Dirty Air Triggers More Heart Attacks Than Cocaine, Scientists Say
Published February 24, 2011
Reuters
AP
Air pollution triggers more heart attacks than using cocaine and poses as high a risk of sparking a heart attack as alcohol, coffee and physical exertion, scientists said on Thursday.
Sex, anger, marijuana use and chest or respiratory infections and can also trigger heart attacks to different extents, the researchers said, but air pollution, particularly in heavy traffic, is the major culprit.
The findings, published in The Lancet journal, suggest population-wide factors like polluted air should be taken more seriously when looking at heart risks, and should be put into context beside higher but relatively rarer risks like drug use.
Tim Nawrot of Hasselt University in Belgium, who led the study, said he hoped his findings would also encourage doctors to think more often about population level risks.
"Physicians are always looking at individual patients, and low risk factors might not look important at an individual level, but if they are prevalent in the population then they have a greater public health relevance," he said in a telephone interview.
The World Health Organization (WHO) describes air pollution as "a major environmental risk to health" and estimates that it causes around 2 million premature deaths worldwide every year.Nawrot's team combined data from 36 separate studies and calculated the relative risk posed by a series of heart attack triggers and their population-attributable fraction (PAF), in other words the proportion of total heart attacks estimated to have been caused by each trigger.
The highest risk PAF was exposure to traffic, followed by physical exertion, alcohol, coffee, air pollution, and then things like anger, sex, cocaine use, smoking marijuana and respiratory infections.
"Of the triggers for heart attack studied, cocaine is the most likely to trigger an event in an individual, but traffic has the greatest population effect as more people are exposed to (it)," the researchers wrote. "PAFs give a measure of how much disease would be avoided if the risk was no longer present."
A report published late last year found that air pollution in many major cities in Asia exceeds the WHO's air quality guidelines and that toxic cocktails of pollutants results in more than 530,000 premature deaths a year.
While passive smoking was not included in this study, Nawrot said the effects of second-hand smoke were likely to be similar to that of outdoor air pollution, and noted previous research which found that bans on smoking in public places have significantly reduced heart attack rates.British researchers said last year that a ban on smoking in public places in England led to a swift and significant drop in the number of heart attacks, saving the health service 8.4 million pounds ($13 million) in the first year.
Tim Chico, a heart specialist at the University of Sheffield who was not involved in this research, said it would help health authorities focus on which are the most important triggers.
"However, what triggers the heart attack should be considered the "last straw." The foundations of heart disease that lead to a heart attack are laid down over many years," he said in an emailed comment. "If someone wants to avoid a heart attack they should focus on not smoking, exercising, eating a healthy diet and maintaining their ideal weight."
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
PCBs in New York School Ballasts
February 22, 2011, 1:52 pm — Updated: 2:28 pm -->
Striking PCB Levels Found at a New York School
By MIREYA NAVARRO
The federal Environmental Protection Agency has found the highest levels of leaking PCBs to date in its inspections of New York City schools, at Public School 45 in Bushwick, Brooklyn.
Agency officials said that an inspection of lighting ballasts at the school on Feb. 12 revealed PCB levels of up to 660,000 parts per million, far beyond the regulatory limit of 50 parts per million.
Environmental Protection Agency A burnt lighting ballast.
Previous inspections at five other school buildings since January had found levels of up to 260,000 parts per million.
The likely cause was that capacitors in many of the lighting fixtures had “burned out and completely failed,” officials said. “This allowed the PCB-containing oil to seep through the potting material in almost pure form,” the agency said in a statement. “In most of the fixtures tested in this school the actual casing around the ballasts had also broken, allowing the high concentration of PCBs to contaminate the surface of the ballasts, the fixture housings, the wires and the diffusers that cover the lighting fixture.”The agency said that the higher the concentration in bulk material, the greater the potential for the PCBs’ entering the air, depending on variables like the amount spilled or released and the size of the room. E.P.A. inspectors found that in some cases that old leaking ballasts had been replaced but the new ones were installed in contaminated fixtures that had not been cleaned to remove the leaked material.
“The results give us a new sense of urgency — and certainly they, along with all of the results so far, point to a widespread problem that should and must be addressed by New York City in order to lower any potential risk of long-term exposure,” said Mary Mears, a spokeswoman for the E.P.A. in New York.
