|
POP health issues To the editor: I salute the Register-Star for the excellent front page article by John Mason, "Trucker links Styrene to health issues" (Saturday, June 14). The trucker, Charles Lake, detailed in the article his experience with styrene poisoning, which he associated with loading and unloading Styrofoam trays for many years. As an oncologist affiliated with Weill-Cornell Medical College, I see the suffering caused by cancer, everyday. However, as Mr. Lake's experience shows, and which has been extensively documented, persistent organic pollutants (POPs) like styrene byproducts, cause a range of other serious human illnesses. The proposed St. Lawrence Greenport plant actually will increase volatile organic toxins, many of which become persistent organic pollutants from the current 76,000 pounds per year to 260,000 pounds per. year. The Center for Health and Global Environment at Harvard Medical School states on its Web site, "Toxicity of POPs includes reproductive and developmental effects, endocrine disrupters, behavioral effects, dermatological effects, carcinogenic effects, neurologic, hepatic and immunotoxic effects. Many Pops have been linked to cancer and are classified as known or probable human carcinogens? Will St. Lawrence have us believe that somehow the vast increase in these compounds it proposes to expose all of 'us to, and which bio-accumulate. in the human body for decades, will be worth the one new job the plant will create? Mitchell Gaynor, MD Hillsdale
|