Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Holly VanRenselaar
Ms. Gardner
31 October 2017
A Toxic Tomorrow
Hello, I’m Holly VanRenselaar, and this is my letter to the industries and consumers of America:
It is undeniable that industrial chemicals are nearly everywhere in our modern world. They can be
found in products for cleaning, clothes for covering, and even foods that we consume on a daily basis.
But, these elusive, unsuspecting chemicals can also do great harm. Everyday, household items contain
levels of chemicals that can be harmful, or even deadly, if one comes into contact with them regularly.
We buy these products containing these chemicals so often that we don’t even think twice about what
they could contain. Industries are persistently pushing for dangerous chemicals to be allowed into their
products in order to sell more, even ones that have previously been banned because of their dangerous
effects. The Environmental Protection Agency, or EPA, is cutting back bans, fulfilling their demands.
For example, dry cleaning is a popular service that many people use. The chemical
perchloroethylene is often found in dry cleaning products, along with some degreasers and adhesives.
According to the official EPA website, exposure to this chemical has been known to cause short-term
symptoms such as dizziness, kidney dysfunction, headache, and unconsciousness. Long-term effects
include kidney, reproductive, and liver problems, and even bladder cancer, multiple myeloma, and
non-Hodgkin lymphoma. In addition, perchloroethylene is a soil contaminant, and can easily get into
water sources, contaminating the water that many people drink. Though the OSHA (Occupational Health
and Safety Administration) claims that the use of perchloroethylene has gone down in recent years, lifted
bans and laws could lead to increased use. Are these dangers really worth the cost? Is it more important to
sell to the people in favor of profit, or forfeit profit in favor of the people?
VanRenselaar
A 2015 study led by the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital found a connection between exposure to
the pesticide pyrethroid to the cognitive condition ADHD in boys ages 8-15. The study found that boys
showing the marker for pyrethroid exposure, 3-PBA, were three times more likely to have ADHD, and
that “hyperactivity and impulsivity increased by 50% for every 10-fold increase in 3-PBA.” ADHD can
cause serious disruptions in childhood and adolescence. Inattentiveness, hyperactivity, and other
symptoms of ADHD can cause trouble in school and personal life. Other symptoms include lack of focus,
discipline issues, forgetfulness, restlessness, and trouble with executive functions. As someone with an
ADHD variant, ADD, I have firsthand experience with struggling with these symptoms. Though it may be
satisfying for a consumer to buy cheap and unblemished produce, which has undoubtedly been doused in
pesticides, the benefits don’t outweigh the consequences of long-term consumption and exposure.
It’s no question why large companies and manufacturers decide to use these harmful chemicals in
their products. Even though most manufacturers are well aware of the health risks that come with the
inclusion of industrial chemicals, manufacturers are after money. The effectiveness of synthetic chemicals
is often incomparable to more expensive, and sometimes less effective, alternatives. This ultimately
makes health a secondary concern to the manufacturers, if a concern at all. The manufacturers of
industrial chemicals also benefit greatly from increased usage, making millions from the sales.
Relaxations on the bans placed on certain chemicals, granted by the EPA, will only worsen this situation.
If these chemicals continue to be legalized by the EPA, whose members are generally in favor of the
large-scale businesses and companies, manufacturers will continue to jump at the opportunity to place
sales over safety. The current government officials won't help, either. Most members in the presidential
cabinet support relaxations on laws regarding previously banned chemicals, and are eager to lift
restrictions and bans, simply to reel in more sales. These legalizations will spread like an epidemic, and
eventually, we could all be in great danger. We cannot let their greed harm us.
VanRenselaar
To do your part in stopping the use of harmful industrial chemicals, check the labels of products,
buy organic, local foods, and purchase from brands that use all-natural resources. With our choices, with
our voices, with our awareness, we, the consumers, hold the power. Though it may seem difficult,
sometimes impossible, every choice you make will get us a step closer to a healthier, safer world.
VanRenselaar
Bibliography
“2015 Study Links Pesticide ADHD in Boys.” Cincinnati Children's Hospital, 1 June, 2015.
www.cincinnatichildrens.org/news/release/2015/study-links-pesticide-ADHD-in-boys-06-01-201
www.osha.gov/dts/chemicalsampling/data/CH_270620.html.
Lipton, Eric. “Why Has The E.P.A. Shifted On Toxic Chemicals? An Industry Insider Helps Call The
https://mobile.nytimes.com/2017/10/21/us/trump-epa-chemicals-regulations.html?referer=
https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2016-09/documents/tetrachloroethylene.pdf