The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #70655

Jamie Harvie, PE, Institute for a Sustainable Future, 32 E. First St., Suite 206, Minneapolis, MN 55802, 218-525-7806, harvie@isfusa.org

Precautionary actions to prevent pollution at both local and national levels can help reduce human exposure to toxic mercury and dioxin. This session highlights local and national initiatives to reduce toxins, including: 1) efforts by City of Duluth, Minnesota to regulate mercury in products and work with companies to use green alternatives in building materials 2) Health Care Without Harm, a successful campaign to reduce toxic pollution from health care, including alternatives to PVC and mercury-containing products. Although reducing exposure to toxic substances in our environment is important, it is not enough. New toxic substances, including mercury, dioxin and other persistent toxins, continue to be discharged into the environment. Mercury and dioxin are developmental neurotoxins, which are ubiquitous in the environment and bioconcentrate in the food chain, exposing fetuses, infants and children. This presentation will describe: sources of mercury in products; how the life cycle of PVC plastic creates dioxin pollution; other toxins from plastics; how people are exposed; health risks; and less polluting alternatives.

Learning Objectives:

• · Analyze the public health implications of health risks from mercury, dioxin and other persistent toxins, and the philosophy of precautionary action to protect public health.
• · Describe toxic pollution created in the life cycle of mercury-containing products and PVC building materials and less-polluting alternatives.
• · Evaluate strategies at the city level to reduce pollution: for example regulation of toxins in products, providing technical assistance and incentives to companies to reduce pollution from building materials and products.
• · Assess Health Care Without Harm as a national campaign model to reduce the toxic pollution from the health care industry, through less polluting practices and products.

Keywords: Environmental Health Hazards, Toxicants

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.