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Melamine and cyanuric acid were found in nearly all study participants’ samples, but the highest levels were found in women of color and those with greater exposure to tobacco. Four aromatic amines that are commonly used in products containing dyes and pigments were also found in nearly all pregnant participants.
The highest levels of melamine and cyanuric acid were found in women of color and those with greater exposure to tobacco.
People can be exposed to melamine and aromatic amines in a variety of ways: through the air they breathe, by eating contaminated food or ingesting household dust, as well as from drinking water or by using products that contain plastic, dyes, and pigments.
“These chemicals are of serious concern due to their links to cancer and developmental toxicity, yet they are not routinely monitored in the United States,” said Tracey J. Woodruff, PhD, a professor of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Medicine who directs the UCSF Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment, and is the co-senior author of the study published August 30, 2022, in Chemosphere.
Melamine and its major byproduct, cyanuric acid, are each high production chemicals that exceed 100 million pounds per year in this country alone. When exposure to these chemicals happens together, they can be more toxic than either one alone. Melamine is found in dishware, plastics, flooring, kitchen counters, and pesticides; cyanuric acid is used as a disinfectant, plastic stabilizer, and cleaning solvent in swimming pools; aromatic amines are found in hair dye, mascara, tattoo ink, paint, tobacco smoke, and diesel exhaust.
When exposure to these chemicals happens together, they can be more toxic than either one alone.
Melamine, found in:
• Dishware;
• Plastics;
• Flooring;
• Kitchen counters;
• Pesticides.
Cyanuric acid, used as:
• Disinfectant;
• Plastic stabilizer;
• Cleaning solvent in swimming pools.
Aromatic amines, found in:
• Hair dye;
• Mascara;
• Tattoo ink;
• Paint;
• Tobacco smoke;
• Diesel exhaust.
Melamine was recognized as a kidney toxicant after baby formula and pet food poisoning incidents in 2004, 2007, and 2008 that caused several deaths as well as kidney stones and urinary tract obstruction in some people. Additional animal experiments suggest melamine reduces brain function.
For their study, researchers measured 45 chemicals associated with cancer and other risks using new methods to capture chemicals or chemical traces in urine samples from a small but diverse group of 171 women who are part of the National Institutes of Health’s Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) Program. The study period covered 2008 to 2020.
These chemicals are of serious concern due to their links to cancer and developmental toxicity, yet they are not routinely monitored in the United States.
The 171 women came from California, Georgia, Illinois, New Hampshire, New York, and Puerto Rico. About one-third (34%) were white, 40% were Latina, 20% were Black, 4% were Asians, and the remaining 3% were from other or multiple racial groups. Prior studies on melamine were conducted among pregnant women in Asian countries or limited to non-pregnant people in the U.S.
“It’s disconcerting that we continue to find higher levels of many of these harmful chemicals in people of color,” said study co-senior author Jessie Buckley, PhD, an associate professor at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
For example, levels of 3,4-dichloroaniline (a chemical used in the production of dyes and pesticides) were more than 100% higher among Black and Hispanic women compared to white women.
“Our findings raise concerns for the health of pregnant women and fetuses, since some of these chemicals are known carcinogens and potential developmental toxicants,” said Giehae Choi, postdoctoral fellow at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and first author of the study. “Regulatory action is clearly needed to limit exposure.”
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The Lake County Chapter of California Women for Agriculture, or CWA, is pleased to announce its 2022 AgVenture class.
Twelve community leaders from a range of positions were selected to participate in this, the eleventh offering of this popular program, which returns after a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Members of the 2022 class include: Lake County District 3 Supervisor Eddie Crandell; Lake County District 2 Supervisor Bruno Sabatier; Lake County Community Development Director Mireya Turner; Lake County Agricultural Commissioner Katherine VanDerWall; Lakeport Chief Building Official Bethany Moss; Lake County Deputy Water Resources Director Marina Deligiannis; Lake County Vector Control Technician Sandi Courcier; Lake County Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Laura McAndrews Sammel; Lake County Farm Bureau Executive Director Rebecca Harper; Clear Lake Environmental Research Center Fire and Forestry Program Manager Tracy Cline; Bella Vista Farming Company Assistant Manager Will Weiss; and Lake County Record-Bee Reporter Nikki Carboni.
AgVenture is an innovative concept in agricultural education designed for non-farming community leaders and others who wish to understand the vital role that agriculture plays in Lake County’s economy.
AgVenture sessions cover topics including labor, history, marketing, water and land use, regulations, pest management and sustainability.
On August 12, AgVenture class members embarked on the first of four sessions as they learned about the pear industry including tours of Henderson/Panella pear orchard and Scully Packing Company pear shed.
Three subsequent classes will provide insight into the winegrape industry on Sept. 9, walnuts and livestock on Oct. 7, and olives, biotechnology and farm labor on Nov. 4.
Class members will be given tours of an olive mill, a walnut orchard, a livestock operation, a commercial vineyard operation and a commercial winery.
