The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA

Abstract #49876

Kathleen E. Schuler, MPH, Food and Health Program, Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, 2105 First Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN 55404, 612-870-3468, kschuler@iatp.org

Experience with polychlorinated biphenyls or PCBs, organic pollutants, which persist in the environment, in wildlife and in the human body informs us about emerging POPS, like PBDEs. Despite the introduction of no new sources, PCBs continue to adversely affect the health of developing fetuses and children. PCBs are persistent, widely dispersed throughout the environment, bioaccumulative in fish and neurotoxic. Because PBDEs have similar characteristics, PCBs teach us about the danger of widespread use and release of these kinds of persistent bioaccumulative substances before we fully understand the adverse impacts on health and environment.

Learning Objectives: Participants will learn

• Characteristics of PCBs, how they are regulated and why they continue to be a public health problem; and
• How our experience with PCBs informs us about actions we should take to prevent contamination of the environment and food sources by PBDEs and other persistent pollutants.

Keywords: Child Health, Environmental Health Hazards

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.