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« Critic of “Bottom Feeders” Got $1 Million in Farm Subsidies | Main | World Oil Production Could Peak Earlier Than Expected »

CA City Protects Infants from Rocket Fuel Contamination

By EWG

One California city is taking no chances on a toxic rocket fuel in its
drinking water. Although neither the EPA nor the state has made a final
decision on safe levels of perchlorate, the Associated Press reports that
Rialto, a working-class Los Angeles suburb, is taking a zero-tolerance
stance and shutting down all wells that have tested positive for the
chemical.

Perchlorate may cause mental retardation, loss of hearing and speech,
abnormal testicular development, and deficits in motor skills by disrupting
the production of thyroid hormones in fetuses, infants, and children.

Recently, the EPA announced a preliminary reference dose for perchlorate in
drinking water – enforceable federal standards are years away – of 24.5
parts per billion. But California has adopted a public health goal of 6 ppb,
while Massachusetts' proposed standard is just 1 ppb. EWG, which has been
investigating perchlorate since 1999, says to fully protect fetuses and
kids, the standard should be no higher than 0.1 ppb. (View EWG Report on Perchlorate)

City officials in Rialto followed the precautionary principle by shutting
down wells even when perchlorate levels did not exceed the EPA's preliminary
RfD or the California public health goal. Other cities and towns in the 36
states with rocket fuel in their water should look to Rialto as a model for
how municipalities can protect their citizens even in the absence of state
or federal regulations.

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