Health

Polluted Air Increases E.R. Visits

There’s new evidence that bad air can make you sick. A new study shows that as air becomes more polluted, there is an increase in the number of childhood asthma cases in area emergency rooms. The study focused on the San Joaquin Valley area of California where the pollution levels exceed federal limits 30 to 40 percent of the time. The study estimates nearly 2,000 additional childhood asthma emergency room visits each year were connected to ozone pollution. Researchers say there was also an increase in children visiting the ER for pneumonia and adults were more likely to be hospitalized for asthma and heart attacks as pollution levels rose.

The California State University, Fresno study offers the first local evidence of short term health effects connected to elevated pollution levels. While other studies have made the link between air pollution and health problems, officials say studies are more relevant to the public when they are done in the person’s own region. Health officials in the San Joaquin Valley say the study validates the difficult things they ask of businesses and households.

Meanwhile, the Environmental Protection Agency just announced a new model for studying air pollution that will help scientists protect public health . The new version of the agency’s air quality model uses up-to-the-minute meteorology and air chemistry data to determine how weather conditions affect pollution and how pollution can change and affect weather. The new model will allow scientists to better understand the ways that air pollution moves around the globe and provide information to help protect public health.

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UN Experts Target Toxic Chemical Found in Products

United Nations experts are adding a commonly used flame retardant to their watch list. The scientists are recommending a ban of the chemical that is commonly used in polystyrene. The experts are members of the Persistent Organic Pollutants Review Committee of the Stockholm Convention. The Convention bans or restricts hazardous pesticides or chemicals that can kill, damage the nervous and immune system, cause disease or interfere with childhood growth. The treaty was signed in 2001 and originally covered 12 chemicals known as Persistent Organic Pollutants, or POPs. The chemicals do not break down over time in the environment and can accumulate in soil, water, the food chain and even human tissue.

The committee is recommending the ban of three chemicals including the flame retardant known as HBCD. In addition to polystyrene, HBCD is also used in textile coatings, insulation and electrical equipment. Experts at the Green Science Policy Institute say because HBCD is not chemically bound to the material it protects, it can eventually escape into the air. The United States is not currently a member of the Stockholm Convention but the Environmental Protection Agency released an action plan on the HBCD in 2010 which says the chemical presents potential human health concerns based on animal test results.

The European Union announced last year HBCD is one of six substances of high concern that will be banned within the next three to five years unless manufacturers receive authorization to produce them. The EPA plans to publish a notice of rulemaking concerning the chemical by the end of this year. The action plan indicates it is considering rules that could take the form of a ban.

 

 

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What's Really In Your 'Natural' Cereal?

October 14, 2011

What’s in a label? Apparently not much when it comes to the word ‘natural’. A new report says many cereals labeled as ‘natural’ actually contain pesticides and genetically modified ingredients. The report by the non-profit Cornucopia Institute claims some of the nation’s major cereal makers are using deceptive marketing practices to sell ‘natural’ cereals that are chemical engineered or contain what the group calls toxic agrichemicals. Cornucopia says there are no restrictions or regulations for foods labeled as ‘natural’. However, the certified USDA organic seal requires that food be produced without fertilizers, pesticides or genetically modified ingredients.

The Cornucopia report claims products labeled as ‘natural’ are often priced higher than equivalent organic products. It also suggests that some companies are taking advantage of consumer confusion and lack of labeling laws. Cornucopia also published a Cereal Scorecard to help consumers support organic farmers and find cereals without genetically engineered ingredients.

The report gives examples of cereals that claim to be natural but are filled with unnatural ingredients. Cornucopia says 100 percent of the soy used in Kashi brand cereals was genetically modified. Whole Foods 365 brand Corn Flakes was found to contain over 50 percent genetically modified corn.

