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Greenlist(tm) Bulletin 01/27/2006

This is the weekly bulletin of the TURI Library, reporting a selection of recently published titles we have acquired. Our pledge is to keep the bulletin relevant to your work and brief -- no more than 10 titles. You are welcome to send a message to jan@turi.org if you would like more information on any of the articles listed here.

Titles here, abstracts below them:

Brominated Flame Retardants: Rising Levels of Concern
Compounds in licorice root may help fight tooth decay
Occurrence of UV Filters 4-Methylbenzylidene Camphor and Octocrylene in Fish from Various Swiss Rivers with Inputs from Wastewater Treatment Plants
EPA Launches 2010/15 PFOA Stewardship Program
Preservatives in the spotlight: tighter regulations worldwide and growing consumer scrutiny have inspired manufacturers to develop alternative cosmetic preservatives
New VOC-Free Drawing Compound Effective for Heavy Draw Applications
2005 Report on Socially Responsible Investing Trends in the United States: 10 Year Review
EarthTrends: The Environmental Information Portal
EU finalizes updated surfactant testing for home detergents
Blood Lead Concentrations in Children and Method of Water Fluoridation in the United States, 1988-1994

1. Brominated Flame Retardants: Rising Levels of Concern

AUTHOR Janssen, Sarah

SOURCE Health Care Without Harm (HCWH)

DATE 2005

ABSTRACT Flame retardants are all around us in health care settings. Intravenous pumps, hospital beds, waiting room chairs, and hospital privacy curtains all share the common need to be fire resistant. To meet fire safety standards, fire resistant chemicals, known as “flame retardants”, are added by manufacturers of health care products to slow or prevent fires. Unfortunately many of these flame retardants do not remain fixed in the product. Instead they slowly leak from the products into our air, dust, water, and environment and eventually they enter our food and bodies. A subset of these flame retardants, called “brominated flame retardants” (BFRs), are now the subject of intense scrutiny. Evidence shows they are likely to persist in our environment, bioaccumulate in the food chain and in our bodies, and cause adverse effects in our children. The breast milk of American women contains the highest levels of BFRs in human breast milk found anywhere in the world. Concerned that health care may be an inadvertent source of hazardous flame retardants, contaminating the environment, people, and the food web, Health Care Without Harm has prepared this report to summarize the latest scientific research on halogenated brominated flame retardants, including their toxicity, persistence, and presence in humans and wildlife. The purpose of the report is to alert health care practitioners to the potential hazard and to spur the development and use of safer alternatives. The report was prepared using scientific reports, government documents and industry information obtained through internet-based searches.

2. Compounds in licorice root may help fight tooth decay

SOURCE American Chemical Society News Service, January 23, 2006

ABSTRACT Compounds isolated from licorice root may help prevent cavities, according to researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles. In test tube studies, the scientists showed that an extract from a plant root that is used to make licorice candy and other products contains at least two compounds that appear to be potent inhibitors of Streptococcus mutans, a major cause of dental caries. Their study is scheduled to appear in the Feb. 24 print version of the Journal of Natural Products, a monthly peer-reviewed joint publication of the American Chemical Society and the American Society of Pharmacognosy. More studies are needed before it is proven that the compounds effectively fight cavities in humans, caution Qing-Yi Lu, Ph.D., a chemist at UCLA’s School of Medicine, and Wenyuan Shi, Ph.D, a microbiologist at UCLA’s School of Dentistry. If further studies show promise, the licorice compounds could eventually be used as cavity-fighting components in mouthwash or toothpaste, they say. Licorice has been an important herb in Chinese medicine for many years and is now being rediscovered by Western medicine as a rich source of potentially beneficial compounds. In addition to being used as flavoring and sweetening agents in candy, tobaccos and beverages, compounds derived from licorice root have been shown to help fight inflammation, viruses, ulcers and even cancer, according to the researchers.

3. Occurrence of UV Filters 4-Methylbenzylidene Camphor and Octocrylene in Fish from Various Swiss Rivers with Inputs from Wastewater Treatment Plants

