15:38:39 -0400

Polymer producers are in a pickle. Bisphenol A is a versatile and valuable chemical building block that makers of high-performance plastics don't want to give up. But BPA is under intense scientific scrutiny for being an endocrine disrupter, and consumers are pressuring companies to find alternatives. Chemical & Engineering News.

The new boys' health scare.

Mon, 6 Jun 2011 15:37:43 -0400

Male infertility appears to be on the rise, and studies suggest that more boys are being born with genital malformations. Could chemicals in our air, our homes, and even our kitchens be to blame? Redbook.

Debating BPA’s toxicity.

Mon, 6 Jun 2011 15:36:26 -0400

Given mounting knowledge of bisphenol A’s estrogen-mimicking properties and possible toxic effects, decisions have to be made on whether it should continue to be freely used, restricted for some uses, or banned completely. There are no simple answers. Chemical & Engineering News.

Philippine FDA monitors food products from Taiwan for DEHP.

Sun, 5 Jun 2011 15:35:58 -0400

Philippine authorities are now monitoring some food products from Taiwan that may contain a DEHP, a phthalate that may have potential harmful effects on health. GMA News, Philippines.

Food additive scare: Nationwide store inspections begin.

Sun, 5 Jun 2011 15:33:29 -0400

In Taiwan, a nationwide inspection of five categories of food and beverages in stores was launched yesterday, the first day companies were required by the Department of Health to present certificates showing that their products were free of six prohibited chemicals, including the phthalate DEHP. Taipei Times, Taiwan.

Female fish develop "testes" in Gulf dead zone.

Sat, 4 Jun 2011 15:32:44 -0400

A low-oxygen "dead zone" in the Gulf of Mexico is causing sexual deformities in fish, a new study says. Between 2006 and 2007, nearly a quarter of female Atlantic croaker fish caught in the northern Gulf's dead zone had developed deformed, testes-like organs instead of ovaries. National Geographic News.

Phthalate tracked to bakeries as scandal escalates.

Sat, 4 Jun 2011 15:31:30 -0400

The biggest food contamination scandal to ever hit Taiwan further escalated Saturday when health authorities found the toxic plasticizers -- the phthalate, DEHP -- at the center of the crisis in products at nearly 30 bakeries and food ingredient stores. Central News Agency, Taiwan.

RFI: Input on Strategies to Encourage Broad Dating Sharing in Environmental Health Sciences Research (NOT-ES-11-009).

Fri, 3 Jun 2011 09:17:02 -0400

Response Due: July 15, 2011. The NIEHS is seeking input on ways to encourage broader data sharing among researchers in the field of environmental health sciences who are conducting clinical or epidemiologic studies. Input is being sought from the environmental health science extramural research community and other interested stakeholders. Information is requested regarding additional perspectives on what, if any, unique considerations exist for sharing of data in studies collecting environmental exposure information, what are the primary characteristics of successful data sharing resources and strategies in use currently by researchers, what are the barriers to broad sharing of data and what additional resources and tools are needed to promote timelier, more efficient sharing of environmental health science data.

FOA: Environmental Health Disparities Research (P20).

Thu, 2 Jun 2011 09:38:12 -0400

Application Due Date: August 3, 2011. The National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD) announces the availability of funds for environmental health disparities research projects in U.S. communities. This perspective includes the social, psychosocial, economic, physical, chemical and biological determinants that may contribute to disproportionately high and adverse human health or environmental impacts on the various populations in the U.S.

Millions fewer girls born due to nuclear radiation?

Fri, 3 Jun 2011 15:29:12 -0400

Nuclear radiation from bomb tests and power plant accidents causes slightly more boys than girls to be born, a new study suggests. While effects were seen to be regional for incidents on the ground, like Chernobyl, atmospheric blasts were found to affect birth rates on a global scale. National Geographic News.

Louisiana Senate panel OKs ban on Gulf oil spill dispersants.

Sat, 11 Jun 2011 12:24:04 -0400

Supreme Court won't consider industry challenge of EPA carbofuran ban.

Wed, 1 Jun 2011 15:28:04 -0400

The U.S. Supreme Court decided today not to take up the question of whether U.S. EPA followed the correct procedure in effectively banning a pesticide that had been in use for years. Greenwire.

USDA testing finds 30-plus unapproved pesticides on the herb cilantro

Wed, 1 Jun 2011 15:25:50 -0400

Just in time for the cookout season, some unsettling news arrives for guacamole and salsa lovers: Federal testing turned up a wide array of unapproved pesticides on the herb cilantro to an extent that surprises and concerns government scientists. Chicago Tribune, Illinois.

Study: Levels of persistent organic pollutant and their predictors among young adults.

Wed, 1 Jun 2011 15:23:42 -0400

Decades after fish and wildlife advisories went into effect, industrial pollutants found in the blood of Native American youth and young adults show that the younger generation is still at risk from long-banned contaminants. Teenagers from the Akwesasne Mohawk Nation in New York state had PCB concentrations twice the national average, when compared to a US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention national survey. Chemosphere.

Sleep loss dramatically lowers testosterone in healthy young men.

Wed, 1 Jun 2011 12:56:27 -0400

Cutting back on sleep drastically reduces a healthy young man's testosterone levels, according to a study published in the June 1 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). ScienceDaily.

Study: Sperm quality + Vitamin D/

Fri, 27 May 2011 13:01:48 -0400

Vitamin D could play a key role in improving male reproductive health, according to a new study from researchers at the University of Copenhagen. The study, conducted in 300 normal men, showed a positive correlation between the percentage of motile sperm and serum vitamin D levels.

Study: Occupational exposure to DEHP and semen quality.

Tue, 31 May 2011 21:18:29 -0400

Researchers examined the association between semen quality in workers and the concentration of di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate in polyvinyl chloride pellet plant air. This is the first study to demonstrate a link between DEHP concentration in ambient air and the adverse effects in sperm motility and chromatin DNA integrity.

Webinar: Food, hormones, and patient health.

Tue, 31 May 2011 21:18:28 -0400

Monday, June 6, 2011 11:00 Pacific/2:00 Eastern
Sponsor: Healthy Food, Healthy Farms Webinar Series Patients are exposed to hormone disruptors in large part via a contaminated food chain. Food contaminants include certain pesticides, PCBs and dioxins, arsenic, steroid hormones, and compounds like bisphenol A, originating from food packaging. Dr. Joanne Perron from the UCSF Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment (PRHE) will review the cutting-edge science driving the work of its Food Matters project. Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments (ANHE) leader Kathy Curtis, policy director of Clean New York, will discuss how reforms to federal policies could help keep hormone disruptors out of the food supply. The American Nurses Association's Holly Carpenter, R.N., B.S.N., will present the 'Principles of a Healthy, Sustainable Food System,' prepared by the Food Systems and Public Health Conference Work Team funded by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. CNE credits available.

Phthalates face murky future.

Mon, 30 May 2011 21:18:28 -0400

The perception, right or wrong, that some phthalates could have reproductive toxicity in humans has led to reduced use in the U.S. and Europe. And the planned European Union phaseout of three phthalates could be the death knell for these products. Chemical & Engineering News.

GE to begin dredging 40-mile stretch of Hudson River to remove PCBs.

Mon, 30 May 2011 21:18:27 -0400

A fleet of barges and tugs will hit the upper Hudson River soon to begin the main phase of a massive, multi-year dredging designed to finally rid the river of its most infamous pollutant. This will be one of the largest and most complex federal Superfund projects ever. Associated Press,

Mercury, PCBs widespread in sport fish in California's urban coastal waters.

Sun, 29 May 2011 21:18:26 -0400

Traces of mercury and PCBs are widespread in sport fish in California's urban coastal waters, a survey found. But 19% of the coastline sampled had fish with mercury in such high concentrations that they shouldn't be eaten by young women and children. Los Angeles Times, California. [Registration Required]

EPA seeks comment on national standard for mercury pollution from power plants.

Wed, 25 May 2011 13:58:50 -0400

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) held public hearings on May 24 and 26, 2011, on the proposed mercury and air toxics standards. EPA will accept written comments on the proposed standards until July 5, 2011.

On International Nurses Day, Health Care Without Harm salutes nurses.

Wed, 25 May 2011 13:54:52 -0400

Nurses serve their communities in different ways. The most familiar one is working in a health care facility. But in recent years nurses have rediscovered their profession's traditional environmental health roots.

Seminar: Advocating for Environmental and Human Health.

Wed, 25 May 2011 13:53:24 -0400

Thursday June 2, 2011, 12:30 - 1:20 p.m. Seattle, Washington. Sponsor: University of Washington Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences.The speaker will be Kim Coble, MSPH, Maryland Executive Director of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation.

New Practice Prevention column on PAH.

Wed, 25 May 2011 13:50:29 -0400

CHE has published a new column on polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) on the ICEH website. Available in both English and Spanish, this column provides information on the health effects of PAHs and how to avoid exposures.

Clergy, doctors, industry debate new mercury rules at EPA hearing.

