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• Components of the California Biomonitoring Program

 

California Environmental Contaminant Biomonitoring Program

• Take the Chemical Selection Survey!
• ¡Complete la encuesta sobre las sustancias químicas ambientales aqui!

• California Biomonitoring Program Frequently Asked Questions
  

• Scientific Guidance Panel Meeting (June 9th and 10th, 2008) - Save the Dates!
  [04/04/08]
• Materials from the California Environmental Contaminant Biomonitoring Program (CECBP) Public Input Workshop
  [04/03/08]
• Public Input Sessions on Chemical Selection - Save the Dates
  [02/29/08]
• Sesiones de Opiniones Públicas - Guarde las Fechas
  [02/29/08]
• December 17, 2007 Agenda for Scientific Guidance Panel Meeting
  [11/28/07]
  meeting handouts and additional information available [12/06/07], [12/12/07]

What is biomonitoring?

Biomonitoring is the measurement of chemicals (or their metabolites) in a person’s body fluids or tissues, such as blood or urine.  It tells us the amount of the chemical that actually gets into people from all sources (for example, from air, soil, water, dust, and food) combined.  Because of this, biomonitoring can provide useful information on how much exposure to toxic chemicals a person has had.

The purpose of the Biomonitoring Program

The purpose of the California Environmental Contaminant Biomonitoring Program, also called the CECBP or California Biomonitoring Program, is to:

1. Evaluate the presence of toxic chemicals in a representative sample of Californians
2. Establish trends in the levels of these chemicals over time
3. Assess the effectiveness of public health efforts and regulatory programs to decrease exposures to specific chemicals.

Multi-Agency Program

The California Biomonitoring Program is a collaborative effort of three departments in two State agencies:

• California Department Public Health (CDPH) www.cdph.ca.gov in the Health and Human Services Agency. CDPH is the lead department for the California Biomonitoring Program.
• California Environmental Protection Agency’s (Cal/EPA)’s Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) www.oehha.ca.gov and Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC). www.dtsc.ca.gov

Created by Legislation Passed in 2006

The California Biomonitoring Program was established by Senate Bill 1379, authored by Senator Don Perata and Senator Deborah Ortiz, which was passed by the California Legislature and signed into law by Governor Schwarzenegger in 2006.  Link to legislation (pdf)

Scientific Peer Review

A panel of experts, the Scientific Guidance Panel, will provide scientific peer review and recommendations for the California Biomonitoring Program.