STUDY- Asthma Peaks W/ School Year

March 2006 NEWSSLICE

March 23, 2006 4:56 PM

Subject: MMWR Dispatch fyi-- 4 yr old dies fw: Lead Charm Bracelet -->Poisoning Death

Dispatch Volume 55, Dispatch

Death of a Child After Ingestion of a Metallic Charm Minnesota, 2006

In February, a boy aged 4 years died from lead poisoning after ingestion of a heart-shaped metallic charm. The charm had been attached to a metal bracelet provided as a free gift with the purchase of shoes manufactured by Reebok International Ltd. On March 23, a voluntary recall of 300,000 heart-shaped charm bracelets was announced. Health-care providers should consider lead poisoning in young children with increased intracranial pressure, unexplained and prolonged gastric symptoms, or a history of mouthing or ingesting nonfood items and warn caregivers against allowing children to mouth any metal objects. full text http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm55d323a1.htm?s_cid=mm55d323a1_e

Department of Health and Human Services Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

------STUDY- asthma peaks w/ school year

Released: Thu 23-Mar-2006, 08:00 ET

Source: American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) Printer-friendly Version_ (http://www.newswise.com/p/articles/view/518994/)

Start of School Correlates with Asthma Hospitalizations Libraries Medical News Keywords ASTHMA CHILDHOOD ASTHMA AAAAI DescriptionThe spike in asthma exacerbations and hospitalizations in the fall is precisely related to the start of school and a subsequent increase in viral infections among children, according to study in the February JACI. Newswise — The spike in asthma exacerbations and hospitalizations in the fall is precisely related to the start of school and a subsequent increase in viral infections among children. Attempting to improve asthma control and reduce the transmission of infections as school starts could reduce the annual September asthma epidemic, according to new research. The September epidemic of asthma hospitalization: School children as disease vectors is published in the March 2006 issue of the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (JACI). The study can be found on the JACI’s Web site at _http://www.jacionline.org_ (http://www.jacionline.org/) . The JACI is the peer-reviewed, scientific journal of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI). Neil W. Johnston, MSc, of St. Joseph’s Healthcare and McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada and colleagues looked to determine the sequence of timing for September asthma hospitalization epidemics in children and adults, and determine whether school-age children transmit the viral infections that often lead to asthma attacks in adults. Researchers used Canadian hospital admission data from 1990 to 2002 for the study. Participants were divided into three age groups: school-age children 5 to 15 years old; preschool children ages 2 to 4; and adults 16 to 49 years old. In addition, the researchers divided Canada into four geographic ranges based on latitude. They found that: ? On average, the epidemic peak for school-age children was 17.7 days after Labor Day (the day after the holiday is traditionally the beginning of the school year), 19.4 days after Labor Day for preschool children and 24 days after Labor Day for adults. ? Timing of the asthma exacerbation peak from north to south was also consistent with differences in weather conditions and in-school allergen levels. ? The sequence of the epidemic remained consistent, suggesting the viral infections were transferred from the school-age children to the preschool children and adults with whom they were in contact. ? School-age children were the starting point for the viruses, with children ages 5 to 7 the leading group affected by the asthma epidemic. Researchers suggest this could be because they are not as resistant to the infections and because infections transmit easily from children to other children or adults because of children’s social behavior. ? Rhinovirus infections are the leading cause of respiratory infections for children in the early fall. Between 80 to 85 percent of children with wheezing episodes test positive; half the adults with a wheezing episode also have rhinovirus infections. Johnston and colleagues concluded that finding ways to prevent respiratory infections in children is a key component to lessening the annual asthma outbreak for all ages. The AAAAI is the largest professional medical specialty organization in the United States representing allergists, asthma specialists, clinical immunologists, allied health professionals and others with a special interest in the research and treatment of allergic disease. Allergy/immunology specialists are pediatric or internal medicine physicians who have elected an additional two years of training to become specialized in the treatment of asthma, allergy and immunologic disease. Established in 1943, the AAAAI has more than 6,000 members in the United States, Canada and 60 other countries. The AAAAI serves as an advocate to the public by providing educational information through its Web site at _www.aaaai.org_ (http://www.aaaai.org) . EDITOR'S NOTE: To receive a copy of the studies, contact Karen Janka ([email protected]) or Natalie Lemke ([email protected]) at (414) 272-6071. For more information and access to the archive of past JACI news releases, visit the Media Center of the AAAAI Web site, www.aaaai.org.

------March 23, 2006

[New Haven Independent] Recommendation: School Takes"Crisis" In Stride [email protected] has sent you a link!

CT schools-- federal emergency drill w/ guns, chem release, fire

Title: School Takes "Crisis" In Stride Link: http://www.newhavenindependent.org/archives/schools/index.html

-- Powered by Movable Type Version 3.2 http://www.sixapart.com/movabletype/ ------March 22, 2006

CCA Playgrounds-- Cr risks forwarded by Deborah Barrie via Children's Environmental Health Network listserv

Chromium on the hands of children after playing in playgrounds built from chromated copper arsenate (CCA)-treated wood.

