DoomsdaysCW<p>What good are <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/TreatyRights" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>TreatyRights</span></a> if the fish are poisoned?</p><p>Monday, July 14, 2025<br>By George Ochenski, Daily Montanan</p><p>"By virtually any measure, the <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/ConfederatedSalishKootenai" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>ConfederatedSalishKootenai</span></a> Tribal Nation is an incredible success story against all odds. Forcibly removed from their homeland in the Bitterroot Valley, despite not having waged war against the white settlers or army, their own '<a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/TrailOfTears" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>TrailOfTears</span></a>' brought them to the Flathead Valley to live within the boundaries of the vastly reduced lands they retained in the <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/HellgateTreatyOf1855" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>HellgateTreatyOf1855</span></a>.</p><p>"Although the <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/HellgateTreaty" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>HellgateTreaty</span></a> is widely regarded as one of the best treaties signed by any of the nation’s <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/IndigenousPeople" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>IndigenousPeople</span></a>, even land supposedly reserved for the exclusive habitation of the <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/SalishKootenai" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>SalishKootenai</span></a> was opened to purchase by non-tribal <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/settlers" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>settlers</span></a> by the <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/DawesAct" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>DawesAct</span></a> of 1887. </p><p>"The act’s intentions were to allocate reservation lands the tribes already owned to individual families as private property and, as part of the 'civilization' of <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/NativeAmericans" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>NativeAmericans</span></a>, it required tribal members to register with the federal government to receive their 'allotment.' </p><p>"The entire debacle was part of the <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/AllotmentAndAssimilationEra" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>AllotmentAndAssimilationEra</span></a> from 1887 to 1934. Simply put, the federal government’s plan was to force Native Americans to be 'assimilated' into <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/EuropeanAmerican" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>EuropeanAmerican</span></a> culture. </p><p>"Importantly, any reservation lands not allocated to tribal members was deemed <br>'surplus' land and opened to purchase by non-tribal settlers. This excursion into <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/ReservationLands" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>ReservationLands</span></a> was further exacerbated by the ability of tribal members to sell their allotment parcels to non-tribal members. </p><p>"The fracturing of the Salish-Kootenai’s tribal lands through sales to non-tribal members continues to cause serious problems today, including the long and on-going battle to retain their <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/water" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>water</span></a>, <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/hunting" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>hunting</span></a> and <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/fishing" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>fishing</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/TreatyRights" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>TreatyRights</span></a>. </p><p>"Article III of the Hellgate Treaty could not be more clear regarding the Tribe’s fishing rights: 'The exclusive right of taking fish in all the streams running through or bordering said reservation is further secured to said Indians; as also the right of taking fish at all usual and accustomed places…'</p><p>"Yet, just last month the Confederated Salish-Kootenai Tribal Nation issued a very serious warning to tribal members regarding the fish they have treaty rights to catch because they are poisoned. </p><p>CSKT Fish Consumption Advisory</p><p>"The Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes issued a fish consumption advisory on June 24, 2025, warning tribal citizens not to eat fish due to the presence of Polychlorinated biphenyls (<a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/PCBs" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>PCBs</span></a>), <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/dioxins" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>dioxins</span></a> and <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/furans" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>furans</span></a> at levels deemed unsafe for humans: Source: Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes</p><p>"The <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/FishConsumptionAdvisory" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>FishConsumptionAdvisory</span></a> urges 'all tribal members to avoid consuming all species and sizes of fish harvested from the lower Clark Fork River from the Bitterroot River near Missoula to the Flathead River near Paradise. Recent testing has confirmed the presence of polychlorinated biphenyls, dioxins and furans in fish at levels that are unsafe for consumption by Tribal peoples. It is also advisable to avoid consuming rainbow trout and northern pike harvested from the Bitterroot River and the upper Clark Fork River above the Bitterroot River to Rock Creek, and, to avoid consuming rainbow trout from the Blackfoot River.</p><p>"As the Advisory explains: 'These contaminants pose a health risk to all fish consumers, and an even greater health risk to the most sensitive members of the Tribal population including women of child bearing age, pregnant nursing women, and young children. These contaminants have been linked to negative health effects in the immune, and nervous systems and may be associated with birth defects…PCBs and dioxins are classified as probable and definite <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/HumanCarcinogens" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>HumanCarcinogens</span></a>, respectively.' </p><p>"So what good are treaty fishing rights if you can’t eat the fish because they’re poisoned? Are they really 'rights' — or is this just another in our nation’s long and shameful history of abrogating its treaties with Native Americans? </p><p>"Moreover, <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Montana" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Montana</span></a>’s poison fish affect us all. Just as our government has failed the Salish-Kootenai, they have likewise failed to uphold our rights to the 'swimmable/fishable waters' guaranteed by the <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/CleanWaterAct" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>CleanWaterAct</span></a> — because no one, tribal or non-tribal, is immune to poisoned fish."