Chemicals Environment Health

The past 40 years have seen a phenomenal growth in globally oriented public and private initiatives related to chemical and environmental issues. The groundbreaking 1972 United Nations Conference on the Human Environment held in Stockholm was the event responsible for initiating framework for global environmental policies, including those addressing chemical safety. It gave rise to the first World Environment Day and the creation of the United Nations Environment Programme, leading the way to the acknowledgement that sustainable development is the most logical and viable pathway to preserve and enhance our environment for future generations. Chemicals, Environment, Health: A Global Management Perspective presents an overview of the noteworthy conferences, organizations, and international treaties that focus on chemicals management and policy. It takes into account special challenges faced by developing countries regarding chemicals safety. From the Stockholm Conference to follow-ups in Rio and Johannesburg, it provides concise coverage of a vast swath of information. It highlights pivotal agreements such as the Basel, Rotterdam, and Stockholm Conventions, the more expansive Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management, as well as key regional agreements such as the European Union’s REACH legislation. The book includes invited essays in areas such as emergencies and financing instruments, and offers a clear look at future challenges and opportunities. Written by a team of authors from all continents, with backgrounds in international organizations, national governments, academia, industry, and NGOs, the book reflects a wide experience from a multitude of perspectives. A valuable guidebook to global chemicals management cooperation, this book reviews and analyzes multi-lateral efforts established to address the potential risks of chemicals on the world stage.

The past 40 years have seen a phenomenal growth in globally oriented public and private initiatives related to chemical and environmental issues. The groundbreaking 1972 United Nations Conference on the Human Environment held in Stockholm was the event responsible for initiating framework for global environmental policies, including those addressing chemical safety. It gave rise to the first World Environment Day and the creation of the United Nations Environment Programme, leading the way to the acknowledgement that sustainable development is the most logical and viable pathway to preserve and enhance our environment for future generations. Chemicals, Environment, Health: A Global Management Perspective presents an overview of the noteworthy conferences, organizations, and international treaties that focus on chemicals management and policy. It takes into account special challenges faced by developing countries regarding chemicals safety. From the Stockholm Conference to follow-ups in Rio and Johannesburg, it provides concise coverage of a vast swath of information. It highlights pivotal agreements such as the Basel, Rotterdam, and Stockholm Conventions, the more expansive Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management, as well as key regional agreements such as the European Union’s REACH legislation. The book includes invited essays in areas such as emergencies and financing instruments, and offers a clear look at future challenges and opportunities. Written by a team of authors from all continents, with backgrounds in international organizations, national governments, academia, industry, and NGOs, the book reflects a wide experience from a multitude of perspectives. A valuable guidebook to global chemicals management cooperation, this book reviews and analyzes multi-lateral efforts established to address the potential risks of chemicals on the world stage.

Everyday exposures to common chemicals found in homes, schools, and workplaces are having devastating long-term and inter-generational consequences on human health. At the same time, the risks associated with these exposures (and the burdens of managing them) rest disproportionately on the shoulders of women. Written by leading researchers in science, law, and public policy, the chapters in Our Chemical Selves critically examine the system that manufactures the chemicals as well as the social, political, and gender relations that enable harmful chemicals to continue being produced and consumed. This book demonstrates the urgent need to revise existing approaches to the regulation of toxic substances in Canada.

Since the publication of the first edition of ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SCIENCE, preventing and treating acute and chronic disease caused by exposure to chemical health hazards has become even more central to the practice of public health. This fully revised and updated edition introduces students and practitioners to the concepts and terminology from chemistry, ecology, toxicology, and engineering necessary for identifying the sources of environmental contaminants; quantifying environmental levels and human exposures; and preventing and remediating environmental health hazards. Liberal use of figures and tables allows readers to visualize complex scientific phenomena and to understand their effects on every aspect of the environment from cells to entire ecosystems. Authored by two of the foremost educators, investigators, and practitioners in this increasingly important discipline, the new edition of ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SCIENCE is an essential resource for students and practitioners in public health; civil, environmental, and chemical engineers; policy makers; science journalists; and anyone else committed to promoting human health and the health of our environment.

"On November 7-8, 2013, the Institute of Medicine's Roundtable on Environmental Health Sciences, Research, and Medicine held a workshop to discuss approaches related to identifying and reducing potential environmental public health risks to new and existing industrial chemicals present in society. Industrial chemicals include chemicals used in industrial processes or commercial products, not including those found in food, pesticides, or pharmaceuticals. Identifying and Reducing Environmental Health Risks of Chemicals in Our Society is a summary and synthesis of the presentations and discussions that took place during the two days of the workshop. The workshop examined successes and areas for improvement within current regulatory programs for assessing industrial chemical safety, frameworks for chemical prioritization to inform targeted testing and risk management strategies, concepts of sustainability and green chemistry that support the design and use of safer alternatives, and efforts to reduce the risk of chemicals in our society."--Publisher's description.

