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Precautionary Principle Working Group. CHE-WA. NAHMMA's 2005 Conference September 18-23, 2005 Tacoma, Washington Steven G. Gilbert, PhD, DABT www.asmalldoseof.org LINK. CHE-WA – PP working group. CHE-WA – PP working group http://washington.chenw.org/PPgroup.html. - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
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Collaborative on Health and the Environment1
Precautionary PrincipleWorking Group
NAHMMA's 2005 ConferenceSeptember 18-23, 2005Tacoma, Washington
Steven G. Gilbert, PhD, DABTwww.asmalldoseof.org LINK
CHE-WA
Collaborative on Health and the Environment2
CHE-WA – PP working group
More Information on Precautionary Principle
See: www.asmalldoseof.org -- smdose
CHE-WA – PP working grouphttp://washington.chenw.org/PPgroup.html
Collaborative on Health and the Environment3
NW Public Health
See: http://healthlinks.washington.edu/nwcphp/nph/
nwph
Public Health and the Precautionary
Principle
By Steven G. Gilbert
Collaborative on Health and the Environment4
Child Health
Collaborative on Health and the Environment5
Developmental Data
2863 above 1 Million pounds
78.2% no data
21.4% some data
12 or 0.4% good data
www.preventingharm.org
Collaborative on Health and the Environment6
Nearly 12 million children (17%) under age 18 in the US suffer from one or more developmental disabilities
Learning disabilities – 5-10% of kids in public school
ADHD – 3-6% of all school kids, maybe higher
The Consequences
Collaborative on Health and the Environment7
“When an activity raises threats of harm to human health or the environment,
precautionary measures should be take even if some cause and effect relationships
are not fully established scientifically.”
Wingspread Conference, 1998.
Precautionary Principle
Collaborative on Health and the Environment8
FDA regulations of Drugs (1938) FDA regulations of Dietary
Supplements (Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 (DSHEA))
Ephedra present an unreasonable risk of illness or injury (Dec, 2003)
Safety & Efficacy vs Harm
Collaborative on Health and the Environment9
• Taking preventive action in the face of uncertainty
• Shifting the burden of proof/responsibility to the proponents of an activity
• Exploring a wide range of alternatives to possibly harmful actions
• Increasing public participation in decision making (environmental justice)
Wingspread Conference, 1998.
Central components
Collaborative on Health and the Environment10
City Comprehensive Plans• Every citizen of Seattle has an equal right
to a healthy and safe environment. • Seattle sees the Precautionary Principle
approach as its policy framework to develop laws for a healthier and more just Seattle.
Seattle PP working group
Seattle Initiative
Collaborative on Health and the Environment11
• Seattle Precautionary Principle White Paper (www.asmalldoseof.org)
• Inclusion of PP in Comp Plan Environment Element
(http://www.seattle.gov/dpd/Planning/Seattle's_Comprehensive_Plan/DPD_001178.asp) Link
Result of Effort
Collaborative on Health and the Environment12
“Protecting Public Health by Adopting the Precautionary Principle as an Approach to Decision Making”
Resolution Submitted to Washington State Public Health Association
WSPHA Resolution
Collaborative on Health and the Environment13
California
San Francisco Precautionary Purchasing Ordinance - June 2005
Resolution of the Marin county board of supervisors
“A resolution to continue to incorporate the precautionary principle in county operations.” Oct 2004
Oregon
Multnomah County, OR Resolution - September 2004 New York State Legislation - April 2005 Bill A07256 “To protect public health and the environment by establishing
a precautionary policy for state and local governments in New York State.” Bill A07257 “To establish a preference for the purchase of commodities,
services, and technologies by the State of New York that minimize
potential adverse impacts on public health and the environment.”
States in the US
Collaborative on Health and the Environment14
Kids-Safe Chemicals Act of 2005U.S. Senators Frank Lautenberg
Update the Toxic Substances Control Act
Toxic chemicals must be tested
Focus on Prevention
US Government Effort
Collaborative on Health and the Environment15
Agreement Respecting Canada-wide Standards for Dioxins and Furans: Steel Manufacturing Electric Arc Furnaces
Pollution Prevention Strategy“In keeping with the Precautionary Principle as set out as guidance in the Canada-wide Standards Sub-agreement, and in consideration of the CWS principles of sound science, technical feasibility and socio-economic impacts, …..”http://www.ec.gc.ca/CEPARegistry/notices/NoticeText.cfm?intNotice=159&intDocument=939
Canada and PP
Collaborative on Health and the Environment16
REACH -- Registration, Evaluation and Authorization of Chemicals
The two most important aims are to improve protection of human health and the environment from the hazards of chemicals and enhance the competitiveness of the EU chemicals industry.
The Commission’s White Paper on the Strategy for a future Chemicals Policy was adopted in on 13 February 2001.
A Precautionary approach
REACH-European Union
Collaborative on Health and the Environment17
REACH -- Registration, Evaluation and Authorization of Chemicals
Initially regulate High Production Volume (HPV) chemicals - produced or imported above 1,000 metric tons.
Total world wide production of chemicals 400 million metric tons per year or $1.6 Trillion
To be introduced into European Parliament late this year.
REACH
Collaborative on Health and the Environment18
WA State – Resolution at WA State Public Health Association
WA State - expand recognition of PP at City, State, and County Level
Gain National recognition for a precautionary approach in decision making regarding human and environmental health
PP Next Steps
Collaborative on Health and the Environment19
How You Can Get Involved
Join National CHE - www.cheforhealth.org CHE-NW/CHE-WA coordinator:
Elise Miller, MEd, Executive Director
Institute for Children’s Environmental Health
[email protected] www.chenw.org PP Working Group:
Steven G. Gilbert, [email protected]
20
Additional Information The Science and Environmental Health Network
(SEHN) (www.sehn.org) Late lessons from early warnings: the
precautionary principle 1896-2000 – European Environment Agency (free)
Garrett Hardin - The Tragedy of the Commons (Science, 1968)
Ethical, legal, and social issues: our children's future. Steven G. Gilbert. Neurotoxicology, 26/4 pp 521-530, 2005.
Public Health and the Precautionary Principle. Steven G. Gilbert. NW Public Health, Spring 2005. http://healthlinks.washington.edu/nwcphp/nph/
Collaborative on Health and the Environment21
Precautionary PrincipleWorking Group
Questions or Comments?
Download Presentation from www.asmalldoseof.org
22
Authorship Information
For Additional Information ContactSteven G. Gilbert, PhD, DABT
E-mail: [email protected]: www.asmalldoseof.org
This presentation is supplement to “A Small Dose of Toxicology”
Collaborative on Health and the Environment23
Socially Responsible
Collaborative on Health and the Environment24
Doubt / Uncertainty
"Doubt is our product since it is the best means of competing with the 'body of fact' that exists in the mind of the general public.“
1969 an executive at Brown & Williamson owned by R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company
(Doubt Is Their Product by David Michaels in Scientific American, June 15, 2005)
Collaborative on Health and the Environment25
1) Respect - for the needs and rights of this and future generations as well as others who cannot speak for themselves
2) Humility - towards the natural world and our ability to understand it through science
3) Democracy - giving people a voice in matters that affect their lives
4) Responsibility - government’s public trust responsibility to manage the commonwealth for this and future generations.
- Individuals’ including industry, obligation to take responsibility for their actions in the world.
Values of the precautionary principle
Collaborative on Health and the Environment26
Improve decision making Promote integrated assessments Promote transparency Promote sharing of information Examine alternatives Examine uncertainties Encourage discussion among stake
holders
Purpose/Objectives