Yourlawyer.com (Toxic Substances News)

FDA Defends BPA in Baby Bottles

Thu, 15 May 2008 00:00:00 -0700

The federal agencies that regulate use of the estrogen-mimicking chemical BPA are agreeing with the chemical industry in defending its safety. Despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) just announced it sees no reason to advise consumers to stop using products made with the controversial chemical, which is found in many plastic items. Norris Alderson, the FDA's associate commissioner for science said although the FDA is reviewing concerns about bisphenol A, or BPA, "a large body of available evidence" indicates products such as liquid or food containers made with BPA are safe. In testimony before a Senate subcommittee, Alderson defended the FDA's reliance on two industry-funded studies in making this determination. Critics have accused the FDA of failing to act on BPA concerns and have accused them of acquiescing to industry.

Meanwhile, in a number of studies not funded by industry, a variety of health problems have occurred in laboratory animals exposed to low BPA levels, which have been found to cause changes in behavior; in the brain, prostate gland, and mammary gland; and the age at which girls enter puberty. In the lab, BPA is linked to sex-hormone-imbalances, including breast and prostate cancer, early puberty, miscarriage, low sperm count, and immune-system changes. The National Toxicology Program's Center for the Evaluation of Risks to Human Reproduction found BPA risk and exposure causes neural and behavioral effects in children, becoming the first federal agency to accept such fears. A group of scientists from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the FDA, and the Institutes of Health (NIH) warned that very low doses of BPA cause profound effects on laboratory animals, particularly during pregnancy and infancy and that BPA can permanently rewire genetic programming before birth. The federal National Toxicology Program said experiments on rats found precancerous tumors, urinary tract problems, and early puberty when animals were fed or injected with low BPA doses.

And, despite the FDA’s statements to the contrary and industry’s defense of BPA, legislation has been proposed in several states to limit or ban BPA use. Toys 'R' Us, Wal-Mart, Playtex, and CVS have all announced that they are phasing out bottles and other baby feeding products containing BPA and Nalgene said it would stop using BPA.

Some senators also faulted the FDA and the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) for also failing to protect consumers from phthalates, another class of controversial chemicals that is used to improve flexibility in plastics. This March, the Senate passed legislation to impose a nationwide ban on phthalates in children's toys and products. "The FDA could hardly be doing less," Democratic Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts said. Senator Charles Schumer, a New York Democrat, said the FDA was "looking the other way" on safety concerns about BPA. "Parents always err on the side of caution when it comes to their kids' health. We think that the law should do the same," he added. In April, Schumer, Kerry, and other Democratic senators introduced a bill to ban BPA in children's products and direct the CDC to study BPA health effects in humans.

Acrylamide from Snacks Associated with Kidney, Other Cancers

Tue, 13 May 2008 00:00:00 -0700

The chemical acrylamide has been linked to renal cancer, according to a recent study. Acrylamide is a chemical that is commonly found in French fries, potato chips, and even bread and coffee and which has also caused cancer in laboratory studies. Now, emerging research from the Netherlands suggests acrylamide may also pose a harm to humans. Until recently, cigarette smoke and occupational exposures were considered the main sources of exposure to acrylamide; however, the chemical is also used in the manufacture of cosmetics, plastics, and even food packaging.

In 2002, researchers in Sweden reported that acrylamide is also found in some foods and especially in starchy foods that are either fried or baked. And, University of Southern California professor and nutrition expert Roger Clemens, DrPH, says that even black olives and breakfast cereals contain levels of acrylamide. "It is clear that our foods have contained this compound since man started cooking with fire," he says.

Clarification on whether dietary exposure to acrylamide poses a health risk was needed and in an effort to address this issue, researchers from the Maastricht University in the Netherlands examined data from a large Dutch study conducted on diet and cancer and that was initiated in 1986. Nearly 21,000 participants between the ages of 55 and 70 completed a detailed food-frequency questionnaire that was developed to determine eating habits. The answers from that questionnaire were combined with a separate database and used to estimate acrylamide intake.

The participants were then divided into five categories representing acrylamide consumption. The study revealed that those who ate the highest amounts of the chemical had a 59% greater risk for kidney cancer than those participants who ate the least acrylamide, according to researcher Janneke G. Hogervorst. The cancer risk appeared to be especially strong for smokers. Acrylamide consumption did not appear to be associated with an increased risk for cancers of the bladder or prostate.

Researchers focused on acrylamide intake and cancers of the kidney, bladder, and prostate and found that in a 13-year follow-up, there were 339 cases of kidney cancer, 1,210 cases of bladder cancer, and 2,246 cases of prostate cancer. Those involved in the study ate an average of about 22 micrograms of acrylamide daily. This amount is slightly less than a 2.5-ounce serving of French fries which contains about 25 micrograms of acrylamide.

In findings reported last year using the same database and design, Hogervorst and colleagues found postmenopausal, nonsmoking women whose diets included the most acrylamide had significantly increased risk for ovarian and endometrial cancer over those women whose diets contained the least. That study was published last December in the journal Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers andPrevention and the latest findings appear in the May issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. "In the future we hope to look at many more cancer types," Hogervorst says. "We also hope that other researchers will do similar studies to expand on our research."

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reports that 100% of Americans consume acrylamide.

Researcher Raised BPA Alarm in 1993

Mon, 12 May 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Bisphenol A—commonly known as BPA—is a ubiquitous chemical that has been under debate and in the news in recent weeks. BPA is a chemical compound that mimics estrogen and is found in polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resin. On April 18, Canada announced it would ban baby bottles containing BPA starting mid-June, an action that made Canada the first country in the world to set exposure limits on the chemical. Also, the US National Toxicology Program—an arm of the National Institutes of Health, just concluded that there is “some concern” that fetuses, infants, and children may be harmed by the amounts of BPA that leach out of many brands of baby bottles, hard-plastic water bottles, and food cans lined with epoxy resin.

David Feldman, MD, emeritus professor of endocrinology at Stanford Univesity, and his team were the first researchers to identify and warn about possible effects of low levels of BPA on humans. Feldman says that he and his team discovered the health issues with BPA basically on accident. “We were not looking for it. We study receptors for steroid hormones like estrogen and were looking for both receptors and hormones when we found what looked like an estrogenic molecule in the culture medium.” It turns out that BPA was leaching out of the polycarbonate plastic used to contain the medium, leading the researchers to link its estrogenic properties to people who were eating or drinking out of containers made of polycarbonate.

Feldman and his team sent samples to the company that made the polycarbonate flasks to warn them of the problem, but they couldn’t find BPA because Feldman’s biological tests were more sensitive than the company’s, which were meant to identify levels of more than 25 to 50 parts per billion. Anything under that amount was considered safe. Feldman’s team was picking up levels and seeing estrogenic biological effects, at five to 10 parts per billion. Feldman and his team published their findings in 1993

“Although we published our findings in 1993, it was unclear for a long time how much of the bisphenol A was absorbed by humans, how fast it accumulated, and even whether or not it was damaging to human health” says Feldman. “One thing we do know is that, in the 2003-04 National Health and Nutrition Survey conducted by the Centers for Disease Control, 93 percent of about 2,500 people ages six and above had detectable levels of bisphenol A in their urine. So almost everyone is exposed,” added Feldman. Another study places the figure at 95 percent.

Studies confirm BPA is chemically similar to diethylstilbestrol, a synthetic estrogen linked to the development of vaginal cancer in the daughters of women who took the drug in the 1950s and 1960s to prevent miscarriage. BPA has been in commercial use since the 1950s and is found in a wide variety of everyday items including water bottles, food and drink packaging, food can linings, dental sealants, CDs and DVDs, eyeglasses, and automobiles.

New Orleans Mayor Wants FEMA Trailers Gone

Thu, 08 May 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Citing health concerns, New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin says its time for city residents living in toxic trailers distributed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to move to safer housing. Nearly 5,700 trailers remain in New Orleans, most on the private property of residents who lost their homes to Katrina.

Late last year, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said there was an urgent need to get residents out of FEMA trailers because they emitted dangerously high levels of toxic formaldehyde fumes. But the lack of affordable housing in New Orleans, coupled with a slow rebuilding process has deterred many people from leaving the toxic FEMA trailers.

Thousands of people in Mississippi and Louisiana were given FEMA trailers as temporary housing following hurricanes Katrina and Rita. But by 2006 FEMA was getting reports from field workers along the Gulf Coast that residents of FEMA trailers where getting sick from the air in the toxic trailers. The first suspect was formaldehyde, which is used in the manufacture of the trailers. Despite the reports, e-mails uncovered last summer during a congressional investigation into the trailers showed that FEMA lawyers told the agency to drag its feet on air quality testing. FEMA’s Office of General Council also advised the agency not to test the trailers because doing so “would imply FEMA’s ownership of the issue”.

Formaldehyde is an invisible gas that is known to cause cancer. It can also cause other illnesses ranging from nose bleeds to chronic bronchitis. Commonly used in manufactured homes, formaldehyde can cause respiratory problems and has been classified as a carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer and as a probable carcinogen by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Late last year, FEMA and the CDC conducted air quality tests of 519 trailers. The CDC tests confirmed that the FEMA trailers posed a serious danger to residents still living in them. The average formaldehyde levels found in the toxic trailers measured 77ppb (parts per billions), significantly higher than the 10 to 17 ppb concentration seen in newer homes. When it announced its findings, the CDC urged FEMA to move residents from the toxic trailers as quickly as possible, with priority given to families with children, elderly people or anyone with asthma or other chronic conditions.

