5/1/13 News Release: Director of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Writes to Congressman William Owens in Response to Question Concerning Minimization of Children’s Exposures to POPs

Director of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Writes to Congressman William Owens in Response to Question Concerning Minimization of Children’s Exposures to POPs

Thomas Frieden, MD, Director Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDCP) has written to Congressman William Owens in response to questions concerning educational outreach on the subjects of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) exposure and disease outcome.  Dr. Frieden describes several types of action that CDCP has taken and continues to take involving individual POPs and subclasses of POPs.  However, his letter makes no mention of action to warn the public of the POPs exposure health hazard.  He writes of work in progress on creating a document focusing on PCBs and another on dioxins.  Hopefully, these documents will provide warning of the dangerous exposures that consumers are receiving to these chemicals.  Nonetheless, these documents are not the documents that are needed to warn the public of the harm to health that is caused by the total POPs exposures entailed in consumption of animal fat containing foods available in the mainstream food supply, including:  meats, fish, dairy products and eggs.

The Truth is slowly coming out regarding the lack of use of scientific knowledge on the subjects of chemical exposure and disease outcome to protect public health.  The POPs exposure health hazard warning should have been provided to the public by no later than 2010 when the World Health Organization published, “Persistent Organic Pollutants:  Impact on Child Health”.  No such warning has yet been provided by any governmental public health entity.  The governmental public health entities are under the control of corporations in every nation.  It is the work of grassroots organizations that will lead the way in preventing disease via the provision of warnings of avoidable health hazards.

4-11-13 Letter from CDCP concerning POPs health hazard

4/19/13 Letter to Congressman William Owens Requesting Assistance with Countering EPA Deceptions on POPs

4/19/13

Hon. William Owens
US House of Representatives
Washington, DC USA
Transmitted by electronic mail

Dear Congressman Owens,

I am encountering a total lack of responsiveness from the US
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).  The EPA has not responded to
numerous letters and telephone calls attempting to motivate revision
of the information that the agency provides on the subjects of
persistent organic pollutants (POPs) exposure and damages to health.
I have ccd your office on the letters sent to EPA.

I am particularly interested in seeing the EPA’s webpage on POPs
revised so as to bring it in line with the World Health Organization
report, “Persistent Organic Pollutants: Impact on Child Health”.  The
information that EPA is now providing serves to assure the public that
no significant health risk is imposed by the POPs exposures resultant
from consumption of mainstream food supply foods.  The WHO report
named above warns the public that harm is occurring at current levels
of food supply contamination.  The end result of these conflicting
messages is confusion.  EPA is not using scientific knowledge to
produce its information on POPs.  EPA presents information on POPs
that is designed to assure the public that the food supply is safe
despite the fact that it is not safe.  EPA does this because
corporations with financial interests in chemical sales and food sales
control EPA.

Can you provide some assistance in getting EPA to communicate?  Thank
you for your attention to this request.

joyous in Nature,

Donald L. Hassig

4/19/13 Letter to St. Lawrence County Policy Makers Concerning 2013 UNEP/WHO Report Titled “The State of the Science of Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals”

4/19/13

Dear St. Lawrence County Policy Makers,

The United Nations Environment Programme and the World Health
Organization have recently published a report titled, “The State of
the Science of Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals”.  The report presents
the scientific evidence, which is available on the subjects of
endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) exposure and damages to health
in wildlife and humans.  Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are
EDCs.  There are approximately 800 chemicals that act as endocrine
disruptors.  EDCs include BPA, fluoride, mercury, phthalates and all
of the POPs.  Due to the widespread and heavy exposures that nearly
everyone is having to EDCs, it is highly important that action on POPs
exposure minimization take place.  The matter of endocrine disruption
provides a strong impetus for POPs exposure minimization education.
Minimizing POPs exposure takes a large step toward reducing EDCs
exposure.

Please see our news release, which follows for more information on EDCs.

Thank you for your interest in using scientific knowledge to protect
public health.

joyous in Nature,

Donald L. Hassig
______________________________

________________________________________
News Release
4/19/13 For Immediate Release

Donald L. Hassig, Director
Cancer Action NY
315.262.2456
_________________________________________________________________________

UNEP and WHO Publish “The State of the Science of Endocrine Disrupting
Chemicals”

2013 United Nations Environment Programme – World Health Organization
Report, “The State of the Science of Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals”

A report summary is available at the URL found below.
http://www.unep.org/pdf/EDCs_Summary_for_DMs%20_Jan24.pdf

The full report can be accessed at the following URL.
http://www.who.int/iris/bitstream/10665/78101/1/9789241505031_eng.pdf