Hamula C, Wang Z, Zhang H, Kwon E, Li XF, Gabos S, Le XC. Environmental Health Sciences, Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

Children's exposure to arsenic and chromium from playground equipment constructed with chromated copper arsenate (CCA)-treated wood is a potential concern because of children's hand-to-mouth activity. However, there exists no direct measure of Cr levels on the hands of children after playing in such playgrounds. In this study we measured both soluble and total Cr on the hands of 139 children playing in playgrounds, eight of which were constructed with CCA-treated wood and eight of which were not. Children's age and duration of play were recorded. The hands of each child were washed after play with 150 mL deionized water, which was collected in a bag and subsequently underwent analysis of Cr and 20 other elements, using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Total average Cr on the hands of 63 children who played in CCA playgrounds was 1,112 +/- 1,089 ng (median, 688; range 78-5,875). Total average Cr on the hands of 64 children who played in non-CCA playgrounds was 652 +/- 586 ng (median, 492; range 61-3,377). The difference between the two groups is statistically significant (p < 0.01). Cr levels were highly correlated to both Cu (r = 0.672) and As (r = 0.736) levels in CCA playgrounds (p < or = 0.01), but not non-CCA playgrounds (r = 0.252 and 0.486 for Cu and As, respectively). Principal-component analysis indicates that Cr, Cu, and As are more closely grouped together in CCA than in non-CCA playgrounds. These results suggest that the elevated levels of Cr and As on children's hands are due to direct contact with CCA wood.

_http://www.ehponline.org/docs/2005/8521/abstract.html_ (http://www.ehponline.org/docs/2005/8521/abstract.html)

Chromium Evidence Buried, Report Says Authors Fault Industry Researchers

By Rick Weiss Washington Post Staff Writer Friday, February 24, 2006; A03

Scientists working for the chromium industry withheld data about the metal's health risks while the industry campaigned to block strict new limits on the cancer-causing chemical, according to a scientific journal report published yesterday.

The allegations, by researchers at George Washington University and the Washington-based Public Citizen Health Research Group, are based on secret industry documents obtained by the authors.

They come just days before the Occupational Safety and Health Administration is to announce its new standard for workplace exposure to hexavalent chromium -- a known carcinogen handled by 380,000 U.S. workers in the steel, aerospace, electroplating and other industries.

Documents in the report, published in the peer-reviewed online journal Environmental Health, show that the industry conducted a pivotal study that found a fivefold increase in lung cancer deaths from moderate exposures to chromium but never published the results or gave them to OSHA. Company-sponsored scientists later reworked the data in a way that made the risk disappear.

OSHA has not said what the new limit will be. But sources close to the agency have been told to expect a standard that would allow five times more exposure than it had initially proposed -- a shift that would be a victory for the industry, saving it billions of dollars in upgrades and plant closures.

Company representatives and the contract scientist who led the reworked analysis denied any wrongdoing.

"The idea that there was a conspiracy here . . . is completely and utterly false," said Kate McMahon-Lohrer, a lawyer at Collier Shannon and counsel to the Chromium Coalition, an industry group that has worked for a decade to forestall tighter regulation.

But David Michaels, director of the project on scientific knowledge and public policy at GWU's School of Public Health and a senior author of the report, compared the industry's behavior to that of tobacco and pharmaceutical companies that were found to have withheld damning evidence of risks associated with their products.

"Participants in proceedings before OSHA and other regulatory agencies should be required to provide all relevant data," Michaels said.

Scientists have known for decades that inhaled particles of hexavalent chromium, or "chromium VI" -- made notorious in the movie "Erin Brockovich" -- can cause lung cancer. But exposure limits for workers have not changed since 1943, when the metal dust was considered a mere skin irritant.

In 1993, Public Citizen petitioned OSHA to set a new standard. Nine years and two lawsuits later, a federal court ordered OSHA to do so by January 2006 (later extended to Feb. 28).

The decades-old "permissible exposure level" is 52 micrograms per cubic meter of air. On the basis of the few large studies done in recent years, advocates sought a new level of 0.25 micrograms. In 2004, OSHA released a proposed limit of 1 microgram.

According to OSHA, the 1 microgram limit would result in two to nine excess deaths in every 1,000 exposed workers over a 45-year lifetime of work. That is more than the one-death-per-1,000 standard the agency aims for but is reasonable, it said, in light of the high costs and technological challenges involved.

OSHA calculated that a less stringent limit of 5 micrograms per cubic meter would result in 10 to 45 excess deaths per 1,000 workers.

When OSHA released its proposal, it asked industry to provide any new data that might bring more precision to its calculations. It especially asked for data relating to the relatively low exposures common in modern factories, so the agency would not have to extrapolate from the very high exposure levels in earlier studies.

No data arrived. But they did exist.

They were in the hands of the Industrial Health Foundation, a nonprofit organization that for years served as the legal agent for the Chromium Coalition, a loose-knit group of representatives of about a dozen companies.

Michaels and Peter Lurie of Public Citizen learned of their existence last spring after the foundation filed for bankruptcy and the Chromium Coalition made a legal claim to three boxes of its records. Working through lawyers, the two managed to get copies of some.

