ICEH, Learning and Developmental Disabilities Initiative

August 2006 NewsSlice

8/31/06

ICEH, Learning and Developmental Disabilities Initiative from Elise Miller (CHE-LDDI)

National Association of the Dually Diagnosed's (NADD's) annual conference to be held in San Diego, CA 10/25-10/28/06. NADD is beginning to explore environmental contributors to developmental disabilities and mental disorders as part of its mission and outreach to membership. Please see the attached announcement for more information or go to their web site: http://www.thenadd.org. All are welcome. -- Elise Miller, M.Ed. Executive Director Institute for Children's Environmental Health

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8/28/06

NEW YORK DAILY NEWS, 8/26/06

Plenty kids left in failing schools

Nearly 11,000 city kids attending rotten public schools applied for emergency transfers to better schools under the federal No Child Left Behind law - but many of them will have to stay put, officials said yesterday. The federal law allows students in failing schools to ask to switch to better schools.

But confronted with a lack a space in successful city schools, the Education Department extended transfer offers to just 6,451 kids - roughly 60% of the 10,832 children who applied.

Only 3,494 of the kids offered transfers decided to register at a new school, officials said. "We're pleased we were able to meet the preferences of so many parents," said Education Department spokesman Andrew Jacob. "This is a very complex program to administer on such a large scale, but we always do our best to implement it faithfully and we try to improve the process each year."

Last year, educrats granted transfers to only 33% of the 11,011 kids who applied. More than 185,000 children - about a fifth of all the students enrolled in city schools - could have applied for a transfer this year because, according to the state, they attend a poor-performing school.

Erin Einhorn

Originally published on August 26, 2006

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8/25/06 fyi, from US EPA

Children's Health Month 2006: Promoting Healthy School Environments

Children spend a significant portion of their time in schools-more than in any other environment other than their homes. Children's Health Month is a perfect opportunity to learn more about improving the health of your school environments. View information from EPA on healthy school environments.

To celebrate Children's Health Month 2006, EPA's Office of Children's Health Protection and Environmental Education (OCHPEE) is planning a series of webcasts on topics related to healthy school environments. During the webcasts, participants are connected through the telephone and an internet connection on the computer and will be able to participate in the discussion and ask questions of the speakers. OCHPEE has developed a list of EPA publications on healthy school environments that are available for download or to order as well as a calendar with a children's environmental health tip for every day in October.

To sign up for one of the following Children's Health Month webcasts, send an email (with the date of the webcast in which you would like to participate) to ICF International at [email protected]

ICF is a contractor to EPA supporting the webcasts. You will receive a confirmation and specific instructions by return email. The webcast schedule is as follows:

Safe and Healthy School Environments, an Overview October 5: 2-3pm EDT Howard Frumkin, M.D., DrPH, Director, CDC National Center for Environmental Health and Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry; Angelo Bellomo, Director, LA Unified School District Office of Environmental Health and Safety.

A compelling speaker, and editor of the recently published book "Safe and Healthy School Environments," Dr. Frumkin will provide a broad overview of the many issues related to children's environmental health in schools. He will be followed by Angelo Bellomo, who will describe how he successfully manages environmental health issues for the largest public school district in California using a software tool designed by the district.

Healthy High Performance Schools October 11: 2-3pm EDT

Deane Evans, Executive Director, Center for Architecture and Building Science Research, New Jersey Institute of Technology.

"High performance school" refers to the physical facility, the school building, and its grounds. High performance schools often have features such as energy efficient design and operation, use of environmentally preferable building materials, healthy indoor air quality, and easy maintenance. Good teachers and motivated students can overcome inadequate facilities and perform at a high level almost anywhere, but a well-designed facility can truly enhance performance and make education a more enjoyable and rewarding experience. Creating one is not difficult, but it requires an integrated, "whole building" approach to the design process. Key systems and technologies must be considered together, from the beginning of the design process.

