Protecting our society from toxic chemicals

Posted on Sep 17, 2008 by Susie Collins in Blog, Research

Everyone is buzzing about the BPA fiasco. While science is clearly saying there’s a problem with the plastic additive, the FDA is dragging its heals in protecting the public. Olga V. Naidenko, PhD, at Enviroblog says the FDA’s stance on BPA is just another example where the government agency that is supposed to protect the public has “persisted with its insensate logic whereby nearly every chemical is considered safe.”

Naidenko discusses the work of David Michaels, who explores what’s needed to fix a broken system: common sense.

In May, Enviroblog readers saw a review of David Michaels’ recent book, Doubt Is Their Product, that describes how industry use of “scientific credentials for hire” and rampant conflicts of interests again and again derailed government’s attempts to establish health protective standards. Now, we can see the author himself (above) presenting an insightful and inspiring analysis of the real truth behind the façade created by the chemical industry, in a YouTube video of the Authors @ Google event.

In his talk, Michaels points to the common sense, yet desperately needed, steps to stop the chemical industry’s efforts to frustrate public health and the government regulators. There must be full disclosure of any and all industry sponsor involvement in scientific studies – no more secret, behind the scene studies that are than conveniently used by the FDA to refuse any evidence of harm. The independence of federal and state scientists and scientific advisory committees must be ensured. Known and likely hazards of chemical toxicities must be publicly disclosed rather than swept under the rug and hidden from the general public and the exposed people themselves, as happened in the case of the C8 or Teflon chemical (PFOA).

Do we need progress? Absolutely. But we also need foresight and wisdom to tread lightly, lest the melting ice – tiny, nearly invisible, nearly non-existent margin of safety – breaks underneath us. None of us wants a sudden collapse – when in doubt, leave the room for the unexpected, and use the best available science to inform ourselves and to take the decisions that will protect our health and the health of our families for a long time to come.