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Maine Body Burden

THIRTEEN MAINE RESIDENTS WANTED TO LEARN JUST HOW MANY OF THE CHEMICALS THEY ENCOUNTER EVERY DAY ARE ENDING UP IN THEIR BODIES.  HEAR MORE ON TODAY’S ENVIRONMINUTE.

BLOOD, URINE, AND HAIR SAMPLES FROM THE STUDY PARTICIPANTS TESTED POSITIVE FOR AN AVERAGE OF THIRTY-SIX TOXIC CHEMICALS.  THE RESULTS FELL INTO FIVE GROUPS - INDUSTRIAL CHEMICALS CALLED PHTHALATES;  STAIN-RESISTANT COATINGS CALLED P-F-C’S; A COMPONENT OF PLASTICS CALLED BISPHENOL A, FIRE RETARDANTS CALLED P-B-D-E’S; AND TOXIC METALS.

IT’S A CHEMICAL COCKTAIL – BUT ACCORDING TO MIKE BELLIVEAU OF THE ALLIANCE FOR A CLEAN AND HEALTHY MAINE, ITS ASSOCIATED RISKS ARE MOSTLY UNKNOWN.

BELLIVEAU: WHEN GOVERNMENT REGULATORS AND SCIENTISTS LOOK AT CHEMICALS, THEY TEND TO LOOK AT INDIVIDUAL EXPOSURES.  BUT THAT DOESN’T RELATE TO THE REALITY WHICH IS THAT EVERY DAY, PEOPLE ARE EXPOSED TO MULTIPLE INDUSTRIAL CHEMICALS.

THE ENVIRONMINUTE IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE HEINZ FAMILY PHILANTHROPIES AND THE HEINZ ENDOWMENTS.  LEARN MORE BY VISITING ENVIRONMINUTE-DOT-COM. 

For information about how to assess a child’s potential for chemical exposure, visit http://www.epa.gov/nerl/news/forum2006/tulve.pdf