Mr. Evans has over 20 years of experience-in the private and public sectors-in architectural design, construction technology and building performance. He will define a healthy, high performing school, discuss the benefits, and explain the process by which schools can be designed or retrofitted to become healthy and high performing.

Chemical Management in Schools October 19: 2-3pm EDT

Schools use and manage a range of hazardous and toxic chemicals and products. Classrooms, science laboratories, art studios, vocational shops, athletic fields, maintenance facilities, boiler rooms, and storage closets are just a few examples of where hazardous chemicals and products may be found. Often, existing stocks of outdated, unknown, excessive, or unnecessarily hazardous chemicals are present in schools. These chemicals can pose safety and health risks to students and staff, and a number of widely reported incidents involving such chemicals have resulted in school closures and costly clean-ups. A Schools Chemical Cleanout and Prevention program insures that excess, legacy, unused, and improperly stored chemicals are removed, and puts mechanisms in place through which chemicals are purchased wisely, stored safely, handled by trained personnel, used responsibly, and disposed of properly. In addition, pesticide use can cause possible health hazards for school occupants and contribute to environmental pollution. Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is a safer, usually less costly option for effective pest management in the school community. A school IPM program employs commonsense strategies to reduce sources of food, water, and shelter for pests in school buildings and grounds.

This webcast will share two chemical management success stories-a schools chemical cleanout campaign with the Poarch Band of Creek Indians in Alabama, and the Monroe County, Indiana IPM Program.

Healthy School Environments Assessment Tool (Healthy SEAT) October 26: 1:30-3pm EDT

EPA has developed a unique software tool to help school districts evaluate and manage their school facilities for key environmental, safety and health issues. The new Healthy School Environments Assessment Tool (HealthySEAT) is designed to be customized and used by district-level staff to conduct completely voluntary self-assessments of their school (and other) facilities and to track and manage information on environmental conditions school by school. This webcast will help acquaint states, school districts, and others with the capabilities and features of HealthySEAT.

EPA Home | Privacy and Security Notice | Contact Us Last Modified on Wednesday, August 23rd, 2006 ______

8/18/06

Douglas Daily Dispatch - Douglas,AZ,USA August 17, 2006

Earth-friendly back to school tips: Simple ways to preserve our EcoSystem this September

With millions of parents buying new clothes, sneakers, book bags and lunch boxes among other things like pencils, binders and other school supplies each year, it's no wonder that September connotates a "fresh, new start" for many families. What a perfect time for parents to start introducing earth-friendly concepts into their children's everyday lives. The EcoMall offers the following green alternatives to the traditional back-to-school supplies along with other ideas for parents to help "green" their schools.

According to Tom Kay, co-founder and president of the EcoMall, "Petroleum oil, a non-renewable resource, is used in the manufacture of chemicals and plastic commonly found in most school supplies. Environmentally speaking, using supplies made of natural ingredients is always preferable. Recycling paper products should be common practice." The following check list can be used for environmentally conscious school supply shopping - not just for parents as they do their own shopping, but for parents to pass on to school administrators for the products they will be buying. Shopping with the planet in mind can also protect your child from potentially hazardous chemicals (particularly those found in art supplies).

School administrators and children alike need to be educated about diminishing natural resources and encouraged to do their part in preserving the planet. Another good reason to "go green" this September, according to Marianne Schnall, co-founder of the EcoMall with Kay, is for health reasons. Using art supplies made with natural ingredients avoids any kind of exposure (ingestion, inhalation, or absorption through skin) of any possible hazardous ingredients and solvents such as lead, asbestos and cadmium. "What's good for the planet is good for your child, our families and society as a whole," said Ms. Schnall. "The small effort it takes to consciously purchase your children's school supplies and family's paper goods makes an enormous difference to the health and integrity of our planet."