AUTHOR Buser, Hans-Rudolf; Balmer, Marianne E.; Schmid, Peter; Kohler, Martin

SOURCE Environmental Science & Technology Research ASAP, January 18, 2006

ABSTRACT UV filters are widely used compounds in many personal care products and cosmetics, such as sunscreens. After use, UV filters are washed off from skin and clothes and enter the aquatic environment. Recent studies indicate that some lipophilic UV filters do accumulate in biota and act as endocrine disruptors. In this study, concentrations of 4-MBC (4-methylbenzylidene camphor) and OC (octocrylene), two widely used UV filters, were determined in the muscle tissue of fish (brown trout, Salmo trutta fario) from seven small Swiss rivers, all receiving inputs from wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). Lipid-weight based concentrations of up to 1800 (4-MBC) and 2400 ng g-1 (OC) were found. These levels were distinctly higher than those previously observed in white fish (Coregonus sp.) and roach (Rutilus rutilus) from Swiss lakes with inputs from WWTPs. This suggests a higher availability of these contaminants for fish in rivers than in lakes and identifies WWTPs as a major source for UV filters in the aquatic environment. As compared to lake fish, individual fish from a river showed much greater variation in 4-MBC and OC concentrations, likely as a result of a wider range of exposure in rivers than in lakes. 4-MBC concentrations correlated reasonably well with concentrations of methyl triclosan, a chemical marker for lipophilic WWTP-derived contaminants. The ratio P/Q of population (P) in a watershed to water throughflow (Q) is considered to be a measure of the domestic burden from WWTPs. A correlation of methyl triclosan with P/Q was previously observed with lake fish. However, such a correlation could not be confirmed with river fish. The higher average concentrations of OC as compared to 4-MBC in river fish, and the fact that OC was mostly absent in lake fish, suggests differences in bioaccumulation and availability of these two UV filters.

4. EPA Launches 2010/15 PFOA Stewardship Program

SOURCE United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), " Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA)", http://www.epa.gov/opptintr/pfoa/index.htm, January 25, 2006

ABSTRACT On Wednesday, January 25, 2006, Administrator Johnson invited fluoropolymer and telomer manufacturers to participate in a global stewardship program on PFOA and related chemicals. Participating companies will be asked to commit to reducing PFOA from emissions and product content by 95 percent no later than 2010, and to work toward eliminating PFOA from emissions and product content no later than 2015. Company commitments are requested by March 1, 2006.

5. Preservatives in the spotlight: tighter regulations worldwide and growing consumer scrutiny have inspired manufacturers to develop alternative cosmetic preservatives

AUTHOR deGuzman, Doris

SOURCE Chemical Market Reporter, v268 n19, 5-18 December 2005, pp20-22

DATE 2005

ABSTRACT The cosmetic preservatives market is shifting somewhat. Traditional preservatives such as parabens, formaldehyde-donors and isothiazolinones are under fire from growing negative consumer perceptions and evolving regulations that limit their use. Several producers are now offering alternative ingredients to address consumer demands. "The US cosmetic preservatives market is facing a number of regulatory as well as consumer perception issues that influence preservative selection by personal care consumer product companies," says Patrick Bowers, corporate development and skin care marketing director at International Specialty Products (ISP). "In addition, many US consumer product companies are global in nature, and these companies are also affected by the regulatory and consumer perception issues in other regions such as Europe and Asia Pacific." Parabens (esters of p-hydroxybenzoic acid) especially have been under pressure, notes Stephen Hinden, commercial development director for Arch Personal Care Products. Parabens, which account for 20 percent of the preservatives market, drew media attention after a study came out almost two years ago suggesting a role in breast cancer. Other preservatives have also become less desirable owing to changes in labeling requirements or classification.

6. New VOC-Free Drawing Compound Effective for Heavy Draw Applications

SOURCE Wire Journal International,v38 n12, December 2005, p69

ABSTRACT Houghton International now offers Houghto-Draw® V-2000 drawing compound, a vegetable-oil based product that effectively replaces tough-draw technologies for high-heat applications such as transfer and progressive stamping builds. According to the company, The product provides superior lubricating properties and high emulsion stability without chlorine, phosphorous or sulphur additives. Houghto-Draw V-2000 is vegetable oil based, a naturally inherent lubricant that is biorenewable, readily biodegradable, and easily recycled. The formulation includes technology to lessen bioactivity problems, running cleaner and extending fluid life in machine and centralized bulk delivery systems. The product enables stampers to increase environmental compliance to ISO 14001 regulations.

