Silent Spring Seeks to Stoke Consumer Fears Without Regard For the Facts

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Mar 08, 2012, 12:01 ET

WASHINGTON, March 8, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The American Chemistry Council (ACC) has released the following statement in response to a study published by Silent Spring Institute regarding chemicals in consumer products.

"We are disappointed that the Silent Spring Institute would make unfounded claims about the health effects of very low-levels of government-approved chemicals used in everyday consumer products without facts to support their claims. As the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has stated, the level of exposure to a chemical is relevant, not its mere presence. Additionally, Silent Spring claims a relationship between certain chemicals in consumer products and asthma, without providing adequate scientific information to draw such a connection."

Additional information about the Silent Spring study:

Chemical Safety: Chemical manufacturers go to great lengths to make their chemicals safe – for industrial uses, for commercial uses and for consumer uses. In addition, contrary to the impression given in this report, chemicals in commerce are subject to government oversight by six primary federal agencies (EPA, FDA, OSHA, DOT, DHS, CPSC) which operate under more than a dozen federal laws and regulations.

Asthma Triggers: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency advises that the most common indoor asthma triggers include secondhand tobacco smoke, dust mites, mold, cockroaches and other pests, household pets, and combustion byproducts.

Exposure to Chemicals: The CDC provides an important caution against over-interpretation of the detection of an environmental chemical in the body as indicating a health risk. A part per million (ppm) may be hard to comprehend or visualize, but it is the equivalent of one human step on a 568-mile walk or one 60-second minute in a two-year span.

Endocrine Activity: Silent Spring also gives the impression that these very low exposures result in some type of "endocrine disruption" a claim which appears to be based on a very selective citation of the literature and not a comprehensive, systematic scientific review, such as established by the World Health Organization.

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The American Chemistry Council (ACC) represents the leading companies engaged in the business of chemistry. ACC members apply the science of chemistry to make innovative products and services that make people's lives better, healthier and safer. ACC is committed to improved environmental, health and safety performance through Responsible Care®, common sense advocacy designed to address major public policy issues, and health and environmental research and product testing. The business of chemistry is a $720 billion enterprise and a key element of the nation's economy. It is one of the nation's largest exporters, accounting for ten cents out of every dollar in U.S. exports. Chemistry companies are among the largest investors in research and development. Safety and security have always been primary concerns of ACC members, and they have intensified their efforts, working closely with government agencies to improve security and to defend against any threat to the nation's critical infrastructure.

SOURCE American Chemistry Council