In sorting through photos for this newsletter, I’m reminded of the stories behind the numbers: hundreds of samples collected translates to information that protects children’s health; a dozen students engaged in hands-on learning means future leaders understand the power and responsibility of science for good; progress on bulleted lists of project outputs and milestones actually crosses continents and cultures. These reminders ground us and show the need, the progress, and the meaningful impact of the work we share.
This year has been a dark one for many around the world. And yet we’ve seen extraordinary light from our partners, donors, staff, and board who have refused to let adversity define what’s possible. We’ve faced challenges that have required us to pivot, adapt, and persevere. But our team was undeterred and made it a year of impact, innovation, and steady progress. Together, we built new collaborations, advanced research, and found ways to continue supporting partners and communities. These successes happened because our team showed up with courage and care, because our partners trusted us to move forward together, and because our community chose hope.
Looking back at 2025 is as tough as it is galvanizing. Thank you for standing with us, for sustaining this work, and for proving that even in difficult times, meaningful progress can and does happen. Join me in ending the year with gratitude, determination, and confidence in what we can achieve together.
This publication, the result of a strong collaboration between the Ministry of Health of Karakalpakstan (MOHK), Doctors Without Borders (MSF), and TIFO, is both a scientific milestone and a model of cross-sectoral partnership. This work is vital not only to improving health outcomes in the Aral Sea region but globally. We are profoundly grateful to continue working on this issue with our partners.
Read the full article: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/22/11/1751
The Stibnite Gold Project has now broken ground at the headwaters of the South Fork of the Salmon River near McCall, Idaho. The mine’s public relations continue to frame the mine as essential to a cleaner, more sustainable future. But as activity at the site accelerates, the public-health concerns remain unchanged—especially for Idaho’s children and Tribal members who are particularly vulnerable to long-term, low-level exposures.
Last spring, the Idaho Board of Environmental Quality, part of the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality (IDEQ), accepted the Stibnite Gold Project’s new interpretation of Idaho’s Rules for the Control of Air Pollution, opening the door to a significant shift in how toxic air emissions may be regulated across the state. Under this reinterpretation, a facility could emit what would ordinarily be 70 years’ worth of carcinogens in as little as six years.
The implications reach far beyond Stibnite. IDEQ’s decision creates a new, unwritten pathway in the rules that other toxic air pollutant emitters—mines, processing plants, smelters, and industrial operations—can now attempt to use. The concern is straightforward: a rule change granted for one project can quickly become the standard across Idaho, placing communities statewide at greater risk.
This quarter, TIFO legal intern Faith Quigley spoke at TIFO’s annual gathering and shared updates on air-quality risks and the status of Stibnite’s permits. TIFO co-founder Dr. Margrit von Braun took the subject international, presenting at the Collegium Ramazzini Annual Conference in Carpi, Italy. (You can read more about her presentation further down in this newsletter.)
Co-founder Dr. Ian von Lindern continued his public-health advocacy, trading op-eds with a former EPA administrator in the Idaho Capital Sun. Ian’s piece questions IDEQ’s reliance on misleading toxicology assumptions while granting Stibnite’s air permit—particularly around arsenic exposure—and warns that Idaho’s permitting decisions ignore the very science needed to keep Idahoans safe. A regulatory conservation associate with the Idaho Conservation League added an additional comment in an op-ed of his own.
Read the op-eds here:
- To please Stibnite, Idaho gutted cancer protections for kids. Ian von Lindern, Lewiston Morning Tribune
- Arsenic and old lies: Idaho should listen to MAHA about the Stibnite Mine. Ian von Lindern, Idaho Capital Sun.
- Idaho families deserve science when it comes to the Stibnite Mine project, not fear-mongering. Andrew Wheeler, Idaho Capital Sun
- The science, transparency and truth about Andrew Wheeler and Idaho’s Stibnite Gold Project. Will Tiedeman, Idaho Capital Sun
Despite the project’s groundbreaking, TIFO remains committed to supporting air-quality standards that safeguard the health of Idaho’s children and communities.
