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US National Academies New Study Confirms Dioxin is Toxic |
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Tuesday, July 11,
2006
After 15 Year Delay, 5th Study Finds Chemical Causes Cancer, Developmental Problems & Birth Defects
(Campbell River, BC) - The National Academies (NA) released a
controversial report today in the United States confirming what
numerous scientific panels have concluded over the past 15 years -
dioxin is a potent cancer-causing chemical even at very small levels.
Dioxin can cause developmental and immune effects at levels close to
those currently found in the American and Canadian population.
“This just goes to confirm what has been scientific consensus for
decades now, despite the denials of chlorine-based industries that have
been effectively stalling the release of the EPA’s controversial dioxin
reassessment for 15 years,” said Delores Broten, Senior Policy Advisor
for Reach for Unbleached, BC’s pulp watchdog organization. “Not only is
the pulp and paper industry heavily reliant on the chlorine industry
for the production of bleached paper, but the use of salty hog fuel on
the west coast dramatically increases the emissions of dioxins into the
environment.”
“Dioxins emissions are one of the key concerns for coastal pulp mills,”
concurred Rob Wiltzen of the Crofton Airshed Citizens Group. “It’s well
established that coastal pulp mills are a special concern for dioxins
emissions while the regulation and testing regime is completely
inadequate to ensure environmental and public health.”
Pulp mills are obligated to test for dioxin emissions once per year,
soon to devolve to once every two years while studies show that dioxin
emissions are highly variable. Salty Hog fuel is the bark and wood
waste from coastal logging operations that transport and store logs in
salt water. The salt is absorbed into the wood waste that is then
burned as fuel in the pulp mills, producing emissions of dioxins and
furans among other by-products in the combustion process.
"Although the NA review has confirmed that dioxin is a carcinogen, the
EPA Dioxin Reassessment concluded this several years ago and recent
studies have added additional weight to this conclusion," stated Dr.
Richard Clapp, Professor of Environmental Health at Boston University
School of Public Health. "Furthermore, there does not appear to be
safe 'threshold' for dioxin's carcinogenic effects. Dioxin also causes
many other health problems even at low levels, such as developmental
problems in children, immunologic problems in children and adults,
reproductive problems in adults, and diabetes."
Every North American eats dioxin when they consume fatty foods, and
nearly every citizen has measurable levels of this chemical in their
body. Dioxin contamination is particularly high in areas with dioxin
sources like incinerators, smelters, pulp and paper mills, chemical
factories or other industries that use chlorine.
"The first health assessment of dioxin was in 1985," said Lois Gibbs,
Executive Director of the Center for Health, Environment and Justice
(CHEJ). Gibbs's struggle to clean up dioxin in her Niagara Falls NY
community at Love Canal has been credited with launching the grassroots
environmental health movement. Enough is enough—let's get on with
establishing health protective regulations around dioxin discharges and
clean ups," said Gibbs.
For more information: www.chej.org/ dioxin
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