The Impact of Toxic Chemicals on Learning and Human Health

"After DDT, after lead, after PCBs and other unintended chemical catastrophes, our knowledge about the chemicals we allow in commerce must have gotten much better. So Congress wrote into law, and so the public has a right to assume. Yet for most of the important chemicals in American commerce, the simplest safety facts still cannot be found. Enviornmental Defense Fund research indicates that, today, even the most basic toxicity testing results cannot be found in the public record for nearly 75% of the top-volume chemicals in commercial use. [...] In the early 1980s, the National Academy of Sciences' National Research Council completed a four-year study and found that 78% of the chemicals in highest-volume commercial use had not had even "minimal" toxicity testing. Thirteen years later, there has been no significant improvement." (The Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), Toxic Ignorance (65 pages), 1999, The Continuing Absence of Basic Health Testing for Top-Selling Chemicals in the United States, http://www.environmentaldefense.org/documents/243_toxicignorance.pdf)

�The impact of toxic chemicals on human health and the environment is becoming an increasingly pressing issue facing Canadians [and the world] today. Estimates vary, but it is commonly believed that there are up to 100 000 chemicals in commercial use throughout the world, with about 1 000 new ones entering the market every year. [�] As with many other issues in Canada, the management of toxic substances is divided between the federal and provincial governments. At the federal level alone, 24 departments administer a total of 58 Acts of Parliament dealing with various aspects of the control of chemicals. Many of these Acts and their regulations were developed in response to specific problems. The result was a �patchwork quilt� of legislation and regulations. Duplication and overlapping jurisdiction make it difficult for industry to comply. Worse still, there are gaps which make it difficult for governments to come firmly to grips with certain types of toxic chemicals. To meet this situation, the federal government is enacting the Canadian Environmental Protection Act,..� (http://www.ec.gc.ca/water/en/info/pubs/fedpol/e_fedpol.htm)

From the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999

2. (1) In the administration of this Act, the Government of Canada shall� (a) exercise its powers in a manner that protects the environment and human health, applies the precautionary principle that, where there are threats of serious or irreversible damage, lack of full scientific certainty shall not be used as a reason for postponing cost-effective measures to prevent environmental degradation, and promotes and reinforces enforceable pollution prevention approaches; (http://laws.justice.gc.ca/en/C-15.31/29338.html)

�The potential for environmental contaminants to produce neurological, cognitive, or other behaviour deficits as a result of developmental exposure has received increasing attention. The focus has shifted from description of frank neurotoxicity observed in a relatively few individuals to more subtle impairment in a much greater number of children. With this shift has come the recognition that subtle deficits such as a small decrease in IQ can have important societal impact when large numbers of children are affected. For example, the result of a 1 microgram/dL decrease in blood lead concentration in children in the United States with blood lead concentrations between 10 and 20 micrograms/dL would translate into a savings of 5-7.5 billion U.S. dollars a year in increased earning power alone. In addition, behavioural problems such as increased aggression and poor social adjustment identified early in childhood may escalate to serious antisocial behaviour such as delinquency as the child approaches puberty. Exposure to neurotoxic agents during development or over a significant portion of the lifespan may also result in acceleration of age-related neurodegenerative diseases. Such changes in the functional abilities of a significant proportion of a population have potentially serious consequences for society as well as for affected individuals.� (Rice DC., Issues in developmental neurotoxicology: interpretation and implications of the data, Toxicology Research Division, Bureau of Chemical Safety, Health Protection Branch, Health Canada. [email protected] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&;db=PubMed&list_uids=9654790&dopt=Abstract)

The symptoms of the flu are also synonymous with the symptoms experienced when one is exposed to toxic levels of such poisons as pesticides, herbicides and fluoride. Granville Knight, MD, stated under oath at a Congressional Hearing in the 60s that �waves of so-called �Virus-X� and similar diseases �are caused by exposure to such agricultural chemicals; [and] that it is impossible for doctors to diagnose the difference between London flu, virus conditions and pesticide poisoning.� ~Immunization: The Reality Behind the Myth by Walene James, pp. 118-119 (http://www.vaclib.org/basic/flu_fact_sheet.htm)


�Water�

� �Dr. Bryan Brooks, assistant professor of environmental studies at Baylor�s Center for Reservoir and Aquatic Systems Research, and his team have documented fluoxetine, an ingredient in antidepressants such as Prozac, in organisms that reside downstream from municipal water treatment facilities. Brooks previously reported finding the substances in fish, but further research has confirmed fluoxetines in aquatic invertebrates. Although treated Texas waters may meet current federal standards, Brooks said no federal water quality standards exist for pharmaceuticals because the substances are not considered toxic at low levels. But their effects in surface waters are not well understood. Dr. Bryan Brooks, assistant professor of environmental studies at Baylor�s Center for Reservoir and Aquatic Systems Research, and his team have documented fluoxetine, an ingredient in antidepressants such as Prozac, in organisms that reside downstream from municipal water treatment facilities. Brooks focused on effluent-dominated streams and rivers in Texas, where he and his researchers performed forensic tests on fish and invertebrates. In Waco, more than 15 million gallons of treated water a day are pumped into the Brazos River, which empties into the Gulf of Mexico, he said. �When male fish are exposed to critical levels of estrogenic substances, which enter the water from sources such as birth control pills, the fish can be feminized, and their secondary sexual characteristics become suppressed. We�re also observing antidepressants in fish tissue at levels that may influence [fish] behavior,� Brooks said, adding that more study is needed to determine whether antidepressant build-up in the fish may impact aggression, mating and other behaviors necessary for fish survival. In lab studies, Brooks has observed male fish exposed to estrogens to develop female physical characteristics and lose the ability to reproduce. Brooks expressed that the substances should not affect humans who eat the fish. �If these substances accumulate in fish tissue, humans may ingest these products from fish. We doubt that they�ll be affected, because the amount of exposure is well below therapeutic levels,� Brooks said. (Ecotoxicologist Identifies Drugs in Texas Waters, Fish, September 20, 2004, http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=13688)