</p><p>Source:<br><a href="https://indianz.com/News/2025/07/14/george-ochenski-another-shameful-chapter-in-treatment-of-tribal-nations/" rel="nofollow noopener" translate="no" target="_blank"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">indianz.com/News/2025/07/14/ge</span><span class="invisible">orge-ochenski-another-shameful-chapter-in-treatment-of-tribal-nations/</span></a></p><p><a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/WaterIsLife" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>WaterIsLife</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/TribalNations" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>TribalNations</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/NativeAmericanNews" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>NativeAmericanNews</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/WaterPollution" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>WaterPollution</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/PoisonedFish" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>PoisonedFish</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/StolenLand" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>StolenLand</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/LandBack" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>LandBack</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/EPAFail" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>EPAFail</span></a></p>
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#epafail
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DoomsdaysCW<p>While on the subject of <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/LateStageCapitalism" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>LateStageCapitalism</span></a>... Unfortunately, this doesn't surprise me. If <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Glyphosate" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Glyphosate</span></a> can cause gut inflammation [and bugs' stomachs to explode], you can count on it causing brain inflammation! Oh, and yeah -- deport those migrant farm workers and start doing their jobs, MAGAts. Good luck with that!</p><p>Chemical found in breakfast foods [and lots of other foods] linked to <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/BrainDamage" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>BrainDamage</span></a> in new study </p><p>December 5, 2024<br>Story by Maiya Focht Health Reporter</p><p>"A <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/pesticide" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>pesticide</span></a> that has been found in breakfast cereals, oats and orange juice may be able to cause dementia symptoms in weeks. </p><p>"Weed-killer glyphosate, which is the active ingredient in RoundUp, has long been linked to cancers and nerve damage. But much of the earlier research has focused on looking at people that interact with it every day like farm workers.</p><p>"The new study, performed on mice, suggests even small amounts of exposure can have long-lasting effects.</p><p>"Experts found rodents who were given for about three months saw Alzheimer's-like changes to their brains which persisted for months.</p><p>"Upon dissecting the brains, the researchers saw the chemical itself had gotten into the delicate tissue of the brain, where it likely caused inflammation, which caused nerves and brain tissue to decay, leading to the changes they observed after six months.</p><p>"Patrick Pirrotte, a study author and director at City of Hope said: 'These findings highlight that many chemicals we regularly encounter, previously considered safe, may pose potential health risks. </p><p>"Foods that were found to contain glyphosate include <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/QuakerOatmeal" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>QuakerOatmeal</span></a>, <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/CheezIt" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>CheezIt</span></a> and <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Tropicana" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Tropicana</span></a> orange juice, according to a separate analysis by Sokolove law, a personal injury and illness law firm."</p><p>Read more:<br><a href="https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/other/chemical-found-in-breakfast-foods-linked-to-brain-damage-in-new-study/ar-AA1viAby?rc=1&ocid=winp1taskbar&cvid=172219ac31634602abedf758f9dfe01e&ei=12" rel="nofollow noopener" translate="no" target="_blank"><span class="invisible">https://www.</span><span class="ellipsis">msn.com/en-us/health/other/che</span><span class="invisible">mical-found-in-breakfast-foods-linked-to-brain-damage-in-new-study/ar-AA1viAby?rc=1&ocid=winp1taskbar&cvid=172219ac31634602abedf758f9dfe01e&ei=12</span></a></p><p> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/FDAFail" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>FDAFail</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/EPAFail" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>EPAFail</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/BanGlyphosates" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>BanGlyphosates</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/RoundupKills" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>RoundupKills</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Bayer" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Bayer</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Monsanto" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Monsanto</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Dementia" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Dementia</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/WaterIsLife" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>WaterIsLife</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/SoilPollution" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>SoilPollution</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/WaterPollution" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>WaterPollution</span></a></p>