Among them are the 1996 minutes of Chromium Coalition meetings describing a decision to hire scientists to create and analyze data that would "challenge" OSHA's nascent effort to impose low exposure limits.

"Although this route is expensive and success is not guaranteed, the longer we wait the more difficult the task becomes," one document concludes. Most surprising was a 153-page report summarizing an industry-sponsored study of workers in chromium plants in the United States and Germany. The study was the most thorough ever to include workers exposed to low levels -- just what OSHA had asked for. But its results had never been released.

The report concluded that exposures ranging from 1.2 to 5.8 micrograms resulted in a fivefold increase in deaths from lung cancer.

"Here you have an agency repeatedly asking for data of this kind, and nothing is forthcoming," Lurie said.

The contract scientists who led the study had gone on to divide the data into two sets and changed the way they grouped the workers. As a result, one study -- published in 2004 -- found no increased risk, and the other -- soon to be published -- found an increased risk only in those with very high exposures.

Those manuscripts were submitted to OSHA.

"Maybe there's a reason they did it that way. I don't know. But on the surface, it doesn't look very good," said Herman Gibb, an environmental consultant who led a seminal Environmental Protection Agency study of 70,000 chromium workers in Baltimore.

Kenneth Mundt, a scientist with Arlington-based Environ, which conducted the study for the Chromium Coalition, said the decision to split the data was based on "scientific issues," including differences in the way samples were obtained at the U.S. and German plants.

He did not have an explanation for why he ultimately lumped workers together differently than they were in the initial, unpublished version -- a change that blended the intermediate-exposure workers with the low-exposure workers and resulted in a finding of no risk.

Mundt said he was under no pressure from his industry sponsors to doctor the data.

Joel Barnhart of Elementis Chromium in Corpus Christi, Tex. -- who served as chairman of the Chromium Coalition -- said he could not recall how decisions were made with regard to the analysis and publication of the data.

"I feel confident that no one I'm aware of was trying to intentionally hide what they thought was useful information," Barnhart said.

Chromium representatives have told OSHA that a 1 microgram standard would cost the industry more than $5 billion a year and would force the closing of more than half the nation's electroplating shops -- most of which are small and cannot afford new controls.

Asked for a reaction to evidence that data relevant to a legal rulemaking were withheld from the agency, an OSHA spokesperson said only: "Our focus is to meet the court-imposed February 28, 2006, deadline to issue a final rule. We fully expect to meet our deadline."

_http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/02/23/AR20060223017 _ (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/02/23/AR20060223017) 83.html

March 14, 2006

New – EPA Couse on line fyi, can you 'ace' the quick quiz, 5/5?

NEW! EPA Mold Web Course

- Learn more about mold - FREE - For environmental and public health professionals http://www.epa.gov/mold

March 12, 2006

Science: Deadly Allergies

Forbes.com/Your Health

Deadly Food Allergies Amanda Gardner for HealthDay News 03.07.06, 12:30 AM ET

Potentially life-threatening allergic reactions to foods remain a major public health issue and one that is gaining in prominence. It is enough of a problem that the White House designated Sunday as National Anaphylaxis Day. Anaphylaxis is a severe allergic reaction that can cause death. "With this declaration of National Anaphylaxis Day, this disease will be elevated to the prominence it deserves," said Dr. F. Estelle Simons, president of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI), at a news conference in Miami Beach Sunday. "With that, more health-care professionals, more doctors and members of the general public will become aware of it and will be able to recognize the signs and symptoms." Simon spoke at the annual meeting of the AAAAI. Some 11 million Americans suffer from food allergies and 150 to 200 people die each year from unknowingly ingesting the wrong food. Food allergies account for at least 30,000 emergency room visits each year. Allergy to peanuts is one of the most dramatic and deadly examples of food allergy. The prevalence of the allergy has doubled in children in a five-year period. "There is no cure for food allergy," said Anne Munoz-Furlong, founder and chief executive officer of the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network. "Strict avoidance of the food is the only way to avoid a reaction. Once a reaction begins, there is no way to predict how severe the symptoms will become." The emotional toll of food allergies is fierce, Munoz-Furlong added. Marriages can break up, and parents leave full-time jobs to take care of allergic children, who may develop eating disorders and compulsive behavior. The AAAAI meeting featured a number of reports that helped to shed light on the different nuances of this problem. One study found that the number of visits to U.S. emergency rooms as a result of anaphylaxis may be grossly underestimated, with the real number closer to 1.04 million visits each year. This represents about 1% of all visits to emergency departments, said Dr. Carlos Carmago, senior author of the study and associate professor of medicine and epidemiology at Harvard Medical School in Boston. The study also found that epinephrine, which is the standard antidote for such allergic reactions, was under-utilized in emergency rooms. "If you don't use epinephrine earlier, the disease progresses and it might be too late for the medicine to work," Carmago said. Under-treatment may extend to other contexts as well. A survey of families attending Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network conferences found that 34% of the most severely food-allergic individuals were not receiving adequate medical care. "Physicians and families must be educated to ensure that all food-allergic individuals have epinephrine available to them at all times and are trained to use it," said Dr. Elinor Simons, lead author of the study, which was done while she was a fellow at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City. "It's important that anyone with symptoms seen by a health-care provider be instructed to avoid the food, instructed to carry epinephrine, given a prescription if they don't already have it and get adequate follow-up." Although epinephrine is not entirely without risks, a health-care professional can make the judgment as to whether a reaction is progressing. "We're of the mind that it's better to be safe than sorry," said Simons, the AAAAI president. Finally, researchers in the United Kingdom found that levels of carboxypeptidase, an enzyme associated with mast cells, were higher in people who had an anaphylactic reaction, compared with those without a reaction. "The prevalence of severe allergic reactions seems to be increasing throughout the world, but there is uncertainty about the prevalence because of the lack of good, effective means of diagnosis," said senior author Andrew Walls, of the University of Southampton. "We have developed an assay for this mast cell enzyme and looked at some 200 cases of anaphylaxis and found an increased concentration of carboxypeptidase in the blood," Walls said. "Our feeling is that this is going to be a useful new laboratory test for establishing a diagnosis of anaphylaxis." Copyright © 2006 ScoutNews, LLC. All rights reserved.

