Online ENVS 100 – Module JOURNAL Assignment
Journal 9 – Environmental Health (Yours)
“In 2005, ten Washington residents agreed to testing of their hair, blood, and urine for the presence of toxic chemicals as part of an investigative study by the Toxic-Free Legacy Coalition. The Coalition wanted to know which chemicals were getting into our bodies, and at what levels, to better understand the potential harm posed by poor regulation of chemicals, and to develop better
solutions. Our study revealed that toxic chemicals have traveled to the worst possible destination: our bodies.” –The Pollution in People Study
Start by learning some background information and principles, by reading/watching: • Read the 4-Pager (Pollution in People) • Read the Executive Summary (Pollution in People) • Read Researching Household Products (Washington Toxics Coalition) • Watch “Is It Safe?” 15-minute video (Toxicology Education Foundation) • Read Hazard vs. Risk: Risk = Hazard x Exposure (Toxicology Education Foundation) • Read The Precautionary Principle: “How can we prevent harm?” (Toxipedia) • Finally… Read Body Burden: The Pollution in Newborns (Environmental Working Group)
Now, select one of the following options (“A” or “B”) – or, “mix & match” (1 chemical from “A” + 1-2 products from “B”):
A: 1. Select 1 (or more) of the chemicals that was tested for in the Pollution in People study (that is, one row in the table below). Read and the information provided in the table (all 3 columns per chemical).
2. And: Select 1 (or more) of the other chemicals in the Additional Chemicals of Concern list (below the table).
Additional Chemicals of Concern: • Alcohol (Tox) • Animal & Plant Toxins (Tox) • Antimony (WTC) • Asbestos (EWG) • Bisphenol A (BPA) (WTC) & BPA
(EWG) • Bromine (HS) • Caffeine (Tox) • Cancer & Genetic targets (Tox) • Chromium-6 (EWG) & Chromium (HS) • Endocrine Disruptors (Tox) • Formaldehyde (WTC)
• Nervous System targets (Tox) • Nicotine (Tox) • Nanomaterials (EWG) • Perchlorate (EWG) • Persistent Envir. Contaminants (Tox) • Pesticides (Tox) • Pregnancy & Developmental Targets (Tox) • PVC (Vinyl) & Dioxin (WTC) &
Chlorine (PVC) (HS) • Radiation (Tox) • Solvents & Vapors (Tox)
Metals: • Arsenic (HS) & Arsenic (Tox) • Cadmium (HS) • Lead (HS) & Lead (Tox) • Mercury (HS) & Mercury (Tox) • Metals (Tox) • Tin (HS)
Pollution in People (PiP)
Washington Toxics Coalition (WTC)
Environmental Working Group (EWG)
Phthalates From Toys to Body Lotion: Phthalates, the Everywhere Chemicals
(Chapter 1)
Phthalates Key Issue: Phthalates (+) Phthalates “Cheat Sheet”
Toxic Flame Retardants
Burning Problem: Toxic Flame Retardants in People & Wildlife
(Chapter 2)
Toxic Flame Retardants Fire Retardants (PBDEs) (+) “No Escape” Study
Heavy Metals Heavy Metals: A Centuries-Old Story (Chapter 3)
Heavy Metals Arsenic (+) Lead (+) Mercury
Teflon & Stain Protectors
Stain-Protectors Leave an Indelible Mark
(Chapter 4)
Teflon & Stain Protectors Non-Stick Chemicals
Pesticides Choice Is Clear on Pesticides (Chapter 5)
Pesticides This Year’s Shopper’s Guide (+) Pesticides (+) Triclosan
Banned But Persistent
The Chemicals That Came to Stay (PCBs & DDT)
(Chapter 6)
PCBs and DDT: Banned but still with us
PCBs
— Page –1
B: Select 2 or more products to research – For example, you may be interested in baby bottles, Teflon pans, and deodorant.
This is a useful database: http://www.healthystuff.org (“Search” box) – You might start with the categories/links below:
Arts & Hobbies: • Art and Hobby Materials (WTC) • Electronics (PiP) • The Story of Electronics (Story of Stuff)
Children: • Children’s Products: Safe Start for Kids (WTC) • Children’s & Baby Products (PiP)
Cleaning: • Cleaning Products (WTC) • Guide to Healthy Cleaning (EWG) (Categories are on left;
Label Decoder is very useful)
Food & Kitchen: • Good Food on a Tight Budget (EWG) • Meat Eater’s Guide to Climate Change + Health (EWG) • Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce (EWG; updated
yearly) (includes “Dirty Dozen” and “Clean Fifteen”) • Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch (MBAQ) • Food (PiP) • Kitchenware (PiP) • Drugs & Supplements (PiP)
Home Repair & Building: • Home Repair and Building Materials (WTC) • Home Repair Materials (PiP) • Furniture (PiP)
Personal Care: • The Story of Cosmetics (Story of Stuff) • Personal Care Products (WTC) • Cosmetics & Personal Care (PiP) • Skin Deep Cosmetics & Personal Care Product Safety Database (EWG)
(the User’s Guide is useful) • Don’t Get Burned Guide (sunscreens) (EWG) • Brazilian Blowout Settlement (NIOSH/CDC) • Flat-Out Risky (toxic hair straighteners) (EWG)
Pests & Gardens: • Indoor Pest Control Chemicals (WTC) • Lawn and Garden Chemicals (WTC) • Pest Control (PiP)
Workplace Exposure: • Occupational Exposures (NTP/NIEHS) & Occupational Exposures
(NIEHS) • NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards (NIOSH/CDC) • OSHA Safety & Health publications: By Topic or By Type
Toxicology: • A Small Dose of… (e.g., caffeine’s lethal-dose50) & Table of Contents • Case Studies in Environmental Medicine (CDC) • Toxipedia • Reference Dose (EPA) • U.S. Government Recalls • 12th Report on Carcinogens (NTP/NIEHS)
!
Journal 9 discussion board: Post your completed work. Be sure it includes well-researched information + a discussion of connections + and a personal reflection. Read your classmates’ posts, and reflect on at least 2.
!
Optional / Extra Credit: Plastics, Plastics, Plastics! – You may do one or more of the activities from my SAMI Science-To-Go “Sink or Swim?” Activities Handout, posted at: http://scidiv.bellevuecollege.edu/gj/SAMI-SciToGo-SinkOrSwim.pdf
• Main Activity = Sink or Swim?: A Plastics Activity (adapted from an activity by PBS’s SciGirls) • Connections #1 = Polystyrene in King County (aka Styrofoam) • Connections #2 = The Story of Stuff (stuff, stuff, and more stuff) • Connections #3 = Environmental Health (Yours!) ! You’re already doing this • Connections #4 = Make Your Own Plastics! (kitchen chemistry at its gooey-est) • Background and References
And/or contact your elected officials, the manager of a store where you shop, the marketing department of a consumer products company, the editor of a newspaper, (etc)…
Or if you have other ideas, let me know! ☺
— Page –2