DoomsdaysCW<p>Good ol' <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/EPA" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>EPA</span></a> -- working hard to keep us from knowing what's going on. <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/RadNet" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>RadNet</span></a> data? It's our secret. <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Radiation" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Radiation</span></a> levels too high? Not anymore! We changed the standard so polluters can go on polluting! </p><p><a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/EPAFail" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>EPAFail</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/NRC" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>NRC</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/RadiationStandards" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>RadiationStandards</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Consume" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Consume</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/RadiationLevels" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>RadiationLevels</span></a></p>
DoomsdaysCW<p>So, before the <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/EPA" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>EPA</span></a> stopped posting Beta radiation data, I would compare their readings to the ones from this website, which monitors radiation using private stations -- and it always correlated. I'm going back to keeping an eye on this, and also seeing if things have changed with <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/RadNet" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>RadNet</span></a>. I used to be able to download raw Beta data (and I work with data, so I know how to "read" it).<br><a href="http://www.netc.com" rel="nofollow noopener" translate="no" target="_blank"><span class="invisible">http://www.</span><span class="">netc.com</span><span class="invisible"></span></a><br><a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/NRC" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>NRC</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/EPAFail" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>EPAFail</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Radiation" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Radiation</span></a></p>
DoomsdaysCW<p>By using Beta radiation data (and higher energy Gamma data), I was able to track trouble at <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/WIPP" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>WIPP</span></a> before it was released publicly (and yes, some rads did get loose), and also <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/NorthKorean" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>NorthKorean</span></a> nuclear tests (again, before it was released to the public). And then <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/RadNet" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>RadNet</span></a> beta tracking went away -- allegedly because the air monitors were faulty? Ummm.... Sure they were.<br><a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/EPAFail" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>EPAFail</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/NRC" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>NRC</span></a></p>
DoomsdaysCW<p><a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/America" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>America</span></a>'s Notorious '<a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/CancerAlley" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>CancerAlley</span></a>' Is Even More <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Toxic" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Toxic</span></a> Than We Thought</p><p>A new study finds levels of the <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/carcinogen" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>carcinogen</span></a> ethylene oxide that are nine times higher than those estimated by the <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/EPA" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>EPA</span></a>’s models.</p><p>By Naveena Sadasivam, Grist<br>June 11, 2024</p><p>"Since the 1980s, the 85-mile stretch of the <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/MississippiRiver" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>MississippiRiver</span></a> that connects <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/NewOrleans" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>NewOrleans</span></a> and <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/BatonRouge" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>BatonRouge</span></a>, <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Louisiana" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Louisiana</span></a>, has been known as “Cancer Alley.” The name stems from the fact that the area’s residents have a 95% greater chance of developing cancer than the average American. A big reason for this is the concentration of industrial facilities along the corridor — particularly <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/petrochemical" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>petrochemical</span></a> manufacturing plants, many of which emit ethylene oxide, an extremely potent toxin that is considered a carcinogen by the Environmental Protection Agency and has been linked to breast and lung cancers."</p><p>Read more:<br><a href="https://gizmodo.com/americas-notorious-cancer-alley-is-even-more-toxic-than-1851532462?utm_source=pocket-newtab-en-us" rel="nofollow noopener" translate="no" target="_blank"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">gizmodo.com/americas-notorious</span><span class="invisible">-cancer-alley-is-even-more-toxic-than-1851532462?utm_source=pocket-newtab-en-us</span></a> </p><p><a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Pollution" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Pollution</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/EPAFail" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>EPAFail</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/BigOilAndGas" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>BigOilAndGas</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Oiligarchy" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Oiligarchy</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Corporatocracy" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Corporatocracy</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/BigOil" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>BigOil</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/ExxonKnew" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>ExxonKnew</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/BigOilKnew" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>BigOilKnew</span></a></p>