Up until now, Mayor Ray Nagin has refused to put pressure on residents to leave the trailers. But in an interview lwith the Associated Press, he said the approaching hurricane season, together with the formaldehyde issues has caused him to rethink his position. "We need to get everybody out," Nagin said. "We need to find out if anybody's health has been harmed and how do we deal with that, and find the housing that's necessary so these people can get their lives together."

But that's easier said then done. Many of those living in trailers are still working on their damaged homes, and few can afford the additional rent of an apartment. A shortage of available housing in New Orleans also means many would end up in hotels, not a attractive prospect to many. In New Orleans, the city is working with the state and FEMA on housing options. One proposal being floated would redirect federal aid now paying for hotels or apartments for displaced residents toward fixing up damaged homes. It's not very likely that the proposal could come to fruition by August, when hurricane season ramps up in earnest, raising fears that the trailers could not withstand a hurricane.

PFOA From DuPont Plant Polluting Groundwater in Deepwater, New Jersey

Wed, 07 May 2008 00:00:00 -0700

DuPont just announced that it discovered chemical residues from a Teflon ingredient—PFOA—in the groundwater near its Chambers Works plant. PFOA was confirmed in nine wells around the plant in Deepwater, New Jersey with concentrations as high as 35 times the alert level established last year by New Jersey regulators. DuPont plant manager Bland Dickey said DuPont is committed to minimizing PFOA releases and ultimately eliminating its use. Although DuPont claims there is no evidence of health threats from PFOA, a federal advisory panel recommended classifying PFOA as a probable carcinogen.

PFOA—or perfluorooctanoic acid, sometimes called C8—is a synthetic chemical used to make fluoropolymers. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) began investigating PFOA because it is very enduring in the environment and is being found not only in the environment, but also in the blood of the general U.S. population; PFOA causes developmental and other adverse effects in laboratory animals. Also, perfluorinated compounds, or PFCs, have shown up in wildlife, drinking water supplies, and human blood and, recently, a team of researchers—including Kathleen Arcaro of the University of Massachusetts Amherst—recently found PFCs in samples of human milk from nursing mothers in Massachusetts. PFCs are believed to be carcinogenic and PFOAs are just one of the group of chemicals known as PFCs.

“Perfluorinated compounds, or PFCs, are found in human blood around the world, including the blood of newborns, but this is the first study in the United States to document their occurrence in human milk,” says Arcaro, a professor in the department of veterinary and animal sciences and a member of the environmental sciences program. The breast milk was collected as part of a larger, ongoing study Arcaro is conducting that is examining the link between environmental exposures and breast cancer.

PFCs, in general, are persistent chemicals that can linger in the environment and the human body for years without being broken down; several studies have documented the presence of PFCs in the blood of newborns collected immediately after birth. Studies have also documented the presence of PFCs in children between the ages of two and 12 and have revealed blood levels similar to those found in adults. It was these studies that led the team to investigate breast-feeding as a source of PFCs. Milk samples were collected in 2004 from 45 nursing mothers in Massachusetts and the breast milk was studied for nine different PFCs. The study revealed that perfluorooctane-sulfonate (PFOS), was found in the highest concentration in breast milk. PFOS is the chemical used to make stain-resistant fabrics. PFOS was followed by PFOA, which is used in nonstick cookware. The study also revealed that total PFC concentrations increased during the first six months of nursing. In a separate Canadian study, it was found that diet contributed 61 percent to a person’s total daily intake of PFCs.

In January 2006, the EPA and eight major companies in the industry—including DuPont—created the 2010/2015 Stewardship Program that involves a commitment to reduce facility emissions and product content of PFOA and related chemicals by 95 percent by 2010 and to work toward eliminating emissions and product content by 2015.

Mercury Still A Major Environmental Pollutant

Wed, 07 May 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Although a recent study confirms that a dramatic decline in mercury releases from products in the U.S. between 1990 and 2005, mercury remains a dangerously significant source of environmental contamination, contributing nearly one-third of total mercury emissions to the air in the U.S.

Mercury release into the environment has long been a serious problem. Mercury can harm a developing fetus if the mother is exposed to high levels and also accumulates in fish populations. Because a variety of popular products release mercury throughout their lifecycles--often in ways that are difficult to measure—there are significant uncertainties concerning the impact of mercury release into the environment.

The findings, published in Journal of Industrial Ecology, give a new perspective on the magnitudes of different mercury release sources. The study used a method called “substance flow analysis” to develop improved estimates of the environmental releases caused by mercury-containing products and to provide policy-makers with a clearer understanding of possible opportunities to reduce mercury release environmentally.

“Mercury-containing products such as thermometers, switches, and dental products release mercury throughout the product life-cycle, including during production, use, and disposal,” sad Alexis Cain, lead author of the study and an environmental scientist with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). “Substance flow analysis can be used to estimate the mercury releases to air, land, and water at different stages of a product lifecycle. It can also help identify actions that would be effective in minimizing mercury releases.” The disposal of mercury-containing products has been the subject of public debate in recent years and programs have been initiated to eliminate mercury thermometers and to discontinue mercury use in energy-saving fluorescent light bulbs. There is also controversy revolving around who should pay for the separate disposal of mercury-containing switches and headlights removed from cars before they are crushed and recycled.

The study indicated that in 2000, mercury releases caused by mercury-containing products accounted for an estimated 32 percent of mercury releases to air, two percent to land, and four percent to water. Significant sources of include emissions from steel furnaces because of mercury containing devices in autos and other scrapped equipment, from transport and storage of waste because of broken mercury equipment, from cremations because of the mercury contained in dental amalgam used for tooth fillings, and from burn barrels used for trash disposal in rural areas.

Meanwhile, a recent study of Texas school district and industrial mercury-release data, which was conducted by researchers at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, revealed a statistically significant link between the pounds of industrial release of mercury and an increase in autism rates. The study examined mercury-release data from 39 coal-fired power plants and 56 industrial facilities in Texas and autism rates from 1,040 Texas school districts. That study confirmed—for the first time in scientific literature—that there is a statistically significant link between autism risk and distance from the mercury source and that there is mounting evidence that children and other developing organisms are more susceptible to neurobiological effects of mercury.

Microwave Popcorn Ingredient Tied to Lung Disease

Fri, 02 May 2008 00:00:00 -0700

A unusually high incidence of bronchiolitis obliterans among workers at microwave popcorn factories is likely the result of their exposure to diacetyl, a new study says. The study, conducted by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, (NIOSH) concluded that diacetyl, a chemical that gives microwave popcorn its butter flavor, needs further study so that workers in the flavorings and snack industry are no longer at risk of the fatal disease, also known as Popcorn Workers Lung.

Popcorn Workers Lung is a potentially life threatening ailment, for which the only cure is a lung transplant. The disease was thought to be limited to people working in the flavorings industry. But last July, Dr. Cecile Rhodes informed the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) that one of her patients had contracted the disease. The patient had been consuming several bags of butter-flavored microwave popcorn on a daily basis for at least 15 years. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), this is the first report of Popcorn Workers Lung in a consumer. That victim has since filed a lawsuit against the company that produced the microwave popcorn he favored.

In 2003 and 2004, NIOSH found an association between the toxic substance and the development of Popcorn Workers Lung among hundreds of workers at six Midwestern popcorn factories. Last April, the CDC reported that workers at food flavoring factories, as well as popcorn plants, were at risk for the disease.

Diacetyl is easily vaporized at temperatures used in microwave popcorn production, which results in high concentrations in the workplace. The NIOSH research examined the acute toxicity of inhaled diacetyl in rats, and compared different exposure patterns. It was one of the very first studies to evaluate the respiratory toxicity of the chemical flavoring agent at levels relevant to human health. The researchers found that diacetyl -- including just its vapors -- can injure lungs.

In the study, lab mice were made to inhale diacetyl vapors over a three month time period. The mice developed lymphocytic bronchiolitis — a potential precursor of Popcorn Workers Lung. None of the mice, however, developed that disease.

In 2007, several makers of microwave popcorn, including ConAgra, General Mills and American Popcorn Co., took steps to remove diacetyl from their products. There has also been a movement to convince federal regulators to police the use of diacetyl in the workplace, but those efforts have had mixed results. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), which sets limits on how much of a dangerous substance a worker can be subjected to, said in 2000 that it had no standards for the flavoring and that it wasn’t a problem because the FDA considered diacetyl “safe.” For its part, the FDA has maintained that it has no jurisdiction to evaluate hazards posed by breathing vapors from food additives. It was only last year that OSHA started to investigate diacetyl exposure in snack food industry workers, and that agency is expected to look into setting standards for workers next month.

EPA Targets Airborne Lead

Fri, 02 May 2008 00:00:00 -0700

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) just proposed a stricter health standard for airborne lead, saying that current allowable concentrations do not adequately protect public health, especially children. The lead health standard has not been changed since its initial requirement was enacted 30 years ago. Since then, lead pollution dropped substantially, largely because lead was banned in gasoline; however, lead emissions remain an air quality problem, largely stemming from industrial sources, according to the EPA.

"Our air isn't lead-free yet, so our efforts must continue," said EPA Deputy Administrator Marcus Peacock. The EPA proposal will reduce allowable airborne lead concentrations by up to 93% from current standards and is expected to be finalized mid-September. According to Peacock, lead emissions in the air declined 98% since the first standard was imposed in 1978. Peacock added that approximately 1,300 tons of lead is still released yearly and research confirms even low levels of exposure to children is damaging.

