Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #122036

Lynn Goldman¹, Ellen Wells¹, Samar Khoury¹, and Ruth Quinn². (1) School of Hygiene & Public Health, Johns Hopkins University (JHU), Hampton House Room: 441, Baltimore, MD 21205, 410-614-9301, lgoldman@jhsph.edu, (2) Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 615 N. Wolfe St., E6640, Baltimore, MD 21205

There are major differences in children's health status and environmental risk factors across the continent of North America. One measure of environmental status is pollutant release and transfer registers; the US and Canada have such programs to require reporting of toxics by companies and Mexico has recently established such an effort as well. Toxic release reports inform communities about toxics that are released and transported through their communities. They help to support pollution prevention approaches by informing not only about release to air, water and land but also to generation and disposal of wastes. To better inform about the nature of such releases in North America we have focused on releases of chemicals recognized or suspected to be carcinogens and developmental/reproductive toxicants. We have utilized a Toxicity Exposure Potency index to give more weight to releases that have higher potency. A draft report on such releases in North America has been prepared and has been reviewed by the public. Findings include areas within the US and Canada with relatively higher (and lower) reported quantities of such releases. It is hoped that such efforts will inform efforts to protect the health of children in North America.

Learning Objectives:

• Learn about the potential environmental health issues associated with the NAFTA and other trade agreements and institutional arrangements such as the Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC) for addressing these issues.
• Understand the challenges of managing chemicals in North America (chemicals in commerce, movement of POPs, monitoring) and trilateral approaches that are being taken.
• Learn about indicators of children's health and the environment in North America that are under development.
• Understand the role and purpose of pollutant release and transfer registries, the North American registry and how it can be applied to tracking children's health issues.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.

Recorded presentation