Loren Santiago - MPH 632: Environmental Health

I obtained an MSDS from a hospital in Los Angeles that my brother works at. The chemical was hydrochloric acid.  What are the health risks associated with this chemical?   According to the MSDS:Inhalation may provoke coughing, wheezing, respiratory irritation, shortness of breath, inflammation and edema of the larynx and/or bronchi, spasm, pneumonitis, and pulmonary edema. If it comes in contact with skin it causes burns. It is corrosive to eyes. Is the chemical a carcinogen?   This chemical is not classified as a carcinogen.  What personal protective equipment or special precautions should be taken when working with this chemical? For eye and face protection, one should wear a face shield (8 inch minimum) or tight-fitting safety goggles. Nitrile rubber gloves must be worn to protect skin; wash and dry hands after handling. A complete body suit protecting against chemicals can be worn, but "the type of protective equipment must be selected according to t...

Using electronic cigarettes, otherwise commonly known as, "vaping" is becoming increasingly popular. With a variety of attractive flavors, the practice may appeal to many. However, with so many flavors comes the use of chemicals to create them. A liquid within the e-cigarette is heated until it vaporizes. These e-liquids contain propylene glycol, vegetable glycerin, flavors, and typically nicotine. According to an article by Live Science, the potential toxicity of these substances is not known, but a recent study looked at how these chemicals affected human cells. While the study did not actually look at the health effects but rather, the effects the chemicals had on human cells, the researchers suggest that this could potentially lead to toxic effects. More studies are needed on the subject. There are more than 7,700 commercially available flavors, and the U.S. FDA has not been able to regulate all of the ingredients. In addition to this, most of the e-liquids do not reveal ...

The World Health Organization (WHO) is a large international organization that promotes health and safety for the world. One program they have is the prevention and management of Noncommunicable disease (NCD). NCD's are usually a result of lifestyle factors and can be chronic. Some NCD's include heart disease, stroke, mental illness, diabetes, chronic lung disease. Major risk factors include: unhealthy diets, lack of physical activity, and tobacco and alcohol use. In order to promote healthy behavior, WHO has implemented programs like a global action plan to promote physical activity, a NCD progress monitor, and various other programs that are specific to the different NCDs. While prevention is important, WHO also advocates for management of NCD. They support countries by developing guidelines, tools, and training materials on the management of specific NCDs. When it comes to safety and health in the workplace, this information on prevention and management of NCD can help m...

What is Byssinosis?   Byssinosis, otherwise known as Monday fever, brown lung disease, mill fever, or cotton worker’s lung, is an occupational lung disease. Those working in cotton processing, hemp or flax industries are affected. What happens when one contracts byssinosis?   Byssinosis begins when workers inhale cotton, flax, or hemp particles. This causes breathing difficulties that tend to improve later on in the week or as exposure to cotton dust (hence the term “Monday fever”). Other symptoms include cough and chest tightness. Is this dangerous?   According to the American Lung Association, prolonged exposure can cause irreversible lung damage that may resemble chronic obstructive lung disease. Usually, no long-term effects are seen if the exposure stops, and those who develop symptoms have typically been exposed for long periods of time (over 10 years). How is this regulated?   In the United States, death by byssinosis is rare as regulations are enforc...

One of the world's largest food chains and purchasers of beef, McDonald's, has proposed a new goal to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions as a response to global warming. The ambitious goal involves cutting emissions by 36% and emissions per ton of packaging or food by 31% by the year 2030. The company is working with other nonprofit organizations and scientists to make a clear path for implementation. According to the article, McDonald's was already beginning to work on reducing emissions, but will now add more to their goal by focusing on beef production, energy use at restaurants, packaging, and waste. Multiple changes in their system will need to be made in order to successfully achieve these goals, but according to Sheila Bonini, senior vice president of private sector engagement for WWF, they're "starting to see great results." McDonald's has also made commitments to end deforestation and plans on using more sustainable meat sources or possibly even ...

