Too often money from chemical industry lobby interests gets in the way of the public safety. In April of this year, “the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) released its long-awaited report on formaldehyde. The report confirms the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) determination that formaldehyde causes cancer in humans. The Academies recommended that the EPA re-write its report to more clearly communicate the scientific reasoning underpinning its assessment, and to finalize it as soon as possible. In addition to scientific consensus that formaldehyde causes cancer of the nose and nasal cavity in humans, the EPA identified a risk of leukemia associated with formaldehyde. Although the chemical industry disputes this, The National Cancer Institute (NCI), the World Health Organization (WHO/IARC), and the National Toxicology Program (NTP) have all identified a possible link with leukemia. While asking the EPA to state it’s reasoning more concisely, and to separate out leukemia risks from lymphoma risks, the Academies supported the EPA in developing a cancer risk estimate for leukemia.”
http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/jsass/national_academy_of_sciences_f.html
This past Friday, June 10, 2011 the U.S. Dept of Health and Human Services added formaldehyde (along with 7 other substances) to a list of known carcinogens. Formaldehyde is found in plastics and often used in plywood, particleboard, furniture, and hair salon chemicals. This listing is important because the public needs to be informed of the dangers of chemicals we are exposed to. I’m not surprised that these developments were hardly recognized by the media but feel it’s worth more attention. Many of us are subjected to high doses of cancer causing toxins and don’t have the slightest idea. Every time your car heats up in the sun the VOC’s (Volatile Organic Substances) like xylene, formaldehyde, PBDEs (polybrominated diphenyl ethers) and acetaldehyde are released from the car’s interior components. As the temperatures rise so do the levels of toxicity. At just 85-90 degrees fahrenheit the car can be extremely toxic. These substances can exacerbate allergy and asthma symptoms and cause eye, nose and throat irritation, cough, headache, general flu-like illnesses, and skin irritation. The warning labels on the windows of new cars state the chemicals used in the manufacture of the car are known to the state of California to cause cancer. On hot days be sure to roll the windows down or even open both doors to allow toxins to escape first. The older the car the less off-gassing there is.
Anywhere the environment is closed can be a potential for high toxicity. Indoor levels are almost always higher than outdoor especially if there are manufactured wood products like particleboard present. Environments can include mobile homes, RV’s, modular buildings and even conventional homes and offices. The recent hurricane Katrina relief effort is a good example of the effects of toxic chemicals indoors. The new travel trailers provided to the displaced residence were emitting five times the acceptable level of formaldehyde. Two years after the displaced residence took possession of the trailers the government urged them to seek safer housing because of the formaldehyde levels. “The EPA’s chemical risk assessments are crucial to protecting the public’s health because they are the government’s most comprehensive analysis of the dangers the chemicals present and are used as the scientific foundation for state and federal regulations. But it usually takes years or even decades to get an assessment done, or to revise one that is outdated. Often the industry spends millions on lobbying and on scientific studies that counter the government’s conclusions. The EPA has been trying since 1998 to update the formaldehyde assessment, which was first written in 1989. But the agency’s efforts have repeatedly been stalled by the industry and Congress.” http://www.propublica.org/article/how-senator-david-vitter-battled-formaldehyde-link-to-cancer
The chemical industry will undoubtedly move to further stall this process allowing them to continue to make money at the expense of the public. The realization that the public’s health is second to business profits in our world furthers my interest to inform my friends and colleagues so as to make better decisions for our families health and welfare.
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