CDC Providing Resourses for Hurricane Preparedness

May 22-28, 2011 was National Hurricane Preparedness Week.  The Centers for Disease Control is raising awareness about the importance of taking steps to protect your health and safety during hurricane season.  Visit their website at http://www.bt.cdc.gov/disasters/hurricanes/?source=govdelivery, it will provide you ideas and resources to prepare yourself for hurricane season.  For example, the site list the following as emergency supplies you should stock in preparing for a hurricane:

• Several clean containers for water, large enough for a 3-5 day supply of water (about five gallons for each person).
• A 3-5 day supply of non-perishable food.
• A first aid kit and manual.
• A battery-powered radio, flashlights, and extra batteries.
• Sleeping bags or extra blankets.
• Water-purifying supplies, such as chlorine or iodine tablets or unscented, ordinary household chlorine bleach.
• Prescription medicines and special medical needs.

• Baby food and/or prepared formula, diapers, and other baby supplies.
• Disposable cleaning cloths, such as "baby wipes" for the whole family to use in case bathing facilities are not available.
• Personal hygiene supplies, such as soap, toothpaste, sanitary napkins, etc.
• An emergency kit for your car with food, flares, booster cables, maps, tools, a first aid kit, fire extinguisher, sleeping bags, etc.

You can find more information on emergency plans and supply kits at www.ready.gov.

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Flooding Devastating Upstate New York, Vermont, & Quebec, Too

Flooded Area of Plattsburgh 

In the beginning of May, we traveled to Plattsburgh, New York to perform our annual asbestos refresher training in the area.  The week before we arrived we started hearing a little about the flooding of Lake Champlain.  This flooding was causing some problems and damage in the area.  Alot has been written about the flooding of the Mississippi River and its impact to various cities and areas along its banks.  Because the media's attention is focused on those areas, the media has not paid much attention to the Lake Champlain flooding.
The average water level for Lake Champlain is 95.5 feet and the flood tage for the lake is considered 100 feet.  The previous high-water mark for the lake was set in 1993 at 101.89 feet.  Preliminary high-watermark estimates for 2011 is 103.2 feet.  The lake is being filled with snow-melt and incessant rain from the Adirondacks in New York State and the Green Mountains of Vermont.  In addition, the Richelieu River in Canada, which Lake Champlain flows into, was at record levels, too, prompting severe flooding there.  It's estimated that it could take until July to drop below flood stage levels. 
In Vermont floodwaters threaten to cut-off about 7,500 people who live in the Grand Island Counties while in New York over 100 people were driven out of their homes and 48 people were being sheltered by the American Red Cross in the Crete Memorial Civic Center, after the flooding at Lakeside Apartments, in Plattsburgh.
The flooding in this region could cause some major issues.  The slow rate the water is receding will give fungi (mold and mildew) and bacteria a chance to grow and fester.  The following video on YouTube, Avoiding IAQ Problems after a Flood will help you handle many of the issues that flooding brings to the table.     

Related articles

• In Vermont, overflowing Lake Champlain floods (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
• In Vermont, overflowing Lake Champlain floods (troyrecord.com)
• In Vt., engorged Lake Champlain slowly tortures (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
• Severe Storms Wreak Havoc From Vermont to Georgia (abcnews.go.com)
• Violent Northeast storms bring flooding, outages (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
• Military help to double for flooded Quebec region (theglobeandmail.com)
• Vt. flooding raises Champlain pollution concerns (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
• Residents brace for more rain along Richelieu River in Quebec (canada.com)

Venitian Gala Benefits the Theodore Roosevelt Sanctuary & Audubon Center - A Night To Remember

Venetian Gala Table Decoration

Saturday, May 7, 2011, we attended the Venetian Gala, benefitting the Theodore Roosevelt Sanctuary and Audubon Center (TRSAC), located in Oyster Bay, New York, held at the Piping Rock Club in Locust Valley, NY.  This annual Gala is held to benefit the environmental education programs at the Sanctuary and honor the winners of the Sanctuary's highest award for environmental leadership, the 2011 Legacy of Conservation Award.  This year the Sanctuary honored Helen Crosson (an old school mate), Alice DelBosco (serving with her on the TRSAC Board), Carol DuBois, and Julie Rinaldini for their legacy of conservation.  We attended the event and it was some event.  We had a great time, the pass around food was delicious, the band had us dancing our feet off, the bar was well stocked, and the decorations, as you can see from the table setting, were fantastic.  Ms. Bernadette Castro doing the live auction was excellent and generated alot of excitement.  It was a grand event that helps the Theodore Roosevelt Sanctuary and Audubon Center bring its environmental education programs to schools and the community, every year. 