“Endocrine disruption is causing harm to the health of humans and
wildlife around the world.  In a landmark 2013 report, the United
Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the World Health Organization
(WHO) have set forth the state of scientific knowledge on the subjects
of exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) and damages to
health associated with exposures.  Persistent organic pollutants
(POPs) are a major group of EDCs.  Considering the widespread and
heavy exposures that people and animals are having to EDCs and the
serious damages to health associated with exposure to these chemicals,
it is of great health protection importance that POPs exposures be
reduced to an absolute minimum.”-Donald L. Hassig

Development from a single cell into a mature organism and reproduction
are critical parts of human and animal life.  Normal function of the
endocrine system is of critical importance in both arenas.  Three
areas of scientific knowledge serve as foundation for concerns over
EDCs: (1) the high incidence and increasing incidence of many
endocrine-related disorders in humans; (2) observations of
endocrine-related effects in wildlife populations; and (3) animal
studies demonstrating linkage between exposure to endocrine disruptors
and disease outcome.

“Approximately 800 chemicals are known or suspected EDCs.  The speed with which the increases in disease incidence have occurred in recent decades rules out genetic factors as the sole plausible explanation. Environmental and other non-genetic factors, including nutrition, age of mother, viral diseases and chemical exposures, are also at play, but are difficult to identify. Despite these difficulties, some associations have become apparent.   Wildlife populations have been affected by endocrine disruption, with negative impacts on growth and reproduction. These effects are widespread and have been due primarily to persistent organic pollutants (POPs).  Bans of these chemicals have reduced (wildlife) exposure and led to recovery of some (wildlife) populations.”-Joe DiGangi, International Persistent Organic Pollutants Elimination Network (IPEN)

Organisms are more vulnerable to the harm imposed by exposure to EDCs
during critical windows of development:  gestation, infancy and
puberty.  The mother’s body burden of EDCs is of great significance to
the health of offspring due to exposures that take place within her
body and as a result of nursing.  POPs are contaminants of breast
milk, making this group of chemicals especially significant in health
of newborn and infants.

For more information, contact:

UNEP
Nick Nuttall, UNEP Spokesperson and Director of Communications (Nairobi) on Tel:
+41 79 596 5737 / +254 733 632 755 or Email: nick.nuttall@unep.org
Bryan Coll, UNEP Newsdesk (Nairobi), Tel: +254 20 762 3088 /+254 731
666 214, Email: unepnewsdesk@unep.org

WHO
Glenn Thomas, Communications Officer, Department of Communications, WHO, Tel:
+41 22 791 3983, Mobile: +41 79 509 0677 Email: thomasg@who.int
Nada Osseiran, Communications Officer, Public Health and Environment, WHO, Tel:
+41 22 791 4475, Mobile: +41 79 445 1624 Email: osseirann@who.int

4/18/13 News Release: Town of Russell Helps Residents Access WHO Report Recommending POPs Exposure Minimization for Children

Town of Russell Helps Residents Access WHO Report Recommending POPs Exposure Minimization for Children

http://www.russellny.org/

The Town of Russell now provides assistance to residents in accessing the 2010 World Health Organization (WHO) report, “Persistent Organic Pollutants:  Impact on Child Health”.  A PDF file for this report can be accessed from the town’s website.  This landmark WHO report recommends action to minimize the exposures that children around the world receive to persistent organic pollutants (POPs).  POPs are industrial chemicals that exhibit certain properties, which make them particularly dangerous to humans, including:  resistance to breakdown, solubility in fats and accumulation in the body.  POPs are contaminants of all animal fats.  POPs exposure has been found to cause chronic diseases including: cancer, diabetes and heart disease.  POPs are endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs).  Much harm to wildlife and human populations has been caused by POPs exposures.

“The Town of Russell is taking a strong, leadership role in raising public awareness of the POPs exposure health hazard.  Former Town Board Member David Whitford deserves recognition for his efforts to create educational outreach on POPs exposure minimization.  Supervisor Robert Best and the members of the current Russell Town Board demonstrate their love of children, good health, good government and scientific knowledge by their work building POPs exposure minimization education.  It is truly wonderful knowing these good Americans.  I believe that the goodness in the American people will overcome all of the bad energies and actions of the greedy corporate people who are damaging our nation.  We live in an exciting time of great good change coming.”-Donald L. Hassig

4/18/13 News Release: Town of Lisbon Will Place Information on WHO Report Recommending POPs Exposure Minimization for Children on Town Website

Town of Lisbon Will Place Information on WHO Report Recommending POPs Exposure Minimization for Children on Town Website

On April 15, 2013, the Lisbon Town Board adopted a resolution that authorizes Supervisor James Armstrong to place information on the subject of the 2010 World Health Organization (WHO) report, “Persistent Organic Pollutants:  Impact on Child Health” on the town’s website.  This report recommends action to minimize the exposures that children around the world receive to persistent organic pollutants (POPs).  POPs are industrial chemicals that exhibit certain properties, which make them particularly dangerous to humans, including:  resistance to breakdown, solubility in fats and accumulation in the body.  POPs are contaminants of all animal fats.  POPs exposure has been found to cause cancer, diabetes and heart disease.

