A project of the Toxic-Free Legacy Coalition:Breast Cancer Fund, Healthy Building Network, People For Puget Sound, Washington Physicians for Social

Responsibility, Washington State Nurses Association, Washington Toxics Coalition, WashPIRG,and more than 40 other organizations working together to eliminate persistent toxic chemicals in Washington State.

A Study of Toxic Chemicals in Washingtonians

The Toxic-Free Legacy Coalition

and more than 40 other organizations in Washington State

working together to eliminate persistent toxic chemicals

About Our Study

Study Participants

• Pam Tazioli

• Sen. Bill Finkbeiner

• Karen Bowman, RN

• Rev. Ann Holmes Redding

• Sen. Lisa Brown

• Laurie Valeriano

• Dr. Patricia Dawson

• Denis Hayes

• Allyson Schrier

• Deb Abrahamson

Chemicals Tested

• Phthalates• PBDEs• Heavy metals - lead, arsenic, and mercury• PFCs (perfluorinated compounds)• Pesticides• DDT & PCBs

Phthalates

PBDEs

Heavy Metals

PFCs

Pesticides

DDT/PCBs

• Toxic pollution in the people of Washington is widespread and unavoidable

• Participants had from 26 to 39 toxic chemicals

What We Found

Toxic Chemicals Found

PFOA Exposure

Figure 5. PFOA Levels in Ten Washingtonians

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

Ann H

olmes

Red

ding

Patri

cia D

awso

n

Pam

Taz

ioli

Denis

Hayes

Lisa

Brown

Bill Fi

nkbe

iner

Laur

ie V

aler

iano

Deb A

brah

amso

n

Allyso

n Sch

rier

Karen

Bow

man

in p

pb

NationalMedianRange

Presence of Pesticides

Figure 6. Pesticide Exposures in Ten Washingtonians

0.00

1.00

2.00

3.00

4.00

5.00

Ann H

olm

es R

eddi

ng

Patricia

Daw

son

Pam

Taziol

i

Denis H

ayes

Lisa

Bro

wn

Bill Fin

kbei

ner

Laur

ie V

aler

iano

Deb A

brah

amso

n

Allyso

n Sc

hrie

r

Kare

n Bow

man

# o

f p

est

icid

e m

eta

boli

tes

dete

cted

Carbaryl Exposures

• Carbaryl a likely carcinogen

• Marker found in five participants

Phthalates - DEHP Exposure

Figure 1: Levels of DEHP Metabolites in Ten Washingtonians

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

Ann H

olm

es R

edding

Patri

cia D

awso

n

Pam

Taz

ioli

Denis

Hayes

Lisa

Bro

wn

Bill F

inkb

eine

r

Laur

ie V

aler

iano

Deb A

brah

amso

n

Allyso

n Sch

rier

Karen

Bow

man

pp

b

MEHHP

MEOHP

MEHP

PCB Exposures

Figure 8. PCB Levels in Ten Washingtonians

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

Ann H

olm

es R

eddi

ng

Patric

ia D

awso

n

Pam T

azio

li

Denis

Hayes

Lisa

Bro

wn

Bill Fin

kbei

ner

Laur

ie V

aler

iano

Deb A

brah

amso

n

Allyso

n Sch

rier

Karen

Bow

man

PC

Bs

in p

pb

NationalMedianRange

PBDE (Toxic Flame Retardant) Levels

Figure 2. PBDE Levels in Ten Washingtonians

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

Ann H

olm

es R

edding

Patri

cia D

awso

n

Pam

Taz

ioli

Denis

Hayes

Lisa

Bro

wn

Bill F

inkb

eine

r

Laur

ie V

aler

iano

Deb A

brah

amso

n

Allyso

n Sch

rier

Karen

Bow

man

in p

pb

(lipid

weig

ht

basis

)

NationalMedianRange

Mercury Levels

Figure 3. Mercury Levels in Ten Washingtonians

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

Ann H

olm

es R

eddi

ng

Patri

cia D

awso

n

Pam

Taz

ioli

Denis

Hayes

Lisa

Bro

wn

Bill Fink

bein

er

Laur

ie V

aler

iano

Deb A

brah

amso

n

Allyso

n Sch

rier

Karen

Bow

man

in p

pb

NationalMedianRange

Cause for Concern?