The Handbook of Environmental Health-Biological, Chemical and Physical Agents of Environmentally Related Disease, Volume 1, Fourth Edition includes twelve chapters on a variety of topics basically following a standard chapter outline where applicable with the exception of chapters 1, 2 and 12. The outline is as follows: 1. Background and status 2. Scientific, technological and general information 3. Statement of the problem 4. Potential for intervention 5. Some specific resources 6. Standards, practices, and techniques 7. Modes of surveillance and evaluation 8. Various controls 9. Summary of the chapter 10. Research needs for the future Chapter 1, Environment and Humans discusses ecosystems, energy technologies and environmental problems, important concepts of chemistry, transport and alteration of chemicals in the environment, environmental economics, risk-benefit analysis, environmental health law, environmental impact statements, competencies for the environmental health practitioner. Chapter 2, Environmental Problems and Human Health has a general discussion of people and disease followed by a brief discussion of physiology including the human cell, blood, lymphatic system, tissue membranes, nervous system, respiratory system, gastrointestinal system and urinary system. There is a discussion of toxicological principles including toxicokinetics and toxicodynamics. There is a discussion of carcinogenesis, mutagenesis, reproductive toxicity and teratogenesis and the role of environmental contaminants in causing disease. Medical surveillance techniques utilized to measure potential toxicity are included. Basic concepts of microbiology are discussed followed by principles of communicable diseases and emerging infectious diseases. There’s an explanation of epidemiological principles including epidemiological investigations and environmental health and environmental epidemiology. The chapter concludes with a discussion of risk assessment and risk management. Chapter 3, Food Protection discusses food microbiology, reproduction and growth of microorganisms, environmental effects on bacteria, detergents and disinfectants, sources of foodborne disease exposure, FoodNet, various foodborne infections, bacterial food poisoning, chemical poisoning, poisonous plants and fungi, allergic reactions, parasitic infections, chronic aftereffects of foodborne disease, vessel sanitation programs, food quality protection acts, plans review, food service facilities, food storage, inspection techniques, preparation and serving of food, cleaning and sanitizing equipment and utensils, insect and rodent control, flow systems, epidemiological study techniques, Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point Inspection, food protection controls, food service training programs, national food safety initiative. Chapter 4, Food Technology discusses emerging or reemerging foodborne pathogens, chemistry of foods, food additives and preservatives, food spoilage, pesticides and fertilizers in food, antibiotics in food, heavy metals and the food chain, use of recycled plastics in food packaging, environmental problems in milk processing, poultry processing, egg processing, meat processing, fish and shellfish processing, produce processing, and imported foods. National standards, practices and techniques are provided for milk, ice cream, poultry, eggs, meat, produce and seafood. Current modes of surveillance and evaluation as well as appropriate control measures are provided for each of the above areas. Chapter 5, Insect Control discusses scientific, technological, and general information about various insects of public health significance including fleas, flies, lice, mites, mosquitoes, and roaches. There is a substantial discussion of the many diseases transmitted by insects including African Bite Fever, Bubonic Plague, Chagas Disease, Colorado Tick Fever, Dengue Fever, Ehrlichioses, Encephalitis, Lyme Disease, Malaria, Rickettsial Pox, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Scabies, Scrub Typhus, Tularemia, Typhus Fever, Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers, Yellow Fever. Included in the text are the national standards, practices, and techniques utilized to conduct surveys, methods of prevention and controls of the insects. Further there is a discussion of emerging and reemerging insect borne diseases including why this is occurring. Integrated pest management is a special topic. Chapter 6, Rodent Control discusses the characteristics and behavior of murine rodents and deer mice, how they affect humans and the various diseases that they cause. National standards, practices and techniques are established for rodent poisoning and trapping, food and harborage removal, and rodent proofing. A special feature is the discussion of an actual working community rodent control program. Chapter 7, Pesticides discusses current issues, current laws and the effects of pesticides on groundwater, surface water, land, food, air and people. The various categories of pesticides and current allowable usage of inorganic insecticides and petroleum compounds, chlorinated hydrocarbons, organophosphates, carbamates, biolarvicides, and insect growth regulators are discussed. Chapter 8, Indoor Environment discusses indoor air pollution, housing, health and the housing environment, human illness, monitoring environmental disease, residential wood combustion, environmental tobacco smoke, carbon monoxide, radon gas, volatile organic compounds, asbestos, molds, bacteria and other biological contaminants, environmental lead hazards, noise, accidents and injuries. National standards, practices, and techniques are provided for all areas of the indoor environment, and survey techniques and housing studies are included. Chapter 9-Institutional Environment discusses the complex environment and potential for disease in nursing and convalescent homes, old-age homes, schools, colleges, and universities, prisons and hospitals. There are in-depth discussions on the potential for spread of disease through air, water, fomites, surfaces, people, food, laundry, insects and rodents, laboratories and biohazards, and surgical suites. Within the hospital setting there are extended discussions of heating, air conditioning, and laminar flow, housekeeping, laundry, solid and hazardous waste, maintenance, plumbing, food, hazardous chemicals, insects and rodents, radioactive materials, water supply, emergency medical services, fire safety and patient safety programs. Handwashing and hospital environmental control is explained in depth including the various microorganisms that may be transmitted by hands. There is a special discussion on laboratories and bio hazards including bacterial agents, fungal agents, parasitic agents, prions, rickettsial agents, viral agents, arborviruses and related zoological viruses. There are additional discussions on human immunodeficiency virus, hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus, tuberculosis, resistant organisms. Emerging and reemerging infection problems are of great significance. Hospital acquired infection and routes of transmission are significant problems. Occupational health and safety problems in the hospital are analyzed. The most recent CDC guidelines for all these areas are included. A significant number of inspection and survey forms are included in order for the reader to get a better understanding of specific problems in a specific institution. Chapter 10-Recreational Environment includes problems and solutions to problems in water quality, water supply, sewage, plumbing, shelter, food, solid waste, fish handling, stables, swimming and boating. Chapter 11-Occupational Environment includes a discussion of the interrelated challenges of various pressures in the environment. It includes physical agents such as sound, non-ionizing radiation, ionizing radiation, hot and cold temperature extremes. It also includes discussions of chemical agents such as toxic chemicals, flammable chemicals, corrosive chemicals, reactive agents. It includes discussions of biological agents. Ergonomics is an essential part of the chapter. The occupational health controls of substitution, isolation, ventilation, personal protective equipment, housekeeping, and education for control of physical agents, chemical agents, biological agents and ergonomic factors are also discussed. Chapter 12-Major Instrumentation for Environmental Evaluation of Occupational, Residential, and Public Indoor Settings discusses instantaneous or real-time monitoring, integrated or continuous monitoring, personal monitoring and area monitoring. Techniques and equipment are discussed for various airborne particulates and gaseous agents. Integrated or continuous monitoring of sound as well as instantaneous or real-time monitoring of sound is explained. Evaluation of air temperature factors are discussed. Evaluations of the illumination, microwave radiation, electric and magnetic fields, ionizing radiation, air pressure, velocity and flow rate are presented. Excellent graphics help the reader understand the principles of instrumentation. A large and current bibliography by chapter is included at the end of the book. This state-of-the-art computerized graphics can be found throughout the book. A comprehensive index of both Volume I and Volume II is at the end of the book to aid the reader in easily finding necessary information. The reader is referred to the Volume II when appropriate. The book is user-friendly to a variety of individuals including generalalist professionals as well as specialists, industrial hygiene personnel, health and medical personnel, the media, supervisors and managers of environmental health and occupational health areas, and students. Individuals can easily gain appropriate and applicable standards, rules and regulations to help the individual increase knowledge in a given area or solve actual problems. The book is utilized to help individuals also prepare for registration examinations. The book is co-published with the National Environmental Health Association.