The E.P.A.. and community and elected leaders have been pressing the city to come up with a plan to assess and replace older fluorescent lighting fixtures in all schools because of the danger of leaks. But with about 800 school buildings involved, city officials have balked at the cost of such a wholesale approach to the problem.
The city, however, by law must remove any light fixtures found to be leaking PCBs at above a regulatory level of 50 parts per million. City officials say they have been doing so.
Health experts agree with the city that the health risks of PCB contamination are not immediate but say that the longer that such leaks persist, the higher the risk of illness. PCBs have been linked to cancer, impairment of immune and reproductive function, lower I.Q. and other problems.
A group of elected officials and schools advocates are calling on the New York City Department of Education to replace all toxic lighting ballasts within two to five years. A bill pending in the New York State Assembly would require the same in school buildings constructed between 1950 and 1978, before the use of PCBs was banned by the federal government.
The E.P.A.’s national recommendations on lighting ballasts are available here.
Striking PCB Levels Found at a New York School
By MIREYA NAVARRO
The federal Environmental Protection Agency has found the highest levels of leaking PCBs to date in its inspections of New York City schools, at Public School 45 in Bushwick, Brooklyn.
Agency officials said that an inspection of lighting ballasts at the school on Feb. 12 revealed PCB levels of up to 660,000 parts per million, far beyond the regulatory limit of 50 parts per million.
Environmental Protection Agency A burnt lighting ballast.
Previous inspections at five other school buildings since January had found levels of up to 260,000 parts per million.
The likely cause was that capacitors in many of the lighting fixtures had “burned out and completely failed,” officials said. “This allowed the PCB-containing oil to seep through the potting material in almost pure form,” the agency said in a statement. “In most of the fixtures tested in this school the actual casing around the ballasts had also broken, allowing the high concentration of PCBs to contaminate the surface of the ballasts, the fixture housings, the wires and the diffusers that cover the lighting fixture.”The agency said that the higher the concentration in bulk material, the greater the potential for the PCBs’ entering the air, depending on variables like the amount spilled or released and the size of the room. E.P.A. inspectors found that in some cases that old leaking ballasts had been replaced but the new ones were installed in contaminated fixtures that had not been cleaned to remove the leaked material.
“The results give us a new sense of urgency — and certainly they, along with all of the results so far, point to a widespread problem that should and must be addressed by New York City in order to lower any potential risk of long-term exposure,” said Mary Mears, a spokeswoman for the E.P.A. in New York.
The E.P.A.. and community and elected leaders have been pressing the city to come up with a plan to assess and replace older fluorescent lighting fixtures in all schools because of the danger of leaks. But with about 800 school buildings involved, city officials have balked at the cost of such a wholesale approach to the problem.
The city, however, by law must remove any light fixtures found to be leaking PCBs at above a regulatory level of 50 parts per million. City officials say they have been doing so.
Health experts agree with the city that the health risks of PCB contamination are not immediate but say that the longer that such leaks persist, the higher the risk of illness. PCBs have been linked to cancer, impairment of immune and reproductive function, lower I.Q. and other problems.
A group of elected officials and schools advocates are calling on the New York City Department of Education to replace all toxic lighting ballasts within two to five years. A bill pending in the New York State Assembly would require the same in school buildings constructed between 1950 and 1978, before the use of PCBs was banned by the federal government.
The E.P.A.’s national recommendations on lighting ballasts are available here.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Bed Bugs
They've emerged from the seats of darkened Times Square movie theaters, shut down clothing stores and infested cubicles.
With all the recent stories about bedbugs taking over Manhattan, some may worry that the critters are just biding their time before hitching a ride on Metro-North up to Greenwich.
Don't worry. They're already here.
The invasive pests, once relegated to a popular bedtime saying, have been a problem in the area for the past few years.
Steve Altarescu, vice president of Bliss Pest Control, which has an office in Greenwich and covers the tri-state area, said the company has dealt with the critters in private homes of all sizes, as well as offices in Greenwich and Stamford. They even recently completed an all-night bedbug treatment at a movie theater -- Altarescu couldn't say which one -- between New Haven and Hartford counties.
