Endocrine Disruptors, Exogenous Hormones

[Guest guest]

Endocrine Disruptors, Exogenous Hormones - Precautionary

Principles JoAnn Guest

Jul 30, 2006 16:49 PDT

 

 

 

 

What are Endocrine Disruptors? - Precautionary Principles

=====================================================================

What are Endocrine Disruptors?

PAUL GOETTLICH(rev.5dec03)

 

 

The Endocrine System

Bioaccumulation

 

What Do Chemical Manufacturers Have to Say?

Isn't the Government Watching Out For Our Safety?

Illustration by K. Born in

" Our Stolen Future " p.33

 

http://www.mindfully.org/Pesticide/EDs-PWG-16jun01.htm

 

 

Endocrine disruptors are man-made synthetic chemicals and natural

phytoestrogens (naturally occurring plant- or fungal metabolite-

derived estrogen) that act on the endocrine systems of humans and

animals by

mimicking, blocking and/or interfering in some manner with

the " natural

instructions "

of " hormones " to cells.

 

An exogenous* agent that " interferes " with the synthesis, secretion,

transport, binding, action, or elimination of " natural hormones " in

the

body which are responsible for the maintenance of homeostasis,

reproduction, development, and/or behavior.

R.J. Kavlock et al

 

Webster's defines exogenous as something which is introduced from or

produced outside the organism or system;

specifically : not " synthesized " within the organism or system.

 

The bodies of animals and humans depend upon a complexly integrated

and

timed series of events, of which the delivery of hormones to various

organs is vital.

 

When the delivery timing and/or amount of a hormone are upset the

results can be devastating and permanent.

 

The disruption can take place as an inappropriate quantity or timing

of

a response to a stimulus; the blocking of hormonal effects in parts

of

the body normally sensitive to it; and the stimulation or inhibition

of

the endocrine system that could " produce " an

'inappropriate quantity'

of hormones.

 

Any combination of these interferences on the endocrine system can

affect physical development, sex, reproduction, brain development,

behavior, temperature regulation and more.

----------------

The Endocrine System

 

The endocrine system is made up of glands, hormones and receptors

found

in numerous places in the body.

 

It is the link between the nervous system and reproduction,

immunity,

metabolism and behaviour.

 

Internal secretions are released directly into the circulatory

system,

as well as others that are not released to the bloodstream, affect

metabolism and other body processes.

 

It includes organs such as hypothalamus, pituitary, thyroid,

parathyroids, thymus, adrenal glands, ovaries, testes, pancreas,

paraganglia, suprarenal glands, pineal body, intestines, and

specialized

regions of the brain.

 

Endocrine glands are ductless organs that " secrete " specific

substances

- " hormones " that are released directly into the circulatory system

and

" influence metabolism " and other body processes.

 

Almost all multicellular animals have two main systems for

controlling

and coordinating internal bodily processes.

 

Compared to the endocrine system, the nervous system responds very

quickly with electrical signals via the nerves to particular organs

or

tissues.

 

The endocrine system is a slower system based on

" chemical messengers "

—hormones, which can reach all of points in the body.

 

The two work together to control all bodily functions and processes.

 

Receptors are molecular structures within or on the surface of cells

that selectively bind with, in this case, hormones.

 

Feedback processes between organs and glands control the production

and

levels that are circulated and " maintain " the homeostasis of the

body.

--

Just a few of the processes of the endocrine system are:

 

the hypothalamus produces " releasing hormones " that stimulate

pituitary

activity;

 

the pituitary produces trophic hormones (stimulating) that stimulate

thyroid, adrenal, gonadal and pancreatic activity;

 

the thyroid produces thyroid hormones that regulate metabolism,

growth

and development, behaviour and puberty;

 

the adrenal gland produces " corticosteroid hormones " and

" catecholamines "

to regulate metabolism and behaviour;

 

the pancreas produces insulin and glucagon that regulate blood sugar

levels;

 

the gonads produce sex steroid hormones that regulate development &

growth, reproduction, immunity, onset of (androgens and estrogens)

puberty and behaviour.

 

In short, this is a nearly " all-inclusive " system that deals with

most

bodily functions.

 

Without it, we would not live.

 

Without it functioning within some range of normalcy, we would

function

rather poorly.

 

It is a vital system.

------------------

Creation of EDs

 

The " creation " of EDs can be intentional and/or a byproduct of

" industrial processes " such as the paper and pulp

bleaching, " emissions "

 

from steel foundries and motor vehicles, and the " incineration " of

" chlorine containing " products such as PVC in incinerators,

residential

backyard barrels, or building fires.

 

The most insidious EDs are " man-made " synthetic chemicals.

 

We are routinely " exposed " to them in most areas of our daily lives

at

home, work and play.

 

Known and suspected EDs come in products we have been led to believe

have been thoroughly tested for the safety of our health and the

environment.

 

The list includes; health and beauty aids (cosmetics, sunscreens,

perfumes, soaps); pharmaceuticals (birth control pills); dental

sealants; solvents; surfactants;

pesticides (Monsanto's Roundup® [1] and many others); and plastics

(PVC

[2], polystyrene aka Styrofoam®, and others).

 

See the list of chemicals below. " Endocrine disrupting " compounds

have a

 

wide range of molecular size, volume, and potency.

 

The potency depends upon the target organ or cell and specific end

point.

 

Bioaccumulation

 

Concentrations of EDs are magnified through the process of

bioaccumulation up the food chain.

 

Phytoplankton must collect its food from a large amount of water

because its required nutrients are in very low concentrations in the

water.

 

EDs accompany the nutrients in the form of synthetic man-made

chemicals.

 

At this stage, their concentrations are extremely difficult to

measure.

The chemicals accumulate in the phytoplankton and reach levels that

are

much higher than the surrounding water.

 

Small fish and zooplankton eat the phytoplankton, further

concentrating

the levels of EDs, which are in turn eaten by other animals.

 

This process of increasing " bioaccumulation " is repeated until the

concentrations of EDs in the top predators reach levels high enough

to

cause " physical deformities " , reductions in fertility, and death.

 

The " accumulations " in the " lipid tissues " of these " animals " at the

top of the food chain can be " millions " of times higher than the

concentration of the water it first came to rest in.

 

In a strange twist on bioaccumulation, Capt. Charles Moore of the

Algalita Marine Research Foundation skimmed the surface of the North

Pacific Gyre using a fine-mesh net device over an area of more than

100

kilometers.

 

He found six times more " plastic " by weight than naturally occurring

zooplankton.

 

Other researchers found that the plastic bits " absorb " and

concentrate

" toxins " such as PCB and DDE up to a million times their levels in

ambient seawater.

 

Birds and fish are " ingesting " the plastic because they mistake for

zooplankton.

Because the plastic is a PCB/DDE " magnet, " the animals consuming it

are

getting " massive " doses of EDs.[3]

 

Being at the top of the food chain, humans have some of the highest

EDs

concentrations.

 

The human fetus and infant are at an even higher level.

 

EDs can cross the placenta into the fetus.

 

They are also fed to the suckling infant via the mother's breast

milk.

 

It should be noted that recent studies have indicated breast-feeding

to

be the preferred method, as opposed to formulas.

