-Caveat Lector- February 1999 In This Issue... * PERSISTENT ORGANIC POLLUTANTS (POPs) - Health Professionals Call for DDT Phase-out, Increased Attention to Malaria - POPs Talks Focus on Implementation Needs; NGOs Remind Delegates of - POPs Elimination Goal - POPS Action Alert! * CLIMATE CHANGE - Clinton Calls for Action on Global Warming - Clinton To Seek $4. Billion for Domestic Actions - Climate Change May Create a More Severe El Niño - Studies Link Pollution, Warmer Waters to Disease * OTHER NEWS - Environmental Disasters Killed 50,000 in 1998 - Chemical Industry to Give $1.28 Billion for Health Research * NEW ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH RESEARCH - Environmental Factors Implicated in Parkinson's Disease - Interior Surface Materials in the Home Linked to Development of Bronchial Obstruction in Young Children - Monochloramine Disinfection Reduces Risk of Nosocomial Legionnaires' Disease **************************************************************************** ************ PERSISTENT ORGANIC POLLUTANTS (POPs) Health Professionals Call for DDT Phase-out, Increased Attention to Malaria At a conference in Nairobi, Kenya on January 24, more than 30 physicians and health professionals from Africa and elsewhere endorsed a statement calling on governments to phase out the use of the pesticide DDT in malaria control, while taking new measures to combat the disease in other ways. DDT is extremely persistent, bioaccumulates in food chains and human breast milk, and is a probably human carcinogen and suspected endocrine disruptor. Because of its potential environmental and public health effects, as well as problems of vector resistance in some areas, the World Health Organization has begun moving away from its long-time endorsement of DDT in public health campaigns. Among the recommendations of the meeting were: * That all governments commit to the phase-out and eventual elimination of DDT production and use; * That malaria risk management be maintained and improved through the development and use of safe, sustainable alternative means of vector control; * That increased spending on malaria drug research, treatment, and public health surveillance be committed during the DDT phaseout to ensure that the health of people in malaria-endemic zones is not compromised. During a week of talks in Nairobi, negotiators made slow progress in drafting a global treaty to eliminate the use, production, and emission of certain persistent organic pollutants, or POPs. Delegates from more than 100 countries agreed to a first draft text of a treaty that would initially restrict or eliminate twelve POPs, including pesticides, industrial chemicals, and unintended by-products. They discussed possible mechanisms for transferring technical and financial resources to developing countries, where many POPs pesticides are still commonly used What remains unclear, however, is whether the governments are truly committed to total elimination of these substances, which now contaminate every living thing on earth and pose a serious threat to human health and the environment worldwide. At this second of five expected negotiating sessions, some governments seemed to indicate a desire to limit action to merely controlling POPs use and release. For example, the U.S. proposed changing the "prohibit production and use" language to "take measures to prohibit." It was disappointing to see the U.S. take the lead in proposing weakening language. As part of the International POPs Elimination Network (IPEN) of non-governmental organizations participating in the negotiations, PSR urged negotiators not to lose sight of the long-term goal of POPs elimination. "The U.S. is not exerting the leadership needed to get rid of these harmful chemicals once and for all," said PSR environment director Sharon Newsome. "The goal of the treaty must be POPs elimination. The U.S. should lead the way in this worldwide effort to protect the public health." POPS ALERT! The U.S. EPA has published its long-awaited "Multimedia Strategy for Persistent, Bioaccumulative, and Toxic (PBT) Pollutants" (http://www.epa.gov/pbt/pbtstrat.htm). The strategy takes EPA incrementally in the right direction by focusing on all pollutant sources -- air, water, and land; and it is an important step in integrating EPA programs that have been fragmented and ineffective. As an effort to implement zero discharge and virtual elimination, it is worse than timid; it is actually a retreat. The strategy abandons the goal of eliminating persistent toxic substances in the Great Lakes and other watersheds, and fails to propose the most effective policy tools bans and phase-outs of chemicals needed to achieve that goal. The EPA is accepting public comments on its proposed strategy until February 16. Please write to EPA Administrator Carol Browner before this date and urge her to develop and implement a strong PBT strategy that includes a zero discharge goal that ends the release of PBTs. The current EPA proposal is unacceptable because it continues to allow significant releases of PBT pollutants. Please send your letter, with the docket control (identification) number of OPPTS- 00255 at the top, to: Carol Browner, Administrator [EMAIL PROTECTED] 401 M St., SW Washington, DC 20460 Note: Make sure you include your full name and mailing address in the message if you contact lawmakers