Other ideas the EcoMall suggests to green-minded parents include:

^ Get your schools pre-recycling: Encourage your school to buy recycled products, as well as instituting a good recycling program. Most school systems purchase in bulk from the company that gives the best bid. When teachers place their school orders for the year, they should request recycled paper products. A lot of the big companies do have recycled papers in their lines. There are many reasons to recycle and purchase recycled products for our homes, schools and offices. Instituting solid recycling programs in your school, will in the long run save your school money. Recycling doesn't always refer to how you throw things out. It refers to how you use things again. Schools should remember to use both sides of the paper, save and reuse paper clips, thumbtacks, rubber bands, etc. and recycle newspapers, cans, and bottles.

^ Make your school a toxin-free zone: Talk to your school about changing over to non-toxic cleaners (which impact indoor air quality), as well as providing organic food and juice, as well as rBGH-free milk. Make sure your school is not using toxic pesticides in or around the school, which can pose significant health risks to your children if exposed.

^ Beautifying your schools: Speak with school administrators about planting a tree on school grounds each September, or flowers can be planted by children at a later date.

^ When choosing your children's back to school wardrobe, support companies offering organic cotton and hemp clothing. Not only are there many fashionable lines for kids now available, but these products do not contain toxic pesticides - which is better for your children, and the planet. Conventional cotton cultivation uses 25% of the world's pesticides. Approximately 5.4 pounds of various chemical fertilizers and pesticides are used to grow one acre of cotton in North America. Each year 800 million pounds of pesticides are used on US cotton fields.

^ Do your back-to-school shopping online (minus the pollution from car travel or the waste of paper catalogues) and support environmentally friendly products. The EcoMall web site (http://www.ecomall.com) features hundreds of earth-friendly companies offering everything from recycled paper products, organic and hemp clothing for kids, natural toys and crafts, organic food products and more.

^ Since 1994, the EcoMall web site (http://www.ecomall.com) has been helping to connect people with environmental organizations, companies and information. The mission at EcoMall.com is to offer the inspiration and the resources to begin a more sustainable, healthy, environmentally-aware lifestyle. Featuring "Green Living Magazine", "Enlightenment Library" and much more.

What to buy:

^ Pencils, (regular and colored) ^ Refillable pens ^ Crayons ^ Notebooks and paper supplies made of recycled paper ^ Notebooks covered in cardboard ^ Water-based paints and poster paints ^ White school glue or paste ^ Vegetable or plant-based dyes

What to avoid: ^ Magic markers ^ Disposable pens ^ Plastic folders, notebooks ^ Acrylicpaints and scented art products (these contain large amounts of chemicals and may be a hazard to children's health, particularly to young children who try to eat them) ^ Epoxy or instant bonding glues ^ Artists' pastel crayons (some may contain asbestos) ^ Dyes made of fiber reactive or commercial dyes ^ Glossy paper used for art projects

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8/18/06

RANKS OF HOMELESS STUDENTS SOAR IN CHICAGO

The number of homeless Chicago Public Schools students has skyrocketed in the last six years, jumping from 3,500 in 2000 to 10,500 this year. In the last year alone, the number jumped 17 percent, from about 9,000. Chicago's homeless numbers top even New York City's and Los Angeles'. No one knows exactly why Chicago's numbers are up, but advocates and educators have theories. One is better reporting and services for homeless families, a result of a 1992 class-action lawsuit filed by the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless against the school system. It was settled in 2000. Since then, schools have gotten better at encouraging parents to register as homeless, which gives kids the right to be bused back to their home school when they become homeless.

Homeless students also can get help with uniforms, school fees, clothing and tutoring. Advocates also point to a loss of affordable housing because of neighborhood gentrification, reports Kate N. Grossman. http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/cst-nws-homelesskids14.html

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8/18/06

K-12 SPENDING OUTPACES MEDICAID SPENDING FOR FIRST TIME IN SIX YEARS

Medicaid, which for several years was the fastest-growing line item in state budgets, has been supplanted by K-12 education, concludes a new report by the National Conference of State Legislatures. For the first time in six years, states have managed to slow the escalating costs of Medicaid, a mandated health care program for the poor and disabled, and concentrate on increasing funding for public schools, reports Michele McNeil. K-12 education continues to be the biggest beneficiary of the rising revenue streams that are flowing into states and being used to raise teacher salaries, provide local property-tax relief, and finance other education-related costs.

