Pesticide protection for children topic of program

Contact: Bob Ratliff

Ways in which the Environmental Protection Agency is working to implement the Food Quality Protection Act will be the subject of a Feb. 17 public program at Mississippi State University.

Passed by Congress in 1996, the legislation deals, in part, with the protection of children and others from pesticide exposure.

Janice Chambers, a Giles Distinguished Professor at the MSU College of Veterinary Medicine's Center for Environmental Health Sciences, will be featured speaker for the 3:30 p.m. program in 301Colvard Union.

Her presentation is another in the 1998-99 lecture series sponsored by the MSU chapter of Sigma Xi scientific research society.

"Dr. Chambers will discuss some of the issues, uncertainties and controversies associated with implementation of the Food Quality Protection Act," said Sigma Xi president-elect Frank Howell. "She also will highlight some of MSU's on-going research in the area of children's vulnerability to pesticide effects, including exposure to flea control insecticides used on pets."

Sigma Xi has more than 500 chapters throughout the United States and Canada. Its 80,000 members are spread among universities and colleges, government laboratories and industrial research centers.

For additional information on the program, telephone Frank Howell at (601) 325-2014 or e-mail him at fmh1@ra.msstate.edu.