 

Reduced risk of childhood acute leukemia has been associated with

breastfeeding. [5]

 

Synergy

 

The combination of more than one chemical can have the " synergistic "

effect of " increasing " the toxicity many times above that of each

chemical separately.

 

Roundup®, the herbicide by Monsanto, is an excellent example of

synergy.

 

I

 

ts surfactant is more " acutely toxic " than glyphosate and the

combination of the two is yet more toxic.

 

Combinations of two weak environmental estrogens, such as dieldrin,

endosulfan, or toxaphene, are 1000 times as potent as each

separately.

 

In The Dark Existing technology is exceedingly incapable of even a

rough

 

assessment of the " health effects " of real world " multiple chemical "

exposures, and will it be unable to do so at any time in the

foreseeable

 

future.

 

The magnitude of variables involved in human chemical exposure on a

daily basis is " infinite " .

 

ASCI White, the world's largest and most up-to-date computer, is a

good

example of how limited our capacity to understand sets of infinite

variables.

 

In mid-August of 2001, ASCI White was delivered to Livermore in 28

tractor-trailers. It can perform 12.3 trillion calculations a

second, is

 

roughly as powerful as 50,000 desktop computers, and can store 300

million books, or six Libraries of Congress. It has 8,192

microprocessors linked together by 83 miles of wiring in a room the

size

 

of two basketball courts.[a] But the point to this example is that

ASCI

White took 15 days (360 hours) to calculate the movements of a mere

600

atoms for 1-trillionth of a second.

The number of variables involved in an infant's exposure to

toxicants is

many orders of magnitude [c] higher than the number of atoms that

ASCI

White tracked.

There are 6 billion people on Earth, each might possess up of up to

153,478 unique genes, about 100 trillion cells, and enough DNA to

reach

the Sun and back more than 600.

Each year, thousands of " new chemicals " are added to the existing

75,000, many of them work together synergistically, significantly

" multiplying " the " toxicity " .

---

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[a] Bergstein, B. " Livermore Lab Unveils Supercomputer. " AP 15aug01

ASCI White, the most powerful computer on earth. Science News v.160

25aug01 [c] An order of magnitude is an exponential change of

plus-or-minus 1 in the value of a quantity or unit. An increase of

one

order of magnitude is the same as multiplying a quantity by 10.

Example:

100 is one order of magnitude larger than 10. [d] Briggs, H. Dispute

over number of human genes. BBC 7jul01

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Human Exposure

While a few sources of human exposure to EDs are natural, the

overwhelming majority is from thousands of " manmade synthetic "

products.

It is inaccurate to place blame on one chemical since exposure is

through multiple paths and substances, each contributing to the

" cumulative " total.

In spite of present regulations being aimed at each chemical

individually, real world combinations are infinite and have

" unpredictable effects " .

A significant exposure to EDs is from plastic, which is displacing

natural products at an ever-increasing pace.

Less than 50 years ago plastic products were considered inferior and

people lived healthy, productive lives without them.

PVC (polyvinyl chloride) probably contributes the greatest exposure

to

EDs of all plastics.

It is " toxic " during production, use, and when it is disposed of.

World production capacity of PVC in 1998 was 27 million tons.

It is made into residential and municipal water pipes, toys, food

wrap,

clothing, raincoats, shoes, building products such as windows,

siding,

roofing, flooring, and medical equipment such as hospital blood

bags, IV

bags, tubing and many other devices.

Besides containing " phthalates " , the creation of " dioxin " during its

manufacture is unavoidable.

The PVC industry readily accepts this ceaseless creation of dioxin

as a

necessary evil.

For decades, PVC industry workers have had the greatest toxic

exposure

because of VCM (vinyl chloride monomer).

But as consumers, they add as much exposure to it as the general

population normally receives.

Food and bodily contact with PVC is hazardous because of the various

plasticizers and additives utilized in it. BPA (Bisphenol-A) is the

most

common plasticizer in PVC.

BPA leaches into liquid and fatty products packaged in it.

Flexible PVC products can be more than half plasticizers by weight,

but

the constituent chemicals vary between products and manufacturers.

Plasticizers account for more than half the weight of some flexible

PVC

products. About 95% of phthalates are used in PVC.[10]

PVC is generally not recycled. Since a great deal of PVC is disposed

of

by incineration, dioxin is created again.

Ironically, this is called recycling by the plastics industry, and

is

included in official recycling statistics.[11] The incinerated PVC

creates dioxin.

Again, industry " readily accepts " the cancers, endocrine system

dysfunction, and environmental pollution because the costs have been

" externalized " .

According to a study by Barry Commoner at Queens College, CUNY,

dioxin

concentrations in Inuit mothers' milk are twice the levels observed

in

southern Quebec, even though no significant sources of dioxin are

located in the Canadian polar territory of Nunavut or within 500

kilometers of its boundaries.

The alarmingly high rate is due to the " deposition " of air-borne

dioxin

transported from distant sources " chiefly located " in the United

States,

to a lesser extent in Canada, and marginally in Mexico.

Polystyrene is made into " food containers " for meats, fish, cheeses,

yogurt, foam and clear clamshell containers, foam and rigid plates,

clear bakery containers, packaging " peanuts " , foam packaging,

audiocassette housings, CD cases, disposable cutlery.

Testing has shown that styrene monomer leaches in hot and cold

water,

and a 50% ethanol-water mixture.[13]

Many cities have banned the use of foamed polystyrene by fast-food

vendors.[14]

Oil refining, and the burning coal and oil for energy, all auto and

truck exhaust[15], cigarette smoke[16] create EDs.

The use of synthetic lawn chemicals, household cleaners, paints,

solvents, waxes, and thousands of commonly used products put people,

animals, and the environment into " direct contact " with EDs.

Health Effects of Endocrine Disruptors

A few of the possible health effects include;

birth defects;

alterations in sexual and functional development[17];

neurologic disorders,

diabetes mellitus[18],

immunologic disorders,[19],[20]

early puberty in young girls,[

21],[22] cancers: breast,[23],[24]

colon, vaginal, endometriosis, cervix, testicular[25],

sexual differentiation of the brain and other estrogen target

tissues,[26]

structural abnormalities of the oviduct, uterus, cervix and vagina,

a

contributing factor to subfertility,[27]

non-Hodgkin's lymphoma,[28],[29], [30]

reduced physical stamina,[31]

genital birth defects:

hypospadias & cryptorchidism,[32]

altered anogenital distance in male,[33]

reduced sperm counts,[34]

and enlargement/reduction of prostate,[35]

developmental, behavioral and mental disorders,[36]

anger, inattention, decreased mental capacity,

learning disabilities,[37] dyslexia,

attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD),[38]

autism,

propensity to violence,[39]

reduced motor skills,

and gross and fine eye-hand coordination.

The incidence of all cancers among infants less than one year old,

both

sexes, age adjusted, has risen 36% when comparing the years 1976-

1984 to

1986-1994. The incidence for germ cell cancers in that same group

has

increased 124%. The increases were lower for older children, but

still,

they were increases.

Paracelsus

When 16th century physician Paracelsus wrote, " olely the dose

determines that a thing is not a poison, " [a] (meaning the higher the

dose, the stronger the poison) he was at the edge of science.

