By Dave Lucas
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wamc/local-wamc-909407.mp3
Albany, NY – Cancer-awareness groups are calling on governments to address the issue of carcinogens in the food supply. Capital District Bureau Chief Dave Lucas reports.
Activists accuse the federal government of failing to make use of "state of knowledge" science on the subject of carcinogenic persistent organic pollutants -or- POPs to prevent cancer. Scientific data has been accumulating since at least 1937 for PCBs and 1957 for dioxins. Dr. David O. Carpenter is the Director of UAlbany's Institute for Health and the Environment. He says most of the contaminants are contained in animal fat: "Cancer kills more Americans than any other disease except heart disease. Most cancers are caused by some environmental exposure. But many of the chemicals that cause cancer, and are present in our food, also cause heart disease. Consequently, it is extremely important that we get chemical carcinogens out of our food supply. The chemicals of greatest concern include fat soluble substances like dioxins and PCBs, which are found in all animal fats, as well as pesticides that are found as residues of vegetables and fruits. The recycling of waste animal fat into animal feed is one particular pathway for contamination of animal products that must be stopped. In order to reduce the risk of development of cancer (as well as heart and many other diseases) we need to change the way that agriculture uses chemicals both on crops and in animal foods."
Dr. Janette Sherman authored "Life's Delicate Balance" - which covered the issue of breast cancer on Long Island - the Buffalo native still has family connections in New York State. "Location, location says the realtors. We, tracking the cancer epidemic, say the same thing. Nowhere in the world is cancer randomly distributed and N. Y. State is no exception. When we look at the areas with the highest cancer rates and consider the predominant industries, the dumpsites, water sources, and the up-wind sources of pollution, one can often hone-in on likely causes of disease, including cancer."
Sherman points out that people living along the Hudson River have been exposed to PCBs from manufacturing activities and radioisotopes from Nuclear Power Reactors, as well as pesticides from agriculture. She says pollutants fall on pasture and farmland, which is one way they enter the food chain.
Activists argue that chemical and food corporations wield an undue amount of influence within the federal government. Cancer Action NY is advocating for federal and State legislation that will delegate responsibility for review of scientific literature, production of exposure reduction public health messages, and conduct of public educational outreach to the New York State Department of Health and the other states' health departments. Donald L. Hassig, Director of Cancer Action NY and Cancer Action Network says "Once federal legislation has been created, the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences should assume responsibility for the first two tasks listed above. It is clear that county governments make the strongest government partners in providing Americans with scientific knowledge that directs cancer preventive actions."