"Bedbugs are so crazy now, predominantly because of traveling," said Altarescu, an associate certified entomologist, meaning he studies insects. "They hitchhike in people's bags, whether they're work bags, trip bags, school bags. We do a tremendous amount of work in Greenwich, Stamford and Westport."
Altarescu said that though Greenwich commuters could possibly bring New York bedbugs home with them, the nocturnal insects are more likely to come inside a briefcase or bag than be found crawling around the three-seater of a train. However, it's not out of the question.
"Bedbugs tend to hide in cracks and crevices," Altarescu said. "Any kind of old seat is going to have a gap. Bedbugs don't need a really big gap."
Metro-North spokesman Dan Brucker said he has not heard of bedbugs being an issue on trains, and said there is no prevention plan in place to specifically target the insects.
"We haven't seen anything, and we would see it because we actually take our trains apart and clean them," Brucker said.
Altarescu said he doesn't recommend using chemicals to prevent an infestation if there is not already a bedbug problem. Businesses can keep track of bedbugs by utilizing dogs, mostly beagles, trained to sniff out the critters. Companies such as Bliss use dogs to check for an infestation and determine how extensive it is. A dog inspection costs around $500.
Jim Cameron, chairman of the Connecticut Rail Commuter Council, said he has not heard of commuters complaining.
"I don't think there's any reason to believe Metro-North would be carrying bedbugs any more than (people's) private cars," Cameron said.
International travel is believed to be the main culprit behind the resurgence of bedbugs. While DDT was banned by the U.S. in 1972, it's still used in other countries, but bedbugs have become resistant.
"How many people in Greenwich do international travel?" Altarescu said.
The Greenwich Housing Authority has dealt with infestations in its housing complexes in recent years, though Anthony Johnson, the agency's director.
"It's actually still very rare for us to encounter them, and we attack them aggressively," Johnson said. "We've been lucky."
Bedbugs -- which are flat, brown and wingless, and leave a series of itchy bites in a straight line -- are equal-opportunity pests.
"It doesn't have to do with income," Altarescu.
Getting rid of the bugs can be pricey. While exterminators use a chemical method to treat infested homes, Bliss Pest Control and other companies offer a newer heat treatment. Huge, 250-pound heaters are set up in homes, and heat rooms to 130 degrees, which kills the bedbugs. The advantage is that homeowners don't have to launder or dry clean their clothes, or get rid of some items, but the heat treatments are pricier than chemicals, starting at $3,500 to $4,000 per day.
Altarescu thinks it's a good idea to arrange a bedbug inspection if a child has just come home from camp or college. He also advises people to place suitcases on the luggage racks in hotel rooms instead of on the floor, and to perhaps take a look at the bed's headboard, where bedbugs are predominately found.
"It's very hard to totally protect yourself," Altarescu said. "You're not going to hibernate. All you are going to do is check to see if you have any bite marks. The best thing is to catch the problem early."
Trains are at least mopped once a day, Brucker said, and go through a major cleaning every few weeks, in which seats are taken apart and everything is washed thoroughly. Grand Central Terminal also has an exterminator. Read more: http://www.ctpost.com/news/article/They-re-here-Bedbugs-not-just-NYC-problem-639654.php#ixzz1C4MKqkMd
With all the recent stories about bedbugs taking over Manhattan, some may worry that the critters are just biding their time before hitching a ride on Metro-North up to Greenwich.
Don't worry. They're already here.
The invasive pests, once relegated to a popular bedtime saying, have been a problem in the area for the past few years.
Steve Altarescu, vice president of Bliss Pest Control, which has an office in Greenwich and covers the tri-state area, said the company has dealt with the critters in private homes of all sizes, as well as offices in Greenwich and Stamford. They even recently completed an all-night bedbug treatment at a movie theater -- Altarescu couldn't say which one -- between New Haven and Hartford counties.
"Bedbugs are so crazy now, predominantly because of traveling," said Altarescu, an associate certified entomologist, meaning he studies insects. "They hitchhike in people's bags, whether they're work bags, trip bags, school bags. We do a tremendous amount of work in Greenwich, Stamford and Westport."
Altarescu said that though Greenwich commuters could possibly bring New York bedbugs home with them, the nocturnal insects are more likely to come inside a briefcase or bag than be found crawling around the three-seater of a train. However, it's not out of the question.