It is repeated today by most toxicologists.

They are unaware that doses as low as one part per trillion, applied

at

specific times in development, can yield countless permanent

physical

and mental abnormalities that may not be recognized until after

puberty.

Less than half of the 38,000 high production volume chemicals

have

been tested for toxicity.

Very few of the 87,000 chemicals in commercial use have been tested

at

all.

And almost none of the more than 3 million registered chemicals have

been tested.

And less than that have been tested in combinations found in our

everyday lives. [c]

These toxic chemicals can " mutate " the DNA in our bodies, disturbing

the

normal " nucleotide sequence " .

The body has an emergency response team, enzymes to straighten out

the

mess made by the environmental toxins.

They usually manage to repair the mutated DNA.

Then there are times when the DNA cannot be repaired.

From this lack of repair, abnormal cells are " proliferated " that can

lead to cancer.

---

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[a] Borzelleca J. Paracelsus: herald of modern toxicology.

Toxicological

Sciences, 2000, 53: 2-4.

High production volume (HPV) chemicals are those which are

manufactured in or imported into the United States in amounts equal

to

or greater than one million pounds per year.

[c] Moyers, B., S.Jones. Trade Secrets: A Moyers Report. Television

documentary PBS aired on 26mar01

http://www.pbs.org/tradesecrets/transcript.html

---

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Mothers

All mothers have had many years of exposures. Many of the chemicals

accumulate faster than they are cleared and are attracted to the

fatty

cells of the body.

When pregnant, these stored toxins can affect the embryo in a number

of

ways.

It used to be said that the placenta protects the embryo from all

harm.

While, the placenta is an efficient barrier to bacteria, it does not

block most synthetic chemicals.

Some cross the placenta with ease, some are changed into even more

toxic

chemicals called metabolites, and others damage the " functioning " of

the

placenta.[a]

Dioxin is one toxin that crosses the placenta with ease.

It has no commercial value and is extremely toxic, long-lived and

ubiquitous.

PVC, also known as vinyl, is the single largest source of dioxin.

Other chlorine-containing products such as paper have some of the

same

toxic characteristics.

The production and incineration of many materials containing

chlorine

such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC, vinyl) and paper.

Its largest source is the incineration of municipal and medical

waste,

which contains a great deal of chlorine-containing products.

The PVC industry has known for decades that dioxin is an

unavoidable

byproduct of PVC production.[c]

Therefore, it is an intentional action placing profits above people.

It is just one of hundreds of contaminants stored in the mother's

fat,

is consumed by nursing infants at a rate of 35-100 pg/kg (picograms

per

kilogram of body weight per day.

A picogram is one-trillionth of a gram). The World Health

Organization's acceptable daily intake of dioxin is 1-4 pg/kg. The

EPA

" Risk Specific Dose " is 0.01 pg/kg,[d] which is 10,000 times lower

than

that the nursing child receives.

---

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[a] Steingraber, S. Having Faith. Cambridge, MA: Persius Publishing,

2001. p.34

US EPA. Exposure and Human Health Reassessment of

2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-Dioxin (TCDD) and Related Compounds.

May

2000 Draft Final. www.epa.gov/ncea

[c] Moyers, B., S.Jones. Trade Secrets: A Moyers Report. Television

documentary PBS aired on 26mar01

http://www.pbs.org/tradesecrets/transcript.html

[d] Schecter, A. Personal notes from his presentation at the

People's

Dioxin Action Summit, UC Berkeley 10aug00

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Fathers

Dioxin is also stored in the father's fatty tissues.

Dioxin is what made Agent Orange such a nightmare for Vietnam vets

and

their offspring.

Its legacy continues today in US veterans and Vietnamese citizens

decades after its use.[a] It and many other contaminants can cause

problems related to his sperm that are passed on to the child.

Both the quantity and quality of sperm can be reduced, the DNA

carried

by the sperm can be damaged, the sperm can be coated in toxins, and

the

semen entering the vagina can carry the toxicants that are flowing

throughout the body of the father.

His own sperm production could have been limited while he was an

embryo.

Decreasing sperm counts in many industrialized nations are about

1.5%

annually.[c]

---

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[a] Schecter, A., et al. Recent Dioxin Contamination From Agent

Orange

in Residents of a Southern Vietnam City Journal of Occupational

Medicine

43:5, pp 435-443 May01

http://www.mindfully.org/Pesticide/Dioxin-Agent-Orange-S-V.htm

Schettler, T., Solomon, G., Valenti, M., and Huddle, A.

Generations

at Risk. Cambridge; MIT Press, 1999.

[c] Swan, SH., Elkin, EP., and Fenster, L. The Question of Declining

Sperm Density Revisited: An Analysis of 101 Studies Published 1934-

1996.

(Abstract) Environmental Health Perspectives v.108, n.10, Oct00

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Children are at Greater Risk

Children are at greater risk because they play close to the ground,

regularly have their hands in their mouths, eyes or noses, and have

unique diets.

They absorb more pesticides from their environment than adults and

are

less able to detoxify and excrete pesticides.

They are exposed in their homes, schools, day-care centers, parks

and

gardens. Approximately 90% of American households use pesticides,

purchasing of an estimated 74 million pounds of the pesticides used

in

1995.

Diet, including drinking water, is a second important source of

children's pesticide exposure.[40]

In addition to those sources of EDs, one must consider exposure to

plastics, pharmaceuticals, motor vehicle exhausts, shampoos, etc.,

and

the synergistic affect of all sources combined.

All children, without exception, are exposed to toxic synthetic

chemicals before birth and continuing through the rest of their

lives.

Much of their time is spent crawling on lawns or carpeting where

toxins

accumulate. When children mouth toys, any accumulated toxins are

ingested.

Playing with pets that have been rolling in the neighbor's

pesticide-ridden lawn, or are wearing flea collars also transfers

those

pesticides directly into the child's body. Because of their size,

children are biologically more vulnerable than adults.

Proportionately, they receive a larger exposure and are therefore at

higher risk.[a]

Much of what children eat, drink, breathe, and touch is toxic.

Some of this exposure is avoidable, some is difficult to avoid, and

the

rest is unavoidable. Normal, everyday consumer products are not at

all

harmless and should be avoided.

A short list to limit a child's exposure to includes; lawn and

garden

chemicals, paints, health and beauty products, scented products,

glues,

solvents, gas and diesel motor vehicle exhaust, plastics, sunlight,

various pharmaceuticals, including many methods of birth control,

and

more.

---

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[a] Landrigan, PJ, et al. The Unique Vulnerability of Infants and

Children to Pesticides. Environmental Health Perspectives v.107,

Supp.3

Jun99

---

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Review of a Child's Typical Day

Infants sleep in cribs made of plastic, covered with synthetic

sheets

that are treated with fire-retardant, and washed in harsh detergents

containing toxic many synthetic chemicals.

Sheets are dried at high temperature creating dioxin from the

chlorine

bleach residue.[a]

The mattress cover's flexibility is from plasticizers and it's

treated

with an antibacterial agent. The room's new synthetic carpeting and

freshly painted walls offgass toxins.

