The Human Ecologist : Recent Issues
Column Topics

In addition to the articles and book reviews, each issue of The Human Ecologist contains news about scientific and medical research of interest; relevant federal and state legislative, regulatory and administrative matters; information on pests and pesticides; new items and news for the home; letters from readers; editorials; and news about HEAL and its activities.

Back Issues of The Human Ecologist can be purchased for $10.50, $12.50(Canada), $15.50 (other Foreign) (all U.S. funds, please). Check, Money Order or Credit Card(Visa, Mastercard, American Express ... include account number and expiration date.) Orders should be sent the Human Ecology Action League, Inc. (HEAL), P.O. Box 509, Stockbridge, Georgia 30281. Credit card orders accepted by phone (770) 389-4519.  (Call the HEAL office for current members prices)

Child Health

#119 ... Household chemicals and childhood respiratory health; Replacing lead-painted windows could yeld big return; Environmental exposures and learning disabilities; Smoking during pregnancy and more ADHD; Second-hand smoke and more nasal/eye irritation; Pesticide exposure and increased risk of miscarriage.

#118 ... Even very low lead exposure impairs child intellect; Autism and pesticide exposure during gestation; Children and dental amalgam; World Trade Center attack and child health.

#117... Report on children and chemical exposures; National Children's Health Study: New centers funded; Latino children and environmental exposures; Pediatric Ritalin and children's brains; Preschoolers and air pollution; Pesticide exposure and higher risk of childhood cancers; New EPA reports on children and toxic chemicals.

#116... Pesticide exposure and poorer neurological and neuropsychiatric function; Pesticides and child health; Volatile organic compoungs and more asthma in school children; Academic performance and prenatal chemical exposure.

#115... Air pollution and childhood cancer; Global child well-being; Fluoridation chemicals in drinking water; Exposure to manganese or lead and more hyperactive behaviors; Wildfires and more wheezing, coughing, and eye irritation; An overview of child environmental health; Coenzyme Q10 may help young migraine patients.

#114… Hot-air method for killing head lice developed; Home water control and reduction in childhood asthma; EPA releases report on Formaldehyde and children; MCS after dye exposure; New “asthma friendly” toy certification; DEET and children’s health.

#113… Global trends in pediatric asthma and allergy; Fish consumption and pediatric allergy; Mercury in pediatric vaccines and developmental disorders; Farm workers’ children and pesticide exposures.

#112… Teens, toxics indoors and cancer; Air pollution and higher rates of type 1 diabetes; Mercury pollution and higher special-education rates; Air pollution and autism; National Children’s Study ¾ Scientific American editorial deplores cuts.

#111… Pesticide exposure and childhood leukemia; Mercury in vaccines; Newborns much more sensitive to organophosphorus (OP) pesticides than adults; Neurotoxic food additives; Endotoxin exposure and more infant wheeze; Possible links between mercury and autism.

#110... EPA database on children and chemicals; New report on child health in North America; Child school health resource; Organic foods dramatically lower child pesticide exposures; Disaster preparedness and child environmental health; Water manganese exposure and poorer childhood intellectual function.

#109... National Children’s Study ¾ off to a (modest) start; Nutrition and infants; Nutrition and infants; Ventilation and more allergic problems; School starts, asthma worsens; Schools can help with asthma management; Low level pesticide exposure and childhood neuropsychiatric problems.

#108... Infants and plastic; Childhood exposures and cancer risk; Safe schools ¾ cleaning products; Pediatric environmental history. 

#107... California report ¾ toxics in classroom environments; Mold exposures and middle ear infections (otitis media); Smoking reduces cognitive abilities in children; Perchlorate contamination in milk; Paternal solvent exposure and neural tube defects; Vegetables, fruits, and dairy products lower blood pressure in teenagers; Lower amino acid levels in autistic children. 

Health Research

#119... Survey of 106 MCS patients; Vocal cord dysfunction in World Trade Center workers; Pesticide exposure and excess weight gain; Endometriosis and cadmium; Trichloroethylene exposure and parkinsonism; Blood plasma cholinesterase levels and pesticide exposure; Blueberries and serviceberries very rich in anthocyanins; Smoking and increased risk of macular degeneration.

#118... Possible link between Sjogrens and MCS; Fatal asthma attack due to second-hand smoke; Pesticide exposure and damage to DNA; Mercury emissions from forest fires; Pesticide exposures and reproductive problems; Pesticid exposure and cronic bronchitis; HEPA filters may reduce indoor exposures from wood burning and forest fires.

#117... Multiple drug intolerance syndromes; Sleep apnea common among women fibromyalgia patients; Possible link between indoor mold exposure and depression; Grass pollen may increase hospital asthma admissions; Research on probiotic bacteria; Acetyl-carnitine helpful for fatigued elderly patients; Bleach cleaning of hospital surfaces; Workplace exposures and new onset asthma.