Wed, 25 May 2011 13:07:40 -0400

Rabbi Daniel Swartz leaned toward the microphone at Tuesday's hearing on proposed federal rules to limit mercury emissions from coal-fired power plants. By allowing emissions to continue, "we have, in effect subsidized the poisoning of fetuses and children," he said. Philadelphia Inquirer, Pennsylvania. [Registration Required].

Stricter national limits on mercury pollution from power plants.

Tue, 24 May 2011 13:08:44 -0400

Mercury pollution from coal-fired power plants is declining nationally after years of increases, prompted by laws in Illinois and more than a dozen other states that for the first time limited emissions of the toxic metal. Chicago Tribune, Illinois.

PA: Environmental Chemical Exposures in the Development of Obesity, Type 2 Diabetes and Metabolic Syndrome (R01).

Mon, 23 May 2011 14:54:47 -0400

The Program Announcement, issued by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), encourages grant applications to understand the role of environmental chemical exposures in the development of obesity, type 2 diabetes and/or metabolic syndrome. Applications must link an environmental exposure to the increased incidence of weight gain, glucose tolerance/insulin sensitivity and aspects of metabolic syndrome in animal models or human studies. It is anticipated that the most sensitive time for exposures to affect the disease outcomes will be during development e.g. in utero and/or neonatal or early childhood. Application due by: May 23, 2012.

RFA: Global Network for Women’s and Children’s Health Research.

Mon, 23 May 2011 14:53:33 -0400

The purpose of this solicitation is to recompete the Global Network for Women’s and Children’s Health Research. The NICHD invites applications from investigators willing to participate under a cooperative agreement in an ongoing multicenter international research network designed to perform randomized clinical trials and intervention studies focused on reducing the major risks to maternal, neonatal, infant, and early childhood health in the low and lower-middle income countries. Letter of intent due by: July 11, 2011.

In utero exposure to bisphenol-A and its effect on birth weight of offspring.

Mon, 23 May 2011 14:36:37 -0400

A dose-response relationship was observed with increased BPA exposure levels in pregnancy associated with greater magnitude of decrease of birth weight in offspring. Reproductive Toxicology.

The peril of plastic.

Mon, 23 May 2011 13:08:41 -0400

The millions of tons of plastic trash that somehow ends up in oceans around the world every year has formed a virtually indestructible mass. Many scientists believe plastic pollution is one of the major issues, along with climate change, facing the planet. New York Times [Registration Required].

Developmental disabilities inching up in U.S. kids.

Mon, 23 May 2011 13:03:21 -0400

The number of U.S. children with developmental disabilities has been climbing over the past decade, reaching nearly one in six in 2006 to 2008, a new government report shows. Reuters.

Military probes Agent Orange claims.

Mon, 23 May 2011 13:02:34 -0400

The U.S. military said Monday that an initial investigation into claims that it buried Agent Orange on a base in central South Korea in 1978 determined that some dangerous chemicals were buried there around that time but removed in 1979 and 1980. Wall Street Journal [Subscription Required]

EPA blocking innovation, S.C. Johnson charges.

Sun, 22 May 2011 12:53:04 -0400

Saying innovation is being stifled and research costs are being unnecessarily increased, S.C. Johnson & Son Inc. wants the Environmental Protection Agency to ease its rules on protecting human subjects in pesticide research for developing insect repellent.. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Wisconsin.

Did chemicals at Fort Detrick contaminate water, soil?

Sat, 21 May 2011 12:51:38 -0400

For years, Rosemary Gruden was worried whether the water from her well and the soil in her garden are safe. She feared they were contaminated by chemical runoff. The Grudens live one mile from Fort Detrick where ABC7 has been investigating alleged spraying of Agent Orange. Arlington WJLA TV, District of Columbia.

Residential spray ban may be coming.

Sat, 21 May 2011 12:49:34 -0400

Manitoba could soon join nearly every other province and ban cosmetic pesticides, the chemicals in sprays like WeedEx and RoundUp that keep lawns perfect by zapping weeds and bugs. Winnipeg Free Press, Manitoba.

Should flame-retardant chemicals be banned?

Sat, 21 May 2011 12:43:20 -0400

The effectiveness of flame retardants on saving lives is hard to tease out, as their use overlaps with other initiatives such as smoke alarms and also with a decline in smoking - a major cause of household fires. Another question is whether such flame retardants need to be in baby products. Nature.

GM food toxins found in the blood of 93% of unborn babies.

Fri, 20 May 2011 12:42:38 -0400

Toxins implanted into GM food crops to kill pests are reaching the bloodstreams of women and unborn babies, alarming research has revealed. London Daily Mail, United Kingdom.

New cumulative impacts project & website.

Thu, 19 May 2011 10:55:17 -0400

CHE and SEHN have officially launched a new website focused on cumulative impacts. The goal of this joint project is to collect the latest science, emerging best practices, analytical tools, and legal shifts that can reduce cumulative harm to the planet, communities, and people.

West Virginia Judge blasts C8 Science Panel.

Thu, 19 May 2011 12:36:45 -0400

A Wood County judge on Wednesday strongly criticized a panel of scientists he said are taking too long to decide if there is a "probable link" between any human illnesses and the DuPont Co. chemical C8 (perfluorooctanoic acid, or PFOA). Charleston Gazette, West Virginia.

Poisonings prompt China to crack down on toxic metal polluters.

Thu, 19 May 2011 12:34:50 -0400

China is cracking down on emissions of lead and other heavy metals following a spate of poisoning cases and reports that much of the country's soil is contaminated with toxic materials. Associated Press.

Study: Cell phone use may reduce male fertility.

Thu, 19 May 2011 11:09:03 -0400

Men who have been diagnosed with poor sperm quality and who are trying to have children should limit their cell phone use, a new study suggests. Researchers in Austria and Canada have found that while cell phone use appears to increase the level of testosterone circulating in the body, it may also lead to low sperm quality and a decrease in fertility.

Cumulative impacts project and website launched.

Thu, 19 May 2011 13:18:20 -0400

CHE and SEHN have launched a new national project is addressing the problem of cumulative impacts, which cuts across ecosystem health, individual health, and environmental justice in communities. Emerging solutions represent the future of environmental policy.

Uganda weighs costs of DDT in insecticide.

Thu, 19 May 2011 12:30:26 -0400

DDT is saving lives in Uganda by killing mosquitoes and preventing malaria. But at the same time it is undermining one promising sector of Uganda's economy, organic agriculture. An American-owned company had 50,000 certified organic farmers in an area now affected by spraying. New York Times [Registration Required]

Job opening: ARHP Washington, DC.

Wed, 18 May 2011 14:38:43 -0400

The Association of Reproductive Health Professionals is seeking an experienced, enthusiastic, flexible, and organized Development Manager.

Scientists cast doubt on TSA tests of full-body scanners.

Tue, 17 May 2011 12:29:33 -0400

The Transportation Security Administration says its full-body X-ray scanners are safe and that radiation from a scan is equivalent to what's received in about two minutes of flying. But some scientists with expertise in imaging and cancer say the evidence made public to support those claims is unreliable. ProPublica.

EPA delays rule on industrial emissions.

Tue, 17 May 2011 12:28:05 -0400

The Obama administration has decided to delay a rule that would cut emissions from power plants at major industrial facilities- the most recent in a series of decisions since the midterm election to postpone controversial environmental regulations and steer a more business-friendly course. Los Angeles Times, California. [Registration Required]

Report calls for better regulation of heavy metals in Canadian cosmetics.

Mon, 16 May 2011 12:27:23 -0400

An environmental advocacy group is urging the government to impose stricter regulations on the cosmetics industry after publishing a report that suggests many makeup products contain a number of toxic heavy metals. Canadian Press.

Deformities spark pesticide fears.

Mon, 16 May 2011 12:22:00 -0400

A conflict of interest is causing Australia's pre-eminent pesticide authority to fail in protecting people and animals from agricultural chemicals that cause deformities, according to a leading veterinarian. Canberra Times, Australia.

From the fields to inner city, pesticides affect children.

Mon, 16 May 2011 12:21:22 -0400

New York City's low-income neighborhoods and California's Salinas Valley could hardly be more different. But scientists have discovered that children growing up in these communities share a pre-natal exposure to pesticides that appears to be affecting their ability to learn and succeed in school. Yale Environment 360.

Produce industry presses USDA on pesticide report.

Mon, 16 May 2011 12:12:32 -0400

Every year for two decades, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has issued an annual report on the amount of pesticide residue it detects from samples of fresh fruits and vegetables around the country. The annual report has become a target of an unusual lobbying campaign by the produce industry. Washington Post [Registration Required].

India's high court bans endosulfan.

Sat, 14 May 2011 12:05:38 -0400

India's Supreme Court on Friday ordered a countrywide ban on manufacture, sale and use of the cheap and popular pesticide endosulfan, citing its toxic effects on humans and the environment. New Delhi Times of India, India.

Neighbors oppose strawberry farms' fumigant use.

Fri, 13 May 2011 12:04:03 -0400

When Annette Danzer and her husband moved into a house surrounded by brush and strawberry fields on California's Central Coast, they were drawn by the rural feel and closeness to nature. Three years later, the couple fears the fields near could become a health threat due to potential use of the pesticide methyl iodide. Associated Press.