"Bedbugs tend to hide in cracks and crevices," Altarescu said. "Any kind of old seat is going to have a gap. Bedbugs don't need a really big gap."
Metro-North spokesman Dan Brucker said he has not heard of bedbugs being an issue on trains, and said there is no prevention plan in place to specifically target the insects.
"We haven't seen anything, and we would see it because we actually take our trains apart and clean them," Brucker said.
Altarescu said he doesn't recommend using chemicals to prevent an infestation if there is not already a bedbug problem. Businesses can keep track of bedbugs by utilizing dogs, mostly beagles, trained to sniff out the critters. Companies such as Bliss use dogs to check for an infestation and determine how extensive it is. A dog inspection costs around $500.
Jim Cameron, chairman of the Connecticut Rail Commuter Council, said he has not heard of commuters complaining.
"I don't think there's any reason to believe Metro-North would be carrying bedbugs any more than (people's) private cars," Cameron said.
International travel is believed to be the main culprit behind the resurgence of bedbugs. While DDT was banned by the U.S. in 1972, it's still used in other countries, but bedbugs have become resistant.
"How many people in Greenwich do international travel?" Altarescu said.
The Greenwich Housing Authority has dealt with infestations in its housing complexes in recent years, though Anthony Johnson, the agency's director.
"It's actually still very rare for us to encounter them, and we attack them aggressively," Johnson said. "We've been lucky."
Bedbugs -- which are flat, brown and wingless, and leave a series of itchy bites in a straight line -- are equal-opportunity pests.
"It doesn't have to do with income," Altarescu.
Getting rid of the bugs can be pricey. While exterminators use a chemical method to treat infested homes, Bliss Pest Control and other companies offer a newer heat treatment. Huge, 250-pound heaters are set up in homes, and heat rooms to 130 degrees, which kills the bedbugs. The advantage is that homeowners don't have to launder or dry clean their clothes, or get rid of some items, but the heat treatments are pricier than chemicals, starting at $3,500 to $4,000 per day.
Altarescu thinks it's a good idea to arrange a bedbug inspection if a child has just come home from camp or college. He also advises people to place suitcases on the luggage racks in hotel rooms instead of on the floor, and to perhaps take a look at the bed's headboard, where bedbugs are predominately found.
"It's very hard to totally protect yourself," Altarescu said. "You're not going to hibernate. All you are going to do is check to see if you have any bite marks. The best thing is to catch the problem early."
Trains are at least mopped once a day, Brucker said, and go through a major cleaning every few weeks, in which seats are taken apart and everything is washed thoroughly. Grand Central Terminal also has an exterminator. Read more: http://www.ctpost.com/news/article/They-re-here-Bedbugs-not-just-NYC-problem-639654.php#ixzz1C4MKqkMd
Monday, January 24, 2011
AIr Quality and Remodeling
Harmful substances can be disturbed and released into the air during remodeling. Find out how to protect yourself from these contaminants.
By Diana Rodriguez
Medically reviewed by Christine Wilmsen Craig, MD
Print Email
Remodeling can give an old home a fresh new look. But while your home is getting its facelift, dangerous substances in older building materials may be lurking beneath floors, behind walls, and above ceilings. So before you take a sledgehammer to your kitchen, bathroom, or any room for remodeling, investigate your home's history.
Home Air Quality: What Lies Beneath
When you remodel an older home and rip out drywall, floors, and ceilings, or strip and sand paint, you never know what you may find underneath. Many older homes were built with materials that are no longer used because they were later found to contain air pollutants and cause health problems.
Some common harmful substances that may be uncovered during the remodeling of an older home include:
Asbestos
Lead paint
Lead dust
Radon
Mold and mildew
Formaldehyde
These substances may be found in and around:
Pipes and plumbing
Wall and attic insulation
Flooring
Fireproofing materials
Paint
Adhesives
Compressed wood (particle board)
Furniture
Though they may not present a problem if left undisturbed behind your walls or under the floorboards, these harmful substances can disperse fibers and chemicals into the air in your home if they become displaced. They materials should be safely and properly removed or completely sealed by a professional, to prevent contamination and health problems.
