11th Annual Workshop on Brominated Flame Retardants

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Dr. Arlene Blum (Executive Director, Green Science Policy Institute) provided this report from the 11^th Annual Workshop on Brominated Flame Retardants. This is a topic that that deserves more of our attention than it currently gets.

Dear All,

I am just back from an informative and fun Brominated Flame Retardant meeting in Ottawa where I presented my talk, Do Flame Retardants Save Lives? How Peer-Reviewed Science Can Impact Regulatory Decision-Making.

Upcoming Fire Retardant Dilemma symposia hosted by GSP will be held in August in Beijing and the next will be on September 25th at U.C. Berkeley.

I’m attaching the abstracts from the BFR meeting. There were presentations showing levels of fire retardant chemicals in albatross, kestrals, belugas, stellar sea lions, snapping turtles, great blue herons, and a variety of other animals and birds.

Scientists reported on connections between exposure to fire retardant chemicals and indicators of reproductive success such as smaller broods, thinner egg shells, changes to courtship behavior, decrease copulation rates, fewer pairs laying eggs, decrease in parental care, smaller reproductive organs, delays in puberty, and others in a variety of species. Although some of the species are in decline, it is difficult to make a causal connection between chemical exposure and health impacts.

Some connections between PBDE levels and hormonal changes in humans were documented as well as higher PBDE levels in beef, pork, chicken, and turkey from California compared to other states. Also levels in sediments, biosolids, lake water and sewage sludge were reported.

All this information is motivational for our work to bring science into regulatory processes to reduce the use of toxic chemicals.

The next BFR meeting will be in Kyoto Japan in April, and I’m planning to attend. More information at http://www.bfr2010.com/

On another note, Obama has nominated Paul Anastas to be EPA Asst Administrator for Research and Development. Paul Anastas is an outstanding green chemist. This should help toxics be included in the national environmental agenda.

More at http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/President-Obama-Announces-More-Key-Administration-Posts-5-21-09/

Arlene


Arlene Blum PhD
Arlene@arleneblum.com
Visiting Scholar, Chemistry
University of California, Berkeley
Executive Director, Green Science Policy Institute
Telephone: 510 644-3164 Mobile: 510 919-6363
Web: www .greensciencepolicy.org, www.arleneblum.com
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Elana Fishman

Green Science Policy Institute

Phone: 510-644-3164

Mobile: 818-468-5931

elana@greensciencepolicy.org

www.greensciencepolicy.org

The Green Science Policy Institute provides unbiased scientific information to government, industry, and non-governmental organizations to facilitate more informed decision-making about chemicals used in consumer products in order to protect health and environment world-wide.

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Fire Retardant Dilemma Symposia

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Upcoming Conference:

The Green Science Policy Institute Fire Retardant Dilemma Symposia

How can we achieve fire and environmental safety as well as protect public health? This series brings together contributors from industry, government, academia, and citizen groups to share information and research results on the impacts of new fire retardant technologies, materials, and policies and discuss solutions to the fire retardant dilemma. We will expand this continuing discussion of protecting human health and the environment by reducing toxic chemicals in consumer products.

Symposia Details
The Green Science Policy Institute Fire Retardant Dilemma Symposia are held from 8:30am - 4:00pm
150 University Hall, UC Berkeley
2199 Addison Street, Berkeley (Corner of Oxford & Addison Streets)
To attend, RSVP with your contact information: frdilemma@gmail.com or 510 644 3164.


Next Scheduled Symposium:
May 8, 2009, The Fire Retardant Dilemma: Part VIII

Symposium Agenda (download)

Symposium Speakers and Topics (download):
This symposium series brings together contributors from industry, government, academia, and citizens groups to share information and research results on the impacts of fire retardant materials and policies and how to protect human and environmental health by reducing toxics in consumer products.

Speakers
• Dr. Susan D. Shaw, Director, Marine Environmental Research Institute (MERI), Blue Hill, Maine; Bioaccumulation and Health Risks of PBDEs and PFCs in Marine Mammals: Are We Running out of Time?
• Dr. Donna Mensching, DVM, University of Illinois, College of Veterinary Medicine; The ABCs and PBDEs of Feline Hyperthyroidism: Current Findings on a Modern Epidemic
• Dr. Richard Murphy: Director of Science and Education, Holly S. Lohuis: Education/Research Associate, Ocean Futures Society; Fireproof Killer Whales - J. M. Cousteau alerts the public to PBDE contamination
• Kris Senecal, Research Biologist, US Army Natick Soldier Center; Protecting our Troops from Fire Injuries as well as Fire Retardants
• Carl Cranor, University of California, Riverside; Reckless Nation, Contaminated Nation: Some Legal Strategies to Reduce Risks
• Arlene Blum, Ph.D., Visiting Scholar, Chemistry UC Berkeley; Updates on The Fire Retardant Dilemma

Panel Discussions:
• Can hyperthyroid disease in cats and health problems in marine mammals be related to exposure to fire retardants or other chemicals?
• How can we protect marine mammals, our pets, our families and our troops from halogenated flame retardants chemicals and other persistent organic pollutants?
RSVP and questions about future conferences: FRDilemma@gmail.com

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