Re: White House Delays Release of Study Showing Toxic Rocket Fuel In Most Americans


"Jean" <jean.lenior@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:440e990d$0$20167$8fcfb975@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

George a écrit dans le message ...

"Jean" <jean.lenior@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:440d4f9b$0$21277$8fcfb975@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

George a écrit dans le message ...

"Jo Schaper" <joschapern4ospam@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
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Alan wrote:

WASHINGTON, March 3 - Following a published report that the Bush
Administration is holding up a study that shows most Americans carry
a
toxic rocket fuel chemical in their bodies at levels close to
federal
safety limits, Environmental Working Group (EWG) is calling for the
immediate release of the study so EPA and state agencies can take
steps
to protect the public.


Perchlorate, the explosive ingredient in solid rocket fuel, has
contaminated drinking water and soil in at least 35 states, with
most
of
the known contamination coming from military bases and defense
contractors. Tests by EWG, academic scientists in Texas and Arizona,
state officials in California and the U.S. Food and Drug
Administration
have found perchlorate in milk, produce and many other foods and
animal
feed crops from coast to coast. Perchlorate is a thyroid toxin, and
animal tests show that even small amounts can disrupt normal growth
and
development in fetuses, infants and children.

Um, a form of perchlorate is also used as dry cleaning fluid, and was
the
solvent in the form of typewriter White-out called Sno-Pake, (which I
used 5 days a week from 1978 to 1986). Much of the groundwater
contamination has nothing to do with the military.

Perchlorate and its salts (e.g., ammonium perchlorate) are used in
solid
propellant for rockets, missiles, and fireworks. Perchlorate has a
number
of industrial uses, and it's used in matches, flares, pyrotechnics,
ordnance, and explosives. You are thinking of perchloroethane (known
as
PERC), which is used in dry cleaning and used to be used in white-out
before it was reformulated.

http://www.niehs.nih.gov/external/faq/dryclean.htm

I should point out that the original poster's article doesn't make it
clear
that although it perchlorate is used in solid rocket motor fuel, the
more
prevelant uses are in the other applications I mention above, most
especially in matches and fireworks, which of course we all love to
watch
on the 4th of July. Even more importantly, it is found in industrial
waste, which finds its way into our soil, rivers, streams and
groundwater.
In addition,according to the EPA, perchlorate has also been found to
occur
naturally in the environment. The EPA reports that perchlorate
releases
have been detected in 25 states, so obviously NASA isn't the only
culprit
here.

Here is an EPA report on the health risks associated with perchlorate
and
perchlorate salts

http://www.epa.gov/iris/subst/1007.htm

George

perchlorates or salts of perchloric acid are common chemicals in use.
Sodium perchlorate will be found in most
chemistry and biology laboratories.

For uses in testing "Preferred desiccants include, but are not limited
to,
anhydrous calcium chloride, magnesium perchlorate" Joint FAO/WHO
Expert
Committe on Food Additives (JECFA)
Potassium perchlorate is used in fireworks and road flares.
The "explosive" perchlorates are of course unstable and short lived in
nature.
Perchorates as a group are not considered a significant factor in
ground
water pollution.


Umm, if you had read the EPA document I posted a link to, you would have
seen that they have documented releases in 25 states. Now, if you don't
think it is considered a significant factor in groundwater pollution,
perhaps you should let us know what your source of that statement is.

George

No! You are I would assume claiming that perchlorates are a significant
source of groundwater pollution. That is false.
Nothing in that link you provided made any claim that perchorates was in
any way a significant source of groundwater pollution.

Not false. Once again, learn how to read.

http://www.epa.gov/safewater/ccl/perchlorate/perchlorate.html

"EPA is currently undertaking efforts to help the Agency determine if
regulation of perchlorate in drinking water would represent a meaningful
opportunity for reducing risks to human health. To support its decision,
the Agency is gathering occurrence data at public water systems, evaluating
the availability and cost of treatment technology and assuring that
analytical methods are available to monitor for perchlorate in water.
EPA has established an official reference dose for perchlorate which is
consistent with the recommended reference dose included in the National
Academy of Science's January 2005 report. A reference dose is a scientific
estimate of a daily exposure level that is not expected to cause adverse
health effects in humans. The reference dose will be used in EPA's ongoing
efforts to address perchlorate in drinking water. It is important to note
that the reference dose in EPA's draft assessment represents a preliminary
estimate of a protective health level and is not a drinking water standard.

There have been confirmed perchlorate releases in at least 25 states
throughout the United States. EPA, other federal agencies, states, water
suppliers and industry are working to address perchlorate contamination
through monitoring for perchlorate in drinking water and source water and
developing treatment technologies that can remove perchlorate from drinking
water."

Jean. I have been a PG. 12 years (Kentucky) and an environmental
consultant for 16 years. People in this newsgroup know who I am. I have
close friends who work both at the Federal EPA, at several State
Environmental Agencies in the Midwest, and in industry. The EPA doesn't
"undertake efforts to help determine if regulation of perchlorate in
drinking water would represent a meaningful opportunity for reducing risks
to human health", if there was not a perceived significant problem with
this chemical. The fact that they have "confirmed perchlorate releases in
at least 25 states throughout the United States" is, in fact, significant.

Don't believe that there is significant groundwater pollution issues
resulting from perchlorate releases? I guess these sites don't exist then:

http://www.ewg.org/reports/rocketwater/table4.php

Table 4. More than 50 sites nationwide have high levels of perchlorate
contamination of ground water or soil.

And those are just the government, defense, and aerospace-related sites.

Now, I've provided all the evidence needed to make my case (as much as I am
going to make on usenet. If you want more, you'll have to hire me ($90/hr)
because I don't do charity cases like yours.

George


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