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Directories Int'l Realty US Realty
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The Leading Noxious Substances Stuart Lieberman, Esq., Lately, we have all paid much attention to noxious substances, such as anthrax. While the news is so alarming, the truth is that most Americans are not confronted with a real anthrax threat. For most of us, the more mundane toxins are what pose a hazard. One federal agency, the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, is charged with compiling a list of the most noxious substances. There is a complete list of 275 substances that the government in general considers to be priority substances. The Federal Government is obligated to create this list as part of our national law concerning the cleanup of hazardous substances. Each of the most recently labeled top 20 substances can affect individuals and make them ill. For the most part, unless you are drinking dirty water or breathing polluted air, you will be ok. And in the last 30 years, our country as a whole has made great strides in terms of cleaning both our air and drinking water. In the order in which the substances have been ranked, the following are the top 20 hazardous substances:
You have already learned much about the risks associated with arsenic and lead. They are both naturally occurring and can make you become very ill if absorbed or ingested. Arsenic made news lately because it is found in a lot of protected wood used in docks and piers. Many municipalities are taking measures to prevent children from coming into contact with wood preserved with arsenic (which often has a green tint). Lead belches out of smokestacks and is found in water and peeling paint. It has long been identified with all kinds of health problems including issues relating to the ability to think and to process information. Mercury releases are often associated with incinerators and smokestacks. Many fish have become contaminated as a result of consuming mercury. People are then affected when they consume these fish. Vinyl Chloride is found in the workplace and it is a form of plastic. Problems associated with its exposure include shortness of breath, unconsciousness and sometimes death. PCBs (the aroclors) of course are found in industrial generators and in water. They are not used any longer but the problem is still one frequently encountered in the environment. Benzene is often found in gasoline contamination.Benzene is associated with cancer and many other serious illnesses. Cadmium is a natural element, which is found in all soils and rocks. It is extracted during the production of other metals such as lead, zinc, and copper. It can cause lung damage and make people very ill. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons are generally referred to as PAHs. They are frequently associated with hazardous wastes such as coal tar, which is the aftermath of the gas production business. These substances contain materials that are known to produce or lead to cancer. Exposures to DTD, DDE, and DDD come from eating contaminated foods. These substances, as well as hexovalent chromium, may cause cancer if absorbed into the body. The good news: many of these baddies are not frequently encountered by people. But they are out there and they still make people ill. As a nation, we have done much, and still much remains to be done.
The information provided in this column is written by Stuart Lieberman,a practicing environmental attorney, and is for general information purposes only. It is not legal advice and should not be used in place of legal advice.
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