ENVR 230:  Environmental Health Issues       Instructor:  Dr. L.M. Ball

          Call No.  95016        Section 001              Tuesday-Thursday, 9:30-10:45 AM            Room 2302 McGavran-Greenberg

Description:  This course examines key events that have shaped our understanding of the impacts of environmental agents on human health, and uses them to introduce basic concepts in environmental health.


Textbook:  None.  Readings will be assigned from websites and scientific literature.

5 Grading Opportunities, all equally weighed:
                                   3 In-class Tests
                                   1 Presentation
                                   1 Final Examination
TOPICS FOR DEBATE
Syllabus:

Date
Topic
Reference Material
Tues
Aug 19
 Introduction: contemporary health issues Environmental Health
 Thurs Aug 21  The major players in environmental health:  International
http://www.un.org/
http://www.unep.org/
http://www.who.int/en/
http://www.fao.org/
 Tues Aug 26  The major players in environmental health: National

The FDA
www.fda.gov;
www.epa.gov ;  www.cpsc.gov;
 www.neha.org ;  www.niehs.nih.gov
  
 Thurs Aug 28
 Local issues
http://www.co.durham.nc.us/departments/phth/Environmental_Health.html
http://www.ncpublichealth.com
http://www.dhhs.state.nc.us
http://www.deh.enr.state.nc.us
 Tues Sep 02 The beginnings of public health:
John Graunt,

Edwin Chadwick,
John Snow.
US Mortality 2002
John Graunt - the first biostatistician
http://www.ac.wwu.edu/~stephan/Graunt/graunt.html
Edwin Chadwick - sanitary reformer
http://www.victorianweb.org/history/chadwick2.html
John Snow - Epidemiologist ?  Sanitarian ?
http://www.ph.ucla.edu/epi/snow.html ;
http://www.ph.ucla.edu/epi/snow/broadstreetpump.html
 Thurs Sep 04  
The plagues of today
http://www.state.nj.us/health/chs/19002000.pdf
Typhoid Fever: http://history1900s.about.com/od/1900s/a/typhoidmary.htm
http://www.health.state.ny.us/nysdoh/communicable_diseases/en/typh.htm
Cholera:  Sack et al., 2004 ;  Lipp et al., 2002
Plague: http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/plague.htm
  http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5534a4.htm
 Tues Sep 09  Our Chemical Content
http://www.cdc.gov/exposurereport/
 Thurs Sep 11  Lead and other metals Lead powerpoint
Needleman, 2000

http://www.nimd.go.jp/english/
 Tues Sep 16
 In-class test Covering Aug 19th - Sept 4th
Test from 2006
Test from 2007
 Thurs Sep 18  Air pollution www.epa.gov ;  http://www.docheritage.state.pa.us/documents/donora.asp
www.dep.state.pa.us/dep/Rachel_Carson/donora.htm ;
Scientific Literature: Hexter and Goldsmith, 1971 ; Lave and Seskin, 1970 ; Goldsmith and Breslow, 1959 ; Amdur, et al., 1952
 Tues Sep 23
 Thurs Sep 25
 Tues Sept 30 Occupational diseases Alice Hamilton:
www.chicagotribute.org/Markers/HullHouse.htm
http://www.chemheritage.org/classroom/chemach/environment/hamilton.html
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/changingthefaceofmedicine/physicians/biography_137.html
http://acswebcontent.acs.org/landmarks/landmarks/hamilton/ham2.html

Occupational protection:
www.dol.gov
www.osha.gov
www.cdc.gov/niosh/
Akpinar-Elsi et al., 2005
 Thurs Oct 02
Tues Oct 07
Industrial accidents: Seveso, Times Beach, Bhopal, Chernoby

Fire at EQ, Apex
Times Beach
http://www.unu.edu/unupress/unupbooks/uu21le/uu21le09.htm ;

http://www.bhopal.com/; http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/bhopal/default.stm ; http://www.ibiblio.org/expo/soviet.exhibit/chernobyl.html; http://www.world-nuclear.org/info/chernobyl/inf07.html:
http://www.kiddofspeed.com/default.htm

 Thurs Oct 09
 Tues Oct 14 Water
www.epa.gov
http://www.epa.gov/ebtpages/water.html
http://www.epa.gov/region5/water/cwa.htm
http://www.epa.gov/beaches/
http://www.owasa.org/
http://www.cleanwaterfund.org/
 Thurs Oct 16  Fall break  
 Tues Oct 21 Food additives, Food Processing http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/list.html
Powerpoint ; http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/supplmnt.html
 Thurs Oct 23  In-class Test
Covering  Sept 9th to Oct 14th
2006 Test
2007 Test
 Tues Oct 28  Love Canal
and Superfund
http://ublib.buffalo.edu/libraries/projects/lovecanal/ ; http://www.health.state.ny.us/nysdoh/lcanal/lctimbmb.htm ; http://www.epa.gov/history/topics/lovecanal/ ; http://www.cnn.com/US/9808/07/love.canal/
http://www.epa.gov/superfund/; http://www.nj.gov/dep/srp/superfund/ ;
   
 Thurs Oct 30  Food
"For and Against the Industrialization of Food: Local vs. Industrialized Food"
Laura and Casey     POWERPOINT
 Tues Nov 04 Environmental Justice Are there adequate safeguards in place to protect disadvantaged communities from industrial by-products  ?
    Yes:  Liz Blaney
    No:   Aisha Saad   POWERPOINT
 Thurs Nov 06 Environmental Impact on Chronic Diseases
Is there an environmental contribution to asthma (and other chronic diseases) ?
    Yes: 
Jahan Mohiuddin
    No:   Emily Cohn    JOINT POWERPOINT
 Tues Nov 11 Food Production
Is the current approach to food production sustainable ?
    Yes: 
Joe Milner 
    No:  Patty Chuang
Thurs Nov 13
Water Quality

Does Hg from fossil fuels and other heavy metals pose a major threat to water quality in the US ?  Is the situation even worse in the developing world ?
    For:   Carrie Shaw  POWERPOINT

Does privatization of water utilities pose a threat to health?
    Against:  Kennedy Holt  POWERPOINT
Tues Nov 18 Hazardous Waste Disposal
http://www.scorecard.org/env-releases/land/
Thurs Nov 20 In-class test Covering Oct 21 to Nov 13
2006 Test
2007 Test
 Tues Nov 25 PCBs and Environmental Justice
Powerpoint
http://www.wastenotnc.org/WarrenCo_Fact_Sheet.htm ; http://www.ejrc.cau.edu/warren%20county%20rdb.htm
 Thurs Nov 27 Thanksgiving break
 Tues Dec 02 Has Anything Changed ?
Fri Dec 12 12:00 noon Final examination  2006 Final
2007 Final