When it comes to chemicals, “safe until proven harmful” isn’t good enough for my baby and me
Posted February 5th, 2010 by Molly GrayOriginally Posted on the Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families Blog
When I first considered testifying before today’s Senate hearings on public exposures to toxic chemicals, I wasn’t sure if I could handle the drastic disruption to my life. It meant taking several days off work and flying from Seattle to Washington, D.C. with my very active seven-month-old boy. Now that I’ve testified, however, I know for sure that it was worth all the effort.
The policy debate surrounding toxic chemicals is highly technical. It’s easy to get lost in the abstract details. I was there as an individual, not an expert, and I think my presence was a constant reminder that what we don’t know about toxic chemicals is harming real people, right now.
If I’m not an expert, why was I asked to speak? I was one of nine participants in a Washington Toxics Coalition study called ‘Earliest Exposures.’ This was a study of pregnant women to investigate what toxins our developing babies were exposed to during pregnancy. The study tested for phthalates, mercury, PFC “Teflon chemicals”, flame-retardants, and BPA.
I will admit – I assumed I would test chemical-free. After all, for the last five years I had done everything I could to reduce my exposure to toxic chemicals. I ate organic food, chose low-mercury seafood and used personal care products without phthalates and fragrances.
Despite my efforts, my results were higher than the national average. I had the highest mercury of all the pregnant women tested. I was shocked that my levels were as high as they were. Turns out these chemicals are ubiquitous in the environment. As clean as I tried to be, it was not enough to protect my baby boy. In the words of Senator Lautenberg, in his remarks today:
… in essence, the American public has become a living, breathing repository for chemical substances. And when the chemicals …show up in our children’s bodies, we have a potentially dangerous situation.
Today, along with Dr. Tracey Woodruff and several other distinguished scientists and policy experts, I asked Congress to take immediate steps to eliminate the use of persistent toxic chemicals — those that build up in our bodies or are passed on to the next generation. I also asked for legislation to reduce the use of chemicals that have known serious health effects and ensure that only the safest chemicals are created and used in everyday products. Lastly, I asked for safety standards that protect our most vulnerable populations like pregnant women and developing fetuses.
Remember the days when cigarette manufacturers claimed that there was no definitive proof that tobacco smoke harmed health? Safe until proven harmful is not good enough for my baby or me.
Fifty years from now, my son Pax will be able to brag that he contributed to a scientific study on toxic chemicals before he was even born, and that he flew to Washington, D.C. for the first time when he was only seven months old. Let’s hope that, by then, the idea that his generation grew up surrounded by products made with toxic chemicals will seem as outrageous as people smoking on airplanes seems to my generation.
Again, in the words of Senator Lautenberg:
Our children should not be used as guinea pigs. It’s time to update the law to protect them.
Tell Congress you agree: It’s time to update our nation’s laws on toxic chemicals.
14 Comments
March 10, 2010 at 1:46 pm by marystadelmanDear Moly, The best I can offer is, leave it to a woman, to extend herself in order to make changes! Thank you and bless you and baby.
Mary.
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March 10, 2010 at 11:21 am by LisaToxins are well known in the autism community, as many of our kids have heavy metal toxicity which has contributed to neurological damage. Vaccines have multiple toxins, and while they are important in helping us be immune toward disease they are filled with thimersol, aluminum, glutamate, etc. There are also numerous toxins in our foods and kids with autism do best with removal of all GMO food (going 100% organic), no preservatives, no food colors, etc. Removing toxins from our diets and our enviroments is something that parents of kids with ADD/ADHD and autism do just about every day. Our kids cannot clear them. Autism is an epigenetic disorder, yet we keep being told it is genetic. Only 15% of cases are genetic. The rest are epigenetic. Consider 1 in 4 kids have allergies, asthma, ADD or autism. What’s happening to this generation? toxins.
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March 10, 2010 at 10:34 am by Joe NolanThanks for testifying! This is an extremely important issue, as our regulatory law (TSCA) has always been weak, and is now decades behind Europe in keeping citizens safe from PBTs and other toxins. Tighter regs will be crucial to prevent the US becoming a dumping ground for cheap toxic materials that smarter countries disallow. Keep in mind that even with better regulation, large profit-minded companies with a chemical engineering mindset will continue to expose us to poorly understood substances by staying one step ahead of the bans and phaseouts, e.g. certain forms of PBDE have been phased out from mattresses, but manufacturers are not required to disclose what newer chemicals have been substituted. Look for smaller home products companies that are committed to simple, healthy materials and processes throughout the supply chain. For example, consider an organic crib mattress over one made from synthetic materials and finishes. For more great info on health and toxics, and related political activism see Environmental Working Group.