Remodeling and Your Health
The health problems that have been linked to asbestos, lead, and other materials that can be released during the remodeling process include:
Lung cancer
Mesothelioma
Lead poisoning
Central nervous system problems
Irritation to the eyes, throat, and nose
Fatigue
Frequent headaches
Liver and kidney damage
Nausea
Difficulty breathing and wheezing
Frequent cough
Skin rash
Problems with balance and coordination
Some of these health problems can be serious and chronic, so approach remodeling projects with caution to figure out what possible air pollutants could be lurking inside your home.
Planning Ahead to Maintain Good Air Quality
You can take certain steps to see if you have a problem with either existing or new materials in your home:
Look to see if any existing materials are labeled as containing asbestos or other harmful substances, and check for any other important information such as removal instructions.
Before remodeling starts, have a contractor inspect and test your home air quality for potentially harmful substances that could leak into your indoor air supply. Hire professionals to take the appropriate steps to contain the harmful air pollutants and protect your health.
Take care of any mold or mildew problems that have been exposed during the renovation. Replace moldy materials and give everything a good cleaning.
Take care when installing new products and applying new finishes. Paints, varnishes, stains, and thinners can all release harmful chemicals, so take all precautions suggested on the label. Always work in well-ventilated areas — open windows and have fans blowing or turn on air conditioning to get air pollutants out of your home.
Sealing off all vents and ducts in your home will also keep air pollutants from getting into your heating and cooling systems and circulating throughout your home.
Use the renovation as an opportunity to make sure you have good ventilation throughout your home, both during the renovation and afterward, to protect against the harmful effects of unwanted gases, allergens, mold, mildew, and other irritants.
Home remodeling offers a good opportunity to take inventory of the overall health of your home, and fix any potential problems. When dealing with dangerous substances that can cause serious health effects if not handled correctly, safeguard your family by calling in experienced professionals.
Investigate Your Indoor Air Quality
Asbestos Risks in the Home
Household Molds and Your Health
How to Detect Carbon Monoxide
Does Your House Have a Radon Problem?
Does Your Home Need a Clean Air System?
Protect Against Air Pollutants When Remodeling
Indoor Air Quality: The Trouble With Carpeting
By Diana Rodriguez
Medically reviewed by Christine Wilmsen Craig, MD
Print Email
Remodeling can give an old home a fresh new look. But while your home is getting its facelift, dangerous substances in older building materials may be lurking beneath floors, behind walls, and above ceilings. So before you take a sledgehammer to your kitchen, bathroom, or any room for remodeling, investigate your home's history.
Home Air Quality: What Lies Beneath
When you remodel an older home and rip out drywall, floors, and ceilings, or strip and sand paint, you never know what you may find underneath. Many older homes were built with materials that are no longer used because they were later found to contain air pollutants and cause health problems.
Some common harmful substances that may be uncovered during the remodeling of an older home include:
Asbestos
Lead paint
Lead dust
Radon
Mold and mildew
Formaldehyde
These substances may be found in and around:
Pipes and plumbing
Wall and attic insulation
Flooring
Fireproofing materials
Paint
Adhesives
Compressed wood (particle board)
Furniture
Though they may not present a problem if left undisturbed behind your walls or under the floorboards, these harmful substances can disperse fibers and chemicals into the air in your home if they become displaced. They materials should be safely and properly removed or completely sealed by a professional, to prevent contamination and health problems.
Remodeling and Your Health
The health problems that have been linked to asbestos, lead, and other materials that can be released during the remodeling process include:
Lung cancer
Mesothelioma
Lead poisoning
Central nervous system problems
Irritation to the eyes, throat, and nose
Fatigue
Frequent headaches
Liver and kidney damage
Nausea
Difficulty breathing and wheezing
Frequent cough
Skin rash
Problems with balance and coordination
Some of these health problems can be serious and chronic, so approach remodeling projects with caution to figure out what possible air pollutants could be lurking inside your home.
Planning Ahead to Maintain Good Air Quality
You can take certain steps to see if you have a problem with either existing or new materials in your home:
Look to see if any existing materials are labeled as containing asbestos or other harmful substances, and check for any other important information such as removal instructions.
Before remodeling starts, have a contractor inspect and test your home air quality for potentially harmful substances that could leak into your indoor air supply. Hire professionals to take the appropriate steps to contain the harmful air pollutants and protect your health.