� "Informal private testing carried out last year on behalf of media outlets revealed residues of gemfibrozil and the anticonvulsant drug carbamazepine in tap water from towns and cities across Canada. [...] The federal government isn't testing for the full range of drugs that could be in Canada's potable water supply, preferring initially to limit its search to "acidic" drugs because they are easiest to spot using existing pesticide analysis techniques, said Kent Burnison, an NWRI microbiologist who co-wrote the study. [...] The United States and Europe -- which acknowledged pharmaceutical accumulation several years before Canada began studying the phenomenon -- have already begun releasing the first disturbing results of experiments to understand the impact of drugs in the water on fish and wildlife. [...] 'You may prove that individual pharmaceuticals aren't doing that much [to the environment], but when you've got a 100 or more compounds together, what is the synergistic effect?' [...] Detectable levels of many common drugs have been found in Canadian drinking water. - Analgesics ibuprofen and neproxin. - Antidepressant Prozac. - Anti-cholesterol medication gemfibrozil. - Anticonvulsant drug carbamazepine. - Traces of nicotine, caffeine and estrogen are detectable in some wildlife." (The Vancouver Sun, CanWest News Service, Prozac and painkillers found in tap water, http://www.canada.com/vancouver/vancouversun/news/story.html?id=c507f12c-3991-47f7-ac47-f371e44cf65f)

� Tetrachloroethylene, also known as perchloroethylene, is commonly referred to as PERC or PCE. PERC was added to the CEPA 1999 list of toxic substances on March 29, 2000. (http://www.pyr.ec.gc.ca/dryclean/index_e.shtm) Tetrachloroethylene (Use in Dry Cleaning and Reporting Requirements) Regulations passed into law on February 27, 2003(http://canadagazette.gc.ca/partII/2003/20030312/html/sor79-e.html) Apart from its main use as the principal solvent in professional and coin-operated dry cleaning plants, tetrachloroethylene is used as a metal degreaser, a textile cleaner, a raw material for the manufacture of other chemicals, and as a dielectric or electrical insulating fluid, in some cases replacing polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in electrical equipment such as transformers or capacitors. Tetrachloroethylene enters the atmosphere mainly through evaporation, thus contributing to the atmospheric pool of volatile organic carbon compounds; air pollutants which can create smog. Once in the atmosphere, tetrachloroethylene may be transported for considerable distances and deposited with precipitation, sometimes in remote areas and far from the point of release. [...] Organisms are generally exposed to elevated concentrations of tetrachloroethylene only through industrial spills and other accidental releases. At high concentrations, tests have shown that tetrachloroethylene can be acutely toxic, especially to fish. Exposure to high concentrations can cause cancer in mice and rats and in some cases are toxic to mice embryos and fetuses. Various incidents of localized tetrachloroethylene contamination of groundwater drinking supplies have occurred in the Maritimes. Discovery usually results in a search for the source of the chemical and subsequent control of releases, as well as a switch for the community to an alternate water supply, if necessary. Incidents of contamination of soils and wells in Truro, Amherst and New Minas, Nova Scotia and Fairvale, New Brunswick, resulted from accidental releases from dry cleaning operations; in one case when dry cleaning solvent was accidentally poured down a drain. Once groundwater is contaminated, cleanup may be a long and costly procedure. [...] Field and laboratory studies conducted in Europe have found that exposure of atmospheric tetrachloroethylene to spruce, fir and other trees has caused increased cases of the bleaching, loss and death of needles. Limited data suggest that atmospheric concentrations of tetrachloroethylene may be sufficient to cause the above adverse effects to trees in Canada. (http://www.ns.ec.gc.ca/epb/envfacts/tetra.html)

Current Regulations in Canada:  http://www.ec.gc.ca/CEPARegistry/regulations/DetailReg.cfm?intReg=61&x=24&y=2
Carcinogenic Potential/Toxicity:  http://www.city.toronto.on.ca/health/pdf/cr_carcinogenicpotential.pdf

� TRICHLOROETHYLENE IN DRINKING WATER In Canada, 90% of the TCE consumed is used in metal degreasing operations, and the balance is used in miscellaneous applications, including textile solvents, paint removers, coatings and vinyl resins. TCE may also be present in household and consumer products, such as typewriter correction fluids. Production in Canada ceased in 1985; however, TCE is still imported into the country. Over the period 1995�1999, total annual Canadian demand averaged 220 tonnes. More recently, the demand for TCE has decreased. This may be due to several factors, including the use of other solvents... [...]  Most of the TCE used for degreasing is believed to be emitted to the atmosphere (U.S. EPA, 1985a). TCE may, however, be introduced into surface water and groundwater in industrial effluents (WHO, 1985). Poor handling as well as improper disposal of TCE in landfills have been the main causes of groundwater contamination. In surface water, volatilization is the principal route of degradation, while photodegradation and hydrolysis play minor roles. In groundwater, TCE is degraded slowly by microorganisms. The biodegradation of another volatile organic pollutant, tetrachloroethylene [as mentionned previously another degreaser and also used for dry-cleaning...], in groundwater may also lead to the formation of TCE (Major et al., 1991). [...]  Canadians can be exposed to TCE mainlythrough its presence in drinking water, air and food. However, certain segments of the population could be exposed via contaminated soil, through the use of specific consumer products or in occupational settings. Since TCE has been detected in human milk, nursing infants could potentially be exposed (U.S. EPA, 2001b). [...]  More recent data from New Brunswick (1994�2001), Alberta (1998�2001), the Yukon (2002), Ontario (1996�2001) and Quebec (1985�2002) for raw (surface water and groundwater), treated and distributed water indicated that more than 99% of samples contained TCE at concentrations less than or equal to 1.0 �g/L. The maximum concentration was 81 �g/L. Of those samples with detectable TCE concentrations, most were from groundwater (Alberta Department of Environmental Protection, 2002; New Brunswick Department of Health and Wellness, 2002; Ontario Ministry of Environment and Energy, 2002; Yukon Department of Health and Social Services, 2002; Minist�re de l'Environnement du Qu�bec, 2003). http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hecs-sesc/water/publications/trichloroethylene/identity.htm#2

Chemical: TRICHLOROETHYLENE
CAS Number: 79-01-6
http://www.scorecard.org/chemical-profiles/summary.tcl?edf_substance_id=79%2d01%2d6

Recognized: Carcinogen P65
Suspected:
 Cardiovascular or Blood Toxicant KLAA LADO RTECS
 Developmental Toxicant ATSDR EPA-HEN EPA-SARA JANK
 Endocrine Toxicant EPA-HEN
 Gastrointestinal or Liver Toxicant DIPA EPA-HEN LADO MALA RTECS
 Immunotoxicant EPA-HEN
 Kidney Toxicant EPA-HEN HAZMAP KLAA MERCK RTECS STAC
 Neurotoxicant ATSDR DAN EPA-HEN EPA-SARA EVAN FELD HAZMAP OEHHA-CREL RTECS
 Reproductive Toxicant EPA-SARA FRAZIER
 Respiratory Toxicant FOTH RTECS
 Skin or Sense Organ Toxicant OEHHA-CREL RTECS