Snugly fitting disposable diapers contain toxic ingredients such

sodium

polyacrylates, and ethylvinylacetate-based glues, resins, softening

agents and antioxidants.

The lotion their precious bottoms are covered with contains

phthalates,

which are known to mimic hormones.

A fluoride supplement is prescribed if drinking water is from a

well.

The water itself could be high in nitrates and coliform.[c]

Their food has been drenched in a variety of pesticides, herbicides,

and

fungicides, then wrapped in plastics, coated with sealants, or

canned.

It's heated in, eaten from and eaten with plastic.

Warm leftovers are saved in plastic and refrigerated.[d]

The health effects of few of the constituent chemicals of plastics

are

known, but their collective effect is completely unknown.

The FDA interestingly calls chemicals that migrate from plastic into

food " indirect food additives. "

Regulations governing the use of plastic in contact with food offer

only

limited protection.[e]

While being driven about town, the child sits in a car seat made of

several types of plastic in a car that has that new car smell, which

is

off-gassing of plastics.

Dry-cleaned clothes, perfume, hand cream, deodorant, hairspray, nail

polish, lipstick, and cigarette smoke are also part the car's air.

Driving behind a diesel truck, fine particulate matter carrying

carcinogens and endocrine disruptors are forced deep into the

child's

lungs.

They drive through factory fumes to pick up the father, where he

works

in PVC or pesticide production. He could be smoking, wearing after-

shave

lotion, or his clothes carry the residue a toxic chemical that he

worked

with.

If he's a dentist, he just finished filling a cavity with mercury.

If

he does auto body repair, he just finished using paints and plastic

filler.

On the way home, they stop off to fill up the car's gas tank and the

fumes flow through the open window along with the odor of the

degreaser

the mechanic uses. During the summer ozone levels are high and smog

is

thick. In the winter, oil, gas, coal, and/or wood combustion

byproducts

permeate the air, depending upon the locality.

A few years later, when the child goes to school carrying a plastic

lunch box on a bus. Diesel fumes will fill the bus.

Even a nonsmoking diesel bus could be exposing the child to

dangerous

levels of exhaust. A child riding a school bus may be exposed to 23

to

46 times the cancer risk considered " significant " by EPA and under

federal environmental laws.[f]

The air in rural areas will be laced with pesticides, herbicides,

fertilizers, dust, diesel fumes, and anything else that drifts out

of

the urban areas.

Jets fly overhead, sometimes dumping jet fuel at high altitudes,

which

vaporizes before reaching the ground.

At school, the child will sit at plastic desk, on a synthetic floor

covering, within walls covered with a vinyl material, under vinyl

covered ceiling tiles and fluorescent lighting.

The school has air conditioning with no fresh air supply, recycling

stagnant air through dusty, damp, mold ridden ducts.

The teacher's perfume mixes with the accelerants of the whiteboard

markers.

Pesticides are used regularly throughout the school, whether needed

or

not. Many surfaces will be treated with bleach and antibacterial

liquids. The halls are filled with the smell of the vinyl flooring.

The

grounds are covered with pesticides herbicides, and synthetic

fertilizers that can contain just about any kind of toxic waste.

For lunch, the child eats and drinks highly processed, pesticide-

ridden,

irradiated foods with synthetic preservatives, colorings, and a

score of

unnamed substances whose only purpose is to extend the food's shelf

life.

The food is often prepared at another location miles away,

transported

in plastic, served on, and eaten with plates and utensils made of

polystyrene.

Before eating the child's hands are washed using a soap that is

antibacterial/antimicrobial, using chlorinated/fluoridated water.

---

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[a] Clean Water World Initiative (CWWI ) 2010 Pleasant Hollow Drive,

Plainsboro, New Jersey, USA 08536, Tel: 609-716-6716, Fax: 609-716-

0041,

email: wo-,

http://home.hawaii.rr.com/willi/cwwi/ NOTE: Makoto

ko- is sending the document " A Study of Dry

Cleaning Solvents and Clothing : Source of Dioxin Exposure? "

Karlberg, A-T., and Magnusson, K. Rosin components identified in

diapers. Contact Dermatitis, 34, 176-180 1996.

[c] A well's proximity to any septic fields in the area, the weather

and

the soil type have a direct bearing on the levels of nitrates and

coliform.

[d] Consumer Reports. Hormone Mimics (Endocrine Disruptors): They're

in

Our Food Should We Worry? Jun98

[e] Sheftel, VO., Indirect Food Additives and Polymers: Migration

and

Toxicology. Boca Raton; CRC Press, 2000.

[f] Solomon GM, Campbell TR, Feuer GR, Masters J, Samkian A, Paul

KA. No

Breathing in the Aisles also see: Diesel Exhaust Inside School

Buses.

Natural Resources Defense Council / Coalition for Clean Air Jan01

---

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It's All Quite Legal

All of the things enumerated on the toxic tour of a child's day

should

be avoided if possible. Many of the chemicals in pesticides are

common

to plastics, cosmetics, and paints.

Alone, these chemicals can " mimic " the " hormones " of our bodies.

Combinations of them can create a synergy, increasing the toxicity

by

multiples rather than an additive formula, creating a significantly

more

powerful toxin.

Most people assume that products they use daily have been thoroughly

tested and are safe. Our deep-seated trust in the safety of these

products is misplaced and has allowed the fox to enter the henhouse.

There is no pre-market safety testing or approval required under any

federal law for the hundreds of items infants come in contact with

daily.

Industrial trade secrets, allowed by law, keep consumers from

knowing

what is in most products that are chewed on, sucked on, eaten,

breathed,

or played with by our children.

The industries claim that the secrets protect " commercially

sensitive

information. " [a]

Realization of these facts is crucial. It would be wrong to mistrust

everyone, but a healthy dose of skepticism is strongly recommended.

By educating ourselves, we will become part of the process that our

government is charged with.

Currently, if a product being marketed is defective or toxic, the

consumer is saddled with the burden of proof.

Industry must be made to prove the safety of a product before it is

marketed. By the same token, they must be made responsible for

damages

to the environment and our health.

---

-----------

[a] Aventis Takes Legal Action Vs UK Govt Over Pesticide. Dow Jones

Newswires 7sep01

Baker, DM. Presentation at 2001 commencement ceremony of College

of

Natural Resources, University of California, Berkeley 20may01

---

-----------

Parts Per Trillion

For a medical student to read that estradiol must be measured in

parts

per trillion (ppt), should be nothing new. Now, try visualizing what

1

ppt looks like.

Imagine one drop of water in 660 rail tank cars. That's a train six

miles long![41] It is not possible to see six miles as one sees a

yardstick or a milliliter, or even a single cell.

But the difference of a few parts per trillion of a hormone can mean

a

world of difference during ones whole life.

Frederick vom Saal's postgraduate work at the University of Texas

exemplifies the power of hormones. He showed that the womb-mate of

mouse

permanently affected its adult characteristics in terms of

aggression,

sexuality, and reproduction.

If a female mouse's womb position was between two males, it has a

greater chance of being aggressive, producing less sex-attracting

pheromones, matured more slowly, and came into heat less frequently

than

one that was located between two females. [42]

Other researchers found that the womb position also determines the

sex

ratio of that mouse fetus' future litters.[43]

The result of these findings is that it is no longer adequate to

consider cancer as the most important or only end point.