An earlier EPA staff report—developed in late December 2006—suggested a variety of options. One such option was to eliminate the lead standard; however, because the EPA has recently been criticized by health advocates for not being tough enough on mercury and smog air requirements, a panel of EPA science advisors strongly recommended that the lead standard be “substantially lowered” and toughened, not eliminated. The proposed standard for allowable concentrations of lead in the air is recommended for between 0.10 to 0.30 micrograms per cubic meter; the current human health standard is 1.5 micrograms per cubic meter. This means if the air does not meet the new standard, it will not be considered protective of public health and state or local governments must find ways to reduce lead emissions.

Many consider lead poisoning to be one of the most important chronic environmental illnesses affecting children today. Exposure to lead in children and unborn children can cause brain and nervous system damage, behavioral and learning problems, slowed growth, hearing problems, headaches, mental and physical retardation, and behavioral and other health problems. Lead is also known to cause cancer and reproductive harm and, in adults, lead can damage the nervous system. Despite efforts to control lead and the success in decreasing lead poisoning, serious cases still occur. Once poisoned, no organ system is immune. Of particular concern is the developing brain because negative influences can have long-lasting effects and can continue well into puberty and beyond. Lead can be inhaled or ingested once it settles out of the air and once in the body, is rapidly absorbed into the bloodstream.

The lead standard was the first air quality standard for health to be issued under the Clean Air Act in 1978. Although standards for ozone or soot have changed, the lead standard has not, despite the fact that legally health standards should be reviewed every five years. In 2004, a federal court, in a lawsuit brought by the Missouri Coalition for the Environment—a group whose members live near a major industrial lead emitter—directed the EPA to review the lead standard.

The court ordered the EPA to issue a proposed rule by May 1 and also directed that the EPA issue its final rule by September.

PFC, Linked to Cancer, Found in Breast Milk

Fri, 02 May 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Those chemicals which have long been used to make cookware nonstick and fabrics stain-resistant are not only spreading around the world, but they are showing up in some surprising and disturbing places. Perfluorinated compounds, or PFCs, have shown up in wildlife, drinking water supplies, and human blood; however, a team of researchers—including Kathleen Arcaro of the University of Massachusetts Amherst—found PFCs in samples of human milk from nursing mothers in Massachusetts. PFCs are believed to be carcinogenic.

“Perfluorinated compounds, or PFCs, are found in human blood around the world, including the blood of newborns, but this is the first study in the United States to document their occurrence in human milk,” says Arcaro, a professor in the department of veterinary and animal sciences and a member of the environmental sciences program. “While nursing does not expose infants to a dose that exceeds recommended limits, breast milk should be considered as an additional source of PFCs when determining a child’s total exposure.” The breast milk was collected as part of a larger, ongoing study Arcaro is conducting that is examining the link between environmental exposures and breast cancer.

PFCs are persistent chemicals that can linger in the environment and the human body for years without being broken down. PFCs can be found in food sources such as the grease-resistant packaging in microwave popcorn bags and pizza boxes. PFCs can also be found in fish and other animals and from personal care products including dental floss and shampoo.

Several studies have documented the presence of PFCs in the blood of newborns collected immediately after birth. Studies have also documented the presence of PFC in children between the ages of 2 and 12 and have revealed blood levels similar to those found in adults. It was these studies that led the team to investigate breast feeding as a source of PFCs. This information will be needed to determine the sources and breadth of exposure in infants and children and if PFCs have an effect on birth outcomes in newborns.

Chemical analyses were conducted in the laboratory of Kuruntachalam Kannan at the New York State Department of Health and results are scheduled for publication in Environmental Science and Technology. Research was supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences.

Milk samples were collected in 2004 from 45 nursing mothers in Massachusetts. The breast milk was studied for nine different PFCs. The study revealed that perfluorooctane-sulfonate (PFOS), was found in the highest concentration in breast milk. PFOS is the chemical used to make stain-resistant fabrics. PFOS was followed by perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), which is used in nonstick cookware.

Milk from first-time nursing mothers was also studied to determine how PFC concentrations changed over time and it was discovered that total PFC concentrations and the concentration of PFOS increased during the first six months of nursing. “This may be related to increased food intake to meet the energy demands of nursing and changes in food consumption patterns in nursing mothers,” says Arcaro. “In a Canadian study, diet was shown to contribute 61 percent of a person’s total daily intake of PFCs.”

Lawmakers Introduce BPA Ban

Thu, 01 May 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Senate Democrats just introduced a bill to ban bispherol A—BPA—the ubiquitous estrogen-imitating chemical found in plastics from all products made for infants and young. The bill would direct the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to study BPA risks to children and adults. "There have been enough warning signs about the dangers of this chemical that we cannot sit idly by and continue to allow vulnerable children and infants to be exposed," said Senator Charles E. Schumer (Democrat-New York). Schumer’s bill was co-sponsored by senators Hillary Rodham Clinton (NY), Richard J. Durbin (Illinois), Dianne Feinstein (California), John F. Kerry (Massachusetts), and Robert Menendez (New Jersey).

Schumer wants CDC involvement because of conflicting scientific studies. A growing body of new studies link BPA to prostate and breast cancers, diabetes, behavioral disorders, and reproductive problems in laboratory animals. The chemical industry and agencies that regulate the use of BPA—the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)—defend BPA and deem it safe. Over 100 studies performed by government scientists and university laboratories found health concerns associated with BPA; industry-funded studies say it is safe. The House Energy and Commerce Committee is investigating the FDA's handling of BPA.

The National Toxicology Program—part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH)— Center for the Evaluation of Risks to Human Reproduction was the first federal agency to raise concerns about the effect of BPA on fetuses, infants, and children and found BPA risk and exposure causes neural and behavioral effects in children and said experiments on rats found precancerous tumors, urinary tract problems, and early puberty when animals were fed or injected with low BPA doses. "The report earlier this month was an eye-opener," Schumer said. "Now we want to get one final, indisputable ruling, once and for all, on the effects of BPA on adults and pregnant women in particular."

Chairman John D. Dingell (Democrat-Michigan) expressed concern that the FDA based its safety rating on two studies funded by the chemical industry and expanded his investigation to include the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). CPSC spokeswoman Julie Vallese said the CPSC agrees with the FDA that BPA is safe and it believes BPA poses the greatest health risk when in contact with food and drink and not in the types of products overseen by the CPSC. The CPSC studied rattles, teething rings, and pacifiers in 2002 and found BPA in five of 133 plastics sample, Vallese said. It has not studied whether the chemical is present in other products it regulates, she said.

BPA has been in commercial use since the 1950s and is found in a wide variety of everyday items including water bottles, food and drink packaging, food can linings, dental sealants, CDs and DVDs, eyeglasses, and automobiles. One federal study estimated the chemical is found in the urine of 93 percent of the population and another places the figure at 95 percent. According to the CDC, over 90 percent of Americans are exposed to BPA.

New York State Looking at Artificial Turf Hazards

Thu, 01 May 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Last month, the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) began reviewing possible risks linked to lead with artificial turf currently installed in schools, parks, and stadiums nationwide. The artificial turf industry denied its products are dangerous. But, health officials closed down two fields in New Jersey after detecting what they found to be unexpectedly high levels of lead in the synthetic turf, raising concerns that athletes could swallow or inhale fibers or dust from the playing surface.

In recent years, dozens of fields have been installed across Long Island and the New York state environmental agency is initiating a study to assess the environmental impact of ground-up tires used in modern synthetic turf fields. Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) officials became involved when state lawmakers raised concerns about potentially toxic and carcinogenic components—arsenic, cadmium, lead, zinc—in the rubber crumbs cushioning the fields and if these chemicals leach into groundwater or vaporize into inhalable gases. "We don't know what the environmental implications are for the long term," said Assemblyman Steve Englebright (Democrat-Setauket), who sponsored a bill calling for a six-month moratorium on the turf pending a comprehensive study.

Most new turf fields contain scrap tires because they require little maintenance and hold up under both heavy rain and extended play. At least 60 fields have been installed on Long Island since 2001, according to LandTek, an Amityville synthetic turf distributor. New York City also has a number of crumb rubber fields and there are about 150 statewide, said DEC spokeswoman Maureen Wren. Its study will use laboratory and field tests to assess whether rubber crumbs leach toxins into groundwater or release volatile chemicals into the air; the study is expected to be completed by year end.

Health researchers are also reviewing existing literature on crumb rubber fields, said Health Department spokeswoman Claudia Hutton. Artificial turf manufacturers say the playing surfaces pose no risk to children or athletes, citing European government studies and those funded by turf and sports industry groups. Little independent research has been conducted in the US on the potential health and environmental consequences of crumb rubber. "We know the chemicals are there," said Dr. Philip Landrigan, chairman of the Department of Community and Preventive Medicine at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in Manhattan. "Where the debate really settles is whether they're getting from the fields into the kids, and whether they pose an actual hazard."

Scrutiny of artificial turf increased earlier last month, with news of high lead levels in older AstroTurf fields in New Jersey and Syracuse, which do not contain crumb rubber. According to the Synthetic Turf Council, there are approximately 3,500 synthetic playing fields made of various materials—including nylon and polyethylene—nationwide; about 800 are installed annually at schools, colleges, parks, and stadiums. Use of artificial turf has grown exponentially in recent years and is seen as a way to cut costs and water use. But, lead chromate pigment is sometimes used to make the grass green and maintain its color in sunlight. It remains unclear how widely the compound is used. The New Jersey Health Department found lead in both of the nylon fields it tested which were Astro Turf brand surfaces.