"Over the past four decades, the prevalence of autism, asthma, ADHD, obesity, diabetes, and birth defects has increased substantially among children throughout the world. Not coincidentally, more than 80,000 new chemicals have been developed and released into the global environment during this same period. Today the World Health Organization attributes more than one third of all childhood deaths to environmental causes. Children and Environmental Toxins: What Everyone Needs to Know offers an authoritative yet accessible question-and-answer guide to the "silent spring" of environmental threats to children's health. As the burdens of environmental toxins and chronic disease continue to defy borders, this book will be an invaluable addition to the conspicuously sparse literature in this area"--

This is a broad, in-depth introduction to a scientific field that is becoming ever more central to human health. Environmental exposures to a bewildering array of chemical and physical agents result from our individual and collective activities, and can cause effects ranging from discomfort through loss of function, illness, chronic diseases, and premature death. Their concomitant effects on quality of life, productivity, and need for clinical services can be costly. The book covers the terminology used in environmental health; the sources of chemical and physical agents in the environment; how they disperse and transform throughout the environment; their effects on environmental quality and human health; how levels and exposures are quantified; how standards are established; how levels, exposures, and risks can be controlled; and what technological opportunities and trends are likely to influence our environmental future. It includes chapters on noise, ionizing radiation, non-ionizing radiation, risk assessment, and risk management. Written in a clear and systematic way, this text will be an invaluable resource for students of environmental health. An earlier version of the book, Chemical Contamination in the Human Environment (OUP 1979), was called by one teacher "visionary...easily the most useful textbook in environmental health science for entry-level graduate students."