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Josh at work Joshua Rosenau spends his days defending the teaching of evolution at the National Center for Science Education. He is also a graduate student at the University of Kansas, completing a doctorate in the department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. When not modeling species distributions or battling creationists, he writes about developments in progressive politics and the sciences.

The opinions expressed here are his own, do not reflect the official position of the NCSE. Indeed, older posts may no longer reflect his own official position.

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« No one thinks things are getting better | Main | Partay! »

Drink deep, or taste not the perchlorate stream

Category: Policy and Politics
Posted on: September 23, 2008 8:55 PM, by Josh Rosenau

In a move that would shock anyone asleep for the past 7 years, the EPA won't limit rocket fuel in U.S. drinking water:

The Environmental Protection Agency has decided there's no need to rid drinking water of a toxic rocket fuel ingredient that has fouled public water supplies around the country.

EPA reached the conclusion in a draft regulatory document not yet made public but reviewed Monday by The Associated Press.

The ingredient, perchlorate, has been found in at least 395 sites in 35 states at levels high enough to interfere with thyroid function and pose developmental health risks, particularly for babies and fetuses, according to some scientists.

The EPA document says that mandating a clean-up level for perchlorate would not result in a "meaningful opportunity for health risk reduction for persons served by public-water systems."

It's noteworthy that perchlorate also shows up in cow milk, presumably having been picked up from contaminated water. I see no reason that the same would not be true of human milk.

But your government decided to gamble with your safety, and with the safety of nursing mothers and their babies.

If it's any consolation, voting starts in less than 43 days.

Comments

#1

Well - ya need to follow up with the science. People scream about lots of contaminants - some of them, like the anti-vaxers, without any scientific grounds at all. So, what does the science say on this issue? At what level in the human body does perchlorate become toxic? And who says so?

Posted by: Oldfart | September 24, 2008 10:18 AM

#2

We'll know in a few years, won't we? Humans as lab animals; great idea. We got too many people anyway. Libertarianism uber alus.

I use a water filter in my house for all internal usage. I will be researching if perchlorate is removed . . .. No matter who says so.

Posted by: Another Oldfart | September 24, 2008 8:50 PM

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