JustAir’s Post

Safety First Tip #4 : Radon - Take Action Once radon has been detected and a mitigation plan prepared it is indeed crucial to implement corrective actions to reduce radon levels to a safe range. Radon, being a radioactive gas, poses significant risks of lung cancer, particularly with long-term exposure. Implementing these corrective actions helps safeguard the health of the occupants and ensures that radon levels remain under control. After installing of the radon mitigation system, the radon levels should be tested again to ensure the system is effective in reduction radon to safe levels. #RadonSafety #RadonAwareness #ERA #EPA #PublicHealth #TakeAction #RadonTesting Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Ireland European Radon Association Radonova Laboratories Enterprise Ireland Engineers Ireland Kilkenny Chamber Commerce County Carlow Chamber Radon Services Ireland Ltd.

Safety First Tip #4 : Radon - Take Action Once radon has been detected and a mitigation plan prepared it is indeed crucial to implement corrective actions to reduce radon levels to a safe range. Radon, being a radioactive gas, poses significant risks of lung cancer, particularly with long-term exposure. Implementing these corrective actions helps safeguard the health of the occupants and ensures that radon levels remain under control. After installing of the radon mitigation system, the radon levels should be tested again to ensure the system is effective in reduction radon to safe levels. #RadonSafety #RadonAwareness #ERA #EPA #PublicHealth #TakeAction #RadonTesting Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Ireland European Radon Association Radonova Laboratories Enterprise Ireland Engineers Ireland Kilkenny Chamber Commerce County Carlow Chamber Radon Services Ireland Ltd.

A new report from Physicians for Social Responsibility (PSR) has revealed that, according to the industry’s own data from 2012 – 2022, large amounts of PFAS “#ForeverChemicals” have been used in oil and gas drilling across northern West Virginia. The best science tells us that #PFASchemicals are toxic and can cause serious adverse health effects at very low levels. Unsafe levels of PFAS have been found in the raw water supply for 130 community water systems in #WestVirginia. PSR’s report also demonstrates that the oil and gas pumped almost 70 million pounds of other “trade secret” chemicals into these wells. Some of these might also be types of PFAS. To help us understand this report, we’re teaming up with PSR and Halt the Harm to host a webinar on Tuesday, April 2, at 12:00 PM ET. We’ll discuss the implications for public health and our environment, policy recommendations, and advocacy strategies for protecting communities and our delicate ecosystems. During the webinar, we’ll hear from experts, including Dusty Horwitt, lead author of the report; Barbara Gottlieb, Director of PSR’s Environment and Health Program and report co-author; grassroots organizer Jill Hunkler; hydrogeologist Linda Aller; and WV River’s own Staff Scientist, Jenna Dodson. You can register for the webinar at this link: https://lnkd.in/e4KBpTvn If you have any questions or need assistance registering, you can reach out to us at wvrivers@wvrivers.org.

Connecting with Timothy Buckley, my mentor when I was an ORISE postdoc at US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), while viewing the poster authored by Nicolle Tulve, Sarah Mazur, Susan Julius, Louis D'Amico, Sean Paul, H. Christopher F. on Cumulative Impact Assessment Through the Lens of One-Environment-One-Health at #APHA2024 “[Cumulative Impacts] CI is the totality of exposures to combinations of chemical and non-chemical stressors and their effects on health, well-being, and quality of life outcomes. Human-animal-environment interrelationships influence exposure to and outcomes due to these stressors.” “CI assessment is distinctive compared to both traditional and cumulative risk assessment methodologies. The preference for a methodological approach should be informed by consideration of the decision context, analytical scope, and health and well-being outcomes of interest.” #CumulativeImpacts #CumulativeImpactsAssessment #CumulativeRiskAssessment #PublicHealth #OneHealth

"Over the past century, the federal government created and relied upon its administrative agencies to safeguard public health, ensure safety, and protect the environment. Congress has granted agencies wide and flexible authority to regulate evolving technologies and respond to threats to public health (eg, food safety; safe and effective vaccines and medicines; alcohol and tobacco control; occupational and vehicular safety; and nuclear and environmental protection). The US Supreme Court had long afforded agencies broad leeway, recognizing that judges lack scientific training and technical expertise. Now that is all unraveling. This past term, the conservative majority of the Supreme Court has upended decades-old precedents, perilously limiting agency powers. These latest decisions further the trend of substituting the justices’ views for those of career scientists, affecting virtually every aspect of life.1 The importance of the work of administrative agencies to public health, and science itself, cannot be understated." https://lnkd.in/gMx_Ucep