Take care of any mold or mildew problems that have been exposed during the renovation. Replace moldy materials and give everything a good cleaning.
Take care when installing new products and applying new finishes. Paints, varnishes, stains, and thinners can all release harmful chemicals, so take all precautions suggested on the label. Always work in well-ventilated areas — open windows and have fans blowing or turn on air conditioning to get air pollutants out of your home.
Sealing off all vents and ducts in your home will also keep air pollutants from getting into your heating and cooling systems and circulating throughout your home.
Use the renovation as an opportunity to make sure you have good ventilation throughout your home, both during the renovation and afterward, to protect against the harmful effects of unwanted gases, allergens, mold, mildew, and other irritants.
Home remodeling offers a good opportunity to take inventory of the overall health of your home, and fix any potential problems. When dealing with dangerous substances that can cause serious health effects if not handled correctly, safeguard your family by calling in experienced professionals.
Investigate Your Indoor Air Quality
Asbestos Risks in the Home
Household Molds and Your Health
How to Detect Carbon Monoxide
Does Your House Have a Radon Problem?
Does Your Home Need a Clean Air System?
Protect Against Air Pollutants When Remodeling
Indoor Air Quality: The Trouble With Carpeting
Monday, January 17, 2011
EPA, Schools to Tackle Indoor Air Quality
Release date: 01/14/2011
Contact Information: Stacy Kika, kika.stacy@epa.gov, 202-564-0906, 202-564-4355
WASHINGTON - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is holding its 11th Annual Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) Tools for Schools National Symposium in Washington, D.C. on January 13-15, 2011. The meeting is bringing together school board officials, administrators, health association members, school nurses, teachers, parents, and others to take charge in protecting the indoor air environments of children in schools. Nearly 55 million children and approximately 6 million adults spend a significant portion of their days in more than 132,000 public and private school buildings in the United States. Many of these buildings are old, in poor condition, and may have environmental conditions that inhibit learning and pose risks to the health of children and staff. “Protecting children’s health is a top priority for EPA,” said Gina McCarthy, assistant administrator for EPA’s Office of Air and Radiation. “School kids, parents and teachers face challenges every day, so EPA designed the Tools for Schools Program to make sure that poor indoor air quality isn’t one of them.”Poor indoor air quality in schools can impact the comfort and health of students and staff, which, in turn, can affect concentration, attendance, and student performance. Eight school districts across the country are being recognized at the IAQ Tools for Schools National Symposium for leading the way to improving conditions at their schools and taking action to prevent future IAQ health risks. The symposium focuses on a wide range of environmental risks, including radon, mold, pest management, and asthma management. Here are a few tips schools can take to start improving their indoor air quality:- Get an IAQ Tools for Schools Action Kit online - Review the IAQ Coordinator’s Guide provided in the IAQ Tools for Schools Action Kit- Develop an IAQ team and review current IAQ practices in your school- Develop an IAQ program and encourage good IAQ practices across the school and community- Test your school for radonThe IAQ Tools for Schools Program, launched in 1995, assists school districts in identifying the actions they can take to successfully plan and implement an effective IAQ management program.More information on IAQ Tools for Schools: http://www.epa.gov/iaq/schools/index.html
Contact Information: Stacy Kika, kika.stacy@epa.gov, 202-564-0906, 202-564-4355
WASHINGTON - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is holding its 11th Annual Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) Tools for Schools National Symposium in Washington, D.C. on January 13-15, 2011. The meeting is bringing together school board officials, administrators, health association members, school nurses, teachers, parents, and others to take charge in protecting the indoor air environments of children in schools. Nearly 55 million children and approximately 6 million adults spend a significant portion of their days in more than 132,000 public and private school buildings in the United States. Many of these buildings are old, in poor condition, and may have environmental conditions that inhibit learning and pose risks to the health of children and staff. “Protecting children’s health is a top priority for EPA,” said Gina McCarthy, assistant administrator for EPA’s Office of Air and Radiation. “School kids, parents and teachers face challenges every day, so EPA designed the Tools for Schools Program to make sure that poor indoor air quality isn’t one of them.”Poor indoor air quality in schools can impact the comfort and health of students and staff, which, in turn, can affect concentration, attendance, and student performance. Eight school districts across the country are being recognized at the IAQ Tools for Schools National Symposium for leading the way to improving conditions at their schools and taking action to prevent future IAQ health risks. The symposium focuses on a wide range of environmental risks, including radon, mold, pest management, and asthma management. Here are a few tips schools can take to start improving their indoor air quality:- Get an IAQ Tools for Schools Action Kit online - Review the IAQ Coordinator’s Guide provided in the IAQ Tools for Schools Action Kit- Develop an IAQ team and review current IAQ practices in your school- Develop an IAQ program and encourage good IAQ practices across the school and community- Test your school for radonThe IAQ Tools for Schools Program, launched in 1995, assists school districts in identifying the actions they can take to successfully plan and implement an effective IAQ management program.More information on IAQ Tools for Schools: http://www.epa.gov/iaq/schools/index.html
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
EPA to Inspect New York City Classrooms for PCBs
By DEVLIN BARRETT
In an escalating dispute with New York City education officials, federal authorities say they will soon begin inspecting classrooms for PCB contamination because the city is downplaying the potential danger to children.
