Aquatic toxicity of waterpipe wastewater chemicals.

INTRODUCTION: The recent increase in U.S. popularity and use prevalence of water pipe (WP) tobacco smoking raises concerns about the potential environmental impacts of WP waste disposal and the need for strategies to reduce such impacts. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is required to assess the environmental impacts of its tobacco regulatory actions per the U.S. National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The purpose of this study was to identify and quantify specific chemical constituents in WP wastewater and to determine their potential aquatic toxicity. METHODS: Using a modified Beirut smoking regimen, five different WP charcoal brands (n = 70) and ten WP tobacco brands (n = 35) were smoked separately using a WP smoking machine in which smoke was passed through the WP base water. We analyzed and quantified specific chemical constituents in the WP bowl wastewater through standardized U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Hazardous Waste Test Methods. We then characterized the ecological hazard for acute and chronic aquatic toxicity posed by the specific chemicals through compilations of Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS) and hazardous concentration values (concentration affecting 50% of the species). RESULTS: Among the list of 31 specific chemicals analyzed, we detected 22 and 11 chemicals in wastewater from WP tobacco and WP charcoal smoking, respectively. Nearly half of the 22 WP wastewater chemicals were classified as "very toxic" or "toxic" for acute and chronic aquatic toxicity per GHS classification. The most hazardous compounds with acute and chronic toxicity in aquatic organisms include acrolein, acrylonitrile, and metals (cadmium, lead, chromium, nickel, cobalt) found in both WP tobacco and charcoal wastewater, and N-nitrosonornicotine, nicotine, crotonaldehyde and selenium were additionally found in WP tobacco wastewater. All the identified chemicals are considered harmful or potentially harmful constituents in tobacco products and tobacco smoke per FDA's list, and seventeen of them represent hazardous waste per EPA's list. CONCLUSION: Our study expands the identification and quantifies several WP wastewater chemical constituents. It characterizes the ecological hazard of these chemicals and identifies chemicals of concern, aiding our evaluation of the environmental impacts of WP waste products. Our results add to the existing evidence that WP wastewater is a source of toxins that could affect water quality and aquatic organisms, and bioaccumulate in the environment if disposed of into public sewers, on the ground, or in an onsite septic system. These findings highlight the importance of concerted efforts to raise awareness of appropriate WP waste disposal practices in both retail and residential settings, and applicable regulatory compliance requirements for WP retailer establishments, thereby limiting hazards from WP wastewater.

Current Status of Development of Methods to Assess Effects of Cumulative or Aggregated Underwater Sounds on Marine Mammals.

There are no standards for assessment of the cumulative effects of underwater sound. Quantitative assessments typically consider a single source, whereas qualitative assessments may include multiple sources but rarely identify response variables. As a step toward understanding the cumulative effects of underwater sound, we assessed the aggregated sounds of multiple sources received by migrating bowhead whales (Balaena mysticetus). The quantitative method models the sound field from multiple sources and simulates movement of a population through it. The qualitative method uses experts to assess the responses of individuals and populations to sound sources and identify the potential mechanisms. These methods increase the transparency of assessments.

Harmony between Man and His Environment: Reviewing the Trump Administration's Changes to the National Environmental Policy Act in the Context of Environmental Racism.

This article aims to show how the changes to NEPA by the Trump Administration are an act of environmental racism, defined as "[i]ntentional or unintentional racial discrimination in environmental policy-making, enforcement of regulations and laws, and targeting of communities for the disposal of toxic waste and siting of polluting industries."

Effects of non-ionizing electromagnetic fields on flora and fauna, Part 3. Exposure standards, public policy, laws, and future directions.

Due to the continuous rising ambient levels of nonionizing electromagnetic fields (EMFs) used in modern societies-primarily from wireless technologies-that have now become a ubiquitous biologically active environmental pollutant, a new vision on how to regulate such exposures for non-human species at the ecosystem level is needed. Government standards adopted for human exposures are examined for applicability to wildlife. Existing environmental laws, such as the National Environmental Policy Act and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act in the U.S. and others used in Canada and throughout Europe, should be strengthened and enforced. New laws should be written to accommodate the ever-increasing EMF exposures. Radiofrequency radiation exposure standards that have been adopted by worldwide agencies and governments warrant more stringent controls given the new and unusual signaling characteristics used in 5G technology. No such standards take wildlife into consideration. Many species of flora and fauna, because of distinctive physiologies, have been found sensitive to exogenous EMF in ways that surpass human reactivity. Such exposures may now be capable of affecting endogenous bioelectric states in some species. Numerous studies across all frequencies and taxa indicate that low-level EMF exposures have numerous adverse effects, including on orientation, migration, food finding, reproduction, mating, nest and den building, territorial maintenance, defense, vitality, longevity, and survivorship. Cyto- and geno-toxic effects have long been observed. It is time to recognize ambient EMF as a novel form of pollution and develop rules at regulatory agencies that designate air as 'habitat' so EMF can be regulated like other pollutants. Wildlife loss is often unseen and undocumented until tipping points are reached. A robust dialog regarding technology's high-impact role in the nascent field of electroecology needs to commence. Long-term chronic low-level EMF exposure standards should be set accordingly for wildlife, including, but not limited to, the redesign of wireless devices, as well as infrastructure, in order to reduce the rising ambient levels (explored in Part 1). Possible environmental approaches are discussed. This is Part 3 of a three-part series.

No Butts on the Beach: Aquatic Toxicity of Cigarette Butt Leachate Chemicals.