Cluster of rare birth defects in small community.

Fri, 13 May 2011 12:03:32 -0400

Brisbane doctors and New South Wales Health authorities are trying to find out why so many babies in a small rural community are born with the same rare abnormality. The medical condition of Gastroschisis is on the rise worldwide, but no one knows why. Some suspect the herbicide atrazine is to blame. Australia ABC News, Australia.

Agencies hope robot can speed toxics evaluations.

Fri, 13 May 2011 12:00:58 -0400

Meet "Tox21," a robot capable of assessing the toxicity of a chemical at mind-blowing speed. Tox21 is capable of screening thousands of chemicals multiple times in a week, its creators say, and , eliminating the need for animal testing. . Greenwire.

Evidence-Based Methodology: Navigating the Science.

Thu, 12 May 2011 13:44:15 -0400

The UCSF Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment, in collaboration with CHE and others, publish an article to help clinicians incorporate environmental health into their practice. The May 2011 issue of Health Affairs contains the article "An Evidence-Based Medicine Methodology To Bridge The Gap Between Clinical And Environmental Health Sciences."

Kroger joins effort to block use of BPA.

Thu, 12 May 2011 11:59:30 -0400

Having made sure that BPA is gone from the baby products it sells, the retail chain Kroger now is ridding the chemical from cans it uses in its store brands and the paper on which its receipts are printed. Columbus Dispatch, Ohio.

Mississippi River flooding: Pollution, fertilizers, sewage in water.

Thu, 12 May 2011 11:57:38 -0400

The great Mississippi River flood of 2011, cresting south of Memphis today, carries a mix of fertilizer, oil, pesticides, trash and farm runoff as it flows toward the Gulf of Mexico, say public health officials. ABC News did its own testing, and found levels of sewage 2000 times over the acceptable limit. ABC Good Morning America.

Study: Anogenital distance and male fertility.

Wed, 11 May 2011 13:53:44 -0400

The distance between a man's scrotum and anus may indicate his ability to reproduce, report researchers from Baylor College of Medicine in the journal PLoS ONE.

Perfluorochemicals may postpone puberty.

Wed, 11 May 2011 11:56:49 -0400

Two perfluorinated chemicals, perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), are linked to a delayed onset of puberty, according to a study of nearly 6,000 children living near a chemical plant. Chemical & Engineering News.

MP3 players found to emit excessive radiation.

Tue, 10 May 2011 22:17:40 -0400

MP3 players and electronic dictionaries on sale in Shanghai stores were found to emit excessive levels of radiation, a local trade watchdog said yesterday. Shanghai Daily, China.

Research uncovers raised rate of autism.

Mon, 9 May 2011 22:17:39 -0400

An ambitious six-year effort to gauge the rate of childhood autism in a middle-class South Korean city has yielded a figure that stunned experts and is likely to influence the way the disorder’s prevalence is measured around the world. New York Times [Registration Required].

Children conceived in March more likely to have autism.

Mon, 9 May 2011 22:17:38 -0400

California babies conceived in March had a significantly higher rate of autism, perhaps adding to a body of research that links spring and summer pesticide exposure to birth defects, according to researchers from UC Davis. California Watch.

Lead in cord blood associated with elevated maternal blood pressure.

Fri, 6 May 2011 22:17:37 -0400

Even at very low levels, lead in cord blood is associated with higher blood pressure readings in pregnant women giving birth, report researchers in the journal . High blood pressure while pregnant may lead to pre-eclampsia, a common but dangerous birth complication, and an increased risk of future heart disease. Environmental Health Perspectives.

Mercury in dental fillings comes under fire at FDA meeting.

Fri, 6 May 2011 22:17:37 -0400

The debate over the continued use of mercury in dental fillings was the focus of Thursday's FDA town-hall meeting in Orlando as more than a dozen anti-mercury activists demanded that the government restrict or ban them. Orlando Sentinel, Florida.

TEDX announces Endocrine Disruptor list.

Thu, 5 May 2011 14:16:34 -0400

The Endocrine Disruption Exchange is pleased to announce that the TEDX List of Potential Endocrine Disruptors is now available on-line. Every chemical on the TEDX List has one or more verified citations to published, accessible, primary scientific research demonstrating effects on the endocrine system. There are approximately 800 chemicals currently on the TEDX List, which will be updated regularly as new studies are published and prior research is uncovered.

Study: Epigenetic effects of PFOS on male reproduction function.

Thu, 5 May 2011 22:17:36 -0400

An exposure study with adult mice finds that the stain repellant chemical known as PFOS alters expression of key genes that help regulate growth, development and production of several male reproductive functions. The impacted genes, shared by both mice and humans, are critical to the regulation of male fertility, testis growth, testosterone production and sperm maturation.

Study examines links between Hispanics, lead.

Mon, 9 May 2011 22:17:39 -0400

In the borderland, Mexican candy, folk remedies and industrial pollution all are sources of lead that can build up in a person's blood and settle into bone. El Paso Times, Texas.

Endosulfan ban highlights need for alternatives.

Wed, 4 May 2011 22:17:35 -0400

The upsurge in the use of the toxic pesticide endosulfan, targeted for prohibition by the international community, illustrates one of the dilemmas of intensive agriculture in Argentina and Latin America in general. Inter Press Service.

Lead-screening bill squashed.

Wed, 4 May 2011 22:43:34 -0400

Gov. Dave Heineman successfully squashed a bill that would have required lead screening of all Nebraska children entering kindergarten. Omaha World-Herald, Nebraska.

Harm from mercury passes down through generations.

Mon, 2 May 2011 22:47:32 -0400

Traditional ecotoxicology studies that probe one toxic exposure at a time may consistently underestimate real-world hazards. That's the conclusion of researchers who studied the effects on tadpoles of mercury passed from a mother's tissues to her eggs and of mercury in the tadpoles' diet. Chemical & Engineering News.

Prenatal exposure to BPA may cause wheezing in infants.

Mon, 2 May 2011 23:14:03 -0400

A new study is adding to rising concerns about the safety of bisphenol A, a chemical used to manufacture plastics and found in hundreds of household products, including plastic food containers, soda cans and reusable cups. CNN.

Fight not over yet for victims of endosulfan pesticide poisoning.

Sun, 1 May 2011 23:14:03 -0400

Thousands of victims of endosulfan, a pesticide used by the Plantation Corp. of Kerala since 1978, are suffering from various illnesses, including cancer, asthma, mental retardation, allergy, early onset of menstruation or delayed sexual maturity and impotency. Deccan Herald, India.

Stillbirths tied to secondhand smoke.

Sat, 30 Apr 2011 23:14:02 -0400

Pregnant women who live or work with smokers may be at slightly higher risk of having a stillbirth, suggests a study that adds to evidence that even secondhand smoke can harm unborn babies. Reuters.

Crude oil chemical linked to heart defect in babies.

Sat, 30 Apr 2011 23:14:01 -0400

Babies who are exposed before birth to ethyl benzene, a toxic component in crude oil, may have a higher risk of developing congenital heart disease, US researchers announced today. Agence France-Presse.

People born in spring more likely to become anorexic.

Fri, 29 Apr 2011 23:14:00 -0400

The first large-scale study of the link between anorexia and the season of birth has found that spring babies are significantly more likely to develop the disorder. Environmental factors around the time of conception and during early months of pregnancy are considered the likely cause. London Independent, United Kingdom.

Kettleman City's growing toxic web.

Wed, 4 May 2011 23:14:00 -0400

This predominately low-income, non-white, industrial community in Central California, with an unusually high rate of birth defects, is about to add another smokestack to its long list of major pollution sources: a 600-megawatt power plant that will be exempt from current federal air pollution regulations. Mother Jones.

New plastic chemical study linked to industry.

Thu, 28 Apr 2011 23:14:00 -0400

Four authors of a new report concluding that bisphenol A is safe have ties to companies and groups that benefit from the controversial chemical. California Watch.

Metro areas with dirtiest air get cleaner.

Wed, 27 Apr 2011 23:14:04 -0400

Most U.S. cities with the dirtiest air are getting cleaner, but about half of Americans still live in areas where it's often difficult to breathe, the American Lung Association reports today. The report comes amid congressional efforts to stop the EPA from using the Clean Air Act to regulate greenhouse gas emissions. USA Today

Pediatricians seek better regulation of toxic chemicals.

Mon, 25 Apr 2011 12:33:26 -0400

The U.S. needs to do a better job protecting children and pregnant women from toxic chemicals, says the American Academy of Pediatrics, the latest of a growing number of medical organizations to call for changes in the way that the government regulates dangerous chemicals. USA Today.

Study: Phthalates exposure and effect on male semen quality.

Mon, 25 Apr 2011 13:59:16 -0400

Phthalates are suspected of having adverse effects on androgen-regulated reproductive development in animals and may be toxic for human sperm. The purposes of this study were to investigate the general exposure of a Chinese reproductive age cohort to these ubiquitous pollutants and to assess their potential effect on semen quality. Changes in sperm concentration and mobility were associated with increasing levels of phthalate metabolites in urine.