Why Haven't I Heard of Endocrine Disruptors?

The reasons are many, but the lack of awareness is caused by our

educational, regulatory, and economic systems.

Each plays a part in maintaining the status quo.

Scientific communication is greatly reduced by divisions into

increasingly smaller fields of study.

Corporate funding of academic research and political campaigns

further

reduces open communication.

The health care system thrives on cures rather than prevention, and

" profit " rather than " healing " .

Through their own research, chemical manufacturers have known for a

decades about the dangers of the chemicals they produce.

In spite of incessant warnings by scientists and organizations, they

not

only refuse to adequately test them before marketing them, but have

also

organized into action groups, spending many millions of dollars on

public media campaigns to disinform us.

Profit is the sole reason.

In March 26, 2001, PBS aired a Bill Moyers' special exposing the

conspiracy of the PVC industry in concealing the toxicity of VCM

(vinyl

chloride monomer) from many thousands of workers. Labeling it a

conspiracy is far from exaggeration.

The program, Trade Secrets, was inspired by years of research into

hundreds of thousands of documents obtained through lawsuits and the

Freedom of Information Act.

Many of the documents are freely accessible on the Environmental

Working Group's website. Guilt-ridden industry people are coming

forward

with even more as this book goes to print.

It is an abundant source of industry records detailing the long-

running

history of illicit actions to " compromise " the health and trust of

the

PVC industry workers. [44]

What do the Chemical Manufacturers Have to Say? Chemical

manufacturers

claim that " scientists " who urge precaution with regards to EDs are

but

" hysterical sensationalists " .

They warn that thousands of workers would be needlessly unemployed

if

production of these toxic chemicals were halted without absolute

proof

of harm.

They also say that because only animal tests have been done, no

proof

exists that humans are being affected as other animals are.

But through studies of industrial accidents and inadequately tested

or

prescribed pharmaceuticals, enough has been learned to strongly

connect

the effect of EDs to humans.

These are a few examples of cases illustrating the connection

between

EDs and humans:

DES (diethylstilbestrol) was used to treat up to 4 million women for

pregnancy-related problems;[45]

the 1976 chemical factory explosion in Seveso, Italy exposed

thousands

of people to dioxin; [46]

thousands of people living around the Minimata Bay in Japan

developed

methylmercury poisoning through the consumption of fish contaminated

by

the intentional dumping of tons of mercury into by Chisso

Corporation;

and the effects of Agent Orange, the ubiquitous defoliant used

during

the Vietnam War during the 1960's, are still being felt to this day

in

the US, Vietnam and many other countries.[47]

When industry is threatened, they debunk low-dose toxicity as " junk

science " or that it is the message of a Luddite.

Toxicologists are paraded in front of the media declaring " the dose

makes the poison, " or that there is a " no-effect level for all

chemicals. "

But when one asks the wrong questions, errors are inevitable.

Tests can and have been designed by industry to " eliminate "

or " avoid

finding " results detrimental to " profits " .[48]

The estrogenic properties of bisphenol-A, (BPA) were known as early

as

1936, yet children now have their teeth coated with plastic

containing

BPA[49].

The American Dental Association (ADA) denies any problem and goes on

coating teeth[50].

Food and drink cans are lined with it.

Some plastic baby bottles contain it and other plasticizers. And

it's

all done with the approval of the FDA.

In April 1999, Consumer Reports Special Report advised parents to

dispose of soft vinyl teethers and toys that infants sometimes suck

or

chew, and all clear, shiny plastic baby bottles, unless the

manufacturer

tells you they're not made of polycarbonate, which leaches BPA.

They also advised parents to replace the bottles with those made of

glass or an opaque, less-shiny plastic (the plastic bottles are

often

colored).

Shortly thereafter, in conjunction with American Council on Health

and

Science (ACSH), an industry-funded front group, " family doctor " C.

Everett Koop, stated that there is no problem. His strongly stated

press

release claims that polycarbonate bottles are safe and that the

public

should not listen to the " junk science " of the people that brought

us

the alar scare.

Not only was alar proven to be as toxic as claimed, but Koop's

argument

in favor of polycarbonate bottles is wrought with " contradictions " .

[51]

Isn't the government watching out for our safety?

Less than half of the 38,000 high production volume chemicals* have

been

tested for their toxicity, and few of the 75,000 chemicals on the

market

have been tested for combinations found in our everyday lives.

* High production volume (HPV) chemicals are those which are

manufactured in or imported into the United States in amounts equal

to

or greater than one million pounds per year.

The government relies upon tests conducted by or paid for by the

manufacturers. Antiquated regulations and laws govern the production

and

use of most chemicals and products on the market today.

In many cases the regulations were written by the " regulated

industry "

itself.

Each attempt at protective and precautionary legislation is thwarted

by

industry using the influence of its " substantial accumulation " of

money.

The Endocrine Disruptors Screening and Testing Advisory Committee

(EDSTAC) which convened between 1997 and 1998, was established to

advise

the EPA on a strategy for screening and testing new and existing

chemicals for their potential to disrupt endocrine functions in

humans

and wildlife.

Some of the EDSTAC recommendations are that EPA considers screening

and

testing 87,000 chemicals, to address environmental impacts, and

focus on

both human and ecological health.

Sadly, congress grossly under-funded the EPA for this project, and

it

hasn't a hope of progressing. In 1998, a rough estimate of its cost

was

$50 million.

But EPA got only $3.2 million in FY 1999. Industry has not offered

to

pay for any testing in spite of the fact that these highly suspect

chemicals are all industry-produced.[52]

Pesticides are a good example of regulations that were written -- in

complete disregard for public health-- with only industry profits in

mind.

Without any testing at all, many pesticides are " grandfathered in " ,

or

approved for use because they were created before regulations.

Pesticide

testing is done by manufacturers and/or paid for by manufacturers.

Even then, they are not tested as the final product sold in stores

or to

farmers.

Only the " active ingredient' of a pesticide is tested, without its

" inert ingredients, " which can be as much as 99.99% of the product.

Inerts can be significantly more toxic than the actives.

The mixture of active and inerts can have a synergistic effect of

multiplying the toxicity many times beyond that of each part.[53] By

definition, an inert is any substance other than an active

ingredient.[54]

Many inerts are on restricted use lists, but as part of

a " registered "

pesticide they are permitted. To be registered means only that they

are

registered and guarantees no safety or testing.

In fact, it is illegal to claim a pesticide is safe.[55]

All of this would be comedy, if not for the willful destruction of

our

health and future, and that of our environment -- all in the name of

profit.

Most inerts are " proprietary " , meaning that consumers do not have

the

right to know.[56]

The GW Bush administration is working hard at reducing our right to

know and further protecting industry profits.

Precautionary Principal

Under the present risk assessment regulatory scheme, industry is

allowed

to produce potentially damaging chemicals until absolute proof of

human

harm exists.

Costs and benefits of chemicals must be accounted for in the

process.

Essentially, it dictates how many people may be killed or maimed

before

a chemical is restricted or banned.

Far too much importance is given to theoretical models of risk that

are

significantly less complex than the real world where everyone is

regularly exposed to an infinite combination of chemicals

interacting in

unknown ways with unknown outcomes.