#116... Environmental-health clinic treatment and lower number of future health-care visits; Aircraft pesticides and health; Nutrition and age-related macular degeneration; Dust and vapors from food can trigger allergy; Probiotics may clear antibiotic-resistant bacteria; Sleep apnea and fibromyalgia; Organophosphate pesticides and detoxification; Carnitine may be helpful for fibromyalgia patients.

#115,,, Multiple chemical sensitivity in the hospital and clinic; Nutrition may be helpful in treating macular degeneration; Chemical exposures and peripheral polyneuropathy; Roundup on recent asthma research; Phenolic phytochemicals may be helpful in treating neurological diseases; Omega-e fatty acids may help reduce joint pain; Pesticide exposure and increased risk of melanoma.

#114… Neurotoxicity of pesticides; Mycotoxins found in dust, walls, and air samples; Toxic pollutants released after weight loss; Sublingual allergen therapy effective and cost-efficient; Probiotic bacteria and yeasts helpful in treating diarrhea illnesses; Cranial stimulation therapy may be helpful for fibromyalgia patients; Musk perfume chemicals in Lake Erie sediments; Antibiotic-resistant bacteria in the air and water. 

#113… Mycotoxin detected in blood of Stachybotrys-exposed subjects; Magnesium supplements may be helpful to asthmatics; Pesticides, lead and Parkinson’s disease; Churchgoers’ exposure to airborne particulates; Lower metabolic rates in fibromyalgia patients; Second-hand smoke increases asthma risk in never smokers; Probiotics may be helpful in treating common cold and preventing diarrhea. 

#112… Brain changes in CFS patients; Mold toxins cause severe nerve damage in mice; Vitamin K low in osteoarthritis patients; L-carnitine may be helpful to treat fatigue in the elderly; Organophosphate exposure and poorer neuropsychiatric performance in Hispanic workers; Indoor molds and more asthma.

#111… Omega-3 fatty acid supplementation may improve outcome in critical care patients; In utero exposure to tobacco smoke results in higher childhood asthma rates; Melatonin may be helpful to CFS patients; Dialysis-related severe reactions; Fish oil supplementation and lower rates of exercise induced asthma; Pesticide exposure and increased asthma risk.

#110… Hypersensitivity to chemicals common in the general population; Decreased muscle blood flow in fibromyalgia patients; Backyard waste burning and production of dioxins and chlorinated biphenyls; Flight attendants, onboard pesticide exposure, and more health problems; Vitamin C may kill cancer cells; Adverse health effects near petrochemical industries; Vanilloid receptor and its possible role in chemical injury and MCS.

#109… Pesticide exposure and poor lung function; Probiotics may reduce risk of the common cold; Omega 3 fatty acids and psychiatric disorders; Probiotics may reduce symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome; Low to moderate level pesticide exposure and neurological problems; Increasing levels of invasive fungal infections; Paraoxonase enzymes aid detoxification; Wide environmental spread of agricultural pesticides.

#108… MCS symptoms worsen when patients exposed to low-level chemicals; MCS and asthma; CFS and MCS following occupational exposure to pesticides; Chronic fatigue syndrome and increased oxidative stress; Sleep problems in chronic fatigue patients; Red tides and worsened asthma; Pain sensitivity in fibromyalgia patients; Fibromyalgia patients and circulatory problems; Canadian actions against household pesticide use; Integrated treatment for fibromyalgia patients; Dermatitis caused by indoor mold exposure

#107… Coenzyme Q10 improves heart function in patients taking statin drugs; Magnesium useful for treating acute asthma; Candida possibly linked to irritable bowel syndrome; Immunonutrition and would healing; Candles, incense and air pollution in church; MTBE well water contamination; Genetic factors and multiple chemical sensitivity; Particulate air pollution; RADS asthma in rescue/recovery workers at world trade center.

#106… Caesarean section, allergy, and infant health;  Vegetable and fruit consumption and lower risk of endometriosis; Vegetable and fruit consumption and blood pressure control; Celiac disease and altered blood flow; Smoking bans and cleaner indoor air; Strontium supplements helpful in reducing bone fracture; HEPA filters helpful in removing mold spores from the air; Phthalates and asthma in children; Secondhand smoke exposure and more preterm babies; Fine particulate matter and wheezing infants; Dogs useful in detecting cancer. 

