New York Times, December 5, 2009
Recent op-ed piece in the NY Times by Nicholas D. Kristof positions some compelling evidence about everyday kitchen chemicals and usage within the national health care debate. He begins by pushing for more exploration and research into the potential causes of cancer, which tend to be one of the most devastating diseases, both physically and financially.
While I won’t wonder into the politics of the subject, I will say that there were two points that really connected with me:
1) “More than 80,000 new chemicals have been developed since World War II, according to the Children’s Environmental Health Center at Mount Sinai. Even of the major chemicals, fewer than 20 percent have been tested for toxicity to children, the center says.”
2) “I asked these doctors what they do in their own homes to reduce risks. They said that they avoid microwaving food in plastic or putting plastics in the dishwasher, because heat may cause chemicals to leach out. And the symposium handed out a reminder card listing “safer plastics” as those marked (usually at the bottom of a container) 1, 2, 4 or 5.”
Thanks for the great posting – and happy new year to you all