Started by Lake County CWA in 2010, AgVenture is designed to give participants a broad yet locally oriented understanding of the agricultural industry.
The AgVenture program Steering Committee, all CWA members, are Rebecca Harper, Colleen Rentsch, Toni Scully, Debra Sommerfield, Katherine VanDerWall and Sharron Zoller.
California Women for Agriculture was founded in 1975 and is the most active, all-volunteer agricultural organization in the state, with 20 chapters and more than 1,300 members comprising farmers, ranchers, bankers, lawyers, accountants, marketing professionals, support services, consumers, and the vast stakeholders of the agriculture industry.
CWA promotes leadership within local communities, advocacy on key local, state and federal issues, public service and outreach, agriculture literacy in our schools, and promotional initiatives to preserve and educate those living in our increasingly urbanized California landscape. CWA advocates for the economic sustainability of the diverse California agriculture community so future generations can continue to produce a healthy diverse food supply.
For more information or to become a member, please visit www.lakecountycwa.org.
MATH will meet at 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 8, in the Middletown Community Meeting Room/Library at 21256 Washington St., Middletown. The meeting is open to the public.
To join the meeting via Zoom click on this link; the meeting ID is 659 964 1209. Call in at 669-900-6833.
At 7:05 p.m., Chief Paul Duncan of Cal Fire is scheduled to speak, followed by Pacific Gas and Electric representative Melinda Rivera.
At 8:05 p.m., Supervisor Moke Simon is scheduled to give his monthly report.
The MATH Board includes Chair Monica Rosenthal, Vice Chair Ken Gonzalez, Secretary Todd Fiora, Rosemary Córdova and Bill Waite.
MATH — established by resolution of the Lake County Board of Supervisors on Dec. 12, 2006 — is a municipal advisory council serving the residents of Anderson Springs, Cobb, Coyote Valley (including Hidden Valley Lake), Long Valley and Middletown.
For more information email
Email Elizabeth Larson at
The meeting will begin at 4 p.m. at the Moose Lodge, located at 15900 Moose Lodge Lane in Clearlake Oaks.
The meeting can be attended in person or via Zoom; the meeting ID is 935 8339 6020, the pass code is 448228.
The guest speaker at Wednesday’s meeting will be Carter Jessop of the US Environmental Protection Agency, who will give the latest news on the Sulphur Bank Mine Superfund Site.
The EPA is due to release a proposed plan for cleanup of the on-land portion of the mine site this fall, with a public comment process to follow.
They also will hear the monthly updates on Spring Valley, commercial cannabis cultivation, the consolidated lighting district in Clearlake Oaks, the Lake County geothermal project watchlist, the Northshore Fire Protection District, the John T. Klaus 1994 Trust’s land donation for a new Clearlake Oaks park and get a report from Supervisor EJ Crandell.
ERTH’s members are Denise Loustalot, Jim Burton, Tony Morris and Pamela Kicenski.
For more information visit the group’s Facebook page.
On Monday evening, the California Independent System Operator, or Cal ISO, requested the activation of temporary emergency power generators deployed by the Department of Water Resources, or DWR, in Roseville and Yuba City.
In total, the four generators can provide up to 120 megawatts of electricity to the statewide power grid during extreme heat events like the state is experiencing this week. That’s enough electricity to power up to 120,000 homes.
This was the first time that the generators were activated since they were installed last year.
DWR along with its energy partners at ISO and the California Energy Commission put this plan into motion following Gov. Newsom’s executive order in July 2021.
The agencies were able to deploy these units quickly and have them ready for any extreme heat events, wildfires or other climate-driven energy emergencies.
“DWR has been planning for this moment for months and we’re proud of our role in safeguarding the statewide energy grid. We are doing everything possible to help keep the lights on and the air conditioning running so millions of Californians can stay safe and healthy during this extreme heat event,” said Karla Nemeth, DWR director.
The temporary emergency power generators are powered by natural gas and are equipped with Selective Catalytic Reduction systems to reduce emissions and limit air quality impacts. The program is designed to support a transition to a clean energy future and is temporary in nature.
In addition to the 120 megawatts of generation from the temporary emergency power generators, DWR has coordinated with PG&E and Southern California Edison to procure, install, and operate dozens of backup generators to be operated only during a level 2 power emergency, as declared by ISO.
These backup generators are located in Northern California and Southern California and can provide up to an additional 80 megawatts of electricity into the statewide grid.
DWR is also developing the Strategic Reliability Infrastructure Assets program approved in June as part of the state's Strategic Electricity Reliability Reserve.
Programs under the reserve will result in a diverse set of backup electricity resources to act as an insurance for all utilities and balancing areas in the state as they address this challenge along with increasingly frequent and extreme climate-driven events and supply chain and related issues over the coming years.
Energy efficiency can save homeowners and renters hundreds of dollars a year, and the new Inflation Reduction Act includes a wealth of home improvement rebates and tax incentives to help Americans secure those saving.
It extends tax credits for installing energy-efficient windows, doors, insulation, water heaters, furnaces, air conditioners or heat pumps, as well as for home energy audits. It also offers rebates for low- and moderate-income households’ efficiency improvements, up to US$14,000 per home.