 

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Flame Retardant Added to List of Carcinogens

October 14, 2011

A commonly used flame retardant has officially been listed as a cancer-causing chemical in the state of California. Chlorinated Tris can be found in foam furniture cushions, auto seats and baby pajamas. The listing won’t ban the use of the flame retardant but could result in warning labels for consumer products containing the chemical. The Carcinogen Identification Committee added the flame retardant to the Proposition 65 list, which requires the publication of a list of chemicals known to cause cancer or reproductive toxicity.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission and the Environmental Protection Agency have reported that chlorinated tris poses a cancer hazard. Studies have shown the chemical may interfere with hormone and reproductive systems, thyroid function and the neurological development of infants and children. Many companies have voluntarily discontinued use of flame retardants but recent testing of consumer products shows the chemical is still widespread in children’s products like changing tables, car seats and mattresses.

The Los Angeles Times reports the California science committee voted 5 to 1 to list the chemical as a carcinogen after hearing testimony from manufacturers and consumer advocacy groups. The director of the Green Science Policy Institute testified at the hearing. Arlene Blum says “It’s really important because it brings the public’s attention to the fact that there are these cancer causing flame retardants in their furniture, and nursing pillows and kids’ strollers.”

 

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Chemical Makers Say BPA No Longer Used in Baby Bottles

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

October 10, 2011

Makers of the controversial chemical bisphenol A want regulators to end restrictions of the chemical in baby bottles and sippy cups. The American Chemistry Council says bisphenol A (BPA) is no longer used to make plastic bottles and cups for children so regulations are unnecessary. The council says recent state bans on BPA in baby products have added to the confusion about whether baby bottles sold in the U.S. contain BPA. The group says manufacturers of bottles and sippy cups announced several years ago they had stopped using BPA due to customer preference.

California recently joined 10 other states in banning BPA from infant feeding containers. The Toxin-Free Infants and Toddlers Act prohibits the sale of bottles or cups designed for children three years old or younger that contains BPA. Studies have linked the chemical to problems with the reproductive and nervous systems and even some cancers.

The American Chemistry Council says the Food and Drug Administration has the responsibility to make regulatory decisions about BPA and other food-contact materials. That’s why the group opposes federal and state legislation that conflicts with the FDA’s authority. The FDA said last year there was ‘some concern’ about the effect of BPA on the health of infants and young children.

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The Real Cost of Coal Power

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

October 7, 2011

The health damage caused by air pollution from coal-fired power plants costs more than the value of coal plants to the U.S. economy. That’s according to new research published in the journal American Economic Review. Researchers say coal plants produce what they call the largest gross external damages than any industry they examined. Economists who took part in the study say pollution from coal-fired power plants is linked to $53 billion dollars in health costs every year. That’s more than the value they bring to the economy including the electricity produced by the plants.

Researchers modeled the physical and economic consequences of six major pollutants from about 10,000 pollution sources in the U.S. They found coal plants cost about twice the annual value added to the economy by those facilities. Researchers did not add the cost of carbon dioxide pollution which would cause an additional $15 billion dollars in damages.

The goal of the study was to develop a better system of accounting for pollution costs to the economy. The tool could help policymakers dealing with energy development and environmental regulation. The authors of the paper recommend more abatement of coal plants to lower the damage that they cause. They also say the current regulated levels of emissions from the industry are too high.

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Traffic Pollution Linked to Low Birth Weight

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

October 6, 2011

A new study shows that car fumes could be to blame for low birth weight in newborn babies. Researchers found that mothers living in suburbs with average traffic emissions gave birth to babies who were an average two ounces lighter. Researchers from the University of Western Australia monitored traffic emission levels in a region with moderate industrial activity and compared it with the birth records of over 1,000 mothers over a period of six years between 2000 and 2006. They then took the child’s birth weight and worked out their expected size under optimal conditions.

Authors of the study say they were surprised by the results because the air quality during the study met national standards. Researchers also thought fetuses would be more protected from pollution. Other studies have found some associations between traffic emissions and birth weight but researchers say this is the first time they have found a link between normal suburban traffic pollution and its effect on fetal growth.

