Originally posted at Writeindependent.org on March 23, 2012
It frustrates me no end that we can’t draw a line from pollution and voluntary assaults (like mercury absorbed when we consume fish) on our bodies directly to autism and cancer. Further, if we knew what caused autism, cancer, asthma, neurological or immunological problems like Parkinsons, Multiple Sclerosis, and allergies, would we change our behaviors to prevent these things?
Just because we do not draw a distinct line between pollution and toxic assaults directly to the problems they cause, doesn’t mean we can’t do anything about this type of “bio terrorism”. However, we certainly do not do enough to address the vastness of these assaults.
In an upcoming post, I will explain Superfunds, our EPA’s effort to protect our citizens from these assaults, and how our government dismantled superfunds by underfunding them and not holding the big polluters financially responsible.
Remember, when industry doesn’t clean up its act, we end up paying for it with our health care costs. Would you rather be healthy and pay more for basic services and plastic products, or would you rather be sick and have to pay money for healthcare anyway?
In an interview with Charles Drevna, President of American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers, he refuses to acknowledge any link between the externalities of the oil and gas industries and the cancer your mother had. This reminds me of the days when the tobacco industry vehemently denied any link between smoking and lung cancer. Any industry that harms its users will deny that harm until it is impossible to ignore.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/jun/07/china-cancer-villages-industrial-pollution
http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,213010,00.html