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ACTRA Australasian College of Toxicology
and Risk Assessment |
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February 2009
E-Newsletter |
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Member
news… |
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President’s
Report |
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Welcome to the first ACTRA
newsletter for 2009. Since the Newsletter is an important means of communicating
with ACTRA members, the Management Committee has resolved that it will be
produced with greater timeliness and frequency in 2009. John Frangos, elected
Secretary at the AGM last October, has taken responsibility for producing the
Newsletter, and I hope that all members will support his efforts by making
contributions. I would also like to welcome
newly elected and co-opted members of the Management Committee (John Frangos,
Jack Ng, Jackie Wright, Sim Ooi and Mirella Goetzmann). I would also like to
sincerely thank those members (Roger Drew and Susanne Tepe) who served during
2008, but did not seek re-election. The 2008 AGM was held in
Brisbane on 27 October. Minutes of the AGM are available on the ACTRA website.
The formal business of the AGM was greatly assisted by the active involvement
of members present, and the outcomes indicate that 2009 will see ACTRA move
closer to achieving its objectives in establishing a professional
accreditation program and the associated continuing education program which
is such an important part of it. The AGM again featured a
mini-symposium, with papers presented on the theme Social Risk. The three presentations, by Paul McLeod, Ian
Marshall (Golder Associates) and Fiona Childs (Dept of Innovation, Industry,
Science & Research) addressed issues of risk perception, the factors,
which influence community acceptability of environmental risks, and some
useful comments on how to more effectively manage the processes of community
consultation. The perception and management of risks related to the
nanotechnologies were used as an example of how the introduction of
technological change can impact on community perceptions of environmental
health risks. Another important element of
the AGM in 2008 was the scheduling of a session for members to make brief
presentations on contributed scientific abstracts. Nine papers were
contributed, covering a range of topics from general comments on methodology
for conducting health risk assessments, to toxicity studies on metals associated
with mining activities and water disinfectant by-products. For the benefit of
ACTRA members who were unable to attend the AGM, the abstracts of these
papers will be made available via the ACTRA website.
It is hoped that future ACTRA Annual Scientific Meetings will feature an
increasing number of such scientific contributions, either as presented
papers or posters. The AGM also saw some progress
made towards the development of an ACTRA program to develop a Register of
Toxicologists and Risk Assessors. Largely through the input from Andrew
Harman in developing a set of By-Laws and processes for addressing ethical
standards, the Management Committee presented proposals to the AGM, which
should see the Register established early in 2009. A key feature of the
program is the development of an application process and a “points system”
for assessing an applicant for registration. The points system is based on
one, which has been successful in supporting a similar registration scheme
for the British Toxicological Society, but adapted to cater for Australasian
educational and professional practice. It allows for recognition of
achievements in formal education and professional practice, and recognises
contributions to the development of toxicology and risk assessment through
publications, awards, teaching and participation in professional scientific
meetings. The assessment of points claimed by applicants for Registration
will include consideration by a Registration Tribunal, comprising
distinguished toxicologists from Australia and overseas. Listing on the ACTRA
register of Toxicologists and Risk Assessors will require payment of a
separate assessment fee, an annual renewal fee, and after five years, a fee
covering re-registration based on the submission of evidence of continued
professional activity and continuing education. Listing on the Register will
be restricted to ACTRA members who satisfy the Registration Tribunal of their
credentials and further details of the ways in which the Register will be
maintained and publicised to those who may seek information on the
professional standing of those registered, will be published soon via the
ACTRA website. Members should note that the process and fee structure for
Registration is separate and distinct from the process of becoming a member
of ACTRA. The Management Committee,
under the direction of a workshops/training sub-committee (Peter Di Marco,
Sim Ooi and Mirella Goetzmann) is currently developing the continuing
education program for 2009. Some of the topic under consideration are
workshops on: ·
Asbestos ·
Benchmark dose methodology ·
Airborne lead levels Any members with suggestions
for topics and a willingness to assist with running the workshops are invited
to contact the ACTRA Secretariat, or liaise directly with members of the
Management Committee. Brian Priestly |
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Membership
Committee |
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The
Membership Committee urges all members to encourage new membership. Offer to
sponsor a colleague! Details on membership
can be found at our website at www.actra.org.au Michael
Moore |
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2008 Annual General Meeting |
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To view the draft
minutes of the 2008 Annual General Meeting, please click here. |
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Scientific
articles of interest |
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Dioxin disrupts prostate development |
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Prostate
development begins prenatally when foetal androgens bind to androgen receptors
in urogenital sinus (UGS) mesenchyme to stimulate prostatic ductal
progenitors, or buds in UGS epithelium. These buds form in sequential stages
(specification, initiation etc)…click here to
read more |
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News from other
organisations and members |
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In
November 2008, His Honour Judge Keen dismissed a claim in a long running action
in the District Court of Western Australia involving an allegation of
Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS) caused by workplace exposure…click here to read more |
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Review
of the enHealth guidance document |
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The enHealth document Environmental Health Risk Assessment:
Guidelines for assessing human health risks from environmental hazards
(2004) has been a seminal reference for HRA methodology in Australia. The
document is currently being reviewed and updated…click here to
read more |
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NRC
publication on US risk assessment methodology |
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The US National Academy of
Sciences (NAS), in conjunction with the US Environment Protection Agency
(EPA), US National Institute for Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) and
the US National Research Council (NRC) has been undertaking a review of
methodology used across US agencies for interpreting toxicity data to inform
environmental health risk assessment…click here to
read more |
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USEPA
Risk Assessment Guidance for Superfund |
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“USEPA Risk Assessment
Guidance for Superfund (RAGS), Volume I: Human Health Evaluation Manual (Part
F, Supplemental Guidance for Inhalation Risk Assessment) Final" has been
issued January 2009) and is available at…click here to
read more |
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Public Education
in toxicology |
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The Toxicology Education Foundation (TEF)
is a non-profit charitable 501 (c)(3) foundation dedicated to encourage,
support and promote charitable educational activities in toxicology. TEF has
provided to the public basic information about safety assessment that will
assist them…click here to
read more |
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NSW DECC draft paper on vapour risk assessment |
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NSW DECC has prepared a paper, with contribution
from NSW Health, which summarises what DECC considers to be Industry Best
Practice in assessing vapour risk. The guidance is intended to be used by
consultants undertaking investigations…click here to
read more |
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Society of Toxicology |
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The February 2009 newsletter for
the Association of Scientists of Indian Origin Special Interest Group has
been posted to the ASIO website. This issue features the ASIO events at
the SOT Annual Meeting! |
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Contributions by individual members
and opinions expressed within these contributions are not intended to nor do
they represent the views of the |
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Diary of events |
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ACTRA
is actively planning several meetings in 2009. Members will be informed of
these as the details become available.
Details will be published in future e-news’ and on the website www.actra.org.au. To view the diary of events, please click here. |
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This
is your newsletter!!
Please
send contributions and Calendar notices to the Secretariat actra@meetingsfirst.com.au or editor jfrangos@bigpond.com Submission deadlinesIssue 2: 28th
May
Issue 3: 21st
August
Issue 4: 30th October Submission rules Publication of
any material submitted to the ACTRA Newsletter will be the sole discretion of
ACTRA. ACTRA reserves the right to make amendments to the submission prior to
publication, or to refuse publication.
ACTRA
Secretariat
Meetings First 4/184 Main Street LILYDALE VIC 3140 Phone +61 3 9739 7697 Fax +61 3 9739 7076 |