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A Study of Toxic Chemicals in Washingtonians

A Study of Toxic Chemicals in Washingtonians. A project of the Toxic-Free Legacy Coalition: Breast Cancer Fund, Healthy Building Network, People For Puget Sound, Washington Physicians for Social Responsibility, Washington State Nurses Association, Washington Toxics Coalition, WashPIRG,

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A Study of Toxic Chemicals in Washingtonians

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  1. A Study of Toxic Chemicals in Washingtonians A project of the Toxic-Free Legacy Coalition:Breast Cancer Fund, Healthy Building Network, People For Puget Sound, Washington Physicians for Social Responsibility, Washington State Nurses Association, Washington Toxics Coalition, WashPIRG, and more than 40 other organizations working together to eliminate persistent toxic chemicals in Washington State.

  2. The Toxic-Free Legacy Coalition and more than 40 other organizations in Washington State working together to eliminate persistent toxic chemicals

  3. About Our Study

  4. Pam Tazioli Sen. Bill Finkbeiner Karen Bowman, RN Rev. Ann Holmes Redding Sen. Lisa Brown Laurie Valeriano Dr. Patricia Dawson Denis Hayes Allyson Schrier Deb Abrahamson Study Participants

  5. Chemicals Tested • Phthalates • PBDEs • Heavy metals - lead, arsenic, and mercury • PFCs (perfluorinated compounds) • Pesticides • DDT & PCBs

  6. Phthalates

  7. PBDEs

  8. Heavy Metals

  9. PFCs

  10. Pesticides

  11. DDT/PCBs

  12. What We Found • Toxic pollution in the people of Washington is widespread and unavoidable • Participants had from 26 to 39 toxic chemicals

  13. Toxic Chemicals Found

  14. PFOA Exposure

  15. Presence of Pesticides

  16. Carbaryl Exposures • Carbaryl a likely carcinogen • Marker found in five participants

  17. Phthalates - DEHP Exposure

  18. PCB Exposures

  19. PBDE (Toxic Flame Retardant) Levels

  20. Mercury Levels

  21. Cause for Concern? • At or near harmful levels • Multiple exposures • Timing of exposure • We know enough to act

  22. The System is Broken • Data Gap • Safety Gap • Technology Gap • Responsibility Gap

  23. Data Gap Toxic Substances Control Act(TSCA) of 1976 Encourage and require industry to develop adequate data on the health and environmental effects of chemicals.

  24. Data Gap: Few of Highest Volume Chemicals Tested 7% Full Set of Basic Toxicity Tests

  25. Safety Gap: For EPA to Act Prove it! Weigh Costs/Benefits Action

  26. Safety Gap-Result Photos from Environmental Working Group www.ewg.org

  27. Safety Gap-Result PBDE Example 1970 PBDE Production Begins 1980 First Evidence of Negative Health Effects 1981 First Evidence of PBDEs Building Up in Fish 1990s First Evidence PBDEs in Food Chain 1994 Research shows penta form mimics hormones 1997 Swedish breast milk studies/PBDEs increasing European Action to Reduce PBDEs 2002 Research showing neurotoxic effects 2003 EU Bans PBDEs in electronics 2004 Industry voluntary agreement on penta/octa Today Science builds, deca form still on market!

  28. Technology Gap

  29. Companies Moving Forward • Kaiser Permanente: reducing reliance on carcinogens, reproductive toxicants • Herman Miller: zero hazardous waste, emissions by 2020; using safer materials • Dell: phased out PBDEs, chemical use policy • Cascadian Farm: now leading processor • The Body Shop: eliminating phthalates

  30. Current State Action Washington’s PBT Program • Limited number of chemicals • Lengthy process to develop Chemical Action Plans • Phaseouts or bans require legislative action • No process to assess chemicals prior to release into the marketplace and our environment

  31. What’s going wrong? • Washington state - highest rates of breast cancer • Childhood brain cancer on the rise • 17% of school-aged children have learning disabilities

  32. Costs of Environmental Diseases from “Economic Costs of Diseases and Disabilities Attributable to Environmental Contaminants in Washington State” July 2005 by Kate Davies, Antioch University http://washington.chenw.org/RIgroup/

  33. Costs of Environmental Diseases Conclusions from the WA state economic study… • $1.9 billion = annual cost of these 5 childhood diseases attributable to environmental contaminants • If adult and childhood costs are combined,total = $2.7 billion annually • this accounts for almost 5% of total health expenditures in Washington state in 2004 dollars, see Kate Davies’ study online at http://washington.chenw.org/RIgroup/

  34. A Better Way for Washington A Three-pronged Approach • Close Data Gaps: Require companies to come clean with the facts about the chemicals they use; • Close Safety Gap: Prohibit harmful chemicals in products and manufacturing; and, • Close Technology Gap: Invest in research and assistance for businesses to switch to the safest chemicals. • Responsibility Gap: We all must accept an ethical duty to future generations

  35. Learn more from our web site www.pollutioninpeople.org link • Complete report online and in pdf format • Participant profiles • Toxic Chemicals: how you’re exposed & health effects • Safer Alternatives for Food and Consumer Products • Ways to Take Action

  36. We Can Do It—Together!

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