Future Environment Designs Sponsors Stachybotrys Public Outreach Video Link



Stachybotrys Charturum on Sheetrock

Future Environment Designs is proud to sponsor this Public Outreach Video on Stachybotrys Charturum.  The video was designed to help the public have a better understanding of this fungi and the mycotoxin it may produce. We hope you enjoy it and it assists you better understand stachybotrys charturum.

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Daily Show Exposes Asbestos Hypocrisy in Quebec Canada

Open-pit Mine Asbestos Quebec

As discussed in the May Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO) newsletter, the Daily Show did a segment called "Ored to Death" by Herman Hamilton.  The segment is a tongue-in-cheek segment about the reopening of the mine in Asbestos, Quebec.  That is correct as we have discussed here previously the mine in Asbestos Canada that mines chryosilte asbestos is being reopened as a closed-pit mine versus the open-pit mine it used to be.  The asbestos they will be mining will be shipped to India where according to the Bernard Coulombe, executive director of the Jeffrey mine, the people of India are used to pollution and they know how to use it safely.  After seeing the video of the workers in India using the asbestos, we trying to determine if the bandanas they have in that country are HEPA-filtered.  If you love comedy about serious things you will love this video.

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• The City of Asbestos In Canada Talks About the Safety of the Mineral They Mine and Export - Daily Show (Video) (ducknetweb.blogspot.com)
• First Quebec, Now Zimbabwe (futureenv.blogspot.com)
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Mesothelioma Early Detection Test Shows Promise

"About Mesothelioma.net" reported on April 8, 2011 that researchers from New York University Langone Medical Center presented promising research this week on a new diagnostic test designed to identify mesothelioma at an early stage.  Mesothelioma is an aggressive cancer of the lining of the lung or abdomen associated with breathing asbestos dust.  Because the diagnosis is difficult, the asbestos-related cancer often goes undetected until it has reached an advanced stage, limiting patients’ treatment options.  The NYU cancer researchers used a a new diagnostic blood assay test to identify proteins secreted by malignant mesothelioma tumors.  Developed by the biotechnology company SomaLogic Inc., the test measures protein biomarkers found in the blood.  Using the simple blood test, the NYU researchers identified 19 biomarkers associated with malignant mesothelioma.  The aim is to detect mesothelioma early enough to allow for effective treatments, and improve survival rates and the quality of life for patients with mesothelioma.

Image via Wikipedia

In a presentation at the annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research, the research team, led by NYU cardiothoracic surgeon Harvey Pass, reported comparing 170 blood samples from 90 patients diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma and 80 patients who had been exposed to asbestos, but who had not been diagnosed with cancer.  Using the protein detection assay, the researchers detected 15 of 19 cases of stage 1 or stage 2 malignant pleural mesothelioma.

With approximately 3,000 new cases of mesothelioma diagnosed each year in the U.S., and researchers estimating the disease would not peak for another 20 years.  Discovering a better method for diagnosing the disease would hopefully lead to better treatments and improvements in survival rates.

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Future Environment Designs Sponsors Aspergillus & Aspergillosis Video

Image via Wikipedia

Future Environment Designs is proud to sponsor this informative video on aspergillus and aspergillosis.  The video was designed to help the public have a better understanding of this fungi and disease that it may cause in susceptible indviduals.  We hope you enjoy it and it assists you better understand aspergillus.

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OSHA at 40

Image via WikipediaOn April 28, 1971 the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) was created by the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 that was signed by President Richard Nixon on December 29, 1970.  Last month, OSHA celebrated it's 40th anniversary/birthday by creating a webpage with a timeline documenting OSHA's 40 years, a video discussing OSHA successes over 40 years, and Assistant Secretary David Michael's presentation to mark its anniversary at the public forum hosted by the Center for American Progress.  From this presentation came the following quote: "OSHA doesn't kill jobs, it stops jobs from killing workers."   It is an important quote and their are enough statistics that support this statement.  If employers get serious about safety, productivity increases, workmen's compensation costs decrease, and employers become more competitive.