------Thursday, March 9, 2006 forwarded by State of Washington healthy schools advocates

Health, safety plan for schools is 'unacceptable' Teachers, parents say mold, lead aren't addressed

By JULIE DAVIDOW, REPORTER Washington Post-Intelligencer

OLYMPIA -- Teachers and parents on Wednesday criticized a draft plan to improve school health and safety rules, calling it a "toothless feel-good policy" that does little to address concerns about mold on the walls, lead in the water and other environmental toxins that have left children and teachers sick across the state.

About a dozen teachers and parents told members of the state Board of Health that the draft -- the first attempt to revise school health and safety rules in 30 years -- is unacceptable.

"What is needed is a state-level policy with some teeth," said Robert Femiano, a first-grade teacher at Arbor Heights Elementary School in Seattle who alerted school officials about mold in his classroom months before any action was taken. The draft, which was presented at the board meeting, contains provisions requiring schools to test for lead and develop plans for responding to mold -- both policies would be firsts. Maryanne Guichard, director of the state's Office of Environmental Health & Safety, said similar requirements to test drinking water for copper and cadmium were left out of the draft because lead seems to be "more of a widespread problem." Mark Cooper, a parent and longtime advocate for lead testing in schools, said the omission was an example of the department's disregard for the recommendations submitted by an advisory committee that met for months to develop plans for the draft. Cooper was the parent representative on the School Rule Development Committee.

The draft represents a "betrayal of public trust," Cooper told board members. Guichard said every effort was made to incorporate the committee's input. Limited budgets and a shortage of trained local public health staff make enforcing health and safety rules in schools a challenge, she said.

"We want to be protective for children but we also want to be realistic about the resources available to schools" and public health departments, Guichard said.

But by leaving the testing and cleanup to school officials, the department is advocating the status quo -- a system that lacks accountability and oversight, said Gary Arthur, a fifth grade teacher in the Issaquah School District. "Guidelines simply aren't enough to keep us safe," said Arthur, who said that his wife, also a teacher, developed a serious fungal infection after exposure to mold at a school in the Highline School District where she taught for 13 years.

Several speakers, including Cooper, called for an ombudsman position to be created in the Attorney General's office that would allow parents and teachers to take their complaints and concerns to an outside party. "You can't ask a risk management (official) from a school district to respond in an appropriate manner," said Jennifer Aspelund, who said her son's exposure to mold at Nathan Hale High School left him with a compromised immune system. Board member Karen VanDusen asked staff to research whether the ombudsman proposal is possible. Parents and teachers also said their concerns have been repeatedly downplayed by school officials who attribute their complaints to hysteria or other mental health problems.

"There is no evidence of that," said Harriet Ammann, a toxicologist with the Air Quality Program at the state Department of Ecology. "It is essential to listen to the occupants of the building." The draft also requires school officials to keep records of testing results and make them available to the public. A dozen workshops to solicit public comment on the draft proposal have been scheduled this month around the state. The first two are being held today in Wenatchee and Spokane. The Seattle meeting will be 7 to 9 p.m. March 16 at Mercer Middle School, 1600 S. Columbian Way.

A final draft is expected by July, Guichard said. In addition to indoor air quality and drinking water, the draft calls for inspections of playground equipment and soil testing.

For Sara Cramer, the attention to school health hazards is long overdue. In 1993, her 9-year-old son Daniel Brainerd became ill after his school on Bainbridge Island used a toxic solvent to remove floor tiles that contained asbestos. Within days of exposure to the solvent, the bubbly fourth-grader developed severe stomach cramps that left him curled up in pain on the couch. He slept up to 18 hours a day and lost seven pounds in five months.

