Persistent organic pollutants exposure minimization education

1. Persistent organic pollutants exposure minimization education With special focus on the 2010 World Health Organization report, “Persistent Organic Pollutants: Impact on Child Health”

2. 1994 Chart from EPA Dioxin ReassessmentSummary - Vol. 1, p. 37(Figure II-5. Background TEQ exposures for North America by pathway) Over ninety-five percent of dioxin exposure results from consuming foods containing animal fat:  fish, dairy products, meats, and eggs.

3. 2003 Draft US EPA Dioxin Reassessment From Table 3-64. Summary of North American CDD/CDF and PCB TEQ-WHO98 Levels in Environmental Media and Food (whole weight basis) Freshwater Fish and Shellfish, ppt 2.2 Marine Fish and Shellfish, ppt 0.57 Milk, ppt 0.027 Dairy, ppt 0.18 Eggs, ppt 0.13 Beef, ppt 0.26 Pork, ppt 0.29 Poultry, ppt 0.094

4. The US EPA Dioxin Inventory Lists Open Waste Burning as the Largest Source of Dioxin Releases to the Environment in the United States

5. Quantitative Cancer Risk Assessment for Dioxins and Dioxin-Like Compounds as Set Forth in the 2003 Draft US EPA Dioxin Reassessment

6. In the 2012 final draft of the non-cancer effects part of the US EPA dioxin reassessment, it is stated that the average American is exposed to approximately 0.6 picogram dioxin TEQ per kilogram body weight per day.

7. During the time period 2002-2006, twelve girls between the ages of 15 and 19 were diagnosed with breast cancer in New York State.

8. Animal studies have demonstrated that a relation exists between gestational dioxin exposure and increased breast cancer susceptibility in female offspring (Fenton, 2002 and Jenkins, 2007). A study published in 2008 reported delayed initiation of breast development in girls with higher prenatal dioxin exposure (Leijs, 2008).  These research results provide a plausible explanation of the breast cancer cases, which have been diagnosed among American girls during the 2000s.

9. Burning Mixed Solid Waste Creates Dioxins and PCBs • Open Waste Burning is a Highly Polluting Activity • Educate and bring an end to open waste burning throughout North America  by recycling plastic , metal, and paper products. • Discourage your neighbors from this practice.

10. Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are contaminants of all animal fats. This contamination has occurred throughout the world due to the release into the environment of man-made substances that are fat soluble and highly resistant to degradation by natural processes. POPs include: dioxins, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), brominated flame retardants, Mirex, Toxaphene, hexachlorocyclohexane, hexachlorobenzene, chlordane, DDT, endrin and dieldrin.

11. POPs exposure has been associated with increased risk of developing the following diseases and disorders: cancer, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, impaired cognition, impaired immune system function, behavioral deficit disorders, reproductive impairments, mental illness, sexual disorientation and birth abnormalities.

12. POPs contamination has existed for a sufficient period of time for a large number of people to become sick.  Those people residing in the vicinity of POPs contaminated sites:  the GM Powertrain Superfund Site located in St. Lawrence County, New York State on the St. Lawrence River West of Akwesasne, the Tittabawassee River-Saginaw River Superfund Site in MIdland County and Bay County in the state of Michigan, the most heavily contaminated portion of the Hudson RiverSuperfund Site in the Town of Fort Edward in Washington County, New York State, and the American War dioxin hotspots at Bien Hoa, Da Nang and Phu Cat in Vietnam have received some of the heaviest exposures to POPs due to the fact that they have breathed POPs that evaporate from these sites in addition to having eaten POPs when consuming local fish and wildlife.  These exposures took place in addition to exposuresreceived via consumption of mainstream food supply items containing background levels of POPs.  

13. Several of these populations have been the object of extensive epidemiological studies.   Accidental poisoning incidents have occurred during the past 100 years, which resulted in the sickening of large numbers of people.  These populations have also been studied.

14. The volume of scientific literature describing serious damages to health resulting from POPs exposure has grown large. Consensus now exists in the scientific research community that current levels of POPs exposure for the general population are of such magnitude that minimization of exposure is warranted.

15. In 2010, the World Health Organization published, "Persistent Organic Pollutants:  Impact on Child Health".  This public health policy guidance document calls for a worldwide effort to minimize children's exposures to POPs.

16. Minimize Lifetime POPs Exposure: • Consume little or no foods that contain animal fat • Buy fat free milk and dairy products, grass fed beef and organic • meats, fruits and vegetables • Wash all fruits and vegetables thoroughly, remove damaged skins, • stems, and tips • Eat fish no more than oncea month • Lobby your Congressperson to end the use of waste animal fat in the production of feeds for food animals and in the production of pet foods