The city, in turn, said that if the Environmental Protection Agency gets what it wants, it will cause 15,000 teacher layoffs.
The EPA notified the city's Department of Education last week that it doesn't agree with the city's claim that the PCB-contaminated material poses no immediate threat to students or school staff. The EPA also challenges the city's estimate that it would cost $1 billion to replace the aging fluorescent lighting fixtures that are the chief suspects of PCB contamination in schools.
The EPA has recommended the city immediately begin removing the older fixtures suspected of leaking PCBs, or polychlorinated byphenyls, a potentially cancer-causing chemical linked to numerous other health problems, including reproductive and immune disorders. PCBs were often used in construction and electrical components starting in the 1950s, but were banned in 1978.
The city contends there is little scientific evidence to show that inhaled PCBs like those in the schools pose an immediate health risk.
Judith Enck, the EPA's regional administrator in New York, notified the city by letter that as long as it resisted efforts to quickly replace the suspect lighting fixtures, the EPA would send its own personnel into schools to inspect light fixtures. The inspections are planned to begin early next month.
Ms. Enck chided the city for not taking action, saying other school systems around the country are removing light fixtures with PCBs. She criticized the city's $1 billion estimate for the work, saying her agency has "no understanding of how this figure was arrived at,'' particularly since a 2008 city estimate said it would cost $1.2 billion to remove the lights in all city-owned buildings, not just the schools.
Natalie Ravitz, a spokeswoman for the city's Department of Education, said that such light fixtures exist in schools and buildings around the country, yet New York "is the only school district in the nation that the EPA is threatening with an enormous unfunded mandate. We are working with the Obama administration to find solutions that do not impose a $1 billion unfunded mandate on city taxpayers that would force 15,000 teacher layoffs.''
Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D., Manhattan), who has criticized the Bloomberg administration for not moving quickly, praised the EPA Monday for addressing "an issue of immediate concern, which does pose very real health risks in the here and now.''
In an escalating dispute with New York City education officials, federal authorities say they will soon begin inspecting classrooms for PCB contamination because the city is downplaying the potential danger to children.
The city, in turn, said that if the Environmental Protection Agency gets what it wants, it will cause 15,000 teacher layoffs.
The EPA notified the city's Department of Education last week that it doesn't agree with the city's claim that the PCB-contaminated material poses no immediate threat to students or school staff. The EPA also challenges the city's estimate that it would cost $1 billion to replace the aging fluorescent lighting fixtures that are the chief suspects of PCB contamination in schools.
The EPA has recommended the city immediately begin removing the older fixtures suspected of leaking PCBs, or polychlorinated byphenyls, a potentially cancer-causing chemical linked to numerous other health problems, including reproductive and immune disorders. PCBs were often used in construction and electrical components starting in the 1950s, but were banned in 1978.
The city contends there is little scientific evidence to show that inhaled PCBs like those in the schools pose an immediate health risk.
Judith Enck, the EPA's regional administrator in New York, notified the city by letter that as long as it resisted efforts to quickly replace the suspect lighting fixtures, the EPA would send its own personnel into schools to inspect light fixtures. The inspections are planned to begin early next month.