Higher-than-anticipated revenue over the past two years meant states had extra money to spend for the 2007 budget year. At least 24 states boosted funding for public schools, and 25 states put more money into emergency funds. Twelve states increased K-12 spending by at least 10 percent, with Texas, Wyoming and Alabama leading the pack. Responding to a court order, Texas approved a property tax and education reform package that resulted in a 27.7 percent increase in public school funding, according to the report, which was written by Corina Eckl and Bert Waisanen of NCSL's fiscal affairs program. Wyoming boosted K-12 spending by 14.5 percent, and Alabama by 14 percent. However, the spending increases may not last for long.

As early as 2008, some states are projecting budget deficits, according to the 13-page report. "Despite the good situation right now, legislative fiscal directors in many states remain concerned that state spending growth will outpace ongoing revenue growth over the longer term," the report says. At the end of the current fiscal year, which comes in June 2007, the states' combined general fund balances are expected to drop 29 percent -- from $57.1 billion to $40.3 billion. Arkansas and Michigan, for instance, are predicting they'll end their budget years with zero balances in their general funds. http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2006/08/15/01budgets_web.h26.html

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8/11/06

FEMA Does U-Turn, Will Test Trailers for Toxins: 46 Complaints over Formaldehyde Have Been Filed by Katrina Victims

By Mike Brunker

August 4, 2006 http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14185614/ Responding to reports that formaldehyde may be sickening hurricane victims living in government-provided travel trailers along the Gulf Coast, the Federal Emergency Management Agency has reversed course and ordered air quality tests to determine if some of the units are emitting unacceptably high levels of the toxic gas.

The tests for formaldehyde -- listed as a human carcinogen, or cancer-causing substance, by the International Agency for Research on Cancer and a suspected human carcinogen by the Environmental Protection Agency -- will be conducted by the EPA, which is currently working with FEMA to finalize a sampling plan, EPA spokeswoman Jennifer Wood said Thursday.

"EPA does not normally test indoor air . but there's an exception in the Stafford Act that allows for cooperation and testing in a special situation," she said.

FEMA spokesman Aaron Walker said the agency has requested the tests for formaldehyde "out of an abundance of caution" and added that agency officials remain "highly confident and comfortable in the travel trailer program."

He said the agency has received only 46 complaints of suspected formaldehyde contamination in the more than 113,000 travel trailers deployed in the Gulf Coast since it began logging calls on a special hot line in March.

But another FEMA official said earlier this week that the agency already has determined that there is a problem with elevated formaldehyde levels in "two or three brands" of the at least 10 brands of travel trailers provided to the government under emergency contracts in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.

Mike Andrews, FEMA's director of mobile home operations in Mississippi, made the comment Tuesday night at a meeting of the Pascagoula, Miss., City Council, in response to a question from City Councilman Bill Jones.

'He acknowledged ... the problem' "He acknowledged we're aware of the problem and we're trying to do something about it," Jones said. Andrews did not identify the models or manufacturers of the trailers and referred calls from MSNBC.com to a FEMA "news desk" in Mississippi, which did not respond to phone calls seeking additional information.

Walker, the FEMA spokesman in Washington, said he was not aware of any testing already conducted in Mississippi. An official with the Sierra Club, which has spearheaded efforts to get FEMA to test the trailers for formaldehyde, said Andrews' remarks indicated "that FEMA has now acknowledged there is a problem." "But what about the people who don't know why they have been so sick, why they and their kids get sick again and again?" said Becky Gillette, co-chair of the environmental organization's Mississippi chapter. "FEMA needs to do far more. It needs to do comprehensive testing and should make sure that people are notified of the problem."

Many trailer residents have reported experiencing health problems ranging from headaches and runny noses to chronic respiratory problems and nosebleeds shortly after moving into the trailers.