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Asbestos Dangers Crop Up In Japan's Disaster

Image by Getty Images via @daylifeOur prayers go out to Japan in the aftermath of Japan's March 11 earthquake and tsunami, including the swamped nuclear reactor that has leaked radiation.  However, like most disasters the tragedy doesn't end after the disaster.  The next phase of the disaster is handling the devastion that has occurred and try to handle this in the most productive and safe manner possible.   As the MSNBC report, "Japan Disaster's Other Hidden Danger: Asbestos," indicates activitists have found asbestos, the cancer-causing fibrous mineral, in the air and debris collected from the devastated northeastern coast of Japan.  As we clean-up from these disasters it has become more important to ensure the safety of the clean-up workers and those near the area of the disaster from being exposed to the various environmental hazards that occur after a disaster.  Asbestos, lead, mercury, silica, volatile organic compounds, polychlorinated biphenyls, and dioxin are just a few of the various chemicals that these workers could be exposed to.  Though Japan is overwhelmed with enormity of the task ahead of them and needless to say the nuclear reactor leak is extremely serious.  We hope they learn the lessons we seem unable to learn (mistakes made during the World Trade Center, Katrina, and Gulf-oil spill clean-ups) regarding the importance of ensuring the occupational health (illness prevention) of the clean-up workers.  The proper use of respirators (including fit testing and training), proper decontamination of workers before they go home to their families, and the proper use of dust control practices during demolition and construction work to reduce dust emissions all should be standard practice for clean-up activities after a disaster.

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First Quebec, Now Zimbabwe

Image via WikipediaIn a previous posting we discussed that the Quebec government had decided to back the loan that would reopen the Jeffrey Mine in Asbestos Canada.  This loan would allow the mine to begin mining asbestos again and exporting it to countries like India.  Now in the following article "Zimbabwe in bid to revive asbestos mines" in the English version of the People's Daily Online (China), we find out that Zimbabwe intends on doing the same thing for two of their mines (Shabanie and Mashava).  These mines used to produce about 180,000 tons of asbestos fibers per year.  According to this article, Zimbabwe has been spending millions of dollars on fiber imports from Russia and Brazil.  Seems to me, that Zimbabwe is tired of importing asbestos when they could be mining it.

Related articles

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• Cancer society 'disappointed' with Quebec asbestos expansion (canada.com)
• Que. hands $7.5M to asbestos mine (cbc.ca)
• Duceppe wades into asbestos mining debate (cbc.ca)
• Air has high asbestos levels at Que. worksites: study (cbc.ca)
• Air at many Quebec worksites high in asbestos levels: study (theglobeandmail.com)

EPA Region 2 Coordinator Discusses the RRP Rule

Image via WikipediaOn Friday, April 1, 2011, the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Region 2 Renovation, Repair , and Painting (RRP) Rule Coordinator Ms. Jeanette Dadusc was discussing the requirements and background of the rule. The topics covered included: introduction to the problem of childhood lead poisoning; Federal government’s response to childhood lead poisoning; how the RRP Rule was developed; the regulated universe of RRP facilities and activities; certification requirements for training providers, individuals, and firms; notification and work practice requirements; cleaning verification card; proposed rule changes; RRP frequent questions; and RRP enforcement strategy.

Her presentation was wide ranging, covered the full time of the presentation, and the handouts supplemented her presentation and were useful. Visit our website at http://futureenvironmentdesigns.com/news.html to find a copy of her handouts.  Some of the points regarding the childhood lead problem were:

• Lead based paint is the number one environmental health threat to children
• Children absorb 50% of the lead they ingest compared to adults, which absorb only 10%.
• According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), there is no known safe level of lead in blood.
• Discussions are ongoing regarding dropping the standard of lead blood level to 5 micrograms per deciliter (ug/dl) versus the current 10 ug/dl.
• Lead bioaccumulates in the body because it mimics calcium
• Children, who live in homes where renovation & remodeling activities were performed within the past year, are 30% more likely to have a blood lead level that equals or exceeds 10 ug/dl.

Some of the points regarding regulated universe of RRP facilities and activities were:

• Target housing is defined as housing constructed prior to 1978.  There are only 2 exceptions housing for the elderly or for person with disabilities (unless one or more children under 6 years old resides or is expected to reside in such housing), and 0-bedroom dwellings. Meaning hotels, motels, timeshares, and student housing is not exempt.
• Child Occupied Facility (COF) is defined as a building or portion of a building built prior to 1978 that is visited by the same child under age six for at least 3 hours per day, or at least 6 hours per week, or at least 60 hours per year. This includes common areas routinely used by the children under age 6 (i.e, restrooms, cafeterias), and adjacent exterior areas.

Other major points she covered were:

• Delead test kit added to the list of EPA approved test kits. The test kits must be used according to the manufacturer’s directions including materials that the test kits cannot be used on.
• Lead Based Paint Abatement Contractors require RRP Renovator Certification. Previous certification as a worker/supervisor allows the person to take the ½ day refresher class to become a renovator.
• Lead Waste – residential (homeowners & contractors) can dispose of lead waste bags with household waste. COFs must follow the hazardous waste regulations.