Pennsylvania official: End nears for wastewater releases.

Mon, 25 Apr 2011 12:33:25 -0400

Pennsylvania's top environmental regulator says he is confident that the natural gas industry is just weeks away from ending one of its more troubling environmental practices: the discharge of vast amounts of polluted brine into rivers used for drinking water. Associated Press.

Biosolids may be valuable farm fertilizer, but critics are wary.

Sun, 24 Apr 2011 12:33:25 -0400

In 2014, Blue Plains - the world’s largest advanced wastewater treatment plant - plans to start a new process to remove pathogens from sewage. Initially, it will give away the Class A fertilizer to farmers for free. But critics point to risks from chemical contamination. Washington Post [Registration Required].

Pregnant women exposed to pesticides have children with lower IQ.

Thu, 21 Apr 2011 14:09:38 -0400

Pesticides on fruits and vegetables may be harmful to a developing fetus. Children whose mothers were exposed to low doses of a specific class of pesticides may have a slightly lower IQ in later childhood, three new studies suggest. LA Times.

Study: Stress in pregnancy affects child behavior.

Wed, 20 Apr 2011 10:57:06 -0400

Stress during pregnancy has effect on child’s behavior: new study. If we think about people who lead stressful lives, they are most often linked with socioeconomic disadvantage. This research shows we should be targeting these women with support programs to ensure the stress does not negatively affect the unborn child. Health, Medical and Science Updates.

Why skinny moms sometimes produce fat children.

Sat, 23 Apr 2011 12:33:24 -0400

What a woman eats while pregnant can sometimes influence the weight of her child, even into adulthood. Epigenetic modifications may trigger obesity, as a new study provides further insight into the phenomenon. Science.

China announces BPA ban dates.

Fri, 22 Apr 2011 12:33:23 -0400

The production and import of infant food containers containing bisphenol A, including baby feeding bottles, is to be banned from June 1. Sales of such products will be banned from September 1, according to a draft notice issued by China's Ministry of Health. Shanghai Daily, China.

Atrazine is showing up in public water supply.

Fri, 22 Apr 2011 12:33:21 -0400

A popular weed killer that's been suspected of causing frog deformities is turning up in drinking water systems throughout the country including some in Missouri and Illinois, according to a report by the Natural Resources Defense Council. St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Missouri.

Study: Endocrine disruptors in bottled mineral water.

Fri, 22 Apr 2011 12:33:26 -0400

Plastic bottles can further contaminate natural spring water with estrogen active compounds, report researchers who tested and compared water from the same sources but was bottled in either glass or plastic. The water in the plastic containers triggered up to 90 percent more activity in the human cell assays used than the water in the glass containers. The Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

Seminar: Food Matters- What Clinicians Need to Know About Our Food System.

Thu, 21 Apr 2011 19:44:26 -0400

Saturday, May 14, 2011 Boston University School of Medicine Participants will learn how to identify health impacts associated with our food system, both in terms of the human life cycle, with a focus on maternal and child health, as well as ecological health.

Grandsons may be affected by old pregnancy drug.

Thu, 21 Apr 2011 19:39:33 -0400

Four decades after doctors realized that a drug called DES - used to prevent pregnancy complications - had devastating consequences for babies, a new study finds those effects may be reverberating into the third generation. Reuters.

Studies link low IQ to prenatal pesticide exposure.

Thu, 21 Apr 2011 19:39:11 -0400

High levels of pesticide exposure in pregnant women have been linked to lower IQs in their children, according to three separate US studies. Agence France-Presse.

ADHD risk may rise as pregnancy length falls.

Wed, 20 Apr 2011 19:41:01 -0400

Children born prematurely appear more likely to be diagnosed with ADHD. But now researchers have established that a greater risk exists even for babies born moderately early - and that the size of the risk is associated with the level of prematurity. Los Angeles Times, California. [Registration Required]

Study: PFOA Exposures and Mammary Gland Growth.

Mon, 18 Apr 2011 23:00:00 -0400

Prenatal exposure to perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), a ubiquitous industrial surfactant, has been reported to delay mammary gland development in female mouse offspring. This new study demonstrates delays in mammary gland development across three generations. Chronic, low-dose PFOA exposure in drinking water was also sufficient to alter mammary morphological development in mice, at concentrations approximating those found in contaminated human water supplies.

Do flame retardants save enough lives to justify their damage?

Mon, 18 Apr 2011 22:59:00 -0400

If California state Sen. Mark Leno has his way, the state's textile and furniture manufacturers, and thus probably all such makers in the U.S., will drastically alter the amount of flame retardant carried in almost every sofa, love seat and easy chair in the country. Scientific American.

Bryan-College Station birth defect cluster cause for concern.

Mon, 18 Apr 2011 22:05:28 -0400

A confirmed cluster of birth defects in Bryan-College Station has been recognized by the Texas Department of State Health Services and is being investigated by the agency and, separately, by professors at Texas A&M University. Bryan College Station Eagle, Texas.

Encinitas development brings pesticide worries.

Sat, 16 Apr 2011 22:05:21 -0400

A development company that is turning the site of a former greenhouse into 19 single-family homes potentially exposed the surrounding neighborhood to dust containing the banned pesticide Dieldrin. San Diego Union-Tribune, California.

Earliest intervention.

Fri, 15 Apr 2011 22:08:49 -0400

Young Maryland families are opening up their lives to Hopkins researchers seeking to determine how a combination of genetic and environmental factors might contribute to autism, even before birth. Baltimore Sun, Maryland.

Beyond BPA: could 'BPA-free' products be just as unsafe?

Fri, 15 Apr 2011 22:05:29 -0400

While U.S. federal policy supports alternatives to BPA and we're using products containing these new materials at increasing volume we actually know very little about them and lack a system that would provide independent assessment of new materials before they're in our homes. Atlantic Monthly

Stillbirths not dropping in rich countries; obesity may be to blame.

Thu, 14 Apr 2011 22:05:22 -0400

More than 2 million babies are stillborn every year worldwide and about half could be saved if their mothers had better medical care, a new study finds. While the vast majority of stillbirths happen in the developing world, the rates in many developed countries have not dropped to the degree expected, as rising obesity levels among pregnant women increase the risk. Lancet.

Study: Prenatal Exposure to Air Pollutants Linked to Behavioral Problems in Young Children

Tue, 12 Apr 2011 22:37:42 -0400

Mothers' exposure during pregnancy to pollutants created by the incomplete combustion of fossil fuels and other organic material may lead to behavioral problems in their children, according to a new study. Researchers found that children with high levels of a pollution exposure marker in their cord blood at birth had more symptoms of attention problems and anxiety/depression at ages 5 and 7 than did children with lower exposure. Environmental Health Perspectives.

The toxicity panic.

Mon, 11 Apr 2011 23:22:07 -0400

The contemporary fear of plastics and other household menaces can’t possibly be justified, or can it? The United States deals with potentially toxic household products in a manner that is so cavalier that it would, in a saner world, be called negligence. New Republic.

Girls hit puberty earlier than ever.

Mon, 11 Apr 2011 22:55:19 -0400

Girls are maturing faster than ever and, for reasons doctors don't completely understand, hitting puberty younger than any generation in history. Most agree that several forces are at work, from obesity to hormone-like environmental chemicals. USA Today.

Sludge sloughs off perfluorinated chemicals.

Sat, 9 Apr 2011 22:55:20 -0400

Farmers often add nutrients to their fields in the form of treated sewage sludge, also called biosolids. Environmental scientists worry that chemical contaminants in particular perfluorochemicals in these biosolids could leach into the soil and eventually enter groundwater. Chemical & Engineering News.

Debate over the safety of best-selling herbicide .

Sat, 9 Apr 2011 22:55:19 -0400

Critics say it's a chemical that could cause infertility or cancer, while others see it speeding the growth of super weeds and causing worrying changes to plants and soil. Backers say it is safe and has made a big contribution to food production. It's glyphosate, the main ingredient in Roundup, a critical part of global food production. Reuters.

Study: Atrazine associated with risk of small babies.

Thu, 7 Apr 2011 22:55:18 -0400

Researchers in France report that babies born to women who had measureable levels of atrazine and its metabolites in their urine during pregnancy were lighter, shorter and had smaller heads than babies born to women who were not exposed. The risk of fetal growth restriction was 50 percent higher among babies born to women with detectable atrazine levels. The researchers also noted a 40% increased risk of genital malformations. Environmental Health Perspectives.

Study: Children with higher fetal exposure to both phthalates and BPA have impaired social functioning.

Thu, 7 Apr 2011 10:50:28 -0400

The social behavior including difficult interpersonal and social awareness skills reported by the moms are similar to those associated with ADHD and autism. NeuroToxicology.

Lessons from the past.

Wed, 6 Apr 2011 23:40:06 -0400

The Chernobyl disaster still has much to tell us about the long-term risks of low-level radiation exposure. But only if the necessary follow-up studies are supported. Nature.

Possible link between prenatal Tylenol use and asthma.

Tue, 5 Apr 2011 10:50:28 -0400

Tylenol use during pregnancy may be a risk factor for development of asthma in children, a recent study published in the April issue of Clinical and Experimental Allergy Journal suggests. ABC Action News.