Risk assessment is also extremely inadequate in dealing with

extremely

" low-dose exposure " , where EDs can be most " active " .

According to the well-established scientific method, scientists can

support a hypothesis, but never absolutely prove it. Therefore,

industry's demand of absolute proof that EDs can injure humans at

extremely low levels is not possible.

It is right that scientists observe the rules of scientific method

in

order to maintain standardization, but our legislators must consider

the

consequences of not taking action protective of public health.

Inaction is similar to action in that both are intentional decisions

with somewhat predictable outcomes. A chemical should be considered

guilty until proven innocent, putting the burden of proof on the

manufacturer rather than on the public.

Safety testing should be completely independent of the manufacturer,

but

the cost of testing should be borne by the manufacturer.

Many scientists believe that enough evidence of harm to humans,

animals

and the environment already exists for scores of chemicals that the

" Precautionary Principle " be employed.

Key elements of the principle include taking precaution in the face

of

scientific uncertainty; exploring alternatives to possibly harmful

actions; placing the burden of proof on proponents of an activity

rather

than on victims or potential victims of the activity; and using

democratic processes to carry out and enforce the principle-

including

the public right to informed consent.

The precautionary principle states that, " When an activity raises

threats of harm to the environment or human health, precautionary

measures should be taken even if some cause and effect relationships

are

not fully established scientifically. " [57]

Accordingly, the manufacturer, rather than the public, should bear

the

burden of proof.

Avoiding Endocrine Disruptors

Women suffer the greater extent of damage from toxicants and stand a

greater chance of passing them on to the future generations.

However, men shouldn't feel immune to this problem because the fetus

is

not nourished from within their bodies. Genetic mutation and low

fertility in men can be passed on as well. And the chemicals a man

works

with are carried home to his family on his clothing and body.

To make a blanket statement, short paper or even a book that would

cover

all that you need to do to avoid endocrine disruptors would be an

arduous task. Purchase less, consume less, and waste less.

Unlearn the lessons taught to us by industry and just use less

stuff.

Learn how to read labels.

And above all, be skeptical of safety claims made by industry or

industry-funded research.

Always question yourself before buying, " Do I really need this

product? "

If you really need it, then ask, " What can I use that's less toxic? "

Nine times out of ten, you'll come up with something less toxic and

less

expensive at the same time.

Next, considering that our protective agencies are not what they

claim

to be, everyone must educate themselves on the environmental hazards

that are right in their own homes.

In spite of the fact that they already know about endocrine

disruptors,

industry prefers to keep us all ignorant of the harm caused by the

many

products we use in every area of our houses, properties, and

workplaces.

They range from cleaning products, paints and glues, lawn care

products

and pet supplies to auto products, art supplies, cosmetics and

foods.

Especially vulnerable to these toxic products are the unborn, those

in

the womb and those of future generations.

Recommendations

Don't be overwhelmed by this list. Take one step at a time. The task

is

to undo a lifetime of misconceptions and disinformation.

Don't smoke or drink alcohol.

Especially if you're a man or a woman who is planning to have

children!

It can cause permanent damage to the reproductive systems of both

men

and women. A man's sperm can be damaged genetically and be coated

with

the toxicant, and a woman's ovum can be damaged in the same way.

Your

unborn child, and those in subsequent generations may suffer because

of

your indiscretion. Women who had smoke the same number of cigarettes

as

men have twice the amount of DNA damage to their lungs.

Men, beware as well. Smoking contaminates a mans sperm, as well as

decreasing its quality and quantity. The toxins can coat the outside

and

be contained within it.

Don't use lawn chemicals or any pesticides.

Especially if you're a man or a woman who is planning to have

children!

Don't even think of being near them. Lawns, humans, and animals will

be

healthier without them.

Don't use makeup, hair sprays & coloring products or nail polish

Especially if you're a man or a woman who is planning to have

children!

Enjoy your own body and not the image that the media says you should

want.

Avoid using strong chemicals, glues, paints, nail polish and

remover,

floor & carpet cleaners.

Get rid of all those name brands and use earth friendly products

sparingly. If you must use chemicals then wear industrial quality,

gloves, eye protection and a mask with filters approved for each

chemical being used. Once again… Definitely NOT if you're planning

to

have children!

Don't heat food or eat hot food in plastic containers, even the ones

frozen dinners now come in.

This includes Teflon coated cookware. Chemicals from the plastic can

be

ingested with the food and could cause great problems for the unborn

and

you.

Purchase fresh organic produce, meats and milk free from rBGH.

Recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone, or rBGH, is a hormone to increase

milk production in cows. It causes mastitis requiring lots of

antibiotics in cows that can be passed on to humans, which in turn,

can

create new incurable diseases.

Eat lower on the food chain.

Eat more organic fruits and vegetables. Meat, dairy and fish contain

more toxic bioaccumulative chemicals. Even if it is organically

raised

and processed, it contains dioxin.

Eat deep-water fish.

Avoid swordfish, tuna and shark because of mercury. Avoid all

farm-raised fish, They are fed animal parts, given antibiotics to

prevent disease caused by overcrowding, given hormones to stimulate

growth and to encourage lethargy, and their pens are coated with

toxic

paint to discourage marine growth on the mesh. Especially beware of

fishing in bays polluted by mercury, PCBs, dioxin, and other

synthetic

chemicals. Did you know that there's greater than 6 times more

plastic

than zooplankton floating in the Pacific Ocean, as well as many

other

oceans? Not only is the plastic toxic, it attracts the breakdown

products—known as metabolites—of DDT in the form of DDE and other

dioxin-like chemicals at a rate of up to 1 million times what's

found in

the ocean.

Buy produce at your local Farmers' Market or join a buying club.

Purchase local organic produce in season.

Vegetarians have far fewer endocrine disruptors found in their blood

than people that consume meat.

This is because incinerators that are as near as your back yard or

as

far away as thousands of miles release dioxin into the air when they

burn chlorine containing materials like PVC plastic or pesticides

[58].

The dioxin falls on the grass that cows and cattle eat and

accumulates

in their fat and milk.

Because of their longer life, dioxin accumulation is more critical

in

milk cows and beef cattle than chickens or other animals.

Being at the top of the food chain, humans accumulate even more

dioxin

in their blood than the animals they eat.

Taking that one step further, infants are at an even higher plane of

the

food chain because they consume the milk of their mothers'.

While this is a major health concern, recent studies have shown that

it

is still better to breast feed than any of the alternatives.

Use fewer processed, prepackaged foods whenever possible.

Eat more fresh food, you'll get more nutritional value from your

diet.

And you'll be sure of what's in it! In general, you'll get a much

better

value in terms of cost by purchasing whole, unprocessed foods.

Avoid canned goods unless absolutely a must.

The nutritional value is lower and some of the interior can coatings

are

endocrine disruptors. For more on this topic please read " Get

Plastic

Out Of Your Diet " (16nov03).

Avoid products with hydrogenated, partially hydrogenated fats and

oelestra (a synthetic fat substitute).

While these types of fats and fat substitutes are not currently

thought

to be EDs, they are found in snack foods or processed foods and can

be

bad for your health in both the short- and long-term.