7. 2005 Report on Socially Responsible Investing Trends in the United States: 10 Year Review

SOURCE Social Investment Forum, Industry Research Program

DATE 2006

ABSTRACT This report marks ten years since the Social Investment Forum published its first biennial report on socially responsible investing (SRI). Over those ten years, socially responsible investment assets grew four percent faster than the entire universe of managed assets in the United States, the 2005 report finds. SRI assets rose more than 258 percent from $639 billion in 1995 to $2.29 trillion in 2005, while the broader universe of assets under professional management increased less than 249 percent from $7 trillion to $24.4 trillion over the same period. Over the past decade, SRI has become a force within the US financial marketplace. Socially and environmentally screened mutual funds have experienced substantial growth in the number and diversity of products and screens offered. Mainstream money managers are increasingly incorporating social and environmental factors into their investing. A growing number of institutional investors are active owners of the companies in their portfolios, and support for the growing numbers of shareholder resolutions filed on social, environmental and corporate-governance issues rose dramatically over the last ten years. Shareholder advocacy, whether through the proxy process or in direct dialogue with companies, produced tangible changes in corporate policies and practices. Community investing is experiencing significant growth in assets, helping to increase the economic opportunities for lower-income communities and spurring industry developments that are making it easier for a broad range of investors to participate in this expanding field. The globalization of socially and environmentally responsible investing continues to advance through a diversity of developments in different regions around the world, from the largest SRI markets in Canada, Europe, Australia and Japan to the more sophisticated emerging markets of Latin America, South Africa and the Asia Pacific region.

8. EarthTrends: The Environmental Information Portal

SOURCE World Resources Institute, http://earthtrends.wri.org/

DATE 2006

ABSTRACT EarthTrends is an online collection of information regarding the environmental, social, and economic trends that shape our world. Committed to the principle that accurate information drives responsible decisions by governments and individuals, EarthTrends offers the public a large breadth of statistical, graphic, and analytical data in easily accessible formats. Much of the environmental information on the internet is fragmented, buried, or only available at a price. EarthTrends gathers data from the world’s leading statistical agencies, along with WRI-generated maps and analyses, into a single database for rapid searching and retrieving. To facilitate the comparison of data from different sources, EarthTrends supplements its content with detailed metadata that reports on research methodologies and evaluates the information’s reliability. All of these resources are made available to the public at no charge.

9. EU finalizes updated surfactant testing for home detergents

AUTHOR Burke, Maria

SOURCE Environmental Science & Technology Online News, http://pubs.acs.org, January 4, 2006

DATE 2006

ABSTRACT All detergents now for sale in European shops are sporting new labels that name the optical brighteners, perfumes, and preservation agents inside each container, regardless of their concentrations. The surfactants that give these products their cleaning abilities have undergone extensive pre-manufacture testing, before arriving in the stores to ensure that they will not persist in the environment. Five different EU directives from the 1970s already regulate detergents’ biodegradability. The new rule builds on them and creates a single text. The rule will improve trade in the internal detergents market and do more to protect the aquatic environment and consumers’ health, the EU notes. The regulation covers all types of detergent surfactants. Previously, about 10% were excluded because no agreed-upon testing methods existed. Those excluded were cationic and amphoteric surfactants used primarily in fabric softeners and in dishwashing products.

10. Blood Lead Concentrations in Children and Method of Water Fluoridation in the United States, 1988-1994

AUTHOR Macek, Mark D.; Matte, Thomas D.; Sinks, Thomas; Malvitz, Dolores M.

SOURCE Environmental Health Perspectives, v114 n1, January 2006, pp130-134

ABSTRACT Some have hypothesized that community water containing sodium silicofluoride and hydrofluosilicic acid may increase blood lead (PbB) concentrations in children by leaching of lead from water conduits and by increasing absorption of lead from water. Our analysis aimed to evaluate the relation between water fluoridation method and PbB concentrations in children. We used PbB concentration data (n = 9,477) from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (1988-1994) for children 1-16 years of age, merged with water fluoridation data from the 1992 Fluoridation Census. The main outcome measure was geometric mean PbB concentration, and covariates included age, sex, race/ethnicity, poverty status, urbanicity, and length of time living in residence. Geometric mean PbB concentrations for each water fluoridation method were 2.40 µg/dL (sodium silicofluoride), 2.34 µg/dL (hydrofluosilicic acid), 1.78 µg/dL (sodium fluoride), 2.24 µg/dL (natural fluoride and no fluoride), and 2.14 µg/dL (unknown/mixed status). In multiple linear and logistic regression, there was a statistical interaction between water fluoridation method and year in which dwelling was built. Controlling for covariates, water fluoridation method was significant only in the models that included dwellings built before 1946 and dwellings of unknown age. Across stratum-specific models for dwellings of known age, neither hydrofluosilicic acid nor sodium silicofluoride were associated with higher geometric mean PbB concentrations or prevalence values. Given these findings, our analyses, though not definitive, do not support concerns that silicofluorides in community water systems cause higher PbB concentrations in children. Current evidence does not provide a basis for changing water fluoridation practices, which have a clear public health benefit.

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This page updated Friday February 03 2006

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Greenlist(tm) Bulletin 01/27/2006