Studies on Chemical In Plastics Questioned »

Posted by: Aidenag 2 months, 3 weeks ago

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Despite more than 100 published studies by government scientists and university laboratories that have raised health concerns about a chemical compound that is central to the multibillion-dollar plastics industry, the Food and Drug Administration has deemed it safe largely because of two studies, both funded by an industry trade group.

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berkeley
April 27, 2008, 12:22 a.m.
is the FDA more rotten than the FCC?
maybe its a tie.

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  jordan11
  April 27, 2008, 12:51 a.m.
  Oh lord, it's really getting bad with our regulatory agencies. What next?
  
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  Beau7890
  April 27, 2008, 1:49 a.m.
  Not just the FDA and the FCC. The Consumer Product Safety Commission and the FAA are the same. There's been a concerted effort to turn regulatory agencies into advoctes for business curing the Bush adminsitration--analogous to the way Cabinet departments and other agencies under the purview of the executive branch have become overtly political, and at the urging of the White House.
  
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    Beau7890
    April 27, 2008, 1:49 a.m.
    For instance, during Congressional hearings last month, FAA inspectors said that when they tried to blow the whistle on airlines routinely flying planes in need of safety checks, they were stifled by higher-ups:
    http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/ar...
    "When they attempted to report those issues to officials higher up the FAA chain of command, they were harassed, threatened and even punished, they said.
    "They also said the FAA had gone from aggressively regulating airlines to treating them like customers or clients. Lawmakers and outside safety experts have expressed similar worries about regulators' coziness with the carriers."
    
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    doppich
    April 27, 2008, 10:08 a.m.
    I'd say, Beau, that the "concerted effort" has been a resounding success from the viewpoint of the businesses.
    But, as you say, it is only as staffed (and sometimes de-staffed) and run by the Bush administration that these agencies fail in their jobs. I just wish the folks who rail against these agencies with legitimate and necessary functions would say "the Bush FDA." To criticize the generic "FDA" plays right into the right wing's anti-regulatory world view.
    
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      Beau7890
      April 27, 2008, 12:27 p.m.
      You're right that it's become far worse over the term of the Bush administration, and as you might guess, I certainly don't want to support the idea that all government regulation is ineffective.
      But the emasculation of regulatory agencies run by the executive branch began under Ronald Reagan. It's been a downhill slide since then, only completely falling off the cliff since W. took over.
      To be absolutely clear: The policies of deregulation starting in the 1980s have definitely resulted in less effective government and less protection for citizens--but that shouldn't be used as an argument that governmental regulation can't be effective, or that an unfettered free market will solve all problems. Deregulation and defunding have destroyed the protections regulatory agencies provided quite well when they had the muscle.
      
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agentX
April 27, 2008, 10:22 a.m.
Perfect. We're all gonna die before our time.
Just when I thought it was safe to sniff that new car smell...

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Amazing1
April 27, 2008, 11:18 a.m.
Sheesh. Do the people responsible for trying to sell POISON have any conscience at all? Whatever happened to the concept of trying to treat others as you would wish to be treated? If anyone calling him or herself a scientist and endorses these bogus industry "studies", they should hang their head in shame. The more I learn of the absolute GREED of corporations that will POISON the populace for a few more billions over the next few years, the more I am appalled. When is enough enough? The companies that spawn such callous attitudes should be singled out and invaded by the populace that has purchsed their products and made them wealthy. Grab the CEO out of his plush seat and throw him out the window. Until there is such an uprising by angry citizens, the corporate giants and their buddies the politicians will continue to ride over us rough shod.

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  Beau7890
  April 27, 2008, 12:30 p.m.
  "Whatever happened to the concept of trying to treat others as you would wish to be treated?"
  Belief in the infallibility of the free market has won out over conscience.
  
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texangelwings
April 27, 2008, 3:15 p.m.
I wish that I could say that I am surprised, I am not! I worked for a company that used chemicals in their products. There were a large number of safety procedures for each area and the employees to follow, in case of a spill or an accident, including an alarm that would sound off.
Chemicals mixed with the wrong chemical can be deadly!
It seems that profit versus peoples health, has become the priority of our corporate owned government!
I wish that we could have more glass products again! This is one reason why I prefer cooking with my iron skillet and glass bake-ware.
Thanks Mark!

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Aidenag

Photographer by day, news junkie by night. My main areas of interest are politics and the environment. If you have any questions, problems, or suggestions ...

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