Early births linked to highway proximity.

Mon, 4 Apr 2011 10:50:31 -0400

Women who live near freeways and highways are more likely to give birth prematurely, new research suggests. Australian Associated Press

Mercury pollution damages environment, public health.

Sun, 3 Apr 2011 10:50:29 -0400

The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that mercury pollution is so widespread that one in six women of childbearing age already has enough mercury in her blood to put her baby at risk, should she become pregnant. Joplin Globe, Missouri.

Toxins in baby food might affect hormones.

Sun, 3 Apr 2011 08:44:26 -0400

Infant formula and solid baby food frequently contain fungus-derived hormones that have been shown to cause infertility in mammals, Italian researchers report. Reuters.

Altering the male-female birth ratio.

Sat, 2 Apr 2011 10:50:30 -0400

One cannot rule out the possibility that the thousands of chemicals we have introduced into the environment during the last few decades are involved in the lower rate of male births. Montreal Gazette, Quebec.

Environmentalists say abnormal births linked to abuse of nature.

Sat, 2 Apr 2011 07:56:25 -0400

The births of two-headed and three-legged calves in two provinces of Armenia within the recent months raised an alarm among environmentalists that may also be supported by records. Armenia Now, Armenia.

Packaged food raises levels of bisphenol A.

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 07:56:23 -0400

Forgoing packaged foods such as canned soups and vegetables could dramatically lower levels of a hormone-disrupting chemical, bisphenol A, that has been linked to myriad health problems, including birth defects, autism and reproductive issues, according to a study released today. San Francisco Chronicle.

Resource: My Hopeful Journey website.

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 07:56:24 -0400

Resource: My Hopeful Journey website Created by a former patient, My Hopeful Journey offers women experiencing challenges to fertility a unique way to track treatments, appointments, medications and physical signs: an on-line calendar. The website will include information on strategies to reduce exposures to chemicals that may impact fertility.

Call for Abstracts: American Society of Reproductive Medicine

Mon, 28 Mar 2011 07:56:25 -0400

Deadline for Submission: May 2, 2011. The ASRM is a non-profit organization whose members must demonstrate the high ethical principles of the medical profession, and evince an interest in infertility, reproductive medicine and biology. ASRM's Environmental Health Special Interest Group is soliciting abstracts on environmental contaminants and their impact on reproduction. The 67th Annual Meeting will take place in Orlando, Florida on October 15- 19, 2011.

Call for Abstracts: Association of Reproductive Health Professionals

Mon, 28 Mar 2011 17:03:55 -0400

Call for Abstracts: Association of Reproductive Health Professionals Deadline for Submission: May 15, 2011 Abstract submissions are invited for Reproductive Health 2011, the annual clinical and scientific meeting of the Association of Reproductive Health Professionals (ARHP). This year's conference will include a module on Environmental Health. The conference will take place in Las Vegas, Nevada on September 15-17, 2011.

Study: Maternal Ghrelin Deficiency Compromises Reproduction in Female Progeny.

Mon, 28 Mar 2011 16:15:24 -0400

Ghrelin has a well-known role in the regulation of appetite, satiety, energy metabolism, and reproduction; however ghrelin has not been implicated in reproductive tract development. This study demonstrate that exposure to in utero ghrelin deficiency led to altered uterine developmental programming of the reproductive tract of wild-type mice. Endocrinology.

Superfund improves infant health.

Sun, 27 Mar 2011 20:47:44 -0400

University scientists report the first evidence that cleanups of Superfund sites protect babies in the womb. In a March working paper issued by the National Bureau of Economic Research, researchers compare the health of more than 620,000 infants born to families near these hazardous sites. Birth defects, which typically occur early in pregnancy, fell 20 to 25 percent in the five years after cleanups compared with the five years before cleanups started, especially among families living within 2,000 meters of Superfund sites.

Study: Maternal Exposure to Ambient Benzene Linked to Spina Bifida in Infants

Sun, 27 Mar 2011 20:46:38 -0400

Occupational exposure to hazardous air pollutants such as benzene has been linked in some studies to neural tube defects (NTDs), yet to date no one had studied whether exposure to ambient levels of benzene may similarly lead to adverse outcomes. A new study now reveals a positive association between exposure to ambient benzene in outdoor air and increased prevalence of spina bifida.

Study: Residential Exposure to Outdoor Air Pollution during Pregnancy and Anthropometric Measures at Birth in a Multicenter Cohort in Spain

Sun, 27 Mar 2011 20:40:30 -0400

A growing body of research suggests that prenatal exposure to air pollution may be harmful to fetal development. Researchers assessed the association between exposure to air pollution during pregnancy and anthropometric measures at birth in four areas within the Spanish INMA mother and child cohort study. Exposure to ambient nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and benzene was estimated for each woman’s residence. Outcomes included birth weight, length, and head circumference.

CHE Cafe Call: Carl Cranor- "Legally Poisoned: How the Law Puts Us at Risk from Toxicants"

Sun, 27 Mar 2011 20:03:48 -0400

April 20th 10 a.m. Pacific / 1:00 p.m. Eastern. Sponsor: Collaborative on Health and the Environment Author Carl Cranor, PhD, will discuss his new book "Legally Poisoned: How the Law Puts Us at Risk from Toxicants. " Based on his broad understanding about the harm toxic chemicals can cause to human and ecosystem health, Dr. Cranor describes the current legal structures designed to prevent harm, why they are ineffective and inadequate to protect public health, and suggests alternative.

Biomonitoring: Measuring the Pollution in Women's Bodies to Build Healthier Communities

Sun, 27 Mar 2011 19:56:58 -0400

March 30th,12:00 - 1:00 p.m. Eastern / 9:00 - 10 a.m. Pacific. Sponsor: Canadian Women's Health Network the National Network on Environments and Women's Health and the National Network on Environments and Women's Health. Sharyle Patton, Director of the Health and Environment Program and Biomonitoring Resource Center at Commonweal in Bolinas, California, will explore the uses of biomonitoring - the testing of one's body for chemical exposure. She will look at how the experience of knowing one's body burden (the total amount of chemicals present in the human body at any given time) can help inform personal choice and political engagement.

Job opening: Baltimore, Maryland.

Sun, 27 Mar 2011 19:56:46 -0400

The Maryland Pesticide Network and Beyond Pesticides are seeking a project director for on-going project: Integrated Pest Management (IPM) in Health Care Facilities and Community Outreach Project launched in 2006.

EPA updates National Air Toxics Assessment.

Sun, 27 Mar 2011 19:52:37 -0400

The National Air Toxics Assessment (NATA) contains 2005 emissions data submitted primarily from the states for 178 pollutants. Models are used to make broad estimates of health risks for areas of the country.

Radioactive substances and their impact on health.

Fri, 25 Mar 2011 15:58:51 -0400

Exposure to large amounts of radioactivity can cause nausea, vomiting, hair loss, diarrhea, hemorrhage, destruction of the intestinal lining, central nervous system damage, and death. It also causes DNA damage and raises the risk of cancer, particularly in young children and fetuses. Reuters.

Chemicals in plastics linked to early onset menopause.

Thu, 24 Mar 2011 15:58:49 -0400

Man-made chemicals found in a variety of everyday products from food containers to clothes may be causing early menopause in women, say scientists. Researchers from West Virginia University looked at levels of PFCs in blood samples from 26,000 U.S. women, and found levels were highest in those over 42 who had gone through menopause. London Daily Telegraph.

C8 exposure linked to onset of menopause.

Wed, 23 Mar 2011 09:18:49 -0400

Women exposed to higher levels of the toxic chemical C8 were more likely to have experienced menopause, according to a new West Virginia University study that offers some of the strongest evidence to date that such chemicals disrupt the human body's natural hormone system. Charleston Gazette, West Virginia.

Are Japanese Pregnant Women in Danger?

Thu, 24 Mar 2011 09:56:55 -0400

Studies of radiation exposure during pregnancy are mainly based on a one-time exposure. The problem with Japan is that there is the potential for continuous low-dose exposure for a long period of time. Pregnant women should adhere to the guidelines that experts have put into place, advising that people stay at least 50 miles away from the nuclear plant disaster.

Lead, other chemicals taint some urban gardens.

Wed, 23 Mar 2011 09:18:48 -0400

With remnants of once-legal lead paint, leaded gasoline and other pollutants from the nation's industrial past tainting land in U.S. cities, soil researchers warn that the growing number of urban farmers and community gardeners need to test their dirt and take steps to make sure it's safe. Associated Press

Herbicide lawsuit has survived 7 judges.

Mon, 21 Mar 2011 09:18:47 -0400

Seven years after water districts filed suit against the makers of atrazine, the class-action lawsuit is still mired in legal machinations in Madison County. Attorney Steve Tillery has argued that the water districts only want Syngenta to help with the costs of filtration. Belleville News-Democrat, Illinois.

Fertility drugs may increase risk of degenerative brain disorders.

