Perchlorate, a chemical used in rocket making and other non-military applications, is finding its way into the food chain. Some former manufacturing locations in the US are located near homes, and homes in those areas are more likely to be affected.

If you are buying a home, find out whether perchlorate was in use near the home you want to buy. The state health department should have an answer that you can trust.

If perchlorate was in use near your home, and if the water you will be drinking comes from wells, be careful. Scientists are just beginning to understand this problem. If you can avoid the problem all together, maybe you should – that's your personal decision!

Now we know as a result of a recent study by the United States Food and Drug Administration, that even the most basic food staples aren't immune from the harm caused by years and years of industrialization and environmental abuse.

Yes, we may very well be consuming perchlorate as part of our daily diet. Green leaf lettuce from various parts of the country was found to contain perchlorate at ranges up to 21.7 parts per billion. The average contamination from samples taken throughout the United States was found to be 10.7 parts per billion.

Iceberg lettuce suffered the same fate with some high levels obtained from a Florida sample. The average was 7.76 parts per billion. The same applies to red leaf lettuce and romaine lettuce.

Milk is another story. The average contamination of milk was found to be 5.7 parts per billion. Even milk labeled as organic had measurable amounts of perchorate contamination according to this FDA study.

The FDA is quick to point out that there isn't much that we can glean from this information. It is, after all, preliminary and the amount of contamination on the product does not necessarily equate to the amount of contamination ingested.

But whether it is preliminary, and whether there is a direct correlation, one thing is certain: perchlorate has infiltrated the food chain. And that's bad news.

Perchlorate is known to have negative health consequences, specifically in young people. This contamination has resulted from years of industrial activity that has allowed this material to become embedded in our soils and migrate into our water.

No one should have to drink perchlorate in his or her water. Often, government funding is available to provide filters and, when needed, alternate water supplies. For those who have been forced to consume perchlorate over the years, they should consult with a doctor and seek capable legal advice to ensure their rights have been protected.

Perchlorate is one of those emerging poisons. Perhaps you should become acquainted with its properties.

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.

Stuart Lieberman, Esq., and IRED.Com, Inc., will not accept any responsibilty for any reliance on the information in this column or any damages whatsoever resulting from reading this column.