Guest guest Posted July 17, 2004 Report Share Posted July 17, 2004 > Erin M <apmmom > Sat, 17 Jul 2004 00:14:43 -0700 (PDT) > Danger in the air: > Children are the subjects of an > > From another group... > > > Danger in the air: Children are the subjects of an > uncontrolled industrial emissions experiment, > experts fear > > (This is pretty scary considering our area has one > of the most polluted > air > qualities in the nation! But for us, it's a double > whammy because of > the > high level of pesticides/herbicides in our > environment too. Lynne) > > Danger in the air: Children are the subjects of an > uncontrolled > industrial > emissions experiment, experts fear > > Charlie Fidelman > CanWest News Service > > Tuesday, July 13, 2004 > http://www.canada.com/national/nationalpost/search/story.html?id=fde73124-c1 > 73-47d7-8a43-3991112c0beb & page=1 > > MONTREAL - An increase in childhood cancers, > diseases, birth defects, > lower > intelligence, and learning and behavioural problems > could be linked to > industry emissions of thousands of chemicals in > North America, > according to > a draft report by the Commission for Environmental > Co-operation. > > But the report on these links -- which have been > cited for years -- > does not > say what specifically puts children at higher risk. > > After tracking annual industry emissions in Canada, > Mexico and the > United > States, the report by the Montreal-based > organization is clear about > increased risk of disease from pollution in air, > water and soil, but > warns > that such data are only part of the picture. > > The report does not draw a direct cause-and-effect > link, but the > commission > was not trying to protect the industry, said > pediatrician Lynn Goldman, > lead > author of the 90-page draft of A Special Report on > Toxic Chemicals and > Children's Health in North America. > > " We just put the facts out there, " said Dr. Goldman, > a professor of > environmental health sciences at Johns Hopkins > Bloomberg School of > Public > Health in Baltimore. > > It is next to impossible, for example, to determine > whether children > living > next to a hazardous-waste management plant are being > exposed to > pollutants > from that site or other sources, she said. " We have > this great > [industry > emission] data, but they don't have a way of > connecting that with > levels of > exposure in children's bodies, " Dr. Goldman said. > > For example, an independent study in the United > States found pesticide > residues in blood and urine of children who did not > live in polluted > areas. > And experts differ on issues such as cancer trends, > she said. > > " The public should know that although we know > children are at risk, we > don't > really know what's in the environment and what it's > doing to them, " she > said. " The report raises more questions than > answers. " > > Lead, mercury, PCBs and dioxins are known > carcinogens, developmental > toxins > and neurotoxins, said Kathy Cooper, senior > researcher for the Canadian > Environmental Law Association, which contributed to > the report. > > Although these are now heavily regulated or banned > outright, they are > still > among the top pollutants. And there are many new > chemicals -- about > 33,000 > substances in commercial use -- of unknown toxicity, > she said. > > " Most have not been evaluated for their effect on > children, " Ms. Cooper > said. > > The situation is similar for pesticides. About 70% > of pesticides that > got > government approval decades ago are now slated for > retesting by looking > at > exposure and children, she said. > > The most troubling " toxic trespassers " are the > persistent chemicals > that > accumulate in the food chain. Persistent chemicals > do not easily break > down > in the environment.Small amounts at the wrong moment > can lead to > lifelong > disorders. Even low levels of lead and mercury can > stunt brain > development > in a fetus or young infant. > > Society is conducting a vast, uncontrolled > experiment, experts warn, > and > children are the experimental subjects. > > For example, wood decks, fences and playgrounds are > often made with > wood > treated with arsenic -- a known neurotoxin. > > According to Canadian Institute of Child Health > statistics, cancer in > Canadian children under age 15 increased by 25% > during the past 25 > years. > And about 12% of children have asthma -- related to > air pollution. > > A further 29% of children under age 11 have learning > or behavioural > problems. > > The commission's draft report tracked public data on > pollutants that > are > released into air, water and soil -- based on > industry-provided > information > required by governments in Canada, the United States > and Mexico. > > The report suggests the data tends to underestimate > the actual load of > chemicals in the environment. That is simply the > " tip of the iceberg, " > it > warns. > > While it only looked at industry sources, children > are also exposed to > all > sorts of things in their own homes. For example, > fire-retardant > chemicals > (which are similar to PCBs) can be found in > everything from televisions > to > baby pyjamas, and are now turning up in breast milk. > > Children are particularly sensitive because of their > size and activity > levels. Their developing kidneys and livers are less > capable of > breaking > down toxins. > > The report clearly states that exposure to toxic > chemicals contributes > to > increases in such childhood diseases as asthma, > leukemia, brain cancer, > birth defects and learning, behavioural and > developmental disabilities. > > The Canadian Chemical Producers' Association -- > which represents more > than > 70 chemical manufacturers accounting for more than > 90% of chemical > manufacturing operations in Canada -- has said the > report is flawed. > They > did not return calls. > > But other groups preparing a response to the draft > version are > applauding > the call for more research, education and better > regulatory policies. > > The commission is assembling a panel of scientists > to polish the report > for > a year-end release, Vic Shantora, head of the CEC's > pollution and > health > program, said. > > " We're trying to get best information ... and how it > impacts on > children's > health and bring that to the public's attention, " > Mr. Shantora said. > > (The Gazette) > > © National Post 2004 > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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