The lead author of the study says it should open the debate about whether there should be a minimum distance set between new houses and major roads. Epidemiologist Gavin Pereira says there should also be continuing efforts to reduce vehicle emissions through greater use of public transportation and cleaner engine technologies. Pereira published a study last year that found traffic pollution also increased the risk of young children having serious asthma attacks by up to 70 percent.

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Coalition Demands Labels For Genetically Modified Foods

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

October 6, 2011

Consumers deserve to know if the food they are eating has been genetically modified. That’s according to a coalition of more than 300 health, consumer, environmental and food groups. Together they have filed a petition with the Food and Drug Administration, asking regulators to require mandatory labeling of any food product that contains genetically modified ingredients. The legal action was filed on behalf of the groups by the Center for Food Safety.

The groups want to reverse a 1992 policy statement by the FDA that genetically modified foods were not ‘materially different’ and therefore did not need to be labeled. An estimated 60 percent of processed food contains genetically modified ingredients, mostly from soy and corn. The Department of Agriculture says about 88 percent of the corn planted in the U.S. is genetically engineered.

The groups behind the petition all belong to Just Label It, a campaign that advocates the food consumer’s right-to-know. According to Just Label It, 93 percent of Americans support mandatory labeling of genetically modified foods. The campaign says without labels, consumers cannot make informed decisions. The FDA has 180 days to respond to the petition and will also have to open up a comment period.

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Landmark Law Banning BPA Now in Effect

October 4, 2011

A new law banning a controversial chemical from children’s drink and food containers just went into effect in Connecticut. It’s the first law of its kind in the nation to ban bisphenol-A (BPA) from certain children’s products. The chemical is used to harden plastic and in the lining of some metal cans. The new law says the chemical can no longer be used in infant formula and baby food containers, reusable food and beverage containers, sippy cups and plastic sports bottles.

The law was signed in 2009 but did not take effect until now in order to give businesses time to sell their inventory and make new BPA-free products. Officials with the Coalition for a Safe and Healthy Connecticut say the law is the broadest in the  nation and is serving as a national model. Other states have adopted bans on BPA in baby bottles.

Studies have linked BPA exposure to reproductive problems, developmental issues, heart disease, diabetes and some cancers. The American Medical Association has adopted a policy recognizing BPA as an endocrine-disrupting agent.  The group supports the ban of baby bottles and infant feeding cups that contain BPA. For more information on how to avoid the chemical, read Terri’s Top 5 Ways to Reduce Your Exposure to BPA.

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Online Tool Helps Reduce Your Commute

September 30, 2011

Apartment hunters who are looking for a short and walkable commute to work can find answers fast with a new online tool. Walk Score Apartment Search allows users to search for apartments based on commute time. Users simply type in their work or school address and can then see apartment listings that are automatically sorted by estimated commute time. The Walk Score tool also provides links MyNewPlace and ForRent.com to search their national databases for rentals with easy commutes.

Walk Score says commuters waste 4.2 billion hours and 2.8 billion gallons of gas in traffic per year. Research also shows that for every ten minutes a person spends in a daily car commute, the time spent in community activities falls by 10 percent.  WalkScore.com already helps people figure out the most walkable properties in cities across the country. The web tool assigns properties a score from 1 to 100 based on how close homes are to amenities like restaurants and theaters. A score of 90-100, for example, is considered a ‘Walker’s Paradise’. A score between 0 and 24 means that almost every errand from the property requires a car.

According to Walk Score, a walkable neighborhood has some type of center like a main street or public space. It also has enough people for businesses to flourish and public transit to run frequently. A walkable neighborhood also has streets designed for bike riders, walkers and vehicles as well as buildings that are close to the street with parking in back. The Walk Score website also just added commute costs to its Commute Map to help users understand how much their commute will cost in terms of time and money.

 

 

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