A National Tele News Conference on the Subject of Carcinogenic Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) in the US Food Supply and Grassroots Strategies to Decrease Exposure
Janette Sherman, MD Author of âChemical Exposure and Diseaseâ and âLifeâs Delicate Balanceâ 703.329.8223
David O. Carpenter, MD Director, SUNY Albany, Institute for Health and the Environment 518.525.2660
Michelle Reed Cancer Victim and Cancer Prevention Detective 315.262.2456
Lewis Shepard Cancer Action NY Member and Cancer Prevention Detective 315.386.4589
Donald L. Hassig Director, Cancer Action NY 315.262.2456
Wednesday, June 23rd, 2010, 1:15 PM E Time
Certain pollutant carcinogens are fat soluble and exist for extensive periods of time in the environment. Such carcinogens are described as persistent organic pollutants (POPs). Carcinogenic POPs include: dioxins, furans, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and certain herbicides and pesticides. Market basket studies have shown that these pollutant carcinogens contaminate the US food supply. Animal fat containing foods: fat content dairy products, meats, fish and eggs all contain these chemicals. The cancer risk imposed by multiple exposure to these chemicals has not been assessed. Animal studies have demonstrated that gestational exposure to dioxin predisposes female offspring to increased breast cancer susceptibility. Epidemiological studies demonstrate excess cancer incidence associated with dioxin exposure of adult males and females.
The federal government has failed to make use of state of knowledge science on the subject of carcinogenic POPs to prevent cancer. This results largely from the undue amount of influence that the chemical corporations and the food corporations have within the federal government. The lack of substantive action by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) to address dioxin exposure cancer risk is a very revealing example of this failure. In May of this year US EPA released a draft report titled, "EPA's Reanalysis of Key Issues Related to Dioxin Toxicity and Response to NAS Comments (External Review Draft)". The document consists of over 1800 pages of obfuscation. US EPA has endeavored to delay the finalization of the dioxin reassessment since the onset of the effort to produce its dioxin reassessment in April of 1991.
"Location, location says the realtors. We, tracking the cancer epidemic, say the same thing. Nowhere in the world is cancer randomly distributed and N. Y. State is no exception. When we look at the areas with the highest cancer rates and consider the predominant industries, the dumpsites, water sources, and the up-wind sources of pollution, one can often hone-in on likely causes of disease, including cancer.
People living along the Hudson River have several sources of exposure: PCBs from GEâs manufacturing activities and radioisotopes from the Indian Point Nuclear Power Reactor, and pesticides from agriculture. Wind patterns show that N. Y. State is downwind from many Nuclear Power Plants situated along the East coast.
Those along the St. Lawrence River live near dairy and beef production. Both of these food production industries are sources of intentionally used toxic chemicals. Atrazine, which has been found to cause cancer in humans, is heavily used as an herbicide in corn fields that serve as a major food source for the livestock. Additionally, the area is at the end of the waterway from all of the Great Lakes, which are contaminated with many carcinogenic persistent organic pollutants (POPs). The New York State Department of Health publishes a sport fish and wildlife consumption advisory that recommends children and women of child-bearing age consume no fish from the St. Lawrence River and the Great Lakes due to dioxin levels in the fish. Why do the beluga whales of the St. Lawrence have cancer, since they neither smoke nor drink?
For an entire family of chemicals, the persistent organic pollutants (POPs), which includes polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and dioxins, the scientific data has accumulated since at least 1937 for PCBs and 1957 for dioxins. It is unconscionable for the EPA to do one more unneeded study and further delay release of information that can benefit the public.
If we are to achieve prevention of illness, the public must understand the concept of HAZARD + EXPOSURE = RISK. The public needs to know the likely causes of disease, so that they can protect themselves and their families from harm."--Janette Sherman, MD
"Cancer kills more Americans than any other disease except heart disease. Most cancers are caused by some environmental exposure. But many of the chemicals that cause cancer, and are present in our food, also cause heart disease. Consequently, it is extremely important that we get chemical carcinogens out of our food supply. The chemicals of greatest concern include fat soluble substances like dioxins and PCBs, which are found in all animal fats, as well as pesticides that are found as residues of vegetables and fruits. The recycling of waste animal fat into animal feed is one particular pathway for contamination of animal products that must be stopped. In order to reduce the risk of development of cancer (as well as heart and many other diseases) we need to change the way that agriculture uses chemicals both on crops and in animal foods."--David O. Carpenter, MD
Michelle Reed has undergone cancer treatment and lives with the knowledge that her cancer may someday return. She has responded to the horrible experience of having cancer by taking up the work of preventing cancer in her community. Michelle is a cancer prevention detective. She has focused her efforts to reduce exposure to pollutant carcinogens on pollution sources in the Township of Morristown, New York. There are many low income renters in Morristown that owe Michelle a heartfelt thank you for all she has done to investigate the burial of solid waste on rental properties in close proximity to residential drinking water wells. Her investigations have prompted New York State Department of Environmental Conservation investigations into these matters. Hopefully, the result of all of this cancer prevention work will be great reductions in the exposure of Morristown residents to pollutant carcinogens.
Michelle Reed underwent her cancer treatment at the Richard C. Winter Cancer Treatment Center at the Claxton-Hepburn Hospital in Ogdensburg, New York. Intent upon raising awareness throughout the region concerning the major role of exposure to pollution in cancer causation, she has been reaching out to the administration of the Hospital to partner in an educational endeavor.
Lewis Shepard is a chemist who thinks very clearly. He once worked for Allied Chemical Corporation. He is well aware of the undue influence exerted by corporate powers/big money, which controls our federal government. Lew believes that a few people working together can bring great changes into existence. He is an excellent cancer prevention detective. Stories about the obfuscations of the US Food and Drug Administration, US Environmental Protection Agency and the American Cancer Society are part of his vast repertoire.
Educating the general public concerning the existence of POPs contamination will empower individuals to make consumption choices, which reduce exposure. Cancer Action NY recommends that Americans consume little or no animal fat and only consume animal fat from food animals raised organically utilizing low-fat livestock production methods, including: grass pasturage for cattle and bison, as well as vegetarian diets for poultry. Farm raised fish should not be consumed due to the use of fish meal in the feeding of these food animals.
"As a member of the NYS Cancer Consortium, Cancer Action NY advocates for a specific focus on reducing exposure to carcinogenic POPs in the second New York State Comprehensive Cancer Control Plan that will be finalized in 2010. We are communicating with the New York State Breast Cancer Network pursuant to building strong support for a Cancer Control Plan that uses state of knowledge science on the subject of pollutant carcinogens to prevent cancer.
In 2010, Cancer Action NY commenced an initiative to educate local policy makers concerning the cancer risk imposed by consumption of animal fat containing foods all of which are contaminated with carcinogenic POPs. We are seeking town, city and county government adoption of our carcinogenic POPs exposure reduction education resolution (see paper below for further details). Thus far, six town boards and one village council have adopted the cancer prevention education resolution. In order to accomplish major progress toward the education of Americans concerning carcinogenic POPs exposure reduction, Cancer Action NY is advocating for federal and New York State legislation that will delegate responsibility for review of scientific literature, production of exposure reduction public health messages, and conduct of public educational outreach to the New York State Department of Health and the other statesâ health departments. Once federal legislation has been created, the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences should assume responsibility for the first two tasks listed above. It is clear that county governments make the strongest government partners in providing Americans with scientific knowledge that directs cancer preventive actions."--Donald L. Hassig
For further information:
Donald L. Hassig, Director Cancer Action NY www.canceractionny.org
Cancer Action NYs Cancer Action Network, Donald L. Hassig, Producer
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