Rank United States Industrial Sector (largest releases) Pounds
1. 34: Fabricated Metal Products 2,743,275
2. 33: Primary Metal Industries 1,466,879
3. 30: Rubber And Misc. Plastics Products 1,350,746
4. 37: Transportation Equipment 717,687
5. 35: Industrial Machinery And Equipment 554,388
6. 22: Textile Mill Products 336,616
7. 36: Electronic & Other Electric Equipment 239,088
8. 28: Chemicals And Allied Products [incl. organic] 153,240
9. 49: Electric, Gas, And Sanitary Services 142,716
10. 39: Miscellaneous Manufacturing Industries 131,025
11. 38: Instruments And Related Products 93,690
12. 45: Transportation By Air 65,000
13. 27: Printing And Publishing 29,708
14. 29: Petroleum And Coal Products 24,853
15. 50: Wholesale Trade--Durable Goods 12,994
16. 51: Wholesale Trade--Nondurable Goods 12,981
17. 73: Business Services 4,974
18. 32: Stone, Clay, And Glass Products 934
19. 95: Environmental Quality And Housing 37

Pesticide use:

MOLE & GOPHER GET 51.1%
PMD-77 42.6%
V-BEE-WASP 31%
CHLOROSAN 6.4%
SIROTTA'S SIRCOFUME LIQUID FUMIGATING GAS 1%
(http://www.scorecard.org/chemical-profiles/pesticides.tcl?edf_substance_id=79%2d01%2d6)



�Milk�

� �Results of the landmark Physicians' Health Study of 20,885 doctors showed that men who consumed at least 2-1/2 servings of dairy foods daily were about 30 percent more likely to develop prostate cancer than men who averaged less than half a serving per day. The Health Professionals Follow-Up Study found that men who consumed high amounts of dairy products had a 70 percent increased risk of prostate cancer. A study of 41 countries published in Alternative Medicine Review found that as milk consumption rose, so did prostate cancer mortality rates...� (http://www.milksucks.com/prostate.html) �� it's more likely to harm your bones than to help them. And dairy foods are linked to all sorts of other problems, including obesity, heart disease and cancer (including breast cancer and prostate cancer) and are likely to be contaminated with trace levels of antibiotics, hormones, and other chemicals, including dioxin, one of the most toxic substances known to humans. The Washington Post reported that "the latest EPA study concludes that people who consume even small amounts of dioxin in fatty foods and dairy products face a cancer risk of 1 in 100. They may also develop other problems, such as attention disorder, learning disabilities, susceptibility to infections and liver disorders" (April 12, 2001) ...� (http://www.notmilk.com/calbones.html)

Dioxins and Coplanar PCBs
From http://www.epa.gov/waterscience/fish/forum/sectioned_pdfs/sections6-10.pdf

�2,3,7,8-TCDD is considered to be a known carcinogen for humans, while other dioxin-like compounds and complex environmental mixtures of these compounds are considered likely to be carcinogenic. This based on unequivocal animal data studies demonstrating carcinogenicity and limited human studies. Cancer potency estimates are primarily based on recently published human epidemiological studies. EPA�s potency value has been revised upward by a factor of six compared to a value published by EPA in 1985 based on a rat study. Cancer risks to the general population may exceed 1 per 1,000 from normal (dietary) exposure. This is not the upper bound, though risks may be less. Non-cancer toxic effects of concern include developmental toxicity (affecting the immune system, nervous system and reproductive system), immunotoxicity, endocrine effects, chloracne and others. Information about non-cancer effects in animals and humans is sufficient to generate a level of concern similar to that for cancer. It is likely that part of the general population is at or near exposure levels where adverse effects can be anticipated. [�] This table summarizes the body burdens associated with adverse effects. The margins between current average body burden (5 nanograms per kilogram - ng/kg) and these effect levels are mostly less than an order of magnitude, so some people are at levels likely to result in adverse effects. Consequently, EPA will not develop an RfD for dioxin.� 

Adverse Effects 			Body Burden (Ng/Kg)

Developmental neurotoxicity: 		            22
Developmental/reproductive toxicity: 	        0.7 - 42
Developmental immunotoxicity: 		            50
Adult immunotoxicity: 			        1.6 - 12
Endometriosis: 		                            22 

Biochemical Effects
CYP1A1 Induction: 		0.6 - 33
CYP1A2 Induction 		2.1 � 83

The sources of US adult daily intake of dioxins, furans, and dioxin-like PCBs 

Dairy					21%
Freshwater fish and shellfish	                                19%
Milk					16%
Beef					14%
Marine fish and shellfish		                  7%
Other meats			 	  6%
Pork				  	  5%
Poultry				
Eggs				  	  4%
Vegetable Fats
Inhalation				                  1%
Soil Ingestion
Soil dermal contact
�The sources and pathways involve discharges to air and water, transport through the air, deposition from the air, and re-entrainment to soil particles. The compounds bind to leaves that are consumed and then get into food supply. Releases have been greatly reduced in the last ten years. Municipal and medical waste incinerators have been greatly reduced. A major source remains backyard barrel burning. Some sources are poorly characterized. Reservoir sources are past releases of dioxin that are �stored� in the environment but that can be reintroduced. About 50% of population exposure is related to these sources. Most incorporation into food supply is in the corn belt, dairy states, and west. These are mostly upwind from major emission sources. Major reductions in emissions will not see proportional reduction in exposure because we are looking at complex exchanges between compartments. These need to be better understood.�


�Flouride�

� �While water fluoridation is approved and endorsed by the Canadian Dental Association, new research is shedding light on the growing concern of over-fluoridation. Fluoride is still considered safe in water supplies at one part per million but many of us may receive beyond that amount. Fluoride can be increasingly found in everyday consumer products such as baby formulas, mouthwash, toothpaste and processed foods. The concern is that dental fluorisis may lead to skeletal flurosis which can cause severe arthritic symptoms. One of the first signs of skeletal fluorisis, according to Dr. Hardy Limeback is achy joints. Dr. Limeback, University of Toronto dentistry professor, sends the dental world in a tizzy with his findings. He used to side with the pro-water fluoridation camp but his research makes him change his stance. He concludes to the delight of fluoride opponents such as nutritionist Janet Budgell, that since the element is present in various other sources there's no longer the need to continue adding fluoride in our drinking supply. He goes to say that some children are getting too much of the stuff in fluoridated communities. It's a controversial stance and one that is refuted by the Canadian Dental Association as voiced in this report by Dr. Hazel Stewart, Director of Toronto Public Health.� (Broadcast by CBC, Jun. 3, 1999, The Fluoride Debate: How Much is to Much, http://archives.cbc.ca/400i.asp?IDCat=75&;IDDos=341&IDCli=1836&IDLan=1&NoCli=7&type=clip)

