Toxicological Concerns Not on U.S. Agenda
Re “Europe’s Rules Forcing U.S. Firms to Clean Up,” May 16: Marla Cone does a splendid job of summarizing and illustrating the proactive stance that European countries have taken to attempt to cleanse their societies from the toxicological deluge of the last 50 years.
The United States, unfortunately, has chosen to do the opposite -- protecting chemical companies rather than people from the thousands of non-tested compounds we encounter on a daily basis.
The average American (fetus, child and adult) has over 87 known toxins in his or her tissues, interacting in unknown ways in a myriad of combinations. Despite this fact, the Bush administration rejects the precautionary stance as expensive and unnecessary “myth.”
Like the other examples of Bush non-science over the last six years, this risk-based assessment is both pure bunk and undemocratic. Again, the emperor has no clothes -- only preposterous disguises.
Arthur Strauss MD
Irvine
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