FDA to Investigate BPA

Tue, 29 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0700

The Food & Drug Administration (FDA) is finally looking into concerns about the safety of bisphenol A—BPA—a chemical that imitates the hormone estrogen and which is found in polycarbonate plastic. BPA is found in some baby bottles; water bottles; some food and drink packaging; epoxy resins, which line some metal products including canned foods; dental sealants, CDs and DVDs, eyeglasses, and hundreds of household goods. Over 90 percent of Americans are exposed to BPA, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and BPA has been found in the urine of 95% of Americans tested.

The FDA just formed an agency-wide BPA task force to review concerns noted in a “Bisphenol A Draft Report” recently issued by scientists from the National Toxicology Program and in a separate risk assessment by Canadian health officials. The FDA states that based on its ongoing review, "we believe there is a large body of evidence that indicates that FDA-regulated products containing BPA currently on the market are safe and that exposure levels to BPA from food contact materials, including for infants and children, are below those that may cause health effects. However, we will continue to consider new research and information as they become available."

The FDA says it isn't recommending anyone discontinue using BPA-containing products; however, "concerned consumers should know that several alternatives to polycarbonate baby bottles exist, including glass baby bottles." The American Chemistry Council, an industry group, also maintains potential human exposure to BPA is minimal and poses no known risk to human health.

Despite the FDA’s statements to the contrary and industry’s defense of the chemical, legislation has been proposed in several states to limit or ban BPA use, New Jersey lawmakers passed a bill to ban the sale of all BPA-containing products, Canada’s health agency is examining BPA health risks, a major Canadian retailer removed Nalgene and other polycarbonate containers from shelves, and Canada proposed a BPA ban in baby bottles. Toys 'R' Us, Wal-Mart, Playtex, and CVS have all announced that they are phasing out bottles and other baby feeding products containing BPA; Nalgene said it would stop using BPA; and Senator Charles Schumer, Democrat-N.Y., introduced legislation to ban BPA from all baby bottles.

Low BPA levels have been found to cause changes in behavior; in the brain, prostate gland, and mammary gland; and the age at which girls enter puberty. In the lab, BPA is linked to sex-hormone-imbalances, including breast and prostate cancer, early puberty, miscarriage, low sperm count, and immune-system changes. The National Toxicology Program's Center for the Evaluation of Risks to Human Reproduction found BPA risk and exposure causes neural and behavioral effects in children. A group of scientists from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the FDA, and the Institutes of Health (NIH) warned that very low doses of BPA cause profound effects on laboratory animals, particularly during pregnancy and infancy and that BPA can permanently rewire genetic programming before birth. The federal National Toxicology Program said experiments on rats found precancerous tumors, urinary tract problems, and early puberty when animals were fed or injected with low BPA doses.

Study Finds Link Between Autism Rates, Mercury Emissions

Fri, 25 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0700

A new study of Texas school district and industrial mercury-release data, which was conducted by researchers at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, reveals that there is a statistically significant link between the pounds of industrial release of mercury and an increase in autism rates. The study examined mercury-release data from 39 coal-fired power plants and 56 industrial facilities in Texas and autism rates from 1,040 Texas school districts.

The study confirmed—for the first time in scientific literature—that there is a statistically significant link between autism risk and distance from the mercury source. “This is not a definitive study, but just one more that furthers the association between environmental mercury and autism,” said lead author Raymond F. Palmer, Ph.D., associate professor of family and community medicine at the UT Health Science Center San Antonio. The article appears in the journal Health & Place.

Palmer; Stephen Blanchard, Ph.D., of Our Lady of the Lake University in San Antonio; and Robert Wood of the UT Health Science Center discovered that community autism prevalence goes down by one-to-two percent for every 10 miles of distance from the pollution source. “This study was not designed to understand which individuals in the population are at risk due to mercury exposure,” Dr. Palmer said. “However, it does suggest, generally, that there is greater autism risk closer to the polluting source.” Palmer also said, “The effects of persistent, low-dose exposure to mercury pollution, in addition to fish consumption, deserve attention. Ultimately, we will want to know who in the general population is at greatest risk based on genetic susceptibilities such as subtle deficits in the ability to detoxify heavy metals.”

The study revealed mounting evidence that children and other developing organisms are more susceptible to neurobiological effects of mercury. “We suspect low-dose exposures to various environmental toxicants, including mercury, that occur during critical windows of neural development among genetically susceptible children may increase the risk for developmental disorders such as autism,” the authors wrote.

The study found for every 1,000 pounds of mercury released by all industrial sources in Texas into the environment in 1998, there was a corresponding 2.6 percent increase in autism rates in the Texas school districts in 2002; for every 1,000 pounds of mercury released by Texas power plants in 1998, there was a corresponding 3.7 percent increase in autism rates in Texas school districts in 2002. “We need to be concerned about global mercury emissions since a substantial proportion of mercury releases are spread around the world by long-range air and ocean currents,” Dr. Palmer said. “Steps for controlling and eliminating mercury pollution on a worldwide basis may be advantageous. This entails greener, non-mercury-polluting technologies.”

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimated environmental mercury releases at 158 million tons annually nationwide in the late 1990s, the time involved in this research. Most exposures were said to come from coal-fired utility plants (33 percent), municipal/medical waste incinerators (29 percent) and commercial/industrial boilers (18 percent). Cement plants also release mercury. With the enactment of clean air legislation and other measures, mercury deposition into the environment is decreasing slightly.

BPA-Laced Nalgene Bottles Spur Lawsuit

Thu, 24 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0700

What is believed to be the first consumer class action suit over Bisphenol A—BPA—in consumer products has been filed against Nalge Nunc International Corporation. Lani Felix-Lozano claims Nalge Nunc, knew, but minimized risks that BPA in its Nalgene sports bottles could leach into the bottles' contents and sicken consumers. BPA is found in dental sealants, food and baby formula can liners, CDs and DVDs, eyeglasses, and hundreds of household goods. Over 90 percent of Americans are exposed to BPA, according to the CDC and BPA has been found in the urine of 95% of Americans tested.

The suit, filed in U.S. District Court in Sacramento, accuses Nalge Nunc of continuing to state that BPA is safe despite dozens of studies linking BPA to hormone disruptions, infertility, early puberty, and cancer. Felix-Lozano said she bought the company's reusable containers for herself and her two daughters, now ages 11 and 13, for several years. "They address the issue of BPA in their bottles (on their Web site); they cite the (Food and Drug Administration) stating that they see no problem with it. The problem is they didn't cite the many other studies that show there is a risk and there is a great concern about the issue," said Felix-Lozano’s attorney.

In response to increasing concerns about BPA, the FDA says there’s “no reason at this time to ban or otherwise restrict its use”; however, legislation has been proposed in several states to limit or ban BPA use and some stores have pulled polycarbonate bottles. New Jersey lawmakers passed a bill to ban the sale of all BPA-containing products, Canada’s health agency is examining BPA health risks, a major Canadian retailer removed Nalgene and other polycarbonate plastic containers from shelves, and Canada proposed a BPA ban in baby bottles. Also, Toys 'R' Us said it will phase out bottles and other "baby feeding products" containing BPA by year-end; Wal-Mart said it will stop selling baby bottles made with BPA by early next year; Nalgene said it will stop using BPA; and Playtex, which makes a variety of baby products, says it will stop using BPA. Senator Charles Schumer, Democrat-N.Y., introduced legislation to ban BPA from all baby bottles.

The recent Canadian ban followed the National Toxicology Program—of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services—statement it found "some concern" that low BPA levels cause changes in behavior; in the brain, prostate gland, and mammary gland; and the age at which girls enter puberty. In the lab, BPA is linked to sex-hormone-imbalances, including breast and prostate cancer, early puberty, miscarriage, low sperm count, and immune-system changes. The National Toxicology Program's Center for the Evaluation of Risks to Human Reproduction found BPA risk and exposure causes neural and behavioral effects in children. A group of scientists from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the FDA, and the Institutes of Health (NIH) warned that very low doses of BPA cause profound effects on laboratory animals, particularly during pregnancy and infancy and that BPA can permanently rewire genetic programming before birth. The federal National Toxicology Program said experiments on rats found precancerous tumors, urinary tract problems, and early puberty when animals were fed or injected with low BPA doses.

Smog Causing Early Deaths, Report Says

Wed, 23 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0700

A recent review conducted by the National Academy of Sciences has concluded that short-term exposure to smog, or ozone, is not only definitively linked to premature deaths, this information should also be taken into account when measuring the health benefits of reducing air pollution. These findings contradict arguments made by some White House officials who argued that the connection between smog and premature death was not sufficiently established and that the number of saved lives should not be calculated in determining clean air benefits.

According to the 13-member panel, “The committee has concluded from its review of health-based evidence that short-term exposure to ambient ozone is likely to contribute to premature deaths.” The panel—which examined short-term (24-hour) exposure to high ozone levels—also said that “studies have yielded strong evidence that short-term exposure to ozone can exacerbate lung conditions, causing illness and hospitalization and can potentially lead to death.” Ozone exposure is a leading cause of respiratory illnesses and especially affects the elderly, those with respiratory problems, and children. Ground-level ozone is formed from nitrogen oxide and organic compounds that result from burning fossil fuels and presents as yellow haze or smog that lingers in the air.

