29/11/2015

ContaminatingOurBodiesWithEverydayProductsTheNewYorkTimes

http://nyti.ms/1HvxPC5

SundayReview

OPEDCOLUMNI ST

ContaminatingOurBodiesWithEveryday
Products

NicholasKristofNOV.28,2015
NOV.28,2015

NicholasKristof

INrecentweeks,twomajormedicalorganizationshaveissuedindependent
warningsabouttoxicchemicalsinproductsallaroundus.Unregulated
substances,theysay,aresometimeslinkedtobreastandprostatecancer,
genitaldeformities,obesity,diabetesandinfertility.
Widespreadexposuretotoxicenvironmentalchemicalsthreatenshealthy
humanreproduction,theInternationalFederationofGynecologyand

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/29/opinion/sunday/contaminatingourbodieswitheverydayproducts.html?ref=opinion

1/4

29/11/2015

ContaminatingOurBodiesWithEverydayProductsTheNewYorkTimes

Obstetricswarnedinalandmarkstatementlastmonth.
Thewarningsareareminderthatthechemicalindustryhasinheritedthe
mantleofBigTobacco,minimizingscienceandresistingregulationinways
thatcausedevastatingharmtounsuspectingcitizens.
Inthe1950s,researcherswerefindingthatcigarettescausedcancer,but
thepoliticalsystemlaggedinresponding.Nowthesamethingishappening
withtoxicchemicals.
Thegynecologyfederationsfocusisonendocrinedisrupters,chemicals
thatimitatesexhormonesandoftenconfusethebody.Endocrinedisrupters
arefoundinpesticides,plastics,shampoosandcosmetics,cashregister
receipts,foodcanlinings,flameretardantsandcountlessotherproducts.
Exposuretotoxicchemicalsduringpregnancyandlactationis
ubiquitous,theorganizationcautioned,addingthatvirtuallyeverypregnant
womaninAmericahasatleast43differentchemicalcontaminantsinher
body.ItcitedaNationalCancerInstitutereportfindingthattoadisturbing
extentbabiesarebornprepolluted.
Thiswarningnowrepresentsthemedicalmainstream.Itwasdraftedby
expertsfromtheAmericanCollegeofObstetriciansandGynecologists,the
AmericanSocietyforReproductiveMedicine,theWorldHealthOrganization,
BritainsRoyalCollegeofObstetriciansandGynecologists,andsimilargroups.
Suchmedicalprofessionalsareonthefrontlines.Theyaretheones
confrontingrisingcasesofhypospadias,abirthdefectinwhichboysareborn
withaurethraopeningonthesideofthepenisratherthanatthetip.Theyare
theonestreatingwomenwithbreastcancer.Bothareconditionslinkedto
earlyexposuretoendocrinedisrupters.
Theothermajororganizationthatrecentlyissuedawarningisthe
EndocrineSociety,theinternationalassociationofdoctorsandscientistswho

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/29/opinion/sunday/contaminatingourbodieswitheverydayproducts.html?ref=opinion

2/4

29/11/2015

ContaminatingOurBodiesWithEverydayProductsTheNewYorkTimes

dealwiththehormonesystem.
Emergingevidencetiesendocrinedisruptingchemicalexposuretotwo
ofthebiggestpublichealththreatsfacingsocietydiabetesandobesity,the
EndocrineSocietysaidinannouncingits150pagescientificstatement.It
addedthatmountingevidencealsotiesendocrinedisrupterstoinfertility,
prostatecancer,undescendedtesticles,testicularcancer,breastcancer,uterine
cancer,ovariancancerandneurologicalissues.Sometimestheseproblems
apparentlyariseinadultsbecauseofexposuresdecadesearlierinfetalstages.
Thethreatisparticularlygreatwhenunbornchildrenareexposed,the
EndocrineSocietywarned.
TraceyJ.WoodruffoftheUniversityofCalifornia,SanFrancisconotes,
OnemythaboutchemicalsisthattheU.S.governmentmakessuretheyre
safebeforetheygoonthemarketplace.Infact,mostareassumedtobesafe
unlessprovedotherwise.
Ofthe80,000ormorechemicalsinglobalcommercetoday,onlyatiny
sharehavebeenrigorouslyscreenedforsafety.Evenwhenasubstanceis
retiredbecauseofhealthconcerns,thereplacementchemicalmaybejustas
bad.
Itsfrustratingtoseethesamestoryoverandover,ProfessorWoodruff
said.Animalstudies,invitrotestsorearlyhumanstudiesshowthatchemical
Acausesadverseeffects.Thechemicalindustrysays,Thosearebadstudies,
showmethehumanevidence.Thehumanevidencetakesyearsandrequires
thatpeoplegetsick.Weshouldnothavetousethepublicasguineapigs.
Europeismovingtowardtestingchemicalsbeforetheygoonthemarket,
buttheUnitedStatesisalaggardbecauseofthepowerofthechemicallobby.
ChemicalsafetylegislationnowbeforetheSenatewouldrequirethe
EnvironmentalProtectionAgencytostartasafetyassessmentofonly25
chemicalsinthefirstfiveyearsandHouselegislationisntmuchbetter.

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/29/opinion/sunday/contaminatingourbodieswitheverydayproducts.html?ref=opinion

3/4

29/11/2015

ContaminatingOurBodiesWithEverydayProductsTheNewYorkTimes

Therearealmostendlessparallelswiththetobaccoindustry,says
AndreaGore,aprofessorofpharmacologyattheUniversityofTexasatAustin
andeditorofthejournalEndocrinology.
Fornow,expertssaythebestapproachisforpeopletotrytoprotect
themselves.Especiallyforwomenwhoarepregnantormaybecomepregnant,
andforyoungchildren,trytoeatorganic,reducetheuseofplastics,touch
cashregisterreceiptsaslittleaspossible,trytoavoidflameretardantcouches
andconsulttheconsumerguidesatewg.org.
Thechemicallobbyspenttheequivalentof$121,000permemberof
Congresslastyear,soexpectchemicalcompaniestoenjoystrongquarterly
profits,moreboystobebornwithhypospadiasandmorewomentodie
unnecessarilyofbreastcancer.
Iinviteyoutosignupformyfree,twiceweeklynewsletter.Whenyoudo,youll
receiveanemailaboutmycolumnsastheyrepublishedandotheroccasional
commentary.Signuphere.
Ialsoinviteyoutovisitmyblog,OntheGround.Pleasealsojoinmeon
FacebookandGoogle+,watchmyYouTubevideosandfollowmeonTwitter
(@NickKristof).
AversionofthisopedappearsinprintonNovember29,2015,onpageSR9oftheNewYork
editionwiththeheadline:PollutingOurBodies.

2015TheNewYorkTimesCompany

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/29/opinion/sunday/contaminatingourbodieswitheverydayproducts.html?ref=opinion

4/4