Statewide teleconference,  Wednesday, April 24, 9:00 AM to 10:00 AM

Pefluorinated compounds (PFCs) are synthetic chemicals used to make materials stain- and stick- resistant. They can be found in non-stick cookware, grease-resistant food packaging, water-resistant outerwear and shoes, stain-resistant home furnishings and other household products. PFCs are persistent organic pollutants that accumulate in the bodies of fish, wildlife, and people and have been linked to adverse health effects, including reproductive and developmental effects, endocrine disruption and certain cancers.

PRESENTERS:

Craig Butt, PhD, post-doctoral research fellow in the Nicholas School of the Environment at Duke University

Carol Kwiatkowski, PhD, Executive Director and Senior Research Associate at The Endocrine Disruption Exchange (TEDX)

For more information or to join this FREE call and receive the dial-up instructions, sign up at www.akaction.org or RSVP to ACAT at diana@akaction.org or call (907) 222-7714.

Wednesday, February 13, 9:00 am – 10:00 am

Free one-hour teleconference sponsored by the Alaska Collaborative on Health and the Environment.

About the Call:

A recent peer-reviewed study by Duke University tested over 100 polyurethane foam samples from couches across the U.S. and found that 85% contained potentially toxic or untested flame retardants. As these chemicals are released from our furniture in the form of microscopic dust, we inhale and ingest them constantly. Many flame retardants raise health concerns, including cancer, hormone disruption, and harmful effects on brain development. The study found an increase in the use of flame retardants in newer couches, despite no data demonstrating fire safety benefit from their use. Join lead author of the study, Dr. Heather M. Stapleton, for a discussion of the study’s findings and health effects of toxic flame retardants, and Pamela K. Miller, executive director of Alaska Community Action on Toxics for an update on what’s happening at the state, federal, and international levels to halt exposure to toxic flame retardants. We will also discuss how these chemicals are accumulating in the Arctic and how they might affect human and environmental health.

To learn more, or sign-up and receive dial-up instructions: http://bit.ly/Feb13Call

Wednesday, February 6,  9:00 am – 10:00 am

Free one-hour teleconference sponsored by the Alaska Collaborative on Health and the Environment.

About the Call:

Nurses are becoming increasingly engaged in environmental health issues including chemical policy reform. They are concerned about preventing diseases of environmental origin, but may lack the expertise to effectively advocate for change. Nurses that are both informed about environmental and public health problems, and empowered to effectively influence policy, can be a powerful force to vastly improve public health.

Presenters Katie Huffling, RN, MS, CNM, Director of Programs at the Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments and  Kathy Curtis, executive director of Clean and Healthy New York will provide a brief overview of market and government chemical policies currently being considered, and explore how nurses can utilize advocacy tools to advance public health protections.

Learn more, or sign-up to receive the dial-up instructions at: http://bit.ly/Feb6Call

Wednesday, January 23, 9:00 am to 10:00 am

At every stage – from mining, transportation, combustion, and disposal – coal  development threatens human health, air quality, and water quality. Learn more

Presenters will discuss:

• Current coal mining proposals in Alaska;
• The adverse health effects of inhaling diesel particulate matter and coal dust – a significant risk for those communities along truck and train transportation routes; and
• How toxic emissions (including mercury and other heavy metals) from coal-fired power plants in Asia travel back to Alaska, polluting our air, water, and fish.

Presenters:

• Steven G. Gilbert, PhD, Director and Founder of the Institute of Neurotoxicology and Neurological Disorders (INND), Affiliate Professor in the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington and author of A Small Dose of Toxicology- The Health Effects of Common Chemicals.
• Regna Merritt, Campaign Director: Prevent Coal Exports, Oregon Physicians for Social Responsibility. Regna is a retired physician assistant who works with health professionals and the Power Past Coal Coalition to identify and prevent negative health impacts of proposed coal export projects in the Pacific Northwest.
• Heidi Zimmer, Environmental Health and Justice Coordinator, Alaska Community Action on Toxics.

To join this call: Sign up or call ACAT at 222-7714 to receive the dial-up instructions.