{"id":2585,"date":"2013-03-25T08:52:30","date_gmt":"2013-03-25T13:52:30","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.edf.org\/nanotechnology\/?p=2585"},"modified":"2014-03-25T10:18:14","modified_gmt":"2014-03-25T15:18:14","slug":"toxic-clout-shines-a-much-needed-light-on-the-chemical-industrys-undue-influence-over-toxic-chemical-decisions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.edf.org\/health\/2013\/03\/25\/toxic-clout-shines-a-much-needed-light-on-the-chemical-industrys-undue-influence-over-toxic-chemical-decisions\/","title":{"rendered":"\u201cToxic Clout\u201d shines a much-needed light on the chemical industry\u2019s undue influence over toxic chemical decisions"},"content":{"rendered":"

Rachel Shaffer<\/em> is a research assistant.<\/p>\n

Remember the 2000 hit film, <\/span>Erin Brockovich<\/span><\/a>? \u00a0It was the Hollywood version of a real-life investigation into the contamination of groundwater in Hinkley, California with a known human carcinogen called hexavalent chromium (or hexchrome for short). \u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Well, hexchrome is back on (a slightly smaller) screen, this time featured in a two-part series by the <\/span>Center for Public Integrity (CPI)<\/span><\/a> and <\/span>PBS NewsHour<\/span><\/a>. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The series, which aired on public TV stations earlier this month, highlights the continuing problem of hexchrome contamination around the country, including the still-unresolved situation in Hinkley. \u00a0Some 70 million Americans are exposed to this carcinogen through the water they drink.\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

But the program also dives into another, even more concerning problem: \u00a0Years of delay in finalizing EPA\u2019s risk assessment for the toxic metal, a prerequisite to any effective regulation. \u00a0Why the delay? Unfortunately, it\u2019s an all-too-<\/span>familiar story<\/span><\/a>: \u00a0the chemical industry is stalling the process.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

And what are the consequences?\u00a0 As EDF\u2019s Senior Scientist Dr. Richard Denison says in the series:\u00a0 \u201cDecisions delayed are health protections denied.\u201d\u00a0 The <\/span>chromium standard for drinking water<\/span><\/a> has not been updated since 1991 and does not reflect recent scientific findings indicating that the standard needs to be significantly lowered to protect public health. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Check out the CPI\/PBS segments (links below) and the related articles in CPI\u2019s <\/span>Toxic Clout series<\/span><\/a>, which is part of an ongoing investigation of excessive industry influence in science and policy.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Part 1: <\/span><\/span><\/span>Science for Sale<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Part 2: <\/span><\/span><\/span>Decision Delayed on Dangerous Chemical in Drinking Water<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Rachel Shaffer is a research assistant. Remember the 2000 hit film, Erin Brockovich? \u00a0It was the Hollywood version of a real-life investigation into the contamination of groundwater in Hinkley, California with a known human carcinogen called hexavalent chromium (or hexchrome for short). \u00a0 Well, hexchrome is back on (a slightly smaller) screen, this time featured …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11089,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[44,5009,56093],"tags":[39150,39171,39993,5021,5017],"coauthors":[],"class_list":["post-2585","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-policy","category-health-science","category-industry-influence","tag-american-chemistry-council","tag-exposure-vs-hazard","tag-general-interest","tag-chemical-industry-tactics","tag-risk-assessment"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t