Evaluating and Regulating Lead in Artificial Turf

Background: In 2007, a synthetic turf recreational field in Newark, New Jersey, was closed because lead was found in synthetic turf fibers and in surface dust at concentrations exceeding hazard criteria. Consequently, public health professionals across the country began testing synthetic turf to determine whether it represented a lead hazard. Currently, no standardized methods exist to test for lead in synthetic turf or to assess lead hazards. Objectives: Our objectives were to increase awareness of potential lead exposure from synthetic turf by presenting data showing elevated lead in fibers and turf-derived dust; identify risk assessment uncertainties; recommend that federal and/or state agencies determine appropriate methodologies for assessing lead in synthetic turf; and recommend an interim standardized approach for sampling, interpreting results, and taking health-protective actions. Discussion: Data collected from recreational fields and child care centers indicate lead in synthetic turf fibers and dust at concentrations exceeding the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 statutory lead limit of 300 mg/kg for consumer products intended for use by children, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s lead-dust hazard standard of 40 μg/ft2 for floors. Conclusions: Synthetic turf can deteriorate to form dust containing lead at levels that may pose a risk to children. Given elevated lead levels in turf and dust on recreational fields and in child care settings, it is imperative that a consistent, nationwide approach for sampling, assessment, and action be developed. In the absence of a standardized approach, we offer an interim approach to assess potential lead hazards when evaluating synthetic turf

Hledání velké strategie Evropské unie: Pochopení role Evropské komise ve formulování velké strategie

Complexity is a crucial barrier to our understanding of how actors behave in the international arena. Market power, normative power, regulatory power, global power, civilian power, are all concepts which have been utilised to describe the EU international actorness. However, the interaction between these concepts, and how the EU employs these comprehensively has been less debated. Complexity, in this case, has the upper hand, as it is naturally an overwhelming task to parse the pieces together of the EU's strategic behaviour, because of the unique nature of the EU and the numerous avenues it utilises to exert influence in the international arena. It is only natural that different academics argue that the EU behaves according to different sources of power, as after all, the EU power has many facets. If we concentrate on trade agreements, there would be a natural inclination to think of market power. 1 However, if the focus is on the EU's use of its international identity and its diplomatic efforts to defend liberal values, a rather normative power would be more visible. 2 However, focusing on only one does not provide us with the full picture. Thus, this thesis argues that to avoid the tunnel vision which may result from looking at only one aspect of the EU's strategic behaviour prism it could be more useful...Department of European StudiesKatedra evropských studiíFakulta sociálních vědFaculty of Social Science

Finding the European Union's Grand Strategy Understanding the Commission's role in formulating grand strategy

Complexity is a crucial barrier to our understanding of how actors behave in the international arena. Market power, normative power, regulatory power, global power, civilian power, are all concepts which have been utilised to describe the EU international actorness. However, the interaction between these concepts, and how the EU employs these comprehensively has been less debated. Complexity, in this case, has the upper hand, as it is naturally an overwhelming task to parse the pieces together of the EU's strategic behaviour, because of the unique nature of the EU and the numerous avenues it utilises to exert influence in the international arena. It is only natural that different academics argue that the EU behaves according to different sources of power, as after all, the EU power has many facets. If we concentrate on trade agreements, there would be a natural inclination to think of market power. 1 However, if the focus is on the EU's use of its international identity and its diplomatic efforts to defend liberal values, a rather normative power would be more visible. 2 However, focusing on only one does not provide us with the full picture. Thus, this thesis argues that to avoid the tunnel vision which may result from looking at only one aspect of the EU's strategic behaviour prism it could be more useful..

Mrs. Martha Ferguson - City

Photograph taken for a newspaper owned by the Oklahoma Publishing Company

Sailing

Photograph taken for a story in the Daily Oklahoman newspaper. Caption: "Sailing aboard the SS President Hoover from San Francisco for a two-month trip to the Orient was Mrs. Martha Ferguson.