http://environmentalhealthnews.com/ehs daily 1 2008-12-11T17:02:33Z http://environmentalhealthnews.com/ehs/news/air-pollutants-and-childrens-iqs In a sweltering summer in New York City back in 1999, Yolanda Baldwin was eight months pregnant with her first child. She lived across the street from a busy intersection and often wondered what the fumes might be doing to her unborn child. Now Baldwin and several hundred other mothers whose sons and daughters have been monitored for a decade have an answer: Before children even take their first breath, common air pollutants breathed by their mothers may reduce their IQs. A pair of studies involving more than 400 pregnant women in two cities has found that 5-year-olds exposed in the womb to above-average levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, or PAHs, score lower on IQ tests. The compounds, created by the burning of fossil fuels, are ubiquitous in urban environments. Columbia University scientists say their findings in Poland, published in April, bolster New York City data because they found the same effect in different conditions, in different parts of the world. This “adds to a growing literature implicating exposures to environmental toxicants with stunting of children's intellectual abilities,” said Bruce Lanphear of Simon Fraser University. No publisher mcone 2010-07-26T14:07:07Z Page http://environmentalhealthnews.com/ehs/news/california-unveils-proposed-regulations-to-rid-consumer-products-of-the-riskiest-toxic-chemicals California regulators proposed regulations Wednesday that would force manufacturers and importers to reduce the use of toxic chemicals in everyday consumer products. California’s proposal would be the most ambitious program in the nation to regulate toxic substances and encourage greener alternatives. No publisher mcone 2010-06-24T23:38:32Z Page http://environmentalhealthnews.com/ehs/news/niehs-director-reacts-flame-retardant-study The director of the national institute that oversees environmental health research said Monday that a new study raises many important questions about how flame retardants in common household items may pose a threat to the health of pregnant women and their infants. No publisher mcone 2010-06-22T18:05:08Z Page http://environmentalhealthnews.com/ehs/news/flame-retardants-linked-to-altered-thyroid-hormones-in-pregnant-women High levels of brominated flame retardants can alter pregnant women’s thyroid hormones, which are critical to a baby’s growth and brain development, according to a California study published Monday. The study is considered important because it is the first human research showing a link between the ubiquitous chemicals and altered levels of the hormones in pregnant women. The effects on babies are unknown, but some researchers say it may lead to smaller fetuses, and reduce children's intelligence and motor skills. No publisher mcone 2010-06-22T18:05:59Z Page http://environmentalhealthnews.com/ehs/news/environmental-cancers More than 60 percent of U.S. cancer deaths are caused by smoking and diet. But what about the rest? Some experts say a decades-old estimate that six percent is due to environmental and occupational exposures is outdated and far too low. But scientists most likely will never be able to tease out the true role of environmental contaminants. “It’s like looking at strands of a spider web and deciding which one is important,” said Dr. Ted Schettler, director of the Science and Environmental Health Network. A report by the President's Cancer Panel, released earlier this month, reignited the 30-year-old controversy about how large a role environmental factors play in the No. 2 killer of Americans. No publisher mcone 2010-05-20T11:46:17Z Page http://environmentalhealthnews.com/ehs/news/chlorinated-paraffins An obscure family of chemicals – important to the metalworking industry but virtually unknown to the public – is suddenly the subject of scrutiny from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The chemicals, called short-chain chlorinated paraffins, persist in the environment, accumulate in human breast milk, can kill small aquatic creatures and travel to remote regions of the globe. Since their introduction in the 1930s, they have received little attention from U.S. authorities. But now the EPA, in an unprecedented move, has placed the compounds, known as SCCPs, on a short list of worrisome chemicals that the agency may regulate because of the risks they pose to wildlife and the environment. No publisher mcone 2010-05-17T02:32:25Z Page http://environmentalhealthnews.com/ehs/news/chemical-clearinghouse Across the globe, scientists and regulators are encountering huge gaps in knowledge about the potential ecological effects of the estimated 70,000 to 90,000 chemicals in