Chair: Polly Hoppin
Editor: Rebecca Head

Message from the Chair

Greetings! 

On the eve of APHAís "Celebration of a Century of Progress in Public Health," environmental exposures continue to play an enormous role in the health of people around the globe, as they did a century ago.  In some countries, outbreaks of waterborne illness still regularly devastate local populations, whereas other peoples have benefited from improved sanitation yet face health threats associated with rapid industrialization.  In this country, campaigns by citizen advocates, advancing science, regulatory action by government and community-based outreach have reduced levels of some pollutants substantially.  In the case of lead, such reductions have resulted in remarkable improvements in blood levels in many children, though thousands are still threatened by high exposures. 

As we celebrate our progress, we also should examine whether we are equipped to tackle environment-related threats to health in the next century. Children born today in the United States face a myriad of threats from anthropogenic sources, among them exacerbations of asthma and other respiratory problems associated with high levels of particulate matter in the air, contributed by power plants and motor vehicles.  Are our disciplines and our institutions capable of responding?  Do they work sufficiently well together that they will be able to describe and work toward visions of what a healthy environment looks like for people?  How can the constraints of media-specific statutes and increasingly diverse entitlement programs be overcome to enable integrated work on issues as wide-ranging as urban planning, conservation biology, violence prevention and integrated pest management? 

At the Annual Meeting in Chicago, the Section will sponsor an expanded Homer N. Calver Lecture Session, which will tackle these broad questions about how to reintegrate environment and public health (Monday, November 8, 12:15-3:45 p.m.)  Calver honorees will describe a groundbreaking collaboration among the Mohawk nation and academics and health department scientists.  Their lecture will be followed by a panel of senior state and federal decision-makers who are increasingly called upon to respond to threats to the environment and public health.  Fifty other Section sessions at the Annual Meeting will give attendees the opportunity to learn and participate in discussions about a wide range of issues relevant to environmental health: from partnerships among citizens, government, public health professionals, to social determinants of health, including health disparities and environmental exposures; to brownfields and economic development; to linking housing and public health.  Major plenaries at the meeting will highlight Environmental Health (Tuesday, 10:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.), and Children's Health (Wednesday, 10:30 a.m.- 12:00 p.m.). One Continuing Education Institute, scheduled for Sunday, 8:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m., focuses on an environmental health topic: "Farmworkers and Pesticides: Community-Based Research."

At this Annual Meeting and beyond, the Environment Section serves as a safe haven for public health professionals and leaders interested in environment and health to take off their institutional hats, get to know one another, and to think "out of the box."  Many of us credit our involvement in the Section with enabling us to return to our day jobs with fewer biases, more information, and new resolve and capacity to work effectively with other organizations. Over the next three to five years, the Section hopes will prompt and support APHA as a leader in anticipating and addressing the next generation of environment and health issues. 

To that end, we have focused this year on strengthening the Section so that it more systematically influences APHA policy, more effectively meets membersí needs, more productively draws upon and supports APHA staff, yields better policy and helps break political logjams that have delayed administrative and legislative action.  A top priority has been to develop and begin to implement a strategic plan, which articulates a mission, principles, goals and action items to guide the Section. We have made substantial progress on all five goals, two of which focus on building the Sectionís presence and effectiveness in the outside world, and two of which aim to strengthen the internal workings of the Section and its relationship with staff.  (The fifth focuses on the Annual Meeting.) 

Examples of achievements this year include finalizing a cooperative agreement between CDC and APHA to develop core competencies for environmental health practitioners, identifying members to act as point people on each of four priority environmental health issues (drinking water and pesticides, mercury, the precautionary principle and persistent organic pollutants, and healthy schools) and organizing a Congressional briefing on the residential use of pesticides.  We have enhanced collaboration with APHA staff, and have begun to develop a database of experts among our members who staff can tap for participation in hearings, on advisory committees etc.  We have also systematized the Section's input to resolutions and position papers proposed to guide APHA activism, and have started a process of identifying and filling gaps in APHA policy. Other activities of the Section include drafting a fundraising proposal to make possible our expanded program at the annual meeting and full follow through on each of the goals in our strategic plan, and commenting on various documents steering APHA, including the draft organization-wide strategic plan and proposed revisions to the policy-making process.