Fri, 25 Mar 2011 09:18:50 -0400

Fertility drugs used by thousands of women may increase the risk of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, a rare and universally fatal brain disorder, a Canadian-led international research team is reporting. Postmedia News

Submit your Visionary Ideas.

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 09:11:53 -0400

The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) is seeking input from the public as well as researchers for its new strategic plan. To get involved, submit an idea for research or nominate a workshop participant.

Yale study links obesity and early uterine cancer.

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 09:11:52 -0400

Researchers have long known that obesity in women increases the risk of uterine cancer, but now researchers at Yale have established a link between early weight gain and cancer. Hartford Courant, Connecticut.

New website: Birth defects, from the CDC.

Wed, 16 Mar 2011 09:11:52 -0400

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has launched a research-based site that is user-friendly, up-to-date, and appealing.

EPA to regulate mercury from power plants.

Wed, 16 Mar 2011 09:11:51 -0400

In response to a court deadline, today the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed the first-ever national standards for mercury, arsenic and other toxic air pollution from power plants.

Radiation and pregnancy.

Sun, 13 Mar 2011 09:18:46 -0400

Concerns are raised that the Japanese government may not be doing enough to warn pregnant women to leave areas at risk of radiation exposure.

Passive smoking increases stillbirth risk.

Sat, 12 Mar 2011 16:06:07 -0400

Fathers-to-be should stop smoking to protect their unborn child from the risk of stillbirth or birth defects, scientists say. University of Nottingham researchers found that pregnant women exposed to smoke at work or home increased their risk of stillbirth by 23% and of having a baby with defects by 13%. BBC.

RFI: Assessing the human health impacts of exposure to mixtures.

Fri, 11 Mar 2011 09:11:54 -0400

Request for Information Information provided will be used in planning a workshop for late summer 2011 to help inform the development of intramural and extramural research efforts that address the combined health effects of multiple environmental exposures (mixtures).

AFA Blog: BPA & IVF

Mon, 7 Mar 2011 12:47:08 -0500

We hear a lot about bisphenol A (BPA) in the news lately. BPA disrupts the endocrine system, and may have an effect on fertility. Over the last decade, animal studies have found that BPA has a negative effect on the quality of eggs produced. Now, two studies published in 2010 found negative effects on human fertility associated with BPA.

RFP: Reproductive Health- Policy & Social Justice Initiatives.

Fri, 4 Mar 2011 12:45:42 -0500

Sponsor: National Institute Reproductive Health. Deadline: March 15th. The Urban Initiative for Reproductive Health is a multi-year initiative to create solutions to address the reproductive health challenges cities face today. Proposals are sought that promote policies and programs to increase access to comprehensive reproductive health services, reduce unintended pregnancies, address reproductive health disparities, and lead to healthier birth outcomes.

Rural women protest use of toxic agrochemicals.

Fri, 4 Mar 2011 12:45:41 -0500

Thousands of women farmers in Brazil demonstrated this week against the use of toxic weedkillers and pesticides on crops and in favour of agricultural techniques that protect their families' health. Inter Press Service

Scientists want to help regulators decide safety of chemicals.

Fri, 4 Mar 2011 12:45:41 -0500

Groups representing 40,000 researchers and clinicians are urging federal agencies responsible for the safety of chemicals to examine the subtle impact a chemical might have on the human body rather than simply ask whether it is toxic, particularly for chemicals that disrupt the endocrine system. Washington Post.

Low sperm counts linked to fetal exposures.

Fri, 4 Mar 2011 12:45:40 -0500

Scientists report a correlation between a man's ability to father children and the distance between his genitals and anus a measurement also associated with elevated concentrations of chemicals known as phthalates in urine collected from the boys? mothers during prenatal visits. Science News.

Most plastics leach hormone-like chemicals.

Thu, 3 Mar 2011 09:51:25 -0500

Most plastic products, from sippy cups to food wraps, can release chemicals that act like the sex hormone estrogen, according to a study in Environmental Health Perspectives.NPR.

Infants irridiated.

Mon, 28 Feb 2011 12:41:31 -0500

X-rays and unshielded infants raise alarms. The errors at Downstate raise questions about the competence, training and oversight of technologists who operate radiological equipment that is becoming increasingly complex and powerful. New York Times [Registration Required]

Female mice disabled by parents' pesticide intake.

Mon, 28 Feb 2011 12:36:51 -0500

Research reveals that female mice whose mothers were exposed during pregnancy to the insecticide chlorpyrifos are slow learners. The same exposure-- comparable to what people encounter in the environment-- leaves males unaffected.

Serum Concentrations of PCBs in Relation to IVF Outcomes.

Fri, 25 Feb 2011 11:45:29 -0500

Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs), an environmental pollutant present in most humans, can significantly lower the chances of a woman conceiving via in vitro fertilization, according to new research, a finding that also may extend to women trying to conceive naturally. Environmental Health Perspectives.

Epigenetics meets endocrinology.

Fri, 25 Feb 2011 11:13:29 -0500

A review of the current understanding of epigenetics in endocrinology, specifically, the regulation by epigenetics of the three levels of hormone action (synthesis and release, circulating and target tissue levels, and target-organ responsiveness) and the epigenetic action of endocrine disruptors. The authors also discuss the impacts of hormones on epigenetics, proposing a three-dimensional model (genetics, environment, and developmental stage) to explain the phenomena related to changes in endocrine functions. Journal of Molecular Endocrinology.

Request for Proposals: Developing High-throughput Assays for Predictive Modeling of Reproductive and Developmental Toxicity Modulated through the Endocrine System or Pertinent Pathways in Humans and Species Relevant to Ecological Risk Assessment

Fri, 25 Feb 2011 00:22:35 -0500

Deadline: Thursday May 5, 2011 Sponsor: US Environmental Protection Agency EPA is seeking applications for research in development of high-throughput assays for use in analyzing chemicals or mixtures of chemicals to explain how exposure can be causally related to adverse, apical outcomes related to development and reproduction. These applications can address toxicity modulated by chemical effects on the endocrine system or via a variety of other pathways. Assay systems of interest are those relevant to humans and other species relevant to human health and/or ecological risk assessment. Potential funding per award is up to a total of $1.2 million, including direct and indirect costs, with a maximum duration of three years

Call for Abstracts: American Society of Reproductive Medicine

Fri, 25 Feb 2011 00:01:31 -0500

Online Abstract Submission: February 1 - May 2, 2011. Sponsor: ASRM. The ASRM is a non-profit organization whose members must demonstrate the high ethical principles of the medical profession, and evince an interest in infertility, reproductive medicine and biology. The 67th Annual Meeting will take place in Orlando, Florida on October 15-19, 2011.

Conference: 6th Copenhagen Workshop on Endocrine Disrupters.

Thu, 24 Feb 2011 23:56:04 -0500

April 26-29, 2011 Copenhagen, Denmark The field of endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDC) is continuously expanding as scientific evidence of new health effects of xenobiotics appears. EDCs effect the thyroid gland, pancreas, the nervous system, breast tissue, the prostate and the reproductive organs may be sensitive to EDC exposure. Additionally, the foetal basis of adult disease turns the focus towards the impact of EDCs exposure during vulnerable stages of development. The overall aim of the workshop is to improve our understanding of the role of EDCs for human health, and to share results, information, doubts and ideas.

New Website for Nurses: EnviRN

Thu, 24 Feb 2011 23:00:55 -0500

EnviRN is not just a website - it's an active learning environment for essential environmental health information from experts; connecting with nursing researchers, and creating personal blog posts on areas of interest to you. It’s also the web home for the Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments: the on-line home for environmental health and nursing education, practice, research and/or advocacy/policy. Register, add your profile and picture, and start connecting with nurses around the country on environmental health.

Conference: 50th Annual Meeting Society of Toxicology

Thu, 24 Feb 2011 22:59:24 -0500

March 6 - 10, 2011 Washington, DC. More than 7000 scientists from industry, academia, and government from various countries around the globe are expected to attend this conference. Offerings include a plenary opening lecture, special lectures, a wide range of symposia sessions and continuing education courses that cover the basic and the advanced topics of the day, workshops, thematic sessions that complement the symposia, round tables, poster sessions, and award presentations.

Request for Proposals: 2011 Environmental Health Science Innovation Fund

Thu, 24 Feb 2011 22:57:56 -0500

Deadline: March 16, 2011 Sponsor: Passport Foundation The Passport Foundation's Science Innovation Fund aims to expand knowledge of the impacts of environmental contaminants on human health to inform and advance, first and foremost, chemicals regulation and risk assessment reform; and secondarily, public health and clinical care policies and practices. The fund, which launched in 2009, provides grants for small-scale scientific (laboratory, epidemiological, clinical) research that has a likelihood of being published in peer-reviewed scientific or medical journal literature and will generate novel data and insights to fill specific data gaps and reduce critical uncertainties standing in the way of effective public policy making, public health/clinical care practices, and funding decisions in the US related to environmental health. Award: $5,000 - $50,000

Conference: 75th Annual Educational Conference & Exhibition

Thu, 24 Feb 2011 22:56:09 -0500

June 15 - 18, 2011 Sponsor: National Environmental Health Association The conference is designed to educate and inform people who have an interest or career in environmental health and protection, as well as to build a professional network of environmental health colleagues, exchange information, and discover new and practical solutions to environmental health issues.