via email CLIMATE CHANGE Clinton Calls for Action on Global Warming President Bill Clinton reconfirmed the importance of mitigating global warming in his State of the Union address, on January 19, 1999. "Our most fateful new challenge is the threat of global warming," he said. "1998 was the warmest year ever recorded. Last year's heat waves, floods, and storms are but a hint of what future generations may endure if we do not act now." To minimize the potential impacts of climate change, the President proposed a new clean air fund to help communities reduce greenhouse gases and other pollution; and investments to spur clean energy technology. He also said that he intends to work with Congress to reward companies that take early, voluntary action to reduce greenhouse gases. "A century ago, President Theodore Roosevelt defined our 'great, central task' as 'leaving this land even a better land for our descendants than it is for us,'" President Clinton said. For the full text of the President's address, visit the White House website at http://www.whitehouse.gov/WH/New/html/19990119-2656.html Clinton to Seek $4.Billion for Domestic Actions The Clinton administration will propose a one-third increase in federal spending and tax breaks next year to address "the threat of global warming". According to an outline of the plan, the White House will suggest tax credits of as much as $2,000 for the purchase of more energy-efficient homes or 20% of the cost of electric heat pumps, natural gas water heaters, rooftop solar systems and other energy-saving equipment. It also includes credits of up to $4,000 for more energy-efficient cars beginning in 2003. "A White House official said the program has been enhanced to gain more political support from homebuilders and automakers." The plan also envisions $105 million for research by the Dept. of Agriculture on ways the agriculture and timber industries could help reduce the nation's net greenhouse gas emissions. And it includes the president's call for a $200 million "Clean Air Partnership Fund" to funnel grants to state and local governments for projects to reduce greenhouse gases (John Fialka, Wall Street Journal, 1/26). The plan also includes $122 million to spur technology for cleaner-burning coal-fired power plants. The AP reports the plan "is likely to meet strong opposition from congressional Republicans, who have accused the administration of trying to implement the Kyoto climate agreement before it is even considered by the Senate." (AP/Baltimore Sun/others). Climate Change May Create a More Severe El Niño El Niño may have been less of a factor in the Northern Hemisphere's climate around 4,000 B.C. than it is today, and global warming may be working to accentuate El Niño's current and future impacts. These conclusions by two scientists at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) was presented along with other research on the El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) effect on January 13, 1999, at the American Meteorological Society's annual meeting in Dallas, Texas. Using a recently developed climate system model, scientists have have found that the impacts of ENSO on Northern Hemisphere winters (for instance, a general warming across Canada and the northern United States during El Niño) were up to 50 percent weaker 6,000 years ago. To read the complete text of this release, visit http://www.ucar.edu/publications/newsreleases/1999/amsenso.html Studies Link Pollution, Warmer Waters to Disease A rise in ocean surface temperatures, coupled with "massive amounts of poorly treated sewage, farm wastes and other pollution," are being blamed for a worldwide increase in dying coral, diseased shellfish, and viral infections. Previously unknown varieties of bacteria and viruses are proliferating in Earth's "warming" oceans, killing some marine life and threatening human health, according to new studies presented at the American Assn. for the Advancement of Science conference on January 22, 1999. Florida researchers have found that "vast colonies" of human viruses regularly migrate into coastal waters from septic tanks, infecting shellfish and threatening human swimmers. About 40% of all Florida shrimp studied carried human viruses, according to U. of South Florida researcher and PSR member Joan Rose. And climate change is being blamed for "devastating parasitic oyster diseases" along the eastern US that have caused annual oyster harvests to plunge from millions of bushels to an all-time low of about 14,000 bushels in 1998. (Visit the 1999 AAAS Annual Meeting and Science Innovation Exposition at http://www.aaas.org/meetings/Scope/program/ins.htm#3228.0 -- Instability in Earth and Human Systems) OTHER NEWS Environmental Disasters Killed 50,000 in 1998 Environmental disasters caused the deaths of 50,000 people in 1998, up from 13,000 in 1997, according to the UN Environment Program (UNEP). Speaking at the annual meeting of the agency's Governing Council in Nairobi, UNEP Executive Director Klaus Toepfer said the insurance industry estimates such disasters cost $90 billion in 1998, roughly triple the cost in 1997. Most of the disasters in 1998 were blamed on the El Niño or La Nina weather phenomena. The disasters included forest fires in Indonesia, record floods in China and Bangladesh, and Hurricane Mitch in Central America. "These phenomena will