Proposed priorities for filling gaps in APHA policy (e.g., drafting resolutions to be considered at the 2000 annual meeting) include: drinking water and pesticides, the precautionary principle and persistent organic pollutants, healthy schools, bolstering capacity/infrastructure for environmental health, and vector control to meet public health needs while avoiding environmental contamination.  At our Sunday and Tuesday business meetings, Section members who have agreed to take the lead on drafting policies in these areas will present their ideas for points to be made in a resolution, and ask for assistance.  Please think about whether other issues should be priorities, and whether you are able to contribute to drafting proposed policies between November and March.

Four (4) business meetings in Chicago will give you the opportunity to catch up on activities of the Section this year, and help plan for 2000. On Sunday, from 12:00 p.m. until 5:00 p.m., we will hear about progress on the five goals of our strategic plan. We'll also introduce this year's environment-related proposed resolutions, discuss in some depth priorities for next year's resolutions (initial drafts are due in March), and hear from candidates for APHA-wide offices. On Monday, 8 a.m.-10 a.m., we'll develop Section positions on this year's proposed resolutions. Tuesday's meeting--7:00 a.m. until 8:30 a.m.--is an opportunity for us to plan Section activities for 2000. As is traditional, Wednesday's gathering from 5:15 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. debriefs on this year's program and brainstorms about next year's Environment-sponsored sessions.

As the year concludes, we hope representatives of other Sections will join ours in voting to enable Shelley Hearne, our Immediate Past Chair, to become a member of the Executive Board.  With the completion of her term, Section member Sarah Kotchian has left a large hole, compounded by the loss of APHA staffer Eric Juzenas, a substantial portion of whose time was devoted to environmental health. Shelleyís election would make possible the harnessing of the expertise and energy of the Environment Section to enhance APHAís presence and effectiveness on environment and health issues.

The "State of the Section" is strong. "Hats off" to Section members who in official and unofficial capacities contributed time, expertise and creativity to make this an enormously successful year! 

 
- Polly Hoppin, Environment Section Chair

1999 Annual Educational Conference Program -- Selected Environmental Sessions

The APHA Annual Meeting offers an excellent opportunity to learn about current public health issues and recent innovations in research, policy and practice.  In addition, it is a prime opportunity to meet others in the field to share experiences and expertise.  This yearís Program focuses on reintegrating and redefining the essential linkages between public health, environmental health and environmental protection.  The Program also highlights the essential partnerships between citizens, government, public health professionals (researchers, practitioners, and providers) that are necessary in creating healthy communities. For the second year in a row, the Program will offer a full track on childrenís environmental health issues including sessions on the new American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) guidelines for children, healthy schools, and childhood asthma.  Our lead poisoning track remains strong with six sessions.  A number of key sessions are focused on the social determinants of health such as: health disparities and environmental exposures; brownfields and economic development; linking housing and public health.  Sessions highlighting major policy issues and current events include: climate change, health care without harm, biomonitoring, drinking water, dioxins and PCBS.  The Program, in short, offers something for everyone.  Some selections follow.

Possible health consequences of climate change in the United States include heat-related mortality, vector- and water-borne diseases, air pollution-related illness,  and morbidity and mortality associated with extreme events.  The team of scientists heading this health report as part of the US National Assessment on Climate Change (culminating in report to Congress) will provide an update and overview of this important report.

Health Care Without Harm, an international coalition of health care providers, environmentalists, labor unions and others has organized to limit the environmental impact of health care without compromising safety or quality of care.  This session will explore the necessary role of health providers in acting to prevent environmental harm, and the campaign which is helping to drive the change.

The session will provide interesting insight and examples of using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) as a local environmental health planning tool. The session moderator, Albuquerque Environmental Health Department Director Sarah Kotchian, will provide an overview of the ways in which her Department is currently using GIS as an analytical tool in the areas of environmental equity and integrated vector management, and the future applications that are planned in public health disease prevention. Additional session topics include applications of GIS to fish poisoning investigations and examination of breast cancer incidence. 

PART I: WHY WORRY WHEN YOU DROP YOUR CHILD AT SCHOOL?
Presider: Barbara Sattler

PART II: CREATING HEALTHIER SCHOOLS
Presider: Claire Barnett 
Tuesday 11/7, 2:15 p.m. - 5:15 p.m.
Session # 2235.1

The Section priority on Healthy Schools is being addressed in two panels of experts in school occupational health, school building conditions and practices, children's environmental health, pesticides, indoor air quality, 'green buildings', and coalition-building. Panelists include Darryl Alexander (American Federation of Teachers), Leyla McCurdy (American Lung Assn), Tolle Graham (Massachusetts COSH), Barbara Sattler (Univ. Maryland), James Wise (Eco-Integrations), David Wallinga  (NRDC), and Claire Barnett (Healthy Schools Network). For more information email healthyschools@compuserve.com.