• At or near harmful levels

• Multiple exposures

• Timing of exposure

• We know enough to act

The System is Broken

• Data Gap

• Safety Gap

• Technology Gap

• Responsibility Gap

Data Gap

Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) of 1976

Encourage and require industry to develop adequate data on the health and environmental effects of chemicals.

Data Gap: Few of Highest Volume Chemicals Tested

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

Percentage Tested

Acute Toxicity

Environmental Fate

Ecotoxicity

Mutagenicity

Chronic Toxicity

ReproductiveToxicity

Full Set of BasicToxicity Tests

7% Full Set of Basic Toxicity Tests

Safety Gap: For EPA to Act

Prove it! Weigh Costs/Benefits Action

Safety Gap-Result

Photos from Environmental Working Group www.ewg.org

Safety Gap-Result

PBDE Example

1970 PBDE Production Begins1980 First Evidence of Negative Health Effects1981 First Evidence of PBDEs Building Up in Fish1990s First Evidence PBDEs in Food Chain1994 Research shows penta form mimics hormones

1997 Swedish breast milk studies/PBDEs increasingEuropean Action to Reduce PBDEs

2002 Research showing neurotoxic effects2003 EU Bans PBDEs in electronics2004 Industry voluntary agreement on penta/octaToday Science builds, deca form still on market!

Technology Gap

Companies Moving Forward

• Kaiser Permanente: reducing reliance on carcinogens, reproductive toxicants

• Herman Miller: zero hazardous waste, emissions by 2020; using safer materials

• Dell: phased out PBDEs, chemical use policy

• Cascadian Farm: now leading processor

• The Body Shop: eliminating phthalates

Current State Action

Washington’s PBT Program– Limited number of chemicals

– Lengthy process to develop Chemical Action Plans– Phaseouts or bans require legislative action

– No process to assess chemicals prior to release into the marketplace and our environment

What’s going wrong?

• Washington state - highest rates of breast cancer

• Childhood brain cancer on the rise

• 17% of school-aged children have learning disabilities

Costs of Environmental Diseases

from “Economic Costs of Diseases and Disabilities Attributable to Environmental Contaminants in Washington State” July 2005 by Kate Davies, Antioch University http://washington.chenw.org/RIgroup/

Childhood Diseases

Best Estimate - Proportion of Disease Attributable to

Environmental Contaminants

Asthma

Cancer

Lead Exposure

Birth Defects

Neurobehavioral Disorders

30%

5%

100%

2.5%

10%

Costs of Environmental Diseases

in 2004 dollars, see Kate Davies’ study online at http://washington.chenw.org/RIgroup/

Conclusions from the WA state economic study…

• $1.9 billion = annual cost of these 5 childhood diseases attributable to environmental contaminants

• If adult and childhood costs are combined,total = $2.7 billion annually

• this accounts for almost 5% of total health expenditures in Washington state

A Better Way for Washington

A Three-pronged Approach

• Close Data Gaps: Require companies to come clean with the facts about the chemicals they use;

• Close Safety Gap: Prohibit harmful chemicals in products and manufacturing; and,

• Close Technology Gap: Invest in research and assistance for businesses to switch to the safest chemicals.

• Responsibility Gap: We all must accept an ethical duty to future generations

Learn more from our web site

www.pollutioninpeople.orglink

• Complete report online and in pdf format• Participant profiles• Toxic Chemicals: how you’re exposed & health effects• Safer Alternatives for Food and Consumer Products• Ways to Take Action

We Can Do It—Together!