You can become a recurring donor by clicking on the drop-down menu for “donation schedule” on our online form.
In November, we gathered with students (current and recent past) who have worked on a range of TIFO projects. Not all students had previously met each other, so it is a great joy for us to bring them together and watch connections and camaraderie form.
We are exceptionally fortunate to have our primary office within a short distance of two land-grant universities: the University of Idaho and Washington State University. With that proximity comes enthusiastic, talented youth seeking positive outlets for their knowledge and passions. This is a powerful asset, not just for our team but also for the students and the communities we serve.
For us, getting to work with students means:
- Fresh perspectives and new ideas in our environmental health work
- Extra capacity for data analysis, research, and outreach
- Future scientists, leaders, and changemakers are gaining hands-on experience
- A thriving pipeline of talent committed to the environment and health
For students, we provide:
- A place for them to apply what they learn in class to real-world global challenges
- An environment to build skills in environmental science, public health, policy, and advocacy
- Mentorship by a team working in partnership with communities around the world
- Meaning and purpose in work that protects lives and the planet
We see students as future colleagues in this mission. Because if we want a healthier, more just world, we have to invest in the next generation of people who will build it.
Looking for meaningful gifts or stocking stuffers? Shop TIFO merch and give a gift that gives back! From comfy performance tops to eco-friendly totes, every purchase supports our mission to prevent pollution from poisoning people and promote environmental health worldwide.
Perfect for:
✅ The thoughtful gift-giver
✅ Changemakers & community builders
✅ Stocking stuffers with impact
✅ The “hard to buy for” person
Shop now & make your holiday gifting powerful and purposeful: https://www.bonfire.com/store/terragraphics-international-foundation/
Earlier this year, we collected hundreds of soil heavy metal data points in Shymkent, Kazakhstan, and Kutaisi, Georgia. At the end of October, we gathered with stakeholders in Shymkent to review the results and talk about priorities, questions, and next steps.
The meeting brought together representatives from non-governmental organizations, international organizations, and research institutions to discuss high levels of soil contamination with lead and other heavy metals in Shymkent and explore ways to reduce the risk of lead poisoning, particularly in children.
The Human Health Institute (HHI) organized the event. It included participants from UNICEF, South Kazakhstan Medical Academy, TIFO, Environmental Health Project Management Institute (EHPMI), the Department of Architecture of Shymkent, Ekois-Bishkek, and other organizations. Experts presented findings from recent studies on soil contamination and the impact of lead exposure on public health.
Participants agreed that soil contamination in Shymkent remains alarmingly high, posing a significant health risk to children in the city. They highlighted the importance of continued intersectoral collaboration, increased government engagement, enhanced environmental monitoring, pilot remediation projects, and public awareness campaigns. TIFO and partners recommended a comprehensive program to mitigate lead exposure, including regular environmental monitoring, remediation of contaminated areas – especially playgrounds, schools, and kindergartens – medical surveillance, and environmental education initiatives.
The group also discussed how to integrate program needs into existing national programs, emphasizing the need to clarify timelines for coordinating action plans, increase the effectiveness of environmental programming, and broaden funding priorities to ensure a holistic approach to environmental protection.
The discussions and recommendations from the roundtable will strengthen interagency cooperation and support the development of systemic solutions to reduce the impact of lead and other heavy metals on public health and the environment. EHPMI, TIFO, and HHI expressed their readiness to provide expert and methodological support in developing and implementing integrated environmental programs. We’ll be taking feedback from local stakeholders to a national meeting in February and prioritizing government engagement in 2026.
Stay tuned for more!
The past several years have seen a significant, long-overdue increase in attention to global lead poisoning, especially in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). An estimated one in every three children in the world has a blood lead level over 5 μg/dL, which increases to one in every two children in LMICs. In high-income nations, these exposure levels would warrant immediate health interventions.
