Greenlist Bulletin
From the Toxics Use Reduction Institute
at the University of Massachusetts Lowell
February 22, 2013
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This is the weekly bulletin of the TURI Library at the University of Massachusetts Lowell. Greenlist Bulletin provide s previews of recent publications and websites relevant to reducing the use of toxic chemicals by industries, businesses, communities, individuals and government. You are welcome to send a message to mary@turi.org if you would like more information on any of the articles listed here, or if this email is not displaying properly.
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UNEP Year Book 2013: Emerging issues in our global environment
| Source: United Nations Environment Programme, February 2013
The UNEP Year Book 2013 is the 10th edition of the Year Book series. This series presents annual reviews of emerging environmental issues and policy-relevant developments. Rapid change in the Arctic threatens ecosystems but also provides new development opportunities, including easier access to oil and gas, minerals and fisheries. The Year Book 2013 shows that change in the Arctic has consequences far beyond this fragile region, and that international response is urgently needed. To meet the internationally agreed goal of producing and using chemicals in ways that minimize significant adverse impacts on health and the environment by 2020, countries need to step up efforts to reduce use of toxic chemicals, promote safer alternatives and build capacity for sound chemicals management. Adequate information for minimizing chemical risks is essential to support these efforts. The Year Book looks at key environmental events in 2012-13 and at changes in the global environment, based on key environmental indicators. Read more...TURI's Note: Rachel Massey, Policy Program Manager at TURI, served as part of the expert panel that coauthored the chapter on chemicals in this publication. Read full report here. |
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How Hidden Fragrance Allergens Harm Public Health
| Source: Women's Voices For The Earth, February 2013
Fragrance affects us all. For some, it can enhance a moment, invoke a memory, or even improve a mood. As consumers, we seek it out in all kinds of products we use in our everyday lives. And for many of us, there's a positive sensory experience associated with fragrance. But unfortunately, this may not be without consequence. In addition to the potential health consequences of certain fragrance ingredients linked to cancer, interference with hormones, and reproductive harm, a significant portion of the population suffers from fragrance-related allergies. Almost 20% of the general population is sensitized to at least one allergen, and studies find that fragrance is one of the most frequently identified substances causing allergic reactions. Fragrance allergy affects 2 to 11 percent of the general population. This translates to tens of millions of people globally affected by fragrance. Women are disproportionately impacted by fragrance allergies, and the rates in children have been rising dramatically in the last few decades. Read more... Read full report here.
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| Phthalates and Childhood Asthma: Revealing an Association through Urinary Biomarkers | Source: Environmental Health Perspectives, February 1, 2013
Author: Tanya Tillett
Exposure to phthalates, substances used as plasticizers in a large number of consumer goods, can occur by ingestion, inhalation, or skin contact. Children -- who are uniquely vulnerable to adverse health effects of environmental exposures because of their still-developing neurological, immunological, and respiratory systems -- can receive particularly high exposures due to more frequent contact with phthalate-rich surfaces such as plastic toys and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) flooring, as well as house dust, which collects phthalates (and other chemicals). Researchers now report an association between phthalate exposure and asthma and allergic disease in a cohort of 10-year-old Norwegian children.
Read more...
Read original study in Environmental Health Perspectives: "Urinary Biomarkers for Phthalates Associated with Asthma in Norwegian Children." |
| Characterization of Residential Pesticide Use and Chemical Formulations through Self-Report and Household Inventory: The Northern California Childhood Leukemia Study |
Authors: Neela Guha, Mary H. Ward, Robert Gunier, Joanne S. Colt, C. Suzanne Lea, Patricia A. Buffler, and Catherine Metayer Background: Home and garden pesticide use has been linked to cancer and other health outcomes in numerous epidemiological studies. Exposure has generally been self-reported, so the assessment is potentially limited by recall bias and lack of information on specific chemicals. . . . Conclusions: Our data on specific active ingredients and patterns of storage and use will inform future etiologic analyses of residential pesticide exposures from self-reported data, particularly among households with young children. Read more...
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| REACH Review 2012: General Report on
Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemical Substances
| Source: European Commission, February 2013
The Commission has concluded that REACH functions well and delivers on all objectives that at present can be assessed. Some needs for adjustments have been identified, but balanced against the interest of ensuring legislative stability and predictability, the Commission will not propose any changes to the enacting terms of REACH. Within the current framework, however, there is a need to reduce the impact of REACH on SMEs (Small and Medium-sized Enterprises). The annex to the general report sets out measures that will contribute to this goal. There are many other opportunities for further improvement of the functioning of REACH by optimizing the implementation at all levels. Some key findings and recommendations are: - The report makes recommendations to improve REACH implementation. These include improving the quality of registration dossiers, encouraging companies to enhance the use of safety data sheets as a central risk management tool, and addressing issues related to the transparency of cost sharing within the Substance Information Exchange Forums (SIEFs).
- The report recommends reducing the financial and administrative burden on SMEs in order to ensure the proportionality of legislation and to assist them to fulfil all their REACH obligations. The Commission will look into greater fee reductions to SMEs.
- There are no major overlaps with other EU legislation.
- Considerable efforts to develop alternative methods to animal testing have been made and will continue: since 2007, the Commission has made available € 330 million to fund research in this area.
- Enforcement could be improved. As this is the responsibility of the Member States, the report recommends to Member States to reinforce coordination among them.
- Although the report identifies a need for some adjustments to the legislation, the Commission wants to ensure legislative stability and predictability for European businesses. No changes to REACH's main terms are proposed at present.
Read more...Read full report here. |
| No Clear Winner In Race To Find Non-BPA Can Linings | Source: Chemical & Engineering News, February 11, 2013
Author: Melody M. Bomgardner
In late January, California proposed, for the second time, to list bisphenol A as a cause of reproductive toxicity under a state law called Proposition 65. Although the maximum allowable dose would be too high to require warning labels on most products, such as food cans that are lined with BPA-based epoxy resins, the proposal adds another reason that people might want to avoid the chemical.
In the past decade, consumers and health experts have raised concerns about the use of BPA in food packaging. The molecule has a shape similar to estrogen's and thus may act as an endocrine disrupter. The chemical industry and makers of metal food packaging contend that BPA is safe.
But for food companies, pleasing consumers is a high priority, and most are eager to move away from packaging based on BPA. Coating manufacturers and their suppliers are working overtime to find a replacement for the ubiquitous epoxies, which are made by reacting BPA with epichlorohydrin. A review of patent filings and regulatory approvals shows that dozens of substances are in the pipeline. They are being developed by paint firms including Valspar, PPG Industries, and AkzoNobel, and by chemical firms such as Eastman Chemical, Cytec Industries, and Dow Chemical.
The winning recipe or recipes need to meet high-performance requirements, because can coatings do double duty under difficult conditions. They protect the integrity of the can from effects of the food and protect the food from the steel or aluminum of the can.
Read more...
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| Please send a message to mary@turi.org if you would like more information on any of these resources. Also, please tell us what topics you are particularly interested in monitoring, and who else should see Greenlist. An online search of the TURI Library catalog can be done at http://library.turi.org for greater topic coverage.
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Greenlist Bulletin is compiled by:
Mary Butow
Research and Reference Specialist
Toxics Use Reduction Institute
University of Massachusetts Lowell
600 Suffolk St., Wannalancit Mills
Lowell MA 01854
978-934-4365
978-934-3050 (fax)
mary@turi.org
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