An intense early heat wave, such as the Chicago heat wave of 1995, can kill hundreds of people in less than a week.  This session, which includes some of the top epidemiologists on this subject, will discuss the public health impact of heat waves and the steps that are being taken to limit their effect.

A discussion of the international treaty negotiations on POPs, focusing on PCBs and dioxin, and how this effort relates to public health at the local level.  Speakers include Jack Weinberg of Greenpeace, and Peter Orris, both of whom have played leading roles in international efforts to eliminate POPs.  This is a unique opportunity to hear first-hand from participants about the progress and implications of this work. 

Other Items of Note

Join the Environment List-Serve. 

Increasing numbers of members are signing up for our List-Serve.  A priority next year will be to expand its activity, so that it becomes an informative and provocative place for conversation among environmental health professionals and leaders.  If you haven't already done so, please subscribe by sending an e-mail to environ-l@liststar.apha.org and writing subscribe environ-l in the subject line.  Another way to sign up is to try going to the APHA web-site.  You user name is "green" and your password is "section."

The Section seeks abstracts related to the 2000 Annual Meeting theme "Eliminating Health Disparities" that highlight relationships among the environment, socio-economic and ethnic/racial factors, and disease. Abstracts related to health disparities research; ethical and social justice issues underlying environmental policy and practice; and community efforts that address the link between the environment and social determinants of health (e.g. jobs, housing, transportation) are encouraged.  Abstracts on any environmental health practice and policy issue are welcome, and the Section has particular interest related to four priority areas identified in our Sectionís 1999 strategic plan: healthy schools; drinking water and pesticides; mercury; and, persistent organic pollutants and the precautionary principle.  Please watch for details in the full Call for Abstracts (available in early 2000).  Full Sessions on a specific topic or issue are strongly encouraged.  If you are interested in planning a full session, please contact Marni Rosen by December 10, 1999 to discuss the session and specific instructions for on-line submission.  Ms. Rosen can be contacted at mrosen@jaf.org or (415) 561-2188.

The American Academy of Pediatrics Handbook of Pediatric Environmental Health, a 400-page soft cover book edited by pediatrician Ruth A. Etzel, features more than 30 chapters on prevention and treatment of childhood environmental health problems such as how to reduce asthma triggers in the environment, prevent exposure to nitrates and methemoglobinemia in infants, and how to recognize and prevent acute pulmonary hemorrhage in infants associated with exposure to toxigenic molds.  Highlights of the handbook will be presented at the Annual Meeting of the APHA in Chicago on Monday, November 8 at 4:15 p.m. ? 5:45 pm. (Session # 1175 Primer on Environmental Health Care for Children). Priced at $44.95, it can be ordered from the AAP at http://www.aap.org or by calling 1-888-227-1770 or sending a FAX to 1-847-228-1281. 

The Environment Section leadership has been laying plans for how to jump start a much-needed effort to update APHA policies on critical environmental health issues.  Jerry Faglianoís thorough review of existing policies (most many years old) revealed the need for both broad position papers, and more narrowly focused resolutions, in many environmental health areas. 

Several areas have been identified for new resolutions or position papers and the Section plans to devise a late-breaking resolution addressing air quality.  Section leadership has proposed making drinking water quality, pesticides, children's environmental health & schools, lead and the precautionary principle & public health, as priorities for resolutions and/or position papers.

At the Section's business meetings in Chicago, we will discuss and finalize the proposed priorities, and introduce and discuss other ideas that members put forward, and for the longer term.  One or more members will need to take the lead on thinking through and drafting a resolution or position paper for each issue.  A small group of additional people will need to commit to providing timely feedback to the lead person(s).  For most issues, those interested in drafting resolutions and/or position papers should contact David Wallinga at dwallinga@nrdc.org.  Those interested in working on the children & healthy schools issue, in particular, should instead contact Claire Barnett, at AncAlt@aol.com. 

The rough timeline for this work is: 

November 1999- Annual Meeting.  Identification of priority areas for making APHA environmental health policy. 

March 2000 - Draft resolutions/position papers due at APHA 

April 2000
 -- Environment Section reviews draft policies from its members, forwarding comments to Joint Policy Committee (JPC). 

May 2000 
-- Joint Policy Committee reviews new policies and forwards suggested revisions to authors
-- Joint Policy Committee also initiates review of all policies at least four years old by November 2000.