Together, these incentives aim to cut energy costs for consumers who use them by $500 to $1,000 per year and reduce the nation’s climate-warming greenhouse gas emissions.
With so many options, what are the most cost-effective moves homeowners and renters can make?
My lab at UMass Lowell works on ways to improve sustainability in buildings and homes by finding cost-effective design solutions to decrease their energy demand and carbon footprint. There are two key ways to cut energy use: energy-efficient upgrades and behavior change. Each has clear winners.
Stop the leaks
The biggest payoff for both saving money and reducing emissions is weatherizing the home to stop leaks. Losing cool air in summer and warm air in winter means heating and cooling systems run more, and they’re among the most energy-intensive systems in a home.
Gaps along the baseboard where the wall meets the floor and at windows, doors, pipes, fireplace dampers and electrical outlets are all prime spots for drafts. Fixing those leaks can cut a home’s entire energy use by about 6%, on average, by our estimates. And it’s cheap, since those fixes mostly involve caulk and weather stripping.
The Inflation Reduction Act offers homeowners a hand. It includes a $150 rebate to help pay for a home energy audit that can locate leaks.
While a professional audit can help, it isn’t essential – the Department of Energy website offers guidance for doing your own inspection.
Once you find the leaks, the act includes 30% tax credits with a maximum of $1,200 a year for basic weatherization work, plus rebates up to $1,600 for low- and moderate-income homeowners earning less than 150% of the local median.
Replace windows
Replacing windows is more expensive upfront but can save a lot of money on energy costs. Leaky windows and doors are responsible for 25% to 30% of residential heating and cooling costs, according to Department of Energy estimates.
Insulation can also reduce energy loss. But with the exception of older homes with poor insulation and homes facing extreme temperatures, it generally doesn’t have as high of a payoff in whole-house energy savings as weatherization or window replacement.
The Inflation Reduction Act includes up to $600 to help pay for window replacement and $250 to replace an exterior door.
Upgrade appliances, especially HVAC and dryers
Buildings cumulatively are responsible for about 40% of U.S. energy consumption and associated greenhouse gas emissions, and a significant share of that is in homes. Heating is typically the main energy use.
Among appliances, upgrading air conditioners and clothes dryers results in the largest environmental and cost benefits; however, HVAC systems – heating, ventilation and air conditioning – come with some of the highest upfront costs.
That includes energy-efficient electric heat pumps, which both heat and cool a home. The Inflation Reduction Act offers a 30% tax credit up to $2,000 available to anyone who purchases and installs a heat pump, in addition to rebates of up to $8,000 for low- and moderate-income households earning less than 150% of the local median income. Some high-efficiency wood-burning stoves also qualify.
The act also provides rebates for low- and moderate-income households for electric stoves of up to $840, heat-pump water heaters of up to $1,750 and heat-pump clothes dryers of up to $840.
Change your behavior in a few easy steps
You can also make a pretty big difference without federal incentives by changing your habits. My dad was energy-efficient before it was hip. His “hobby” was to turn off the lights. This action itself has been among the most cost-saving behavioral changes.
Just turning out the lights for an hour a day can save a home up to $65 per year. Replacing old lightbulbs with LED lighting also cuts energy use. They’re more expensive, but they save money on energy costs.
We found that a homeowner could save $265 per year and reduce emissions even more by adopting a few behavioral changes including unplugging appliances not being used, line-drying clothes, lowering the water heater temperature, setting the thermostat 1 degree warmer at night in summer or 1 degree cooler in winter, turning off lights for an hour a day, and going tech-free for an hour a day.
Some appliances are energy vampires – they draw electricity when plugged in even if you’re not using them. One study in Northern California found that plugged-in devices, such as TVs, cable boxes, computers and smart appliances, that weren’t being used were responsible for as much as 23% of electricity consumption in homes.
Start with a passive solar home
If you’re looking for a home to rent or buy, or even to build, you can make an even bigger difference by looking at how it’s built and powered.
Passive solar homes take advantage of local climate and site conditions, such as having lots of south-facing windows to capture solar energy during cool months to reduce home energy use as much as possible. Then they meet the remaining energy demand with on-site solar energy.
Studies show that for homeowners in cold climates, building a passive design home could cut their energy cost by 14% compared with an average home. That’s before taking solar panels into account.
The Inflation Reduction Act offers a 30% tax credit for rooftop solar and geothermal heating, plus accompanying battery storage, as well as incentives for community solar – larger solar systems owned by several homeowners. It also includes a $5,000 tax credit for developers to build homes to the Energy Department’s Zero Energy Ready Homes standard.
The entire energy and climate package – including incentives for utility-scale renewable energy, carbon capture and electric vehicles – could have a big impact for homeowners’ energy costs and the climate. According to several estimates, it has the potential to reduce U.S. carbon emissions by about 40% by the end of this decade.
Jasmina Burek, Assistant Professor of Engineering, UMass Lowell
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.