#105… Genetic factors in multiple chemical sensitivity; Immune changes in Gulf War Syndrome patients; Hyperbaric oxygen may be useful in treating fibromyalgia and complex pain syndromes; Intravenous nutrients may be helpful for asthmatics; Mold exposure and nervous/immune problems; RADS following exposure to bromochlorodifluoromethane fire extinguishers; Mold cleanup helpful in reducing asthma symptoms; Antibiotics, fungal growth, and increased allergic responses; Sublingual immunotherapy helpful I many rhinitis and asthma patients; Mold exposure and hypersensitivity pneumonitis; Rads asthma following exposure to chlorine bleach; Prenatal pesticide exposures and lower birth weight

#104... Testing for food and chemical sensitivities; MCS patients react to very low chemical concentrations; Volatile organic exposure increases inflammatory chemicals in MCS patients; Immunotherapy for asthma; Phthalate exposure and worse pulmonary function; Asthma and more gut permeability; Childhood asthma worse following the World Trade Center collapse; Hypersensitivity to corn pollen; Environmental exposures and early childhood asthma; Occupational asphalt exposure and respiratory problems; Fish oil supplements improve abdominal surgery outcome; Latex exposure and occupational asthma; Carnitine and Omega 3 fatty acids helpful in chronic fatigue patients; Carnitine and testosterone both helpful in older males; Prenatal exposures and poorer neurological function; Low level organophosphate pesticide exposure common; Well water pollution; Pesticide exposure in men and more birth defects.

#103... Long-term asthma from occupational exposures; More respiratory symptoms in flight attendants and teachers; Workplace toxic exposure and higher asthma risk; Synthetic musk in air and water; Combined noise and solvent exposure increases hearing loss risk; Storage tank contamination of groundwater resources; Secondhand smoke and adult onset asthma; Lipoic acid research; Food chemicals and rhinitis; Air pollution may increase schizophrenia risk; Fungus and pollen and increased hospital respiratory admissions; High pesticide exposure in children; Asthma and antioxidants; Higher environmental levels of flame retardants; Glucosamine and chondroitin helpful to knee osteo-arthritis patients.

#102... Electro-therapy helpful to fibromyalgia patients; RADS asthma research; Electromagnetic field exposure and more breast cancer; Reducing cat allergens; PCB and lower birth weight babies; Pesticide contamination of rainwater; Rat allergen research; Outdoor particulates and more childhood asthma; Vitamins C and E helpful in childhood lung function; More asthma in cleaning women.

#101... Toxic effects of chemical mixtures; New antifungal agent: caspofungin; Dense septic systems and more diarrhea infections; Birch pollen allergy and more intestinal inflammation; Good bacteria and lower rates of allergy in children; Sublingual immunotherapy helpful to ragweed patients; High PM10 levels and increased childhood asthma; Fungi exposure and more infant respiratory problems; Fluorescence polarization to detect mycotoxins and pesticides; Immunotoxicity of pesticides; ELISA to detect stachylysin from stachybotrys; Laundering reduces allergens and mites; Pesticide exposure and increased asthma deaths.

#100... RADS Asthma; Pesticide exposure and increased Alzheimer's and Parkinson's; Low Detoxification enzymes and increased toxic symptoms; Valacyclovir may help chronic fatigue patients with Epstein-Barr infections; Intestinal candida infections; Compost bioaerosols and increased respiratory problems; Mycotoxins in patient urine; Ochratoxin and kidney damage; Biomass burning and cyanide production; Low-level air pollution and increased mortality; Anatomy lab, formaldehyde, and face respirators.

#99... MCS and increased capsaicin cough sensitivity; Fungal exposure and respiratory and neuropsychiatric effects; High rates of chronic fatigue in Gulf War veterans; Nasal function changes in MCS patients; High mold exposure and increased early childhood asthma; Low-level benzene exposure and blood changes in children; Omega 3 fatty acid and childhood wheezing; Early Studies show omega 3 fatty acid benefits; Lactobacillus supplements helpful for smokers; Fungal exposure and mycotic neuromas; Chlorpyrifos exposure and immune damage; Chronic fatigue syndrome incidence of 1.4 percent in Iceland; Electromagnetic exposure and increased amyotrophic lateral sclerosis; Organic solvent exposure and low-birth-weight babies.

#98... Theories for MCS; Moldy homes and increased asthma; Antioxidants helpful to children with asthma; Cat and dog ownership associated with lower rates of childhood asthma; Amplified brain-pain processing in fibromyalgia patients; Endometriosis, chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia; Fragrance allergies common; Latex allergies common; Carbon monoxide exposure and brain damage; Neurological damage in solvent-exposed artist; Exposure to dry-cleaning solvents and visual problems; Cleaning showers and reduced airborne levels of Aspergillus; HEPA air filters helpful in preventing Aspergillus infections

#97... In the shower: A new respiratory infection; Latex-free exercise equipment; Abnormally low endorphin levels in chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia patients; Abnormal pain processing in fibromyalgia patients; L-carnitine helpful for chemotherapy-induced fatigue in nonanemic cancer patients; Research on polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons; Decreased muscle performance in fibromyalgia patients; Volcanic air pollution; Health benefits of lead abatement; Asthma in older patients; Pesticide exposure and impotence; Pigeon allergens common in indoor environments; Fungal fragments are allergenic; Year-round exposure to wild oats pollen; Health effects of mold exposure; Outbreak of dust-related fungus infection; Feather bedding and lower mite allergen levels

