More than 80,000 chemicals now in use have never been fully assessed for toxic impacts on human health and the environment. Many of these chemicals are linked to increased incidence of cancer. Watch this video by expert Linda Greer, the Director of the Health Program at NRDC, the Natural Resources Defense Council, one of the most effective environmental protection groups. She clearly states that there is a lack of government oversight by the, EPA, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency -- the very department that is supposed to be protecting us.
The chemical industry should have to demonstrate that a chemical isn't dangerous before it's used in everyday products. But the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) has no such requirements. These regulations have not been updated since 1976. It's time to require that all chemicals be tested for safety and grant the EPA the authority to protect the public from toxic chemicals. But chemicals are innocent until proven guilty. This means chemicals are in use that have no proven safety record.
WATCH:
The Breast Cancer Fund has a comprehensive report on the link between environmental toxic chemicals and breast cancer.
The President's Cancer Panel released a report in April 2010, detailing the link between cancer and toxic exposures including chemicals used in industry, in the military and in medicine. The report states that "the link between exposure and cancer is strong" and "the risk of cancer increases with more exposure." Children, the unborn fetus and pregnant women are at greatest risk.
If you wish to be informed about the chemicals in products that you use at home and work, visit the website of the Environmental Working Group. They also have another website devoted to the many unregulated toxic chemicals found in personal care products such as shampoos, lotions, toothpaste and cosmetics. Another educational site that shows you how to feed your family safe and healthy food and reduce your chemical exposures at home is Organic Authority.
Dr. Sanjay Gupta, M.D., a medical doctor and medical journalist produced a television series "Toxic America" which reveals the most common chemicals that are linked to a multiplicity of health problems, including many cancers that are ubiquitous in our daily lives. This report brings to light the many chemicals that find their way into the womb and into newborns who come into life on day one with high levels of toxic chemicals in their tiny and developing bodies and then nurse on toxin-laden breast milk, increasing their body burden of dangerous chemicals.
Was this post helpful to you? What changes will you make? Will you write your representative and ask for real safety regulations and protections?
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For more on the confluence of natural medicine and alternative cancer care see my blog
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