Monday, June 13, 2005
Strange Bedfellows
Who knew we would see Homeland Security and Greenies working together? But they appear to be on at least one issue -- water chlorination.
Have we completely left common sense in a ditch by the road somewhere?
Chlorinated drinking water is generally regarded as one of the most important advances in public health. Yet the lifesaving practice of chlorination has never been in such jeopardy as it is now -- thanks to an unfortunate alliance between junk science-fueled environmentalists and overzealous homeland security officials.Homeland Security has some real, if zealous concern -- it's a way that could be used to poison a population, but that can be answered with security measures. The Greenies are just nuts though.
During the Peruvian cholera outbreak in January-February 1991, the Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO) directed health and water agencies to take measures to ensure all water distribution systems were chlorinated, a very effective technique for killing or inactivating the cholera pathogen.OK, for the record, if I am ever in a situation where I have to choose between sure death for 100's if not 1000's of citizens or something that may give some of them cancer and cause them do die at age 70 instead of 80 - or right now, I am going with the possible cancer risk every time.
But as recounted in a new paper authored by Fred Reiff, a Pan-American Health Organization official from 1981-1995, the PAHO encountered resistance to chlorination from local health officials in Peru and other countries. Press releases and reports from the EPA and WHO had raised concern that chlorination by-products may increase cancer risk.
Have we completely left common sense in a ditch by the road somewhere?