Blog  on your thoughts about these articles. Lead Poisoning, Herbert Needleman             Needleman provides an extensive history about the use of lead in our society. Lead has been used as far back as the second century and has still been used in modern times. Throughout the article, Needleman indicates that lead is particularly detrimental for children and older adults. Lead causes multiple health issues including neurotoxicity, learning disabilities, and behavioral problems. In addition to the issues listed, lead toxicity can even be asymptomatic. Although the use of lead lessened and removing it from gasoline has reduced blood lead levels in the United States, older houses still pose a great risk for lead exposure. Even at low levels, lead can still cause physical health and cognitive problems. As noted in the article, treatment with medications can greatly reduce blood lead levels, but the most effective interventi...

WATCH  this video on plastic and consider how different our global ecology would be if green chemistry principles had been applied at the time that plastic was invented. The information in this video is very upsetting, but very real. The fact that plastic does not degrade may not be well known. Most people don’t even think twice about a water bottle or a plastic bag. Many may think that they are doing their part by recycling, and while recycling is helpful, the truth of the matter is that if we keep producing plastic, it is just going to keep on accumulating. Unfortunately, this creates a huge issue our environment, as plastic is ending up in our oceans and harming our animals. If green chemistry principles had been applied we would be in a much better predicament; however, we now have to face the facts and deal with the amount of plastic waste building up. Creating new technology to reduce waste is definitely part of the solution.   BLOG  about your thoughts on ...

Discuss  each of the 6 half-hour webinars in a single blog post, separating the post by inserting each webinar's title before discussing that webinar.  http://www.sixclasses.org/ Highly Fluorinated Chemicals This class of chemicals are found in a multitude of items, such as clothing, carpets, non-stick cookware, cosmetics, adhesives, furnishings, and more. More than likely, most of us may have an item containing PFOA or other highly fluorinated chemical in our home right now. These chemicals do not break down, which then contributes to environmental and pollution problems. In addition to this, they can cause health hazards. It is important to understand that these chemicals are harmful and know what products to avoid. I was glad to see that major companies are beginning to ban the use of highly fluorinated chemicals.  Antimicrobials  Antimicrobials are becoming ever more present in our products. Consumers may believe that they are actual...

According to a new study done on 71 women in Indiana, high levels of glyphosate may lead to a shorter pregnancy. Glyphosate is the active ingredient in Monsanto's Roundup weed killer, and is commonly used in the US - about 300 millions pounds are used each year. The chemical has been studied before, and this is the first time effects have been studied on pregnant women. The new study has suggested that exposure to glyphosate can cause shorter pregnancies and may pose lifelong challenges for the children. The authors state that exposure could be caused by inhalation, but food is the more likely cause. That being said, it could be a larger issue rather than just regional. The authors plan to conduct a more extensive study with a more diverse population and different demographics. More information is needed as this study is limited, but it is not new that chemicals are posing risks to pregnant women and the children they are carrying. Even though Roundup weed killer has been widely ...

After watching all of the provided videos and reading material blog about what you think is essential for an ideal chemical policy and then elaborate on one of the elements from a public health protection perspective. An ideal chemical policy requires many different elements. Essential parts of the policy would include placing strict regulations on chemical use, enforcing transparency regarding chemicals in products, testing chemicals before allowing them to be used on or in products, and banning them if they cause harmful effects to the environment, humans, or animals. In addition to these points, it would be necessary to implement in the policy the involvement of the community and workers in the reform and changes made to chemical policy.  As we have become so dependent on chemical use in our practices today, it would be unrealistic to implement a policy that would cut out chemical use altogether. That is a goal that we should work towards eventually, as we de...