DoomsdaysCW<p>"'I think the companies see this as a new way over a 10- or 20-year period to gradually lobby' the EPA 'to allow higher levels of pesticides in food,' said Charles Benbrook, an agricultural economist who has monitored pesticide regulation for decades. 'If they can convince regulators to not pay attention to animal studies, they have a very good chance of raising the allowable exposure levels.'" </p><p><a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/EPA" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>EPA</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/EPAFail" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>EPAFail</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/ToxicPesticides" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>ToxicPesticides</span></a></p>
DoomsdaysCW<p>10 Times as Much of This <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Toxic" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Toxic</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Pesticide" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Pesticide</span></a> Could End Up on Your <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Tomatoes" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Tomatoes</span></a> and <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Celery" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Celery</span></a> Under a New <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/EPA" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>EPA</span></a> Proposal</p><p>Against the guidance of scientific advisory panels, the EPA is relying on industry-backed tests to relax regulations on <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/acephate" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>acephate</span></a>, which has been linked to <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/neurodevelopmental" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>neurodevelopmental</span></a> disorders. “It’s exactly what we recommended against,” one panelist said. </p><p><a href="https://www.propublica.org/article/epa-acephate-pesticide-adhd-autism-regulations?utm_source=pocket-newtab-en-us" rel="nofollow noopener" translate="no" target="_blank"><span class="invisible">https://www.</span><span class="ellipsis">propublica.org/article/epa-ace</span><span class="invisible">phate-pesticide-adhd-autism-regulations?utm_source=pocket-newtab-en-us</span></a> </p><p><a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/EPAFail" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>EPAFail</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/ToxicPesticides" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>ToxicPesticides</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/BrainDevelopment" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>BrainDevelopment</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/FoodSafety" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>FoodSafety</span></a></p>
DoomsdaysCW<p>I wrote about farms like this one when I did a story about <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/UnityMaine" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>UnityMaine</span></a>, the home of the <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/CommonGroundFair" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>CommonGroundFair</span></a> -- a celebration of <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/OrganicFarming" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>OrganicFarming</span></a> in <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Maine" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Maine</span></a>. It makes me so sad to see them having to go out of business because <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/MaineDEP" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>MaineDEP</span></a> and <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/EPAFail" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>EPAFail</span></a> led to <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/toxic" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>toxic</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/sludge" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>sludge</span></a> being marketed as "fertilizer".</p><p>‘I don’t know how we’ll survive’: the <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/farmers" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>farmers</span></a> facing ruin in <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Maine" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Maine</span></a>’s ‘forever chemicals’ crisis</p><p>Maine faces a crisis from <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/PFAS" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>PFAS</span></a>-contaminated produce, which is causing farms to close and farmers to face the loss of their livelihoods</p><p>by Tom Perkins, 22 Mar 2022 06.05 EDT</p><p>"Songbird Farm’s 17 acres (7 hectares) hold sandy loam fields, three greenhouses and cutover woods that comprise an idyllic setting near Maine’s central coast. The small organic operation carved out a niche growing heirloom grains, tomatoes, sweet garlic, cantaloupe and other products that were sold to organic food stores or as part of a community-supported agriculture program, where people pay to receive boxes of locally grown produce.</p><p>Farmers Johanna Davis and Adam Nordell bought Songbird in 2014. By 2021 the young family with their three-year-old son were hitting their stride, Nordell said.</p><p>"But disaster struck in December. The couple learned the farm’s previous owner had decades earlier used PFAS-tainted sewage sludge, or '<a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/biosolids" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>biosolids</span></a>', as fertilizer on Songbird’s fields. Testing revealed their soil, drinking <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/water" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>water</span></a>, irrigation water, <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/crops" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>crops</span></a>, chickens and <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/blood" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>blood</span></a> were <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/contaminated" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>contaminated</span></a> with high levels of the <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/ToxicChemicals" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>ToxicChemicals</span></a>.