#96... Occupational asthma is often long-term; Chemical sensitivities common among british veterans; Studies on particulate production; Organochlorine exposure and breast cancer; Dioxin Exposure and long-term neurological problems; Research on fungal infections in hospitals; U. S. Groundwater quality; Agent orange contamination 25-plus years after Vietnam war

#95... Pesticide exposure and increased wheezing; Secondhand smoke, asthma, and respiratory problems; Antioxidants help protect against secondhand smoke damage; Low-level chemical exposure alters heart and breathing rates; Aluminum exposure and respiratory problems; Volatile organic chemicals from wood; Increased cancer and asthma in former dump area; Ozone may cause asthma in children; Magnesium and potassium helpful to children's lung function; Electromagnetic field exposure and health; German studies of MCS; Solvent exposure and changes in white blood cells; Arsenic and increased blood-oxidant levels; Mycotoxins reviewed in JAMA; Fish consumption and decreased pre-term deliveries

#94... Pesticide exposures and miscarriage risk; Grass pollen allergens found year-round in indoor dust; Gulf War service and increased rates of miscarriage; Alcohol-induced asthma; Candida vaccines helpful; "Low-level" particulate concentrations and respiratory problems; Childhood tobacco-smoke exposure and increased adult asthma and smoking; Certain aerobic exercise may help carpel tunnel patients; Memory problems in fibromyalgia patients; Reducing home mite allergen levels; Food allergy research; Cypress pollen research

#93... Lactobacillus and reduced allergies in newborns; Severe latex allergic reactions from plastic balls; Anti IgE drugs may be useful in asthma; Study on rhinitis; Solvent exposure and systemic sclerosis; Solvent exposure and menstrual abnormalities; Exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocabons and increased birth problems; MTBE causes cancer in animals; Food allergies common in children; Anti-fungal drug helpful in asthma and dermatitis; Maternal organic solvent exposure and decreased child neurological function; Alternaria exposure and worsened childhood asthma.

#92... Perfume spray and severe anaphylactic shock; Damp building symptoms and fungal antibodies; Damp buildings, fungi, and nasal inflammation; Asthma triggered by cat dander on classmates' clothes; Air-conditioning fungi concentrations; Childhood pesticide exposure; HEPA filters and reduced aspergillus; Coccidioidomycosis fungal infections; Beryllium hypersensitivity disease; Paticulates, nitrogen oxides, and increased respiratory problems in elderly; Magnesium helpful for migraine attacks; Urine test for Aspergillus infectionsGlucosamine supplements helpful for osteoarthritis; Food supplements may be helpful for neurological disorders; Backyard burning and dioxin emissions; Agricultural burning, air pollution and higher asthma rates; Candida albicans immunotherapy helpful for vaginal Candida infections.

#91... Metabolic damage in chronic fatigue syndrome patients; Metabolic abnormalities in fibromyalgia patients; Mouse allergens in inner-city homes; Reduced brain blood-flow in fibromyalgia patients; Lower levels of N-acetylaspartate in chronic fatigue patients; Effects of corn allergy; Gluten allergy and headache; Heavy childhood pesticide exposure in agricultural communities; Fish oils helpful for childhood asthma; Lower pain threshold in fibromyalgia patients; Pesticide exposure and childhood immunological abnormalities; Skin and food allergy and systemic allergy; Low-level outdoor air pollution and worsened childhood asthma; Nose nerve dysfunction in chronic fatigue patients; Fungal spores and higher rates of childhood emergency room asthma visits; Triggers for skin eczema; Nitrogen oxide exposure and increased asthma

#90... High-efficiency air cleaners reduce asthma and dust allergens; Allergy to late summer weed pollen; Air pollution, fungal, spores, and increased cardio-respiratory emergency room visits; Magnesium Supplements helpful in asthma patients; Allergoid treatment improves asthma andrhinitis in children; Chronic fatigue syndrome and reduced exercise tolerance; Occupational asthma due to amylase; Spider mite allergy; Glutaraldehyde exposure and respiratory problems; Severe asthma upon exposure to cleaning detergents; Abnormal blood pressure reactions in chronic fatigue patients; Bleach reduces risk of Clostridium difficile hospital infection; Allergies develop in unborn babies; Aspergillus terreus infection from hospital plants; High melatonin in adolescent chronic fatigue patients; Adolescent fibromyalgia and sleep disorders.

Dental Notes

#119... Toxic dental materials; Flossing: just do it.

