"Pollution Within" National Geographic

Before reading the article on the National Geographic website titled "Pollution Within," I couldn't help but think "what chemicals are floating around inside of me?" The author, David Duncan, explored this issue and decided to test his own blood. DDT, PBDE, and other poisons commonly used in agriculture and production were found in his body. Although Duncan was in good shape even with the small traces of chemicals inside of him (even though he did have higher-than-normal levels of PBDE), many American families have discovered high chemical content in their children. High levels of PBDE, a flame retardant, has been reported in many infants across the country. Furniture, fabrics, and plastics are to blame for the PBDE exposure to infants which are inhaled in high amounts (above the safety quantity). PBDE is found to hinder memory, learning, and even behavior. Another chemical most commonly found in people is mercury. Mercury has been associated with the consumption of seafood, although other products contain this chemical. People and wildlife are threatened throughout the globe with the rise in mercury levels than ever before.
The most surprising fact mentioned in the article was stated on the final page which covers a program called REACH: Registration, Evaluation, and Authorization of Chemicals. REACH was approved by the European Union and its sole purpose is to require companies to manufacture chemicals that are safe to the public and outweigh the negative effects. REACH is currently opposed by the chemical industry and our own U.S. government. Why would the U.S. government oppose a program that benefits the public? Is it because of lobbyists convincing our government to eliminate any regulation proposals? I found this statement in the article to be very disturbing and how this type of opposition reflects other issues we face today (the oil spill, the economic crisis, etc.). We need to push for safer and biodegradable chemicals that are safe for consumers and the environment. We need to forget thinking in cost-efficient terms and think about a greener future.