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Inexpensively Handling IAQ Problems in Schools

An excellant article "Little Things Can Fix a Big Problem on National Healthy Schools Day" written by Claire Barnett, Founder and Executive Director, Healthy Schools Network, Inc., for the Huffpost Heath.  Describes what teachers, parents, and facility directors can do, inexpensively, to help improve indoor air quality and help students stay in school.  I would add that teachers, staff, and students should avoid using perfumes and colognes in school or any strong smelling deodorants.  In addition, teachers and staff should not bring home cleaning supplies to clean their rooms, request from the facility director or the custodians cleaning supplies that are used by the school.  Many times I have inspected facilities where the facility has gone to green supplies, only to inspect a classroom to find cleaning supplies not used by the facility (ie, windex, pledge, etc.).  It doesn't help being green, if teachers/staff are using non-green cleaning products that they brought from home. 

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Controversy Regarding Brodeur's Asbestos Research Information at The New York Public Library.

Image via WikipediaMy first full-time job was working with Hygienetics which at the time was located in Jersey City, New Jersey.  My boss and my mentor was Mr. Eugene Pinzer, CIH.  Mr. Pinzer was a great boss and did an excellant job mentoring me (as far as I am concerned).  At times he would train by hands-on practices, other times he would ask me to read some article or book that would help with my education and help me gain valuable experience and knowledge.  When I read the Felix Salmon's blog post "The case of Paul Brodeur vs the NYPL" and then Paul Brodeur's, a staff writer for The New Yorker for nearly 40 years, article for The Author's Guild titled "Paul Brodeur: A Breach of Trust at The New York Public Library" it brought back the some great memories.  One of the articles Mr. Pinzer requested that I read was Mr. Brodeur's article "Annals of Law - The Asbestos Industry on Trial".  This four part article written for The New Yorker Magazine ran from June 10 - July 1, 1985.  At the time I was, are you kidding me.  The articles were the equivalent of a 300-400 page book and I really didn't see the importance.  However, as Mr. Pinzer was apt to do he cajoled me into reading it.  The articles are well written and documents the asbestos industry's fall from grace.  I strongly suggest that if you are in the asbestos industry you read these articles.  It details the downfall of the industry, including how the information that exposed the industry of hiding the dangers of asbestos.
As the title indicates the New York Public Library has notified Mr. Brodeur that they intend on breaking up his collection of papers that he donated to the library.  Included in this collection of papers is Mr. Paul Brodeur's investigation of the asbestos health hazard and its cover-up by the asbestos industry.  Though I am not a curator or librarian, it seems to be a waste of the research that Mr. Brodeur did to back-up the facts, assertions, and evidence he writes about in his articles.  I hope the New York Public Library reconsiders their decision or at least allow the collection to remain together by returning the full documents to Mr. Brodeur.

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Quebec Government Decides to Back Loan to Restart Asbestos Mine

Image via WikipediaQuebec government announced that it was providing conditional support of the reopening of the Jeffrey Mine Inc in the town of Asbestos through a $58 million loan guarantee.  Economic development minister Clément Gignac also suggested that chrysotile asbestos from that mine could help save lives in India.  Gignac said, the relaunched mine would create 425 full-time jobs in the region plus provide millions of dollars in taxes and royalties to Quebec which in turn will create a $7.5 million economic diversification fund for the region.
To justify the decision, Gignac told reporters that millions of people in India die of cholera every year because they lack access to potable water and proper sanitary infrastructure.  "Excuse me, but the fact is that chrysotile asbestos cement can be used to make many more kilometres of infrastructure because it is less expensive and is a durable material and we can improve the quality of life of citizens in India," he said.

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NIOSH Study Designates Bisphenol A as a Skin Sensitizer

Image via Wikipedia

On April 12, 2011, the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) published a skin notation profile for Bisphenol A (BPA).  This profile found enough evidence to classify BPA as causing skin sensitization.  Sensitization is a specific immune-mediated response (responses mediated by the immune system, including allergic responses) that develops following exposure to a chemical, which, upon re-exposure, can lead to allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) or other immune-mediated diseases such as asthma, depending on the site and route of re-exposure.  BPA is a high-production-volume (HPV) chemical used in the manufacturing of epoxy resins, plastics, and flame retardants.  NIOSH evaluated several case reports and predictive animal studies that indicated BPA as being a skin sensitizer and can cause photoallergy.  Hence, NIOSH has assigned a SK:SEN notation (skin:sensitizer) for BPA.  With BPA used as a flame retardant avoiding coming into skin contact with it could be very difficult. 