commerce today. California is mounting an effort to try to fix that. No publisher mcone 2010-05-13T22:55:35Z Page http://environmentalhealthnews.com/ehs/news/presidents-cancer-panel "The true burden of environmentally induced cancers has been grossly underestimated," says the President's Cancer Panel in a strongly reported report that urges action to reduce people's widespread exposure to carcinogens. The panel today advised President Obama "to use the power of your office to remove the carcinogens and other toxins from our food, water, and air that needlessly increase health care costs, cripple our nation's productivity, and devastate American lives." No publisher mcone 2010-05-11T16:25:08Z Page http://environmentalhealthnews.com/ehs/news/pops-in-food Thirty-eight years after DDT was banned, Americans still consume trace amounts of the infamous insecticide every day, along with more than 20 other banned chemicals. These legacy contaminants are ubiquitous in U.S. food, particularly dairy products, meat and fish. Their decades-long presence underscores the dangers of a new generation of chemicals with similar properties and health risks. No publisher mcone 2010-05-11T16:57:07Z Page http://environmentalhealthnews.com/ehs/news/farm-pesticides-linked-to-deadly-skin-cancer Sun exposure has always been considered the driving force behind rising rates of melanoma. But new research suggests that repeated, long-term use of pesticides may be an important factor, too. No publisher mcone 2010-03-31T09:52:00Z Page http://environmentalhealthnews.com/ehs/news/breaking-news-bpa Declaring it a “chemical of concern,” the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Monday announced that it is mounting an investigation of the environmental effects of bisphenol A. No publisher mcone 2010-03-30T16:01:45Z Page http://environmentalhealthnews.com/ehs/news/pet-pesticides Warning that the powerful poisons can endanger some dogs and cats, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will require new instructions and labeling for on-spot flea products. The EPA began investigating the products, which include the popular Frontline and Advantage brands, after discovering a sharp rise in the number of dogs and cats reported to be sick. The investigation concluded that certain pets – small dogs between 10 and 20 pounds – are most susceptible to the problems, which include rashes, vomiting, diarrhea and seizures. Incidents reported by consumers rose from 28,895 in 2007 to 44,263 in 2008, an increase of 53 percent. Most of the problems were minor, such as skin rashes, but about 600 dogs and cats died in incidents reported in 2008. No publisher mcone 2010-03-18T16:02:10Z Page http://environmentalhealthnews.com/ehs/news/pyrethroids-raise-concerns Chemicals derived from flowers may sound harmless, but new research raises concerns about compounds synthesized from chrysanthemums that are used in virtually every household pesticide. For at least a decade, pyrethroids have been the insecticide of choice for consumers, replacing organophosphate pesticides, which are far more toxic to people and wildlife. But evidence is mounting that the switch to pyrethroids has brought its own set of new ecological and human health concerns. No publisher mcone 2010-02-26T17:41:21Z Page http://environmentalhealthnews.com/ehs/news/epa-to-tackle-runoff Across the country, stormwater runoff hammers thousands of rivers, streams and lakes. Communities are left to struggle with the consequences of too much pavement and too little oversight. Now the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is gearing up to tighten federal stormwater rules that have been criticized by environmental groups and deemed ineffective by a national panel of researchers. No publisher mcone 2010-02-26T13:30:40Z Page http://environmentalhealthnews.com/ehs/news/phthalates-and-attention-deficits Children exposed in the womb to chemicals in cosmetics and fragrances are more likely to develop behavioral problems commonly found in children with attention deficit disorders, according to a study of New York City school-age children published Thursday. Scientists said the findings uncovered a new problem that could be related to phthalates - effects on a child’s developing brain. "More phthalates equaled more behavioral problems," said Stephanie Engel, an associate professor of preventive medicine at Mount Sinai School of Medicine. "For every increase of exposure, we saw an increase in frequency and severity of the symptoms," including attention problems, poor conduct and aggression. The connection was only detected for the types of phthalates used in perfumes, shampoos and other personal care products, not the ones found in vinyl toys and other soft plastics. No publisher mcone 2010-02-15T20:31:39Z Page