Do You Live in a Disease Cluster?

A report from the National Resources Defense Council underscores the threat of exposure to chemicals in the environment. But you can take steps to protect yourself.

By Joanna Poncavage RODALE NEWS, EMMAUS, PA—“The tip of the iceberg” is how reproductive biologist Sarah Janssen describes 42 disease clusters in 13 states where people are sick with cancer, birth defects, or other chronic illnesses. Janssen is a senior scientist with the National Resources Defense Council (NRDC), and a coauthor of the new report, “Health Alert: Disease Clusters Spotlight the Need to Protect People from Toxic Chemicals.” Only one of those clusters has been linked to a cause: In Libby, Montana, asbestos contamination of vermiculite mines resulted in a high rate of malignant and respiratory diseases. Elsewhere, connections are less clear. The tiny state of Delaware (nickname: Chemical Capital of the World) has eight clusters of cancer, but state investigators rarely looked for chemical exposure or environmental links, according to Janssen. “We thought this report would highlight the need for toxics reform because many of these communities are disproportionately impacted by chemical contaminants,” says Janssen. “A lot of these diseases are on the rise. The question is why, and at the moment we are not doing a very good job of asking that question,” says Terry Nordbrock, executive director of the National Disease Cluster Alliance (NDCA, ClusterAlliance.org), also a coauthor of the disease cluster report. But attempts to answer that question are in the works. Introduced in January by Sens. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) and Michael Crapo (R-Idaho), Senate Bill No. 76, "Strengthening Protections for Children and Communities From Disease Clusters Act," is also known as “Trevor’s Law,” named for a childhood cancer survivor. "This bill will make sure the government agencies are working together, along with the affected communities. You put data together, and you can really start putting the puzzle together," says Nordbrock. And in April, Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.) introduced the Safe Chemicals Act, a bill to reform the 1976 Toxic Substances Control Act. In spite of this 35-year-old law, only about 200 of the 84,000 chemicals in commerce today have been tested for safety. Reform of the law would shift the burden of proof for safety from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to the chemical industry. How to Protect Yourself The NRDC and the NDCA plan to identify additional disease clusters investigated or confirmed since 1976. In the meantime, to see if you’re living in an area at risk, see the disease cluster report, or the NDCA’s disease cluster and hotspot map. “Whether you live in a disease cluster area or not, bio-monitoring has been showing that even newborn babies in a non-polluted area have 200 different contaminants in their bodies,” says Nordbrock. Here are some other ways to take action against unhealthy chemical exposure, whether from large-scale contamination or small, everyday sources: • Assess your area. To find out what might be toxic in your backyard, visit the EPA’s Toxic Release Inventory Program, and search by zip code for industries or facilities reporting release or management of toxic chemicals. The EPA’s Superfund Sites Where You Live page lists thousands of locations of uncontrolled hazardous waste and their clean-up progress. • Make healthy choices. Entire books have been written about everyday chemical exposure, and how to protect yourself and your family from toxins that are finding their way into your bodies, but strategies are similar: Choosing organic food whenever possible can reduce the load of pesticides in your body. A filter can remove chemicals from your household water. Air filters, including better air-conditioner filters, and more frequent dusting and vacuuming will reduce particulate-borne contaminants in your home, especially if you live close to a freeway or refinery. Low-VOC (volatile organic compounds) paint is always advised to improve indoor air quality. • Kick toxic chemicals out of the house. For more on chemicals used in everyday products, and how to avoid toxic chemicals at home, at work or in schools, visit the NRDC’s Smarter Living pages. Create your own green cleaners so you can keep your home clean without adding to your body's chemical load. Not sure where to start? See our stories 5 Household Toxins You Should Banish from Your Home and 7 More Household Toxins You Should Banish from Your Home for suggestions. • Cut back on plastics. Harmful chemicals like phthalates and BPA can leach into your food and beverage, so use non-plastic containers for food storage. Never heat any food or drink in plastic (that includes microwave meals with plastic packaging). It's impossible to avoid all plastic—even we couldn’t stay entirely plastic free—but eliminating unnecessary plastic makes good sense. • Demand a change. Cofounded by the NDCA, Safer Chemicals Healthy Families offers more health tips, and ways to help promote toxic-chemical reforms, including contacting legislators and congressmen. “Don’t be shy about contacting members of both parties,” says Nordbrock. source (read more...)