In November, after years of suffering from the depression and alienation caused by his diagnosis of multiple chemical sensitivity disorder, Brainerd committed suicide at the age of 22. "They just said 'Oh, it's safe. It's safe' A year and a half later, a bunch of students and teachers were sick," said Cramer. "I would like some other agency to be in charge of deciding when a school is unsafe."

This report includes material from P-I archives. P-I reporter Julie Davidow can be reached at 206-448-8180 or

------March 8, 2006

Montgomery County Portable Classrooms Close Due to Mold by ABC 7 News

POTOMAC, Md. (AP) - Montgomery County's school district has closed two portable classrooms at an elementary in Potomac after parents and teachers complained mold was making people sick.

Some 70 students from Bells Mill Elementary were removed from the portable classes last Friday. A third portable classroom at the school is also closed temporarily to make repairs because of concerns about water contamination and mold. One parent tells The Washington Post it's not just affecting the kids. Marion Cantor, who has two sons at the school says the children and teachers have had eye irritations, rashes, sinus infection and respiratory issues. Mold can be dangerous if people sensitive to it are exposed in large amounts.

School spokesman Brian Edwards says replacement portable classrooms should be in place by the summer.

March 8, 2006

SCI: Indoor Chemistry & Health from Env. Health Perspectives

RESEARCH Workgroup Report: Indoor Chemistry and Health

Charles J. Weschler,1,2 J.R. Wells,3 Dustin Poppendieck,4 Heidi Hubbard,5 and Terri A. Pearce3 1International Center for Indoor Environment and Energy, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark; 2Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey and Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; 3National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Morgantown, West Virginia, USA; 4Environmental Resources Engineering, Humboldt State University, Arcata, California, USA; 5Department of Civil Engineering, University of Texas-Austin, Austin, Texas, USA

Abstract Chemicals present in indoor air can react with one another, either in the gas phase or on surfaces, altering the concentrations of both reactants and products. Such chemistry is often the major source of free radicals and other short-lived reactive species in indoor environments. To what extent do the products of indoor chemistry affect human health? To address this question, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health sponsored a workshop titled "Indoor Chemistry and Health" on 12-15 July 2004 at the University of California-Santa Cruz. Approximately 70 experts from eight countries participated. Objectives included enhancing communications between researchers in indoor chemistry and health professionals, as well as defining a list of priority research needs related to the topic of the workshop. The ultimate challenges in this emerging field are defining exposures to the products of indoor chemistry and developing an understanding of the links between these exposures and various health outcomes. The workshop was a step toward meeting these challenges. This summary presents the issues discussed at the workshop and the priority research needs identified by the attendees.

Key words: allergies, asthma, biomarkers, environmental cancer, free radicals, hydroperoxides, indoor pollutants, inhalation exposure, lung damage.

Environ Health Perspect 114:442-446 (2006). doi:10.1289/ehp.8271 available via http://dx.doi.org/ [Online 3 November 2005]

Address correspondence to C.J. Weschler, Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute, 170 Frelinghuysen Rd., Piscataway, NJ 08854 USA. Telephone: (732) 235-4114. Fax: (732) 530-1453. We gratefully acknowledge the workshop participants who made presentations: J. Balmes (University of California-San Francisco and University of California-Berkeley), W. Cain (University of California-San Diego), R. Corsi (University of Texas-Austin), B. Finlayson-Pitts (University of California-Irvine), A.-T. Karlberg (University of Gothenburg), H. Kipen (University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey), J. Koenig (University of Washington), D. Laskin (University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey), C. Miller (University of Houston), W. Nazaroff (University of California-Berkeley), J.N. Pitts Jr. (University of California-Irvine), T. Salthammer (Wilhelm-Klauditz Institute), D. Shusterman (University of Washington), J. Sundell (Technical University of Denmark), C.J. Weschler (University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey and Technical University of Denmark), P. Wolkoff (National Institute of Occupational Health, Denmark), and P. Ziemann (University of California-Riverside).

The workshop was funded by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). We thank the Harvard School of Public Health for supporting the breaks at the workshop. The findings and conclusions in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the NIOSH. The authors declare they have no competing financial interests. Received 29 April 2005; accepted 3 November 2005.

The full version of this article is available for free in HTML or PDF formats.

------March 8, 2006 NewsSlice: NYS-- new data-- Facilities affect tests, attendance,suspensions http://www.healthyschools.org/documents/NYS_SchoolFacilityData.pdf

------March 8, 2006

MA rpts on IAQ and Asthma at School

Forwarded by Ellie Goldberg,

1) "WHO'S SICK AT SCHOOL: LINKING POOR SCHOOL CONDITIONS AND HEALTH DISPARITIES FOR BOSTON'S CHILDREN." 03/06/06 www.masscosh.org · Press Release: http://www.masscosh.org/asma%20release%20final.pdf · Report: http://www.masscosh.org/SchoolsReport.pdf

2) School Mulls Fragrance Ban, Officials Say Fragrances Can Trigger Allergy, Asthma Attacks http://www.thebostonchannel.com/news/7789276/detail.html

3) ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH AND SAFETY PROBLEMS REPORTED IN MASSACHUSETTS' PUBLIC SCHOOLS, BY MASSACHUSETTS AGENCIES, V. 3/9/06