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Inspectors Discover Asbestos at East Hampton Middle School

Mold behind sheet rock (asbestos joint compound?).

Interesting article "Inspectors Discover Asbestos at East Hampton Middle School" regarding asbestos and mold in the East Hampton Patch.  Kind of interesting how this ties into my last post regarding avoiding tunnel vision.  The original focus of the inspection was mold and Ms. Barbara Eisenberg, the inspector for the New York State Department of Labor, instead found asbestos containing debris.  This is another perfect example of making sure all issues are addressed not just the mold concern but realizing the mold may be growing on the asbestos containing material and the asbestos needs to be addressed, too.  Since asbestos is regulated in New York State and mold is not (yet?), the asbestos will take priority in the way the work will be handled. 

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Asbestos Article in Indoor Environment Discusses Cross Issues with Radon

In the March 2011 issue of Indoor Environment Connections, Douglas Kladder the Director of the Center for Environmental Research & Training in Colorado Springs, Colorado wrote an excellant article regarding asbestos.  Being on the asbestos side of the fence, it is interesting how sometimes we get tunnel vision in dealing with indoor air quality/environmental issues.  Mr. Kladder article "Asbestos? What Asbestos? I'm a Radon Guy!" discusses the dangers of tunnel vision.  Mr. Kladder discusses that their are few activities involved in radon mitigation that would not impact asbestos containing materials.  He then provides several war stories of issues related to this topic.  In many ways the same statement can be made to those of us in the asbestos field.  We tend to get tunnel vision regarding asbestos and forget that lead, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) or, even for that matter, radon may also be a concern.  For example, lead paint could be on asbestos siding or asbestos spackles/joint compounds, and window caulk, in addition to containing asbestos, may also contain lead and/or PCBs.  It is important for indoor air quality/environmental professional to keep abreast of the field and to consider the potential possibilities of various environmental hazards being present.  

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New York State Releases FAQ on Asbestos Analysis

Image via WikipediaLate last week we received a FAQ from New York State Department of Health.  The FAQ is focused on analyzing asbestos samples and the environmental laboratory accreditation program.  The FAQ has several interesting piece of information.  Those of you who attend my classes, have heard me discuss the problems with analyzing vermiculite and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) statement that asbestos inspectors should not sample the material but should assume the material is asbestos.  Well Question 10 in this document states "Since there is currently no approved analytical methodology to reliably confirm vermiculite as non-asbestos containing it is best to assume vermiculite is contaminated with asbestos and proceed accordingly."  We will add this document to all our course manuals, and/or you can access the document at: http://futureenvironmentdesigns.com/Media/NYS%20Asbestos%20FAQ%20%20April%208-2011%20(2).pdf.

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Asbestos Expert Demands Canada Retract "Safe Use" Statement

Image via WikipediaLeslie Stayner, an asbestos expert at the University of Illinois's school of public health and a key member of the Canadian Government's expert panel on asbestos is demanding Natural Resources Minister Christian Paradis retract recent comments that cited the group's report to promote the "safe use" of asbestos. The expert report, provided to the government in March 2008, was released 13 months later after a long delay under access to information legislation. Paradis, who represents the Quebec town where asbestos is mined, earlier this month told media in Quebec that the government has "adopted a clear position and there have been no new facts since then. Our position remains the same, that of promoting the safe use of asbestos," said Paradis.

However, Leslie Stayner, sent a letter sent to Paradis last week and obtained by Postmedia News, says the comments to the media are a "total misrepresentation" of the expert panel's report, commissioned by Health Canada.  The letter to Paradis, Stayner said the expert panel was never asked to address the question of whether chrysotile asbestos could be used safely.  "Had we been asked this question, I would certainly not have supported the argument that the continued production and use of asbestos in any form, including chrysotile, is safe. It is impossible to believe that developing countries such as India will be able to use chrysotile asbestos in a manner that protects public health when more technically advanced countries like Canada and the United States have failed to do so," Stayner wrote to Paradis.

Visit Canada.com for the full article at: http://www.canada.com/health/Expert+demands+feds+retract+statement+safe+asbestos/4517500/story.html.  It seems Canada (Quebec) is determined to show that chrysotile asbestos should not be regulated and their is a potential safe use for chrysotile asbestos.  We will see if Quebec reopens the Asbestos mine.

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