REACH
- Registration, Evaluation, and
Authorization of Chemicals
European
Commission - REACH Program
On 29 October 2003, the Commission adopted a proposal
for a new EU regulatory framework for chemicals. The
proposed new system is called REACH (Registration, Evaluation
and Authorization of CHemicals). Site contains extensive
information on the REACH program (accessed 29 April
2004).
Estimated costs between $3.3 billion and $6.1 billion
over 11 years.
Estimated benefits $59 billion over 30 years. This is
based on the assumption that REACH would reduce disease
related to chemical exposure by 0.1%.
"On October 28th 2004 the European
Commission adopted its legislative proposal for sweeping
reform in chemicals policy, called REACH. The legislation,
if enacted, requires that all chemicals used in commerce
over 1 ton per year have basic toxicity and risk information
within an 11 year period and that chemicals of very
high concern be treated like drugs, with only uses approved
by government authorities being permitted." More
information at the The
Lowell Center for Sustainable Production
More on REACH at - Clean
Production Action or European
Environmental Bureau or World
Wildlife Fund
PFOA
(perfluorooctanoic acid) and fluorinated telomers
U.S.
EPA - Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA) and Fluorinated
Telomers - summary of current information (accessed:
17 August 2004).
One veiw of the hazards of PFOA
Your high cholesterol may not be from what you eat as much as it
could be from what cookware was used to prepare your food. Or LDL
could be higher if you used certain curling or flat irons to coif
your hair or some polishes to paint your nails, or even the kind
eye classes you wear! Maybe your increased risk of heart disease
and stroke is related to your spot resistant carpet and furniture,
your wrinkle free outfit, or your automobile wiper blades, upholstery,
or wax. They all can have one thing in common - Teflon!
How are our lives being altered by these 'conveniences'?
In short, there is mounting evidence that this chemical of convenience
also alters our lives by the inconvenience of heart disease, stokes
and cancer.
LDL, the "bad cholesterol" is a well-known risk factor
for heart disease and stroke. The EPA is trying to figure out how
the indestructible Teflon chemical PFOA has gotten into the blood
of over 95% of Americans.
EPA is also suing DuPont for hiding health data for over 20 years.
Heart attack and stroke. Six studies now point to risk for heart
attack and stroke from exposures to the Teflon chemical, two of
which have emerged in the last month (DuPont 2005, Shea 2004, Olsen
et al. 2001, Goldenthal 1978, Alexander, 2001, Haughom and Spydevold
1992). On January 11 2005 DuPont released the latest in this series,
a study showing elevated cholesterol levels in workers exposed to
the Teflon chemical, a known risk factor for heart attack and stroke.
The most recent finding regarding elevated cholesterol is the fourth
in a string of studies conducted since 1994 pointing to excess risks
for stroke and heart attack among workers exposed to the Teflon
chemical:
1) An American company called MIC Specialty Chemicals, Inc imports
the Teflon chemical from an Italian company that makes it, called
Miteni. Miteni's blood data of the past 17 years shows a slight
increase of total cholesterol in the workers.
2) In worker blood studies conducted by 3M Corporation between
1994 and 2000, scientists also found excess total cholesterol levels
among Teflon-exposed workers.
3) In 2001 3M published a study showing that workers exposed to
the Teflon chemical for between five and 10 years face a risk of
dying of stroke 15 times higher than non-exposed workers. 3M manufactured
the Teflon chemical and supplied it to DuPont until 2002, when DuPont
began its own production.
Cancer. There is data linking the Teflon chemical to four types
of cancer or tumors: mammary, testicular, pancreatic, and liver.
The chemical meets three of five EPA cancer criteria, while a categorization
of "likely carcinogen" requires that just one of these
criteria is met. In this case, the Teflon chemical has been linked
to multiple cancers in male and female mice, in more than one study,
in tumors that are statistically significant and assumed to be relevant
for humans (Sibinski 1987).
See Environmental
Working Group (EWG) for references.
Additonal information
from EWG.
Besides using your virgin olive oil on your bake ware in hopes
that your oat bran muffins won't stick, going for that 'natural
hair' look, getting a steamer to clean and unwrinkled all of your
natural fibre clothes, carpets and furniture, what can you do to
lower Teflon exposure and your cholesterol while working to protect
your pets, children, grandchildren, guests, patrons, etc. ? I am
glad you asked! A few things you could do:
Ask your local breakfast haunt if they cook with Teflon
Check your labels (Can you we painted my kitchen cabinets 5 years
ago with paint that had Teflon added!? My clothes iron even has
a Teflon coating. )
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