� "Fluoride is one of the most toxic poisons known. A fraction of a teaspoonful will kill you and there are a number of studies which shows that it has a variety of harmful effects at much lower levels. [�] About 200 parents are already attempting to claim damages from toothpaste manufacturers. They will be helped by documents just declassified in America showing that scientists had evidence in 1944 that fluoride could cause confusion, drowsiness and listlessness.� (www.fluoridealert.org/news/1453.html, November 1996) [...] �The fluoride/aluminum association is of particular importance as it relates to Alzheimer's Disease. Aluminum by itself is not readily absorbed by the body. However, in the presence of fluoride ions, the fluoride ions combine with the aluminum to form aluminum fluoride, which is absorbed by the body. In the body, the aluminum eventually combines with oxygen to form aluminum oxide or alumina (53). Alumina is the compound of aluminum that is found in the brains of Alzheimer's disease. [...] "Another 1998 publication by Varner, Jensen and others reported on the brain- and kidney damaging effects in rats that were given fluoride in drinking water at the same level deemed "optimal" by pro-fluoridation groups, namely 1 part per million (1ppm). Even more pronounced damage was seen in animals that got the fluoride in conjunction with aluminum. These results are especially disturbing because of the low dose level of fluoride that shows the toxic effect in rats - rats are more resistant to fluoride than humans [...] It is only in the last two decades during which endocrinology has progressed so rapidly, that now over 150 symptoms and associations can be identified in hypothyroidism. Almost all correlate with known symptoms of fluoride poisoning.(74) Most of the double-blind test results of fluoride poisoning found in Moolenburgh's study on water containing 1ppm of fluoride - which led to the ban of fluoridation in Holland - are now recognized symptoms of hypothyroidism. (75) Down's Syndrome is a disease associated with thyroid pathology. (79b) Chile banned fluoridation because of research by the world-reknowned researcher and Nobel price winner, Dr Albert Schatz, which showed a link to infant deaths due to fluoridation.(80) Already in the 1950s, Ionel Rapaport published studies showing links between Down's Syndrome and natural fluoridation.(81) [...] "An intimate association between disturbances of thyroid hormone homeostasis and behavior has been recognized for a long time already: Hyper- and hypothyroidism can induce disturbances of mood and intellectual function (in severe cases even psychosis can be mimicked). Reciprocally many psychiatric disturbances, such as major depression and manic depressive disease have associated with them disturbances of peripheral thyroid hormone metabolism." (http://www.mercola.com/2000/sept/10/green_tea_fluoride_thyroid.htm)

� �Children's intelligence declines as their natural drinking water fluoride levels increase, concluded a Chinese study in the May 2003 journal, "Fluoride." [�] Children scored inferior IQ's even when fluoride levels were similar to that added to U.S. water supplies to prevent tooth decay (1). (�Effect of Fluoride in Drinking Water on Children's Intelligence,� Fluoride, Xiang et al., May 2003) [...] Fluoride crosses the blood-brain barrier producing biochemical and functional impairment of the nervous system during the developmental periods of infancy and childhood, the authors report. [...] �Two neurological studies are particularly important,� says Connett. �In 1995 Mullenix and colleagues (7) discovered fluoride gets into the brain, contrary to former beliefs. Then Varner and his team, in 1998, (8) found that even 1 part per million fluoride, the amount purposely added to U.S. water supplies, facilitated uptake of aluminum into rats' brains causing amyloid deposits similar to Alzheimer's patients,� says Connett.� (Fluoride Linked to IQ, www.fluoridealert.org/news/1655.html, August 2003)

�Lead�

� "This work establishes the importance of lead as a risk factor for anti-social, delinquent and aggressive behavior, at lead levels below those necessary to cause overt lead poisoning. Indeed, in 1982 16% of American children had lead levels that, according to this study, would be associated with an increased risk of delinquency. While that percentage has declined significantly over the past two decades, many thousands of children, especially in urban minority populations, still have lead levels that put them at risk. According to Needleman et al.: �The role of brain damage due to neurotoxins in eliciting antisocial behavior has, with the exception of alcohol, been largely ignored. The convergent findings in this report... suggest that altered social behavior may be among the earliest expressions of lead toxicity. These data argue that environmental lead exposure, a preventable occurrence, should be included when considering the many factors contributing to delinquent behavior.�..." (Needleman, HL, JA Riess, MJ Tobin, GE Biesecker and JB Greenhouse. 1996. Bone lead levels and delinquent behavior. Journal of the American Medical Association 275:363-369, http://www.protectingourhealth.org/newscience/learning/1996/1996needlemanetal.htm)

The three most common sources for lead exposure are the Drinking water [lead pipes], lead based paints, lead in soil and dust. [�] The early signs of lead poisoning are headaches, fatigue, abdominal pain and joint pain. Continued exposure may cause paralysis, convulsions, coma and death. (http://www.nwhu.on.ca/lead.htm) Too much lead can damage various systems of the body including the nervous and reproductive systems and the kidneys, and it can cause high blood pressure and anemia. Lead accumulates in the bones and lead poisoning may be diagnosed from a blue line around the gums. Lead is especially harmful to the developing brains of fetuses and young children and to pregnant women. Lead interferes with the metabolism of calcium and Vitamin D. High blood lead levels in children can cause consequences which may be irreversible including learning disabilities, behavioral problems, and mental retardation. At very high levels, lead can cause convulsions, coma and death. [�] People are exposed to lead through the air they breathe, through water and through food/ingestion. Toxic effects are usually due to long term exposure. The population groups at greatest risk of exposure are young children and workers. A recent report suggests that even a blood level of 10 micrograms per decilitre can have harmful effects on children's learning and behavior (CDC, 2000). People can be exposed to lead contamination from the motor vehicle exhaust of leaded gasoline, as well as from industrial sources such as smelters and lead manufacturing and recycling industries, from cottage industry uses and waste sites (e.g. contaminated landfills). Exposure to lead through water is generally low in comparison with exposure through air or food. Lead from natural sources is present in tap water to some extent, but analysis of both surface and ground water suggests that lead concentration is fairly low. The main source of lead in drinking water is (old) lead piping and lead-combining solders. Removing old piping is costly and lead continues to dissolve even from old pipes. The amount of lead that may dissolve in water depends on acidity (pH), temperature, water hardness and standing time of the water. Secondary pollution from industry can contaminate water through the effluents produced. Other sources include use of lead-containing ceramics for cooking, eating or drinking. In some countries, people are exposed to lead after eating food products from cans that contain lead solder in the seams of the cans. Very small children are especially at risk to exposure, for example through the ingestion of paint chips from lead-based paint. (http://www.worldwaterday.org/2001/disease/lead.html) You should always be careful with your children's toys, including those in public areas, such as swings. Newspapers and magazines are a source of lead, and children should not be allowed to touch or play with them. (http://www.lakeside.ca/Patient_Info/lead_poisoning.htm)