Responding to the anecdotal evidence, the Sierra Club tested 44 FEMA trailers and found formaldehyde concentrations as high as 0.34 parts per million -- a level nearly equal to what a professional embalmer would be exposed to on the job, according to one study of the chemical's workplace effects.

All but four of the trailers it tested registered higher than the 0.1 parts per million that the EPA considers to be an "elevated level" capable of causing watery eyes, burning in the eyes and throat, nausea, and respiratory distress in some people.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development limits the use of formaldehyde-emitting products in manufactured homes -- setting a standard of 0.2 parts per million for plywood and 0.3 parts per million for particleboard materials. But the agency does not regulate travel trailers or motor homes, probably because it was never anticipated that people would spend long periods of time living in them, said the Sierra Club's Gillette.

Lawsuit seeks class-action status he reports of respiratory illnesses among trailer dwellers have led to the filing of at least one lawsuit in Louisiana against the federal government and trailer manufacturers alleging that "the temporary housing is unsafe and presents a clear and present danger to the health and well-being of plaintiffs and their families." The plaintiffs' attorneys are asking the U.S. District Court in the Eastern District of Louisiana to grant the case class-action status.

Because of the pending legal action, trailer manufacturers have declined to comment on the situation, but the Recreational Vehicle Industry Association, an industry trade group, says there is no health risk associated with living in a travel trailer.

Interviewed for an earlier MSNBC.com article, RVIA spokesman Kevin Broom said trailer manufacturers use "low-emitting materials" to minimize the "outgassing" of formaldehyde from wood products used in the trailers. He acknowledged that the high heat and humidity in the Gulf Coast could increase the rate at which the formaldehyde was emitted in the trailers but said that residents could solve the problem by opening doors and windows to improve ventilation.

8/11/06

EPA Denies Sierra Club Petition on Lead in Toy Jewelry

On July 27, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) denied the Sierra Club's petition to address toy jewelry that contains lead. The denial was published in the Federal Register.

The Sierra Club had asked EPA to use its authority under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) to obtain information, set a very low limit of lead content in toy jewelry, report on the risks posed by lead in toy jewelry, and advice the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to take further action. The petition was in response to a number of CPSC recalls of toy jewelry with high lead content and the death of a young boy who swallowed a jewelry charm in Minneapolis in February.

EPA claims it would be more effective at this time to continue working in its present role with CPSC to "understand the scope of the lead in toy jewelry problem." The Sierra Club said it was disappointed in the decision, pointing to the fact that a child was killed by lead content in toy jewelry. The State of Illinois had also strongly urged EPA to act on this matter.

NEWS from CPSC U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission Office of Information and Public AffairsWashington, DC 20207

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 10, 2006 Release #06-229CPSC Recall Hotline: (800) 638-2772 CPSC Media Contact: (301) 504-7908 CPSC Reminds Parents to Keep Safety in Mind When Sending Children Back To School

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Summer is quickly coming to an end and parents and children nationwide are preparing for another school year. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is reminding parents to take precautions to keep children safe when they head back to school. “As you prepare to send your child back to school, parents should arm themselves with important safety tips that can help keep your child in the classroom and out of a hospital emergency room,” said CPSC Acting Chairman Nancy Nord.

Drawstrings on Children’s Clothing One hazard to watch for is drawstrings on children’s clothing. This hidden hazard can lead to deaths and injuries because drawstrings can catch on such items as playground equipment. Over the past 20 years, CPSC received reports of 23 deaths and 64 non-fatal incidents involving the entanglement of children’s clothing drawstrings.

CPSC recommends that parents or caregivers only buy upper outerwear without hood and neck drawstrings. If you find children’s clothing with drawstrings in your home, completely remove the hood and neck drawstrings from all children’s upper outerwear, including jackets and sweatshirts, size 2T through size 12.