While premature deaths from ozone exposure is greater among individuals with lung and heart disease, the report said such deaths are not restricted to only those at a high risk of death within a couple of days. Also, the scientists were unable to confirm if there is a threshold below which no fatalities can be assured from ozone exposure. If such a threshold exists, it is below the ozone levels allowed for public health. Environmentalists and health advocates have long argued that health studies and surveys show that smog exposure aggravates respiratory problems and results in thousands of fatalities each year; however, the EPA and the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB)—which reviews regulations—have disagree about the smog level-death link.

Attorney Vicky Patton of the advocacy group Environmental Defense agrees that in a number of instances, the Academy’s report “could have important consequences” on such future disputes. Patton also accused the OMB of attempting to minimize the link between pollution and premature deaths, which causes a lower calculation of health benefits from pollution reductions. A tactic, Patton says, “Has been used by industry to try to attack health standards by minimizing the societal benefits.”

One example involves the EPA’s decision in March to toughen the ozone health standard that reduces allowable ozone concentrations in the air. When the cost-benefit analysis was being prepared in connection with the rulemaking, the OMB argued there is “considerable uncertainty” in the association between ozone levels and deaths and has also objected to the EPA quantifying ozone-related mortality benefits in new emissions standards for lawn mowers and other small engines that release large amounts of ozone-forming pollution. In response, the EPA removed “all references to quantified ozone benefits” in the proposed rule, according to an e-mail sent by EPA to the OMB.

Lead in Astro Turf Attracts CPSC Attention

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0700

There may be health hazards linked to lead with the artificial turf currently installed in schools, parks, and stadiums nationwide and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is looking into the possible risks to Americans. The artificial-turf industry denied its products are dangerous.

Health officials have already closed down two fields in New Jersey after detecting what they found to be unexpectedly high levels of lead in the synthetic turf. This raised concerns that athletes could swallow or inhale fibers or dust from the playing surface. "We have a great deal of interest in any consumer product that could be used by children where children could potentially be in harm's way because of lead exposure," CPSC spokesman Scott Wolfson said.

According to the Synthetic Turf Council, there are approximately 3,500 synthetic playing fields made of various materials—including nylon and polyethylene—nationwide; about 800 are installed annually at schools, colleges, parks, and stadiums. Use of artificial turf has grown exponentially in recent years and is seen as a way to cut costs and water use. But, pigment containing lead chromate is used in some surfaces to make the grass green and to enable the turf to maintain its color under the fading effects of sunlight. It remains unclear how widely the compound is used. The New Jersey Health Department found lead in both of the nylon fields it tested which were Astro Turf brand surfaces.

Many consider lead poisoning to be one of the most important chronic environmental illnesses affecting children today. Exposure to lead in children and unborn children can cause brain and nervous system damage, behavioral and learning problems, slowed growth, hearing problems, headaches, mental and physical retardation, and behavioral and other health problems. Lead is also known to cause cancer and reproductive harm and, in adults, lead can damage the nervous system. Despite efforts to control lead and the success in decreasing lead poisoning, serious cases still occur. Once poisoned, no organ system is immune. Of particular concern is the developing brain because negative influences can have long-lasting effects and can continue well into puberty and beyond.

A major challenge with lead poisoning is the difficulty in recognizing its subtle symptoms and that no pathognomonic—or definitive—indicators exist or point to contamination. When faced with peculiar symptoms that do not match any one particular disease, lead poisoning should be considered. Children with lead poisoning may experience irritability, sleeplessness or excess lethargy, poor appetite, headaches, abdominal pain with or without vomiting—and generally without diarrhea—constipation, and changes in activity level. A child with lead toxicity be iron deficient and pale because of anemia and can be either hyperactive or lethargic. There may also be dental pointers, for instance, lead lines on gingival tissue. In adults there may be motor problems and an increase in depressive disorders, aggressive behavior, and other maladaptive affective disorders as well as problems with sexual performance, impotence and infertility, as well as increased fetal wastage and sleep disorders, either. They may be over sleeping or have difficulty falling asleep.

Momentum Builds to End BPA in Plastics

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0700

In response to increasing concerns about the estrogen-imitating chemical bisphenol A—BPA—the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says there’s “no reason at this time to ban or otherwise restrict its use”; however, legislation has been proposed in several states to limit or ban BPA use and some stores have pulled polycarbonate bottles. New Jersey lawmakers passed a bill to ban the sale of all BPA-containing products, Canada’s health agency is examining BPA health risks, a major Canadian retailer removed Nalgene and other polycarbonate plastic containers from shelves, and Canada has proposed a BPA ban in baby bottles.

The recent Canadian announcement followed the National Toxicology Program—a part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services—statement that it found "some concern" that low BPA levels cause changes in behavior; in the brain, prostate gland, and mammary gland; and the age at which girls enter puberty. In the lab, BPA is linked to sex-hormone-imbalances, including breast and prostate cancer, early puberty, miscarriage, low sperm count, and immune-system changes. The National Toxicology Program's Center for the Evaluation of Risks to Human Reproduction found BPA risk and exposure causes neural and behavioral effects in children. A group of scientists from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the FDA, and the Institutes of Health (NIH) warned that even very low doses of BPA cause profound effects on laboratory animals, particularly during pregnancy and infancy and that BPA can permanently rewire genetic programming before birth. The federal National Toxicology Program said experiments on rats found precancerous tumors, urinary tract problems, and early puberty when animals were fed or injected with low BPA doses.

Despite this mounting evidence, the industry group, the American Chemistry Council, argues that BPA has been used safely for decades. Rick Locker, an attorney for the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association, says parents can be confident that products made with BPA are safe, saying the FDA has not found that BPA poses a risk to children. Meanwhile, the FDA has been long under fire for a vast variety of issues that have had a negative impact on American consumers, including the recent revelation about infrequent foreign drug manufacturing plant inspections, contaminants in medications, and uneven drug testing practices, to name a few.

BPA is found in dental sealants, food and baby formula can liners, CDs and DVDs, eyeglasses, and hundreds of household goods. Over 90 percent of Americans are exposed to BPA, according to the CDC and BPA has been found in the urine of 95% of Americans tested.

Toys 'R' Us announced Monday it will phase out bottles and other "baby feeding products" containing BPA by year-end. Wal-Mart said it will stop selling baby bottles made with BPA by early next year. Nalgene, which makes those plastic water bottles so popular with hikers, and Playtex, which makes a variety of baby products, say they'll stop using BPA. And, Brian Fallon, spokesman for Senator Charles Schumer, Democrat-N.Y., says Schumer will be introducing legislation today to ban BPA from all baby bottles.

Nalgene Nixes Plastic Bottles with BPA

Mon, 21 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Hard-plastic Nalgene water bottles, made with bisphenol A—BPA, are going to be pulled from stores over the next few months in light of increasing consumer worries over the risks associated with BPA. Nalge Nunc International, a division of Waltham, Massachusetts-based Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc., said Friday it will substitute its Nalgene Outdoor line of polycarbonate plastic containers with BPA-free alternatives. "By eliminating containers containing BPA from our consumer product mix, our customers can have confidence that their needs are being met," Steven Silverman, general manager of the Nalgene business, announced.

BPA is a fairly ubiquitous chemical used in polycarbonate plastic products, including baby bottles and metal can coatings that could be linked to a range of hormonal problems, according to a recent and preliminary government report developed by a group of scientists from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the Institutes of Health (NIH). The federal National Toxicology Program said experiments on rats found precancerous tumors, urinary tract problems, and early puberty when animals were fed or injected with low doses of BPA. With over six million pounds produced in the United States each year, BPA is found in dental sealants, the liners of food cans, CDs and DVDs, eyeglasses, and hundreds of household goods. Over 90 percent of Americans are exposed to trace amounts of BPA, according to the CDC and last month said animal testing revealed BPA has hormone-like effects on the reproductive system.

In the lab, BPA has been linked to a variety of sex-hormone-imbalances, including breast and prostate cancer, early puberty, miscarriage, low sperm count, and immune-system changes. "The reproductive system is developing, the brain is developing, the immune system is developing," said David Carpenter, director of the Institute for Health and the Environment at the University at Albany. Knowing that, he said, it is "absolutely obscene" to expose infants to BPA. The National Toxicology Program's Center for the Evaluation of Risks to Human Reproduction convened an expert panel last month to determine if BPA is hazardous to humans, including developing babies. The panel found risk and exposure causes neural and behavioral effects in children.

In November, the FDA said there is “no reason at this time to ban or otherwise restrict its use”; however, legislation has been proposed in several US states to limit or ban BPA use and some stores have pulled polycarbonate bottles. Also, earlier this month, New Jersey lawmakers passed a bill to ban the sale of all products containing BPA and Canada’s health agency is examining the health risks of BPA with findings to be released shortly and a major Canadian retailer removed Nalgene and other polycarbonate plastic containers from store shelves in early December.

Nalgene bottles are reusable, transparent, and made at a factory in suburban Rochester. In 2000, a new sports line of Nalgene-brand bottles offered in red, blue, and yellow were extremely popular in high schools and on college campuses. Highly durable and lightweight, resistant to stains and odors, and able to withstand extremes of hot and cold, screw-cap Nalgene bottles are marketed as an environmentally responsible substitute for disposable water bottles.

Ag-Mart Settles Pesticide Birth Defect Lawsuit

Thu, 17 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0700

A little boy whose severe birth defects were caused by pesticide exposure won't have to worry about medical care for the rest of his life, his lawyer says. Ag-Mart Produce, which sells fruits and vegetables under the name Santa Sweets, has agreed to settle a lawsuit filed by the boys migrant-worker parents. While the terms of the settlement are confidential, the family's attorney said the amount of money involved is significant.

