nafta may allow for toxic pesticide

For months there has been extensive research and findings on hormone altering chemicals.  Whether we are talking about Bisphenol-A, phthalates, or any other endocrine disrupting chemical, they are all dangerous and they are all affecting our children, and more than that, our male children.

Canada has been a leader in banning these chemicals from being used in products.  But one such ban is causing legal issues that I think no one was quite expecting.  

Quebec has placed a ban on a common pesticide, 2,4-D, made by Dow Chemical.  In response, Dow is suing Quebec under the North American Free Trade Agreement and asking for millions of dollars in damages, according to Miller-McCune.  Dow claims that “the ban lacks scientific support and amounts to an “expropriation” of its business in the province (several Dow products contain 2,4-D).”

There are many legal complications to this case.  For example, at one time, every country found no proof of harm being caused by these chemicals and do those studies count as equally as the current studies which are conclusively finding the opposite to be true.  And, then there is another dilemma, does NAFTA override what a country’s elected officials vote on.  

This is a case that will determine future rules, regulations, and authority amongst countries to determine what is right for its people.  Its criticality is immeasurable.

Bisphenol-A.. it just keeps getting worse

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinal sure is becoming the lead periodical for Bispenol-A research, as found in their latest watchdog report: BPA leaches from ‘safe’ products

The newspaper published scientific findings today revealing that “microwave safe” is not that.

Lab tests of 10 items’ containers found that all of the advertised “microwave safe” containers allegedly released toxic doses of the chemical known as BPA, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported Saturday.

The newspaper said according to the tests it commissioned, the detected levels of the chemical were allegedly identical to levels previously blamed by scientists for causing neurological and developmental damage in lab animals.

I have written extensively about BPA, which is a chemical commonly found in plastic and canned goods. BPA is a chemical that acts on the endocrine system, which is instrumental in regulating metabolism, growth, development and puberty, tissue function, and also plays a part in determining mood. As a result, it does not act like another toxin might, in that more exposure leads to more harm. Instead, BPA mimics estrogen, which in abundance can cause cancers, birth defects (seen mostly in male genitals), and learning disabilities. Studies have also shown that while BPA can cause cancer, it can also prevent chemotherapy from being efficacious. It is a double edged sword.

The FDA allowed for the approval of this chemical in products, under pressure from the Bush Administration and its love of the chemical corporations; i.e. Dow, DuPont, etc. It has also been revealed that the FDA even allowed for those chemical companies to write the safety and efficacy reports, after extremely limited testing occurred. An independent panel of scientists has concluded that the FDA acted unethically and all approvals should be reversed and BPA taken off the market immediately.

The sad fact of all of this is that the products with the highest level of BPA are the same products targeted to infants and children. We have no idea what kind of impact this is going to have on our youth.

The point to all of this is that you really should move away from plastic, as much as possible. This means water bottles, storage containers, pre-packaged foods, and the like.

Here are some helpful links to updating your kitchen:

My favorite glass containers come from The Container Store
I highly recommend getting either a SIGG bottle or a Klean Kanteen for your water.
I also have been told that Brita is the only filtration system that is specially coated to prevent leaching into the water.

sometimes I get depressed

I mean, does this really surprise me… no. But, I would like to think more highly of people, and sometimes they just really let me down.

I have written a lot about BPA (bisphenol A), and if you still use products with it, I ask you to stop. It is bad, very bad.

And then came this news:
Soon after scientists Frederick Vom Saal and Wade Welshons found the first hard evidence that miniscule amounts of BPA caused irreversible changes in the prostates of fetal mice, a scientist from Dow Chemical Company showed up at the Missouri lab. He disputed the data and declared, as Vom Saal recalls, “We want you to know how distressed we are by your research.”

“It was not a subtle threat,” Vom Saal says. “It was really, really clear, and we ended up saying, threatening us is really not a good idea.”

and this addition:
Earlier this year, the industry spent hundreds of thousands of dollars to defeat a California legislative proposal to ban BPA in food packaging. The Chemistry Council and allied companies and industry groups hired an army of lobbyists. Tactics included an industry email to food banks charging that a BPA ban would mean the end of distributions of canned goods for the poor.

I highlighted the last statement because of the impact that truly exists in this statement. I know that Dow and the likes want to make it seem like disadvantaged people are going to suffer without canned goods… but tell me this, how are they going to suffer because of canned goods?

But, I also want to say… when a chemical company launches this kind of campaign, we know that BPA is as bad as the scientist want us to know. Protect yourselves people… we know corporations won’t.

You can go HERE for the article