The Toxic Chemisty of Everyday Products

[Guest guest]

http://www.alternet.org/workplace/59714

Someone posted this article about this book a few weeks ago. I

definitely want to get this book. I wrote to him and this is his

response. It was nice that he bothered to write back. Many don't. My

letter is at the bottom.

Hello Ms. Delp: I read your moving email. Yes, I think its

extraordinary how Americans have been left to voluntarily, and in

some cases quite involuntarily, subjected to chemical hazards...in

particular when there are clearly far less toxic alternatives. Its

certainly one of the reasons I wrote the book—to demonstrate how the

U.S. presumption, that doing it in some other way somehow would cost

too much or is utopian or whatever the argument, is being challenged

by the successful efforts in Europe to begin to rid themselves of

these substances.

I'm glad you at least found some recognition of this challenge in the

article, elaborated on in much greater length in my book. I did read

the Waxman report, and it is an extraordinary compilation suggesting

how the government and industry joined forces to try, unsuccessfully,

to stop the European's efforts. Much of its findings are in chapter 7

of the book, about REACH.

I expect I'll be speaking on the topic of chemicals in our everyday

products over the coming months, and hope to help shed some further

public light on the subject, which affects so many of us on an acute

and chronic level....

Yours, sincerely, Mark Schapiro

On 8/17/07 12:03 PM, " LDelp84227@... " <LDelp84227@...> wrote:

Hi Mark, I read the article in AltNet regarding your new

book " Exposed and the Toxic Chemistry of Everyday Products. To tell

you the truth the article brought tears to me eyes. Everything you

discussed in the article is what I and others that are ill have been

trying to tell our government, the press, etc. for years.

It has been so exhausting. I have a chemical illness some call it

multiple chemical sensitivity, reactive airways disease or a chemical

type asthma. What ever you call it the suffering is unbearable and

we are often abused because people just don't understand.

It is hard enough to have an illness where just every day shampoo or

deodorant can cause a migraine/vomiting, chest pain, an asthma

attack, etc. but to know our government is more worried about money

than human life is very hard to understand.

I had never heard of this illness before I became ill nine years

ago, but the hardest part is having to beg our government to do

something, and they don't even listen.

In one apartment all the exhaust systems were right by the window

so I was constantly having laundry exhaust coming into my apartment,

and these were expensive apartments. I couldn't put on my air

conditioner because fragrance would come in through the vents so we

had to buy a portable air conditioner.

I use fragrance free products if I can find them even though they

have chemicals in them I can handle some brands and I clean with

vinegar, baking soda, and lemon.

At one point one senator's office said nothing will happen until the

Republicans are out of office. When you are suffering and so sick

you don't want to have to fight the system.

I was just reading some documents by Henry Waxman The Chemical

Industry, the Bush Administration, and European Efforts to Regulate

Chemicals. The Chemical Industry, the Bush Administration, and

European Efforts to Regulate Chemicals :: Committee on Oversight and

Gove.. <http://oversight.house.gov/story.asp?ID=427> You probably

have already read it but if you haven't, it is something you should

check out. The report is a good start; it talks about the pressure

the Bush Administration put on the other countries to try to prevent

the EU government from regulating their products.

The worst part is the isolation because after a while people

disappear, they don't understand or just don't want to give up their

products. I have never really pressured anyone-- sometimes I just

suffer so I can visit with someone for a while.

I read the article about your book at a site where the sick go to

help each other. I really got this illness from living in a home

with indoor mold. Many that have chemical sensitivities got that was

from mold, some Gulf War Vets have it, some of the firefighters from

9/11, some from pesticides.

It would be great if you would like to talk and learn about the

people that are dealing with this nightmare. I have always taken

such care of my self, and I am afraid I don't have much time left

because between the mold and the chemicals it has been a long road.

Thanks for taking the time tor read this email.

Delp

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MARK SCHAPIRO

Editorial Director

Center for Investigative Reporting

2927 Newbury Street, suite A

Berkeley, CA. 94703

510-809-3172-tel

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