Farm workers are at great danger due to exposure to toxic pesticides. Children born to mothers and fathers who work on farms often suffer extreme birth defects. America's Children and the Environment (ACE), a division of the federal Environmental Protection Agency, states: "Studies evaluating the role of pesticides in birth defects have established a connection between maternal and paternal exposure to pesticides and greater dangers of offspring having or dying from birth defects."

Francisca Herrera, 20, and Abraham Candelario, 21, the parents of Carlos Herrara Candelario, worked in the Ag-Mart's Florida and North Carolina tomato fields before and after Herrera became pregnant. In depositions, the boy's parents claimed that Ag-Mart managers did not adhere to seven-day waiting periods after spraying and before sending workers to pick crops. Sometimes, they claimed, workers were sent into the fields the day after spraying. Other times, crops were sprayed with pesticides while workers were in the fields. Carlos, now 3 years old, was born without arms or legs, and with spinal and lung abnormalities.

As part of the settlement, Ag-Mart is not admitting to any wrongdoing. But following publicity about Carlos and two other severely disfigured babies born to tomato pickers in South Florida, Ag-Mart stopped using pesticides that had been linked to birth defects. According to the "St. Petersburg Times", Florida and North Carolina also hit Ag-Mart with hundreds of citations for pesticide misuse.

Circuit Judge Charlene Honeywell of Hillsborough County, Florida - where Ag-Mart is based - agreed to seal the settlement agreement to protect Carlos and his family. Attorneys on both sides said Carlos and his parents would be at risk if their neighbors knew the details. "It's not the nicest community where they live," Ag-Mart attorney Keith Wickenden, said after the hearing.

The family's attorney told the "St. Petersburg Times" that the money from the settlement will be placed in trust for Carlos. His parents will have access to the money to buy a house, buy a car and help him to live a normal life. They cannot touch the money for any purpose that does not immediately benefit Carlos.

The lawyer credited Carlos' family for exposing deplorable conditions in farm work and creating changes that will benefit others for years to come.

Possible Link Between Formaldehyde, Lou Gehrig's Disease Found

Thu, 17 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Research into the connection between amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), or Lou Gehrig's disease, and 12 common chemicals has found a link between the terrible disease and exposure to formaldehyde. While the study found no significant link between ALS and most chemicals, including pesticides and herbicides, they found people who had been regularly exposed to formaldehyde were 34 percent more likely to develop ALS.

According to the ALS Association website, ALS is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord. Motor neurons reach from the brain to the spinal cord and from the spinal cord to the muscles throughout the body. The progressive degeneration of the motor neurons in ALS eventually lead to their death. When the motor neurons die, the ability of the brain to initiate and control muscle movement is lost. With voluntary muscle action progressively affected, patients in the later stages of the disease may become totally paralyzed. The disease is commonly known as Lou Gehrigs disease, in honor of the New York Yankees baseball player who succumbed to it in 1941. About 5,600 people in the United States are diagnosed with ALS each year

This latest ALS study, conducted by researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health, involved more than 1,100 people enrolled in a cancer prevention study who died of ALS. They were asked about their exposure to formaldehyde and other chemicals in 1982, and then followed for 15 years. The scientists found that certain jobs seemed to have a much higher risk. They included beautician, pharmacist, mortician, chemist, lab technician, dentist, fireman, photographer, printer, nurse, doctor and veterinarian. They had rates of ALS that were 30 percent higher than the general population. The more formaldehyde exposure people reported, the more likely they were to develop ALS.

While the study does not prove that formaldehyde exposure causes ALS, Marc Weisskopf, the lead researcher on the study, told Reuters that the subject needs more study. "Ideally, we would like to see people start looking at this and see whether the finding holds up in other settings," Weisskopf said.

Formaldehyde is an invisible gas that is known to cause cancer. It can also cause other illnesses ranging from nose bleeds to chronic bronchitis. Commonly used in manufactured homes, formaldehyde can cause respiratory problems and has been classified as a carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer and as a probable carcinogen by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Formaldehyde has been in the news recently, after it was discovered that trailers the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) distributed to Hurricane Katrina victims were polluted with the chemical. Shortly after people began living in the toxic FEMA trailers, they started reporting health problems, but federal regulators ignored the problem until public outcry forced them to act.

Last December, FEMA finally decided to have the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) conduct air quality tests of 519 trailers. The CDC tests confirmed that the FEMA trailers posed a serious danger to residents still living in them. The average formaldehyde levels found in the toxic trailers measured 77ppb (parts per billions), significantly higher than the 10 to 17 ppb concentration seen in newer homes. When it announced its findings, the CDC urged FEMA to move residents from the toxic trailers as quickly as possible, with priority given to families with children, elderly people or anyone with asthma or other chronic conditions.

BPA Implicated in Health Problems, US Report Says

Wed, 16 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Bisphenol A, or BPA—a fairly ubiquitous chemical used in polycarbonate plastic products, including baby bottles and metal can coatings could be linked to a range of hormonal problems—according to a recent and preliminary government report developed by a group of scientists from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the Institutes of Health (NIH). The federal National Toxicology Program said experiments on rats found precancerous tumors, urinary tract problems, and early puberty when animals were fed or injected with low doses of BPA. The report claims that while such studies provide “limited evidence” of BPA’s risks, the effects on humans “cannot be dismissed.”

In March, a group of North American environmental and health groups released a paper revealing many popular baby bottle brands leach BPA and called for a moratorium on its use. At that time, the FDA and the infant formula industry—which adheres to federal packaging guidelines—said BPA is legal and safe. Critics disagreed and maintain that BPA, which mimics the hormone estrogen, causes hormonal, neurological, and behavioral problems. Over 90 percent of Americans are exposed to trace amounts of BPA, according to the CDC and last month said animal testing revealed BPA has hormone-like effects on the reproductive system.

In the lab, BPA has been linked to a variety of sex-hormone-imbalances, including breast and prostate cancer, early puberty, miscarriage, low sperm count, and immune-system changes. "The reproductive system is developing, the brain is developing, the immune system is developing," said David Carpenter, director of the Institute for Health and the Environment at the University at Albany. Knowing that, he said, it is "absolutely obscene" to expose infants to BPA. The National Toxicology Program's Center for the Evaluation of Risks to Human Reproduction convened an expert panel last month to determine if BPA is hazardous to humans, including developing babies. The panel found risk and exposure causes neural and behavioral effects in children.

In November, the FDA said there is “no reason at this time to ban or otherwise restrict its use.” Representative John Dingell, Democrat-Michigan and chair of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, urged the FDA to reconsider the safety of BPA, saying the toxicology report’s findings “fly in the face of the FDA’s determination.” Dingell also issued letters to seven companies that make baby formulations earlier this year—including Hain Celestial Group, Nestle USA, and Abbott Laboratories, questioning whether they use BPA in their cans and bottles. BPA manufacturers include Dow Chemical Company and BASF Group. “We’re hoping this decision will force FDA to recognize the toxicity of this chemical and make manufacturers set a safety standard that’s protective of the most vulnerable populations,” said Dr. Anila Jacobs of the Environmental Working Group.

Legislation has been proposed in several US states to limit or ban BPA use and some stores have pulled polycarbonate bottles. Also, earlier this month, New Jersey lawmakers passed a bill to ban the sale of all products containing BPA and Canada’s health agency is examining the health risks of BPA with findings to be released shortly.

Formaldehyde Limits Set for FEMA Trailers

Mon, 14 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Finally, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has set limits for formaldehyde levels in trailers it supplies to those made homeless by disasters. Unfortunately, the move comes too late to help the thousands of people who were housed in toxic FEMA trailers after hurricanes Katrina and Rita devastated the Gulf Coast.

Thousands of people in Mississippi and Louisiana were given FEMA trailers as temporary housing following hurricanes Katrina and Rita. But by 2006 FEMA was getting reports from field workers along the Gulf Coast that residents of FEMA trailers where getting sick from the air in the toxic trailers. The first suspect was formaldehyde, which is used in the manufacture of the trailers. Despite the reports, e-mails uncovered last summer during a congressional investigation into the trailers showed that FEMA lawyers told the agency to drag its feet on air quality testing. FEMA’s Office of General Council also advised the agency not to test the trailers because doing so “would imply FEMA’s ownership of the issue”.

Formaldehyde is an invisible gas that is known to cause cancer. It can also cause other illnesses ranging from nose bleeds to chronic bronchitis. Commonly used in manufactured homes, formaldehyde can cause respiratory problems and has been classified as a carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer and as a probable carcinogen by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Last year, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said that proper ventilation of the toxic trailers could mitigate formaldehyde problems. But earlier this month, a top toxicologist with the CDC told Congress that his advice to warn trailer residents about the health effects of formaldehyde in the FEMA trailers was ignored, and that the report that contained the ventilation advice downplayed the true danger posed by the FEMA trailers.

Late last year, after a great deal of public outcry, FEMA finally decided to have the CDC conduct air quality tests of 51 trailers. The CDC tests confirmed that the FEMA trailers posed a serious danger to residents still living in them. The average formaldehyde levels found in the toxic trailers measured 77ppb (parts per billions), significantly higher than the 10 to 17 ppb concentration seen in newer homes. When it announced its findings, the CDC urged FEMA to move residents from the toxic trailers as quickly as possible, with priority given to families with children, elderly people or anyone with asthma or other chronic conditions.

There is currently no national standard for formaldehyde fumes in travel trailers. But over the weekend, FEMA announced it would require manufacturers of the trailers it purchases to limit formaldehyde fumes to 16 ppb -- the typical concentration found in most new homes. According to the Associated Press, FEMA will continue to use thousands of previously purchased trailers — except for the smallest "travel trailers." But each unit will be tested and the results will be provided to states and residents so they can decide whether to accept them.

