Toxic Pollution = Sick Kids + Big Bills

[Guest guest]

Formula For Foreboding: Toxic Pollution = Sick Kids + Big Bills

To those who think the price of toxic waste and chemical pollution is small

when compared to the burdensome costs of cleaning it all up for good, we

offer this illuminating bit of news from the Mount Sinai School of Medicine:

According to a new report, pediatric illnesses linked to environmental toxins

are now costing our nation billions and creating a nation of children whose

bodies are wracked by disease.

According to a study by the Mount Sinai School of Medicine, childhood

illnesses linked to chemical contamination of the environment cost Americans

approximately $55 billion dollars each year. That’s nearly 3% of total

national health care costs and more than we spend on military research,

veterans’ benefits, and stroke treatments.

The study, lead by Dr. Philip Landrigan, head of the Center for Children’s

Health and the Environment at Mt. Sinai, is the first to attempt to put a

price tag on the costs of pediatric diseases caused by toxic materials in the

environment and to measure the contribution that environmental pollutants

make to the incidence of childhood sickness and the mortality rates

associated with it. In the words of Dr. Landrigan, " The findings confirm our

view that disease of environmental origin cause not only great misery but

pose large costs on American children and their families. "

Defining environmental pollutants as chemical substances of human origin in

our air, water, soil, food, homes, and communities, and using data from the

EPA, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Center for

Health Statistics, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Health Care Financing

Agency, and the Practice Management Information Corporation, the study found

that lead poisoning results in $43.4 billion in costs; asthma in $2 billion;

childhood cancers in $0.3 billion; and neurobehavioral disorders in $9.2

billion. These costs included both medical expenses and indirect expenses

like special schooling and long term care.

While the total figure of $54.9 billion in total expenses represented the

best available estimate, researchers cautioned that the actual annual health

care bill for environmentally-related pediatric illness was likely much

higher. That’s because the study focused just four types of illness, used

conservative assumptions, and ignored the costs of suffering and future

complications that typically arise later in life.

Citing childhood exposure to chemicals and pollutants that either have been

inadequately tested or simply not tested at all, the authors of the report

warned that unless steps were taken to identify and ultimately remove

disease-inducing toxins from the environment, related childhood illnesses and

health care costs would only rise.

For the full text of the study, click here.

http://www.childenvironment.org/reports/Environmental-PAPER.htm

[Guest guest]

Thank You Irene.... as are you appreciated......here is a new test being

offered by great Smokies Diagnostic Laboratories....thought some of you might

be interested......In the chemical soup we live in with the added burden of

toxic molds the chance for genetic alterations and detoxification processing

damage is great......there are many people who have genetic mutations that

can impair their ability to detoxify normally.....PON1 for instance is

one....the only population ever studied was the hispanic population and

approx. 16% have impairments in detoxing environmental and body produced

toxins.......that is a very high percentage, but who knows they have this?

with all the toxin genetic altering chemical interactions our detox pathway

damage seems just a matter of time and overload.......and the increase in

illness in the youth are showing us this.......

Warmest Regards to you all,

Donna M. REILLY

NY

http://www.genovations.com/profiles.html

DetoxiGenomicâ„¢ Profile Coming Summer 2002

Identifies genetic single nucleotide polymorphisms associated with increased

risk of developing detoxification defects especially with increased exposure

to xenobiotics and other toxins. Risk factors include altered cytochrome

P-450 activity in phase 1 detoxification, impaired glutathione conjugation

and acetylation in phase 2 reactions, altered catecholamine methylation and

increased oxidative stress. Detoxification defects have been associated with

increased risk for certain cancers, chronic fatigue, multiple chemical

sensitivity, and alcoholism.

In a message dated 7/12/02 5:17:54 PM, irw27@... writes:

>Thanks for sharing this critically important information!!

>You are appreciated,

>

>Irene Wilkenfeld

>Irene Wilkenfeld

>Safe Schools

>Please note new email - irw27@...