</p><p>"The couple quickly recalled products, alerted customers, suspended their operation and have been left deeply fearful for their financial and physical wellbeing.</p><p>"'This has flipped everything about our lives on its head,' Nordell said. 'We haven’t done a blood test on our kid yet and that’s the most terrifying part. It’s fucking devastating.'"</p><p>Read more:<br><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/mar/22/i-dont-know-how-well-survive-the-farmers-facing-ruin-in-americas-forever-chemicals-crisis" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank"><span class="invisible">https://www.</span><span class="ellipsis">theguardian.com/environment/20</span><span class="invisible">22/mar/22/i-dont-know-how-well-survive-the-farmers-facing-ruin-in-americas-forever-chemicals-crisis</span></a></p><p><a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/EPA" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>EPA</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/InformedConsent" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>InformedConsent</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/PFOS" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>PFOS</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/WaterIsLife" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>WaterIsLife</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/ToxicWaste" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>ToxicWaste</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/FoodProduction" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>FoodProduction</span></a></p>
DoomsdaysCW<p><a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Chemical" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Chemical</span></a> companies’ <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/PFAS" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>PFAS</span></a> payouts are huge – but the problem is even bigger</p><p><a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/3M" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>3M</span></a>, <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/DuPont" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>DuPont</span></a>, <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Chemours" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Chemours</span></a> and <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Corteva" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Corteva</span></a> have agreed settlement in the billions for <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/polluting" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>polluting</span></a> drinking <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/water" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>water</span></a> with ‘forever chemicals’</p><p>by Tom Perkins, Aug 3, 2023</p><p>"“When the chemical giant 3M agreed in early June to pay up to $12.5bn to settle a lawsuit over PFAS contamination in water systems across the nation, it was hailed by attorneys as 'the largest drinking water settlement in American history', and viewed as a significant win for the public in the battle against toxic 'forever chemicals'.</p><p>“A second June settlement with the PFAS manufacturers DuPont, Chemours and Corteva tallied a hefty $1.1bn. But while the sums are impressive on their face, they represent just a fraction of the estimated $400bn some estimate will be needed to clean and protect the nation’s drinking water. Orange county, California, alone put the cost of cleaning its system at $1bn.</p><p>“‘While over a billion dollars is real money, it is a virtual drop in the bucket of potential utility costs to monitor, remove and dispose of these contaminants in accordance with anticipated federal regulations,' the American Municipal Water Association trade group said in a statement.</p><p>“Moreover, the two settlements include just over 6,000 water systems nationwide. Utilities that were not part of the suits but have PFAS in their systems can claim some of the settlement money, or they can sue the chemical manufacturers on their own.</p><p>“That means the settlements only represent the first wave of utility lawsuits to hit <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/ChemicalManufacturers" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>ChemicalManufacturers</span></a>, legal observers say. Because PFAS are so widely used and the scale of their harm is so great, chemical makers will get hit from a range of legal angles, and some suspect the industry’s final bill could exceed the $200bn paid by <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/BigTobacco" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>BigTobacco</span></a> in the 1990s.</p><p>“The number will be 'very large', said Kevin McKie, an attorney with the Environmental Litigation Group who represented a water management company in the 3M case. Though the 3M settlement does not cover all the nation’s costs, it is a strong start, he added.</p><p>“‘A good settlement is one where both sides walk away a bit frustrated’ is the old saying,' McKie said. 'Of course I would have liked a bit more money but I do believe they got as much as they could at this time, and there’s a lot more to go.'</p><p>“PFAS are a class of about 15,000 compounds used to make products across dozens of industries resistant to water, stains and heat. They are called 'forever chemicals' because they do not naturally break down, and are linked to <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/cancer" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>cancer</span></a>, <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/KidneyDisease" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>KidneyDisease</span></a>, <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/liver" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>liver</span></a> conditions, <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/immune" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>immune</span></a> disorders, <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/BirthDefects" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>BirthDefects</span></a> and other health problems.