Wear the Right Helmet Rather than ride the bus, many children ride bikes, scooters and skateboards to school. To reduce the risk of serious head injury or death, children should wear a helmet - and it is important to wear the appropriate helmet for your sport. About 800 people, approximately 180 children, died in bicycle-related incidents in a recent year. More than half of the 500,000 bicycle-related emergency room-treated injuries in 2005 involved children under the age of 15. Wearing a helmet can reduce the risk of a head injury by up to 85 percent. Look for a label inside the bicycle helmet indicating it meets the CPSC standard. Other sport helmets, including those for skateboarders and football players, have labeling certifying compliance with other standards.

CPSC has a new publication entitled “Which Helmet for Which Activity.” This brochure is a useful guide to parents and includes helmet information on sports kids play at every age level. Be aware of local laws pertaining to the use of pocket bikes and scooters, and do not ride on streets or in driveways. Many cities and communities have specific areas where scooters are permissible. Other communities prohibit entirely the riding of pocket bikes or motorized scooters. Here are additional tips from CPSC for Back-to-School Safety:

Playgrounds: Each year, more than 200,000 children are taken to hospital emergency rooms due to playground-related injuries. Most injuries occur when a child falls onto the playground surface. There should be a layer of safe, shock absorbing surface material, consisting of wood chips, mulch, sand, pea gravel, or mats made of safety-tested rubber or fiber material around playground equipment. Make sure there is no exposed hardware to catch clothing and no free-hanging ropes attached to the equipment, which could cause strangulation.

For additional information on playground safety, see CPSC’s Handbook for Public Playground Safety. Soccer Goals: Movable soccer goals can fall over and kill or injure children who climb on them or hang from the crossbar. Over the past 25 years, CPSC has reports of at least 28 deaths associated with soccer goals.

Make sure soccer goals are securely anchored when in use. Never allow children to climb on the soccer net or goal framework. When not in use, anchor goals or chain them to a nearby fence post or sturdy framework.

Art Supplies: CPSC has recalled a variety of art materials over the years due to sharp tools; accessible lead in crayons, chalk and paint; and other hazards. (HSN note, but not toys)

Only buy art materials that contain the statement, “CONFORMS TO ASTM D-4236.” Many states have tax-free holidays prior to schools opening. Take advantage of this time to buy safe clothing and supplies for back to school.

Parents should talk to school officials to make sure the school’s equipment complies with all federal, state and local standards and requirements. In addition, CPSC urges parents and schools to check for recalled products or report a dangerous product or a product-related injury by calling CPSC’s hotline at (800) 638-2772 or visit www.cpsc.gov

To report a dangerous product or a product-related injury, call CPSC's hotline at (800) 638-2772 or CPSC's teletypewriter at (800) 638-8270, or visit CPSC's web site at www.cpsc.gov/talk.html. To join a CPSC email subscription list, please go to www.cpsc.gov/cpsclist.asp. Consumers can obtain this release and recall information at CPSC's Web site at www.cpsc.gov. 8/11/06

"Organic School Garden Awards"

School gardens using organic methods can enter the Organic School Garden Awards program, sponsored by the Rodale Institute. Maximum Award: $1000. Eligibility: Teams of students and teachers (grades K-12) nationwide. Deadline: October 31, 2006. http://www.kidsregen.org/gardens/index.shtml

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8/11/06

NEWS RELEASE

New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer Alaska Attorney General David W. Márquez Arizona Attorney General Terry Goddard California Attorney General Bill Lockyer Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan Maine Attorney General G. Steven Rowe Maryland Attorney General J. Joseph Curran Massachusetts Attorney General Thomas F. Reilly New Jersey Attorney General Zulima V. Farber New Mexico Attorney General Patricia Madrid Oklahoma Attorney General W.A Drew Edmondson Rhode Island Attorney General Patrick C. Lynch U.S. Virgin Islands Attorney General Kerry Drue Wisconsin Attorney General Peggy A. Lautenschlager Contact: For immediate release: NY: Marc Violette 518-473-5526 August 1, 2006 Alaska: Mark Morones 907- 269- 6379 Cal: Teresa Schilling 916-324-5500 Conn: Tara Stapleton 860- 808 -5324 Illinois: Cara Smith 312- 814 -2970 Maine: Jerry Reid 207-626-8800 Maryland: Kevin Enright 410-576-6357 Mass: Beth Stone, 617-727-2543 NJ: Leland Moore 609-292-4791 NM: Sam Thompson 505-222-9174 RI: Mike Healey 401- 274-4400 x 2234 WI: Mike Bauer 608-266-7876