POPs are endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs).  Diseases associated with EDC exposure include breast cancer, prostate cancer, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).  WHO published a second landmark report in 2013, “The State of the Science of Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals”.  Many of the human and wildlife diseases that are occurring at increasing rates have been associated with endocrine disruption.

POPs exposure minimization is of critical importance to the health of America’s children.  The most important step in minimizing children’s POPs exposure is making parents and those who provide food to children such as school lunch program personnel aware of the POPs exposure health hazard.

“Honor to the Lisbon Town Board and Supervisor Armstrong.  These good Americans have the best interests of children at heart.  They have demonstrated their willingness to help with bringing changes that will reduce the cancer problem in St. Lawrence County.  Local American government is good government.  Here in St. Lawrence County we are moving steadily ahead with using scientific knowledge to prevent cancer.  This is great!”-Donald L. Hassig

4/14/13 News Release: Cancer Action NY Begins Circulating Petition for Government Action to Warn Public of Avoidable Health Hazards

Cancer Action NY Begins Circulating Petition for Government Action to Warn Public of Avoidable Health Hazards

Over the course of years since the founding of Cancer Action NY in January 2000, the members of our organization have encountered overt hostility from governmental public health entities in response to our efforts to motivate these entities to take action to warn the public of avoidable health hazards. We have concluded that this hostility results from corporate control of government. We are determined to create government accountability in regards to these matters. So as to move forward with creating this accountability we are now circulating the following petition. If the governmental public health entities of the United States can be forced to come before the public in forum style meetings, it will be possible to hold these entities responsible for: (1) their failure to warn the public of avoidable health hazards; (2) their deliberate attempts to deceive the public about the role of industrial chemicals in the causation of cancer and other disease outcomes; and (3) choosing to allow corporations to determine what public health messages they will promote.

PETITION FOR GOVERNMENT ACTION TO WARN THE GENERAL PUBLIC OF AVOIDABLE CHEMICAL EXPOSURE HEALTH HAZARDS

We the undersigned are in agreement upon the following points.

1. Scientific knowledge supports the conclusion that exposures to certain groups of chemicals impose a substantial quantity of disease risk. Such groups of chemicals include: persistent organic pollutants (POPs), pollutants released by combustion of fossil fuels, and heavy metals.

2. The governmental public health entities at local, state and national levels of government have failed to warn the public of the existence of the avoidable health hazards constituted by the presence of the above named groups of chemicals in the environment and/or food supply.

3. This failure of the governmental public health system is caused by corporate control of government at the state and national levels.

We the undersigned petition all of the governmental public health entities including: the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Environmental Health and Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, the US Environmental Protection Agency, the US Food and Drug Administration, and the state and county public health departments to take action to warn the general public of the avoidable health hazards described above. We request that the public health entities listed above set about conducting a series of public forums on the subjects of chemical exposure and disease outcome. Additionally, we request that these governmental public health entities publish and disseminate health hazard advisories for the avoidable health hazards described herein.

NAME (PLEASE PRINT YOUR NAME)                                                                                                      ADDRESS

4/12/13

Hon. Addie Russell
Member, New York State Assembly
Albany, NY USA
Transmitted via electronic mail

Dear Assembly Member Russell,

In 2010, the World Health Organization (WHO) published the report
titled, “Persistent Organic Pollutants:  Impact on Child
Health”.(accessed at URL found below)  This report presents state of
knowledge science regarding persistent organic pollutants (POPs)
exposure and disease outcome.  It sets forth conclusions and a
recommendation based upon this knowledge, including:  (1) sufficient
scientific knowledge has accumulated to serve as a foundation for the
conclusion that POPs exposure at current levels of food supply
contamination is causing serious harm to public health; (2) action to
minimize the exposure that children receive to POPs is warranted; (3)
POPs exposure minimization centers in consuming less animal fat; and
(4) action to minimize children’s POPs exposure should be taken by the
world’s health arena leaders.  POPs exposure minimization is of major
public health protection importance for the residents of the St.
Lawrence River Valley due to the excess POPs exposures that residents
of Akwesasne and St. Lawrence County have received.

“Persistent Organic Pollutants:  Impact on Child Health”, World Health
Organization, 2010

http://www.who.int/ceh/publications/persistent_organic_pollutant/en/index.html

I request that you read the WHO report named above and then write to
Dr. Christopher Portier, Director of the National Center for
Environmental Health and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease
Registry, sister agencies of the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention, stating that you have read this WHO report, and that you
support action on the recommendation of the report.  Please request
that Dr. Portier collaborate with Cancer Action NY to educate the
residents of Akwesasne and St. Lawrence County on the subject of POPs
exposure minimization.

Thank you for your willingness to assist with POPs exposure
minimization education in the St. Lawrence River Valley.

joyous in Nature,

Donald L. Hassig