Editor, Massachusetts School Building Authority, Andrea Ranger, [email protected], 617-720-4466

Contributors: · Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources, School IPM, Gerard Kennedy. Massachusetts 617-626-1773. [email protected], http://massnrc.org/ipm/ · Massachusetts Occupational Hygiene / Indoor Air Quality Program, Nancy Comeau, 617-969-7177, [email protected], http://www.mass.gov/dos/iaq/ · Massachusetts Department of Public Health Environmental Health Assessment, Mike Feeney, 617-624-5757, [email protected], http://www.state.ma.us/dph/beha/beha.htm · Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, Ken Pelletier, [email protected] and Heidi O'Brien, [email protected] 617 292-5500

On the following pages, the Department of Environmental Protection, Department of Health, Division of Occupation Safety, and the Department of Agricultural Resources have provided information and background on their experiences of environmental health and safety problems in Massachusetts public schools. Their insights are provided to raise awareness of the breadth and depth of problems in the public schools. They are also raised to emphasize the need for ongoing communication and coordination between the schools and public agencies.

Department of Public Health (DPH)

Poor indoor air quality is an ongoing problem in the Commonwealth's schools. The Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Center for Environmental Health's (CEH) (formerly the Bureau of Environmental Health Assessment), Indoor Air Quality Program conducts assessments of indoor air quality in public buildings throughout Massachusetts, a majority of which are K - 12 schools. The common sources of poor indoor air quality in Massachusetts' schools can be organized into the following general categories: 1. Heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning (HVAC) operations 2. Indoor microbial growth 3. Indoor and outdoor sources of respiratory irritants, vapors, gases, and particulates.

One of the most serious health impacts related to poor indoor air quality is the exacerbation of pediatric asthma and allergies. A statewide survey conducted by the Center demonstrated that rates of pediatric asthma are significantly higher in schools with reported IAQ problems versus those without (MDPH, 1999).

Our surveillance of work-related asthma conducted by DPH, funded by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, indicates that work-related asthma is a problem for school staff. In fact, 13% of all cases of work-related asthma reported to DPH were among those who work in educational services. In Massachusetts, as well as California, Michigan and New Jersey, the most commonly reported causes of work-related asthma among staff were indoor air pollutants, mold and dust, but also included carpet odors and dust, smoke, perfume, pesticides and construction associated materials.

Research has documented that staff and student performance decreases in unhealthy schools.

Many of the problems that schools experience could be prevented if buildings were constructed properly and if proper building maintenance were conducted on a regular basis. The local funds spent on remediation would be more appropriately spent on prevention and save funds for the school districts over the long term. At the state level, addressing air quality problems in public schools requires a great deal of staff resources at the Bureau including technical assistance, site visits, and documentation of problems and resolutions.

Complaints regarding indoor air quality continue to pour into the Center for Environmental Health, challenging the staff and Department's resources to address the sheer volume of problems. In many cases, the reported indoor air problems cause significant disruption of the educational process.

Department of Labor, Division of Occupational Safety (DOS)

The Department of Occupational Safety has observed that public schools use industrial types of chemicals throughout school buildings without any management policies, protocols, or training to safely guide their selection, use, storage, or disposal. Hazardous materials are used in cleaning and facility maintenance, art departments, laboratories and vocational school shops. School personnel are generally unaware of the types and hazard level, quantity, and location of the hazardous materials stored throughout their buildings. The hazards posed are compounded by the fact that most schools lack systems to prevent chemical accidents such as: hazard assessments, routine inspections, and safety and emergency response supplies and equipment. These problems result in the following conditions:

· Unsafe teaching and working conditions · Unmanaged stockpiles of hazardous materials · Improper and unsafe use and storage conditions and locations of hazardous products

Many school administrators are either unaware of or unable to properly respond to chemical/hazardous materials management issues in their schools. This gap is caused by one or several of the following: · Lack of administrator and staff awareness of the problem · Lack of budgeting and funding for policy and protocol development, waste disposal, equipment and supplies, staff time and oversight, and training · The school's inability to balance its facility's maintenance needs with its academic needs.

The Division of Occupational Safety's primary goal is to improve the safety and health of workers within the schools. However, the improper use of chemicals in the schools impacts both workers and students in the schools. Schools could improve the safety and health of workers and staff by making better choices in the selection of chemicals ranging from cleaning chemicals to clays used in art classes, to paints used in autobody vocational shops. In addition to eliminating the use of the most hazardous chemicals, and substituting with safer chemicals, schools clearly need more training and assistance in the use of controls such as ventilation and personal protective equipment such as respirators and gloves. DOS also inspects and assists schools in the area of indoor air quality when it impacts workers. DOS agrees with the DPH assessment on the issues related to indoor air quality problems seen in schools.

Department of Agricultural Resources (DAR)

Since 2001, schools have been required by law to develop Integrated Pest Management (IPM) plans to submit them to the Department of Agricultural Resources (DAR). Schools must also notify parents and staff members, in writing, whenever a pesticide application is made outdoors on school property.