In light of the Louisville Charter elements  BLOG  about what you know about the current holes in our national chemical policies, Note any California chemical policies that may be an improvement on the federal policies. The Louisville Charter suggests that we update our chemical policies and work towards safer and less use of chemicals. The charter advises that we require safer substitutes and solutions, phase out persistent, bioaccumalative, or highly toxic chemicals, act on early warnings, and require comprehensive safety data for all chemicals. It also states that the public and workers should have the full right-to-know and participate in decisions on chemicals, and that immediate action should be taken to protect those communities and workers at risk for chemical exposure. Our nation has taken a long time to update our chemical policies, and there were many ways companies could get around the standards or restrictions in place. In June 2016, the Frank R. Lautenberg Chem...

What's on my food? For dinner, I had a salad with a piece of salmon. The salad was a mix of kale, red cabbage, cabbage, and carrots. According to www.whatsonmyfood.org, the following pesticide residues are found on these produce items: Carrots - 26 pesticide residues 6 known/probable carcinogens, 14 suspected hormone disruptors, 3 neurotoxins, 7 developmental or reproductive toxins, and 5 honeybee toxins Cabbage - 11 pesticide residues 2 known/probable carcinogens, 3 suspected hormone disruptors, 5 neurotoxins, 1 developmental or reproductive toxin, and 5 honeybee toxins Kale - 55 pesticide residues 6 known/probable carcinogens, 22 suspected hormone disruptors, 10 neurotoxins, 10 developmental or reproductive toxins, 17 honeybee toxins Red cabbage and salmon were not found on the database. Looking at these results made me quite sad to know that the healthy food I eat is laden with pesticides. The kale results especially shocked me. Kale has been so big in the "hea...

New research suggests that the world's largest reservoir of mercury is is the Northern Hemisphere. The amount is large enough to fill 23 Olympic sized swimming pools. This permafrost is found in Canada, Alaska, Siberia, and the Tibetan plateau of China. The mercury is naturally occurring, as it gets trapped beneath dead plants and soil that freeze into permafrost; however, it can be neurologically toxic to humans and animals in the form of methylmercury. This methylmercury can leach out of the soil or it may be eaten by microbes and pass up the food chain. This can pose a huge problem for those that rely on food sources, such as salmon from the Yukon river. It is said that the mercury is prominent in the Yukon River, which then led to a significant amount of mercury in the ocean. Climate change accelerates the process of permafrost thawing, thus allowing mercury into the environment at a much faster rate. This only adds to the list of problems that climate change has created. Ref...

Topic of interest:  Water pollution, water conservation What agencies at the local, state, federal, and/or international level provide information, regulatory oversight, or are otherwise implicated in addressing that topic?  Some agencies include... EPA: develop and enforce regulations regarding water conservation and pollution House Committee on Natural Resources, Subcommittee on Water, Power, & Oceans: this subcommittee is responsible for "matters concerning America’s water resources, federal irrigation projects, generation of electric power from federal water projects, interstate water issues and fisheries management." USDA: works with farmers and ranchers to implement conversation practices in various areas, including water. National Ocean Service (if I decide to focus solely on oceans and pollution): their mission is to "provide science-based solutions through collaborative partnerships to address evolving economic, environmental, and social press...

I chose to review the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). USACE is an agency that delivers engineering services to more than 130 countries worldwide, not just the US. They state that environmental sustainability is their guiding principle and they work to "strengthen our Nation's security by building and maintaining America's infrastructure." They also work to reduce disaster risk (like from flooding), protect and restore our environment, and clean sites contaminated with hazardous, toxic, or radioactive waste and material. While the USACE is doing many things to improve and protect our environment, I found what they do with our water to be interesting. According to their website, USACE prevents greater than $6 in flood damages for every $1 invested, produces 6.5 billion gallons of drinking water per day, and is the largest renewable energy producer in the US. References http://www.usace.army.mil/About/ http://www.usace.army.mil/Portals/2/docs/USACE_101_Sep_2014...