�Mercury�

� �Mercury is a known neuro-toxin which can cross the blood brain barrier and concentrate in the brain. Alarming amounts of mercury [Thimerosal] are used in children's vaccines. Many parents report first seeing their child's autistic symptoms after a vaccination. (View the Videos at Dr. Mary Ann Block's Approach to Autism Spectrum Disorders, http://www.blockcenter.com/pages/pages_autism.asp)

� �Mercury in both organic and inorganic forms is neurotoxic. Methylmercury accumulates in the brain and becomes associated with mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum, golgi complex, nuclear envelopes, and lysosomes. In nerve fibers methylmercury is localized primarily in myelin sheaths where it leads to demyelination and in the mitochondria.70 [�] The dentists, with an average of 5.5 years of exposure to amalgams, performed significantly worse on all of the following neurobehavioral tests: motor speed (finger tapping), visual scanning (trail making), visuomotor coordination and concentration (digit symbol), verbal memory, visual memory and visuomotor coordination speed.83 The dentists� performance on each of these tests diminished as their total exposure increased (amount of daily exposure and years of exposure). Mercury is also being implicated in Alzheimer�s disease and other chronic neurological complaints. [�] While ALS has been associated in some instances with possible Cadmium exposure, a published case history revealed a diagnosed case of ALS recovering after amalgam removal. The individual in question had 34 amalgam fillings. After the first removal her ALS symptoms were exacerbated, but noted improvement fairly soon after all were removed. Five months later upon returning to the neurology clinic, she was found to have no evidence of motor neuron disorder.88 Mental health symptoms are also quite common with mercury toxicity. Evidence linking mercury exposure to psychological disorders has been accumulating for the past 60 years. The recognized psychological symptoms of mercury include: irritability, excitability, temper outburst, quarreling, fearfulness, restlessness, depression and in some cases insomnia. In a study of individuals with amalgam filling who had them removed, the majority noted psychological improvements. The greatest improvements were found in anger outbursts, depression, irritability and fatigue.89 None of these manifestations being too surprising when related to the effect of mercury on reducing serotonin effect. The association of mercury to depression has stimulated some interesting questions as to whether mercury toxicity was to blame for Sir Isaac Newton�s health problems of 1692-93 ...� (http://www.tldp.com)

� [�] �Studies done on monkeys has shown that within five weeks of getting amalgam fillings, the intestinal bacteria of the primates became resistant to penicillin, streptomycin, kanamycin, chloramphenicol and tetracycline.109...� (http://www.tldp.com)

� Fish: tuna, salmon, shark� also contain high levels of methylmercury or PCB�s

Chemical Labels On Tuna Cans Needed!

"The U.S. government is considering whether to warn pregnant women and children to limit their consumption of fresh, frozen and canned tuna because of concerns about mercury poisoning. Health Canada already warns people against eating fresh or frozen tuna more than once a week - once a month for children and pregnant women. But an expected U.S. advisory could lead to Canadian warnings about canned tuna for the first time. Health Canada has always said canned tuna is safe because it contains younger fish which haven't accumulated as much mercury. However, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has released new data which suggests the more expensive white - or albacore - canned tuna contains almost three times as much mercury as cheaper - or light - canned tuna." (CBC http://www.cbc.ca/stories/2003/12/11/Consumers/tuna031211 Dec 2003) "Mercury is released into the environment from coal-burning power plants and incinerators burning mercury-tainted waste. Animals are exposed by consuming plants and drinking water contaminated with the metal. " (CBC http://www.cbc.ca/stories/2003/08/28/fish_mercury Thu, 28 Aug 2003) �White albacore canned tuna alone accounts for roughly one-third of all canned tuna sold in grocery stores coast to coast. So the Mercury Policy Project, a public interest organization in Montpelier, Vt., decided to study mercury levels in canned tuna on store shelves. They took cans of Starkist, Bumblebee, and Chicken of the Sea from Safeway, Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, Shaw's and other stores and sent the cans of both white albacore and light tuna to labs in Michigan and California. Their findings, released earlier this month, revealed mercury levels were more than 30 percent higher than either the tuna industry or the U.S. government had reported. Based on MPP's calculations, one out of every 20 cans of white albacore tuna should be recalled as unsafe for human consumption. Of the 48 tuna samples, over three were found to contain mercury levels higher than the Food and Drug Administration's one-part-per-million safety threshold. On average, the white albacore tuna had mercury levels four times higher than the 12 cans of light tuna tested. If a 22-pound toddler ate only two ounces of white tuna with that level of mercury, they would exceed the Environmental Protection Agency's virtual safe dose, called the reference dose, by four times," Michael Bender, MPP's director, told UPI. If a 132-pound woman ate two cans of tuna per week, she would exceed the EPA's limit by four times, he added. [...] Hightower tested 89 patients -- all but one living in the San Francisco area -- for blood mercury levels. Seven of the patients also provided hair samples. She found 89 percent had mercury levels higher than the safety limits. The study participants, Hightower explained, had consumed a variety of 30 different fish, so their diets were not tuna exclusively. [...] There are approximately 87 micrograms of mercury in one can of tuna, Hightower said, and the safe limit is only 42 micrograms per week. �Essentially, you shouldn't have more than half a can of tuna per week,� she noted. Such mercury levels can double a person's heart attack risk. �With cardiac disease being a leading killer among Americans, it's something to consider,� she added.� (United Press International, http://www.upi.com/view.cfm?StoryID=20030626-053908-3929r, 6/27/2003) �In New Jersey, about 20% of the population has hair concentrations greater than 2ppm. [�] men in upper quintile of hair mercury (2.8 ppm in hair) had a 40% increase in arterial wall thickness. [�] Another paper suggests that when mercury is present, omega-3 fatty acids are lost. [�] Umbilical �cord blood is on average 1.7 times higher in mercury than maternal blood.� [�] Dietary intake of fish and mercury were associated with significantly increased risk of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and with death from coronary heart disease (CHD), cardiovascular disease and from any cause.� (http://www.epa.gov/waterscience/fish/forum/sectioned_pdfs/sections6-10.pdf)