</p><p>“The chemicals are thought to be contaminating drinking water for over 200 million Americans. Tens of thousands of contaminated <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/PrivateWells" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>PrivateWells</span></a> are not included in the settlement. The chemicals are also widely used in thousands of consumer products from <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/DentalFloss" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>DentalFloss</span></a> to <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/cookware" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>cookware</span></a> to <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/clothing" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>clothing</span></a>, and have been found to <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/contaminate" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>contaminate</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/food" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>food</span></a>, <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/soil" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>soil</span></a> and <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/air" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>air</span></a>.</p><p>“PFAS constantly cycle and accumulate throughout the environment, and removing them from water is costly. The highly mobile chemicals can slip through most utilities’ filtration systems. Granular activated carbon and reverse osmosis are considered the best options.</p><p>“Leaders in Stuart, Florida, which was the bellwether case in the 3M settlement, chose to take what they could get without further litigation. Bellwethers are cases that represent all the other plaintiffs in a multi-district lawsuit. Stuart estimated damages at up to $120m, and the city acknowledged the settlement would fall short.</p><p>“‘I don’t think we’ll ever get close to that much net to the city, so I think there is no making us whole,' Stuart’s city manager told the New York Times.</p><p>“Among those utilities going at it alone is the Cape Fear Public Utility Authority (CFPUA) near Wilmington, North Carolina, which sits on the <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/CapeFear" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>CapeFear</span></a> River about 75 miles downstream from a Chemours PFAS manufacturing plant. It cost the utility about $46m to develop a granular activated carbon system to remove PFAS, and officials estimate an additional $5m in annual operational costs.</p><p>“The utility declined to comment, citing ongoing litigation, but in a late June op-ed, the CFPUA director Kenneth Waldrop explained the motivation for not joining the settlements: 'The information currently available suggests that the proposed settlement, when divided among thousands of other utilities with similar needs, would be insufficient to meet the needs of our community.'</p><p>“The utility has a 'strong case' against Chemours which has the reserves to cover the full cost, Waldrop added. There is generally support for that approach among Wilmington-area residents, said Emily Donovan, a public health advocate who lives in the region.</p><p>“‘This is not our fault, but it has been made our problem, and the community mostly understands what’s going on,' she said.</p><p>“The settlements also drew unlikely opponents in 22 state attorneys general who urged the judge to reject the 3M settlement because it 'does not adequately account for the pernicious damage that 3M has done in so many of our communities', said the California attorney general, Rob Bonta.</p><p>“Beyond water utility settlements, chemical makers face personal injury suits. Most US states will also probably sue over <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/contamination" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>contamination</span></a> of <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/lakes" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>lakes</span></a>, <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/rivers" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>rivers</span></a> and other <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/NaturalResources" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>NaturalResources</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Minnesota" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Minnesota</span></a> alone found eliminating PFAS contamination from its wastewater could run to $28bn.</p><p>“Local water systems that are not made whole will need help from the federal government, which 'basically abandoned public water infrastructure a long time ago', said Oday Salim, director of the Environmental Law and Sustainability Clinic at the University of Michigan.</p><p>“‘Any amount of money that gets shifted to the victims is helpful,' he added.<br>“The government could implement an excise tax on PFAS to help cover costs, McKie said, and he noted the chemical manufacturers are taking a significant hit. By some estimates, 3M’s PFAS liabilities may soar to as much as $30bn as claims roll in.<br>“‘That’s a pretty big chunk of the total size of their corporation,' McKie said."</p><p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/aug/03/chemical-companies-pfas-payouts-forever-chemicals" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank"><span class="invisible">https://www.</span><span class="ellipsis">theguardian.com/environment/20</span><span class="invisible">23/aug/03/chemical-companies-pfas-payouts-forever-chemicals</span></a></p><p><a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/EPA" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>EPA</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/EPAFail" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>EPAFail</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/PFOS" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>PFOS</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/WaterIsLife" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>WaterIsLife</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/ToxicWaste" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>ToxicWaste</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/ChemicalIndustries" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>ChemicalIndustries</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/ForeverChemicals" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>ForeverChemicals</span></a></p>