Ms. Enck chided the city for not taking action, saying other school systems around the country are removing light fixtures with PCBs. She criticized the city's $1 billion estimate for the work, saying her agency has "no understanding of how this figure was arrived at,'' particularly since a 2008 city estimate said it would cost $1.2 billion to remove the lights in all city-owned buildings, not just the schools.
Natalie Ravitz, a spokeswoman for the city's Department of Education, said that such light fixtures exist in schools and buildings around the country, yet New York "is the only school district in the nation that the EPA is threatening with an enormous unfunded mandate. We are working with the Obama administration to find solutions that do not impose a $1 billion unfunded mandate on city taxpayers that would force 15,000 teacher layoffs.''
Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D., Manhattan), who has criticized the Bloomberg administration for not moving quickly, praised the EPA Monday for addressing "an issue of immediate concern, which does pose very real health risks in the here and now.''
Monday, December 6, 2010
Possible Toxins in Perfumes
Even high-end perfumes are made with cocktails of dangerous and untested chemicals that may produce problems from allergies to hormone disruption, a study by the Environmental Working Group and the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics has found.The Federal Fair Packaging and Labeling Act of 1973 explicitly exempts manufacturers of cosmetics and personal care products from having to disclose any of the ingredients used to give fragrance to their products, as long as "fragrance" is listed in on the label. This lack disclosure becomes particularly dangerous when combined with a large-scale lack of data on the safety of these compounds; neither the FDA nor any publicly accountable organization has ever tested the majority of fragrance compounds for safety as ingredients in personal care products.Upon request from the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, the Environmental Working Group sent 17 brand-name perfumes to be tested by the independent laboratory Analytical Sciences. Thirteen of the perfumes had been purchased in the United States, and four had been purchased in Canada.Researchers uncovered 40 different chemicals in the perfume samples, in addition to the 51 listed on product labels. Of the 40 ingredients found, only two were listed on the label of every product containing them; the other 38 were unlisted on at least one of the 17 labels.Each product contained roughly equal numbers of listed and unlisted chemicals, averaging 14 secret chemicals per product. Products including more than the average number included Britney Spears Curious (17), Giorgio Armani Acqua Di Gio (17), Chanel Coco (18) and American Eagle Seventy Seven (24). The average perfume contained 10 known allergens that can trigger reactions from asthma to headaches to contact dermatitis. Giorgio Armani Acqua Di Gio contained the most known allergens, at 19.Even more seriously, researchers uncovered 10 chemicals known to disrupt the hormonal (endocrine) system, with each perfume containing an average of four. The perfumes Halle by Halle Berry, Quicksilver and Jennifer Lopez J. Lo Glow all contained seven different endocrine disruptors -- six estrogen mimics and a thyroid disruptor.Among the endocrine disrupting chemicals were sun-blocking chemicals, the synthetic musks Galaxolide and Tonalide and diethyl phthalate (DEP). Galaxolide and Tonalide, which have been shown to accumulate in human and animal bodies, were found in more than eight of the products. DEP was found in 12 products in concentrations from 30 to 30,000 parts per million, the latter in Eternity for Women. It has been linked to reproductive defects in male infants, sperm damage in men and, more recently, hyperactivity in children.Other perfume ingredients are known to react with indoor air to form formaldehyde, ultrafine particles and other pollutants. These dangerous fragrance chemicals are also found in air fresheners, shampoos, lotions, bath products, and dishwashing and laundry detergents.Yet because the FDA has no authority to force fragrance manufacturers to test their products for safety, vast numbers of such chemicals remain unknown quantities. Only 19 of the 91 ingredients in the study have ever been tested for safety by the industry-funded Cosmetic Industry Review, and only 27 have ever been tested by either the International Fragrance Association or the Research Institute for Fragrance Materials. Of the unlabeled ingredients found, only 34 percent have had safety assessments published. While industry sources may claim that more ingredients than these have been tested, many have only been tested in non-cosmetic contexts, for example as food additives. And even evaluated chemicals remain untested in combination with the many other chemicals thrown in to cosmetics and other products to produce the vague legal category of "fragrance."With no requirement for either safety testing or labeling, there is simply no way for consumers to know what lies behind that term.Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/030635_perfumes_toxic_chemicals.html#ixzz17M7keP00
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)