States Petition EPA To Require Disclosure of Secret Ingredients in Pesticides

14 states and the U.S. Virgin Islands today petitioned the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to require pesticide manufacturers to disclose on the label of their products all hazardous ingredients. More disclosure will lead to greater consumer awareness of the potential health and environmental impacts of using pesticides.

EPA now requires that pesticide labels disclose only the product's "active" ingredients; that is, those toxic materials that are intended to kill insects, weeds or other target organisms. However, pesticide products also contain many other "inert" ingredients. Although intended to preserve or improve the effectiveness of the active ingredients in particular pesticides, these "inert" ingredients often are toxic themselves. Although almost 400 chemicals used for this purpose have been found by EPA or other federal agencies to be hazardous to human health and the environment, EPA does not require them to be identified on pesticide labels. Current EPA regulations allows the identity of almost all "inert" ingredients to be omitted from the label based only on their function in the product, not on their health or environmental effects. States are preempted by federal law from requiring additional labeling for pesticides.

New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer said: "Consumers have a right to know about toxic ingredients in consumer products, whether or not those ingredients are 'active' or 'inert.' There is no logical reason for EPA to mandate disclosure of those ingredients that harm pests but exempt from disclosure other ingredients that cause serious health and environmental problems." California Attorney General Bill Lockyer said: "We all have a right to know about hazardous chemicals contained in pesticide products we use, and the EPA has a duty to protect our health and the environment by requiring manufacturers to list these ingredients on product labels. EPA alone can and must take this long overdue step to protect the public, because States do not have this regulatory authority."

Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal said: "The EPA is inexplicably misleading the public - allowing hazardous substances in pesticides to be identified simply as 'inert'. The EPA's failure to demand disclosure of these harmful substances is unconscionable. These chemicals should be disclosed to consumers so they are fully informed and empowered to protect themselves. Our demand that EPA immediately require that these chemicals are identified on pesticide labels is supported by science and common sense, as well as law."

Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan said: "Consumers have the right to know what they're exposing themselves and their children to when they use pesticides. We have everything to gain and nothing to lose by requiring these toxic substances to appear on product labels."

Maryland Attorney General J. Joseph Curran said: "If you are buying a pesticide, and there is a hazardous chemical in that product, you have every right to know that."

Massachusetts Attorney General Tom Reilly said: "Pesticides are toxic by design, and EPA should require manufacturers to identify all ingredients that pose a threat to our health and the environment. Although most consumers might think 'inert' means harmless, hundreds of socalled inert ingredients that manufacturers don't have to disclose are actually hazardous. To allow consumers to be misled in this way is unconscionable. Once again, it seems like a concerted effort by the states is the only way we can get the Bush Administration's attention on the environment."

New Jersey Attorney General Zulima V. Faber said: "Under current EPA labeling requirements, a pesticide ingredient must be disclosed only if it harmful to pests, not if it is harmful to people and the environment. EPA's rules are at complete odds with common sense and public health."

New Mexico Attorney General Patricia Madrid said: "There is a common misconception that inert ingredients are inactive and do not pose any harm. That is not the case and the public has a right to know. While the inert ingredients in a pesticide many pose no harm to pests, such substances can pose health or environmental hazards. Sound public policy should lean toward full disclosure."