The current issue of Chesapeake Quarterly (Volume 23, Number 1) highlights some of the work done at Dr. Upal Ghosh's lab on developing Passive Samplers for the forever chemicals, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). I am excited to be a part of this endeavor along with several others in the group. For PFAS, the science is still largely in the diagnosis stage. We look forward to creating impact through our work, in the world of PFAS environmental monitoring, analytical methods to assess their mobility through the ecosystem and risk assessment. Our group received mention in yet another story covered by the current issue: Diagnosing the PFAS Problem (https://lnkd.in/eRnMckuG)

"Research and surveillance in environmental health are the watchful eyes and curious minds that uncover the hidden connections between our surroundings and our well-being. Research and surveillance in environmental health involve: 1. *Monitoring*: Systematically collecting and analyzing data on environmental hazards, health outcomes, and trends. 2. *Investigation*: Conducting studies to identify and understand the relationships between environmental factors and health effects. 3. *Risk assessment*: Evaluating the likelihood and potential impact of environmental health risks. 4. *Outbreak investigation*: Responding to and investigating environmental health-related outbreaks or incidents. 5. *Data analysis*: Interpreting and disseminating findings to inform policy, practice, and decision-making. 6. *Surveillance systems*: Establishing and maintaining systems to track and report environmental health data, such as air and water quality monitoring networks. 7. *Field studies*: Conducting research in real-world settings to understand environmental health issues and develop effective interventions. 8. *Laboratory analysis*: Conducting tests and analyses to identify and quantify environmental contaminants and their health effects. 9. *Epidemiological studies*: Investigating the distribution and determinants of health-related events and diseases in populations. 10. *Translation and dissemination*: Communicating research findings to stakeholders, policymakers, and the public to inform environmental health decision-making and practice. Research and surveillance in environmental health aim to: - Identify emerging environmental health issues - Inform policy and decision-making - Develop effective interventions and solutions - Evaluate program effectiveness - Improve environmental health practice and outcomes By conducting research and surveillance, environmental health professionals can better understand and address the complex relationships between the environment and human health. #researchandsurveillance #environmentalhealth

On #EarthDay, #NapoliShkolnik supports the Environmental Protection Agency’s (“EPA”) recent decision to classify Perfluorooctanoic Acid (“PFOA”) and Perfluorooctane Sulfonate (“PFOS”) as hazardous substances under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (“CERCLA”). This landmark ruling marks a pivotal advancement for public health and environmental protection.   The EPA’s determination is a significant validation of years of scientific research that has consistently linked exposure to these chemicals to severe health risks, including various cancers. By recognizing PFOA and PFOS as hazardous, the EPA has set a stage for more effective regulatory actions and remediation efforts, ensuring better protection for communities adversely affected by these persistent environmental pollutants.   Learn more: https://lnkd.in/e6FriCmS

Did you know that exposure science plays an essential role in the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)’s mission to protect human health and the environment? "The U.S. EPA’s Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment exposure research priorities reside at the intersection of environmental decision contexts and broad public health challenges. The blueprint provides a foundation for advancing the tools and approaches to holistically understand real-world exposures so optimal environmental protection actions can be realized. A One Health lens can help shape exposure research for maximum impact to support solutions that are transdisciplinary and must engage multiple sectors." Check-out their blueprint for exposure science in a connected world and perspective on environmental public health research, as an open-access article available online now: https://lnkd.in/g3mpyN-9 Congrats to co-authors Lindsay Stanek, Wayne Cascio, Timothy Barzyk, Michael S. Breen, PhD, Nicole "Nikki" DeLuca, Jeffrey Minucci, Kent T., Nicolle Tulve, Chris Weaver & Elaine Cohen Hubal et al.! #ExposureScience #OpenAcess

Good to see this guidance note published which will help all stakeholders across the supply chain that are focused on #traceability #datagovernance activities to prepare for #EUDR implementation. While this helps improve clarity for a regulation due to come into effect in December, new proposals on extending that date have also been proposed (https://lnkd.in/dQC9xjpe). We will continue to work with stakeholders who want to prepare their data governance systems and use open ecosystem design practices to better respond to human rights and environmental due diligence requirements like this in the year ahead.