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News :: Agriculture : Children : Civil & Human Rights : Environment : Health |
EPA WILL USE POOR KIDS AS GUINEA PIGS IN NEW STUDY ON PESTICIDES |
Current rating: 0 |
by Organic Consumers Association (No verified email address) |
12 Nov 2004
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In October, the EPA received $2 million to do the study from the American Chemistry Council, a chemical industry front group that includes members such as Dow, Exxon, and Monsanto. |
11/12/2004: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), led by Bush appointees, plans to launch a new study in which participating low income families will have their children exposed to toxic pesticides over the course of two years. The study entitled CHEERS (Children’s Environmental Exposure Research Study) will look at how chemicals can be ingested, inhaled or absorbed by children ranging from babies to 3 years old.
For taking part in these studies, each family will receive $970, a free video camera, a T-shirt, and a framed certificate of appreciation.
In October, the EPA received $2 million to do the study from the American Chemistry Council, a chemical industry front group that includes members such as Dow, Exxon, and Monsanto (see full list of members at the website link below). Critics of the research claim the study's funders guarantee the results will be biased in favor of the chemical industry, at the expense of the health of the impoverished children serving as test subjects.
Participants for the study were chosen from 6 health clinics and three hospitals in Jacksonville, FL. These medical facilities report that 51% of their births are to non-white mothers and 62% of mothers have only received an elementary or secondary education.
The EPA's Linda Sheldon says the study is vital, because so little is known about how small children's bodies absorb harmful chemicals.
Important Note on Participants of Study: The study layout does not require that participants increase their chemical use, but does mandate that chosen applicants will need to demonstrate that they do regularly use toxic chemicals in and around the home. The concern here is that low income applicants may increase their toxic chemical use for the sake of applying and being eligible for the funding.
Important Note on Suspension of the Study: On November 11th, the EPA announced suspension of the study's launch until early 2005 for the sake of "final review." The Organic Consumers Association is taking this opportunity to call on the nation's citizens to demand the EPA permanently terminate this abuse of low income children by the chemical industry.
Forward this alert to friends and colleagues!
Sign Petition to Stop Pesticide Study on Kids!
http://www.organicconsumers.org/epa-alert.htm |
This work is in the public domain |
Re: EPA WILL USE POOR KIDS AS GUINEA PIGS IN NEW STUDY ON PESTICIDES |
by angry (No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0 14 Nov 2004
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i think what you are planning on doing absolutely barbaric and discusting and criminal. you will never get me to put my children at that risk, EVER!!!!!!! i completely disagree with what you are doing and i also think that is murder. It's hard telling what kind of pain that could put a child through. And what is wrong with you people anyway? Are rich kids to good for that?!!!!! |
Re: EPA WILL USE POOR KIDS AS GUINEA PIGS IN NEW STUDY ON PESTICIDES |
by disgusted (No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0 15 Nov 2004
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This is another fine example of just how deeply IMMORAL the republicans are! This is a terrorist act against our own citizens, our own children. For what? So the few can profit more from the blood of the many. |