Rhode Island Attorney General Patrick C. Lynch said: "The word 'inert' doesn't necessarily mean 'safe.' One of the chief goals of good government is to make the public aware of information that is necessary to protect the public health. The people of the State of Rhode Island have a right to know what kinds of chemicals are being used in their homes, in their yards, and on their food so that they can make better and more informed decisions to protect their health and the health of their children."

Wisconsin Attorney General Peggy A. Lautenschlager said: "In this day and age, how can the EPA allow pesticide companies to label hazardous chemicals contained in pesticide products as 'inert' ingredients? These chemicals have been shown to be hazardous and are anything but 'inert' As a result of EPA's current policies, scores of pesticide product labels are deceptive and misleading to unwitting pesticide users who rely on the assumption that these products are safe because they are regulated by the EPA. This dangerous charade has to stop." Currently, so-called "inert" ingredients - which make up as much as 99% of many common pesticides, are kept secret and are not listed on the pesticide labels. The chemicals used as "inerts" include many that EPA has officially determined, under other statutory programs, to be hazardous or toxic. Among these are "inert" ingredients known or suspected to cause cancer, central nervous system disorders, liver and kidney damage, and birth defects, as well as a variety of short term health and ecological impacts. A consumer would never know about their presence in consumer products, under current labeling requirements.

The Northwest Coalition for Alternatives to Pesticides and 21 other environmental and public health organizations also filed a similar petition with the EPA today.

The petition to the Environmental Protection Agency is available on the New York Attorney General's website at www.oag.state.ny.us

The petition is being handled by Peter Lehner, Chief of the New York Environmental Protection Bureau, and Michael Surgan, the bureau's Chief Scientist. #

Subject: news release and petition

Attached is a news release on inert ingredients in pesticides, along with the petition that was filed today with the EPA. Feel free to circulate this information to others.

Judith Enck, Policy Advisor NYS Attorney General's Office Environmental Protection Bureau State Capitol Albany, NY 12224-0341

8/2/06

Special ed students may have high asthma rates http://www.reutershealth.com/archive/2006/07/28/eline/links/20060728elin001.html

July 28th, 2006 By Anne Harding, Reuters Health

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - One in three special education students in New York City public schools has asthma, compared to just one in five in the general school population, a new study shows. "That's a huge number" -- it may be that many children in special education are there because they have asthma, co-author Dr. Luz Claudio of the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City told Reuters Health. "Managing that disease successfully may remove them from special education."

The percentage of kids with asthma in special education was as high as 60 percent in some schools, she added.

Low-income urban children are known to be at greater risk of having their asthma under poor control, Claudio noted. "It's a manageable chronic disease," she added, but "our findings show that a lot of kids from this group are not well managed."

To investigate whether there might be a relationship between having asthma and being in special education classes, Claudio and her colleague Jeanette A. Stingone surveyed 24 randomly chosen New York City public elementary schools via parent questionnaires.

On average, 34 percent of students in special education classes had asthma, compared with 19 percent of children in the general school population. The researchers estimated that children with asthma had a 60 percent increased risk of being in special education compared with children without the disease.

Claudio and Stingone also found that children with asthma who were in special education classes were more likely to be low-income and were three times more likely to have been hospitalized for asthma in the past year, compared to children with asthma in regular classes.

Asthmatic in special education were also half as likely to use a peak flow meter (a device that helps patients control asthma by monitoring their lung function) and 15 percent less likely to use a spacer, a device that delivers asthma medication to the lungs.

However, it was not exactly clear why the asthma rates were higher among special education students. While absenteeism due to illness could be one explanation, Claudio noted, the children in the current study with asthma who were in special education classes did not have significantly more school absences than the asthmatic children in regular classes.

"Because children spend so much of their time in school, there is an opportunity for public health interventions during the school day aimed at improving asthma control among children who are at risk or already experience learning difficulties," the researchers write in the September issue of the American Journal of Public Health. They are currently evaluating the effectiveness of an asthma management program based at a school in East Harlem, a neighborhood with one of the nation's highest rates of childhood asthma.

SOURCE: American Journal of Public Health, September 2006.