DoomsdaysCW<p>2022: <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Maine" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Maine</span></a> bans use of sewage sludge on <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/farms" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>farms</span></a> to reduce risk of <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/PFAS" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>PFAS</span></a> poisoning</p><p>Sludge used as crop <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/fertilizer" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>fertilizer</span></a> has <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/contaminated" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>contaminated</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/soil" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>soil</span></a>, <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/water" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>water</span></a>, <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/crops" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>crops</span></a> and <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/cattle" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>cattle</span></a>, forcing <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/farmers" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>farmers</span></a> to quit</p><p>by Tom Perkins, Thu 12 May 2022 11.00 EDT</p><p>"Maine last month became the first state to ban the practice of spreading PFAS-contaminated sewage sludge as fertilizer.</p><p>"But it’s largely on its own in the US, despite a recent report estimating about 20m acres of cropland across the country may be contaminated.</p><p>"Most states are only beginning to look at the problem and some are increasing the amount of sludge they spread on farm fields despite the substance being universally contaminated with PFAS and destroying livelihoods in Maine.</p><p>"'Maine is at the forefront of this because we’ve seen first-hand the damage that sludge causes to farms,' said Patrick MacRoy, deputy director of the non-profit Defend Our Health Maine. The new law also prohibits sludge from being composted with other organic material.</p><p>"PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are a class of chemicals used across dozens of industries to make products resistant to water, stains and heat. Though the compounds are highly effective, they are also linked to <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/cancer" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>cancer</span></a>, <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/KidneyDisease" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>KidneyDisease</span></a>, <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/BirthDefects" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>BirthDefects</span></a>, decreased <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/immunity" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>immunity</span></a>, <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/liver" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>liver</span></a> problems and a range of other serious diseases.</p><p>"Sewage sludge is a semi-solid mix of human excrement and industrial <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/waste" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>waste</span></a> that water treatment plants pull from the nation’s sewer system. It’s expensive to dispose of, and about 60% of it is now lightly treated and sold or given away as 'biosolid' fertilizer because it is high in plant nutrients.</p><p>"Maine and <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Michigan" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Michigan</span></a> are the only two states that are routinely checking sludge and farms for PFAS, and both are finding contamination on farms to be widespread.</p><p>"Maine’s legislature banned the practice of spreading sludge as fertilizer in April [2022] after environmental officials discovered astronomical levels of PFAS in water, crops, cattle and soil on farms where sludge had been spread, and high PFAS levels have been detected in farmers’ blood.</p><p>"<a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Contamination" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Contamination</span></a> from PFAS-tainted sludge has already poisoned well water on around a dozen farms, and has forced several Maine farms to shutter. The state is investigating about 700 more fields where PFAS-contaminated sludge was spread in recent years. Farmers have told the Guardian that many of their peers with contaminated land won’t alert the state because they fear financial ruin.</p><p>"Maine also approved the creation of a $60m fund that will be used to help farmers cover medical monitoring, for buyouts and for other forms of financial assistance.</p><p>"'Folks have been left out to dry without any real help so we’re grateful to see that,' MacRoy said. The sludge legislation comes after Maine last year enacted the nation’s first ban on non-essential uses of PFAS in products. It goes into effect in 2030.</p><p>"In Michigan, environmental officials have downplayed the detection of PFAS in sludge and on farms, and although the state prohibits highly contaminated sludge from being spread, it allows higher levels of the chemicals in sludge than Maine. State regulators have also identified PFAS polluters and required them to stop discharging the chemicals into the sewers.</p><p>"Questions remain about whether that’s enough to keep PFAS out of Michigan’s food supply. Instead of implementing a wide-scale program to test livestock, crops and dairy, the state identified 13 farms it considered most at risk and has claimed contamination on other farms isn’t a risk.</p><p>"Michigan is ahead of most other states. In <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Virginia" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Virginia</span></a>, environmental regulators are considering permitting an additional 6,000 acres worth of sludge to be spread and have so far resisted public health advocates’ calls to test for PFAS and reject new sludge permits.</p><p>"In <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Alabama" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Alabama</span></a>, the state’s department of environmental management said in 2019 that 'the best use of biosolids is as a [fertilizer].'</p><p>"Even as the crisis unfolds in Maine, officials in Alabama are increasing the amount of out-of-state sludge that’s imported and spread on fields or landfilled, and the state in 2020 updated its biosolids rule to 'encourage' the use of <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/biosolids" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>biosolids</span></a> as fertilizer. Alabama does not test sludge for PFAS."</p><p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/may/12/maine-bans-sewage-sludge-fertilizer-farms-pfas-poisoning" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank"><span class="invisible">https://www.</span><span class="ellipsis">theguardian.com/environment/20</span><span class="invisible">22/may/12/maine-bans-sewage-sludge-fertilizer-farms-pfas-poisoning</span></a></p><p><a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/EPA" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>EPA</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/EPAFail" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>EPAFail</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/InformedConsent" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>InformedConsent</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/PFOS" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>PFOS</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/WaterIsLife" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>WaterIsLife</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/ToxicWaste" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>ToxicWaste</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/FoodProduction" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>FoodProduction</span></a></p>