Integrated Pest Management is a strategy used to reduce a school's dependence on chemical pesticides for controlling pests. IPM focuses on preventing pest problems by eliminating conditions - such as food, access, water, and shelter - which are favorable to the development of pests. The strategy uses a combination of pest controls such as physical barriers, better sanitation and pesticides. Decisions on the types of control to use are based on monitoring of pest populations and an understanding of the pest needs, behavior, and life cycle.

To date, 90% of the state's public and private schools have IPM plans on file with DAR. Almost 75% of schools are fully in compliance with the law's requirement that they develop both indoor and outdoor IPM plans. The remaining 15% of schools have either an indoor or outdoor IPM plan on file. The public can check if schools have complied with the law by searching the School IPM website at www.massnrc.org/ipm

Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP)

During the last three years, the MassDEP has completed inspections of 56 public schools, and has uncovered a number of violations of state and federal laws. Violations range from improper permitting (or lack thereof) for boilers and emergency generators to discharge of hazardous chemicals into municipal sewer systems. An abbreviated list of the violations includes:

· High lead/copper levels in water bubblers/sinks above State Action Level which is 15 parts per billion for Lead and 1.3 parts per million for copper. · Improper storage and handling of hazardous chemicals and hazardous waste o No registration as a Hazardous Waste Generator for chemical wastes from science programs (i.e. VSQG= very small quantity generator) (310 CMR 30.661) o Inaccurate identification numbers used on hazardous waste manifests (documents that must accompany shipments of spent chemicals off site for disposal) o Improper management of waste oil from boiler maintenance: storage containers not labeled or properly closed, lack of aisle space between containers (310 CMR 30.040) o Improper disposal of fluorescent bulbs, computer screens/TVs containing cathode ray tubes) and batteries (310 CMR 30.100) · Boilers/Emergency Generators are not appropriately permitted or registered by DEP · Illegal discharge of photoprocessing waste to sewer without silver recovery · Unnecessary idling of buses beyond 5 minutes · Underground waste oil tanks do not meet state requirements · Asbestos Management Plans: AHERA reports not on-site or not updated, and failure to notify DEP of asbestos removal or demolition work · Unregistered/permitted discharges of industrial wastewater and stormwater.

A particular focus of outreach has been the requirements for clean drinking water, to promote routine evaluations of school plumbing and testing fixtures where water is consumed, used to make beverages, or to prepare food. Events in 2004 signaled the need to evaluate the effectiveness of the outreach and educational programs. These events included EPA's review of Boston Schools' lead in drinking water abatement efforts, that showed that 65 of 380 (17%) schools submitting laboratory data had reported results for at least one sampling point in the school that exceeded either the lead action level (0.015 mg/l) and/or the copper action level (1.3 mg/l). Approximately 20,000 students attend these schools. When faced with results indicating that action levels were exceeded, the schools quickly followed MassDEP and EPA requirements for notification and correction

To the extent of its ability, the MassDEP has provided outreach and support to school communities - issuing violations and fines only as a last resort to non-complying schools. The MassDEP continues to cooperate with other agencies such as the Department of Public Health and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to help schools meet their obligations to the environment and student and staff safety. ------March 7, 2006

Science: Infant enzyme levels vs pesticides

Forwarded by Michele Gagnon, Am Assn on Mental Retardation

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE ONLINE

Pesticide threat to babies linked to enzyme levels Researchers find them much more at risk than adults Jane Kay, Chronicle Environment Writer Friday, March 3, 2006

The regulation of pesticides might not be strict enough to protect newborns and infants, a study published Thursday by UC Berkeley researchers suggests.

The study of 130 mothers and their children in California's Central Valley revealed that a natural enzyme in the human body that breaks down toxicants, including commonly used pesticides, varies to such a degree that some of the population's youngest members may be virtually defenseless against some chemicals.

For the first time, researchers believe they can predict people's vulnerability to certain pesticides based on their enzyme levels, their age and their genetics.

TO READ FULL STORY, http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/03/03/BAGVGHHV1H1.DTL&

------March 3, 2006

Sci-- Mold Tox Kill Nerve Cells forwarded by Sue Brinchman, Center for School Mold Help

News Release

Friday, March 03, 2006 MSU researchers say black mold toxins could affect sense of smell EAST LANSING, Mich. - Michigan State University researchers in the Center for Integrative Toxicology have found that certain toxins produced by black mold, that ubiquitous fungus found everywhere from damp basements to thousands of buildings in hurricane-ravaged New Orleans and the U.S. Gulf coast, are capable of killing nerve cells, essential for the sense of smell, that are located in the nasal passages of mice.

The scientific study - the first of its kind to investigate the potential harmful effects of inhaling mold toxins on the nasal passages - has been released on the prepublication Web site of the scientific journal, "Environmental Health Perspectives," at http://www.ehponline.org/docs/2006/8854/abstract.html.

