Better Living Without Chemicals

I'd like to give Harper's government credit for its announcement about new regulations for chemicals but let's not forget that:

The announcement follows an exhaustive seven-year scientific survey of the 23,000 chemical compounds, not including pesticides, now used in Canada to identify the most dangerous.

So, it's kind of like when the tories tout the fact that they actually have a budget surplus. They didn't exactly arrive at this point completely on their own. It's more a matter of opportune timing.

And what's up with Rona?

Environment Canada did not respond to a phone call seeking clarification about the compounds that pose the greatest risk or the products in which they're used.

Most.incompetent.environment.minister.ever. You would think they'd answer media requests for information. On second thought, what was I thinking??

Anyway, the move to further regulate harmful chemicals is certainly welcome. I cringe whenever I see a TV commercial for Dupont or BASF set in lovely green spaces with portrayals of happy, smiling, healthy children frolicking to the message that there's better living through chemistry. It's nauseating, really.

Earlier this year, the CBC's Wendy Mesley did an outstanding piece for Marketplace (which you can now view online) in which she took the audience through her experience with breast cancer. Part of her research included having herself tested for carcinogens in her blood and the results were definitely alarming.

Each of us likely has pollutants in our blood. A recent study analyzing the blood and urine of a small group of Canadians found varying levels of contamination from heavy metals, pesticides and other toxic chemicals (such as PCBs, mercury, lead). A similar study of 500 Canadians found the same results.

The contaminants included known and suspected carcinogens and other chemicals that may cause reproductive disorders, harm the development of children, disrupt hormone systems or are associated with respiratory illnesses.

What's not clear is at what level a chemical becomes toxic to people. Scientists around the world have been working to understand at what point a toxin in our blood becomes a health risk, but the matter remains one of intense debate.

I used to e-mail my daughter articles about new things identified that were believed to be carcinogens but because of the 'intense debate', it's almost impossible to keep up with what the experts agree on from one day to the next. It seems almost everything causes cancer these days at one time or another and, as consumers, unless we're growing our own food and making our own household products*, there's just no getting away from cancer-causing sources because even if we're extremely careful about what's in our homes, the minute you step outside you're exposed to whatever is floating around in the air. Keeping track of what might kill you can take more time than actually living your life so, unlike libertarians (and major corporations) who don't like governmental regulations, I believe that society obviously needs some collective oversight in this area.

Friday's announcement by the Harper government is a start but the impact won't be felt for years and by then we'll have even more chemicals and carcinogens to be concerned about. It really seems like a losing battle. So I guess the best we can do is to be aware and make wise choices while focusing on cleaning up the environment in the most effective way possible. This move forward by the tories is a very small step. They now need to show that their proclamation has teeth and that they are dedicated to aggressive reform. The proof will be in the contaminant-free pudding.

* I've been using the Care 2 Healthy Living site for years to find recipes and solutions for household products and concerns.