DoomsdaysCW<p><a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/DryCleaning" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>DryCleaning</span></a> chemical may be invisible <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Parkinson" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Parkinson</span></a>’s cause</p><p>March 15th, 2023 Posted by Mark Michaud-Rochester</p><p>"For the past 100 years, <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/trichloroethylene" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>trichloroethylene</span></a> (<a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/TCE" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>TCE</span></a>) has been used to decaffeinate coffee, degrease metal, and dry clean clothes. It contaminates the Marine Corps base Camp Lejeune, 15 toxic Superfund sites in Silicon Valley, and up to one-third of groundwater in the US.</p><p>TCE causes cancer, is linked to miscarriages and congenital heart disease, and is associated with a 500% increased risk of Parkinson’s disease.</p><p>In a hypothesis paper in the Journal of Parkinson’s Disease, researchers, including University of Rochester Medical Center neurologists Ray Dorsey, Ruth Schneider, and Karl Kieburtz, postulate that TCE may be an invisible cause of Parkinson’s. They detail the widespread use of the chemical, the evidence linking the toxicant to Parkinson’s, and profile seven individuals, including a former NBA basketball player, a Navy captain, and a late US Senator, who developed Parkinson’s disease either after likely working with the chemical or being exposed to it in the environment.</p><p>Massive TCE contamination</p><p>TCE was a widely used solvent used in a number of industrial, consumer, military, and medical applications, including to remove paint, correct typewriting mistakes, clean engines, and anesthetize patients.</p><p>Its use in the US peaked in the 1970s, when more than 600 million pounds of the chemical—or two pounds per American—were manufactured annually. Some 10 million Americans worked with the chemical or other similar industrial solvents. While domestic use has since fallen, TCE is still used for degreasing metal and spot dry cleaning in the US.</p><p>TCE contaminates countless sites across the country. Half of the most toxic Environmental Protection Agency’s (<a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/EPA" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>EPA</span></a>) <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Superfund" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Superfund</span></a> sites contain TCE. Fifteen sites are in <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/California" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>California</span></a>’s <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/SiliconValley" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>SiliconValley</span></a> where the chemicals were used to clean electronics and computer chips. TCE is found in numerous military bases, including <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/CampLejeune" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>CampLejeune</span></a> in North Carolina. From the 1950s to the 1980s a million Marines, their families, and civilians that worked or resided at the base were exposed to drinking water levels of TCE and <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/perchloroethylene" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>perchloroethylene</span></a> (<a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/PCE" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>PCE</span></a>), a close chemical cousin, that were up to 280 times above what is considered safe levels.</p><p>Soil, water, and air</p><p>The connection between TCE and Parkinson’s was first hinted at in case studies more than 50 years ago. In the intervening years, research in mice and rats has shown that TCE readily enters the brain and body tissue and at high doses damages the energy-producing parts of cells known as mitochondria. In animal studies, TCE causes selective loss of dopamine-producing nerve cells, a hallmark of Parkinson’s disease in humans.</p><p>Individuals who worked directly with TCE have an elevated risk of developing Parkinson’s. However, the authors warn that 'millions more encounter the chemical unknowingly through outdoor air, contaminated groundwater, and indoor air pollution.'</p><p>The chemical can contaminate soil and groundwater leading to underground rivers, or plumes, that can extend over long distances and migrate over time. One such plume associated with an aerospace company on Long Island, New York, is over four miles long and two miles wide, and has contaminated the drinking water of thousands. Others are found everywhere from Shanghai, China to Newport Beach, California.</p><p>Beyond their risks to water, the volatile TCE can readily evaporate and enter people’s homes, schools, and workplaces, often undetected. Today, this vapor intrusion is likely exposing millions who live, learn, and work near former dry cleaning, military, and industrial sites to toxic indoor air. Vapor intrusion was first reported in the 1980s when radon was found to evaporate from soil and enter homes and increase the risk of lung cancer. Today millions of homes are tested for radon, but few are for the cancer-causing TCE."</p><p> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/WaterIsLife" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>WaterIsLife</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Toxic" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Toxic</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Chemicals" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Chemicals</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Pollution" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Pollution</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/EPAFail" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>EPAFail</span></a></p><p>Read more:<br><a href="https://www.futurity.org/parkinsons-disease-trichloroethylene-tce-2890562-2/" rel="nofollow noopener" translate="no" target="_blank"><span class="invisible">https://www.</span><span class="ellipsis">futurity.org/parkinsons-diseas</span><span class="invisible">e-trichloroethylene-tce-2890562-2/</span></a></p>
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