Last month, we brought together a group of experts to discuss the complexities of the global lead poisoning crisis at the annual Collegium Ramazzini Conference in Carpi, Italy. We know that (a) there is a clear need to adapt scientifically rigorous methods used in wealthy nations for measuring lead in the environment and in humans to work in low-resource settings and (b) interventions designed to reduce exposures and adverse health outcomes must be thoughtfully and responsibly developed and implemented, with long-term efficacy in mind. But there is also a concerning shift in political and funding landscapes that threatens recent progress on tackling childhood lead poisoning in LMICs.
Our session brought together individuals with knowledge of past efforts and current challenges. It focused on defining paths forward for developing holistic programs that maximize impact while managing industry efforts to shift responsibility and attention away from their role in the problem. Casey co-chaired the panel and presented on USAID and other groups’ efforts to tackle global childhood lead poisoning, while Marina presented a case study on lead contamination in Shymkent, Kazakhstan. It was an honor to share the stage with this esteemed group and to focus not only on the numerous challenges but also on defining paths forward.
At the same conference, Margrit presented on efforts to alter Idaho cancer regulations to accommodate the Stibnite Gold mine, calling for awareness and support from other Collegium fellows in fighting the dangerous precedent the state is setting, which could impact not only Idaho children but children in industrial and mining areas across the U.S.
The event closed with a very special award session, where our board member Phil Landrigran received the Ramazzini Award, recognizing his outstanding contributions to protecting children’s health. Phil’s work is deeply aligned with the award’s mission: he’s a pediatric epidemiologist who has conducted groundbreaking research on children’s exposure to environmental toxins (such as lead and pesticides) and has translated that science into public policy. This is a prestigious recognition within the field of occupational and environmental medicine. In presenting Phil with the Ramazzini Award, the Collegium Ramazzini is acknowledging not only his scientific contributions but also his decades-long leadership in advocating for policies that protect vulnerable populations from toxic environmental exposures. Bravo, Phil!
A note from Marina
“I had so many ‘pinch-me’ moments meeting people who’ve done incredible environmental occupational health (EOH) work across the world and are internationally recognized for it. Even more impressive was learning what folks are doing to address these issues—from microbiologists to medical doctors to grassroots environmental justice leaders—people care and are taking action.”
Save the Date: Moscow Nonprofit Alliance Block Party
Saturday, Feb. 21
Palouse Place, Moscow, ID
Escape the gray of winter: join TIFO and other Palouse-region nonprofits for an afternoon of fun, interactive activities. This is a family-friendly event!
Save the Date: Idaho Gives
May 4-7, 2026
Support TIFO and other Idaho nonprofits during this statewide giving event.
- Australian mining company expands Horse Heaven project as Trump agrees to $8.5B critical minerals deal. Valley Lookout
- At central Idaho’s Stibnite Gold Mine, crews start initial construction. Idaho Capital Sun
- Scientists raise red flags on widespread threat to human health: ‘There is a dire lack of … studies.’ The Cooldown
- The U.S. Struggles to Break Out From China’s Grip on Rare Earths. The NY Times
- Recycling Lead for U.S. Car Batteries Is Poisoning People. The NY Times
- Current progress and research needs to protect children’s environmental health. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
- Synthetic chemicals in food system creating health burden of $2.2tn a year, a report finds. The Guardian
- EPA to abandon air pollution rule that would prevent thousands of U.S. deaths. Washington Post
- Organochlorine Pesticides and Salinity in Karakalpakstan, Uzbekistan: Environmental Health Risks Associated with the Aral Sea Crisis. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
- OPINION: To please Stibnite, Idaho gutted cancer protections for kids. Lewiston Morning Tribune
- OPINION: Arsenic and old lies: Idaho should listen to MAHA about the Stibnite Mine. Idaho Capital Sun
- OPINION: Idaho families deserve science when it comes to the Stibnite Mine project, not fear-mongering. Idaho Capital Sun
- OPINION: The science, transparency and truth about Andrew Wheeler and Idaho’s Stibnite Gold Project. Idaho Capital Sun