Do You Live Near a Disease Cluster? Of 13 States Reviewed, 42 Disease Clusters Found

Posted by Paul Napoli March 31, 2011 4:24 AM March 30, 2011 Researchers are urging Congress to act after studying thirteen states and finding 42 disease clusters. The report entitled Health Alert: Disease Clusters Spotlight the Need to Protect People from Toxic Chemicals is by researches of the National Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and National Disease Clusters Alliance (NDCA), both nonprofit, public interest organizations. It illustrates that disease clusters are occurring in the U.S. and that state and local governments need help and funding from federal agencies to determine the cause of these diseases affecting groups of citizens. Researchers focused on only thirteen states, Texas, California, Michigan, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Florida, Ohio, Delaware, Louisiana, Montana, Tennessee, Missouri, and Arkansas, chosen on the basis of occurrence of known clusters in the state, geographic diversity, or community concerns about a disease cluster in their area. Other states may also have disease clusters. “All of these disease clusters have been confirmed or are currently undergoing an official investigation, though in most cases the cause of the cluster is unknown,” the report said. A disease cluster is an occurrence of a certain disease in a group of people, an area or period of time that is higher than the expected number of cases, or the norm. Exposure to environmental toxins such as asbestos or certain chemicals has caused some disease clusters. One of the most famous disease clusters is in Libby, MT, where a mine supplying 80% of the world’s vermiculite was from an ore source contaminated with asbestos. Asbestos contamination of the town from mining operations was widespread and residents developed asbestos exposure related health conditions such as mesothelioma, lung cancer and pleural disorders. The EPA cleanup of asbestos in Libby, started in 1999, is still in progress. Another example of a disease cluster is respiratory diseases among rescue, recovery and debris removal workers exposed to toxic dust at the World Trade Center site after 9/11. Report author Dr. Gina Solomon, MD, MPH, a Senior Scientist at the Natural Resources Defense Council and Director of the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) Occupational and Environmental Medicine Residency Program, testified before the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment & Public Works yesterday about the organizations’ report. Dr. Solomon highlighted just a few of the 42 disease cluster findings in her testimony: • Birth defects in Kettleman City, California, including twenty babies born over less than two years with birth defects, and four children born with birth defects so severe that they have since died, in this town of only 1,500 people. • Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (Lou Gehrig’s disease) – a very rare disease – in Herculaneum, Missouri, a town affected by a major lead smelter and decades of pollution. • Multiple sclerosis (MS) in Wellington, Ohio, where residents are three-times more likely to develop MS than in the rest of the country, a disease whose causes are unknown but are thought to involve a combination of genetic and environmental causes. • Polycythemia Vera, a rare and severe blood disorder, with four cases occurring on one road in Eastern Pennsylvania. • Birth defects in Dickson, Tennessee, a striking cluster that was identified by a non-profit organization called Birth Defect Research for Children, created by the mother of a child with birth defects, which gathers information about birth defects nationally, links families, and works with scientists to identify patterns that require investigation. • Male breast cancer, childhood cancer, and birth defects in Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. More than 60 men who lived on that base have been diagnosed with male breast cancer – an extraordinary and alarming finding which is almost impossible to occur by chance alone, and one which deserves urgent attention. “These people have suffered through illness and uncertainty, hope and disappointment,” said Dr. Solomon. “They have fought for answers, and in most cases, have not received them. It’s not too late for these communities and others like them. There’s still an opportunity to improve and systematize our approach to disease clusters so these communities get the attention they need and maybe also the answers they seek.” The National Resources Defense Council and National Disease Clusters Alliance want stronger environmental regulation of chemicals, better enforcement of regulations, and laws requiring chemical manufacturers to ensure the safety of their products. They say the Toxic Substances Control Act of 1976 has failed to protect the environment and health of the public from dangerous chemicals. “Of the approximately 85,000 chemicals on the market today, an estimated 62,000 were ‘grandfathered’ in without any testing requirements under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA),” Dr. Solomon told the Senate Committee. In January, Senators Boxer (D-CA) and Crapo (R-ID) introduced S. 76 - Strengthening Protections for Children and Communities from Disease Clusters Act, called “Trevor’s Law,” that will require the EPA to develop and implement a disease cluster response program. source (read more...)