Conference: 2011 National Healthy Homes Conference

Thu, 24 Feb 2011 22:54:22 -0500

June 20 - 23, 2011 Denver, Colorado Sponsor: US Department of Housing and Urban Development. This year's theme, "Leading the Nation to Healthy Homes, Families, and Communities," reflects the growing demand for building and sustaining housing and communities that are healthy, safe and green for America's families. The conference will offer over 100 educational sessions covering eight topic areas.

Conference: World Congress on Controversies in Obstetrics, Gynecology & Infertility (COGI)

Thu, 24 Feb 2011 22:48:49 -0500

November 17-20, 2011. Paris, France. The groundbreaking series of COGI Congresses provide a unique platform to discuss controversial issues in all fields of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Infertility. The ability to discuss only controversial topics with emphasis on clinical solutions in cases where no agreed-upon answers or consensus exist, provides clinicians with an insight and a take-home message that ameliorates treatment in the most difficult situations.

Conference: 6th International Conference on the Impact of Environmental Factors on Health

Thu, 24 Feb 2011 22:48:49 -0500

July 25 - 27, 2011. Riga, Latvia. Sponsor: Wessex Institute of Technology and the Journal of Saftey and Security Engineering. Health problems related to the environment have become a major source of concern all over the world. The health of the population depends upon good quality environmental factors including air, water, soil, food and many others. The interaction between environmental risk and health is often complex and can involve a variety of social, occupational and lifestyle factors. This emphasies the importance of considering an interdisciplinary approach.

Teleconference/Webcast: Healthy Aging Starts at Conception: Promoting Health Across the Lifespan

Thu, 24 Feb 2011 22:35:38 -0500

Friday March 11, 2011 11:00 a.m. Pacific / 2:00 p.m. Eastern time Beginning in the womb and continuing throughout life, environmental factors are strong determinants of throughout the lifespan. This call will discuss how we can advance a more positive path if we understand and address the interrelationships of health and the environment throughout life, and explore commonsense and also innovative approaches that may prevent chronic disease, foster health and sustain local and global economies.

Resource: Belly Armor

Thu, 24 Feb 2011 21:03:10 -0500

Belly Armor offers a range of products that can effectively shield against everyday radiation during periods of heightened risk, such as during pregnancy.

Americans have twice as much BPA in their bodies as Canadians.

Thu, 24 Feb 2011 21:02:30 -0500

Canadians and Americans are alike in so many ways, but when it comes to levels of the plastic-making compound bisphenol A in their bodies, there is a huge difference. Toronto Globe and Mail.

'Chemical body burden' researchers and advocates raise questions.

Sun, 20 Feb 2011 20:58:25 -0500

Awareness of "chemical body burden," or the presence of hazardous chemicals and their residues in humans, is rising in the public sphere, and more Americans are obtaining laboratory results for the extent of chemicals lingering in their bodies. Scientific American.

New tests reveal many pesticides block male hormones.

Tue, 15 Feb 2011 09:51:36 -0500

Thirty out of 37 pesticides tested by the University of London blocked male hormones, including 16 that had no known hormonal activity until now. Most are fungicides applied to fruit and vegetable crops, including strawberries and lettuce. Environmental Health News.

Doctors warn women against hot drinks with plastic covers.

Sun, 13 Feb 2011 11:48:58 -0500

Doctors have warned people, women in particular, against sipping hot beverages through the small holes in plastic cup covers which, when heated, may release the harmful compound bisphenol A (BPA).

Where there's smoke, there's trouble.

Sun, 13 Feb 2011 11:46:21 -0500

Where there is wood smoke, there is fire - as well as invisible toxins you could be inhaling. A little soot exposure probably isn't harmful to most people, pulmonologists say, but a new Danish-led study suggests regular exposure could damage DNA.

Maryland bills would ban BPA form children's food containers.

Fri, 11 Feb 2011 11:50:02 -0500

State lawmakers banned the chemical bisphenol-A, or BPA, from children's sippy cups and baby bottles last year, and now they want to go even further by banning it in children's food containers.

Call for Abstracts: ARHP Conference.

Tue, 8 Feb 2011 09:41:39 -0500

Association of Reproductive Health Professionals, September 15-17, Las Vegas, NV. This clinical conference combines the latest research science with interactive, hands-on training and offers take home points for immediate practice improvement. Deadline for submissions is April 15, 2011.

Resource: Text4Baby may help reduce pre-term births.

Tue, 8 Feb 2011 17:20:27 -0500

The patient education program,Text4Baby, offers advise to pregnant women on nutrition, smoking cessation, prenatal care and more. The program, run by the the National Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition, utilizes evidence-based recommendations to improve pregnancy outcomes.

Conference: Advancing the Next Generation of Risk Assessment (NexGen).

Mon, 7 Feb 2011 19:28:41 -0500

Feb 15-16, Washington, DC. In collaboration with federal and state agencies, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is beginning a process to better use molecular biology to understand risks posed by environmental exposures. Collaborating agencies include NIEHS, NCGC, CDC, & OEHHA.

Study: Analysis of contaminants in food packaging.

Mon, 7 Feb 2011 19:03:08 -0500

Although some regulations exist to encourage safe food packaging, the current system does not address concerns posed by multiple endocrine disrupting chemicals, nor does it acknowledge the potential additional hazard of mixtures. Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

BP oil spill's health effects will be felt for generations.

Sun, 6 Feb 2011 13:04:13 -0500

Months after diving in Gulf waters fouled by BP crude oil and the oil dispersant Corexit, a man in his 40s has more than five times the normal amount of ethylbenzene in his blood. New Orleans Times-Picayune, Louisiana.

A better understanding of BPA metabolism.

Sat, 5 Feb 2011 16:06:53 -0500

Much of the hesitation to regulate bisphenol A up to now has stemmed from uncertainty about whether health effects reported in laboratory animals are relevant to people because of possible differences in metabolism. Recent findings now suggest that humans metabolize BPA at rates similar to rodents, raising the possibility that the animal effects may be relevant. Environmental Health Perspectives.

Study: Polyunsaturated fatty acids & PCOS.

Thu, 3 Feb 2011 18:11:49 -0500

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is characterized by an adverse metabolic profile. This study examined the effects of dietary polyunsaturated fatty acid supplementation on levels of circulating androgens and lipids in young women with PCOS.

New database: Health Effects Spreadsheet and Summary.

Tue, 1 Feb 2011 20:56:14 -0500

The Endocrine Disruption Exchange (TEDX) maintains a publicly available database of the potential health effects of chemicals used during natural gas operations.

RFP: Environmental Justice Small Grants Program.

Tue, 1 Feb 2011 20:55:02 -0500

The EPA is now accepting grant applications through March 31, 2011 for $1.2 million in funding to support projects designed to research, educate, empower and enable communities to understand and address local environmental and public health issues. The closing date is March 31st.

Study: Ovarian dysgenesis syndrome.

Mon, 31 Jan 2011 11:01:53 -0500

Researchers evaluated the existing scientific literature on environmental exposures, particularly endocrine disrupting chemicals, in relation to developmental origins of gynecological disease. Findings support the theory of in utero origin of gynecologic outcomes.

Antioxidants fall from grace.

Thu, 27 Jan 2011 15:43:48 -0500

Antioxidants in supplement form may not do any good. In fact, they may actually be causing harm. Newsweek.

Conference: Environmental Epigenomics and Disease Susceptibility.

Wed, 26 Jan 2011 17:12:20 -0500

Organization: Keystone Symposia, March 27-April 1, 2011. Asheville, North Carolina at the Grove Park Inn. Session titles include "Fetal Origins of Adult Disease Susceptibility", "Postnatal Epigenetic Programming of the Brain", "Epigenetics and Complex Diseases" and "Epigenetic Transgenerational Inheritance" and others.

How to buy lead-safe, reusable shopping bags.

Wed, 26 Jan 2011 17:17:52 -0500

The Center for Environmental Health, which supports limits on disposable shopping bags, has found that about 10% of the reusable bags it has tested so far contain at least minute levels of lead. USA TODAY.

Conference: Working Together to Improve Maternal and Child Health.

Wed, 26 Jan 2011 16:47:47 -0500

Washington, D.C. at the Omni Shoreham Hotel, February 12-15, 2011. Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs is the national organization representing state public health leaders and others working to improve the health and well being of women, children and youth,including those with special health care needs, and families. AMCHP promotes family-centered, culturally competent, community-based systems of care for all.

Michigan State University launching National Children's Study.

Wed, 26 Jan 2011 21:43:12 -0500

The Michigan Alliance for the National Children's Study is receiving $75.5 million to document the effects of the social and physical environment on children's health from pregnancy to age 21. "As a nation, we spend billions to treat childhood conditions such as cerebral palsy, birth defects, autism and asthma," said Nigel Paneth, pediatrician, perinatal epidemiologist, and principal investigator . MSU is one of 30 pilot sites nationwide for the NSC, the largest human health study ever undertaken.

Female birds can retard fertility loss with right mates.