Toxicity Summary for METHYL MERCURY
From http://risk.lsd.ornl.gov/tox/profiles/methyl_mercury_f_V1.shtml

"In Iraq, over 6000 individuals were hospitalized and 459 individuals died as a result of consuming bread prepared with flour made from wheat and barley treated with a methylmercurial fungicide (Bakir et al., 1973). Methyl mercury concentration in the wheat flour ranged from 4.8-14.6 �g/g (mean=9.1 �g/g). The clinical symptoms included paresthesia, visual disorders, dysarthria, and deafness. The most severe cases resulted in coma and death due to CNS failure. Based on data obtained during this incident, a dose-response relationship between blood mercury levels (<10 �g/dL to 500 �g/dL), and frequency and severity of symptoms showed that mild symptoms occurred at the lower blood mercury levels and that deaths occurred at levels >300�g/dL."

4.1.1. Human: Information on the carcinogenicity of methyl mercury in humans is not available.
4.1.2. Animal: Mitsumori et al. (1981) reported renal tumors (13/16; 2 adenomas and 11 adenocarcinomas) in male but not female mice fed methyl mercury chloride (15 ppm) for 53 weeks. No additional information was available regarding the carcinogenicity of methyl mercury.
4.4. EPA WEIGHT-OF-EVIDENCE: The potential carcinogenicity of methyl mercury has not been evaluated by the U.S. EPA and, therefore, does not receive a weight-of-evidence classification.


Of course we must recognize that other information on methyl mercury is also available

"The U.S. Tuna Foundation (USTF) today stated that [...] the new CDC study updated previous estimates of mercury levels in women and young children and found that concentrations in the blood of American women have actually declined over a four-year period (1999-2002). While CDC estimated that 8 percent of U.S. women had mercury levels at or slightly above the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) "reference dose" in 1999, this number has dropped to only 6 percent. What makes this finding even more significant is the CDC's conclusion that women with mercury concentrations at this slightly higher level are not at risk because EPA built in a ten-fold safety factor when it established its reference dose..." (http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/11-05-2004/0002359524&EDATE= , November 5th, 2004)

"The US Tuna Foundation (USTF) was established in 1976 to serve as an umbrella organization representing the various interests of the U.S. canned tuna industry, including the U.S. distant water tuna purse seine fleet and the U.S. canned tuna branded processors (Star-Kist Foods, Bumble Bee Seafood and Chicken of the Sea International)." (US Tuna Foundation, http://www.tunafacts.com/about/) As they state: "In reality, no government study has ever found unsafe levels of mercury in women or children who eat canned tuna. This includes the CDC study that has been taken out of context by the environmentalists. This study found that every one of the women and children studied -- 100 percent - had mercury levels that were significantly below the threshold for any known risk. For this reason, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and EPA are telling pregnant and nursing women: 'With a few simple adjustments, you can continue to enjoy [fish including canned tuna] in a manner that is healthy and beneficial.' " (http://www.tunafacts.com/mercury/myths.cfm)

Of course, unless I am reading things wrong, the 'Toxicity Summary for METHYL MERCURY' section 4.4. above reads: "EPA WEIGHT-OF-EVIDENCE: The potential carcinogenicity of methyl mercury has not been evaluated by the U.S. EPA and, therefore, does not receive a weight-of-evidence classification." Of course that may have changed.

The US Tuna Foundation (USTF) goes on to say: "Myth # 3: The government is warning pregnant and nursing women not to eat canned tuna, and especially albacore. This is absolutely not true. To ensure that pregnant and nursing women have the best advice about how to add fish to their diets, on March 19, 2004, FDA and EPA issued a joint advisory that states "women and young children in particular should include fish and shellfish in their diets due to the many nutritional benefits.' To help pregnant women and moms choose fish that are low in mercury, FDA and EPA have identified 5 commonly eaten fish with very low mercury levels: shrimp, salmon, pollock, catfish and canned light tuna and tell pregnant and nursing women they can safely eat up to 12 ounces a week of these fish. The average serving size of canned tuna is 2 ounces, which gives consumers many options for incorporating this healthy food into their weekly diet." (http://www.tunafacts.com/mercury/myths.cfm)

Although the following report is not quite clear to me since some of these amounts are calculated from 1990-2002, and some from 1978, you still may want to look at these stats from the FDA:
  • Mercury Levels in Commercial Fish and Shellfish
    • That would be 6 servings of tuna a week, that seriously clashes with the previously mentionned 1/2 can of tuna a week, and one serving of salmon a month.

    Methyl Mercury is classified as a Proposition 65 hazard
    From http://www.ScoreCard.org
    Chemical Profile for METHYL MERCURY (CAS Number: 22967-92-6)

    P65-MC CARCINOGEN: Hundreds of chemicals are capable of inducing cancer in humans or animals after prolonged or excessive exposure. There are many well-known examples of chemicals that can cause cancer in humans. The fumes of the metals cadmium, nickel, and chromium are known to cause lung cancer. Vinyl chloride causes liver sarcomas. Exposure to arsenic increases the risk of skin and lung cancer. Leukemia can result from chemically induced changes in bone marrow from exposure to benzene and cyclophosphamide, among other toxicants. Other chemicals, including benzo[a]pyrene and ethylene dibromide, are considered by authoritative scientific organizations to be probably carcinogenic in humans because they are potent carcinogens in animals. Chemically-induced cancer generally develops many years after exposure to a toxic agent. A latency period of as much as thirty years has been observed between exposure to asbestos, for example, and incidence of lung cancer.

    P65 DEVELOPMENTAL TOXICANT: Developmental toxicants are agents that cause adverse effects on the developing child. Effects can include birth defects, low birth weight, biological dysfunctions, or psychological or behavioral deficits that become manifest as the child grows. Maternal exposure to toxic chemicals during pregnancy can disrupt the development or even cause the death of the fetus. Exposure of pregnant women to mercury, lowers birth weight and can cause severe brain damage in children. While developmental toxicity usually results from prenatal exposures to toxicants experienced by the mother, it can also result from paternal exposures. For example, the occupational exposure of men to vinyl chloride has been associated with increased rates of spontaneous abortion in their wives. Early postnatal contact with toxicants can also affect normal development. Exposure to secondhand tobacco smoke, for example, increases an infant's risk of contracting respiratory infections or succumbing to sudden infant death syndrome.