Erin Brockovich to Testify on Disease Clusters; Pushes for Pollution Law

Erin Brockovich is once again doing what made her famous. Erin is going after the big corporations and their pollution. This time around, Brockovich's targets are the newly discovered disease clusters found in 13 U.S. states. Eight of those states are also part of the America's "diabetes belt." During a meeting on Tuesday with the U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, Erin expressed her concern over the disease clusters and the need for senators to pass a law documenting them. Brockovich said, "Thousands of Americans contact me every month asking for help and telling me about unexplained diseases in their neighborhood or on their streets." These are fears that any person would have when they see their friends and family dying or becoming sick from the same symptoms and diseases. A bill sponsored by Sen. Barbara Boxer of California and Sen. Mike Crapo of Idaho has been proposed. The bill titled Trevor's Law will "increase coordination, transparency and accountability when federal agencies address potential disease clusters." Currently there are 42 disease clusters which have been identified in 13 states since 1976. Scientists expect that number to rise but have not been able to figure out the root cause of the breakouts. The disease clusters found involved birth defects, several forms of cancers and several different life threatening and chronic illnesses. Hopefully, Erin Brockovich will be able to garner the support of the senators to her cause because disease clusters are something that affects everyone. If pollutants are to blame then they need to be regulated in a stricter manner so that people don't die from them. Companies have a bottom line which is usually money. However, a life should always be considered more precious than a few dollars. source (read more...)

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CRAPO WELCOMES IDAHO’S TREVOR SCHAEFER TO D.C. Testifies before Senate hearing on cancer clusters Washington, D.C.   – The hard work of a McCall-turned-Boise resident was on display today in the nation’s capital, as a Senate committee took up the issue of cancer clusters.  Boisean Trevor Schaefer and his mother, Charlie Smith, have founded the “Trevor’s Trek” Foundation in an effort to bring attention to the possibility of environmental causes for cancer clusters nationwide.  The clusters are defined as an area of above-average cases of human cancer diagnosis, and Trevor is a survivor of brain cancer. At the request of Trevor and his mother, Idaho Senator Mike Crapo agreed to cosponsor legislation which could expand the research into cancer clusters.  The legislation, named “Trevor’s Law” (S. 76), was originally introduced last year by Crapo and Senate Environment and Public Works Committee (EPW) Chairman Barbara Boxer (D-California).  The legislation received a hearing before the committee today, with Trevor and author Erin Brockovich testifying in favor of it. “After surviving and recovering from this grueling ordeal, Trevor decided that he wanted to help children with cancer, and so in 2007 – along with his mother Charlie - he founded Trevor’s Trek Foundation,” Crapo said in his opening statement.  “Through raising awareness and research funds and providing mentoring services for young cancer survivors, the Foundation is a shining example of how the selfless actions of individuals can make a real difference in the lives of those in need. “I appreciate the opportunity for this committee to take a closer look at the issue of disease clusters,” Crapo added. “While we have heard quite a bit about them through books and movies, we have not had a detailed discussion about them here in the Congress.  Thanks to the efforts of people like Trevor and Charlie, we will.  Today’s hearing begins that discussion.  I look forward to hearing from our experts about the scientific research behind the causes of disease clusters; the coordinated response between the federal, state and local governments; and any other information that may be helpful to us.” Trevor’s testimony brought Senators a personal look at the issue.  “Senators, nothing is quite so lonely as being a child with cancer,” he said. “Lying in a hospital bed and sitting in a chemo chair getting chemotherapy treatments and blood transfusions while other kids are outside playing ball and riding bikes isn`t exactly the childhood I, or any of us, had in mind.  Our growth and social advancement may be stunted, but in other ways we are forced to become mature beyond our years: learning to be patient and resilient, and becoming courageous warriors fighting our own battles without any armor.”