continue to grow" unless early-warning systems are in place, Toepfer said. He added that the UNEP is restructuring its early-warning systems to better forecast such situations in the future (Sidy Gaye, Panafrican News Agency). Chemical Industry to Give $1.28 Billion For Health Research The chemical industry has committed $1.2 billion for a six-year independent research initiative to study how chemicals affect health and safety. The wide-ranging program will test the toxicity of 3,000 chemicals used in high volumes, as well as screen 15,000 chemicals to determine whether they affect human hormonal systems. It also sets aside $100 million for general research. Vice President Al Gore, who has called for such a program praised the initiative (Greenwire, 1/27) NEW ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH RESEARCH Environmental Factors Implicated in Parkinson's Disease A new study in the Journal of the American Medical Association suggests the typical form of Parkinson's disease is not inherited. Researchers are speculating that "toxics in the environment probably trigger the disease that affects a million Americans." Scientists have "long suspected" that genetics was not a major factor in the disease, but the new "landmark" study by researchers at the Parkinson's Institute in Sunnyvale, CA, is the first that "seems to confirm that definitively." The study compares the rate of Parkinson's disease in nearly 20,000 white male identical and fraternal twins. A genetic link to Parkinson's would show up as a higher rate of identical siblings with the disease. The study failed to find such a link in the most common form of Parkinson's, which develops after age 50. Researchers did find that early-onset Parkinson's, which shows up before age 50 and accounts for about 10% of Parkinson's cases, has a genetic component. Caroline Tanner, the study's lead scientist: "For the first time, we can say today that typical Parkinson's after the age of 50 is caused by environmental factors." Tanner says the environmental factors "most likely" to play a role include exposure to chemicals such as pesticides and herbicides, diet, and smoking. (JAMA. 1999;281:341-346, abstract online at http://www.ama-assn.org/sci-pubs/journals/archive/jama/vol_281/no_4/oc81035a .htm) Interior Surface Materials in the Home Linked to Development of Bronchial Obstruction in Young Children A study published in the February issue of the American Journal of Public Healthevaluates the role of PVC plastics and textile materials in the home in the development of bronchial obstruction (bronchospasm, wheezing) during the first 2 years of life. The study finds an elevated risk of bronchial obstruction in the presence of PVC flooring (odds ratio 1.98; 95% CI 1.14, 3.14) and textile wall materials (odds ratio 1.58, 95% CI 0.98 - 2.54). The reference category was wood or parquet flooring and painted walls and ceiling. An exposure-response relationship between the assessed amount of PVC and other plasticizer-containing surface materials and the risk of bronchial obstruction was also observed. The children in this study therefore had an 89% increased risk of bronchospasm/wheezing if their floor was covered with PVC. A 58% increased risk with textile wall covering. Those who had the largest exposure had the most symptoms. This finding is consistent with earlier reports of some children developing bronchospasm and even respiratory failure when ventilated with PVC tubing in the hospital. (Jaakkola JJK, Oie L, et al. Am J Public Health 89:188-192, 1999) Monochloramine Disinfection Reduces Risk of Nosocomial Legionnaires' Disease A case-control study published in the Lancet evaluates disinfection methods for drinking water supplied to hospitals that had had outbreaks of Legionnaires' disease and finds that the use of monochloramine for residual disinfection of drinking water is associated with a lower likelihood of outbreaks of Legionnaires' Disease. Monochloramine which has been used for drinking water disinfection since 1916, is formed when ammonia and free chlorine are mixed in water. Many water treatment plants are considering using monochloramine instead of free chlorine as a residual disinfectant because monochloramine usage minimizes the formation of disinfection by-products such as trihalomethanes and haloacetic acids. The US Environmental Protection Agency has issued regulations to reduce adverse health effects, including cancer, associated with disinfectants and disinfection by-products (http://www.epa.gov/OGWDW/mdbp/dbp1.html). A survey in 1989 and 1990 of municipal water utilities in the USA that serve populations greater than 50,000 found that 23% were using monochloramine as residual disinfectant and that others were considering switching to monochloramine. This study suggests that chloramination of drinking water may be a cost-effective method for control of Legionnaires' disease at the municipal level, and widespread implementation could prevent thousands of cases. (Kool JL, Carpenter JC, Fields BS, et al. Lancet; 353: 272-77, 1999, abstract online at http://www.thelancet.com/newlancet/sub/issues/vol353no9149/article272.html) ************************************************************************* DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion and informational exchange list. 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