    And suspected: immunotoxicant, kidney toxicant and neurotoxicant.

    Search chemicals, diseases, and your area.


    �Pesticides�

    [�] �The VOCs [Volatile Organic Compounds] primarily act in the body as both peripheral and central nervous system neurotoxins.27,28 When the central nervous system is primarily affected the symptoms can include diminished cognition, memory, reaction time, hand-eye and foot-eye coordination, balance and gait disturbances. It can also lead to mood disorders, with depression, irritability and fatigue being common symptoms...� (Environmental Medecine, http://www.tldp.com)
    1. Report of the Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development
    �DDE was found in 100% of the samples of raisins, spinach (fresh and frozen), chili con carne (beef and bean), and beef. It was found in 93% of the samples of American processed cheese, hamburger, hot-dogs, bologna, collards, chicken, turkey and ice cream sandwiches. It was found in 87% of the samples of lamb chops, salami, canned spinach, meatloaf and butter. It was found in 81% of the samples of cheddar cheese, pork sausage, quarter-pounders, white sauce, and creamed spinach. Of all items sampled, 42 had DDE in 63% or more of all samples. The foods with the highest concentrations of DDE were: fresh or frozen spinach (mean concentration of 0.0234 ppm), then butter (mean concentration 0.0195 ppm), followed by collards (0.0126 ppm), pork sausage (0.0124 ppm), lamb chops (0.0113 ppm) and then canned spinach (0.0109 ppm). Since DDT and DDE have been banned for use in this country since 1972, it is likely that some of this contamination is from produce imported from other countries where it is still used. Unfortunately, since toxic chemicals are so ubiquitously used in the world, they move easily around the globe on the winds. Unless these pesticides get trapped in the soil, tree bark, or other stable materials, persistent volatile pesticides, including DDT and toxaphene, begin a wind-driven leapfrogging around the globe. The more volatile the chemical, the faster it hops and the less readily it enters the structure of any plant or animal it contacts. Volatile chemicals applied in tropical regions evaporate into the atmosphere and then condense in cooler climates. As the ambient temperature falls, the compound becomes less volatile, so the periods between when a compound hops from one place to another tend to lengthen. So, if two forests were exposed to identical amounts of a volatile pesticide, trees in the colder one would become more heavily contaminated...� (Environmental Medecine, http://www.tldp.com)

    �80-90% of dietary pesticides from animal sources�

    � �The Vancouver Province has reported on a study confirming that meat and fish are the single largest sources of dietary exposure to pesticides and other toxins. The Province noted that a U.S. study revealed that Americans can be exposed to more than 20 times the EPA recommended exposure to dioxin, nursing infants receive 35 to 65 times the acceptable limit. �Animal products� it further notes �easily account for our largest intake of pesticides and herbicides -- more than 80 to 90 per cent of the total by some estimates.� Pesticides (such as malathion and chlorpyrifos-methyl which the FDA has detected in animal feed) and toxins like dioxin, build up in an animal's fatty tissue once consumed. Both fresh catch and farmed fish also contain alarming levels of similar chemicals. The Province article notes that Fish farms �also rely heavily upon antibiotics and pesticides, just like their land-animal farming counterparts.��� (http://www.caps.20m.com/animaltoxins.htm)

    �We are also experiencing the new medical diagnoses of Sick (Closed) Building Syndrome,2,3 and Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS)_,4-6 both of which are known to be related to overexposure to environmental contaminants. The primary action of the major pesticide classes is to disrupt neurological function_.7 The primary action of the solvents is neurotoxicity8_ as well. In addition to being neurotoxic these compounds are profoundly immunotoxic9-11 _ _and are often toxic to the endocrine system as well. The adverse health effects are not limited to those systems only as these compounds can also cause a variety of dermatological, gastrointestinal, genitourinary, respiratory, musculoskeletal, and cardiological problems.12 [�] A study of four-year old children in Michigan revealed the presence of DDT in over 70%, PCB in over 50% and PBB in over 21%.16 It was found that nursing was the primary source of exposure for these individuals. These ongoing assessments have shown quite clearly that it is not a question of if we are carrying a burden of toxic xenobiotic compounds, it is a question of how much and how do they affect our health. This multiple chemical load comes from daily exposures to chemical compounds in our air, food and water. [�] dichlorobenzene, from moth balls and room deodorizers, was one of the solvents found high in indoor air. The metabolite of dichlorobenzene has been found in the urine of 96% of all children in Arkansas and in 98% of 1,000 selected adults from across the United States_.20 [�] The worst places with high solvent content in the air are the homes where people usually spend at least half of their day, and their workplace, where they spend at least eight hours...� (Environmental Medecine, http://www.tldp.com)

    �Sources of Exposure Relevant to Children�
    From http://www.parl.gc.ca/InfoComDoc/36/2/ENVI/Studies/Reports/envi01/13-ch6-e.html#B1
    • Indoor commercial application of pesticides to control rodents, cockroaches, ants, termites, earwigs, etc.
    • Homeowner/resident use of insecticide sprays, strips, baits
    • Application of insect repellents directly on skin or scalp
      (e.g. personal bug sprays, shampoos for lice, scabies)
    • Collars or powders to treat household pets for fleas, ticks, etc.
    • Commercial application of lawn and garden insecticides, herbicides and fungicides
    • Insecticides, herbicides and fungicides used in the garden or on the lawn by the homeowner or resident
    • Storage of household pesticides in areas accessible to children
    • Pesticide residues in house dust and in soil tracked in from outdoors
    • Pesticide residues on furniture, drapes, toys, pet fur, absorbent items
    • Disposal of pesticides in household garbage
    • Disposal of pesticides and pesticide containers in regular school garbage
    • Commercial applications of pesticides to maintain playgrounds, playing fields
    • Wood preservatives on play structures
    • Pesticides in drinking water -- treated tap water or well water
    • Pesticides in swimming water -- lake and river sediments, algicides in swimming pools
    • Food crops that are routinely sprayed and form a significant part of juvenile diet,
      e.g. fruits, vegetable, grains
    • Foods prepared from agricultural products, e.g. baby foods
    • Bioaccumulation in other animals and their products e.g. meat, fish, eggs, dairy products
    • Mother's intake and body burden transferred across placenta
    • Mother's intake and body burden transferred to breast milk