Sun, 23 Jan 2011 12:05:26 -0500

In birds like in humans, female fertility declines with age. Some female birds can slow their declining fertility by choosing the right mates. The important thing for females is not the age or identity of her mates, they discovered, but her partners' paternal past.

Partner news: Reach the Decision Makers training.

Sat, 22 Jan 2011 15:56:57 -0500

Reach the Decision Makers (Reach), a project of the UCSF Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment, is an innovative science and policy training program that works to increase the number of scientists, community-based leaders, public health and health care professionals who are actively involved in informing the US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) of current and relevant scientific findings impacting their decisions in setting policy. Applications are due February 11, 2001.

RFA: Lifestyle Interventions in Overweight and Obese Pregnant Women Consortium

Sat, 22 Jan 2011 15:21:43 -0500

National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. (U01) (RFA-DK-10-014). Application Receipt Date(s): March 24, 2011

FOA: Genetic Susceptibility & Variability of Human Structural Birth Defects (R01).

Sat, 22 Jan 2011 15:17:51 -0500

National Institutes of Health, funding opportunity announcement: supports applications using animal models in conjunction with translational/clinical approaches that take advantage of advances in genetics, biochemistry, molecular, and developmental biology to identify the specific genetic, epigenetic, environmental, or gene/environment interactions associated with the susceptibility to and variability of structural birth defects in human populations. Open January 5, 2011- January 8, 2014

RFA: Environmental Health Sciences Core Center Grants (P30).

Sat, 22 Jan 2011 15:13:59 -0500

National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. (RFA-ES-11-001). Application Receipt Date(s): February 24, 2011

RFA: Dietary Influence on the Human Health Effects of Environmental Exposures (R21).

Fri, 21 Jan 2011 15:12:30 -0500

National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. (RFA-ES-11-002). Application Receipt Date(s): April 21, 2011

State legislation would minimize impact of flame retardants.

Fri, 21 Jan 2011 14:58:45 -0500

Two bills introduced in the current Alaska Legislature session would phase out certain toxic flame retardant chemicals known to cause health problems which are found in consumer products such as furniture and electronics. Dutch Harbor Fisherman, Alaska.

West Africa's toxic PCB problem.

Fri, 21 Jan 2011 14:43:17 -0500

Researchers cruising off the western coast of Africa have confirmed the presence of mysteriously high levels of airborne toxic PCBs. The production and use of these chemicals is now largely banned. The levels detected off the West African coast are a surprise since PCBs were not sold or used there. Nature.

Do antioxidants help male fertility?

Thu, 20 Jan 2011 13:56:37 -0500

Antioxidants may help improve male fertility, early research suggests, reports BBC News. Couples who struggle to conceive could find baby-making help from antioxidants such as vitamin E and zinc, hints a new review of more than 30 studies.

Antioxidants may cause fertility problems in females.

Wed, 19 Jan 2011 14:07:20 -0500

New research by Dekel and her team, recently published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), has revealed a possible unexpected side effect of antioxidants: They might cause fertility problems in females.

Pregnant women awash in chemicals, UCSF study finds

Sun, 16 Jan 2011 12:16:29 -0500

In addition to big bellies, pregnant women are toting around dozens of chemicals, including some that have been banned for decades and others used in flame retardants, sunscreens and non-stick cookware. Time Magazine.

Job opening: Missoula, Montana.

Sat, 15 Jan 2011 12:35:22 -0500

January 15, Earth (WVE) seeks a contract fundraising generalist with an excellent track record and experience securing individual gifts and foundation grants for small nonprofits.

EPA: Study by dump shows chemicals at safe level.

Fri, 14 Jan 2011 12:24:25 -0500

The U.S. E.P.A. said Thursday a new study by the largest toxic waste dump in the West showed its level of cancer-causing chemicals was too low to harm the health of a nearby community where an unusually high number of babies have been born with serious birth defects. Associated Press.

Study finds no health risks from SmartMeters.

Thu, 13 Jan 2011 12:46:30 -0500

An independent report released Tuesday on the health effects of SmartMeters found that the wireless devices, when properly installed and maintained, "result in much smaller levels of radio frequency exposure than many common household electronic devices, particularly cell phones and microwave ovens." San Jose Mercury News, California.

Future moms can participate in children's health study.

Thu, 13 Jan 2011 12:48:25 -0500

Over the next two decades, local children will be monitored for health issues in a study seeking to unlock mysteries of childhood disease, according to a doctor at Case Western Reserve University who is overseeing the local effort. Elyria Chronicle-Telegram, Ohio.

Group accuses Safeway of selling bags with lead.

Thu, 13 Jan 2011 12:50:13 -0500

An environmental group based in Oakland says reusable bags sold at Safeway contain lead amounts 15 times above federal limits. The Center for Environmental Health is demanding that the companies remove the bags from immediate sale. ABC News.

Study: Likely no tie between male birth defect, chemical.

Tue, 11 Jan 2011 12:25:54 -0500

There's no link between pregnant women drinking water with trihalomethanes and the rate of the male birth defect hypospadias, says a study in today's issue of the journal Pediatrics. Reuters Health.

More trees in a city bring surprising benefit, Portland study finds.

Mon, 10 Jan 2011 12:11:08 -0500

You've heard all the obvious benefits of urban trees: shading buildings, sheltering wildlife, filtering air pollution, stopping erosion. A new Portland study suggests a more surprising benefit: healthier newborns. Portland Oregonian, Oregon.

Father's diet can affect future child's health, UT study says.

Sun, 9 Jan 2011 12:01:14 -0500

A father's poor eating habits could make his future children sick, suggests new research on mice involving the University of Texas. The study found that male mice who ate a low-protein diet passed on to their offspring cellular changes in their livers that affect fat and cholesterol metabolism. Austin American-Statesman, Texas.

Sex and endocrine disruptors.

Sat, 8 Jan 2011 12:27:49 -0500

From the carpets in our living rooms to the liners of our canned goods we're exposed to manmade chemicals every day. They eventually make their way from our farms, households or industry into the environment and into our bodies. And they may be affecting our reproductive health- indeed, even our sexual preferences. Living On Earth.

Study: Partition of environmental chemicals between maternal and fetal blood and tissues.

Fri, 7 Jan 2011 15:47:26 -0500

An international team of researchers has for the first time quantified how effectively mothers pass 87 common environmental contaminants to their children. Their findings provide a way to correlate pollutant concentrations in a mother's blood to levels in her developing baby, which may help regulators pinpoint compounds that are hazardous to unborn and nursing babies. Environmental Science and Technology.

Long-term space flight may be a problem for human reproduction.

Wed, 5 Jan 2011 12:02:34 -0500

The near-zero gravity of Earth orbit may do serious harm to the male and female reproductive systems, a University of Kansas Medical Center biologist has discovered. Kansas City Star, Missouri.

Research links rise in Falluja birth defects and cancers to US assault.

Fri, 31 Dec 2010 12:08:00 -0500

A study examining the causes of a dramatic spike in birth defects in the Iraqi city of Falluja has for the first time concluded that genetic damage could have been caused by weaponry used in US assaults that took place six years ago. London Guardian, United Kingdom.

Smoking tied to miscarriage risk.

Fri, 31 Dec 2010 12:13:47 -0500

A new study may offer women one more reason to kick the smoking habit before becoming pregnant: a potentially reduced risk of early miscarriage. Reuters.

Study: Bisphenol A may have role in ovarian dysfunction

Thu, 30 Dec 2010 15:56:56 -0500

A recent study found higher Bisphenol A (BPA) levels in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) compared to controls. Researchers also found a statistically significant positive association between male sex hormones and BPA in these women suggesting a potential role of BPA in ovarian dysfunction.

Waste company donates money for 'preconception' program in area hit by birth defects.

Thu, 23 Dec 2010 12:32:32 -0500

Kings County will develop a program to improve birth outcomes using grant money from the company that runs a hazardous waste dump near Kettleman City, a community that has been rocked by a controversial string of birth defects. McClatchy Newspapers.

Study: Perinatal BPA treatment results in deficits in the sexual behavior of male rats.

Wed, 22 Dec 2010 15:43:22 -0500

Perinatal administration of the endocrine disruptor bisphenol A (BPA) reportedly inhibits the sexual behavior of sexually naïve adult male rats. Adult female sexual behavior was not affected by early BPA administration at any dose tested. Hormones and Behavior.

Study: Food availability at birth limited reproductive success in historical humans.

Mon, 20 Dec 2010 15:28:52 -0500

Environmental conditions in early life can profoundly affect individual development and have consequences for reproductive success. This study supports the idea that early nutrition can limit reproductive success in animals, and provides evidence that this process applies to humans. Ecology.

Study links increased BPA exposure to reduced egg quality in women.

Wed, 15 Dec 2010 12:38:17 -0500

A small-scale University of California, San Francisco-led study has identified the first evidence in humans that exposure to bisphenol A (BPA) may compromise the quality of a woman’s eggs retrieved for in vitro fertilization (IVF). As blood levels of BPA in the women studied doubled, the percentage of eggs that fertilized normally declined by 50 percent, according to the research team.