#118... Important news about osteoporosis drugs and jawbone health; Using dental x-rays to assess osteoporosis status; Dentures and chewing

#117... Composite ('white') filling durability; Toxic materials leached from dental composite materials; Reducing cellular toxicity of dental composite materials; Latex gloves and dental chemicals; Post surgical metal hypersensitivity.

#116... Nickel leaches from orthodontic appliances; Tissue reactions to root canal sealers; Dental materials and occupational asthma; Prominent dentist warns of ethical lapses in dentistry.

#115... Removing plasticizers from acrylic removable orthodontic appliances; Braces and latex allergy; Body count: Brain abscess caused by tooth infection; American Dental Association: No concern about bisphenol-A (BPA) in dental materials; Using dental x-rays to screen for osteoporosis.

#114… Dental materials and tooth enamel wear; Effects of resin cements and adhesives on tooth pulp; Oral health and bone density. 

#113… Dental materials and oral bacteria; Dental materials and oral cell death; Denture materials and oral tissues; Biocompatibility of three bonding agents; Dental resins and oral cell health; Genetic toxicity of dental bonding agents.

#112… Jaw osteonecrosis: Holistic treatment under fire.

#111… Allergens in dentures; Dental sealants and Bisphenol A; Reactions to disinfectants in impression materials; All-ceramic crowns and oral health.

#110… Oral cancer? Or oral irritation?; Bisphosphonate drugs linked to bone death.

#109… Adverse effects of dental materials – liners; Burning mouth caused by fish toxin; Occupational exposure to acid mists affects oral health.

#108… Does replacing dental fillings improve symptoms?; Severe allergic reaction to dental anethetic gel; Dental equipment discharges lubricant. 

#107… Compound in consumer goods and dental materials may adversely affect the brain(see home health); Formaldehyde exposure fro dental materials – polyoxymethylene (POM); Oral care products and inflammation of the lips; Alternative dental metal; Alternative denture material – urethane composite; Alternative denture material – nylon.

#106… Fixed orthodontic appliances and Candida; New dental amalgam report; Understanding mouth and face pain; Misdiagnosis of mouth and face pain leads to incorrect treatment.
#105… Large study of amalgam reveals limited effects; New method to measure mercury exposure; Tooth bleaching may harm fillings; Replacing missing teeth: fixed partial denture or dental implant?

#104... Oral tissue supports stomach ulcer bacteria; Adverse reactions to dental materials in the U.K.; Fruit and tooth decay; Diagnosing oral-facial pain.

#103... Severe allergy to dental anesthetic; Recognition and reporting of reactions to dental materials; Chemicals leach from resin temporary dental fillings; Adverse Reactions to dental materials: symptoms and treatments.

#102... Misdiagnosis of mouth and face pain; Dental panorama X-rays and carotid artery health; Tooth decay and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD); Denture lining materials and Candida albicans; New infection control guidelines for dental care facilities.

#101... Dental decay and Candida albicans; EPA chooses not to intervene in dental amalgam use; Mercury in dental wastewater; Dental panorama X-rays and osteoporosis.

#100... Dental amalgam and neurological effects; Dental materials and kids; Gum Disease and cardiovascular disease: C-reactive protein; Gum Disease and cardiovascular disease: literature review and meta-analysis.

#99... Total joint replacement and antibiotics; Preventing painful mouth conditions in radiation patients; Is it dental pain or a rare type of headache?; Oral health and dentures.

#98... Latex allergy and local anesthetics; Latex allergy and dental gutta-percha; Formaldehyde allergy and dental materials; Calcium and vitamin D slow tooth loss in the elderly;Getting the most out of dental x-rays

#97... NIH studies effects of amalgam on children; Teething "symptoms"; Root canal review; Baby tooth decay predicts permanent tooth decay; Effects on teeth of oral appliances used for sleep apnea; Sleep apnea: Comparing oral appliances with CPAP.

#96... Dental materials: trend is toward non-amalgam; Antibiotics and invasive dental procedures; Dental alloys: a review; Biocmpatibility of dental materials; Nutrition and oral cancel

#95... Dental material allergy testing; TMJ: Jaw pain therapy; Cell damage and dental materials; Dental material allergy

#94... "Problem" dental patients; Oral appliance for children's sleep apnea; Problems with dental devices

#93... Important article about asthma and dentistry may help patients with MCS, too; Non-latex glove, dental dam recommendations.

#91... The importance of childhood dental care; Heart disease and low-grade periodontal inflammation; Non-antibiotic effects of antibiotics: tetracyclines inhibit inflammatory enzymes; Tooth grinding and health; Heart disease and periodontal disease

#90... Leaching from dental materials; Composite fillings compared with amalgam; Anitfungal drugs and dentistry

Home Health

#119... The limits of green building certification; Plastic baby bottles; Fine particles indoors - effects on the elderly; On the road — food safety; Car air fresheners; Green remodeling guidelines. =

#118... Volatile organic compounds in well water; Airline cabin pollution harmful; Misleading environmental claims; Relocator tool — emergency preparedness; Home water conservation tool.