    "Congress is considering legislation to require schools to use safer pest controls. The law was killed in committee last Fall, and again this Spring. And while the Food Quality Protection Act has strictly limited the use of three toxic pesticides... there's no law that requires testing of thousands of new chemicals for effects on the developing brain. [...] Of the 3000 or so high production volume chemicals in use in this country today only 43% have been even minimally tested. Only about 10 percent have been thoroughly tested to examine their potential effects on children's health and development." (Bill Moyers, Now Transcript, May 10, 2002, http://www.pbs.org/now/transcript/transcript117_full.html)



    Brominated Flame Retardants

    Our next disaster - Brominated Flame Retardants: �Occurrence of PBDE Flame Retardants in Fish. [�] PBDEs are a subclass of BFRs, which are chemicals added to products up to reduce fire hazards. Products can contain up to 30% of them by weight. BFRs have differing chemical structures. However, PBDEs and PBBs (poly brominated biphenyls) have very similar chemical structures, which differ only in that the PBDEs have an ether linkage not found in the PBBs. Both resemble the highly toxic and persistent PCBs. In 1973, PBBs were inadvertently introduced into livestock feed in Michigan and subsequently into people. As a result, a large number of animals had to be destroyed, but many people still carry body burdens. Following this incident, PBB use in the US was suspended. There are three commercial PBDE mixtures now in use in the US, referred to as �Deca,� �Penta,� and �Octa.� Deca-BDE is used in thermoplastics and textiles. Penta BDE is used in polyurethane foam, and Americans use 98% of the world�s total production. Octa-BDE is less common and mostly used in thermoplastics. They are mixtures that are numbered just like PCB congeners. These mixtures consist of individual congeners, which have been assigned numbers like PCB congeners, to reflect the number of halogens and their position. Deca (BDE-209) strongly partitions to sediments and does not represent as much of a bioconcentration hazard as some other forms. The congeners that comprise the �Penta� product tend to partition similarly to PCBs. Bioaccumulation is high and probably occurs to a greater degree for these compounds than for PCBs. PBDEs are resistant to environmental degradation and subject to long range transport. Those with less than seven bromines have higher vapor pressure and appear to be subject to long range transport. Accumulation in fish is a major pathway for human exposure, as per PCBs. European researchers have conducted more research in this area than researchers in the US. Their work suggests that the less brominated congeners have already reached remote areas. Levels in breast milk measured in North America are increasing logarithmically, in proportion to our relatively higher use. The European Union has issued a ban on the penta mixes, scheduled to go into effect in 2003. It has been suggested that Deca (BDE-209) may be vulnerable to debromination in some conditions, perhaps including the presence of UV light. However, there is no currently published literature showing that degradation of BDE-209 is responsible for the distribution of tetra- and penta-brominated congeners in the environment. To date, the US has no regulations restricting the use or disposal of these compounds. The Mussel Watch program (which routinely monitors concentrations of contaminants in sediments and shellfish) is expected to add the PBDE�s to its surveillance program. The first documentation of PBDE concentrations in North American aquatic organisms was from 1987 and reported about 200 ppb in lipids of dolphins. Marine mammals seem to be very high accumulators. Levels in San Francisco Bay seals increased 65-fold from 1988 to 2000. [�] DBDE is a hepatocarcinogen at high doses. There are also neurotoxic effects. More recent studies show more subtle effects. Changes seen would be associated with learning issues in adults and could lead to permanent changes in brain function. Moreover, developmental exposure may lead to increased susceptibility of adults exposed to low doses of PBDEs. In vitro studies show changes in signaling pathways. Endocrine disrupting effects include AhR effects, thyroid effects, and estrogenic effects. For thyroid the real concern has to do with ability to disrupt thyroid homeostasis. Some forms are estrogenic. PBDEs are readily absorbed except for DBDE, which is poorly absorbed. [�] Trends of BDEs in human milk pose an important concern. In Sweden, results show an exponential rise that peaked in about 1997 and then went down after they stopped using it in 1994. Levels in Europe are much lower than what we are starting to see here in North America; levels of use are 10 times higher here than there and they have stopped using the penta formulation. Our levels are much higher; some people are far above the range of any other people and highly exposed.� (http://www.epa.gov/waterscience/fish/forum/sectioned_pdfs/sections6-10.pdf)

    Total BDEs in contemporary human milk (ng/g lipid) [25]
    From http://www.epa.gov/waterscience/fish/forum/sectioned_pdfs/sections6-10.pdf 
    
Country 	                       Number of samples	                     Year	                 Median	                   Mean
Sweden 			93 	           1996-1999 		3.2 		4.0
Japan 			12 		2000? 		1.4 		1.3
Canada 			50 		2001-02 		 25 		 64
USA (adipose) 		23 		1998 		 41 		 86
    In view of BDES being detected in fish at 1-2 milligrams per kilogram (mg/kg) range, the state of Virginia developed guidance levels for the issuance of a fish consumption advisory for BDEs. 
    
Concentration (mg/kg or ppm) 	# of Meals per month
1 					9.3
1.47 				                6.3
2 					4.6
3 					3.1
4 					2.3
5 					1.9
9 					1
10 				                0.9
    Based on the calculations above, Virginia uses the following trigger levels for the issuance of a fish consumption advisory when fish is contaminated with BDEs.

    � Below 5 mg/kg or ppm - no advisory
    � 5 to below 10 mg/kg or ppm - two eight ounce meals per month
    � Above 10 mg/kg or ppm � no consumption

    Because data are limited and reproductive or developmental effects of BDEs have not yet been evaluated, the state concluded that it would be prudent for pregnant women, nursing mothers, and young children to avoid consumption of fish contaminated with BDEs above 5 mg/kg or ppm. Since reported concentrations in fish were below the trigger level, no advisory was issued. In issuing advisories Virginia tries to give the message that not every concentration is harmful.

    "Ikea do not use brominated flame retardants or other hazardous chemicals in any of their mattresses" (http://www.greenpeace.org.uk/Products/Toxics/chemicalhouse.cfm?producttypeid=2&productid=12)

    "Samsung is fully committed to phasing out hazardous chemicals, and is currently working on a phase out programme which sets dates for a ban on PVC, organotins and brominated flame retardants. Greenpeace applauds Samsung for introducing a corporate policy embracing the precautionary approach and sees Samsung as the trendsetter among electronics companies for their plan to phase out hazardous substances." (http://www.greenpeace.org.uk/Products/Toxics/chemicalhouse.cfm?producttypeid=11&productid=156)

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