Formaldehyde Problems Not Limited to FEMA Trailers

Tue, 08 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0700

FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) trailers, used to house victims of Hurricane Katrina and other disasters, are notorious for emitting toxic formaldehyde fumes that have made residents sick. But the problems with toxic FEMA trailers have led to concerns about fumes emitted by other RV, travel trailers and campers people use for recreational purposes. Such trailers and campers after all, are made by the same manufacturers that provided the toxic FEMA trailers, and it turns out that many of those recreational trailers contain dangerously high levels of formaldehyde as well.

Formaldehyde is an invisible gas that is known to cause cancer. It can also cause other illnesses ranging from nose bleeds to chronic bronchitis. Commonly used in manufactured homes and recreational trailers, formaldehyde can cause respiratory problems and has been classified as a carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer and as a probable carcinogen by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Recreational travel trailers were used by FEMA to house thousands of Gulf Coast hurricane victims in 2005. In 2006, FEMA workers along the Gulf Coast alerted the agency to possible problems with air quality in the trailers. FEMA was less than responsive, and did not get around to conducting comprehensive air quality tests on the trailers until late last year. Preliminary results of tests on 519 trailers conducted by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) where released in February. The tests confirmed that the FEMA trailers pose a serious danger to residents still living in them. The CDC trailer tests revealed average formaldehyde levels of 77ppb (parts per billions), significantly higher than the 10 to 17 ppb concentration seen in newer homes. The CDC said at the time that it was urgent that those still living in toxic FEMA trailers be relocated as soon as possible.

Now, owners of recreational trailer are finding out that they are also being exposed to dangerously high levels of formaldehyde. A recent article in USAToday detailed on family who, after suffering respiratory and other problems following a vacation in a recreational trailer, had the air quality in the structure tested. The family discovered that airborne formaldehyde in the travel trailer was seven times the amount considered acceptable by scientists at the EPA.

That finding did not surprise experts, who told USAToday that ordinary camper trailers and motorized recreational vehicles can be unhealthy because no federal or state agency bars manufacturers from using materials in them that contain formaldehyde. Right now, mobile homes are the only vehicles in which formaldehyde is covered by federal law.

There is momentum building for more regulation of recreational trailers. According to USAToday, California will phase in a requirement that manufacturers cut by half the amount of formaldehyde in manufactured wood for all products sold, used or made for sale in California. Two congressional committees also are examining health issues related to emergency housing for victims of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. The investigations could lead to strict formaldehyde standards for future RVs, campers and travel trailers for emergency or normal consumer use.

FEMA Trailer Resident Details Health Problems for Lawmakers

Thu, 03 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0700

A FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) trailer resident told a Congressional panel on Wednesday that her children have suffered respiratory problems since living in one of the agency's formaldehyde-laden trailers. The woman, a resident of Mississippi whose house was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina in 2005, also said that when she expressed her concerns to FEMA, she got no response.

When Hurricanes Katrina and Rita devastated the Gulf Coast in 2005, thousands of those made homeless moved into FEMA trailers. FEMA housed up to 143,000 displaced families in trailers and mobile homes. About 30,000 units are still occupied. By 2006 FEMA was getting reports from field workers that residents where getting sick from the air in the toxic trailers. The first suspect was formaldehyde, which is used in the manufacture of the trailers.

FEMA has been accused of deliberately ignoring and downplaying the toxic trailers' formaldehyde problems. In 2006, FEMA workers along the Gulf Coast alerted the agency to possible problems with air quality in the trailers. But e-mails uncovered during a congressional investigation into the trailers last summer showed that FEMA lawyers told the agency to drag its feet on air quality testing. On June 15, 2006, one FEMA lawyer advised the agency “do not initiate any testing until we give the OK. . . Once you get the results and should they indicate a problem, the clock is running on our duty to respond to them”. A day later, FEMA’s Office of General Council advised an agency employee not to test the trailers because doing so “would imply FEMA’s ownership of the issue”.

Late last year, FEMA and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) finally conducted formaldehyde tests of 519 trailers. In February, the CDC released preliminary tests of formaldehyde fumes in the FEMA trailers. The tests confirmed that the FEMA trailers pose a serious danger to residents still living in them. The CDC trailer tests revealed average formaldehyde levels of 77ppb (parts per billions), significantly higher than the 10 to 17 ppb concentration seen in newer homes. The CDC said at the time that it was urgent that those still living in toxic FEMA trailers be relocated as soon as possible.

A woman whose family moved into one of those trailers told a House of Representatives oversight committee that her children began having respiratory problems almost as soon as they moved into the toxic FEMA trailers. "I feel like essentially we were lab rats. We were put in this situation, we were exposed to this and seeing that this large group of scientists knew about it, it seems like they should have at least been doing studies to see what the effects were," the woman explained. The woman told the panel that when she sought help from FEMA, none was forthcoming.

The panel also received written testimony from a toxicologists who said the CDC downplayed formaldehyde dangers posed by the toxic FEMA trailers in a report it issued a year ago. Christopher De Rosa, a top toxicologist for the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), said in written testimony that his advice to warn trailer residents about the health effects of formaldehyde in the FEMA trailers was ignored. That report minimized the dangers posed by the toxic fumes, and stated that leaving windows open and air conditioning running would keep formaldehyde below “levels of concern.” “Since formaldehyde is a carcinogen, it is a matter of U.S. federal government science policy that there is no ’safe level’ of exposure,” DeRosa said.

According to USAToday, ATSDR Director Howard Frumkin was criticized by lawmakers on the panel for ignoring De Rosa’s concerns Lawmakers also questioned De Rosa’s removal from his job last fall and asked why he was given an “unsatisfactory” performance review.

Lead Poisoning Poses Serious Threat to Children

Thu, 03 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Many consider lead poisoning to be one of the most important chronic environmental illnesses affecting children today. Exposure to lead in children and unborn children can cause brain and nervous system damage, behavioral and learning problems, slowed growth, hearing problems, headaches, mental and physical retardation, and behavioral and other health problems. Lead is also known to cause cancer and reproductive harm and, in adults, lead can damage the nervous system. Despite efforts to control lead and the success in decreasing lead poisoning, serious cases still occur. Once poisoned, no organ system is immune. Of particular concern is the developing brain because negative influences can have long-lasting effects and can continue well into puberty and beyond.

Lead poisoning is said to be the most common environmental illness in children in the US and—although it occurs in all groups—its frequency varies with age, socioeconomic status, community population, race, and the age of the home. According to the 1997 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), 16.4% of children living in cities with over a million people and in homes built before 1946 have elevated lead levels. Adults develop lead poisoning as the result of occupational exposure, such as from work or a hobby.

A major challenge with lead poisoning is the difficulty in recognizing its subtle symptoms and that no pathognomonic—or definitive—indicators exist or point to contamination. When faced with peculiar symptoms that do not match any one particular disease, lead poisoning should be considered. Children with lead poisoning may experience irritability, sleeplessness or excess lethargy, poor appetite, headaches, abdominal pain with or without vomiting—and generally without diarrhea—constipation, and changes in activity level. A child with lead toxicity be iron deficient and pale because of anemia and can be either hyperactive or lethargic. There may also be dental pointers, for instance, lead lines on gingival tissue. In adults there may be motor problems and an increase in depressive disorders, aggressive behavior, and other maladaptive affective disorders as well as problems with sexual performance, impotence and infertility, as well as increased fetal wastage and sleep disorders, either. They may be over sleeping or have difficulty falling asleep.

Over 900 occupations have been associated with lead use and poisoning and there are many reports of lead poisoning from retained bullet or shrapnel fragments; history of military or other trauma may be important. Occupations tend to include lead and scrap metal workers, welders, and glassmakers. Parents in any of these occupations may bring lead dust into the home, exposing children. Some hobbies are associated with lead exposures, such as making bullets and fishing weights, soldering, indoor firearm shooting, and remodeling older homes. Some cosmetics and folk remedies contain lead pigments or salts and some reports have documented cases of childhood lead poisoning from the ingestion of lead-based foreign bodies. Lead dissolves quickly in acid solutions such as in the stomach, allowing significant amounts of lead to be absorbed into the body. Illicit alcohol, such as moonshine, has also been linked to lead poisoning.

Toxic FEMA Trailer Dangers Downplayed, Whistleblower Claims

Wed, 02 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Reports on toxic formaldehyde fumes emitted by FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) trailers used to house Hurricane Katrina and Rita victims were watered down by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), a whistleblower told a Congressional panel yesterday. Christopher De Rosa, a top toxicologist for the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), said in written testimony that his advice to warn trailer residents about the health effects of formaldehyde in the FEMA trailers was ignored.

When Hurricanes Katrina and Rita devastated the Gulf Coast in 2005, thousands of those made homeless moved into FEMA trailers.   FEMA housed up to 143,000 displaced families in trailers and mobile homes. About 30,000 units are still occupied. By 2006 FEMA was getting reports from field workers that residents where getting sick from the air in the toxic trailers. The first suspect was formaldehyde, which is used in the manufacture of the trailers. FEMA has been accused of willfully ignoring the toxic trailers' safety issues.

