Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Toxins

Because am a business owner, I have come across information that concerns all of us about our silverware, pots, pans, plates, water, etc.

The State of California has found over 12,000 toxic items in things we consume and items we use to consume them. In 1986 they developed a Proposition 65 to make the companies send a note with the products to inform consumers of the toxins. The list contains a wide range of naturally occurring and synthetic chemicals that are known to cause cancer or birth defects or other reproductive harm. These chemicals include additives or ingredients in pesticides, common household products, food, drugs, dyes, or solvents. Listed chemicals may also be used in manufacturing and construction, or they may be by products of chemical processes, such as motor vehicle exhaust. If a warning is placed on a product label or posted or distributed at the workplace, a business, or in rental housing, the business issuing the warning is aware or believes that one or more listed chemicals is present. By law, a warning must be given for listed chemicals unless exposure is low enough to pose no significant risk of cancer or is significantly below levels observed to cause birth defects or other reproductive harm.


A chemical that causes cancer, the "no significant risk level” is defined as the level of exposure that would result in not more than one excess case of cancer in 100,000 individuals exposed to the chemical over a 70-year lifetime. In other words, a person exposed to the chemical at the “no significant risk level” for 70 years would not have more than a “one in 100,000” chance of developing cancer as a result of that exposure.

Why do we have to make things with hazardous chemicals in them in the first place? What can we do to stop the manufacture of these things? Want to read more - follow the link.