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March 9, 2010 at 11:28 pm by NANCEI’m so glad that this coming out. My husband and I also tried eight time to have a baby to no avail. I had six early miscarriages and two that were 4 and 5 months. I did although have a child from a previous relationship . It’s to late for us but, I hope this will enlighten others.
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March 9, 2010 at 8:16 pm by anthony mottado it
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March 9, 2010 at 3:41 pm by DianeI am a firm believer in not using chemicals for human consumption. I have started using Shaklee food supplements in August of 2009 and I have never felt better. For 50 years, Shaklee Coproration has been leading the way in natural health products and sustainable business practices. Shaklee thinks health is the most important thing in the whole world. Without it you have nothing else.
In 1915, Dr. Forrest C. Shaklee created “Vitalized Minerals,” one of the first multivitamins in the world. When everybody was celebrating plastic and snythetic materials, Shaklee turned to nature…finding the pureste natural ingredients for vitamins and making one of the first biodegradable household cleaners ever.
Shaklee Corporation invested over $250 million in clinical testing, research and development. Over 83,000 tests annually for product quality, Quality far behond industry standards. There is so much integrity in this company, it truly amazes me.
All products are made in the U.S.A. and we are the first “Climate Neutral Company” in the world. We leave “0″ carbon footprint in the environment.
Please, if you want to know more about the great products and/or the fabulous business opportunity that Shaklee Corporation offers, just visit my website http://www.behealthyandhappy.myshaklee.com and/or call me. You won’t regret it! Healthy bodies, home and earth!
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Anonymous Reply:
March 12th, 2010 at 5:40 pm
@Diane, I find it really disturbing that you are using this space to market chemically synthesized nutrient supplements and cleaning products. Have you considered the fact that vitamins are not “natural”. Pills do not come from nature, they are processed chemicals consisting of whatever this company you are marketing for thinks we need in our bodies to be healthy. Getting vitamins and minerals from our diet, a diet rich in whole grains, fruits and vegetables is the most efficient and natural way for us to be healthy. Baking soda and vinegar work great as cleaning products, no one needs to go out and buy “natural” cleaning products in plastic containers that are recycled and labeled as earth friendly.
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Diane Reply:
March 13th, 2010 at 1:45 am
@, Anonymous, If the products I was sharing about were in fact chemicall synthesized, I too would be very disturbed. Shaklee’s nutrient supplements are ALL food and herb based 100%. Before getting so disturbed you might want to check the products out. As for cleaning, do you wash clothes in vinager and water or scrub pots and pans with it?
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I am all for using natural & botanial poducts on my family. What we put on out bodies – we put in our bodies. I became an Abonne consultant a year ago because I was so passionate about this issue. Arbonne makes health & wellness poducts that are PURE, SAFE & BENEFICIAL to all people (& pets too). The products are free of animal by-products, mineral oils, chemicals, fragrance & preservatives. Arbonne has truly changed my life. I am making a substantial income now with Arbonne & I am using products that are good for me & my family. Please know that there is an alternative to using products with chemicls in them. For more info contact me at nanlup@yahoo.com. Keep up the good work & awareness. That is the key!
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Anonymous Reply:
March 12th, 2010 at 5:28 pm
@Nancy, Arbonne uses nanomaterial, nanosilver to be exact. There is no data to date on how nano particles may impact human health. There is data on how nano impacts aquatic organisms like zebra fish, and it is toxic to them.
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Thank you for testifying Molly. I have one question about the study you participated in. Was the testing able to identify if the high level of toxins in your body were from your earlier years of exposure 5+ years ago… or from current exposure? Either way it is an important issue to address!
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February 7, 2010 at 3:22 pm by CharliThank you Molly, for writing and testifying. I think making industrial chemicals safe for infants and children is something we can all get behind. To ensure that we really fix this problem we must include modern science language, which necessarily utilizes non-animal methods, in this bill; otherwise we’ll have another outdated bill on our hands.
Currently, many toxicity tests are based on experiments in animals and use methods that were developed as long ago as the 1930’s; they and are slow, inaccurate, open to uncertainty and manipulation, and do not adequately protect human health. These tests take anywhere from months to years, and tens of thousands to millions of dollars to perform. More importantly, the current testing paradigm has a poor record in predicting effects in humans and an even poorer record in leading to actual regulation of dangerous chemicals.
Alternatives to animal testing exist in a powerful way and many scientists advocate them. Chemical reform should not only modernize policy, but modernize the science that supports that policy. Let’s ensure chemicals reform uses all the necessary tools to truly make our children, our environment, and animals safe.
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February 5, 2010 at 6:20 pm by Safer Chemicals Healthy FamiliesThank you for posting this great blog. Molly did a fantastic job testifying at the US Senate hearing. You can listen to her testimony here:
http://blog.saferchemicals.org/2010/02/when-it-comes-to-chemicals-safe-until-proven-harmful-isnt-good-enough-for-my-baby-and-me.html
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