With all the pollution in the air we breathe, I wondered when someone would take a stand, showingjust how health-harming these toxic substances really are. Californiatook the lead late last week, when Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed abill into law that will attempt to measure the presence andconcentration of designated contaminants its residents absorb fromcommon products suspected to be toxic.
Assisted by a scientific panel appointed by Schwarzenegger and thelegislature, the goal of the new law is to study samples of blood,urine, breast milk and hair from Californians living all over the statewho volunteer to have their toxic burden tested, says State Sen.Deborah Ortiz, who co-authored the measure.
The new law took five years to become a reality, thanks to intenselobbying by big business, meaning chemical and agriculture industries.In particular, Ortiz credits the work done by the Environmental WorkingGroup whose 2005 report identified 287 contaminants alone in umbilical-cord blood.
To get up to speed on the toxins that are harming your health, please take a few minutes to read this article I posted last year and learn the many ways you can avoid them.
Reuters September 29, 2006
California Progress Report September 30, 2006