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| Jair |
Unborn babies carry pollutants, study finds
WASHINGTON, July 14 (Reuters) - Unborn U.S. babies are soaking in a stew of chemicals, including mercury, gasoline byproducts and pesticides, according to a report released on Thursday.
Although the effects on the babies are not clear, the survey prompted several members of Congress to press for legislation that would strengthen controls on chemicals in the environment.
The report by the Environmental Working Group is based on tests of 10 samples of umbilical-cord blood taken by the American Red Cross. They found an average of 287 contaminants in the blood, including mercury, fire retardants, pesticides and the Teflon chemical PFOA.
"These 10 newborn babies ... were born polluted," said New York Rep. Louise Slaughter, who spoke a news conference about the findings on Thursday.
"If ever we had proof that our nation's pollution laws aren't working, it's reading the list of industrial chemicals in the bodies of babies who have not yet lived outside the womb," Slaughter, a Democrat, said.
Cord blood reflects what the mother passes to the baby through the placenta.
"Of the 287 chemicals we detected in umbilical-cord blood, we know that 180 cause cancer in humans or animals, 217 are toxic to the brain and nervous system, and 208 cause birth defects or abnormal development in animal tests," the report said.
Blood tests did not show how the chemicals got into the mothers' bodies, or what their effects might be on the babies.
MERCURY AND PESTICIDES
Among the chemicals found in the cord blood were methylmercury, produced by coal-fired power plants and certain industrial processes. People can breathe it in or eat it in seafood and it causes brain and nerve damage.
Also found were polyaromatic hydrocarbons, or PAHs, which are produced by burning gasoline and garbage and which may cause cancer; flame-retardant chemicals called polybrominated dibenzodioxins and furans; and pesticides including DDT and chlordane.
The same group analyzed the breast milk of mothers across the United States in 2003 and found varying levels of chemicals, including flame retardants known as PBDEs. This latest analysis also found PBDEs in cord blood.
Slaughter had similar tests done on her own blood.
"The stunning results show chemicals daily pumping through my vital organs that include PCBs that were banned decades ago as well as chemicals like Teflon that are currently under federal investigation," she said in remarks prepared for the news conference.
"I have auto exhaust fumes, flame retardant chemicals, and in all, some 271 harmful substances pulsing through my veins. That's hardly the picture of health I had hoped for, but I've been living in an industrial society for over 70 years."
The Government Accountability Office issued a report on Wednesday saying the Environmental Protection Agency does not have the powers it needs to fully regulate toxic chemicals.
The GAO, the investigative arm of Congress, found that the EPA's Toxic Substances Control Act gives only "limited assurance" that new chemicals entering the market are safe and said the EPA only rarely assesses chemicals already on the market.
"Today, chemicals are being used to make baby bottles, food packaging and other products that have never been fully evaluated for their health effects on children -- and some of these chemicals are turning up in our blood," said New Jersey Democrat Sen. Frank Lautenberg, who plans to co-sponsor a bill to require chemical manufacturers to provide data to the EPA on the health affects of their products.
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| glencar |
Glencar content? Where's it at, idiot? |
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| gorda |
That's scarey! I was mad at my regular dentist, so I temprarily switched dentists! Well, this dentist turned out to be a crook! When, I went back to my regular dentist, he asked me why I had had my porcelain fillings changed. The crooked dentist had taken out my beautiful porcelain fillings and put ugly silver fillings in my teeth!
Now, my regular dentist says that these silver fillings have mercury and could make me sick! And, if ever get pregnant, my baby could come out retarded! He says I need to have my fillings changed again, but I'm tired of going to the dentist. |
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| LadyJane |
Oh howe I long for a revised idiots list from BILL PERKS!!
LJ. |
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| glencar |
Jair isn't even interesting enough to make it onto my radar screen. |
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| Monkey Woman |
quote:
glencar wrote:
Glencar content? Where's it at, idiot?
You have to ask? 
(That's too easy, really!) |
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| glencar |
Seriously, though. His post makes no sense. I am out of the womb & I can ever get pregnant as I don't have a uterus. Is he stupid enough to think men can have babies? Well, that's another question I really don't "need to ask" LOL. |
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| Ten Thousand Motels |
I don't get it either. |
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| glencar |
Maybe one needs to be from the 3rd World? |
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| Ten Thousand Motels |
quote:
glencar wrote:
Maybe one needs to be from the 3rd World?
Hell, I'm from the third world...Maine, and I still don't get it. |
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| Madafaka |
Hi! I'm from the 3rd world too! |
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| glencar |
Well, Argie used to be in the 1st World but... |
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| Madafaka |
quote:
glencar wrote:
Well, Argie used to be in the 1st World but...
Yes, yes! Please, don't remember me that political crap  |
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| glencar |
LOL When you coming to NYC? |
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| J.J.Flash |
quote:
Madafaka wrote:
Hi! I'm from the 3rd world too!
The boy is right.......
And...btw....why all this hate toward my Big Apple buddy Blue??!?!? Why..... when all he does is love.......
Hey Jair..... congratulations to my São Paulo Futebol Clube!
Have a great weekend! |
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| Madafaka |
quote:
glencar wrote:
LOL When you coming to NYC?
As soon as I can! I have four friends from my country in this moment at NYC. Well, one of them is in White Plains, but that's really near. |
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| glencar |
Jay Jay, thanks for the question! Jair is not someone I will ever greet. He seems to hate me for my freedom. |
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| J.J.Flash |
quote:
glencar wrote:
Jay Jay, thanks for the question! Jair is not someone I will ever greet. He seems to hate me for my freedom.
Good evening sir..... hey..... let your reactions in the thread I have started half an hour ago... |
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| Jair |
quote:
glencar wrote:
Jay Jay, thanks for the question! Jair is not someone I will ever greet. He seems to hate me for my freedom.
Hey Glencar, i don't hate you at all. But you say "my freedom" is hilarious.
Freedom: thats something you don't have with Bush, much on the contrary.
Now, forget about hate.
The fact is that Bush sux and also our Brasilian president, as the latest news show us...
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| glencar |
Jair, it's only your opinion that Bush & Lula suck. I'll grant that you're better informed about Lula but it's my opinion that I'm better informed about US politics. Anyway, all is well. See you in Brazil! |
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| Madafaka |
Glen, are you coming to South America? |
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| glencar |
I'd like to eventually although it wouldn't be timed for the Stones necessarily. I have a friend who goes to BA frequently on business & loves the place. |
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| Jair |
quote:
glencar wrote:
Jair, it's only your opinion that Bush & Lula suck. I'll grant that you're better informed about Lula but it's my opinion that I'm better informed about US politics. Anyway, all is well. See you in Brazil!
You are very welcome, Glencar.
And you absolutely right, I have nothing to do about Bush, is not my business but, you know, sometimes I simply can't help myself...
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