#117... Spray cleaners linked to asthma; California bans ozone 'air cleaners'; Ozone + people -> respiratory irritants; Resources for home care, pandemic flu.

#116... California lowers formaldehyde permitted in wood; Relocator's resource — comparing air quality in different U. S. Locations.

#115... Rating building materials for environment and health impacts; Bladder cancer and disfected tap water; Human ecology — drugs in water; Florida program certifies "green" lodging facilities.

#114... Bad housekeeping at 20,000 feet; Decaffeinated coffee is not caffeine free; Few are prepared for disasters; Chart your family health history; Ozone-emitting air cleaners; Renter’s resource: CDC’s Healthy Housing Reference Manual.

#113... Safer chemicals can be cheaper; Nickel allergy reactions from foods?; Manure into energy; Fine-tuning dust mite controls; Drug affects cataract surgery; Severe insect stings; Methamphetamine production in real estate.

#112... Suppressing dust on gravel roads; Holding the line on organic food standards; U.S. foodborne illnesses on the decline ¾ maybe; Natural bacterial reduction in meat.

#111... Dry out a whole building with heat; ‘Green’ remodeling – cost-effective and healthy; Preventing mold in new construction; Benzene in soft drinks; Taste of the future? Organic hospital food.

#110... Affordable and ‘green’ housing; Home builders and ‘green’ construction; ‘Health House’ housing development; Mold produces irritant VOC, leads to physical effects; Mold prevention product: BluWood. 

#109... A household problem: Hazardous materials disposal; Options for the aging; California co-op workers clean up, protect health.

#108... Relocator’s tool: States with the most polluting power plants; New way to access campground information; Access and recreation; Mold-proof wallboard; Japanese automakers to reduce chemicals inside vehicles; Travel guide for people with pulmonary problems.

#107... Compound in consumer goods and dental material may adversely affect the brain; House built for MCS client makes news; “Green” building statistics; Relocation (and local) tool ¾ health care; Diet and arthritis.

#106... Food allergy and arthritis; Relocation tool – North American power plant emissions report; Airline drinking water quality; Cell phone use and brain tumors. 

#105... Ultra-fine high tech particles and health; Plasticizers in house dust, allergic and asthmatic children.

#104... City ratings - stress, toxicity; Database of state IAQ laws; Baby food and meningitis risk; Spas not always a healthy choice; Natural fire protection for buildings.

#103... "Green" healthcare construction and maintenance; Mercury in flu shots for kids; Homebuyers can get a CLUE; Relocation - online resources; Sustainably produced food; Health spas and health problems.

#102... New ASHRAE standard for residential indoor air quality (IAQ); Endocrine disrupters in indoor air; Century overview of indoor environments and health; Asthma in Connecticut elementary schools.

#101... Discarded tires - a better mulch?; Low Allergy turf grass; Database of household products.

#100... Fragrance as a weapon; Indoor chlorinated swimming pools and asthma; Cleaning products and asthma.

#99... Acquiring peanut allergy; Reducing peanut allergen; The antibiotic business; Low-income seniors: new nutrition program offers access to fresh produce;

#98... Less allergenic soybeans?; EMF update; Travelers Insurance sues Habitat for Humanity over mold; Hospital IAQ and construction

#97... In the shower: A new respiratory infection; Latex-free exercise equipment

#96... New car smell; Nutrient directory on line at USDA; HVAC tips; In development: cotton carpeting; Healthy building inform from EPA

#95... Sunlight exposure on the road; SIDS, bacteria and bedding; EPA alert: disinfectants in HVAC systems; Mold troubleshooting at home; Cooking and pollution; Lodging: "It's not cheap being green," either

#94... Three important articles about antibiotics in meat; Home air conditioning reduces indoor particle pollution; Drugs and the elderly

#93... Ventilation in the kitchen; Range hood options; Less toxic siding; Radiator option.

#92... Poor air quality in portable classrooms; Pedicure risks; Information about so-called "inert" ingredients in drugs; Air quality in photocopy centers; Scotchguard: More ubiquitous than we thought; New computer fumes.

#91... Fragrance plus ozone equals indoor air pollution; Breast milk and food allergy; Metal allergy and coronary stents; Plywood goes vegetarian; Washable suede; Allergic people prefer blondes (cats, that is)

#90... Hair tests prove unreliable; Innovations in food packaging; Carbonless paper; Fragrance factoid.

Pest Control Update

#119... Cosmetics and hospital — acquired infection; Cotton pest acquires pesticide resistance

#118... Lawn grass that controls weeds; A new link: ethanol production and pesticide exposure; Vacuum cleaner versus fleas.

