State of the Science: Children’s Environmental Health in Alaska and the Circumpolar North
January 31, 2018 @ 9:00am (AKST)
Children in Alaska and the Circumpolar North experience disproportionate exposures to toxic chemicals that may have long-term negative health consequences, such as neurodevelopmental effects, cancer, birth defects, metabolic disorders, and compromised immune systems. On this call you will hear a summary of the scientific evidence linking environmental exposures and adverse health outcomes for children in the Arctic. Find out how Alaskans are working together to address these concerns and how you can take action to protect children at the top of the world, including helping us to pass the Toxic-Free Children’s Act, state legislation that would ban ten of the most harmful chemical flame retardants from consumer products.
ACAT report State of the Science: Children’s Environmental Health in Alaska and the Circumpolar North (PDF)
Website: Project TENDR (Targeting Environmental Neuro-Development Risks)
article published in the Journal Environmental Pollution: Endocrine disruption and differential gene expression in sentinel fish on St. Lawrence Island, Alaska: Health implications for indigenous residents
Featured speakers
Sarah B. Petras, MPH. Sarah has worked in environmental health and justice since 2007, when she earned her Master of Public Health degree from Portland State University. Sarah worked at Alaska Community Action on Toxics (ACAT) for four years as an organizer, campaign coordinator and researcher. Her work in Alaska focused on community-based participatory research projects, biomonitoring, advocating for cleanup of contaminated sites, and engaging health care professionals in environmental health policy reform. Later based in the Pacific Northwest, Sarah worked on state and federal chemicals policy reform campaigns and coordinated programs on lead poisoning prevention and regulatory compliance for the Stateof Oregon. Currently, she lives in the Netherlands with her partner and daughter, and works on freelance environmental health research, writing and advocacy projects.
Pam Miller, Executive Director, Alaska Community Action on Toxics (ACAT)
Samarys Seguinot-Medina, DrPHc, MSEM, Environmental Health Program Director, ACAT