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A new analysis of data from
the U.S. Centers for Disease Control indicates
that a toxic chemical in rocket fuel has
severely contaminated the nation's food
and water supply (read the Environmental
Working Group study here).
Scientists warn that the chemical, known
as perchlorate, could cause thyroid deficiency
in more than 2.2 million women of childbearing
age.
This thyroid deficiency could damage
the fetus of pregnant women, if left untreated.
Perchlorate, the explosive ingredient
in solid rocket fuel, has leaked from
military bases and defense and aerospace
contractors' plants in at least 22 states,
contaminating drinking water for millions
of Americans.
Despite massive complaints, defense contractors
such as Kerr-McGee have done little or
nothing to clean up the pollution. Perchlorate
has also been widely detected in milk,
lettuce, produce and other foods. In an
alarming study, the CDC found perchlorate
in the urine of every person tested. The
OCA has mobilized thousands of organic
consumers to pressure the EPA and government
officials to begin a massive clean up
of perchlorate for over a year.
Background: The Environmental Working
Groups new report is an anlaysis of data
originally released in 2005, when the
National Academy of Sciences (NAS) released
its long anticipated report on the human
health effects of perchlorates, a byproduct
of rocket fuel. Perchlorates, which are
a common pollutant near military sites,
have recently been found in the water
at concerning levels in 22 states as well
as in 93% of lettuce and milk. 97% of
breast milk samples taken randomly from
around the U.S. have tested positive for
perchlorates.
The government funded NAS report reveals
that perchlorates are roughly ten times
more toxic to humans than the Department
of Defense has been claiming. Perchlorates
can inhibit thyroid function, cause birth
defects and lower IQs, and are considered
particularly dangerous to children.
The NAS report recommends human exposure
at no more than .0007 milligrams per kilogram
of body weight. The EPA has responded
to the report by announcing a new drinking
water standard of 24.5 ppb for perchlorate.
This is bad news for military sites and
rocket fuel plants around the country,
including Henderson, Nevada, where EPA
well monitoring has found perchlorates
at a level 30,000 times higher than that.
There are over 12,000 military sites in
the U.S. that are used for training with
live explosives.
The Pentagon is urging Congress to pass
a new law that would allow the military
to freely violate a host of environmental
regulations. Entitled "The Readiness
and Range Preservation Initiative,"
the legislation would allow military facilities
to ignore laws like the Clean Air Act.
The Pentagon claims environmental regulations
are a threat to national security, since
they restrict the military.
To date, only one Senator has had the
backbone to propose legislation that would
hold the military (and other perchlorate
polluters) responsible for this excessive
pollution of the U.S. food and water supply.
Senator Feinstein (CA) has proposed legislation
that would spend $200 million to identify
and clean up perchlorate sources and provide
grants for technologies to clean up existing
contamination, while holding perchlorate
polluters responsible for cleanup efforts.
"It is imperative that we reduce
the perchlorate in our drinking water
and protect Californians, especially pregnant
women, the unborn, infants, and young
children from this threat to their health,"
said Feinstein of the bill.
Continued
Copyright 2006 Organic Consumers Association.
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