OBJECTIVES: Toxic pollutants leaching from littered cigarette butts (CB) raise environmental impact concerns. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is required to assess the environmental impacts of its tobacco regulatory actions per the US National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). METHODS: We determined the chemical constituents in CB leachate through analyses of 109 field-collected CB and literature compilation and characterized their ecotoxicity to aquatic organisms. RESULTS: One-third of the 98 identified CB leachate chemicals were very toxic and 10% were toxic to aquatic organisms due to acute and chronic toxicity. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, metals, phthalates, nicotine and volatile organic compounds were the most hazardous CB leachate chemicals for aquatic organisms. Of the 98 CB leachate chemicals, 25 are included in FDA's list of harmful or potentially harmful constituents in tobacco products and tobacco smoke. CONCLUSIONS: Our study quantifies CB leachate constituents, characterizes their ecological hazard and identifies chemicals of concern. Thus, it aids in evaluating the environmental impacts of tobacco products per NEPA requirements. These results provide important information for strategies to prevent and reduce CB litter (eg, awareness programs, litter laws enforcement), thereby reducing environmental hazards from CB toxicants.

NIH bows to part of Rifkin suit.

KIE: Having lost a round in its legal battle with Jeremy Rifkin over field tests of genetically engineered bacteria, the National Institutes of Health will conduct the simpler of two ecological analyses required by the National Environmental Policy Act on three proposed experiments. In May 1984 a federal district court ruling halted a University of California field test pending a decision on Rifkin's 1983 suit, which alleged that NIH had violated the Act by approving experiments without studying the ecological consequences. Still to be decided by the U.S. Court of Appeals is whether NIH must also issue full-scale environmental impact statements.^ieng

Judge halts gene-splicing experiment.

KIE: A surprise ruling on 16 May 1984 by federal judge John J. Sirica halted a University of California experiment, already approved by the National Institutes of Health's Recombinant DNA Advisory Committee, which would have involved the first deliberate release into the environment of genetically modified bacteria. Agreeing with social activist Jeremy Rifkin's charge that NIH had failed to comply with the National Environmental Policy Act when it approved the experiment, Sirica strongly suggested that he would also rule in Rifkin's favor on a suit to block all similar federally funded experiments until NIH has conducted an exhaustive evaluation of their potential environmental impact. Sirica's decision, however, left the NIH Recombinant Advisory Committee free to approve privately-funded experiments, which are not covered by the same environmental laws.^ieng

Another round in Rifkin versus gene splicing.

KIE: Pending approval by the National Institutes of Health and the Food and Drug Administration, the first authorized experiments in human gene therapy are expected to begin sometime in 1985. Anticipating approval, the congressional Office of Technology Assessment (OTA), at the request of then Representative Albert Gore, Jr. (D-Tenn), compiled a report on the scientific and ethical issues involved. OTA found no unique ethical obstacles to somatic cell therapy if conducted safely and with a reasonable expectation of efficacy. It reached no agreement concerning the necessity, feasibility, or ethical acceptability of germline therapy, and recommended further evaluation and public discussion.^ieng

Rifkin battle lost, war undecided.

KIE: A panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals has ruled invalid a District Court injunction barring the National Institutes of Health from approving experiments involving the deliberate release of microorganisms containing recombinant DNA into the environment. However, a previously approved University of California field trial involving the release of genetically-modified, frost-resistant bacteria is still enjoined pending the District Court's approval of an environmental assessment produced by NIH. Budiansky's summary of the federal regulatory status of deliberate-release experiments is followed by extracts from the opinion of the Court of Appeals.^ieng

Foundation on Economic Trends v. Weinberger.

KIE: The U.S. District Court, District of Columbia, entered a permanent injunction against the Department of Defense (DOD) after finding for the plaintiff, a public interest group, that the DOD had not complied with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the Administrative Procedure Act when it failed to prepare and publicly circulate a detailed environmental impact statement (EIS) regarding its Utah installation site. DOD wanted to build facilities for possible testing and assessing the military value of chemical warfare and biological defense systems. An EIS is required when a federal action will significantly affect the quality of the human environment, unless the agency finds, through an environmental assessment (EA), that there will be "no significant impact." The court concluded that the DOD failed to meet the exception because its EA did not support the findings of "no significant impact" with sufficient evidence and analysis showing that it had taken a "hard look" at potential environmental hazards associated with recombinant DNA research.^ieng

Foundation on Economic Trends v. Bowen.

KIE: The National Enviromental Policy Act requires that government agencies make a detailed enviromental impact statement (EIS) for all research significantly affecting the environment. These statements must be supplemented if the project substantially changes or if new information is obtained. The Foundation on Economic Trends argued that three developments in recombinant DNA research will significantly alter the enviromental impact, thereby mandating a new EIS by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). These developments are cloning oncogenic viruses, engineering the human immunodeficiency virus into cells not normally susceptible to it, and introducing AIDS genetic codes into mice. The U.S. District Court, District of Columbia, held that the first two projects do not pose a greater risk and that the enviromental assessment being prepared by NIH on the third satisfies the requirements of the National Enviromental Policy Act.^ieng

Foundation on Economic Trends v. Heckler.

KIE: The U.S. Court of Appeals partially affirmed and partially vacated a decision by the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to halt experiments in which genetically engineered organisms would be deliberately released into the environment. It held that the National Institutes of Health, in approving an experiment planned by scientists at the University of California, had not adequately assessed its environmental impact, nor had the experiment met the standard of environmental review necessary before an agency by law may decline to prepare a formal Environmental Impact Statement. However, the appellate court ruled that other such experiments might be approved in the future if their environmental effects were properly evaluated.^ieng