At the start of every month, we share with all Network participants new research, news stories, events, reports and other resources, as well as funding opportunities relevant to cancer and the environment. Sign up to receive our Monthly Digests.
Regional Network Calls on CDC and NIH to Establish Health Registry in the Wake of Toxic Disaster
Environmental Chemicals and Cancer A Science Companion Document (July 2021)
National Air Toxics Assessment and Cancer Risk in Allegheny County Pennsylvania Updated – May 2021
A Year in Review- Reflections on 2021 Peer-Reviewed Research on Cancer and Environment (January 2022)
NETWORK SPEAKERS’ SERIES
Beginning in October 2021, the Network has hosted a speaker each month to do a deep dive into specific environmental and occupational risk factors for cancer, and opportunities for prevention. Watch and listen to the recordings below.
May 2023: Pesticides: The Environmental and Health Impacts on Children and Workers
April 2023: The Accumulation of Radioactive Fracking Waste in Landfills and its Effect on Cancer
March 2023: EPA Soot Pollution Webinar
February 2023: Radioactivity and Indoor Air Quality: Radon in Schools & The Impact on Children Passcode: xPRX+k&9
January 2023: Health and Environmental Hazards of Artificial Turf and Safer Alternatives Passcode: q+AckJw1
December 2022: Wood/Debris Burning: Public Health Consequences Passcode: ycngn&4?
November 2022: Animal Protein and Cancer Risks: What We Know & What We Can Do Passcode: 7T&5?PJ4
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October 2021: Breast cancer and the environment: What do we know and how can we reduce exposures?
November 2021: Air Pollution: What can we say about Southwestern PAs air quality?
December 2021: Cleaning Products. Password: care
January 2022: Radon: A lung cancer risk that can be preventable. Password: bridges
February 2022: Breast cancer and the environment: What do we know and how can we reduce exposures. This version targeted a continuing education audience. Suggested resources and readings here.
March 2022: Reducing exposure to chemicals in food while nourishing your body for cancer prevention. You’ll need to log-in (establish an account if you don’t already have one) to the Mid Atlantic Public Health Training Center’s site to view.
June 2022: Fracking impacts – community concerns and what the science tells us. You’ll need to log-in (establish an account if you don’t already have one) to the Mid Atlantic Public Health Training Center’s site to view.
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QUARTERLY MEETING PRESENTATIONS
Dr. Cassie Clark presented at CENSWPA’s final 2022 quarterly meeting over the topic of Unconventional Oil and Gas Development Exposure and Risk of Childhood Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. View the full presentation here.
2019 CANCER AND ENVIRONMENT SYMPOSIUM
View the presentations from renowned scientists at this foundational event that launched the Cancer and Environment Network of SW Pennsylvania.
Cancer Bridges (formerly Our Clubhouse), an active Network participant and Pittsburgh-based nonprofit, is eliminating high hazard chemicals used for cleaning, and identifying other opportunities for creating a healthier indoor environment. A manual guides their cleaning and disinfecting practices and is available in a template format in English and in Spanish for use by other organizations; the yellow highlights indicate where organizations can add their own information. A series of placards placed the welcome area, kitchen, bathroom and other spaces give people visiting the space information about opportunities for reducing exposures to toxic chemicals at Cancer Bridges and at home; these too are available in English and in Spanish and can be adapted for use by other organizations. QR codes on the placards link to fact sheets with additional information.
Interested in exploring a Healthy Spaces transition within your organization? Contact us to get started
Peer-reviewed journal articles
Air pollution
Cancer survival
Consumer Products
Endocrine Disrupting Agents
Persistent Organic Pollutants
PFAS
Water Pollution
News Articles
December News Articles
November Peer-reviewed journal articles
Air Pollution
Childhood Cancer
Flame Retardants
Heavy Metals
Microplastics/Nanoplastics
PFAS
Pesticides
Other
News Articles
October Peer-reviewed journal articles
Air pollution
Environmental justice
Occupational risks
Microplastics
PFAS
Water contamination
News Articles
September Peer-reviewed journal articles
Air Pollution
Heavy metals
Pesticides
PFAS
Other
News Articles
August Peer-reviewed journal articles
Air Pollution
Environmental Justice
Heavy Metals
Microplastics
Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs)
Pesticides
PFAS
Radiation
Residential Greenness
Survival/Tumor Aggression
News Articles
Organizations active in the Cancer and Environment Network of SWPA participate in the Childhood Cancer Prevention Initiative, a multi-sector effort to reduce exposure to chemicals tied to the development of cancers in young people. This report provides the foundation.
Women for a Healthy Environment’s shopping guides can help you avoid toxins in your products.
Clearya is a free Chrome extension and Mobile App that notifies you when there are unsafe ingredients in your products, while shopping online.
Environmental Working Group Consumer Tools:
A range of chemicals not considered “complete carcinogens” nonetheless contribute to the development of cancers. The Halifax Project explains.
To learn more about endocrine disrupting chemicals, see The Collaborative on Health and Environment and a backgrounder developed by the National Institute for Environmental Health Sciences.
Order a free home radon test kit from the American Lung Association.
Women for a Healthy Environment has both Indoor Air Factsheets, as well as a Radon in Schools Workgroup that advocates for radon exposure prevention policies in Pennsylvania.
Citizens for Radioactive Radon Reduction (CR3) offers many different radon resources.
Reducing Outdoor Contaminants in Indoor Spaces (ROCIS) provides a range of resources.
FracTracker’s “Oil and Gas Information by Location” tool helps guide your search for information about this industry in relation to a specific location or region.
Physicians for Social Responsibility 7th edition of the fracking “Compendium” which compiles, summarizes and provides electronic access to articles on fracking’s risks and harms to health.
The Environmental Health Project (EHP) is a nonprofit public health organization that assists and supports residents of Southwestern Pennsylvania and beyond who believe their health has been, or could be, impacted by unconventional oil and gas development. EHP has numerous fact sheets and reports on the topic.
Air Now. Find your community’s current air quality.
Outdoor Air Pollution tools, compiled by the Breathe Project. Several of these tools were created by Carnegie Mellon University’s CREATE Lab.
Smell PGH App. Download this app on your phone to record smelly odors in your neighborhood. Complaints are automatically sent to the Allegheny County Health Department.
Submit an Air Quality Complaint to the Allegheny County Health Department.
Penn Environment’s Toxic 10 report, A listing of Allegheny County’s “Toxic Ten” industrial air polluters with tools that allow residents to find out how close they live to these facilities.
Silent Spring Institute’s PFAS-Exchange includes a number of resources on PFAS, including factsheets, medical screening guidance and maps where PFAS contamination has been detected.
Take the Pennsylvania Good Riddance, Round Up Pledge to reduce the use of pesticides in your garden, yard, municipal parks and fields, school grounds and/or childcare center.
Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce. This guide helps you make choices among non-organic produce.
Pesticide Action Network, a Cancer Free Economy Network national partner, provides scientific resources and action opportunities.
Tap Water Database. Search contaminants found in your water system using this database.
NSF Certified Water Filter Database. To find products that are certified by NSF International to reduce PFOA/PFOS in drinking water, see NSF International’s certification listings.