By Joanna Poncavage
RODALE NEWS, EMMAUS, PA—“The tip of the iceberg” is how reproductive biologist Sarah Janssen describes 42 disease clusters in 13 states where people are sick with cancer, birth defects, or other chronic illnesses. Janssen is a senior scientist with the National Resources Defense Council (NRDC), and a coauthor of the new report, “Health Alert: Disease Clusters Spotlight the Need to Protect People from Toxic Chemicals.”
Only one of those clusters has been linked to a cause: In Libby, Montana, asbestos contamination of vermiculite mines resulted in a high rate of malignant and respiratory diseases. Elsewhere, connections are less clear. The tiny state of Delaware (nickname: Chemical Capital of the World) has eight clusters of cancer, but state investigators rarely looked for chemical exposure or environmental links, according to Janssen.
“We thought this report would highlight the need for toxics reform because many of these communities are disproportionately impacted by chemical contaminants,” says Janssen.
“A lot of these diseases are on the rise. The question is why, and at the moment we are not doing a very good job of asking that question,” says Terry Nordbrock, executive director of the National Disease Cluster Alliance (NDCA, ClusterAlliance.org), also a coauthor of the disease cluster report.
But attempts to answer that question are in the works. Introduced in January by Sens. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) and Michael Crapo (R-Idaho), Senate Bill No. 76, “Strengthening Protections for Children and Communities From Disease Clusters Act,” is also known as “Trevor’s Law,” named for a childhood cancer survivor. “This bill will make sure the government agencies are working together, along with the affected communities. You put data together, and you can really start putting the puzzle together,” says Nordbrock.
And in April, Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.) introduced the Safe Chemicals Act, a bill to reform the 1976 Toxic Substances Control Act. In spite of this 35-year-old law, only about 200 of the 84,000 chemicals in commerce today have been tested for safety. Reform of the law would shift the burden of proof for safety from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to the chemical industry.
How to Protect Yourself
The NRDC and the NDCA plan to identify additional disease clusters investigated or confirmed since 1976. In the meantime, to see if you’re living in an area at risk, see the disease cluster report, or the NDCA’s disease cluster and hotspot map.
“Whether you live in a disease cluster area or not, bio-monitoring has been showing that even newborn babies in a non-polluted area have 200 different contaminants in their bodies,” says Nordbrock. Here are some other ways to take action against unhealthy chemical exposure, whether from large-scale contamination or small, everyday sources:
• Assess your area. To find out what might be toxic in your backyard, visit the EPA’s Toxic Release Inventory Program, and search by zip code for industries or facilities reporting release or management of toxic chemicals. The EPA’s Superfund Sites Where You Live page lists thousands of locations of uncontrolled hazardous waste and their clean-up progress.
• Make healthy choices. Entire books have been written about everyday chemical exposure, and how to protect yourself and your family from toxins that are finding their way into your bodies, but strategies are similar: Choosing organic food whenever possible can reduce the load of pesticides in your body. A filter can remove chemicals from your household water. Air filters, including better air-conditioner filters, and more frequent dusting and vacuuming will reduce particulate-borne contaminants in your home, especially if you live close to a freeway or refinery. Low-VOC (volatile organic compounds) paint is always advised to improve indoor air quality.
• Kick toxic chemicals out of the house. For more on chemicals used in everyday products, and how to avoid toxic chemicals at home, at work or in schools, visit the NRDC’s Smarter Living pages. Create your own green cleaners so you can keep your home clean without adding to your body’s chemical load. Not sure where to start? See our stories 5 Household Toxins You Should Banish from Your Home and 7 More Household Toxins You Should Banish from Your Home for suggestions.
• Cut back on plastics. Harmful chemicals like phthalates and BPA can leach into your food and beverage, so use non-plastic containers for food storage. Never heat any food or drink in plastic (that includes microwave meals with plastic packaging). It’s impossible to avoid all plastic—even we couldn’t stay entirely plastic free—but eliminating unnecessary plastic makes good sense.
• Demand a change. Cofounded by the NDCA, Safer Chemicals Healthy Families offers more health tips, and ways to help promote toxic-chemical reforms, including contacting legislators and congressmen. “Don’t be shy about contacting members of both parties,” says Nordbrock.