In February, the CDC released preliminary tests of formaldehyde fumes in the FEMA trailers. The tests confirmed that the FEMA trailers pose a serious danger to residents still living in them. The CDC trailer tests revealed average formaldehyde levels of 77ppb (parts per billions), significantly higher than the 10 to 17 ppb concentration seen in newer homes. Levels were as high as 590 ppb. Formaldehyde is an invisible gas that is known to cause cancer. It can also cause other illnesses ranging from nose bleeds to chronic bronchitis. Commonly used in manufactured homes, formaldehyde can cause respiratory problems and has been classified as a carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer and as a probable carcinogen by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The CDC said at the time that it was urgent that those still living in toxic FEMA trailers be relocated as soon as possible.

A year earlier, ASTDR had been commissioned by FEMA to look into the trailers' formaldehyde problems. That report minimized the dangers posed by the toxic fumes, and stated that leaving windows open and air conditioning running would keep formaldehyde below "levels of concern." But De Rosa told the told the House Science and Technology subcommittee on investigations and oversight that he repeatedly warned the CDC that this action was not adequate to protect trailer residents. "I stressed the importance of alerting the trailer residents to the potential reproductive, developmental and carcinogenic effects ... (but) the only response I received was that such matters should not be discussed in e-mails since they might be 'misinterpreted.'" De Rosa said in written testimony. "Since formaldehyde is a carcinogen, it is a matter of U.S. federal government science policy that there is no 'safe level' of exposure."

According to USAToday, ATSDR Director Howard Frumkin was criticized by lawmakers on the panel for ignoring De Rosa's concerns   Lawmakers also questioned De Rosa's removal from his job last fall and asked why he was given an "unsatisfactory" performance review.

Frumkin denied that the agency retaliated against De Rosa, and claimed that the ASTDR study did not " meet our standard of excellence".   However, he did concede that the CDC was too slow to act on the formaldehyde issues presented by the toxic FEMA trailers.

BPA Fears Prompting Return to Glass Baby Bottles

Fri, 14 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Last month, a group of North American environmental and health groups released a paper revealing that many major-brand baby bottles leach bisphenol A—BPA—and are now calling for a moratorium on its use. BPA is a fairly ubiquitous chemical used in polycarbonate plastic products, including baby bottles and metal can coatings. According to the FDA and the infant formula industry—which adheres to federal packaging guidelines—BPA is legal and safe. Critics say that BPA, which mimics the hormone estrogen, causes hormonal, neurological, and behavioral problems. Now, a small but growing number of parents are switching to glass baby bottles.

Babies "R" Us saw a dramatic increase in glass bottle sales in the spring of 2007 and current sales are more than five times what they were a year ago. Dr. Brown's, which has been making a polycarbonate bottle for about a decade, introduced a glass version in January due to customer demand, said Carolyn Hentschell, president of Handi-Craft Co./Dr. Brown's Natural Flow. "If you're a mom and you have concerns (about BPA), here's an obvious choice," she said. "We don't want them to feel like they have to go to another baby bottle."

Evenflo, which has made glass bottles for 70 years, said its glass bottle sales are up 10 percent this year, after jumping over 100 percent from 2006 to 2007. A few other companies are staying away from BPA altogether. BornFree, a Florida company that started a few years ago with BPA-free bottles and cups, added glass bottles about a year ago. "From day one, we were free of polycarbonate products," said company President Ron Vigdor. "We saw a need for that." In November, two California companies introduced a glass bottle sheathed in a protective silicone sleeve.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says animal testing reveals BPA has hormone-like effects on the reproductive system and more study is needed. Some pediatricians advise families to use alternatives to polycarbonate bottles. "I can't assure parents that it's safe, and I would not use that for my own babies," said Dr. Alan Greene, a pediatrician and author of Raising Baby Green. "There are a number of BPA-free bottles, and I also love glass bottles."

In the lab, BPA has been linked to a variety of sex-hormone-imbalances, including breast and prostate cancer, early puberty, miscarriage, low sperm count, and immune-system changes. Critics claim these effects may occur at exposure levels below what health authorities deemed safe, harming developing infants. "The reproductive system is developing, the brain is developing, the immune system is developing," said David Carpenter, director of the Institute for Health and the Environment at the University at Albany. Knowing that, he said, it is "absolutely obscene" to expose infants to BPA. The National Toxicology Program's Center for the Evaluation of Risks to Human Reproduction convened an expert panel to determine if BPA is hazardous to humans, including developing babies. The panel found there's risk as exposure causes neural and behavioral effects in children.

Legislation has been proposed in several US states to limit or ban BPA use and some stores have pulled polycarbonate bottles.

3M Workers Exposed to PFOA More Likely to Die from Prostate Cancer, Stroke

Mon, 10 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0700

3M workers at a Minnesota factory exposed to a toxic chemical were more likely to die from strokes and prostate cancer than others, a new study has revealed. The 3M workers at a Cottage Grove, MN plant were exposed to perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), a chemical which has been shown to cause liver, pancreatic and testicular cancer in laboratory animals.

3M made PFOA from 1947 to 2000 at its Cottage Grove plant and phased out production by 2002. It was used for nonstick cookware, stain-repellent coatings and dozens of other products. Because of concerns over the health effects of PFOA exposure, 3M started monitoring the health of its employees who worked with the chemical. In 1980, 3M conducted the first occupational mortality study of its workers, and the company has maintained that its workers at Cottage Grove showed no ill effects resulting from PFOA exposure.

But a new study, financed by 3M and conducted by Bruce Alexander, a University of Minnesota epidemiologist, shows such 3M assertions might be false. The study was completed in August 2007, but was not submitted to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) until last month. This latest study looked at 4,000 people who worked at the 3M Cottage Grove plant between 1943 to 1997. The study found elevate rates of prostate cancer and stroke among workers at the 3M plant who were exposed to PFOA. Workers with the highest exposures were twice as likely to die of prostate cancer and stroke than colleagues with little or no exposure to the chemical, the study found.

Among the 3M workers studied, about 12 percent of them had definite exposure to PFOA through inhalation, ingestion, and skin contact. The rest were evenly divided between those who probably had some exposure to it, and those who had no exposure. Researchers studied death certificates for workers through Dec. 31, 2002

The study concluded that a high or moderate PFOA exposure work history, compared to only working in low exposure jobs, was associated with an increased risk of death by stroke and prostate cancer. The association between prostate cancer and exposure to PFOA was similar to research conducted by others in 1993. That study found that those who worked for 10 years in the chemical division at the Cottage Grove plant had three times more prostate cancer deaths than those who worked for a decade in nonchemical areas there.

According to the Minneapolis Star Tribune, PFOA is more than a concern for 3M workers. According to the newspaper, community and private wells in nearby communities were contaminated with the PFOA, likely from wastes that 3M sent to dumps in those areas decades ago. 3M has paid for one community to install a huge water filtration system to remove all PFOA, and for more than 200 private wells in another town to be hooked up to untainted city water.

Some FEMA Trailers More Toxic Than Others. CDC Calls for More Tests.

Tue, 04 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0800

Some of the toxic trailers used by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to house Hurricane Katrina and Rita victims are apparently more dangerous that others. According to recent tests conducted by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), certain brands and sizes of trailers release more formaldehyde than others and officials say they want to check a wider selection. According to recent report issued by the CDC, the tests on the toxic FEMA did not find a pattern to definitively state products of any one manufacturer were more dangerous than another; but the CDC has called for additional investigation. FEMA has been criticized for failing to test the toxic trailers for dangerous levels of formaldehyde earlier, when it first received reports that Gulf Coast hurricane victims were suffering health problems from the fumes emitted by the FEMA trailers.

Last month the CDC reported its tests of 519 Toxic FEMA Trailers provided to Katrina victims showed potentially dangerous levels of formaldehyde. "These data obviously bring to your mind and other people's minds that perhaps there needs to be other sampling done," said CDC researcher, Dr. Michael McGeehin.

"There are different brands that are statistically significantly higher than other brands," said Dr. McGeehin, who works with the CDC's National Center for Environmental Health. The larger, park model trailers, which are up to 400 square feet in size, have the lowest formaldehyde levels while the smallest mobile homes tend to have the highest, the report shows. Formaldehyde is a chemical used in the manufacture of building materials that can irritate the skin, eyes, nose, and throat. In high levels, exposure may cause cancer.

A random sampling of trailers showed examples of every type and brand had very high and very low levels of formaldehyde. People have been living in the Toxic FEMA Trailers since the hurricanes hit late summer 2005. McGeehin said the CDC would speak with the manufacturers, Departments of Education and Housing, Urban Development, and other agencies.

Average formaldehyde levels in the tested units ranged around 77 parts per billion (ppb), which is high enough to increase the chances of cancer and respiratory diseases. The average formaldehyde level was 81 ppb among travel trailers, 59 ppb among mobile homes, and 40 ppb among park models, the CDC found, with some levels above 500 ppb. "Travel trailers from Gulfstream, Keystone, and Pilgrim were not significantly different from each other, but each showed statistically significantly higher levels of formaldehyde than the other travel-trailer strata combined," the report reads. "All other things being equal, FEMA may want to use these data as they are moving people out," McGeehin said.

Mike Lapinski, FEMA federal coordinating officer, said the agency would use the data to move people out of the Toxic Trailers quicker; 35,000 trailers are still occupied in Mississippi, Alabama, Texas, and Louisiana. "What the CDC report does is it is one more tool that we can use to support either getting additional authority or additional capabilities... to better transition people to long-term solutions," Lapinski said, such as FEMA or states receiving authority to spend more to rent houses or apartments. Lapinski said FEMA was not planning to change its priorities. "The priority is still with kids," he said. People who reported health problems that could be related to the trailers also move to the front of the line, he said.