Hydrogenated fats, even when made from polyunsaturated fats, can

actually increase your LDL (bad cholesterol).

Hydrogenated fats give snacks the feel of butter on your tongue and

increase the shelf life of the product. Be on the lookout for

hydrogenated fats on ingredient lists.

Many junkfood makers are dropping them in favor of other fats such

as

palm oil. The substitutes, while better, are many times only

marginally

so.

Best to avoid all processed foods if possible. Don't let your

children

get near this stuff, or else they'll develop a taste for it, and

consequently, a hard to break habit.

Don't stay in places that smell of chemicals.

Get out quickly. Don't wait to ask if the smell is safe. Probably

the

people around you know even less.

In general, substitute natural products for synthetic products

whenever

possible.

That's not an easy task. I've tried it myself. Do it one step at a

time.

Don't overwhelm yourself. Maybe pick out one thing a month to switch

over to a more natural product.

Seek out the metal, wooden, ceramic and glass cook wear like your

grandmother had. There are a lot of people that have been injured by

synthetic chemicals during their production, use, and disposal,

and/or

by just being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Protect our

future

generations by making it your business to be one of the well-

informed

people.

Don't go to war or join any branch of the Armed Forces

And don 't allow your children to do so either. The commands of all

branches of armed forces have no respect for human life. For an

extremely detailed lecture that covers this subject pretty well,

please

read The US Army's Use of Depleted Uranium - US Army Major Doug

Rokke

21apr03.

---

-----------

List of Endocrine Disruptors

Persistent Organohalogens:

Dioxins and furans, PBBs, PCBs, Hexachlorobenzene,

Octachlorostyrene,

Pentachlorophenol

Pesticides:

2,4,5-T, 2,4-D, alachlor, aldicarb, d-trans allethrin, amitrole,

atrazine, benomyl, beta-HCH, carbaryl, chlordane, chlozolinate,

-cyhalothrin, cis-nonachlor, cypermethrin, DBCP, DDT, DDT

metabolites,

dicofol, dieldrin, endosulfan, esfenvalerate, ethylparathion,

fenvalerate, h-epoxide, heptachlor, iprodione, kelthane, kepone,

ketoconazole, lindane, linurone, malathion, mancozeb, maneb,

methomyl,

methoxychlor, metiram, metribuzin, mirex, nitrofen, oxychlordane,

permethrin, procymidone, sumithrin, synthetic pyrethroids,

toxaphene,

trans-nonachlor, tributyltin oxide, trifluralin, vinclozolin, zineb,

ziram

Phthalates:

Di-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP), Butyl benzyl phthalate (BBP), Di-n-

butyl

phthalate (DBP), Di-n-pentyl phthalate (DPP), Di-hexyl phthalate

(DHP),

Di-propyl phthalate (DprP), Dicyclohexyl phthalate (DCHP), Diethyl

phthalate (DEP),

Other:

Penta- to Nonyl-Phenols, Bisphenol A, Bisphenol F, Styrene dimers

and

trimers, Benzo(a)pyrene, ethane dimethane, sulphonate,

tris-4-(chlorophenyl), methane, tris-4-(chlorophenyl), methanol,

Benzophenone, N-butyl benzene, 4-nitrotoluene, 2,4-dichlorophenol,

Cyanazine, Diethylhexyl adipate, DES (diethylstilbestrol)

Metals:

Arsenic, Cadmium, Depleted Uranium (Uranium)*, Lead, Mercury. *

http://www.antenna.nl/wise/uranium/#DU

Pharmaceuticals:

drug estrogens - birth control pills, DES, cimetidine

More EDs: ), heavy metals (arsenic[59], cadmium[60], lead[61],

mercury[62]), 209 PCBs[63], [64] (polychlorinated biphenyl), 75

dioxins[65],[66], and 135 furans[67], exhaust from all motor

vehicles,

cigarette smoke, ordinary household products (breakdowns products of

detergents and associated surfactants, including nonylphenol and

octylphenol

Other references

Kaufman, RH, E Adam, EE Hatch, K Noller, A Herbst, JR Palmer and RN

Hoover. 2000. Continued follow-up of pregnancy outcomes in

diethylstilbestrol-exposed offspring. Obstetrics & Gynecology

96(4):483-489.

Mulvihill K. Agricultural pesticides linked to fetal death. Reuters

Health 13feb01

Anon. Scientists Link Sterility with High Dioxin Levels The Yomiuri

Shimbun 12nov99

Brown D. Herbicides, Diabetes Linked in New Study. Washington Post

12oct00

Legler JM, et al. Brain and Other Central Nervous System Cancers:

Recent

Trends in Incidence and Mortality Journal of the National Cancer

Institute, v.91, n.16, 1382-1390, 18aug99

Buckley JD, et al. Pesticide exposures in children with non-Hodgkin

lymphoma. Cancer v.89, i11, 6dec00

Anon. Child's Exposure To Pesticides Hikes Lymphoma Risk UniSci

30nov00

IDRC Study Shows High Exposure to Insecticides Affects Mental

Capacity.

Learning Disabilities Association of Canada 6feb01

Anon. What is a Pesticide? U.S. EPA Office of Pesticide Programs

14feb97

Books

Silent Spring Rachel Carson 1962 - " What happens in nature is not

allowed to happen in the modern, chemical-drenched world, " she

writes,

" where spraying destroys not only the insects but also their

principal

enemy, the birds. When later there is a resurgence of the insect

population, as almost always happens, the birds are not there to

keep

their numbers in check. " –Rachel Carson

Chemical Exposure and Disease: Diagnostic and Investigative

Techniques

by Janette Sherman, MD, provides investigative and diagnostic

techniques

for the lay reader as well as the medical and legal community. It is

easy to understand and gives case studies for all body systems.

(1988)

Chemical Deception: The Toxic Threat to Health and the Environment

Marc

Lappé 1991 (Out of Print) – Lappé charts both individual and global

episodes of toxicity and discusses the myths that have perpetuated

them:

that the risk from cancer-causing agents is remote; that tap water

is

safe; that the body's defenses can handle food, air, and water

contaminants; that a fetus is protected from dangerous substances;

that

the environment is resilient; and so on.

Dying From Dioxin: A Citizen's Guide to Reclaiming Our Health and

Rebuilding Democracy Lois Gibbs 1995 – Gibbs, one of the original

activists from the contaminated neighborhoods at Love Canal,

explains

what dioxin is and describes how it affects human health,

summarizing

the September 1994 EPA draft report on dioxin and important reports

published since the EPA report. She reviews the politics surrounding

the

history of dioxin, and offers step-by-step instructions for grass-

roots

organizing, creating a coalition, identifying sources of

contamination

in the community, and shutting down an incinerator. Contains

appendices

on the chemistry of dioxin, conversion charts, sample ordinances,

agreements and resolutions, and a declaration of principles of

environmental justice.

Our Stolen Future Theo Colborn, Dianne Dumanoski, John P. Myers

1996 –

This book sent chills up and down my spine. It explains endocrine

disruption in a way that does not require any previous knowledge of

the

theory, showing the interconnectedness of the world. This one book

is

responsible for fanning the flames of my environmental activism.