#117... Antibiotic-resistant bacteria; Controlling a weed that is a fire hazard; Effective, all-natural termite-control method; Banned  — but still on sale!

#116... Tick-borne disease can be fatal; Exposures and Parkinson's disease; Termites survive Hurricane Katrina.

#115... Tropical zone fungus emerges as disease organism in Pacific Northwest; Global warming — good for pests, bad for human health; New life for old pesticides.

#114… Asian lady beetles ¾ messy and allergenic; Pesticides applies over bodies of water; Getting roaches to take the bait. 

#113… New guide on controlling malaria ¾ in the U.S.; Influence watch: Atrazine banned in EU but not in U.S.; Azinphos methyl: Food crop pesticide phase-out.

#112… New non-pesticide head-lice treatment; Pesticides in water ¾ low levels, but mixtures may be risky; Pesticides, agricultural workers, and birth defects; Natural mosquito repellant; New low-cost computer program models pesticide drift. 

#111… Natural biological pest control can have unforeseen and unintended adverse effects; Less toxic than what? Researchers raise questions about pyrethrins.

#110… Pesticides, pollution and children; Federal Web site offers treatment guidance on pesticide poisoning; EPA rule on human testing and pesticides; Antibacterial soaps and detergents ineffective and environmentally unsound; Pesticides and politics; Body count: occupant death follows home pesticide treatment.

#109… Grower stops using (some) pesticides associated with birth defects; Non-toxic method reduces need for methyl bromide; Hurricane Katrina and West Nile virus.

#108… Newly approved insect repellants; Pesticide exposures ¾ India; Report criticizes human pesticide testing; Exposures to community mosquito control pesticides.

#107… EPA proposes, then suspends, then cancels research on pesticides and children; Treating organophosphate pesticide (OP) poisoning; Tularemia spread by insects.

#106… State attorneys general petition EPA to protect kids; New integrated pest management (IPM) strategy foils regional pests; Insect repellant clothing for civilians — BUZZ OFFÒ; “Air curtains” could reduce airline pesticide use; Increased use of methyl bromide — politics or pest control?; Lawn care industry fights pesticide restrictions with propaganda; A link between pesticides and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)?. 

#105… Clinical trials of a new, less-toxic head lice control product; Pesticide drift incident affects 165 people; Mosquito control pesticide safety.

#104... Pesticide-related illnesses in Washington state; Methyl bromide - despite 'ban,' use continues; Chlordane: banned, but not gone; Getting the "bugs" out of drinking water.

#103... Pesticides and health: a systematic review; School IPM Manual available; Relocating tip: watch out for chemicals stored in barns; California county's organic fans defeat agribusiness friends.

#102... Restricting pesticide use on private property; New York State fines Dow; Pesticide notification in New York State; Children affected by methyl parathion indoors; Despite laws, farm workers at risk from pesticides on the job.

#101... Burning mosquito control coils produces hazardous pollutants; Use caution when using DEET and sunscreen together; IPM in day care centers: New law passes in Illinois; Human illness and West Nile pesticide applications.

#100... Resource: Pesticide health effects; Mycoplasma infection from tick bites; Maternal pesticide exposures expose fetuses as well; New weed killer: Robots.

#99... New insight on organophosphate exposure; Resource: Safe pest control in schools; Data link: Parkinson's and permethrin; Controlling fire ants; Effects of chronic organophosphate exposure; Mortality among pesticide-exposed workers; Water quality and West Nile virus control;

#98... Herbicide-resistant weeds; Natural fungicides for post-harvest food crops

#97... West Nile virus and pesticide use; Reminder: EPA's recommendations for using DEET; Mosquito repellent efficacy, including soy; Mosquito and other bites: allergic reactions; Parkinson's research to focus on environmental exposures; Malaria in the U.S. and abroad

#96... Costs and benefits of Lyme disease vaccine; Safer Herbicide; Low-toxicity wood treatment; Emerging mosquito-borne diseases; Detoxifying pesticides: heredity maters

#95... For the pesticide-wary, organic foods provide reduced exposure; Pesticide reductions in Pennsylvania schools; Cleaning up organophosphate

#94... Chronic effects of low-level pesticide exposure; Parkinson's Disease and environmental insult; Cumulative risk assessment for organophosphates; Genetically modified food and food allergy

#93... Infant leukemia associated with maternal carbamate exposure; Brits to study nutritional content of organic vs. conventionally grown food; In development - a natural turf fungus treatment; Organic farm methods and crop losses to insects

#92... Two views of organic farming; Pesticide residues in food; Hold the pesticides: head lice;

#91... Pesticide residues in food; Controlling weeds without conventional herbicides?; Fragrances - in pesticides; Closing in on mosquitoes and malaria; Methyl bromide replacement; Controlling plant fungi without fungicides

#90... West Nile virus spread in 2000; "Safe" pesticide produces Parkinson's in rats.


