Why Don’t We Have Better Data on the
Dangers of Chemical Exposure?
Chemicals are found in virtually all of the products we use every day at home and at work. The Environmental Working Group, a nonprofit consumer health advocacy group, reported that women use an average of 12 products a day containing 168 chemicals. Men put an average of 85 chemicals a day on their bodies, and teenagers use an average of 17 personal care products a day. When EWG tested the teens’ blood and urine, they found 16 hormone altering chemicals.Despite the rate of chemical exposure in the United States, we know shockingly little about how people react to chemicals. Of the approximately half a million chemicals used in commerce, we only know the reactions people have to exposure of chemical exposure for about four percent of these. Without better knowledge of the effects of human exposure to all of these chemicals, it can be difficult to develop effective policies and regulations to protect people. Exposure to some chemicals may lead to a variety of health effects, including disruption of normal hormones, reproductive harm, and impairment of neurological functions in children. So why don’t we know more about these chemicals?
Chemical Testing
While most people assume that chemical manufacturers must prove that chemicals are safe before putting them on the market, the opposite is often true. Under the Toxic Control Substances Act of 1976, chemical manufacturers only need to notify the Environmental Protection Agency of their use of a new chemical. The EPA then has 90 days to determine if the chemical is dangerous or should be restricted.
The EPA can’t even require manufacturers to complete safety and health testing.
If the manufacturer has tested the chemical for safety, it has to give the results to the EPA. But if the manufacturer hasn’t tested it, it has no obligation to submit any test data to the government.A 2010 study from the EPA’s Inspector General indicated that 85% of new chemicals weren’t tested for toxicity and more than half had no data to submit to the EPA at all. With numbers like these, it’s no surprise that we have such limited information about the safety of the hundreds of chemicals we are exposed to every day and are subject to the many diseases and illnesses that toxic chemical exposure can cause.If you think you or a loved one may be ill due to a toxic exposure, call us. There's no cost for a consultation, and we have been helping victims of toxic exposure since 1972. Call 888-910-6376 or contact us here.