It also will be presented by MSU researchers at the Society of Toxicology annual meeting in San Diego in early March. "Essentially, this toxin is killing off the cells needed for the sense of smell," said Jack Harkema, a University Distinguished Professor of pathobiology and diagnostic investigation and one of the MSU researchers. "This is the first animal study to really show that a toxin derived from the spores of black mold may cause significant damage in the nose and the frontal part of the brain involved in olfaction."

According to the MSU researchers, these toxins found in black mold, also known as Stachybotrys chartarum, specifically killed olfactory sensory neurons in the nasal airways of exposed mice. These nasal neuronal cells are known to detect odors and send electrical signals to the parts of the brain that are necessary for the sense of smell, or olfaction. ------

(to see entire article, pls click on link provided) ------March 1, 2006

NOLA-- unhealthy schools

Please forward to friends and colleagues in the Gulf States

New Orleans educators return to unhealthy schools

New York State United Teachers, March 2, 2006 Environmental health threats are sounding silent alarms as students and teachers return to schools in New Orleans , attempting to reclaim their lives after hurricanes devastated their city last year. "Chronic depression, suicide and just chronic emotional malaise plague the region," said Darryl Alexander, an occupational health and safety coordinator for the American Federation of Teachers, who last month returned from Mississippi and New Orleans . "I don't know how these folks are doing it." Alexander was accompanied by Ellie Engler of the United Federation of Teachers in New York City to train members on how to deal with mold. The pair also toured McMain High, one of three public schools that have reopened in New Orleans . (Last month, the United Teachers of New Orleans filed a lawsuit demanding the school district reopen more schools.) "Health challenges are huge in the Gulf Coast region," Alexander said. "Asthmas and allergies probably top the list, but a larger problem is probably mental health." When teachers returned to work at McMain High, Alexander said, they reported that the school was "filthy." "It is better now," she said. "However, there is a lot of work to do to make it fully operational." Not all problems were hurricane-related, she said; some are left over from the neglect that has held down schools in the region. "Also, workmen are still there in the basement dealing with the flood damage," she said. While reopening the school begins a return to routine, "Students and staff have great mental health challenges because of all the chaos and turbulence in their lives," said Alexander. She said the school nurse is still trying to get health records for disparate students. Asthma, she added, is "rampant in the school." AFT's Health and Safety Program has available fact sheets with essential information on how to stay protected, along with specific cleaning strategies, in the aftermath of hurricanes and floods. Call (800) 238-1133 ext. 5677. — Liza Frenette (http://www.nysut.org/newyorkteacher/2005-2006/060302hurricanerelief.html) ______NYSUT.org.

------March 1, 2006

NE-- demolition dust sends student to hospital

Columbus, Nebraska Telegram, March 1, 2006 ColumbusTelegram.com Renovation work leaving CHS students in the dust By ADRIAN SANCHEZ/Telegram Staff Writer

COLUMBUS - A student was hospitalized as a result of the Columbus High School renovations, but school officials said it was an isolated incident.

On Jan. 31, Beth Buresh, a junior, suffered from a severe asthma attack and was admitted to Columbus Community Hospital.

Carmel Andreasen said her daughter's asthma attack was brought on by the debris in the air.

“There was dust everywhere,” Andreasen recalled Beth telling her. “She has asthma anyway,” but the particles aggravated her condition.

She said her daughter's difficulty with asthma escalates during the school year.

“During the summer, she only needed her inhaler,” Andreasen said. “Once she started back to school, she had more asthma problems. Last year they put her on two more medications for her asthma. This year, she was on five.” Andreasen said she was concerned for her daughter's health and safety, but she was also worried her education would be affected.

“I am worrying about her grades,” she said. “(Beth) misses so much school, and that puts her behind.”

Andreasen asked the school to take corrective action.

“I wish they could block it all off ... and somehow vacuum that stuff out,” she said, “so the dust doesn't float around to the rest of the school.”

Fred Bellum, liaison officer for the high school, said the circumstance that led to Beth's asthma attack was an isolated incident, and corrective action is being taken.

“A contractor was cutting tile in the hallway, not thinking about the fact that students were using that hallway. It was corrected as quickly as possible, ” Bellum said. “We want all our cutting to be wet,” but sometimes a contractor does not always take the necessary precautions.

“Those things happen, unfortunately,” he said, “but we are making a very strong effort to minimize it.”

Aside from that particular incident, there is not an air particle problem, Bellum said.

“We are maintaining the dust at the level that is not a threat to health,” he said. “We are not working with materials that are considered a health hazard, except for some asbestos abatement, which is carried on according to federal requirements.”

The renovation process is currently going through a lot of demolition, which will continue through the end of the school year, but the dust particles are within an acceptable level, Bellum said.

“There is going to be dust, but we don't feel it is at a level that is a health hazard,” he said.

CPS also is facing a $50,000 settlement demand by a former student, Jennifer Munford, for “failure to protect Ms. Munford from environmental dangers resulting from the construction project at Columbus High School while she was in attendance.”

The claim states, “Ms. Munford suffered severe asthma attacks as a result of her exposure to airborne particulates caused by the construction project at your facility during the 2004-2005 school year,” resulting in hospitalization and continued medical treatment during the school year.