Policy Watch

#119... 'Stunning incompetence' at EPA; Particulate pollution and global warming; EPA stalls on global warming.

#118... Global warming and public perception; Disaster preparedness — California's report card; Latex glove ban

#117... Global warming news — CDC testimony; Global warming news — Reports on warming impacts; Access to OSHA exposure data; Turnarounds: Industry seeks federal health, safety and environmental regulation; Voluntary chemical testing program.

#116... Influence watch: EPA and industry-sponsored travel;Shifting positions on global warming — the U.S. and the 2007 G8 agreement; Profit margins versus safety margins; Toxics at work: nuclear weapons workers are still waiting for compensation.

#115... Supreme Court rules on power-plant pollutant production; Los Alamos employees plead for Congressional investigation; Toxics from coal ash pose cancer risk.

#114… Illegal contract at Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Business and Congress, Business as usual; FDA commissioner pleads guilty.

#113… DC District Court reprimands EPA for Clean Air Act delays; FDA fails to act on violation reports; Brain drain, funding cuts create low morale at CDC.

#112… Heroes of 9-11 — what they breathed; Unprepared — special for disabled people; Shareholders pressure corporations to cut toxics in consumer products.

#111… Air toxics health risk assessment report; Influence watch: politics and science; Clean drinking water; Influence watch: World Health Organization (WHO) bar U.S. industry-supported organization.

#110… Citizen lawsuit about EPA actions after the 9-11 attacks can go forward; Influence watch: Long-time MCS ‘debunker’ caught in pundit payola scandal; Influence watch: Campaign funds boost governor’s staff pay; Lead in drinking water; California county fights LA’s sludge; Rural ‘clean’ air; Global warming — an unacceptable financial risk.

#109… New federal disaster plan not implemented in Katrina response; Former defender against OSHA nominated to head OSHA. 

#108… Report: U.S. pollution sickens Canadians; Clean Air —  Refineries agree to pollution reduction; White house taps corporate defender to head EPA enforcement.

#107… Clean Air Interstate Rule (CAIR); Perchlorate update; Exposures and health ¾ cancer: State initiatives — Governors protest federal clean air overrides.

#106 … Fine particle air pollution; State initiatives: greenhouse gas reduction; State initiatives: New York State power plants agree to cut emissions; Clean air enforcement: delays I petroleum refinery pollution reduction.

#105… Critique of the Toxic Release Inventory; Lobbyists and nutrition; IARC: Formaldehyde is a carcinogen.  

#104... Petroleum refineries: EPA Inspector General releases negative report; EPA and intensive livestock farm pollution; U.S. pollution standards.

#103... Children with disabilities and standardized education tests;Regulating chemicals for health in the European Union; New rules for ozone air pollution; Compensating sick nuclear weapons workers; New from EPA: the Interstate Air Quality Rule.

#102... Food safety: Mad cow disease; Waxman report on science in the Bush Administration; Patient safety organizations; Medical error reports and public access; Pre-market new home inspections; IAQ for renters; Relocation resource: State health profiles; Health insurance resources on the Web.

#101... Food industry influence on nutrition advice, science and policy: Marion Nestle; Manipulation of Scientific Research: Lisa A. Bero; Manufacturing "uncertainty": David Michaels.

#100... Pediatricians call for more research on plasticizers; Dioxin: revised VietNam War exposure estimates; Sarin Exposure: another revised estimate for Gulf War I vets; European Union investigation of endocrine-disrupting chemicals.

#99... Increased susceptibility to neurotoxic exposure; Embracing the "precautionary principle"; NIOSH0funded research and workplace injury prevention; Superfund: Who pays to clean up toxics?.

#98... National initiative to educate physicians about pesticides; Community toxics information; New Jersey passes school IPM law; Scientists can be sloppy reporters

#97... 9-11 health effects: World Trade Center Registry; CDC guidance on asthma and schools; New name for irradiated food?; Disability insurance controversy; Controversy over lead exposure effects.

#96... Clean air: the numbers game; Gulf War veterans' illnesses: the numbers game; Organophosphate pesticide assessment nears completion; Disabilities in the workplace.

#95... Progress in prevention: Antibiotic resistance; Federal initiative to track links between environment and health.

#93... For this issue of The Human Ecologist we changed the format of Policy Watch, prompted by the events of September 11, 2001, and their impact. In this issue "Policy Watch" is aimed at helping readers cope with emergencies, regardless of their cause.

#91... FDA moves to regulate antibioticsin meat production; Hidden allergens in food.

#90... Particulate air pollution reduction; Reclassification of a dioxin; Environmental Justice.