The EPW Committee will continue consideration of the legislation before bringing it up for a vote before the full Committee.  Once cleared by the Committee, the bill will be sent to the Senate floor.  There is no current timeline for full Senate consideration. source (read more...)

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Erin Brockovich, a U.S. consumer health advocate whose life story was the basis for an Academy Award-winning film, urged senators Tuesday to pass a law to document disease clusters in the United States. A disease cluster is an unusual number of health events, such as reports of cancer, grouped together in a time and location, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Brockovich, who came to prominence investigating the prevalence of cancer cases in Hinkley, California, said she has become an informal reporting agency for those who worry that something in their immediate environment is a health hazard. "Thousands of Americans contact me every month asking for help and telling me about unexplained diseases in their neighborhood or on their streets," Brockovich told the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. She offered a map of the United States and Canada she said she put together by plotting these calls geographically, showing calls from almost every U.S. state and several Canadian provinces. "This is not a scientific sampling but simply a map of people who are reaching out to me for help because they are concerned that environmental pollution in their community has made them sick," Brockovich said. Sen. Barbara Boxer, a California Democrat who chairs the committee, co-sponsored a bill meant to increase coordination, transparency and accountability when federal agencies address potential disease clusters. Boxer said U.S. childhood cancer rates have increased by more than 20 percent from 1975 through 2007, and that while the exact causes is not always known, "two often-discussed factors are genetics and environmental causes." The bill, also co-sponsored by Sen. Mike Crapo, an Idaho Republican, is known as Trevor's Law, named for Trevor Schaefer, a 21-year old survivor of brain cancer from Boise, Idaho. Schaefer, who testified at the Senate hearing, and his family have created a foundation that has been fighting for better investigations into the causes of cancer clusters. A study by the Natural Resources Defense Council and the National Disease Clusters Alliance reported 42 disease clusters in 13 U.S. states, showing incidence of numerous types of cancer, birth defects and other chronic illnesses. Julia Roberts won the Academy Award for best actress for her portrayal of Brockovich in the 2000 movie "Erin Brockovich," which focused on the advocate's work as a paralegal with residents of Hinkley. In that case, 660 Hinkley residents sued the utility PG&E for damages from groundwater contaminated with the chemical hexavalent chromium. The plaintiffs received a $333 million settlement in 1997. (Reporting by Deborah Zabarenko; editing by Anthony Boadle) source (read more...)

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"Having cancer at such a young age made me often wonder, 'Why me?'  While receiving my treatment of radiation and chemotherapy (for 14 months) I witnessed so many children also battling this horrific disease.  I began to wonder, 'Why them?'  Childhood cancer has risen 67.1% in the past two generations.  Fetuses, infants and children are more vulnerable to the toxic effects of chemicals from environmental exposure."

• On January 25th, 2011 U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer (D) of California and U.S. Senator Mike Crapo (R) of Idaho as lead co-sponser introduced the "Strengthening Protections for Children and Communities From Disease Clusters Act" S.76 also known as Trevor's Law.  Bill S.76 calls for an improved process to address and investigate cancer and disease clusters throughout the U.S........ (Trevor's Law) (Press Release) (Senator Boxer's Press Release)

For more information on toxins and childhood cancer clusters please visit the following links. FACT- Families Against Cancer and Toxins NDCA- National Disease Cluster Alliance SCHF- Safer Chemicals Healthy Families NRDC- Natural Resources Defense Council (read more...)