San Francisco has and Environmental Health branch in the Department of Public Health (DPH) and a Department of Environment, SF Environment. The DPH environmental branch lists these services: Restaurant Permitting Restaurant Scores Hazardous Materials Childhood Lead Prevention Noise Rodents, Mosquitoes, and Other Insects Massage Healthy Housing Agriculture Water Programs Air and Smoking Weights and Measures Cannabis Transportation Program on Health, Equity, and Sustainability Garbage SF Environment provides the following services: Energy Transportation Zero Waste Toxics and Health Buildings and Environments Education and Equity Climate Change  San Francisco is known to be an environmentally friendly city, so I was not surprised to see the amount of services provided. I think that is it great that services are provided from where to dispose of left over medication to producing green jobs and promoting environmental justice. One service that did surpris...

The Vanishing of the Bees and Dirt!: The Movie Before watching "The Vanishing of the Bees", I had only heard about this issue. I never thought to look deeper into it, but after watching this film, I see that it is an extreme issue that is directly related to our actions. "Dirt!: The Movie" further reveals that as a species, we are causing extensive harm to the planet and the environment. One thing that stood out to me was the use of pesticides. Pesticides harm our bees, and other pollinators, but they also harm the earth. As we continue to use these harmful chemicals, we kill our pollinators, destroy our soil, and ruin our environment. Big agriculture seeks to create monoculture and sustain human demand, but in reality, none of this is sustainable at all. From the dirt, to the bees, to the water, to us, we need to think of ways to preserve the environment and work with it to improve for the future. Factory Farms  According to the map, there are no factory farm...

A new study has shown that Earth's forests are important in maintaining our environment. Our forests are not just beautiful places with a multitude of different animals and plants, but they actually play a vital role in our lives. According to the article, Earth's forests play a role in reducing climate change, maintaining water supplies, safeguarding biodiversity, and protecting human health. Unfortunately, the amount of intact forests have been declining and these important ecosystems are being neglected. As stated in the article, "forests absorb around 25% of the world's human-generated carbon emissions," and thus are important for reducing global warming. As humans move in on the forests, animals are exposed to hunters. As the animals disappear, so do the plants and trees because they depend on the animals to spread their seeds. The soil of these forests are also better at holding water in the soil, which stabilizes slopes and prevents erosion. If those bene...

Seasonal & Local Food I recently read The Omnivore’s Dilemma by Michael Pollan. This book encouraged me to try and eat as locally and seasonally as possible. The information presented in this article and the resourced websites only reinforced that notion. Eating locally and in season is better (and tastier) for us and better for the environment. Living in California, I find that we are quite lucky in our selection of seasonal fruits. I grew up in Wyoming. Wyoming is a land-locked state where not much farming is done. Out of curiosity, I looked up seasonal foods on the Seasonal Food Guide ( https://www.seasonalfoodguide.org/ ). In early March, there are only five types of produce available. Chives, horseradish, morels, mushrooms, and chives. I then changed the location to California, and found a much, much larger selection of produce available in early March: arugula, avocados, beets, broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, celery, citrus, grapefruit, green beans, kiwi, lemons...

ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE 101: HOW ANTIBIOTIC MISUSE ON FACTORY FARMS CAN MAKE YOU SICK It’s astonishing how much we use antibiotics for agricultural use. When one thinks of antibiotics, most of the time, the first thing that comes to mind is a sick person. Infections are what require antibiotics, not animal feed. Unfortunately, this is not the case today. As stated in the report, between 2002 and 2011, salmonella resistance to cephalosporins more than tripled in chicken breasts and almost tripled in ground turkey. I’m sure that it has only increased from 2011 to 2018. What is even more troublesome is the fact that there is so much pushback to regulating antibiotic use in agriculture. Other countries in the European Union, such as Denmark and the Netherlands have taken great steps to reduce unnecessary use of antibiotics and improve antibiotic stewardship. They have had some success in this area. The United States has not. It is essential that we keep working to pass leg...