Toxic Deception Dan Fagin, Marianne Lavelle, Center for Public

Integrety

1996 - The authors suggest one industry method for prosperity:

nearly

half the top officials who left the Environmental Protection Agency

(EPA) in the last 15 years now work for these companies, directly or

indirectly--which might explain why the industry is essentially

responsible for testing the toxic effects of its own chemicals and

then

reporting the results to the EPA.

Living Downstream Sandra Steingraber 1997 – biologist and poet

Sandra

Steingraber writes eloquently and impassionately of an intimate

connection between the health of our bodies and the integrity of our

air, land, and water. " By skillfully weaving a strong personal drama

with thorough scientific research, Steingraber tells a compelling

story....Well worth reading. " --Washington Post

Generations at Risk: Reproductive Health and the Environment Ted

Schettler, Gina Solomon, MD, Maria Valenti, Annette Huddle 1999 -

compelling evidence that human exposure to some toxic chemicals can

have

lifelong and even intergenerational effects on human reproduction

and

development.

Life's Delicate Balance: Causes and Prevention of Breast Cancer by

Janette Sherman, MD, defines and documents known causes of breast

cancer, and emphasizes the means of prevention. (2000)

Hormonal Chaos: The Scientific and Social Origins of the

Environmental

Endocrine Hypothesis Sheldon Krimsky 2000 - This is not a quick read

but

an engrossing read. Sheldon has proven a link between environmental

toxins and endocrine disease. He offers not only a credible theory

for

endocrine failure through environmental toxins but documents it with

scientifically sound data.

Pandora's Poison Joe Thornton 2000 - Thornton, a former Greenpeace

scientist, describes the " global health hazard " organochlorines

represent; suggests that adding chlorine to organic substances is

intrinsically dangerous because the substances it produces are more

toxic, fat soluble, persistent, reactive, and/or bioaccumulative;

and

outlines how a " chlorine sunset " could be implemented.

Trust Us We're Experts Sheldon Rampton and John Stauber Dec 2000 - a

gripping exposé of the public relations industry and the scientists

who

back their business-funded, anti-consumer-safety agendas. There are

two

kinds of " experts " in question--the PR spin doctors behind the

scenes

and the " independent " experts paraded before the public, scientists

who

have been hand-selected, cultivated, and paid handsomely to promote

the

views of corporations involved in controversial actions. Other books

they wrote that you should see Toxic Sludge Is Good for You! and Mad

Cow

U.S.A.

Having Faith: An Ecologist's Journey to Motherhood. Sandra

Steingraber

2oct01 Perseus Books - has vital information about fetal

development.

Illustrates why we need to take more action as a society to protect

our

children, the most vulnerable among us. This book explains many

concepts

in depth for all audiences, not just women. I heard her read a

couple

sections from this book at the San Francisco Law School when the

book

came out. She describes everything from breast feeding to birthing

without hesitation. Rather than getting scared and upset at what is

going on... get active! This book is an excellent reference book as

well.

---

-----------

References

[1] Walsh, L.P., C.McCormick, C.Martin, D.M.Stoccol. Roundup

Inhibits

Steroidogenesis by Disrupting Steroidogenic Acute Regulatory (StAR)

Protein Expression Expression Environmental Health Perspectives

v.108,

n.8 Aug00 Note: Roundup is also linked to Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

See

[29]

[2] U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Public Health

Service

National Toxicology Program. Vinyl Chloride CAS No.75-01-4. 9th

Report

on Carcinogens rev. Jan01

[3] Mato, Y., T.Isobe, H.Takada, H.Kahnehiro, C.Ohtake, T.Kaminuma.

Plastic Resin Pellets as a Transport Medium for Toxic Chemicals in

the

Marine Environment. Environ. Sci. Technol. 2001, 35, 318-324

[4] Personal conversation with Barry Commoner at the Peoples' Dioxin

Action Summit, UC Berkeley, Summer 2000.

[5] Shu, X.O., M.S.Linet, M.Steinbuch, W.Q.Wen, J.D.Buckley,

J.P.Neglia,

J.D.Potter, G.H.Reaman, L.L.Robison. Breast-Feeding and Risk of

Childhood Acute Leukemia. Journal of the National Cancer Institute,

Vol.

91, No. 20, 1765-1772, 20oct99 and Hardell, L., and A.C.Dreifaldt.

Breast-feeding duration and the risk of malignant diseases in

childhood

in Sweden. Eur.Jour.Clin.Nut. (2001) 55, 179-185

[6] C.Cox. Glyphosate Factsheet in Journal of Pesticide Reform

v.108,

n.3 Fall98 rev.Oct00 (There is a great disparity between this paper

by

C.Cox and Roundup® MSDS sheets.) More on Monsanto

[7] Arnold, S., D.Klotz, B.Collins, P.Vonier, L.Guillette Jr.,

J.McLachlan. Synergistic Activation of Estrogen Receptor with

Combinations of Environmental Chemicals. Science v.272 7jun96

[8] Kielhorn, J., C.Melber, U.Wahnschaffe, A.Aitio, and

I.Mangelsdorf.

Vinyl Chloride: Still a Cause for Concern. Environmental Health

Perspectives v.108, n.7, July 2000

[9] Ohlson, C., L.Hardell. Testicular cancer and occupational

exposures

with a focus on xenoestrogens in polyvinyl chloride plastics.

Chemosphere 40(9-11):1277-82 2000.

[10] C.Cray. Experimenting On Children in Rachels Environment &

Health

Weekly n.603, 18jun98 Environmental Research Foundation

[11] Berkeley Plastics Task Force. Report of the Berkeley Plastics

Task

Force. Ecology Center, Berkeley, CA. 8apr96

[12] Commoner, B., P.W.Bartlett, H.Eisl, K.Couchot. Long-range Air

Transport of Dioxin from North American Sources to Ecologically

Vulnerable Receptors in Nunavut, Arctic Canada Barry Commoner CBNS

Final

Report to the North American Commission for Environmental

Cooperation.

Center for the Biology of Natural Systems (CBNS), Queens College,

CUNY

Sep00

[13] Withey, J.R. Quantitative Analysis of Styrene Monomer in

Polystyrene and Foods Including Some Preliminary Studies of the

Uptake

and Pharmacodynamics of the Monomer in Rats. Environmental Health

Perspectives Vol. 17, pp. 125-1.53, 1976

[14] City of Berkeley Code Chapter 11.60 Polystyrene Foam,

Degradable

and Recyclable Food Packaging Effective 1jan90

[15] Watanabe, Nobue, M.Kurita. The Masculinization of the Fetus

During

Pregnancy Due to Inhalation of Diesel Exhaust. Environmental Health

Perspectives v.109, n.2, Feb01

[16] H. Muto, Y. Takazawa. Dioxins in Cigarette Smoke. Archives of

Environmental Health, Pg. 44 (3) : 171-4 May/Jun89

[17] Thomas, K and T Colborn. 1992. Organochlorine Endocrine

Disruptors

in Human Tissue in Chemically Induced Alterations in Sexual and

Functional Development: The Wildlife/Human Connection.

JoAnn Guest

mrsjo-

www.geocities.com/mrsjoguest/Diets