June 22, 1999
The Honorable Carol Browner
Administrator
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
401 M St., S.W.
Washington, DC 20460
Dear Administrator Browner:
In the wake of the current public health crisis in Europe, we write to request that you personally intervene to complete the changes mandated by the Science Advisory Board to the 1994 draft dioxin reassessment and release the final version to the public without further delay.
Food is being taken off the shelves in Europe due to dioxin and PCB contamination. All of Europe has been paralyzed by the food scare, and farmers' and merchants' lives are being destroyed. In order to ensure that a similar situation does not occur here in the US, as well as to prevent incidents in other countries, the US EPA must release the dioxin reassessment and begin the process of developing protective policies for the United States.
As you know, dioxin is an industrial by-product that poses serious threats to both public health and the environment. Some of the identified health effects linked to dioxin exposure include cancer, infertility, immune-system suppression, hormonal effects, and learning disabilities. Some of the sources of dioxin, identified by your agency, include municipal and medical waste incineration, cement kilns and manufacturing processes, such as pulp and paper production, pesticide manufacturing and PVC production.
In addition to unintentional dioxin emissions to land and water by industrial processes, sewage sludge and fly ash from industry smokestacks are both being applied as fertilizer directly to food crops in our country -- with the support of the EPA. Industrial waste products, such as fly ash are also being used in animal feed additives. All of these waste products have shown to contain dioxin but are not even regulated and probably won't be until the reassessment is final.
According to the EPA, 90% of dioxin exposure comes from food sources. In June, 1998, Consumer Reports' test results found that just one 2.5 ounce jar of meat-based baby food contained 100 times EPA's daily limit of dioxin. It is not possible to completely avoid eating dioxin-contaminated food. Fish, meat and dairy products all contain amounts of dioxin. The chemical accumulates in the body building up a "body burden" which can cause serious health effects over time. We can no longer go on contaminating our food and our children while we wait for the release of this report. Until the dioxin reassessment is finalized and we move forward with stricter regulations, industry will continue to emit dioxin into the air, the water and food.
We have waited far too long for the release of this important document. The failure to formally release the final dioxin reassessment allows industry and state agencies to ignore the evidence provided in the draft reassessment and to avoid writing protective public policy. Every month that goes by without the final version of the reassessment prolongs the exposure of this dangerous chemical to our communities and families. This de facto" policy of allowing the dioxin exposure to continue is unacceptable.
The time has come to insist that you, the head of the EPA, and your agency do everything possible to immediately release the dioxin reassessment and hold the subsequent policy hearings that were promised years ago. Thank you in advance for your immediate attention to this important matter.
Sincerely,
Anne Rabe
Citizens Environmental Coalition
33 Central Ave
Albany, NY 12210
Teresa Mills
Buckeye Environmental Network
2319 Parkridge Court
Grove City, OH 44106
Laurie Valeriano
Washington Toxics Coalition
4649 Sunnyside Ave N. suite 540 East
Seattle, WA 98105
Lois M. Gibbs
Center for Health, Environment & Justice
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The Center for Health, Environment and Justice was founded in
1981 by Lois Marie Gibbs, leader of the Love Canal effort. CHEJ provides
organizing and technical assistance to communities fighting against
toxic exposure and empowers people to prevent or eliminate their
exposure to hazardous chemicals. We are supported in part by our
membership. If you are interested in joining or contributing to CHEJ,
membership dues are $30 per year. You'll receive our quarterly magazine,
Everyone's Backyard.
http://www.essential.org/cchw/
Center for Health Environment & Justice
P.O. Box 6806
Falls Church, VA 22040
(703)-237-2249
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Why We Should Care:
Because their bodies and minds are still developing, Children
are more susceptible than adults to environmental threats.